Issue link: http://georgiancollege.uberflip.com/i/879668
VIEWS FROM THE PRESIDENT AND CEO, AND THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION CHAIR W hen the Alumni Association Executive Council got together to select the people who would be featured in the special 50th anniversary section called 50 Faces of Georgian, we knew it would be a daunting task. Each of our 68,000 alumni has a unique Georgian story, not to mention the stories of thousands of Georgian staff and donors. The process got me thinking about my own Georgian story. More than 40 years have passed since I first walked through the doors as a student. I'm proud that my studies in the Electronic Technician program paved the way for my 17 years at Bell Canada and then to a rewarding career change in financial planning. But I'm equally as grateful for the alumni experience I've had. By serving on the Alumni Association Executive Council for the past four years, I've met new friends, cheered on eager graduates crossing the stage, and been inspired by incredible guest speakers who have visited the college. As we look to Georgian's next 50 years, it is my hope that my fellow alumni will embrace the Alumni Association too. Follow us on social media to learn about the latest opportunities to get involved. T his is a year of milestones and an exciting time for Ontario colleges as we mark our 50th anniversary. We celebrate 50 years of transforming lives, preparing students for meaningful employment, and strengthening and contributing to the growth and development of our economy and the communities we serve. Many of you know our story; Georgian started as a modest storefront operation in downtown Barrie. We grew to seven campuses, more than 125 programs, 11,000 full-time students from more than 60 countries, 68,000 alumni, 6,200 employer partners and three centres for career and employment community services. We experienced unprecedented change in student demographics, technology, and the way we work, study and teach. Thanks to the commitment of faculty and staff, as well as the support of our partners, donors and government, we became trailblazers in areas like co-operative education, entrepreneurship and social innovation. And, we established ourselves as a leader in graduate employment with the highest graduate employment rate of all 24 Ontario colleges (according to the latest key performance indicators). It's amazing to reflect on how far Georgian has come since the early days – I firmly believe our founders would be proud. But the one thing that has always remained the same is our commitment to students and to you as valued alumni, donors, community and industry partners. Thank you for helping to make Georgian the leading postsecondary institution that it is today. I hope you enjoy this issue of GeorgianView – full of inspiring stories and tidbits from the last five decades. I hope it conjures up fond memories and encourages you to stay connected by visiting us on campus or throughout the year at GeorgianCollege.ca. MaryLynn West-Moynes President and CEO Stephen Roth Electronic Technician, 1978 Chair of the Alumni Association Executive Council 4 GEORGIANVIEW 2017