(Please note, this will be the last ALTogether Now newsletter until September when we resume after the summer months).
As we bask in the warmth of the summer sun and relish the excitement that July and August bring, I wanted to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude to each of you. As noted during Advancement Enhancement Day, we accomplished extraordinary feats during the past year, and I am incredibly proud of our collective achievements. I would like to reiterate my deepest appreciation for your dedication, passion, and unwavering commitment to our shared mission to foster relationships that advance Queen's and contribute to a better world.
Looking back, it's truly awe-inspiring to witness the impact we have made. Through our dedication, perseverance, and innovative thinking, we have surpassed expectations and exceeded goals. The tireless efforts put forth by this exceptional team have resulted in significant advancements, financial milestones, and meaningful relationships forged with valued partners. This past year has demonstrated the incredible strength that lies within our team, and I am truly honoured to be part of such an exceptional group of individuals.
Your unwavering commitment to excellence has not only enhanced Queen’s but has also helped shape a brighter future more broadly so I hope you take time over the summer to reflect on your achievements and celebrate your successes.
I also encourage each of you to take time during the summer months to recharge and rejuvenate. You have invested countless hours and poured your hearts into your work, and now it's time to replenish your energy and focus on self-care. Whether it's spending quality time with loved ones, exploring new destinations, indulging in a favourite hobby, or simply enjoying the tranquility of a peaceful moment, I urge you to embrace these precious moments of rest and relaxation.
While we celebrate our accomplishments, I acknowledge that the journey ahead may not be without challenges. The fall season will inevitably bring new opportunities and obstacles that require our collective strength and determination. However, I have utmost confidence in our ability to navigate the unknown with grace, resilience, and the unwavering commitment to our shared values. Together, we can overcome any hurdles that lie ahead and continue to make a lasting impact.
Let us return in the fall with renewed vigour, ready to hit new heights and make an even greater difference. Remember, our collective impact is magnified when we action our team values of accountability, collaboration, inclusion, integrity, and service.
Wishing you all a summer filled with joy, relaxation, and an abundance of wonderful memories. With deep appreciation,
Karen
A journey of service, stories, and transformations
On Thursday, June 1, Queen’s University recognized staff and faculty at the 2023 Celebration of Service dinner at Ban Righ Dining Hall. With 140 members of the university reaching milestone years of continuous service for 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, and 55 years of service, Principal Patrick Deane commented that, “Our employees are integral to the success of our institution, ensuring we are able to meet our operational demands and fulfill our academic mission. I am grateful for their years of service and the important role they have played in making Queen’s what it is today.”
Advancement Services’ very own Holly Lefebvre and Timothy Wowk were honoured for their service of 35 and 25 years of service.
We asked Holly to share reflections on her time at Queen’s, and we’ve included what she wrote below.
If these walls could talk … what a story they would tell!
I have worked in the Office of Advancement for 38 years now (35 on paper). I joined when Advancement wasn’t an entity but was then called Alumni Affairs. The office had just moved into Summerhill from Wallace Hall in the John Deutsch University Centre. There were 18 staff members. Development was not part of the office at this point, but we shared the office space with them.
I started working in the Class Agent program, but after a few years, I moved on to become the Receptionist. I had a lovely black rotary dial phone. It had one inside line and 2 outside lines. Each call had to be announced and connection was made by pushing the receiver once connecting the call and pushing it again to disconnect from the call. I’m pretty sure all the calls I transferred didn’t make it.
I sat in the main office of Summerhill, Rm 101. I shared it with Ann Whan, who was the Reunion Coordinator, and we used to travel from one of the buildings to the other through the basement tunnel as an efficient shortcut. One day, Ann disappeared for a long time and when she finally reappeared, she had a huge bump on her head! She had hit her head on one of the pipes and knocked herself out! After that incident, we were banned from using that shortcut.
1986 was a difficult year in Alumni Affairs. One that most of us will never forget. We lost a co-worker, a co-worker’s sister and a co-worker’s son and granddaughter all in a span of three months which left all of us in a complete state of shock. It took many months to come to terms with what happened, but in true Queen’s fashion, we supported each other and came to terms with the loss.
The staff numbers started to grow at this point and spare offices were no longer. I remember well moving to a new computer system out of Virginia which was a complete flop! We spent countless hours working to get the system going, including many long nights transcribing the work we did during the day into the new system at night.
As we prepared for Campaigns, the office numbers kept growing and in 1993, we officially became the Office of Advancement. Some of the staff moved to the Old Medical Building, which stank of formaldehyde as the Anatomy Department had just moved out. The basement still had autopsy tables, a vat for bodies, and many interesting instruments. Nobody dared to venture down there by themselves!
