ALUMNA PERSPECTIVE A unique aspect of Shawnigan that has always stood out to me is the allencompassing sense of community. I was taught the importance of community at a young age—it means everything to me—and Shawnigan does it so well. I started at Shawnigan in 1988 as one of the first 36 female students admitted for the inaugural year of co-education. My brother had gone to Shawnigan, so it was a known entity; however, when I reflect on my own transition to Shawnigan, I realize that it was an opportunity that changed the course of my life. Being a minority female in a school that had to make the shift to incorporating female students after being all-male for the previous 72 years was not without its challenges, but it was also incredibly gratifying to be part of this significant change. As an adult, I am passionate about equality, education and supporting youth, which may have had its roots in that experience. Additionally, I was fortunate enough to enjoy some valuable mentorship from several key Shawnigan staff members who contributed to that successful pivot, who guided me and who inspired me to find my voice and my place in life.
Lisa Grover '90 (Kaye's) Board of Governors Alumni Engagement Committee - Chair
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We all have something to gain from being involved and something to offer.
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Being a student at Shawnigan instilled within me a desire to seek community upon graduation and to give back. Keeping connected to my Shawnigan friends and teachers has always felt really important to me, and those informal connections naturally evolved into a more formal involvement with the Board of Governors and alumni engagement.
Helping alumni feel engaged and connected is my passion. For me, it is both vital for the success of the School that I love so dearly and for my own happiness. But it is important to note that engagement comes in many forms: giving back is about so much more than giving financially. We all have something to gain from being involved and something to offer, from contributing our talent and time to the School for its betterment, to being a host family to an international student, mentoring students and young alumni, running local alumni chapters and organizing reunions. Every person who has gone to Shawnigan has been instrumental in shaping the School. As alumni, we continue to have the power to shape and support its future trajectory. We are all part of this magical community—it is hard to imagine a time that more clearly magnifies the value and importance of our Shawnigan connections.
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