2009 - Year in Review

 

U of C Alumni Association

2009 - A Year of Firsts

An alumnus making history in space, our first Arch Award recipient from Asia, and a program launch to help students in their last semester make the backpack-to-briefcase transition; these are just a few of the Alumni Association's highlights for 2009. Read on for a look back at the exciting year in which we saw the alumni family grow to 135,000 strong and constantly found reasons to celebrate alumni successes.

Highlights: January - April | May - August | September - December

January

To kick off the year, the Alumni Association launched a one-of-a-kind program in Canada called GraduatingThisYear.com that  included how-to seminars and a website providing support and resources to U of C students who are about to graduate. The site is a portal to info every grad (and young alumni) needs -- about Convocation, getting a job, getting their finances in order and entering the next stage of their lives. There was also fun, student-generated content, participation from alumni, and partnerships with over 13 community businesses to bring students terrific prizing and seminar content. The program experienced an amazing response from students-the website received more than 30,000 visitors to the site in just four months, and when we surveyed the Class of 2009, 84% had visited graduatingthisyear.com and 97% would recommend the site.

On Jan. 21, Alumni Association President Ken McKinnon hosted our annual Alumni Scholarship Celebration, honouring 46 recipients of 2008-09 bursaries. Thanks to the support of thousands of alumni and friends of the University of Calgary, the U of C Alumni Association has given more than $1.2 million in student awards since 1975. Learn more...

February

On Feb. 16, 400 alumni from all over Calgary enjoyed Family Day at the U of C's Aquatic Centre during our Alumni Family Swim. Click here for pics of this fun filled day!

 

 

The following day, alumnus and Canadian astronaut Robert Thirsk, BSc'76, returned to campus to make his last Canadian public appearance (click here for the video) before launching on his long-duration space mission aboard the International Space Station in May. At the event, Robert unveiled his unique mission patch and explained how the flight would be a Canadian first for many reasons, including its duration, the type of spacecraft, crew composition and the various experiments he'll be involved in. This event marked the beginning of a special year for Thirsk and so many members of our alumni family who followed him on his epic journey.

Also in February, U magazine earned three awards from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education's communication awards program, including a Grand Gold in the Illustration category. U magazine, published three times a year, is sent to more than 110,000 alumni and community stakeholders and serves as one of the strongest connections between the University, our alumni family, and our communities. See back issues...

 

March

In March, we unveiled a new look and feel for ArchE, the monthly alumni e-newsletter broadcast to more than 45,000 alumni. The changes improved readability and access to the stories of greatest interest to you, our alumni, and we also added an "alumni in the news" section that summarizes our alumni recently featured in the media.  ArchE continually engages with alumni and boasts a 30% open rate, considerably higher than the 10% industry average for such newsletters. See the archives...

On March 14, 40 U of C alumni were treated to an Alumni Association-sponsored brunch in Ottawa where the men's Dinos basketball team competed in the CIS Basketball Championships at Scotiabank Place. Looking to advance to the title match for just the second time in team history, the second-seeded Dinos lost 79-74 to UBC, but the result didn't dampen the enthusiasm of the alumni crowd who were thrilled to reconnect with Dinos basketball and fellow alumni. See the slideshow...

On March 26, 40 Houston-based alumni and friends converged on the ultra chic Quattro Bar at the Four Seasons Houston to reconnect with classmate and the U of C (click here for a slideshow of this event). This event also marked the first for a new U of C alumni chapter in Houston, led by Shiva Shenoy, BSc'02. Learn more...

May

On May 27, astronaut Robert Thirsk, BSc'76, launched into space aboard a Russian Soyuz capsule from Kazakhstan. Thirsk became the first Canadian to ever experience a long-duration space mission and was one of six astronauts to live aboard the ISS on Expedition 20/21. Accompanying Thirsk up until the launch was friend and fellow alumnus, Doug Hamilton, MD'91, PhD'91, the mission's deputy flight surgeon. Watch the launch video...

June

On June 4 we celebrated our 2009 Arch Award recipients: Peter K.K. Wong, BSc'83, Jeffrey Veale, BSc'97, MD'00, and Mark Blackwell, a third-year Haskayne School of Business student. These richly-deserving recipients inspire today's students and make the entire University of Calgary community proud. Peter K.K. Wong combines Confucian traditions with Western management skills in leading the Kum Shing Group, a Hong Kong-based engineering and construction firm. Kum Shing has earned a strong reputation of corporate social responsibility, having funded more than 100 schools in rural China. This year marked the debut of the Future Alumni Award, earned by Blackwell for demonstrating great potential for outstanding achievement in his career and for already making contributions to his community. Learn more and see the slideshow...

During nine Convocation ceremonies from June 8 to June 12, the Alumni Association welcomed nearly 4,300 new alumni from 17 faculties. We could not be prouder to have participated in the culmination of all that hard work, perseverance, and-we hope-great experience for these newest grads. With presentations of honorary degrees to such outstanding citizens as Phil Fontaine, these newest alumni have entered into distinguished company.

 Once again, the university threw open its doors to the community for Campus Fair on June 6. There were lots of new exhibits to add to returning favourites like Alumni Relations' "future grad" photo portraits. More than 5,000 alumni and community members returned to campus for a great day featuring great eats, entertainment and 60 exhibits from all faculties and departments. See the slideshow...