Over time, Summerhill was getting too small. Walls started going up to create more rooms and carpet was laid covering the hardwood floors. The beautiful kitchen on the main floor was removed and a bathroom on the third floor was turned into an office. The building shifted and transformed, until it no longer resembled where I started all those years ago. I remember well the gorgeous antique furniture in the parlor where we would have our holiday parties. Drinking wine, telling stories, and jumping on the settees till the wee hours of the morning.
Things change over time. I get it. They must, right? I just didn’t expect to see so much of it in my time here. From marriages, births, and deaths, good times and bad, I have been through it all here and I have to say I am so thankful for the memories of these wonderful years I have spent with Queen’s and for all the amazing friendships I have. I will cherish these moments forever!
Recap of Advancement Enhancement Day
The Office of Advancement’s annual Advancement Enhancement Day took place on Tuesday, June 13 on a beautiful sunny day in Kingston. There were 125 participants who joined in for the day's activities, including our keynote speaker, Dane Jensen of Third Factor, who spoke on the topic of Maintaining Motivation Through the Troughs, as well as two manager-led activities in the afternoon. Overall, the day was very well received, and the engagement was high!
The planning committee for Advancement Enhancement Day has been asked to share feedback received from participants on their experience of the day, which will help inform the planning of future Enhancement Days. As such, the results of our feedback survey from Advancement Enhancement Day are attached for everyone to review.
Once again, the committee would like to thank everyone who helped to make the day a memorable one!
And for all the staff who took part in our group photo, we invite you to engage in a fun game of ‘Where’s Waldo?” Locate yourself and your fellow colleagues within the picture.
Easy access to our brand assets
Our collection of brand resources, including Advancement-branded digital templates and Queen’s Alumni logos, is now conveniently stored in one accessible location for all Advancement staff.
How to access:
• From Microsoft Teams, find GROUP-Advancement Staff > “General” channel > Files > Brand Assets
• Or from the GROUP-Advancement Staff Sharepoint site, go to Documents > General > Brand Assets
Inside, you’ll find a range of materials that will elevate your work and ensure brand consistency:
Office of Advancement:
• Digital templates: Advancement-branded digital letterhead, PowerPoint templates, word document template
• Logo lockups: various versions of the Queen’s Advancement logo for different applications
Queen’s Alumni brand:
• Brand guide: comprehensive guidelines that showcase the Queen’s Alumni brand’s visual identity and standards
• Logos: official logos for Queen’s Alumni, QUAA, and QSAA
Questions?
If you have any questions about how to use these assets or need support in any way, the Advancement Marketing and Publications team is here to help. Reach out to Alex Beshara, Amy Lee, or Wendy Treverton—they're just a message or call away.
CASE Awards
The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) announced the winners of the annual Circle of Excellence Awards last week. Once again, the Office of Advancement took home several awards, earning two Silvers, one Gold, and one Grand Gold.
A Mile in Their Shoes: Truth, Empathy, and Reconciliation, a program for alumni to learn about and pursue their own paths to Reconciliation, took home the Golds, receiving top honours in the Leadership category for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives, and the Grand Gold for Alumni Relations Initiatives. A program built and executed by teams from the department of Marketing, Communications and Donor Relations, Alumni Strategy, and the Office of Indigenous Initiatives, judges had high praise for its objectives, content, and sensitive delivery.
“Widely viewed as one of the most emotionally impactful campaigns, this initiative from Queen's University went above and beyond to create a comprehensive DEIJ experience for participants. While not easy to replicate exactly at other institutions, the depth of thought, planning, and impact on participants is undeniable,” the judges said. “This is a wonderful project. With authenticity and great respect for the pain of history, the organisers have created an exemplar for the power of alumni relations to bring together communities and create a culture of positive change. It serves as a powerful exemplar for others wishing to embrace the potential to stretch traditional boundaries of alumni engagement activity.”
The Queen’s Alumni Review was also a large part of this year’s CASE success, picking up a Silver in the Magazines category for alumni/general interest. The judges offered generous praise for the magazine’s look and feel: “Engaging, clean design. Beautiful features, editorial sits nicely next to the advertising, nice visuals. The attention to detail in the magazine was extraordinary. Nice differential on how they highlighted directly on campus and off campus. Nice infographic presentation.”
The magazine, which has been on a roll since it redesigned two years ago, also took home a Silver for its cover illustration by freelance illustrator Tim Zeltner. Featured on the Summer 2022 cover, judges said the illustration of Queen’s researchers in the field, was “an excellent example of an illustration that captures the essence of its subject matter while also showcasing the illustrator's creativity and skill. The judges were impressed with the use of inspiration from 19th-century landscape painters and how it added depth and dimension to the piece.”
CASE is the global non-profit association “dedicated to educational advancement professionals – in alumni relations, communications, development, marketing, and advancement services – who share the goal of championing education to transform lives and society.”