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Carolyn Layden-Stevenson Distinguished Alumni Award 2026

Shawn Graham, BEd’93, and David M. Lutz, BEd’74, are being recognized for their commitment to community leadership and public service with ¶¡Ïã³ÉÈËÉçÇø’s Carolyn Layden-Stevenson Distinguished Alumni Award.

Graham, former Premier of New Brunswick, and Lutz, a distinguished lawyer and bâtonnier, will be presented with the award at the STU Gala on Saturday, October 17 in Fredericton and we invite the community to join us for this special event. Learn more and reserve your tickets.

“Shawn Graham and David Lutz exemplify the values of leadership, advocacy, innovation, and community engagement that we foster at ¶¡Ïã³ÉÈËÉçÇø. They have achieved great standing in their professional fields, and we are looking forward to celebrating them in October,” said Dr. Nauman Farooqi, ¶¡Ïã³ÉÈËÉçÇø President and Vice-Chancellor. 

David M. Lutz, K.C. (BEd ’74) — Lawyer, Bâtonnier

David M. Lutz is a distinguished New Brunswick lawyer whose career has spanned more than five decades. A founding partner of Lutz Parish Gerrish and former President of the Law Society of New Brunswick, he has appeared before courts at every level in Canada, including the Supreme Court of Canada, and has been recognized for his leadership and service to the legal profession as King's Counsel. He embodies the leadership, human rights advocacy, and societal impact that STU strives to instill in our students.

His civic leadership spans vital community projects, serving as a founding member of the Dr. V.A. Snow Centre and dedicating his time as the Chair of the Hampton Credit Union. In 2002, Lutz and his wife, Brenda Lutz, K.C., received the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Award.

Shawn Graham (BEd ’93) — Former Premier and Business Leader

Shawn Graham is a respected business leader and former Premier of New Brunswick. After beginning his career as an educator, he served as the province’s 31st Premier from 2006 to 2010, leading major initiatives in education, economic development, and energy. Today, as President and CEO of G & R Holdings Inc., he provides strategic advice to organizations around the world on economic development, international trade, and public policy. His distinguished career in public service, business, and community leadership reflects the values of engagement, innovation, and global citizenship fostered at ¶¡Ïã³ÉÈËÉçÇø. 

Through his work, he has provided vital policy guidance to multicultural organizations, governments, and corporations worldwide with a fierce dedication to the local community while effectively engaging with the wider world. Graham is a member of the Board of Directors for the Glenn Gould Foundation and was recently named the President of the Board of Ducks Unlimited Canada, the nation’s largest non-profit dedicated to conserving wetlands and wildlife. 

About the Carolyn Layden-Stevenson Distinguished Alumni Award

Named in memory of alumna Carolyn Layden-Stevenson, an accomplished lawyer, judge, and educator, the Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes outstanding accomplishments of living STU alumni who have earned prominence as a result of their professional achievements and service to society. 

For ticket information, see or contact Dionne Izzard at dizzard@stu.ca or 506-452-2140.