WINNIPEG, MB – The University of Winnipeg congratulates and proudly recognizes that 33% of the 40 Under 40 leaders selected by CBC Manitoba are UWinnipeg students, graduates and a professor – from all walks of life.
“UWinnipeg is known as a place that nurtures an ethos of community service and social justice, and we are proud that our professors offer our students a solid academic foundation as well as the confidence to go out and make a difference in the world,” said Annette Trimbee, President and Vice-Chancellor, UWinnipeg. “From food security in the North, to downtown and neighbourhood development, to inspiring children in the classroom, our graduates honoured by CBC are using their skills to have a positive impact and strengthen Manitoba.”
The UWinnipeg graduates selected by CBC’s 40 Under 40 in alphabetical order are:
Abdikheir Ahmed
Abdikheir Ahmed – BA’07 (International Development), is a major advocate for newcomers to the province. He’s part of the Social Planning Council’s Local Immigration Partnership, which brings together different levels of government to plan and research the best strategies to help newcomers.
Duncan Cox
Duncan Cox, is a current theatre student at UWinnipeg and is a powerful advocate for anti-bullying. Cox uses music and theatre to bring anti-bullying messages to students across Canada. As a former victim of bullying, he’s part of the group Hateless, which uses stories and music to empower kids. Cox has said a big part of his activism knowing that victims aren’t the only ones who need help — bullies do too. He advocates for educators to help bullies with better coping mechanisms.
Dr. Allison Dart
Allison Dart, BSC’98 (Biology + Biochemistry), is one of Manitoba’s only pediatric nephrologists (kidney doctors for children.) She provides highly specialized care for children in Manitoba, Northwest Ontario and parts of Nunavut. She leads a program that provides life-saving intensive-care dialysis for children who are critically ill and also travels to northern Manitoba communities to treat children closer to their homes.
Maggie Henderson
Maggie Henderson – BA’12 (History + Bachelor of Education). Henderson developed a music program for at-risk youth at the Magnus Eliason Recreation Centre that has now helped more than 1,000 students. She’s a full-time music teacher who also volunteers with UWinnipeg’s Science Kids on Campus with her dad, who suffers from a traumatic brain injury. Together they teach young people about brain injuries.
Matt Henderson
Matt Henderson – BA’98 (History), is a former University of Winnipeg Students’ Association (UWSA) president. He is an innovative teacher at St. John’s-Ravenscourt. He is passionate about how and what he teaches. He recently received the 2014 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching and a Government of Canada History Award.
Chris Loewen
Chris Loewen BA’99 (Philosophy). Loewen is a venture developer at Protegra and founded the site ourbutterfly.com, an online service that connects youth, volunteers, mentors and donors to see youth ideas developed in the community. He’s also done a lot of community volunteer work including the CEO Sleep Out, Resource Assistance for Youth’s coldest night of the year campaign and is the director of the C.P. Loewen Family Foundation.
James Magnus-Johnston
James Magnus-Johnston, Double BA’07 (Political Science + Theatre). Magnus-Johnston is a lecturer on politics and ecological economics at the Canadian Mennonite University. He recently co-founded the waste-free coffee shop Fools and Horses Coffee Company. On-tap wine, compostable packaging and local products are all part of the company’s mandate. He also co-founded RISE Urban incubator, a non-profit that tries to reduce our ecological footprint.
Jamil Mahmood
Jamil Mahmood – BA’10 (International Development), is the executive director of the Spence Neighbourhood Association. Through different projects, Jamil has worked to address gaps or enhance the strengths within Winnipeg. Jamil’s many accomplishments include setting up Youth Programming at the Magnus Eliason Recreation Centre, which now sees over 100 kids a day and includes a full meal and transportation. He helped UWinnipeg develop the Community Charter for the Health and RecPlex.
Dr. Ian Mauro
Dr. Ian Mauro – UWinnipeg geography professor. Mauro is a filmmaker who directed the world’s first Inuktitut language film on climate change. His research focuses on food security and climate change and he’s made numerous films on the topic. His documentary Climate Change in Atlantic Canada toured Canada with David Suzuki and is currently working on a third documentary that is expected to tour with Suzuki later this year. Mauro is the co-founder of the Harvest Moon Festival in Clearwater, MB. The festival is known for bringing together Manitobans to celebrate local and sustainable food.
Adam Schwartz
Adam Schwartz, BA’ 09 (History), Schwartz is a stand-up comedian and actor who founded Autistic Productions in Winnipeg. Schwartz’s material draws heavily on growing up with Aspergers, and wrote and starred in a fringe play called Aspergers: A Tale of a Social Misfit.He’s become a well-known name in the local comedy scene. His group Autistic Productions puts on events that feature autistic artists each month. The 29-year-old is also an advocate for the autistic community — he’ll be speaking at the upcoming Autism Awareness/Pride Day later this year.
Andi Sharma
Andi Sharma – MPA’ 13 (Joint Master of Public Administration program with UWinnipeg + University of Manitoba), works for Manitoba’s Northern Healthy Foods Initiative, which helps Manitobans deal with food security issues. Sharma will share that work at the World Food System conference in Switzerland later this year.
Tasha Spillett
Tasha Carriere-Spillett – BA’12 (English + Education), an educator and active member in the Indigenous community, Carriere-Spillett is also the chair of the Miss Manito Ahbee Youth Ambassador gathering in honour of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls, and is actively involved in other initiatives to ensure that indigenous women and girls are safe in our communities.
Jason Syvixay
Jason Syvixay – BA’09 (Rhetoric + Communications) + BSc’ 09 (Biochemistry), is a former UWSA president. As managing director of Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, Syvixay launched and manages the annual CEO Sleepout, which since 2011 has raised over $600,000 to support employment programs that have generated over 50,000 hours of work for 137 homeless Manitobans.
