Meaningful alumni engagement

I want to take a moment to share with all of you a new alumni engagement initiative introduced this fall called “A Mile in Their Shoes: Truth, Empathy, and Reconciliation.” On Sept. 13, we hosted a key event as part of this unique alumni engagement offering, which provides an opportunity for alumni to learn about the Indian Residential School system. 

Last Tuesday, a group of 40 alumni participated in a powerful journey of the mind and spirit to begin their own path toward Reconciliation. Over a five-month period, a group of Queen’s alumni are learning, exploring, and sharing — all with the guidance and knowledge of our Indigenous partners. 

The hope of this special program is that our grads will bring their learnings back to their personal and professional communities to support a greater awareness of the Indigenous experience in Canada, in the workplace, and beyond. Through this initiative, Queen’s alumni can play a vital role implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s (TRC) 94 Calls to Action. 

The journey of our alumni began with members being matched to a profile of someone who was placed in a residential school. They learned about residential schools through the experiences of those individuals, and by taking part in a directed, online chapter-based study project in August.  

On Sept. 13, participants came together as a group, in person, at Soul of the Mother Healing Lodge at Six Nations of the Grand River for a heartfelt day of experiential learning with Survivors, Indigenous partners, and fellow delegates. 

The program culminates in December, when alumni will take part in a virtual sharing circle.  

Alumni participating in “A Mile in Their Shoes” will gain a better, more personal understanding of the territories on which we live, work, and play, and share responsibility for Reconciliation. It is our hope that this experience will inspire alumni well beyond this fall.

This is a team effort executed by the Office of Advancement in close collaboration with the Office of Indigenous Initiatives and TAP Resources, an Indigenous-owned event management and consulting group. Congratulations to Ruth (who came up with this creative concept) and to the team members who made it happen: Mike, Tess, Andrew, Sara, Sophia, and Rachel. A truly collaborative team effort!

Call for staff volunteers at Homecoming 2022

As you may know, Queen's Homecoming returns to an in-person event this year, taking place Friday, Oct. 28, to Sunday, Oct. 30. With many exciting events being planned by many of our campus groups, it's sure to be a memorable opportunity to unite, at last, with fellow alumni, faculty, students, and staff. 

Homecoming’s success relies heavily on the dedication of staff volunteers who make events run smoothly, ensuring a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere for all who attend. We have several volunteer roles available, from Meet & Greet Check-In Lead to Fall Harvest Alumni Gathering Assistant. Please read over the role descriptions and consider becoming a volunteer.

Prior to signing up for a shift, please connect with your manager about overtime/lieu time options for shifts outside of normal business hours. Volunteers will receive a small token of appreciation for their (much-appreciated) efforts, as well as their contribution to creating an inclusive and positive Homecoming experience for alumni and guests.

The deadline to sign-up is Monday, Oct. 3. Please feel free to share the opportunity with fellow Queen's colleagues, outside of Advancement. If you have any questions, please reach out to the Volunteer Coordinator, Jess Koehn.

More honours for the Alumni Review 

The Queen’s Alumni Review has been honoured yet again. This time the recognition is from the Trade Association Business Publications International (TABPI), through their annual Tabbie Awards, which recognize and honour “journalism professionals who help drive excellence through their impressive ethics and talent.” 

This follows acknowledgement from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education’s (CASE) annual Circle of Excellence awards, the National Magazine Awards B2B competition, and the National Magazine Awards. The magazine has now received honours in both education and publishing sectors and for both design and content – all good indicators that the magazine is excelling in not just one area, but as an outstanding package for our alumni.
 
The Alumni Review received Tabbies in several categories (with honours going to two of our alumni contributors, too): 
 
• Silver in the Best Single Issue category for the Fall 2021 issue. Judges noted: “This whole issue is cohesive and clear… Everything is clean and easy to read.” 
 
• Silver in the Feature Design category for a photo essay designed by Wendy Treverton using photographs and text by alumna Heather Patterson, Artsci’01, Meds’05. Judges said: “Feature design tells a story; the images are impactful and the type treatment is well designed.” 
 
• Silver in the Opening Page or Spread category for a feature about Alfred Bader’s POW shirt. “Threads of History” was designed by Wendy Treverton. Judges noted that it was “a very impactful image that uses the image and copy as one.” 
 
• Honourable Mention in the Feature Article category for “The Ties that Bind,” a story about the incredible life of alumna Jean Tucker-Galipeau, Arts’41, by alumnus Blair Crawford, Artsci’86. 
 
• Honourable Mention in the Front Cover, Illustration, category for the Fall 2021 cover, illustrated by Steve Derrick, designed by Wendy Treverton. 

The Alumni Review was redesigned and reimagined under the leadership of Alex Beshara and each issue is edited by Ruth Dunley and designed by Wendy Treverton with contributions from across Advancement – congratulations to all who have had a hand in its success, especially Alex, Ruth, and Wendy.

Overnight storage in Summerhill 

At the ALT Q&A, a question was asked about a secure spot to store items overnight at Summerhill. If you have booked the same office for consecutive days, you can use the lockable rolling two-drawer filing cabinet under each desk. Please note, these are not intended for long-term storage.

Jobs with Advancement

We need your recruitment help. Know great talent that would be a good addition to our team? If so, please promote the vacancies below with your networks and let’s find some amazing new team members.

Applications (including a cover letter and résumé) must be submitted through CareerQ. For additional information on this posting, please reach out to either Carla Ferreira Rodrigues or the hiring manager for the position you are interested in.