UPEI celebrates distinguished alumni at annual event
The UPEI Alumni Association presented its annual Distinguished Alumni and Inspiring Young Alumni Awards on Friday, July 26 as part of this year's summer reunion weekend.
The Honourable J. Armand DesRoches, SDU'63 and J. Paul S. Young, BSc'02, BScR'07, MBA'12 are this year's recipients. DesRoches will be presented with this year's Distinguished Alumni Award, which commemorates a graduate for their outstanding contributions to knowledge, the arts, the community, and the university or humanity. Young will be presented with the Inspiring Young Alumni Award, which honours a graduate, under the age of 40, who has shown outstanding determination in achieving success at a young age.
Upon graduation from St. Dunstan's University, DesRoches went on to receive his LLB degree from Dalhousie University. He was admitted to the bars of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, and practiced law in Summerside before joining the Canadian Armed Forces. During his 22-year career as a Canadian Forces legal officer, DesRoches was at various times: the legal advisor to the Commander of 1 Combat Group in Calgary, stationed in Germany where he provided legal advice to a number of units in Europe, and chief legal advisor to the Commander of Maritime Command in Halifax. DesRoches also held the position of military trial judge for 10 years, three of which he was the chief military judge for the Canadian Forces.
In 1991, DesRoches retired from the Canadian Forces as deputy judge advocate general with the rank of navy captain and was appointed to the trial division of the Supreme Court of the province. During his time there, he rendered numerous decisions that had a lasting impact on PEI, including moving electoral boundaries to provide fairer distribution of voters among electoral districts and establishing a French school in the Summerside area.
DesRoches retired from the Bench in 2004, and in 2005, joined Stewart McKelvey as counsel. In 2007, he was named a member of the Pensions Appeal Board, the third level of appeal under the Canada Pension Plan. DesRoches has been married to Judie for 45 years, has four daughters, and nine grandchildren.
Paul Young couldn't get enough of UPEI. In 2002, he obtained his bachelor of science degree, majoring in chemistry and physics. Then, with aspirations to enter a career in healthcare, Young entered the radiography program offered by UPEI and the QEH and graduated in 2004. He completed a second undergraduate degree from UPEI in applied sciences, and most recently, in 2012, Young graduated with his master of business administration from UPEI.
In 2005, Young received his advanced diploma in MRI and spectroscopy from Winnipeg's Red River College and The National Institute for Biodiagnostics. He then moved to Ottawa to begin his healthcare career.
Through relentless hard work, dedication, and determination, Young quickly became known and respected within his field. After having worked with several hospitals and private clinics, he landed a highly sought after job as clinical lead instructor at The Ottawa Hospital, the second-largest teaching hospital in Canada. He was the youngest technologist ever hired for the position. By 2007, Young had expanded his experience to encompass four provinces and 10 hospitals and private clinics, and had become one of the most sought-after technologists in his field.
In 2008, Young and his family moved back to PEI where he became the youngest manager at the Diagnostic Imaging Services department for the Prince County Hospital. He was recently appointed to a new role with Health PEI, and is now the manager of the primary care network for West Prince. Young lives in Summerside with his wife Erika and daughter Brielle.
'The UPEI Alumni Association is proud to award Armand and Paul with this year's Distinguished Alumni and Inspiring Young Alumni Awards,' said Alumni Association President Bruce Davison. 'It's individuals like them that make us proud to call ourselves UPEI alumni. On behalf of the Association, we send our congratulations to Armand and Paul.'
For a full summer reunion weekend schedule, visit http://remember.upei.ca/events/summer-reunion-weekend-2013
