Young Leader Alumni Award
Recognizes young alumni who show outstanding leadership throughout their first 10 years of alumni status and are 35 years of age or younger. Their accomplishments focus on their professional career, public work, or humanitarian service.
2025 Recipients
Dr. Theresa Stotesbury '07 (Gzowski College)
An esteemed forensic scientist, Dr. Theresa Stotesbury’s outstanding work both within and outside of academia has helped transform and strengthen this field across Canada.
An associate professor in the Faculty of Science’s Forensic Science Program at Ontario Tech University, Dr. Stotesbury completed both her B.A. and Ph.D. (Materials Science) at Trent while earning an M.Sc. in Forensic Science at the University of Auckland. Her research focuses on advancing forensic investigations by examining the degradation of biological tissues, such as blood, in the environment.
A former research scientist with the Ontario Provincial Police, Dr. Stotesbury regularly collaborates with members of the bloodstain pattern analysis community and has had her novel work in this area featured in Maclean’s magazine. Her innovations include developing a synthetic blood for training and leading studies that examine how to put accurate timestamps on biological evidence.
While at Trent, Dr. Stotesbury received the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship along with several other prestigious awards, and she was instrumental in designing and implementing Trent’s M.Sc. in Forensic Science graduate degree program—the only one of its kind in Canada.
Dr. Stotesbury is highly popular with her students and is passionate about fostering the next generation of forensic scientists. As one nominator stated: “As a natural leader, Theresa is inspiring. She offers a positive outlook and seems to have endless energy. This creates an environment that students gravitate towards.”
Jordan MacDonald '21 (Traill College)
A dedicated researcher and community advocate, Jordan MacDonald is pursuing a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology at the University of New Brunswick (UNB), where his work is reshaping understanding and support for young parents across Canada.
MacDonald’s research examines the experiences of teen and young parents in Canada and the factors that help them succeed. Drawing on both lived experience and scholarly inquiry, his work seeks to renew and strengthen research in this area to inform better policies and support systems.
His work is inspired mainly by the support systems he had. He completed high school and enrolled for his undergraduate degree at UNB with the support of an exceptional guidance counsellor. At Trent, the mentorship of faculty such as Dr. Geoff Navara resulted in what MacDonald describes as a “transformational experience”, helping refine his research focus and build the confidence to pursue his Ph.D.
“There is something magical about Trent,” said MacDonald, “I do not know how to define it; you just have to experience it.”
Beyond academia, MacDonald founded Adapt NB, a registered non-profit organization dedicated to helping young parents complete their education and navigate the challenges of early parenthood. His leadership continues to inspire others to create communities of care and empowerment.
Past Recipients
2007 - Dalal Al-Waheidi '98 CPTC
2007 - Darren Murphy '96 JBC
2008 - Karin Galldin '96 CC
2009 - Kevin Rose '97 OC
2009 - Lara Sylvester '92 CC
2010 - Jessica Wolff '99 CC
2011 - Dakota Brant '06 CPTC
2012 - Meghan Milson '04 JBC
2013 - Maryam Monsef '03 JBC
2014 - DJ Cunningham '01 CC
2015 - Jovan Groen '01 OC
2015 - Ryan Heighton '05 OC
2016 - Diane Therrien '10 CPTC
2017 - Robert Gauvreau '01 LEC
2017 - Brianna Salmon '10 CPTC
2018 - Andressa Lacerda '08 CPTC
2018 - Brandon Smith '04 LEC
2019 - Jarret Leaman '05 GC
2019 - Jenna Pilgrim '12 CC
2020 - Chris Chang-Yen Phillips ‘08
2022 - Anastasia Kaschenko '12 LEC
2023 - Jacob Dockstator '10 GC
2024 - Jaleesa Allen ’18 Trent Durham