Alumni Profile: Announcing 2026 Graham L. Anderson Award for Alumni Scholars

 

Since graduating from Shawnigan Lake School, Reese has been focused on academic excellence with the ultimate goal of attending law school. Her educational journey includes graduating with honours from the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business with a Bachelor of Commerce degree, specializing in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources, with a concentration in business law, and continuing her post-secondary education at the University of Alberta Faculty of Law.

“My interest in law was first sparked at Shawnigan, where I enrolled in Law 12 with Mr. Loiselle and was honoured to receive the Harris & Company Law Prize. As an undergraduate, I made a deliberate effort to further explore the field, which confirmed my commitment to pursuing a legal education and allowed me to develop my areas of interest,” shares Reese.

Throughout Reese’s post-secondary career she maintained a strong academic record in a demanding program, consistently performing above average and earning recognition through a scholarship and the Dean’s List. Beyond academics, Reese was actively involved in Gamma Phi Beta, an international organization dedicated to advancing women’s leadership and volunteered with Enactus UBC, the UBC chapter of an international nonprofit that uses entrepreneurial action to advance social impact.

At Shawnigan, Reese was a School Prefect and Deputy Head of Kaye’s House, and participated in the school musical, rowing team, and Stag Café program. 

Junu Dimdung  ’19 (Kaye’s) 

For Junu, who grew up in a rural village in southern Nepal, access to education and healthcare was a distant luxury. Her journey began when her younger brother developed epilepsy as an infant; with virtually no access to medical care, her parents had to rely on traditional faith healers. Watching her brother suffer and seeing her parents feel completely helpless sparked a lifelong dedication to medicine.

In 2017, Junu came to Shawnigan Lake School as a scholarship recipient from Shree Mangal Dvip Boarding (SMD) School in Nepal. During her time at Shawnigan, she was an active member of both the Outdoors Club and the Search and Rescue Club. She also launched a pen pal initiative connecting Shawnigan and SMD students, fostering meaningful cross-cultural connections and building global awareness beyond the classroom.

Throughout her education, Junu has consistently sought opportunities to give back through teaching, volunteering, and supporting underserved communities. Balancing academics with community leadership, she earned an honours Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Science from Trent University. In December 2026, she will begin the Practical Nursing program at Sprott Shaw College in Vancouver.

“My immediate goal is to excel in my nursing education and clinical practice to master direct patient care. Long-term, I plan to become a Registered Nurse and eventually a Nurse Practitioner. I want to specialize in providing culturally sensitive healthcare to vulnerable, rural, and underserved communities, ensuring other families don’t face the same isolation mine did,” shares Junu.

Since graduating from Shawnigan, Lisa Jane has had the privilege of pursuing two of her great pleasures in life: learning and helping others. After completing a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at McGill University and a Master of Public Administration at the University of Saskatchewan, she began working as a public servant for the Government of Alberta. While working full-time, she earned a Master of Science in Digital Education with Distinction from the University of Edinburgh in 2023.

For the last five years, Lisa Jane has served as a manager at a non-profit organization supporting new immigrants and their families within the K-12 school system. This fall, she is embarking on a new challenge: pursuing a Doctorate in Education at the University of Cambridge, with the goal of improving conditions for newcomers in Canada’s education system. Her research is inspired by her work at Action for Healthy Communities, particularly the disparate outcomes she witnessed while supporting refugee students.

“As anyone who has attended Shawnigan will tell you, education is more than curriculum, exams, and homework. For students to find meaning in their education, they need to feel welcome, appreciated, and safe. Breaking bread, sharing space, and building friendships with people from around the world intimately shaped my worldview. I carry those experiences with me every day, and will certainly have them in my pocket as I arrive at Cambridge,” shares Lisa Jane.

During her time at Shawnigan, Lisa Jane was a School Prefect, House Prefect, House Academic Captain, and Model UN Captain.

 

Rick Spiller ’09 (Lake’s)
 

After Shawnigan, Rick attended the Royal Military College of Canada and graduated in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Upon receiving the Queen’s Commission, he served as an Infantry Officer in the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, advancing through various military education levels and leadership roles.

His Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) career included operational service in Kuwait and Iraq in 2016, a domestic deployment during the BC wildfires in 2017, and a tour in South Korea in 2018. These experiences reinforced his belief in service, alliance cooperation, and contributing to something larger than oneself.

Rick later emigrated to Denmark to be with his wife and family, adapting to a new country and language. He served as the Head of Civil-Military Cooperation at a NATO Multinational Divisional headquarters in Latvia from 2023 to 2026. After learning Danish, he completed the Royal Danish Defence College’s Master of Military Studies, achieving top grades in strategy, joint operations, Arctic security, and civil-military cooperation. He is also pursuing additional graduate studies in Intelligence and Cybersecurity at the University of Southern Denmark.

Rick has since returned to Canada and rejoined the Canadian Armed Forces in Ottawa, where his work focuses on Arctic security and strengthening interoperability between Canada, NATO Allies, and international partners. This role integrates his Canadian, Danish, NATO, and academic experiences.

“My time at Shawnigan shaped me as much as the path I took after graduation. As an original Shaw Scholar, I experienced firsthand what it meant to have a school community invest in you and then expect you to make something meaningful of that opportunity. Through XV rugby and riflery, I learned about resilience, teamwork, responsibility, and the importance of contributing to something larger than yourself. Those lessons have continued to guide how I lead, learn, and serve, both in Canada and abroad. Returning to Canada and continuing to serve has also made me reflect on the importance of giving back to the community that helped me on that path.”

Since arriving at Mount Allison University in 2025, Anastasiia has tried to honour every opportunity she has received by contributing fully to both her academic and campus communities. She completed her first year in International Relations with a minor in Economics, earning a high GPA while taking several third-year courses. Her ultimate goal is to work in diplomacy, public service, or an international organization, contributing to meaningful cooperation between nations and communities.

Beyond the classroom, Anastasiia took the initiative to rebuild the university's Model United Nations Society after five years of inactivity, stepping into the role of president. Within weeks, her team organized training sessions, raised over $22,000, and brought 20 students to McMUN, one of Canada’s largest and most prestigious Model UN conferences.

Next year, Anastasiia hopes to take a carefully planned year away from Canada to strengthen the foundation for her future career through international and experiential learning. She is exploring opportunities to pursue an independent study of Spanish in Latin America, volunteer in South Africa, complete an exchange semester, and gain professional experience through an internship.

“I hope these experiences will help me better understand different cultures and communities and prepare me to contribute meaningfully to both Ukraine and the wider international community. Above all, I want to use my education to support others and help ensure that voices too often overlooked are heard,” says Anastasiia.

At Shawnigan, Anastasiia served as Service Captain, was an active member of Model UN, and organized numerous on-campus events to celebrate and raise awareness of different cultures within the school community. Anastasiia was also a Shawnigan Impact Scholar.

We received a record number of applications this year. Hearing about the remarkable work and research our exceptional alumni are tackling around the world has been deeply inspiring. The 2026-27 application period opens on April 1, 2027. To learn more and to apply, please visit www.shawnigan.ca/alumni/alumni-awards-and-scholarships