Sept. 19, 2023
Meet ARCH Award recipients Matthew and Tara Brister
Despite their humble demeanour, the Matthew and Tara Brister story truly reads like a superhero film: fast-paced, multi-faceted, complex and inspiring, all the while showing us the compassion and strength of the human spirit.
This year’s Alumni Service Arch Award-winners, Matthew, BSc’81, and Tara, BSc’82, have each independently made massive impacts on the University of Calgary community and its alumni and together they are community-builders, high-impact philanthropists, mentors and innovators.
“My impression of Matt and Tara as a team is that they are both creative, hard-working people who have achieved amazing things in their life — yet they have not rested on their laurels,” says nominator Dr. Kamala Patel, PhD, Executive Director of Live Cell Image Laboratory. Instead, they embody the classic Spider-Man quote: "With great power comes great responsibility.”
Matthew currently serves as a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council at the Cumming School of Medicine and is now chair for the Strategic Advisory Board for the Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases.
Tara, meanwhile, has spearheaded their gifts to the UCalgary General Endowment Fund, Calgary Alumni Association scholarships, the Dino’s 5th Quarter Association and the Gallagher Library. This combination of impactful philanthropic endeavours enhances the educational experience of UCalgary students, both past and present, enriching the education and research environment.