Meet your 2025 Outstanding Alumni Award winners

 

This year, Mount Royal University is honoured to celebrate seven exceptional alumni who embody the MRU spirit of authenticity, boldness, curiosity and transformation in all they do.

From humanitarians to entrepreneurs to athletes, these MRU graduates are the leaders, changemakers and heartbeat of their communities. Register now to attend the awards on Nov. 6, meet our 2025 winners in person and honour the remarkable impact of our alumni.

 

Craig O’Neill
Aviation Diploma, 2002

Since earning his wings, Craig O’Neill has flown short- and long-haul routes on De Havilland, Boeing and Airbus aircraft, and today is a training captain with Air Canada. A proud member of the Otipemisiwak Métis Nation, O’Neill co-chairs Air Canada’s Indigenous Employee Resource Group, supporting colleagues and guiding the airline’s work with Indigenous communities across Canada.

Despite a demanding career, O’Neill has never strayed far from Mount Royal. Since 2014 he has volunteered on MRU’s Aviation Partnership Council, advising on industry trends and future-proofing the aviation curriculum. O’Neill further supports the next generation of aviators as a mentor through the Iniskim Centre, the aviation program and informally with many students. “Craig has routinely provided his time in aviation classes to mentor students on subjects such as professionalism, good citizenship, leadership, volunteerism and navigating professional pilot training,” says Chris Gillanders, associate professor of aviation.

 

Aislinn Grant
Bachelor of Business Administration — General Management, 2016

Aislinn Grant’s contributions benefit many communities, including the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s JMH LaunchPad competition for rising Mount Royal entrepreneurs. The founder of the Calgary-based Grant Design Branding boutique studio was the first female student to compete in LaunchPad in 2013 and has since served as a judge and mentor. She was also the first LaunchPad alumni to provide an award, to date contributing $75,000 in branding services to winners.

The self-taught graphic designer is a vital community-builder; she co-founded Play Big & Jam, a group of entrepreneurial women who meet for advice, support and to celebrate each other’s wins, and she’s a vocal advocate for underrepresented groups such as those with disabilities and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. “I’m humbled to watch Aislinn elegantly juggle motherhood, business ownership and community service,” says Ray DePaul, the Institute’s executive director. “We have quietly shifted from a mentor-mentee relationship to a mentor-mentor relationship and I’m very thankful for her contribution to MRU.”

 

Ashley King
Bachelor of Communication — Journalism, 2018

In 2011, Ashley King was on a gap year travelling the world, unaware she’d one day become a leading voice for accessibility in the arts. At 19, King lost her eyesight after unknowingly drinking methanol-tainted alcohol at a Bali bar. Years later, MRU’s journalism program gave her the foundation to tell her story, which culminated in her writing Static: A Party Girl’s Memoir, a play about loss, resilience and methanol poisoning awareness that premiered in Calgary in 2024.

Collaborating with Mount Royal journalism associate professor Meg Wilcox (whom she hadn’t met until after graduating), they adapted Static into a podcast. “While Ashley had never made a podcast, she embraced the project with her usual energy, grace and humour, committing significant time to developing the concept, conducting interviews, hosting and adapting the actor performances for podcast,” Wilcox says. “Through this work, she's learned another way to produce and tell stories beyond reporting and theatre.” The four-part series topped Apple’s “Personal Journeys” chart in Canada in December, 2024. An artistic associate at Inside Out Theatre, King champions inclusive performances and works with theatre companies to increase accessibility across Calgary’s arts scene.

 

David Nicholson
Employment Preparation Certificate, 2020

David Nicholson’s story is more than the sum of his athletic achievements. It’s a testament to his efforts to better the world around him. A fall as a toddler led to devastating seizures that affected his speech and development, but his determination to fully participate in this world through education, athletics and volunteerism is palpable. Graduating from MRU’s Inclusive Post-Secondary Education program, Nicholson remains connected to campus, speaking at a June 2024 Convocation ceremony and timekeeping at Cougars basketball games.

His dedication and camaraderie in powerlifting earned him the honour of leading Team Canada’s 2023 powerlifting squad in Berlin, where he won three golds and a silver medal. Nicholson volunteers at the Trico Centre and with the Calgary Police Service, and also works at Bells of Steel and the Saddledome. “I want to challenge stereotypes by showing what’s possible when someone is empowered to grow,” Nicholson says. “My biggest goal is to inspire others to focus on inclusion, character and positive connection. I lead by example, proving that a positive attitude and consistent effort are just as important as medals.”

 

Alexandra (Daignault) Sangster
Bachelor of Arts — English, 2018

Sparked by an MRU Indigenous studies course that emphasized everyday activism, Alexandra Sangster launched Sarjesa Tea with a bold question. “What if a cup of tea could carry a message? A purpose? A call to action?” From the beginning, Sangster envisioned Sarjesa as more than a tea company. It would be a vehicle for change rooted in ethical sourcing, quality products and deep social responsibility. Today, that vision lives in every part of the business. From supplier relationships to social-impact experiments, Sarjesa is committed to supporting the prevention of violence against women through every level of its operations.

The company crafts premium tea blends using intentionally sourced ingredients, with a focus on supporting women through its supply chain. “Alexandra’s impact is not confined to the product she sells; it is embedded in the way she leads, hires, mentors, collaborates and advocates,” says Paul Shumlich, MRU alumnus, Deepwater Farms co-founder and 2023 Outstanding Alumni Award recipient. “She has built a company with strong principles and an unwavering commitment to making a difference.”

 

Stanley Peake
Bachelor of Physical Education, 2001 (UT)

Stan Peake has a goal to help a million people discover their potential, and he’s well on his way. As a leadership coach, speaker and author of nine books, he’s shared hard-won wisdom with 120,000 to date, leaning on his candour shaped by 25 years of entrepreneurial highs and lows. Just three months after launching his coaching business, Peake broke his back, but took the stage a month later to deliver a seminar to 150 people on, appropriately, overcoming adversity and finding opportunities among challenges.

Peake’s commitment to service shines through in countless volunteer hours with Earth Day, local not-for-profits, job seekers and early-stage startups in need of mentorship. He’s a regular alumni volunteer at MRU, sharing practical insight on entrepreneurship and personal growth. “Stan openly shares his personal experiences — both triumphs and challenges — providing students with valuable life lessons,” says Dr. Julie Booke, PhD, associate professor of health and physical education. “Rather than sugar-coating his struggles, he embraces them as learning opportunities, demonstrating resilience and the power of perseverance.”

 

Ashid Bahl
Associate Diploma — Police Science, 1979

Ashid Bahl’s legacy far exceeds his career as a customs inspector. For nearly 45 years, in his “free time” he has led the For the Love of Children Society, a charity that supports 101 orphanages and schools globally and has helped more than one million underprivileged children affected by war, famine and natural disasters in countries like Afghanistan, where 30,000 children are under his care.

Many graduates of these schools affectionately call him “Dad,” a reflection of the commitment they each sense from Bahl. From food, clothing and housing to medical supplies and school fees, Bahl provides what’s most needed in each community. His work has earned him honorary recognition from Africa’s Maasai tribe, the Dalai Lama and, more locally, the Piikani Nation. Not seeking a comfortable retirement, Bahl continues to travel the globe — recently visiting Gaza, Peru and Brazil — to fulfill his mission of hope and transformation. “It’s rare to encounter a trailblazer who not only dreams of a better world but actively builds it,” says Wes Beiko of 528 Evenings Media. “Ashid’s courage, compassion and transformative impact are unparalleled.”