Distinguished Community Service Award

The Distinguished Community Service Award is presented to a member of the Saint Mary's Alumni Association who has made an outstanding contribution to their community and or to Saint Mary’s.

All University employees and members of the Saint Mary's Alumni Association may submit a one-page letter of recommendation for a candidate, illustrating their suitability for this award. A completed Alumni Awards Nomination Form must accompany the letter.

Selection Candidates are considered annually by the Saint Mary's Alumni Association's Awards & Nomination Committee.TimelineThe nomination period for the 2024 Alumni Awards is now closed.

Nomination Form

2023 Recipient The Honourable Terry Mercer BA'71 LLD'13

Senator Terry Mercer was appointed to the Senate by the Right Honourable Jean Chrétien in 2003. He represented the province of Nova Scotia and the Senatorial Division of North End Halifax until his retirement in 2022. Senator Mercer graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Saint Mary’s in 1971, received an Honorary Doctorate of Civil Law in 2013 and is a Certified Fund Raising Executive.

Senator Mercer served as the Director of Fundraising of the Liberal Party of Canada and later as National Director. Before to this, he held a variety of positions with various charitable institutions, including the Metro Toronto Branch of the Canadian Diabetes Association, YMCA of Greater Toronto, Nova Scotia Lung Association, St. John Ambulance Nova Scotia Council, and the Kidney Foundation of Canada (Nova Scotia Branch).

Senator Mercer was very active in the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and is a former Chair of the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy (Canada) and served on the AFP Association Board of Directors and the AFP Canada Council. We are celebrating National Philanthropy today and every November 15 since 2012, thanks to legislation he introduced.

Senator Mercer and his wife Ellen, also a graduate of Saint Mary’s, live in Mount Uniacke, NS and have one son, Michael, daughter-in-law Lisa Courtney, and grandchildren, Ellie and Oliver.

Terry has dedicated most of his life to the service of Nova Scotians and Canadians and continues to exemplify the Santamarian spirit through his impact in the community, locally and nationally.

Past Recipients

2022: The Honourable Dr. Mayann Francis BA'72 DCL'12, ONS and Alan Maingot DipENG'81
2021: Floyd Kane BA’92
2020: Senator Wilfred P. Moore QC BComm’64 LLD’07
2019: Karen Oldfield, QC BA'82
2018: James "Skip" Oliver BA'67 LLD'02
2017: Dr. Michael Durland BComm'87 DComm'15 and Catherine Durland BComm'87
2016: Richard Butler BA'69 and Marsha Sobey BEd'82
2015: Cassandra Dorrington and Gerald Walsh
2014: Tom Lee and Claire Miller
2013: Jane Roy
2012: Scott Norton, Fred George and Alex Handyside
2011: David McKeage, Dr. Gerald P. Reardon
2010: Dr. John A. P. Sullivan and Fr. George Leach
2009: Judith Richardson and Wendy Brookhouse
2008: Paul J. Dyer
2005: Carol MacLean & Richard H. “Dick” MacLean
2004: George C. Moffatt
2003: Hector P. Muise and Dr. John C. Young
2002: Angela Vecchio-Ozmon and Kevin Cleary
2001: Allister Byrne
2000 Elizabeth Ozmon & Dr. Kenneth L. Ozmon
1999: Burris Devanney and Terence Donahoe
1998: Paul Goodman
1997: Joseph Bishara
1995-96: Terry Kelly
1993-94: Fred MacGillivray
1992: Karen Henderson
1991: J. Philip Vaughan
1990: Ronald Downie
1989: Paul Gouett
1988: Elizabeth Chard
1986: Harold Beazley
1985: Edmund Morris
1984: Senator Richard Donahoe

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