Alumni Association Volunteer President Honoured For Years Of Dedication To Queen’s

For years, George Jackson, Artsci’85, has served on a number of committees and volunteers boards, and even had the difficult job of selecting alumni award recipients from numerous deserving alumni. Now George finds himself on the opposite end – he is being recognized with an award for his years as a Queen’s volunteer.

A political studies graduate and former Gaels linebacker, George is this year’s recipient of the Herbert J. Hamilton Volunteer Service Award and will be honoured at the Queen’s University Alumni Association Awards Gala on April 2.

“Queen’s was central in my life. I don’t think there has been a time when I wasn’t volunteering for Queen’s,” says George, who finishes his two-year term as the Queen’s University Alumni Association (QUAA) President in April. “It’s a little strange to be on the receiving end of a QUAA Award. Awards are not why I volunteer. This was unexpected. I didn’t see it coming. I was quite surprised and honoured.”

His volunteering at Queen’s started with the football team. As a player, George spent four years with the team, with his best season coming in 1983 when the team lost to Calgary 31-21 in the Vanier Cup final. (The team was inducted into the Queen’s Football Hall of Fame in September of this year.)

In George’s case, once a Gael, always a Gael. He stayed with the team after graduation and supported the program through volunteer duties such as planning fundraisers, team reunions, and Hall of Fame dinners. You can find him at Richardson Stadium cheering on Queen’s at every home game.

His hard work and dedication was noticed by former QUAA President Dan Rees, Com’92, Artsci’93, who asked George to join the QUAA Executive Board. George agreed and has spent the past eight years on the board in various roles including Vice President of Programs and Vice-Chair, before becoming president in 2014.

“My QUAA Board experience has been fantastic. I have worked with amazing board members and had great Queen’s alumni relations staff support. It’s been a great time to be at Queen’s and I got to meet very interesting alumni from all over the world,” says George.

His dedication and volunteerism to Queen’s extends beyond the QUAA and football. He has also served on the University Council on Athletics and Recreation, Sailing Booster Club, and is a part of the Initiative Campaign Cabinet.

Sue Bates, who serves with George on the QUAA Board and will take over the role of President when George steps down in April, feels George is the perfect choice for the Herbert J. Hamilton Volunteer Service Award.

“George’s tricolour spirit has come through in every aspect of his dedicated contributions to Queen’s. He has done this with a smile, a hug and by just being a great guy,” says Sue, Artsci’91.