Karen, Lindsey Kull, and I recently had the privilege of participating in a presentation and panel discussion at the University Council’s annual general meeting, led by Dr. Wendy Craig. Dr. Craig shared the work being done at Queen’s in enhancing community-driven engagement to address the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The session provided a glimpse into Directed Community Engagement, an initiative that strives to bring together a diverse cohort—students, faculty, staff, and communities, spanning local, regional, national, and global spheres. This collective aims to co-create knowledge that tackles real-world challenges identified by communities themselves. Through this collaboration, the initiative seeks to foster positive change while nurturing collaborative relationships between the university and the broader community.
Dr. Craig and her students unveiled a vision that resonates deeply with our work in Advancement—a vision that creates mutually beneficial learning experiences and sparks partnerships and collaborations that hold the potential to make a substantial impact. We see many possibilities for strategic engagement with this project.
During our discussions, Karen and I were struck by the potential for alumni involvement. We envisioned the prospect of organizing a roadshow, spanning key markets, where Dr. Craig and her students could showcase and invite alumni participation in their work. Dr. Craig has offered me a seat on her committee, providing an opportunity to explore avenues for alumni participation firsthand.
To provide a peek into this exciting initiative, I've attached Dr. Craig's presentation slide deck. Please take a moment to review it and stay tuned for future updates and ways to get involved.
Do you know how many Alumni Queen's has?
The number of alumni we have and can contact changes all the time. At our half-day ALT meeting last week, Steve shared the following data (as of Oct. 31, 2023) that is very helpful:
| Total number | % of living Alumni | |
|---|---|---|
| Living Alumni | 221,670 | |
| Contactable by email | 131,113 | 59.15% |
| Contactable by mail | 173,989 | 78.5% |
| Contactable by mail or email | 185,533 | 83.68% |
| LinkedIn addresses | 83,629 | 37.72% |
Don’t forget to RSVP
As the holiday season approaches, let's come together as a team to enjoy each other’s company, recognize service, and celebrate special awards.
Date: Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023
Time: 1 - 4 pm (with programming from 1:30 - 3:30 pm)
Location: Lobby of Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts
We have a program planned which will include service recognition and awards. It's an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the dedication and hard work of our team members. The gathering will be accompanied by a spread of appetizers and refreshments.
Please register to confirm your attendance and provide us with any accommodation or food allergy information you'd like us to be aware of.
We're looking forward to seeing you there!
Employee Spotlight
The Employee Spotlight celebrates the arrival of our new staff by profiling responses they share through a fun and informal survey that will help us get to know them better. Be sure to review these profiles and use these fun facts and tidbits to find commonalities, embrace differences and spark a conversation! Last week, we welcomed one new member to Advancement:
Kaity Weger in the position of Human Resources Advisor, covering Olivia Thedorf’s maternity leave. Learn more about Kaity and what the one meal is that she would eat for the rest of her life!