This is a list of people associated with Athabasca University in Alberta, Canada. This includes faculty, notable alumni, staff, and former university Presidents. Athabasca University is a distance education university with open enrollment year round, accredited by the province and the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. It has served more than 260,000 students since 1970. [1] In 2007 it began offering some classes by cell phone, [2] and in 2008 it became the first university in North America to offer a Doctorate in distance education. [3] In 2009, it became the first Canadian university to offer a doctorate in Business Administration (DBA).
The university teaches approximately 32,000 students per year, [4] and has a variety of students with various learning needs. [5] Classes are attended at the location of the student's choosing. [5] The university has a set number of standards for students in the delivery of its programs. [6] It offers over 700 courses, and spends $2 million a year on research. [7]
| Name | Known for | Relationship to Athabasca University | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shannon-Ogbnai Abeda | Olympic athlete | Student | [8] |
| Carrie Anton | Paralympic athlete | Employee | [9] |
| Frank Appleby | Alberta MLA | Graduate and honorary degree | [10] |
| Mark Arendz | Paralympic athlete | Graduate | [11] |
| Name | Known for | Relationship to Athabasca University | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pierre Berton | Author and journalist | Honorary degree | [12] |
| Paul Boutilier | NHL veteran, New York Islanders | Student | [13] |
| Name | Known for | Relationship to Athabasca University | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debby Carlson | Alberta MLA for Edmonton Ellerslie | Graduate | [14] |
| Gary Carr | Member of Parliament for Halton; NHL veteran, Boston Bruins | Graduate | [15] |
| Larry Clarke | Businessman | Honorary degree | [16] |
| Name | Known for | Relationship to Athabasca University | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deidra Dionne | Olympic bronze medalist in aerial ski jumping | Student | [17] |
| Meagan Duhamel | Olympic athlete | Graduate | [18] |
| Rocky Dwyer | Business scholar | Former professor | |
| Name | Known for | Relationship to Athabasca University | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christian Farstad | Former Olympic athlete, bobsleigh | Graduate | [19] |
| Jonathan Filewich | Hockey player, Pittsburgh Penguins | Student | [20] |
| Northrop Frye | Author | Honorary degree | [16] |
| Name | Known for | Relationship to Athabasca University | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vicki Gabereau | Journalist | Honorary degree | [21] [22] |
| Jayne Gackenbach | Dream researcher | Professor | [23] |
| Brent Gauvreau | Hockey player | Graduate | [20] |
| Anna Greenwood-Lee | Anglican bishop | Graduate | [24] |
| Stu Grimson | NHL veteran, Calgary Flames | Graduate | [25] |
| Name | Known for | Relationship to Athabasca University | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ted Harrison | Artist | Honorary degree | [26] |
| Thomas Hickey | Hockey player | student | [27] |
| Lois Hole | Former Lieutenant Governor of Alberta | Former Governing Council Member | [28] |
| Carol Huynh | Olympic athlete | Graduate | [18] |
| Name | Known for | Relationship to Athabasca University | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sandra Keith | Olympic biathlete | Student | [29] |
| Russell Kennedy | Olympic athlete | Graduate | [11] |
| Ralph Klein | Former Premier of Alberta | Student | [30] |
| Swede Knox | NHL veteran | Graduate | [31] |
| Name | Known for | Relationship to Athabasca University | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson Lafferty | Northwest Territories MLA for North Slave | Student | [32] |
| Dorothy Livesay | Poet | Honorary degree | [33] |
| Mark Lubosch | Former Winnipeg City Councillor | Graduate | [34] |
| Name | Known for | Relationship to Athabasca University | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ernest Manning | Former Premier of Alberta | Honorary degree | [35] |
| Shirlee Matheson | Author | Graduate | [36] |
| Alyn McCauley | NHL player, San Jose Sharks | Student | [37] |
| Maureen McTeer | Wife of Joe Clark | Honorary degree | [16] |
| Name | Known for | Relationship to Athabasca University | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graham Nishikawa | Paralympic athlete | Graduate | [11] |
| Rachel Notley | Former Premier of Alberta | Former professor | [38] |
| Name | Known for | Relationship to Athabasca University | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan O'Marra | Hockey player, Edmonton Oilers | Student | [20] |
| Kaetlyn Osmond | Olympic athlete | Student | [18] |
| Name | Known for | Relationship to Athabasca University | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marni Panas | LGBT activist | Graduate | [39] |
| Joseph Pivato | Literary critic | Professor | [40] |
| Name | Known for | Relationship to Athabasca University | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eric Radford | Olympic athlete | Graduate | [18] |
| Joy Romero | Businesswoman | Chair, Governing Council | [41] |
| Name | Known for | Relationship to Athabasca University | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beckie Scott | Olympic gold medallist in cross-country skiing | Student | [42] |
| James Shapiro | Islet transplant doctor, University of Alberta | Honorary degree | [43] |
| Monte Solberg | Conservative Member of Parliament for Medicine Hat | Student | [44] |
| Name | Known for | Relationship to Athabasca University | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milaine Thériault | Olympic competitor | Student | [45] |
| Amber Thomas | Paralympic athlete | Graduate | [18] |
| Walter Patrick Twinn | Senator and Chief of Sawridge First Nation | Honorary degree | [16] |
| Ian Tyson | Musician | Honorary degree | [46] |
| Name | Known for | Relationship to Athabasca University | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eleanor Wachtel | Journalist | Honorary degree | [47] |
| Pamela Wallin | Journalist | Honorary degree | [48] |
| Anne Wheeler | Filmmaker | Honorary degree | [16] |
| Tom Worthington | Australian computer programmer | Graduate | [49] |
| Name | Known for | Relationship to Athabasca University | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Derek Zaplotinsky | Paralympic athlete | Graduate | [11] |
| Moses Znaimer | Media baron | Honorary degree | [16] |
| # | Name | Term | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tim Byrne | 1971–1976 | [50] |
| 2 | Sam Smith | 1976–1980 | [16] |
| 3 | Stephen Griew | 1980–1985 | [51] |
| 4 | Terry Morrison | 1985–1995 | [51] |
| 5 | Dominique Abrioux | 1995–2005 | [52] |
| 6 | Frits Pannekoek | 2005–2014 | [41] |
| 7 | Peter MacKinnon (interim) | 2014–2016 | [53] |
| 8 | Neil Fassina | 2016–2021 | [54] |
| 9 | Peter Scott | 2021-2023 | [55] [56] |
| 10 | Alex Clark | 2023-Present | [57] [56] |