CIS 50th Anniversary Success Stories (Week 4)

OTTAWA – As part of its 50^th Anniversary Celebration, Canadian Interuniversity Sport presents the CIS 50^th Anniversary Success Stories series. Each week throughout the 2011-12 season, CIS will profile two alumni from CIS member institutions who have made outstanding contributions in areas such as sports, business, politics or in the community. Today we are profiling the University of Saskatchewan’s Jacquie Lavallée and Don Listwin.

Jacquie Lavallée: From success on the field to helping others succeed in the classroom

Former two-sport CIS All-Canadian now helping Saskatchewan youth

Brian, a father with three children, graduated from Grade 12 last June. High school took him longer than the usual four years, what with raising his kids and helping to look after his sisters and holding a job. By putting family first means he sometimes had to shelve school, but he stuck with it, kept coming back for more.

Jacquie Lavallee taught Brian math and phys ed. As he pushed himself through school, she helped him along.

“Seeing these students, knowing what they go through, I feel a strong emotion,” she said. “They have such a huge sense of accomplishment.”

He finished school in June. She cheered.

COMPLETE STORY AT:

Don Listwin: Huskie volleyballer now leader in cancer research

Former U of S player transitioned from the tech world to found the Canary Foundation

Don Listwin, who is a prairie dog fromSaskatchewan, has 30 long, tall redwoods at his home inCalifornia. That’s Don. Feet on the ground, eyes in the sky.

He studied electrical engineering at the University of Saskatchewani n the 1970s then went to work with Develcon Electronics of Saskatoon. He later moved to Cisco, a communications and technology company in San Jose. After starting as its marketing man and helping it develop the Internet, he rose to be executive vice-president of Cisco, called the most valuable business in the world. He was making millions.

At age 40, he left. 

COMPLETE STORY AT:

(Source: Michel Belanger, CIS Manager Media & Communications)