Bester inducted into U of L Alumni Honour Society

By Justin Seward - Lethbridge Herald on October 12, 2022.

Herald file photo - Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce chief executive officer and University of Lethbridge alumnus Cyndi Bester was announced as one of four inductees into the university's Alumni Honour Society.

Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce chief executive officer and University of Lethbridge alumnus Cyndi Bester was announced as one of four inductees into the university’s Alumni Honour Society.

The new honour society members provide a reflection on the breadth and depth of the U of L alumni family and puts on the display the work that the alumni are doing in the province, country and worldwide.

Bester obtained her Bachelor of Music in 1995 and a Master’s in Education in 2001.

“For me, it’s quite an honour because I’m very pro University of Lethbridge,” said Bester.

“My experience there was just fantastic and I’m always sharing the word. So for the university to recognize some of the achievements that’ve I’ve made, it was almost overwhelming.”

She thought her time at U of L was fun.

“I started when I was 17 – so my first semester was rather quiet because I was underage,” she said.

“Which was probably good because it helped me focus on my studies. But my first degree (was) a Bachelor of Music. And I started with a double Biochemical degree and quickly figured out that I didn’t want to be in a lab for the rest of my life. And so grown up as a musician, I tried out for that and did some education along with it, and so my first degree was phenomenal. My Master’s degree – I actually stepped into that right away – and I’m the first person to ever be accepted into the Masters of Education program with a Bachelor of Music.”

Bester added, “The university believed in me -that was big for me for me at that time – because I wanted to be adventurous and I wanted to try out something that wasn’t under the norm.”

With Bester being accepted, she was able to obtain scholarships and travel to Poland, Belarus and Russia to study curriculum systems of Europe and toured as a concert pianist.

“Which was fascinating and then I came back and defended my pieces at the University of Lethbridge,” said Bester.

She has now had the opportunity to sit on the U of L Senate and chairs the Honorary Doctorate Designation Committee.

“So it’s just from one opportunity to another, the university has always been there for me.”

Bester became an award-winning business leader, travelled the world as a concert pianist, travelled, has co-written four bestselling books and has hit the stage as a body builder.

She has been at the helm for successful companies that specialized in registry services, health care and workplace safety.

Bester will be joined by Drew Beauchamp, Brad Dersch and Michael Mankowski into the Alumni Honour Society.

“While our new inductees have all taken their own path since graduating from ULethbridge and established themselves in different careers, a common theme is that they all have made it a priority to give back to their communities,” says Deirdre McKenna ULAA president. “Whether it is through philanthropy, as volunteers or through their respective careers, these outstanding individuals are making a positive impact and bettering the world around them.”

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