UNIVERSITY OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
UPEI announces recipients of the 2024 Distinguished and Inspiring Young Alumni Awards

The University of Prince Edward Island held a celebration on September 26, 2024, at Alumni Hall to recognize the recipients of the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Awards and the 2024 Inspiring Young Alumni Awards.

Left to right: Sjors Reijers, president UPEI alumni association; Bernadine Chapman, distinguished alumni award winner; Jonah Tendepi Chininga, James Muhato and Ellen Dixon, inspiring young alumni award winners; and Dr. Wendy Rodgers, president and vice-chancellor of UPEI. (Missing from photo is the Honourable Alonzo Wright, distinguished alumni award winner who was unable to attend in person due to court commitments.)

The Distinguished Alumni Award is presented to one or more UPEI alumni for their outstanding contributions to knowledge, the arts, the community, the university, or humanity. The criteria for these awards are based on UPEI's motto: faith, knowledge, service. The two recipients for 2024 are Bernadine Chapman, BA 1986, and the Honourable Alonzo Wright, BA 1989.

The Inspiring Young Alumni Award was established in 2011 to honour alumni under the age of 40 who have shown outstanding determination in achieving success at a young age. The three recipients for 2024 are Ellen Dixon, BSc 2012; James Muhato, BBA 2013; and Jonah Tendepi Chininga, BBA 2018.

Bernadine Chapman, BA 1986:

Bernadine Chapman is a retired Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer who spent 33 years with the national police force. She was the first woman to be named commanding officer of National Division and retired after reaching the rank of Assistant Commissioner. In 2022, she began a second career as a registered psychotherapist who specializes in helping first responders and other people deal with the impact of trauma.

Honourable Alonzo Wright, BA 1989:

The Honourable Alonzo Wright is a Nova Scotia Provincial Court judge who was named to the bench following a 25-year career as a crown prosecutor. He was the first African Nova Scotian to be appointed director of the Serious Incident Response Team and has spent decades mentoring youth in Halifax's North End. An alumnus of UPEI Men's Basketball, Alonzo was MVP of one of the greatest Panther teams in the history of the program.

Ellen Dixon, BSc 2012:

Ellen Dixon is a sports physiotherapist with certifications in vestibular rehabilitation, custom orthotic therapy, and concussion therapy. She is a former four-time UPEI Academic All-Canadian field hockey player, has competed at the amateur disc golf world championships, and is the first woman from PEI to officiate a Maritime Junior Hockey League game.

James Muhato, BBA 2013, and Jonah Tendepi Chininga, BBA 2018:

James Muhato, Community Success Lead, and Jonah Tendepi Chininga, Chief Executive Officer, are co-founders of Woveo, an award-winning financial technology startup that enables financial inclusion for underrepresented and minority groups in Canada. Woveo has raised more than $3.8 million in pre-seed and seed funding and serves more than 500 communities nationwide.

"On behalf of the University, I applaud this year's incredible group of alumni who bring tremendous distinction to their alma mater, exemplify our values, and represent the life-changing impact of a UPEI education," said Dr. Wendy Rodgers, president and vice-chancellor of UPEI. "Their collective accomplishments serve as a source of motivation for our current students, showing them that they too can reach their full potential."