The Alumni Service Award recognizes alumni who have demonstrated an extraordinary level of commitment, dedication and volunteer service to the University of Alberta. Here are the 2024 recipients: 

Eric Axford, ’95 MBA

Eric Axford’s reputation as a transformational leader was earned as Suncor Energy’s first chief sustainability officer, where he led initiatives relating to climate change, the environment and social responsibility. A longtime member of the Alberta School of Business advisory council, Axford is now transforming the educational experience of U of A business students. The Axford Impact Series, launched in 2022, is a socio-economic grand challenge where first-year commerce students are assigned a complex, real-world challenge that will become a cornerstone project over their four years at university. In addition to moulding career-ready business graduates, Axford is well-known in the city of Calgary for being generous with his time, expertise and resources to causes where he believes he can make a difference.

Phillip Wong, ’85 BSc(Spec)

Whether in university boardrooms or campus cafés, volunteer Phillip Wong listens to what students need and endeavours to make it happen. His U of A involvement dates to his undergrad days when he volunteered to provide peer support and new student orientation services. The long-time human resources professional served on Alumni Council from 2016 to 2019 in various capacities, before joining the Alumni Student Support and Engagement Team (ASSET) where he is a valued advocate, mentor and empathetic listener who creates a kind, safe, supportive space for students facing challenges or seeking community. In the past two years, Wong has volunteered on the Unitea team, sharing tea and conversation while helping build bridges between the alumni community and new generations of students.