Inspiring USask alumni to be honoured with achievement awards

The University of Saskatchewan (USask) is pleased to announce the 2026 recipients of the Alumni Achievement Awards, one of the university’s highest honours.

“On behalf of the USask community, I extend our congratulations to this year’s exceptional award winners,” said USask President and Vice-Chancellor Vince Bruni-Bossio (MBA’10, PhD’21). “USask is proud to have more than 180,000 alumni living in 130 countries around the world. Our Alumni Achievement Award recipients exemplify the remarkable contributions that USask alumni are making every day, and their innovation, determination, and dedication inspires us all.”

Alumni Achievement Awards are presented each year to outstanding USask alumni who have made an impact on their communities and around the world. The award recipients are nominated by their peers and are chosen based on their achievements, commitment to excellence, community engagement, leadership, and contributions to the wellbeing of society. 

“This year’s Alumni Achievement Award winners demonstrate the profound and lasting impact that USask graduates are making at home, across our country, and around the globe,” said Anthony Bidulka (BA’83, BEd’91, BComm’91), the past chair of USask’s Alumni Advisory Board awards committee who played a key role in the 2026 awards cycle. “The accomplishments of these alumni are outstanding, and they are highly deserving of this prestigious honour bestowed by their alma mater.”

As the highest honour presented by the University of Saskatchewan Alumni Association, this award recognizes an alumnus/alumna for an outstanding lifetime of personal and professional accomplishments and contributions to the social, cultural, and economic wellbeing of society in their field(s) of endeavour.

This year’s winners are:

• Dr. Lorne Babiuk (BSA’67, MSc’69, DSc’87, DSc’14): Dr. Lorne Babiuk is an internationally recognized leader in Canadian vaccine research who has devoted his career to safeguarding the health of people and animals at home and abroad. His contributions to immunology, virology, and vaccinology have led to the development of vaccines that have significantly impacted global health outcomes by reducing mortality and morbidity. Throughout his career, Babiuk’s work has been global in scope, and he has engaged in research activities in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia.
  
  
• Dr. Tom Warkentin (PhD’92): A renowned plant breeder, Dr. Tom Warkentin has been instrumental in meeting the evolving needs of the agricultural sector, particularly as demand for plant-based protein continues to rise around the world. Through his breeding program, Warkentin is ensuring farmers have access to plant varieties that are not only productive but aligned with industry standards for food processing and nutrition. His work also addresses major agronomic challenges, such as root rot in peas—a disease that significantly affects crop yields in Western Canada.

This award recognizes an extraordinary alumnus/alumna who is currently making significant personal and professional contributions in society, demonstrating exceptional leadership in their field(s) of endeavour, and maintaining a standard of excellence that inspires their colleagues and peers, with promise of future achievement and resulting in a demonstrable betterment of their community.

This year’s winners are:

• Piya Chattopadhyay (BA’95): Award-winning Canadian broadcast journalist Piya Chattopadhyay is known as one of the country’s most trusted voices in public broadcasting. With a career spanning more than two decades in radio and television, she has built a distinguished reputation for thoughtful, probing journalism that brings diverse voices and complex issues to the forefront of public conversation.
  
  
• John Desjarlais (BE’11, MBA’15): As a professional engineer, John Desjarlais is committed to seeking solutions that address some of the challenges and opportunities faced by society, including Indigenous communities in Saskatchewan and across Canada. A Néhinaw-Métis citizen from Cumberland House, Sask., and a respected leader in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and business, Desjarlais facilitates sustainable economic development that respects Indigenous sovereignty and advocates for equitable inclusion in the natural resources sector.

This award recognizes a young alumnus/alumna who is making significant personal and professional contributions in society, resulting in a demonstrable betterment of their community and setting an example for fellow and future alumni to follow.

This year’s winners are:

• Bryce Boynton (BSN’17): Bryce Boynton is a registered nurse and a leader in Saskatchewan’s health-care system who is passionate about creating positive environments for patients and nurses alike. Since graduating from the College of Nursing at USask in 2017, Boynton has made a difference in urban, rural, and remote communities and has worked in a variety of settings, including in public health, primary care, home care, mental health and addictions, and dental care.
  
  
• Cianna Murray (BSKI’17, BEd’18): Cianna Murray is an accomplished international ice hockey referee whose career has been defined by excellence, leadership, and a lasting impact on the growth of the game. Beginning her officiating journey at just 12 years old, Murray has since become one of Canada’s top officials, representing the country at multiple Olympic Winter Games and IIHF Women’s World Championships.

Full biographies of the Alumni Achievement Award winners can be viewed online at alumni.usask.ca.

This year’s recipients will be honoured at the annual awards gala on Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, at Remai Modern. The event, scheduled to start at 6 pm, will be hosted by Saskatoon broadcaster and CTV News weather anchor Jeff Rogstad (BA’82, ARTS’85). More information can be found at alumni.usask.ca.