TRU reintroduces distinguished alumni awards with new group of recipients

Alumni honoured by TRU

Photo: TRU

(L-R): Kuljit Minhas, Aleece Laird, Greg Stewart, Caroline Cochrane, Joshua Gottfriedsen.

Thompson Rivers University is honouring five of its alumni for achievements in areas including public service, health care and athletics.

TRU said the award have been a tradition at the university since 1995, and the new batch of distinguished alumni award recipients is reintroducing the honour after it was put on pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recipient Caroline Cochrane, premier of the Northwest Territories, was first elected as MLA in 2015 and again in 2019 after graduating from the then University College of the Cariboo in 1999.

The second recipient, Joshua Gottfriedsen, Tkemlups te Secwepemc councillor and former student-athlete at TRU, was elected to the Assembly of First Nations from ages 18 to 30 as the co-chair of the National Youth Council, among other regional, provincial and national political positions he's held.

Aleece Laird, founder and CEO of Amplify Consulting, was honoured through the award for achievements including previously holding titles such as president of the Kamloops Chamber of Commerce, chair of the board and governor of the BC Chamber of Commerce and director of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce board.

Respiratory therapist Kuljit Minhas was also a recipient of the award, with past experience serving as president of the BC Society of Respiratory Therapists and currently president of the Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists.

Former WolfPack athlete and Paralympic world Champion, Greg Stewart, was also awarded for achievements such as wining a gold medal at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo and for work as a personal empowerment coach and motivational speaker.