Seven USask alumni honoured with Achievement Awards

This year’s seven recipients embody the university’s aspiration to be what the world needs because of their significant accomplishments and contributions since graduating from USask.

“This group of award-winning alumni are pillars of their communities and standouts in their professions,” said Anthony Bidulka, (BA’83, BEd’91, BComm’91), chair of USask’s Alumni Advisory Board awards committee. “They exemplify how our graduates go on to make a meaningful impact on the world following their education at USask.”

Each of the winners has made outstanding contributions and earned recognition for excellence in their respective fields, which include health care, energy research, business and entrepreneurship, community building, writing and literature, and university-community partnerships related to global water security and research.

Each year, Alumni Achievement Awards are presented to notable USask alumni for their accomplishments and impact on their communities and the world. Award recipients are nominated by their peers and chosen for their achievements and innovation, commitment to excellence, community engagement and leadership, as well as contributions to the social, cultural, and economic well-being of society.

“For more than a century, our alumni have proven they are capable of extraordinary things and these seven individuals will inspire the next generation of USask graduates to see what’s possible,” said USask President Peter Stoicheff. “Congratulations to each of the winners on this well-deserved honour.”

Later this spring, this year’s honourees will gather in person to receive their award and celebrate their achievements.

As the highest honour presented by the University of Saskatchewan Alumni Association, this award recognizes an alumnus/alumna for an outstanding lifetime of accomplishments and contributions to the social, cultural and economic well-being of society in any area, such as academics, athletics, arts, business, not-for-profit, public, or private sector.

• Dennis Whyte (BE’86): Dr. Whyte, an educator and mentor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has spent the last 35 years in pursuit of the production of fusion energy—a clean energy source with the potential to provide a monumental breakthrough in the battle against climate change.
• Gordon Haddock (BComm’72) and Maureen Haddock (BEd’70): For decades, the Haddocks have started or franchised more than a dozen companies—in Saskatchewan and nationally—leading the next generation of entrepreneurs and business professionals.
• Robert Calder (BA’63, MA’65): As a writer and professor emeritus, Dr. Calder has written extensively on everything from William Somerset Maugham to the Saskatchewan Roughriders, all the while mentoring and inspiring legions of students.
• Dr. Sherine Gabriel (MD’82): A leading physician in the United States, Dr. Gabriel quickly drew acclaim at the Mayo Clinic as an innovative researcher and leader recognized for her excellence in clinical practice, research and education leading to her appointment as dean of medicine in 2012. In 2019, she was named president of Rush University in Chicago.

These awards recognize young alumni who are making significant contributions in society at large, setting an example for fellow and future alumni to follow.

• Kendal Netmaker (BA’11, BEd’11): Savvy entrepreneurial skills helped Netmaker launch a successful apparel brand leading to numerous business awards while working to enhance the lives of Indigenous and underprivileged youth by sponsoring bursaries and scholarships.
• Palash Sanyal (MWS’18): A recipient of numerous awards for youth leadership, Sanyal’s work in the community and around the world speaks to his commitment to create space to listen and learn together while addressing global water security, one of the world’s most pressing challenges.

More information on the Alumni Achievement Awards can be found at alumni.usask.ca.