Alumni Events

EVENTS Virtually together

Acadia’s Office of Advancement and Alumni Association sponsor online events series during coronavirus pandemic

By Laura Churchill Duke (’98)

At a time when Acadia alumni around the world were prevented from gathering as a community due to the coronavirus pandemic, the University’s Office of Advancement did some quick brainstorming to find ways to keep people connected .

The Office of Advancement creates an annual schedule of events here at home and around the world, says Alumni Affairs Executive Director Oonagh Proudfoot (’93, ’06) . “However, once we received word of self-isolation, social distancing and no more travel, we had to rethink how we would engage our alumni,” she says .

Proudfoot says the team came up with the notion of a virtual event series and explored topical ideas of interest or relevance to alumni . The group then solicited input from the Deans on research areas within their respective faculties . The topics were refined and potential speakers were approached . So far, all those asked have been more than willing to participate, Proudfoot says .

The result was a series of 60-minute-long virtual events held every two weeks – hosted through the Microsoft Teams platform and moderated by Proudfoot – that featured faculty, staff and members of the alumni community with the aim of showcasing the important work being done on campus and in communities .

Topics included COVID-19-relevant subjects such as wellness in times of isolation and the science of relationships during isolation, and general interest presentations on Anne of Green Gables and “fish that live in trees” .

Other discussions focused on the economics of a pandemic, insurance needs and questions, and a profile of the Voice of the Acadia hockey Axemen, Len Hawley to name a few . Our next virtual event presentation on Nov . 23 at 6 p .m . will feature author Laura Churchill Duke (’98) discussing the evolution of Two Crows Sorrow, a creative non-fiction story that follows the life of Theresa McAuley Robinson, who lived on the North Mountain at the turn of the century .

Drs . Lisa Price and Diane Holmberg in the Department of Psychology led the joint discussion about relationships during isolation . Data Holmberg collected recently suggests there are perceived positive effects of the pandemic on relationships which, in fact, outweigh the negative .

Holmberg says they enjoyed presenting, and the feedback was positive, as reflected in the discussion afterward . Although used to lecturing in front of a live classroom, both professors agreed it was more challenging to talk to a black void when everyone’s microphones and cameras were muted, and they were unable to connect with their audience in the accustomed way . Regardless, they both agreed it was a great way to communicate with alumni .

Interesting topics

Helena Allan (’12, ’14), who first heard of the virtual events series through Acadia’s Twitter account and later an alumni e-mail communication, was one of those who participated . The first session, ‘Wellness in times of isolation,’ caught her attention because one of the speakers, Dr . Anna Robbins (’93, ’97), President of Acadia Divinity College and Dean of Theology, was her former theology professor .

Allan was hooked after the first session and particularly enjoyed topics for which she has had no training . “I’ve often thought about auditing courses for interest that have nothing to do with my work, but that’s a bit of a financial and time commitment while these are free and require a minimal time commitment . I get so many webinars and trainings for my work, but it has been so nice to learn about things that on the surface have little to do with my work,” Allan says .

Currently a campus pastor and chaplain for students at a community college in London, Ontario, Allan says a surprising benefit of the series has been a wealth of new information .

“Many of the topics are things I’ve been hearing from my students, so a lot of the ideas and conversation have given me new ideas on how to effectively support my students when they return to school in September,” she says .

More than that, Allan says the virtual sessions helped her feel connected to Acadia in a way she hadn’t since graduation . “I don’t live in Nova Scotia . I often hear about events at Acadia, but I can never go so being able to attend online has been quite lifegiving,” she says .

This was, Proudfoot says, one of the primary ambitions of the series . Alumni engagement, she adds, is far more than simply hosting events around the world .

“This was a tremendous opportunity to engage alumni in areas that we don’t often visit, and to connect with those who are not able to attend events because of financial reasons or being physically unable to get to dinners, receptions and social gatherings,” Proudfoot says .

She also notes, “virtual events will definitely continue . They may even increase in frequency if we find ourselves still not able to have events in person .”

Registration is free and open to 75 attendees per session . Past recordings of the sessions are available through YouTube and upcoming events with links to registration can be found at: www2 .acadiau .ca/ alumni-friends/alumni/events .html .

