I find April to be an exciting (and also incredibly busy) month. As we turn our attention to our plans for the next fiscal year, there is much to look forward to. In Alumni Relations & Annual Giving (AR&AG), we have a number of new faces and undoubtedly new perspectives on our team. In this edition of ALTogether Now I am turning the pen over to Sara Franca, who will share some of her insights as a new member of the AR&AG Advancement team.
Metrics and Strategy and HoCo, Oh My…
What a time for Alumni Relations at Queen’s! Since I started, the last couple of months have flown by, and I am so energized by the spirit of community and collaboration here. It’s my pleasure to share some of our Alumni Strategy activities in this latest issue of ALTogether Now.
The alumni strategy team is pleased to be championing the Alumni Engagement Metrics Dashboard. Put together by the talented Pat Galloway, this system will give advancement staff across the university the opportunity to really measure and evaluate the engagement of alumni across age groups, geographic regions, faculties, and more. The Dashboard will help us all consider our programming through a more strategic lens, and prove to be an invaluable tool as we work to build stronger relationships between Queen’s and our alumni. We hope to roll out the Dashboard over the summer, so we can all start using it by the fall for planning, going forward.
We have also been participating in conversations with colleagues around alumni engagement, looking at ways to optimize efforts and streamline activity. For example, given Queen’s strategic focus on Equity Diversity Inclusion and Indigeneity (EDII) matters, it is a priority for us to work with campus colleagues to explore the best ways to move forward in that space – ensuring our alumni audiences feel seen and heard, and finding ways to evaluate our progress as we foster a more diverse and inclusive environment.
Another example would be our recent meeting with campus colleagues, teaming up with MarComm to acknowledge the variety of different alumni surveys being discussed across campus, and finding a way forward that will serve our alumni and our campus stakeholders best. In addition to these initiatives, we are looking at a renewal of our overall alumni engagement strategy, including a brand-new focus on the Toronto market, home to more than 75 per cent of our alumni.
Last, but certainly not least, we are embarking on another virtual Homecoming celebration in Fall 2021. With more lead time, and in a true spirit of transparency and partnership across campus, we will put together creative and engaging programming that offers both opportunities for meaningful connection between our alumni and a celebration of the research and teaching excellence -- and the interdisciplinary depth – alive and well here at Queen’s.
Given my experience so far, meeting alumni volunteers and having discussions with colleagues across campus, relishing the genuine atmosphere of high-performance and growth, I can honestly say (to riff off my headline above): there’s no place like Queen’s.
Building a Better Workplace – Kick Off & Working Groups
As you know we have created five working groups for the design phase of the Building a Better Workplace (BBW) project. Our five areas:
- Collaboration
- Culture development
- Employee wellness
- Flexibility
- Technology
Find out which colleagues have volunteered to develop action plans. Each group will deliver a presentation to ALT on Apr. 30.
Records and Information Management Awareness Month
By Cheyenne Litt, Data Stewardship Specialist
April is Records and Information Management (RIM) Awareness Month, and Advancement’s Data Governance and Data Quality (DGDQ) team is looking to hype up our own records management practices here at the Office of Advancement! During this month, we want to get you thinking about the records you use at work.
Each week in April, DGDQ will run a different 5-minute activity that promotes awareness of records and information management, including proper storage practices and retention requirements. For each activity you participate in, you will receive one entry into a draw for a $50 Wharf and Feather Gift Card (only Advancement staff are eligible to participate in this draw)! If you participate in all four activities, you will also receive a bonus entry into the draw!
Activity details will be released on each issue of ALTogether Now and QUIRC, and proof of participation will be due by end of day the following Friday. The winner of the draw will be announced on the week of May 3rd.
Week 1: Apr. 5-9
This week our activity is “Transitory vs. University Records.”
Define the difference between a transitory record and a university record, and provide an example of each.
Please email your responses to Cheyenne Litt at by end of day Friday, Apr. 9.
Thank you also to our contest sponsor the Wharf and Feather, downtown Kingston! Follow their monthly newsletter to hear about exciting events and menus planned for this spring and summer.
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!
This week we welcome Lisa McInerney to Advancement, in the position of Alumni Officer, International Programs. Learn more about Lisa and what fictional family she would like to be a part of!
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 or the hiring manager for the position you are interested in.
Available Position:
| POSITION | UNIT AND DEPARTMENT | CLOSING DATE | GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto Officer | ADV Alumni Relations & Annual Giving | April 11, 2021 | 8 |
Fun Fact
Arch Street
At one time, it was called Seaton Street after Sir John Colborne, First Baron Seaton.
It is one of a cluster of five streets in the campus area named after Archdeacon George Okill Stuart, an Anglican cleric who was the original owner of Summerhill, the oldest building at Queen's.