Social Science
Read news and updates submitted by fellow alumni by date submitted, news category, faculty of graduation, decade or search for a name. Share your news here.
Angela (Donovan) Jackson, BMOS’00
and Simon-Peter Jackson, BA’98, were pleased to watch their daughter Tessa Jackson follow in their rugby footsteps and play her rookie season for the Western women’s rugby team this past fall.
was appointed to Vice-President, HR Risk Governance & Controls at RBC. This makes Angela one of approximately 500 executives within an organization of 100,000 employees and one of the only Black women currently holding this position.
was ordained as a reverend pastor of Chinese Rhenish Church in Vancouver, BC.
passed away on August 7, 2025, at his home in Ottawa. Bob was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and respected pension policy leader. A longtime advocate and consultant, he helped shape Canadian pension reform and education, earning a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2025.
and fellow grads John Sprowl, Ed Zaborski and Bryan Rothery celebrated their annual golf reunion in July 2025, a tradition that began in 1981.
received the King Charles III Coronation Medal in recognition of his involvement in the planning and delivery of the Lieutenant Governor’s Medal of Distinction in Public Administration.
was recently awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal for outstanding service to his community. Dwight is a dedicated charter member of the Rotary Club of Kanata.
is proud to announce that her law firm Mulqueen Disability Law, advocating for disabled clients in their Long-Term Disability cases, has been recognized by Best Lawyers, Lexpert Ranked, and is a finalist for the Markham Business Excellence, High Quality Service award.
welcomed Erin Isadora Shcherbakov, born September 2, 2024.
published his fourth novel In The Shadows Of Love with Hera Books in October 2024 and was featured in a Forbes article in December 2024.
and Allan Svirsky, BMOS’22, founded Rondah AI and raised $120K from Techstars powered by J.P. Morgan. Rondah AI is used by dental practices across ten states and five provinces.
served as a director of community engagement for the Canadian Cancer Society’s flagship fundraising event, Run for the Cure. Her team raised over $100,000 for breast cancer research and organized an event with over 400 attendees.
married Derek Laur in October 2023.
is a senior lecturer at the University of Canterbury and has been awarded one of the Canterbury Medical Research Foundation Emerging Research Fellowships.
released Ordinary People, Extraordinary Lives: A Path to Reconciliation in Our Divided Times in September 2024. The book reflects on an epic 13-month, 53-city, 26,403-mile road trip across Canada and the United States.
has been nominated for a Theater Library Association of New York City’s annual award for his book, Al Christie: Hollywood’s Forgotten Film Pioneer. The award recognizes performing arts scholarship that demonstrates exemplary use and interpretation of library and archival collections.
retired from the Toronto District School Board as curriculum leader and teacher in June 2022.
and classmates celebrated a Medway Hall reunion in August 2024.
Robin Bailey-Chen, BA’87, MA’89
will be the new director of campus support for Hillel International’s Campus Climate Initiative, western (US) region. In this role, she will help address antisemitism on university campuses.
passed away on December 11, 2023. Todd was a proud member of the 1979 Yates Cup winning football team. Well respected in a long career with General Motors and General Dynamics, Todd had a passion for military history, sports, politics and music. He is greatly missed by his loved ones.
was nominated as a Heritage Champion in June 2024 as part of the celebration of the 175th anniversary of the creation of Lambton County, Ontario.
Scenes from our Canadian University Alumni Homecoming 2024 Ñ a joint school celebration of Homecoming for 24 Canadian schools. Our Western/ Ivey squad were strongly represented and we all had a great time getting to know fellow alumni!
welcomed Margaret “Maggie” Christen Siobhan Griffin, born December 29, 2023.
became a Canadian citizen in April 2024 after six years in Canada and three years with Western University.
was purple and proud in Antarctica this past December, completing her goal of travelling to all seven continents.
