Class Connections Fall 2024
Let us know your latest news by submitting a Class Connection online or e-mailing alumni@mta.ca and we will share it in a future edition of the Record.
Stay in touch on social! Tag or send a message to @mta.alumni on Instagram or LinkedIn (Mount Allison University) with your news.
1960s
Alumni book coming out in spring ’25, titled The Erotics of Cutting Grass and other Essays from a Well-Loved Life, a book by alumna Kate Braid (‘67). Kate says, “If you can’t talk about erotics at the age of 77, when can you talk about it!”
1980s
Congratulations to Dr. Catharine Farrow ('87) on being awarded an Honorary Doctor of Business Administration from Laurentian University. With over 25 years of experience as a professional geoscientist in the mining industry, Dr. Farrow has made significant contributions to the field. She currently serves as a Director of Franco-Nevada, Centamin PLC, Eldorado Gold Corporation, and Aclara Resources. She is Chair of the Board of Exiro Minerals Corp. Additionally, she leads as Chair of the Advisory Board for Rethink Mining Ventures, part of the Canada Mining Innovation Council, and is a member of the Capital Oversight Committee of Metrolinx. Dr. Farrow has been recognized as one of the 100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining in both 2015 and 2018 and is a past recipient of the prestigious William Harvey Gross Medal of the Geological Association of Canada (2000).
1990s
Tom Ryan (‘99) and Amanda Peters (’99) at the American Library Association Conference in San Diego in June 2024. Tom was there to promote his upcoming book, and Amanda was receiving the Carnegie Medal for Excellence for Fiction for her first book The Berry Pickers.
Various MtA music graduates at a fluke meet-up enjoying PEI beaches this summer! Always lovely when you bump into fellow alumni in different places! Kelly O’Neill (‘99) with Shawn Grenke (‘00), Garry Williams ('01), and Kristi Anderson ('05)
2000s
Jessica (Bowser) Ploughman ('07) and Sarah MacDonald ('08) met as music students. Fifteen years later their friendship led them to participate in an exchange program facilitated by Experiences Canada. Jessica currently directs Chestermere High School’s Band in the small community of Chestermere, Alberta just outside of Calgary. Sarah currently directs the Glace Bay High School Band in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. When Jessica heard of the exchange program, she immediately contacted Sarah and the two of them made this once-on-a-lifetime experience happen for their students. Fifty students from Glace Bay flew across the country to Alberta to connect with their “exchange twins” from Chestermere High. Students visited Chestermere, Banff, Studio Bell Music Centre, and Drumheller. A few weeks later, 41 Chestermere High School students reconnected with their exchange twins by visiting sites in Glace Bay, Sydney, Louisburg and Halifax. It was such a fun experience to watch students create lifelong friends from across the country.
2010s
Christiane Jost (‘12) and Matt Kenny (‘13), owners of Tatamagouche Brewing Co., celebrated winning two awards from the Canadian Brewing Awards this year. “It never gets old, competing and winning on the national level,” says Christiane. Tatamagouche brewing Co. celebrated its 10-year anniversary last June as their Deception Bay IPA became the top selling Nova Scotian single serve can at the NSLC and they employ 10 year-round employees and 8 seasonal staff.
Alumni from the Class of 2011 had a camping reunion recently. Tara (MacPherson) Sears ('11) writes: "Here is a photo from a fun camping trip to Keji that a bunch of '11 alumni took together with their kids and spouses. Hoping to make it an annual event." Featuring: Erika Dillon, Tara (MacPherson) Sears, Danica (Forshner) Calderhead, Nick Calderhead, Erica (White) Wilson, Lee Wilson, Jennifer Jackson and Rachel Lake.
2020s
Over Reunion Weekend the 2024 Don Norton Award recipient Annika Bell ('24) and the 1970 recipient Bill Bishop ('70) were able to catch up in person.
The Don Norton Award honours a graduating student who, during their final year, makes the greatest overall contribution to university life.