Capilano University to honour five outstanding alumni, October 18, 2018
NORTH VANCOUVER B.C. – Capilano University and the Capilano University Alumni Association will present five of its former students with 2018 Alumni Awards of Excellence on October 18, 2018. Marking the University’s 50th year, each award recipient exemplifies one of five elements that inspire the University’s brand: luminous, unified, enduring, confident and creative.
Jullian Kolstee, Bachelor of Communications Studies, 2017, will be recognized in the luminous category for his contribution as a student politician to CapU and his commitment to educating and supporting youth in and out of the classroom. Kolstee served on the Board of the Capilano Students’ Union for three years, including one year as president. He was voted biggest campus changemaker and best student politician in the 2016 Capilano Courier readers’ choice awards. Kolstee has also voluntarily coached high school improv teams across the Lower Mainland. In 2013, he received the Outstanding Supporter of Youth Award from the City of North Vancouver.
Amina El mantari, Bachelor of Business Administration, 2017, exemplifies what it means to live a unified life. In 2006, to overcome feelings of isolation after moving from Morocco to Canada, El mantari began working to improve her education and connect with others. At CapU, she volunteered as an international student mentor, became vice president of internal development of the Capilano Students’ Union and president of the student-run Capilano Human Resource Management Association. She’s also volunteered for the North Shore Crisis Services Society. In 2016, El mantari received a Live Your Dream Award from Soroptimist International of North and West Vancouver, an organization working to improve the lives of girls and women.
Danette (Petie) Chalifoux, Bachelor of Motion Picture Arts, 2017, exemplifies CapU’s brand essence of enduring through her commitment to fostering relationships with Indigenous communities and to sharing stories that build cross-cultural understanding. Chalifoux completed her first feature film, River of Silence, which explores issues around missing and murdered Indigenous women, while still a student in the Motion Picture Arts program at CapU. The film premiered at the LA Skins Film Festival in Los Angeles in 2017. She continues to work closely with Indigenous communities to create films about topics that include the legacy of residential schools, Aboriginal culture and language and violence against women.
Kaya Dorey, Bachelor of Tourism Management, 2013, characterizes what it means to be confident. Dorey began thinking about sustainability and changemaking as a student at CapU. She went on to found NOVEL SUPPLY CO., an apparel line manufactured in Vancouver that uses sustainable materials and local illustrators. Aiming for zero waste, the company works with a local non-profit to use fabric scraps from production in children’s apparel. The company plans to launch a closed-loop business model this winter. When a customer is finished with a garment they can return it to NOVEL, which will find a new use for it. In 2017, Dorey was one of six young people worldwide to receive a Young Champion of the Earth Award from the United Nations Environment Programme.
Randy Celebrini, General Studies Diploma, 1989, personifies creative pursuits by developing programs to help athletes recover from and prevent injuries and bringing more beauty to the world through art. Celebrini has served as a physiotherapist, conditioning coach and consultant for several national sport programs and developed injury prevention programs for athletes and teams of all levels, from youth to professional. His clients includes athletes from the National Hockey League, National Basketball Association, Major League Soccer and the Canadian Football League. He is also a talented artist who has gained international attention from media and collectors. Classically trained in visual arts, he paints “en plein air.”
About the Alumni Awards of Excellence
The Alumni Awards of Excellence acknowledge the outstanding achievements of Capilano University alumni and celebrate a spirit of community and lifelong connection. Previous recipients include Dr. Thomas Kerr, world-renowned HIV/AIDs research pioneer, and best-selling author and playwright, Anosh Irani.
About the Alumni Association
With 70,000 alumni around the world, the Capilano University Alumni Association connects, celebrates and inspires alumni to better themselves and their communities. The Association is dedicated to promoting mutual support, lifelong learning, networking opportunities and professional advancement for all members.
About Capilano University
Capilano University is a teaching-focused university based in North Vancouver, with programming serving the Sunshine Coast and the Sea-to-Sky corridor. The University enrols more than 10,000 students each year and offers 101 programs, including bachelor's degrees in areas as diverse as film, jazz, early childhood education and tourism management. Capilano University is named after Chief Joe Capilano, an important leader of the Squamish (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh) Nation of the Coast Salish people. Our campuses are located on the territories of the Lil'wat, Musqueam, Sechelt (shíshálh) Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.
For more information, or to schedule interviews, please contact:
Cheryl Rossi, Senior Communications Officer
Capilano University
t: 604 983 7596
c: 778 879 7119
e: cherylrossi@capilanou.ca
capilanou.ca
Submitted by: Cheryl Rossi