WEBLINKS:

Calendar of events: https://bit .ly/3jY68GR YOUTUBE series: https://bit .ly/3k4nnGq

A Homecoming unlike any other!

By Fred Sgambati (’83)

It was a Homecoming Weekend unlike any other in Acadia’s long and illustrious history!

Keeping in mind the health and safety of Acadia’s faculty, staff, students and alumni, Homecoming 2020 was delivered virtually on Oct . 17-18 this year, and we made sure that the pandemic wasn’t going to stop us from having some fun and celebrating all that makes Acadia great!

The weekend was brimming with special guests, live and recorded events, Where Are They Now? features, an online auction to benefit Acadia’s student-athletes, a virtual Musical Variety Show, a Chapel Musical Event, replays of historic Acadia Athletics contests, and closing remarks from University President and Vice-Chancellor Dr . Peter Ricketts . We’ve tried to capture as much as possible from an incredible weekend, so check it out!

“Homecoming in a Box” kicked things off by inviting alumni from around the world to let us know if they wanted a Homecoming in a Box package to decorate their home spaces.

Left: Debbie (’88) and Martin Suter (’88) of Wolfville received a HOCO in a Box package and had a great time decorating in true Acadia style. Right: Clive Anderson (‘89) and Athline Littlejohn (‘91) did likewise in Singapore.

Special guests offered greetings from Acadia, including Vice-President, Advancement Dr. Rod Morrison; Executive Director, Alumni Affairs Oonagh Proudfoot (’93, ’06); Acadia Alumni Association President Donalda MacBeath (’75); University Chaplain Rev. Dr. Marjorie Lewis; Acadia Students’ Union President Brendan MacNeil; and University President Dr. Peter Ricketts, who thanked alumni for participating in Virtual Homecoming 2020.

Live ‘Where Are They Now?’ segments during Homecoming Weekend included conversations between Executive Director, Alumni Affairs Oonagh Proudfoot (’93, ’06) and (from left to right): Rob (’10) and Lindsay Ramsay (’10); Oksana Kovalenko (’12); and former ‘Pope of Acadia’, Rob McGregor (’87, centre).

‘Acadia Athletics – Where Are They Now?’ features included profiles of CFL and Acadia Sports Hall of Famer Bob Cameron (’77); former Toronto Maple Leafs assistant coach and captain of the Acadia Axemen hockey team, Paul McFarland (’10); former Axewomen rugby star and Acadia Sports Hall of Famer, Andrea Burk (’06); and former Axewomen soccer star, two-time Acadia Female Athlete of the Year and member of the Nova Scotia and Acadia Sport Halls of Fame, Cindy (Montgomerie) Tye (’94).

We kept things rolling into the evening with a Virtual Variety Musical show featuring Heather Rankin (’89, ’96 HON), Jeff Goodspeed (’76), Carmen Braden (’09), Daniel McFayden (’19), and Sarah Pound (‘08).

It isn’t Homecoming without a football game, but don’t worry – we had it covered. We rebroadcast our historic 1981 Vanier Cup win over the Alberta Golden Bears and asked alumni to grab a hot dog, a favourite beverage and take the opportunity to Stand Up and Cheer for your Acadia football Axemen!

Acclaimed author Sheree Fitch (’94, ’04 HON) read her very moving tribute piece, ‘Because We Love, We Cry’, written in the aftermath of the tragic events in Portapique, Nova Scotia in April 2020, and returned later on Sunday to read from her award-winning picture book, Everybody’s Different on Everybody Street. (Photo: Keith Minchin) On Sunday, the Manning Memorial Chapel Virtual Reunion Choir, featuring members of the Chapel Choir over the past 16 years, along with the current 2020-21 Chapel Choir who will be involved with the virtual choir recordings and in-person recordings, performed musical highlights from the past two decades of Chapel music tradition under the direction of John M. Scott, University Organist and Director of the Chapel Choir. Featured soloists included Allison Dean (’14) Nassau, Bahamas; Ellen Torrie (’18) Montreal, QC; Judith Bjorndahl (’21) Regina, SK; and Nancy Handrigan (’92).