Don’t worry if you start seeing some familiar faces hanging in new places around campus.
Last week, Western began installing across campus the first in a series of banners featuring prominent alumni. Five of the 30-foot-high banners went up Thursday on the Alumni Hall facade – just in time for Homecoming. The remainder will be hung over the next six weeks.
The banners are designed to raise on-campus awareness for the university’s Be Extraordinary fundraising campaign, which recently surpassed the two-thirds point of its $750-million goal.
“They will create a sense of excitement and renewed momentum in this next phase of the campaign,” said Helen Connell, associated vice-president, Communications & Public Affairs.
The banners’ look mirrors the style of the university’s print and online Be Extraordinary ad campaign, which has been running for the last year. The high-traffic, high-visibility locations for the banners – along with the alumni featured – were picked in consultation with deans.
Currently hanging on Alumni Hall are Cameron Bailey, BA’87; Stacey Allaster, BA’85, MBA’00; Roberta Jamieson, LLB’76, LLD’93; and Joseph Rotman, BA’57, LLD’09. Others in the series include Ken Chu, BACS’96, LLD’07; Sarah Richardson, BA’93; Stephen S. Poloz, MA’79, PhD’82; and Adrianne Pieczonka, BMus’85.
“We have some truly extraordinary alumni participating,” Connell said. “These banners will instill pride on campus, especially among our students, by highlighting some of our alumni who credit Western for helping them achieve their success. “Their success speaks to the high quality of education we provide our students.”
The project was designed in house by Communications and Public Affairs graphic designer Rob Potter and installed by London-based FastSigns.
The banners are expected to hang until the end of the campaign in 2018.