SACKVILLE, NB — Margaret Ann (Peggy) Craig, administrative assistant in the Department of Music, is the 2018 recipient of the Purdy Crawford Staff Award of Excellence at Mount Allison University.

The Award is presented annually to a Mount Allison staff member who has gone beyond the call of duty and displayed exceptional service to their department and to the University community. The announcement was made at the University’s annual Employee Recognition event on May 18.

“It’s an honour to receive this award and acknowledgement,” says Craig. “The Music department is very much like an extended family. It is a privilege to work with and get to know our students and faculty in the program at Mount Allison.”

Craig has worked in the Music department since 2013 but has been involved in music and music education in Sackville for many years. She served the Performing Arts Committee for 19 years, bringing world-class musicians and ensembles to campus each year. Craig has also been a member of the Sackville Music Festival committee as well as the New Brunswick Provincial Music Festival and taught music theory privately in her home for many years.

As one nominator describes, “Peggy has a constant finger on the pulse of the Department. She is exceedingly generous with her time: she is present to ensure the smooth running of our many concerts, master classes, auditions, recruitment events, and student juries and recitals. Needless to say, every aspect of the preparation for these events, from the booking of space to the printing of programs to the promotion of the events is done with a superlative attention to detail.”

Along with day-to-day operations in the Music conservatory, Craig is also a lead organizer for prospective music students, arranging audition days and other key outreach events.

“In a department like Music, we get to meet our students very early because of all the outreach events like festivals, concerts, and auditions,” says Craig. “It’s a great pleasure to see them grow from aspiring musicians to Mount Allison Music alumni.”

Music has always been an important part of Craig’s life. She holds a Bachelor of Music from Western University as well as a Bachelor of Education from Mount Allison. She and her family first arrived in Sackville in 1985 when her husband (Terrence Craig) accepted a position in the University’s English department. Their daughter, Kathleen, is also a Mount Allison graduate.

“Sackville (and Mount Allison) offer so many opportunities to be embedded in the community, you can take part in so much here,” says Craig. “It’s my privilege to be a part of this by being able to help with concerts and other events of the Music department for the wider community.”

Photo caption: Margaret Ann (Peggy) Craig, right, accepts the 2018 Purdy Crawford Staff Award of Excellence from University President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Robert Campbell.