Tomorrow is my last day at Western. After a combined decade of service to the university, I am proud of what so many at Western have accomplished in such a short time, and optimistic for the future.
All of us are fortunate to have the roles we have. We are afforded the opportunity to shape the Canada of the future, educating generations of leaders and advancing research of all kinds — research that will help us better understand humanity, improve the lives of countless thousands and offer new hope of many kinds to many people.
I want to use of this space to make two points: That all of you, in turn, are supported by Western’s dedicated alumni base and, particularly, our alumni volunteers, and that our alumni and volunteers are passionately behind Western’s vision of globalization, an effort that simply must succeed if Western is to be a relevant university of the future.
I have had the opportunity to meet with hundreds of alumni each year in small groups or individually, connecting them to the university and finding some way they can assist Western’s students and faculty. What more than 1,000 meetings in three years have done is give me a strong directional sense of the passion of our alumni to see Western play, and be recognized, on a world stage.
Our alumni want to be engaged in helping us in many active volunteer forms, as guest lecturers in classes, in recruiting top-quality students, in forging industry and government ties worldwide, in commercializing knowledge, and in governing our institution. The pattern has been clear: Get us involved in the life of Western and we will respond in service, we will be your strongest advocates, and our philanthropy will follow.
Our alumni also act almost uniformly when they understand how the funding of higher education has changed so dramatically in the last 20 years, and will change even more in the 20 years ahead.
Alumni recognize the distinctive experience they had at Western, and how it has been a significant, positive factor in shaping their lives. They also recognize building a large base of philanthropic support, with multiple and diverse interests across the university, is the best way to ensure a strong Western for centuries to come. Our alumni understand philanthropy is at the heart of securing our future, and they are responding with ever greater generosity. The support of volunteers, like campaign chair Geoff Beattie and chancellors John Thompson and Joseph Rotman, makes our jobs so much easier.
Their support and leadership is an affirmation of our work and mission.
In the 1960s, President G. Edward Hall challenged the Western community to think about “the next 100 years” and to build it into a great national university. Western has advanced rapidly on this path, and is widely recognized as providing the best student experience in Canada.
Now, Western has a new leader, who has challenged the community to think not about national leadership, but global positioning and relevance. Amit Chakma’s vision of a university that thinks and acts globally, preparing students for a world that will be shaped by global forces and connecting our alumni around the world, is not just a good strategy, but an essential one, if Western is to take its place among important institutions that influence global education and research. Our alumni internationally are among Western’s strongest advocates, encouraging us to build our presence and partnerships worldwide.
We are fortunate to have them challenging us to think more broadly, and committing themselves to a different Western of the future.
As I complete this second term at the university, I challenge all faculty and staff to be bold in your dreams, and to share your accomplishments. You have the backing of your alumni and strong leadership in your president. Our brand and communications work has been about creating a common base upon which we can showcase our work and tell our story.
There is much to tell of the Western story, the work of hundreds of faculty and thousands of students. We need to tell our story, engage our alumni to re-tell what we have to say, and never shy away from taking on the world.
Our fundraising campaign has been re-named ‘Be Extraordinary’ as both a rallying cry and statement of what we do every day.
Thank you for a rewarding 10 years. It has been truly extraordinary.
Kevin Goldthorp is Western’s vice-president (external relations).