The York U Alumni Awards - Division of Advancement

Each year, the York University Alumni Awards recognize outstanding alumni who have achieved the extraordinary and are working to right the future by creating positive change in their fields. The Awards celebrate the broad York alumni community of innovators, activists, and researchers and its long-standing commitment to the public good. The tradition of recognizing their contributions will continue at the York U Alumni Awards Show. If you have any questions about the Alumni Awards Show, please contact Rose Lucibello, Manager, Advancement Events at crocitto@yorku.ca. If you have any questions about the nominations process or recipients, please contact Nicole Light, Manager, Alumni Success at nlight@yorku.ca.

View previous Alumni Awards recipients here.

View the 2024 York U Alumni Awards gallery.

Nominations are open for the 2026 York U Alumni Awards

Nominations for the York U Alumni Awards are open until Monday, Jan. 12, 2026.

Interested nominators and self-nominators may follow these steps:

Review the eligibility criteria and Award categories below
Download the nomination form
Submit your completed nomination package by Monday, Jan. 12, 2026 to Nicole Light, Manager, Alumni Success at nlight@yorku.ca

Download Nomination Form

Eligibility Criteria

Nominees must be graduates of York University. A graduate is defined as someone who has received an academic degree from York University. Current students are eligible if they have previously earned a degree from York. Candidates can self-nominate or be nominated.

Alumni with the following relationships to York University are ineligible to be nominated for an alumni award:

Current York University volunteers
Full or part-time staff
Full-time faculty

Nomination package requirements

A complete nomination package consists of:

A complete nomination form
A minimum of one and a maximum of three letters of support
A link to the nominee's LinkedIn profile or professional/personal website

Selection Process

Nominations will be accepted until Monday, Jan. 12, 2026
The Awards and Scholarships Committee of the York University Alumni Board will review the nomination packages of the nominees and select the Alumni Award recipients
Successful and unsuccessful nominators and self-nominators will be contacted in the spring with the results of their nomination.
Alumni selected for awards will be celebrated at an award show in the fall

The York U Alumni Awards Categories

AWARD	DESCRIPTION
Outstanding Contribution	An alum who has made a significant contribution to the advancement of York and its students through exceptional service, commitment and/or philanthropic contributions.
Outstanding Achievement	An alum who has achieved distinction in their field and whose integrity and ability inspire alumni, faculty, staff and students.
Tentanda Via	An alum who has demonstrated innovative, unconventional and daring leadership and success, reflecting the university’s motto, “The way must be tried.”
One to Watch	An alum who has made a significant impact in their field and/or community within 15 years of a bachelor’s degree or 10 years of a professional/graduate degree.
Excellence in Entrepreneurship	An alum who has excelled in entrepreneurship that has led to positive change in their field or the community.

2025 York U Alumni Awards Recipients

The remarkable recipients of the 2025 York U Alumni Awards are: Robert (Bob) Drummond (BA ’67) & Vicky Drummond (MA ’76), Dr. Milad Modabber (BSc ’08, MSc ’10), Dr. Pamela Farrell (BEd ’07), Farzia Khan (BA ’17) and Jaime Wong (MBA ’01).

Outstanding Contribution

Robert (Bob) Drummond (BA ’67) and Vicky Drummond (MA ’76)
Retired Dean and Professor, York University
Former Library Coordinator, awarded posthumously

Together, the Drummonds have exemplified the spirit of service, leadership and philanthropy that defines York University's alumni community. They have been York champions and ambassadors, long after retirement. Their commitment to student success and academic excellence has led to the creation of several student awards, including a future legacy gift that will establish the Vicky A. Drummond Award in History and the Robert J. Drummond Award in Political Science, which support high-achieving upper-year students with financial need.

Robert was a member of York’s first official graduating class and served as Dean of the Faculty of Arts from 2001 to 2009. In that role, he helped lead one of York’s largest academic transformations, the creation of the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies. He also held numerous senior roles, including Chair of Senate, Chair of the York University Faculty Association, and undergraduate coordinator of the Political Science Program. He continues to serve as president of the Association of Retired Faculty and Librarians (ARFL).

Vicky Drummond joined the Nellie Langford Rowell Women’s Studies Library in 1986 and was its coordinator from 1999 to 2016. Under her leadership, the library became a leading research and learning hub for feminist scholarship and gender studies, serving generations of students and faculty. She also played a critical role in the production and editorial support of the Canadian Women Studies Journal and Inanna Publications, advancing the visibility of Canadian feminist thought both within and beyond York.