July

On July 8, astronaut Robert Thirsk, BSc'76, became the first Canadian to ever receive an Honorary Doctor of Laws via live downlink from the International Space Station. During the live convocation ceremony on the U of C campus, Thirsk said the event was a very special honour. "If I can't be in Calgary, I think the second-best place to be is in space," said Thirsk, who did a flip to express his excitement about the event. "When I was a student at U of C 33 years ago, I had a dream of one day flying in space and being an astronaut. Fulfilling that dream is a great feeling. Education really is the key to making your dreams come true." Watch the video...

Also in July, we started tweeting alumni news and accomplishments in earnest on our @UCalgaryAlumni Twitter feed. We have also established a Facebook group for U of C alumni, creating additional channels through which to converse with you, celebrate alumni successes, and market events and benefits when appropriate.

September

In September, the U of C's first on-campus hotel operation welcomed its first visitors from the campus community and beyond. Hotel Alma is a boutique-style hotel with 85 euro-style standard rooms, 15 one-bedroom suites, 5 boardroom style meeting rooms and one large conference room which will host up to 125 people. Alma is offering alumni a special alumni rate of $119 on Euro-Style Standard Rooms and $149 on One Bedroom Suites upon presentation of your alumni card. Learn more...

Students, alumni, faculty and staff came together Sept. 12 to celebrate the start of the 2009/10 school year and show their school spirit at the Dinos home opener for KICKOFF'09. All enjoyed witnessing the Dinos 34-31 triumph over the visiting U of A Golden Bears and cheering on students in the Most Devoted Dinos Fan Contest, sponsored by the Alumni Association. See the pics...

Also at the beginning of the new academic year, the Alumni Association produced a keepsake program for the induction ceremony held for incoming students to the U of C. The program included a welcome message from the Alumni Association, as well as a Class of 2012 pin and information on the more prestigious traditions at the U of C -- tartan, crest, motto. Alumni Association President Ken McKinnon helped serve the incoming class burgers, chips and pop at an Alumni Association barbeque co-hosted with the Students' Union on their first official day on campus.

Marcello Di Cintio, BA'97, BSc'97, is the 2009-2010 Markin-Flanagan Canadian Writer-in-Residence, and the first alumni in this role in recent memory. On Sept. 17, he met with fellow alumni at a special pre-reception at the Epcor Centre prior to a public reading with his Markin-Flanagan predecessor, author Charlotte Gill. See the pics...

 

As the International Space Station carrying astronaut Robert Thirsk rocketed across the twilight sky Sept. 19, more than 400 people packed into a tight square, lifted their eyes and arms towards the heavens and hoped their inspiring message flashed from the Earth would find its way to U of C's famous alumnus in orbit. Watch the video...

On Sept. 30, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama launched the U of C's two-day NOW conference with an address to 15,000 Calgarians on inner peace, compassion and social responsibility. Before his speech at the Pengrowth Saddledome, His Holiness was presented with the U of C's highest honour, an honorary doctor of laws, from President Harvey Weingarten, Chancellor Joanne Cuthbertson and Vice-Provost (Students) Ann Tierney.  Learn more...

October

Forty years ago, the Faculty of Nursing had 50 students and was located on the 14th floor of the Education Tower. The faculty has come a long way since then, having evolved into a formidable force in Canadian nursing education, accepting 300 first-year students each year, conducting leading-edge research and introducing some of the country's most innovative teaching practices. The Faculty celebrated its maturity with a reception on Oct. 15. Learn more and see the pics...

On Oct. 23, Carol Oliver, MCS'95, was recognized by the U of C's Women's Resource Centre as its 2009 Distinguished Alumna. Carole is executive director of the Calgary Distress Centre and co-chair of the Canadian Women's Foundation and is passionate about women's issues, gender equality, community building and organizational leadership.  Learn more...

November

The November issue of Avenue magazine, always met with anticipation thanks to its "Top 40 Under 40" cover story, revealed that 18 U of C alumni (including Jeff Booke, MBA'05, at left), seven faculty members and a support staffer were named to this year's list of up-and-coming influencers and civic leaders. Read more...

On Nov. 12, the University held its final Convocation ceremonies for 2009, welcoming another 1,800 graduates into the alumni family. Soren Christiansen, BSc'76, and Max Foran, BEd'68, MA'70, PhD'81, were the distinguished alumni who led our newest alumni through the Graduates' Pledge during the ceremony. Robert Thirsk, BSc'76, LLD'09, delivered the Convocation address in the morning ceremony, via taped broadcast from the International Space Station.

On Nov. 28, the Olympic Oval was taken over by U of C alumni and their families for our fourth annual Alumni Skate with Santa. Alumni and future alumni strapped on their blades for a chance to skate with Santa and Mrs. Claus at what has become one of our most popular events in the calendar. Click here for a slideshow of this event.

In late November, members of our alumni family became the stars of the U of C's brand advertising for the first time. We introduced a new 30-second video featuring three alumni associated with the space program-Bob Thirsk, BSc'76, LLD'09, Doug Hamilton, MD'91, PhD'91, and Laura Lucier, BSc'99. In addition to its focus on alumni, this ad is unique in that it was partly filmed on location at the Johnson Space Center and on the International Space Station. The ad played online on the Globe and Mail website as well as numerous sites targeting students, in Calgary and Toronto airports and in cinemas across the country. It also played on TSN during the Vanier Cup.  Watch it here...  

 

Well, those were just some of the high points! We hosted more than 40 alumni events throughout the year, added more than a dozen new offers to our family of alumni perks, and we all watched in awe as one of our own circled the Earth above us for six months, a Canadian first. The Alumni Association looks forward to maintaining this momentum and building on these exciting ideas in 2010, and to seeing you on campus or at an alumni event near you!

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