Michael Kirkopoulos (BSc ’00) didn’t graduate from Brock with a carefully mapped out career plan. In fact, the Town of Lincoln’s Chief Administrative Officer describes his path from Biological Sciences student to municipal leader as “a bit of an accident.”

He did, however, leave the University with an unshakeable belief in the power of education, relationships and community that continues to shape his career trajectory.

Kirkopoulos is the recipient of the 2026 Brock University Alumni Association Community Engagement Award, recognizing his commitment to public service and his work building stronger connections between Brock and the Niagara community.

As a first-year student, Kirkopoulos wasn’t sure where his education would take him. His interest in science led him to pursue a bachelor’s in Biological Sciences with a minor in Economics. At Brock, he also found a close-knit community where professors were accessible, classmates became lifelong friends and students were encouraged to think outside of the box.

“Brock gave me a foundation, a network of people and the ability to learn,” he said. “It gave me confidence and I wouldn’t be where I am today without Brock.”

Through Brock, Kirkopoulos completed an internship at Yale University in 1999. That experience sparked an interest in politics. After returning home to complete his degree, Kirkopoulos began working in policy research and became increasingly drawn to government and the ability of public institutions to make a difference in people’s lives.

Kirkopoulos says he “fell in love with public service.”

That path led him to municipal government and ultimately to his current role as Chief Administrative Officer at the Town of Lincoln.

“It’s always been about building relationships, impacting community and leaving things better than you found them,” he said.

That same philosophy has shaped his relationship with his alma mater.

Kirkopoulos was instrumental in developing the Brock Lincoln Living Lab, a partnership launched in 2017 that brought Brock researchers and students together with the Town to address real municipal priorities.

“You bring the two together — school and town — and you can do some amazing things together,” he said.

The partnership gave students opportunities to take what they were learning in the classroom and apply it within a municipality through co-op placements, course projects and research, while giving the Town access to Brock expertise to help inform future project success.

For Kirkopoulos, receiving the Community Engagement Award is not recognition of just one person’s work. It represents the many people who have come together to strengthen the relationship between Brock, Lincoln and the broader Niagara community.

“Community by its name isn’t an individual effort,” he said. “We are all coming together.”