From first-year student in 2014 to alum and employee Ñ 11 years of Western Homecoming memories! Grateful to keep celebrating with purple pride, then and now. HereÕs to many more!
became a partner of Metcalfe, Blainey & Burns LLP (MBB Law) in February 2024 and was elected as a Bencher of the Law Society of Ontario.
started Alibi – a software platform helping nightlife venues boost sales and retention. Alibi was selected out of thousands of applicants for Techstars Silicon Valley – the world’s largest pre-seed investor and accelerator.
celebrated her wedding in Sanya, China with other Western alumni in January 2024.
is the president of SXULTRASONIC Group, an innovative research and development enterprise based in Shenzhen, China. In 2023, the company was named Top Drug Discovery and Solutions Provider in Asia-Pacific, awarded by Pharma Tech Outlook magazine.
retired from Western in July 2023 and is a professor emerita in political science. She now holds the prestigious endowed Jarislowsky Chair in Trust and Political Leadership and is Full Professor of Political Studies at Trent University.
published her most recent book Behind the Mask in October 2023. It includes profiles of 12 legendary hockey goalies, emphasizing the personality traits that make each one unique.
Cherish De la Cruz, BA’98, BA’98
joined The Manely Firm P.C. as a managing estate planning attorney.
accepted the Executive Director position at the Elgin-St Thomas Youth Employment Counselling Centre. Jodi is passionate about vocational rehabilitation and employment services and continues to be an advocate in her role.
won a Cannes Lions award for the second year in a row with OLG. The program celebrates creative campaigns in the lottery and gaming sector.
passed away in June 2023 after 27 years of achievements. She was a dedicated environmental, social and governance analyst, a climate action promoter, a mentor to and supporter of youth, and a graceful, silent cancer fighter.
recently secured a position at Lambton College as an alumni and donor relations coordinator.
was elected as a member of Parliament for Oxford, Ontario in June 2023.
is a professor emeritus of clinical psychology at the University of Calgary. In 2023, Keith was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in recognition of his advocacy in mental health and the promotion of evidence-based practice.
an assistant professor of history at Saint Mary’s University, published her first book, The American Liberty Pole: Popular Politics and the Struggle for Democracy in the Early Republic with UVA Press in October 2023.
Bruce Curtis, BA’84, MA’86, MPA’92
was inducted into the College of Fellows of the Canadian Institute of Planners, the highest honour of the Institute, in recognition of excellence, exceptional achievements and service to the planning profession in Canada.
operates four businesses in science and health-care fields, as well as manufacturing industries in China.
and family welcomed baby Cole in May 2023.
married the love of her life, Jake Hindley, in Mexico in May 2023.
is a first-time home buyer in 2023.
published a debut novel, The Paths We Never Took, in March 2023. The book explores the themes of love, self-sabotage, and commitment while navigating young adulthood.
got engaged to Colin Duck in December 2021 during a walk at Western. They are looking forward to their wedding in July 2023.
retired from her career as a lawyer to be a writer. Her second book, Grief and the Spirit World: A Search for Comfort, was just released.
Cornelia (Corry) Janssen-Hendriksen, BA’13
wrote a young adult fiction novel titled Magic at the Rink, which explores grieving the loss of a loved one.
released her fourth work of fiction, Our Forever Place, under her pen name Maren Hill. A retired chiropractor, she now writes women’s fiction, romance, and children’s literature.
Alwynne Beaudoin, MSc’78, PhD’84
won the 2022 Lieutenant Governor’s Award by the Alberta Museums Association, in recognition of her research and excellence in the museum community.
won a leader award during Women Business Enterprises Canada’s 2022 Excellence Awards. These awards celebrate the accomplishments of distinguished women entrepreneurs.
Ben Cecil, BA’90, MA’95, PhD’99
has been appointed as the 14th president at Olds College of Agriculture & Technology, effective January 2023.
and Laird Weagant, BA’73, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in September 2022.
published her first book Speak Kindly, You’re Listening, teaching high achievers to navigate their inner voice.
published her first book, Demystifying Grief: What You Need to Know to Heal, in 2022.
married Harjot Bhandal, BMOS’16, in May 2022 in Hamilton, On.
leads Canada’s Agency team at Google.
was appointed as the Finance Committee Chair/Secretary/Treasurer for Head Injury Rehabilitation Ontario. In 2023, George has also been appointed Chairman of Specialty Risk and Intelligence Services Inc., a consulting agency.
actor-producer is the acting Executive Director and Board Member of the new Canadian Comedy Hall of Fame. Read more here.
was installed as Nipissing University’s President in June 2022. Read more here.
retired from a project management career and is now traveling the continent with the goal of visiting 52 cities, 39 states, and 8 provinces.