The upside to change

This is a somewhat challenging article to write. Not because I don’t believe there is an upside to change. As a changemaker in my heart and soul, I truly believe that change can be a force for good. It was hard to write knowing that we have recently had some organizational restructuring that has affected some of our staff. And it is hard to reconcile the challenge of that with the positivity of change. 

But change is a good thing – a universal thing. Something that can and must happen. I harken back to my organizational management studies where I learned about three types of organizational change: evolutionary change (inevitable, small shifts in response to the environment); revolutionary change (large power shifts, usually forced on by external forces like a takeover); and directed change (designed change aimed to achieve a specific outcome). Queen’s Advancement is in the midst of a directed change. And, while it comes with a lot of difficulty, it also comes with reward. 

A simple Google search shows no shortage of articles and clips about the essential and positive nature of change. Change can help build skills like flexibility, empathy, understanding, and listening, particularly if you fully lean in and embrace change. It’s important to embrace the change, but you may not always enjoy it! Change is often hard, difficult, and even painful. Not everyone enjoys the challenge change brings, but everyone can learn and grow from it. 

Changes can lead to improvements and progress. Not all change is good but sometimes even the bad changes can initiate motivation and drive. Take, for example, the changes brought on by COVID. Most of us would agree COVID brought on an onslaught of unwanted change, but it led to improved testing, vaccination, and epidemic policy and an improvement in online technologies to support remote work.    

But let me talk about change on a personal level. When I was interviewing for this role, I was asked to talk about myself – my experiences and my background – and the connection to this role. I spoke about change and, more specifically, I spoke about the three most life-changing moments in my life that led to where I am today. I won’t rehash them here (but feel free to ask me directly) but suffice to say that every privilege and every positive moment I experience today is a result of changes in my life. Big and small. Good and bad. And life-changing, like moving to another country, or choosing to start running for my health (I say small because when I started, I could only run for one minute at a time). Embracing these changes has led me to have a beautiful family, enjoying the lake over the summer, and running a marathon or two. It has also helped me endure the pain of losing my mother when I was still a young mother myself, or my father, with whom I had a complicated relationship, or, most recently, the loss of my first grandchild in Africa.

I write this not wanting to discount the sometimes-painful choices we must make for personal or professional reasons, or the choices that are thrust upon us. But I don’t want any of us to shy away from them, either. Let’s own the challenge and the reward of change. Together. 

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.

Employee spotlight

The Employee Spotlight celebrates the arrival of our new and existing 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. 

A few weeks ago, we welcomed three new members to Advancement:

Lana Unsworth in the position of Associate Director, Partner, Communications & Events. Learn more about Lana and what her favourite family tradition is.

Bethany Mulder-Kelly in the position of Administrative Assistant, Marketing, Communications & Donor Relations. Learn more about Bethany and what pets she had growing up.

Tia Bankosky is in the position of Events & Stewardship Assistant, Faculty of Law. Learn more about Tia and what she loves to talk about the most.

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.