HÂþ»­

OCT. 22, 2025 – FREDERICTON, NB: Local trailblazers, community members, and New Brunswick Community College (HÂþ»­) alumni Marlene Thompson, Micaela Hachey, Samantha Gullison, and Darcy & Mark Culberson were each recognized for their outstanding contributions to their communities and beyond at the 2025 HÂþ»­ Alumni Recognition Awards, held at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025. These individuals are driving meaningful change in New Brunswick: from serving as pillars of generosity and integrity in their communities to mentoring the next generation, to creating inclusive employment pathways for international professionals and cultivating trauma-informed networks within organizations and services. The annual HÂþ»­ Alumni Recognition Awards celebrates the achievements and contributions of four HÂþ»­ graduates who are truly transforming lives and communities. This year, a special exception was made to honour partners in both business and life, Darcy and Mark Culberson, who received a shared award, bringing the total of recipients to five alumni.

Marlene Thompson – Class of 2020, Human Resources Management

• Marlene is a Human Resources professional and champion for inclusion and belonging. In her experience, she connected international professionals with meaningful employment that matches their skills and uses her spare time to empower and mentor HÂþ»­ learners.
  
  

Micaela Hachey – Class of 2013, Personal Support Worker – Acute Care

• Micaela is a Behaviour Intervention Mentor with the Anglophone North School District in Miramichi, NB. She advocates for students who may be struggling in or outside the classroom and focuses on uncovering the root of behaviours, creating proactive supports that set students up for long-term success.
  
  

Samantha ‘Sam’ Gullison – Class of 2015, Human Services

• Sam is the Program Director at the Willow Centre for Sexual Violence Support in Charlotte County. She leads with empathy and vision: bringing training to frontline workers, cultivating a trauma-informed network within organizations and services, and creating spaces where survivors can rediscover trust in themselves and in others.
  
  

Darcy & Mark Culberson – Class of 1995, Office Technology (Darcy) & Automotive Technician (Mark) (Friend of New Brunswick award recipient)

• Darcy and Mark are owners of High Lift Auto Service in Woodstock, NB. Together, they’ve built a thriving business and a legacy of kindness. They pour their skills and heart back into their hometown whether it be sponsoring a community swim or helping children with different abilities to learn, grow and heal through play via the Joan Charlotte Galloway Memorial Fund.

“Seeing our HÂþ»­ alumni thrive, like those we proudly recognized at this year’s recognition ceremony, reinforces the power graduates hold to shape the future. Their continued success is inspiring not only for us as faculty and staff but also for the generations of HÂþ»­ learners to come,” said Mary Butler, President and CEO of HÂþ»­. “These five remarkable individuals are not just emblematic of HÂþ»­’s mission; they are living proof of its transformative power in shaping lives and inspiring communities.”  

The 2025 HÂþ»­ Alumni Recognition Awards ceremony brought together local leaders, community members, and supporters to celebrate the accomplishments of these individuals. Each honouree was recognized with a pewter medallion in a framed and personalized shadowbox for their professional success and the positive, far-reaching impact they continue to make here in New Brunswick and beyond.

To amplify the impact of these Alumni, HÂþ»­’s Robertson Institute for Community Leadership will make a $250 donation in the name of each Alumni Recognition Award recipient to a charity of their choice. A donation in the name of Darcy and Mark Culberson will be made to The Joan Galloway Memorial Fund - Helping Kids be Kids (facilitated through the Chalmers Foundation); in Marlene Thompson’s name to the HÂþ»­ Student Critical Aid Fund; in Samantha Gullison’s name to Neighbourhood Works in St. Stephen, N.B.; and in Micaela Hachey’s name to New Tide Partners in Action Inc. in Miramichi, N.B.

Nominations for HÂþ»­’s Alumni Recognition Awards are open year-round and can be submitted online. For full biographical information on this year’s award recipients, please visit: Alumni Awards - 2025 Recipients (nbcc.ca).

In the photo: Five distinguished HÂþ»­ alumni stand proudly together, holding their awards after being honoured for their outstanding achievements at the annual HÂþ»­ Alumni Recognition Awards Ceremony. From left to right: Marlene Thompson, Darcy Culberson, Mark Culberson, Sam Gullison, Micaela Hachey

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MEDIA CONTACT(S):
Strategic Communications Team, HÂþ»­
communications@nbcc.ca

ABOUT HÂþ»­:
As one of New Brunswick’s largest postsecondary education institutions, HÂþ»­ drives social and economic wellbeing across the province. HÂþ»­ welcomes more than 12,000 learners each year through quality-assured, relevant training opportunities. HÂþ»­ is committed to accelerating skills development, innovating educational delivery, and reaching unprecedented numbers of New Brunswickers. Find out more at: .