Georgian College

Like most students who move away from home to pursue a postsecondary education, Shaun McCracken's first day at Georgian College was bursting with emotion. "It was so exciting, but terrifying at the same time," he recalls. "I had never been away from home for such a long period, and even though it was only a couple of hours, it felt like home was light-years away." Shaun began his journey at Georgian in 2007 as a student in the Business Administration – Professional Golf Management program. At the time, he aspired to become a professional golfer, and found his program instructors and co-ordinators to be the perfect mix. In addition to pursuing his education, Shaun discovered how fulfilling it was to be involved with student life, and made it a priority to embrace all the opportunities Georgian had to offer. In April 2008, he assumed the role of vice president of residence life with the Students' Administrative Council and held this role until 2010. Following this, Shaun began a three-year term with the Georgian College Board of Governors, representing the student voice, and acting as a liaison between college and student leadership. By the midpoint of his program, Shaun was realizing that his career would be taking a very different direction than he had planned. "Most students who go to college think they know what they want to do, but college life is about discovering who you are, and who you want to be," he notes. "At Georgian, I came to realize that my passion for helping students was the right career path for me." At the time, he was working as a residence advisor, responsible for supporting students on two floors of his building; and by the third year of his program, Shaun was promoted to assistant residence life manager, assuming responsibility for his residence building and the 525 students who called it home. Among all the people that Shaun met during his time at Georgian – one student really stood out and left a lasting impression: Andrea Dietrich. Andrea was a student in the Tourism Management program, and Shaun recalls the early days of their relationship fondly. "While our relationship started out as friends, it was love at first sight and I knew right away that my future was with her," he says. The two proud Georgian alumni married in 2016, and at their wedding, established the McCracken/Dietrich Leadership Award to annually recognize a student who engages in on-campus leadership activities with a financial scholarship. As Shaun notes, "The McCracken/Dietrich story began at Georgian, and we wanted to do something to not only thank the college for bringing us together, but for ensuring that we had a solid foundation to build a life from." On June 13, 2019, Shaun and Andrea celebrated another milestone with the birth of their twin boys, Wyatt and Hudson. "Our family never would have happened without Georgian," says Shaun. "We have been blessed so many times over, and now it's our turn to help ensure the next generation is given the same opportunities for success that we were granted." Since graduating, the two have remained active with Georgian College and the Alumni Association. In addition to funding the McCracken/Dietrich Leadership Award, the couple also supports the college's Food Locker program (Georgian's on-campus food bank), have been guest speakers for student and alumni events, have participated on program advisory committees, and Shaun is the current Chair of the Alumni Association Executive Council. Shaun's final message to anyone considering a gift to Georgian College is simple: "You'll never regret making a donation to Georgian. Every dollar that is donated to the college is used to support students, and even if you never meet the students who benefit from your support – you can feel good in knowing that you helped to make a dream come true." HAPPILY EVER AFTER BEGINS AT GEORGIAN COLLEGE Shaun McCracken, class of 2010 and Andrea Dietrich, class of 2013 29 GEORGIANVIEW 2019-20 WINTER

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