History Alumnus Awarded Outstanding Young Alumni Award
7 June 2014 - Orillia and Thunder Bay
Congratulations to history alumnus Eric McGoey (BA 2002) who is one of the 2014 recipients of the Alumni Association of Lakehead University’s (AALU) Outstanding Young Alumni Award. The award is presented by the AALU in recognition of a graduate from the last ten years who is 35 years of age or younger, and who has achieved significant accomplishments since graduation, either in his/her profession, sport or community service.
Although Eric McGoey says that in high school he was a “stereotypical bookish nerd,” he has since transformed himself into a civic-minded leader focused on nurturing strong communities.
Born and raised in Thunder Bay, Eric was glad that he had the opportunity to attend Lakehead University. He majored in History and English and graduated in 2002 with Bachelor of Arts in History and an Honours Bachelor of Arts in English. Studying at Lakehead had a formative influence on his life – it was the place where he met his wife, forged enduring friendships, and won his first election as VP Finance for the Lakehead University Student Union (LUSU).
“I got a great education and was able to get extremely involved in things I care about,” Eric says. His newly-discovered love of politics also prompted him to become a student member of Lakehead’s Board of Governors.
These experiences became the foundation for Eric’s career. He spent over a decade working at Queen’s Park with the Hon. Michael Gravelle, the MPP for Thunder Bay-Superior North and the Minister of Northern Development and Mines.
Eric rose to become Minister Gravelle’s chief of staff which allowed him to shape initiatives that had a real impact on Northwestern Ontario.
“Government and public policy should fundamentally be the expression of the most noble collective values and aspirations of communities,” Eric explains. “A single person can’t build a park, or a hospital, or a library, but collectively we can do all of these things to improve our communities and our quality of life.”
Eric continues to work with people who want to make a difference. He is currently the director of government relations for Cliffs Natural Resources, an international mining and natural resources company.
Eric McGoey lives in Toronto with his wife and son who inspire his efforts to create vibrant cities and neighbourhoods. His future plans include volunteering on the elections campaigns of politicians committed to serving the public good.
Source: Alumni Association of Lakehead University