Outstanding Achievement

Dr. Milad Modabber (BSc ’08, MSc ’10)
Associate Surgeon (Ophthalmologist), Herzig Eye Institute

Dr. Milad Modabber is an internationally recognized, double board-certified cornea, anterior segment, and refractive surgeon and one of Toronto’s leading ophthalmologists. As a clinician and educator, he has authored over 40 peer-reviewed publications, contributed to ophthalmology textbooks and has delivered lectures at major international conferences. He is a frequent voice in the media, championing public awareness around eye health and vision care as a spokesperson for the Canadian Ophthalmological Society.

Deeply committed to social responsibility, Dr. Modabber has led numerous humanitarian surgical missions, restoring vision in underserved communities across the globe. His efforts in global health have been honoured with the ASCRS Young Eye Surgeon International Service Grant and the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Leadership Development Award.

Rooted in his community, he remains dedicated to mentoring future healthcare leaders, advocating for equitable care, and contributing to initiatives that uplift the profession and society.

Tentanda Via

Dr. Pamela Farrell (BEd ’07)
Professor, University of Calgary; Founder and Executive Director, GROW Community Food Literacy Centre

Dr. Pamela Farrell is a recognized activist scholar, educator and community leader. As a professor of education and director of field education at the University of Calgary, she draws on more than 20 years of experience in K–12 and adult education, educational leadership and diplomatic service. Her expertise in special education, critical literacy and inclusive teaching helps prepare future educators to challenge systemic inequities and create transformative learning environments. A passionate mentor, she champions culturally responsive teaching and supports new teachers in developing the skills and advocacy needed to foster lasting change.

In 2019, she founded GROW Community Food Literacy Centre, Canada’s first food literacy centre and continues to serve as volunteer executive director. As an activist scholar, she mobilizes collective action to dismantle barriers to food access by centering the voices of historically marginalized communities. Through her leadership, the organization has secured over $2.1 million in funding, culminating in the 2024 launch of GROW-on-the-GO, Canada’s first electric mobile market truck serving high-risk populations in food deserts.

Beyond academia and community advocacy, she serves as the honorary consul of Switzerland to Alberta. Appointed by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, she advances bilateral relations in trade, innovation and education. As governance officer on the Calgary Consular Corps Board of Directors, she collaborates with representatives from over 40 nations to promote diplomacy and international cooperation.

One to Watch

Farzia Khan (BA ’17)
Senior Manager, TD Bank; Founder, Elle Hacks; Founder, NextGen Digital Defender

Farzia Khan is an award-winning cybersecurity leader, speaker, children’s book
author, board member and community builder. At TD Bank, she leads enterprise-wide cyber resiliency and security awareness initiatives that empower colleagues and customers to navigate today’s rapidly evolving threat landscape. She is the visionary behind TD’s Cyber Academy, which has redefined cybersecurity education and engagement across the organization.

Her work has earned her national and international awards, including: York University’s Top 30 Alumni Under 30, WXN Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100, and Global Women Changing the World – Tech Leader of the Year.

A passionate advocate for women in STEM, Farzia founded ElleHacks, Canada’s first and largest all-women student hackathon, and co-founded Robocon, the world’s first international hackathon on service robots. She is an emerging voice in artificial intelligence, having won GenAI competitions and participated in industry hackathons exploring the intersection of AI and cybersecurity. Farzia actively advances cyber education across North America through multiple efforts, including a non-profit initiative she founded to demystify cybersecurity for the next generation and foster digital equity.

Her bestselling children’s book, Cyber Heroes: The Adventures of Mayra & Filora in Techville, introduces foundational cyber safety concepts to young readers through storytelling and illustration, making her one of the first Canadians to publish a children’s book on cyber safety.

Excellence in Entrepreneurship

Jaime Wong (MBA ’01)
CEO, Maddison Wong Investments; Co-founder and CEO of MDBilling.ca

Jaime Wong is the chief executive officer of Maddison Wong Investments, where he oversees investments in technology startups and real estate while advising high-growth software companies.

Previously, Jaime was the co-founder and CEO of MDBilling.ca, Canada’s leading medical billing software and service provider. Jaime led the company’s strategy, growth and execution, transforming it into an industry leader. MDBilling.ca grew to a 60% market share in Ontario, serving over 9,000 physicians nationwide, before its successful acquisition by RBCx (Royal Bank of Canada) in 2022.

Before his entrepreneurial journey, Jaime spent over 15 years in business development and technology leadership roles at IBM and other tech firms, specializing in enterprise IT. He also serves as a patent author in Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology and actively contributes to not-for-profit boards.

Remembering Bruce Bryden, an outstanding York leader

The York U Alumni Awards were inspired by Bruce Bryden who was an exceptionally committed and influential leader at York University for many years. He was a member of our first undergraduate class, was the founding president of the York University Alumni Association (now the York University Alumni Board/YUAB) and was a member of the York University Board of Governors.

The York U Alumni Awards recognize and honour his vision, exemplary leadership and extraordinary achievements.