Acadia an oasis of knowledge and learning in difficult times

The peaceful and rich educational experience that Acadia alumni know so well came to a screeching halt in March with the rapid onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. I am extremely proud of Acadia’s calm response and the swift adaptation to alternative ways of teaching and working together, as well as our creation of a Student Relief Fund to assist those in need through special bursary support. You can ready more about this effort on page 35.

The dedication and compassion of our faculty and staff combined with the flexibility of our students enabled the successful completion of the academic year . All eligible students graduated on time and are now enfolded into the broader alumni family. My congratulations go out to them for their perseverance. Convocation was postponed, but we acknowledged their graduation remotely through video messages and mailings and we will celebrate their achievements when it is safe to gather, hopefully for a fall Convocation.

In April, we were rocked by the tragic news of senseless violence here at home in Nova Scotia. Shock quickly turned to grief as we learned one of our own, RCMP Constable Heidi (Burkholder) Stevenson (’93), was among the victims. Heidi’s time at Acadia was the start of many lifelong friendships and her part-time job with Campus Safety and Security as a student led to a passion for policing. In tribute to her heroism, we have established the Constable Heidi Stevenson Memorial Award in her memory. You can learn more about the Award on page 22 as we focus on “Those Who Serve” within our alumni community.

Through all of this, we continue to look to the future. Global climate change, combined with the evolution of exponential technologies, is increasing the degree of economic, social, and physical change at a rate never witnessed. This degree of change is redefining the narratives used to describe our society and global political priorities and today’s students will need to be prepared for dealing with continuous change and disruption throughout their lives.

An oasis amidst this chaos and serenely positioned in the beautiful Annapolis Valley, Acadia continues to preserve and create knowledge through research and teaching in a stimulating learning environment. Our approach of educating the whole person has never been more relevant than it is today . Critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, self-motivation, resilience, numeracy, literacy, and cultural sensitivity are essential components of the character that an Acadia education builds.

Embracing the development of these attributes, our new strategic plan, Acadia 2025 – Transforming Lives for a Transforming World, was approved by the Board of Governors and the Senate in March and speaks to themes that are important to us: economic and social development; the environment and sustainability; truth and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples; inclusion and diversity; research and innovation; and the internationalization of education. As we have always done, we will provide a personalized and rigorous experience that will encourage students to become engaged citizens and responsible global leaders.

In closing, I extend my congratulations to Donalda MacBeath on her election as President of the Alumni Association and thank the broader alumni community for supporting the next generation to greet with confidence all of the opportunities and challenges that await their vision, action, and inspiration.