Office of Advancement Community Report 2016

Office of Advancement

2016 Community Report

CONTENTS: introduction 3 | PHILANTHROPY 4 | COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING 6 | ALUMNI RELATIONS 8 | 2016 EVENTS 10 | APPENDIX I: NEW FUNDS & AWARDS 12 | ADVANCEMENT STAFF TEAM 15 |

2016 COMMUNITY REPORT

Introduction Members of the Office of Advancement at Acadia University play an important role in engaging and informing a number of the University’s key stakeholders and supporters. We are the main point of contact for alumni and donors. We promote the University through social and traditional media. We plan and execute events that celebrate our donors, connect our alumni worldwide, and build relationships with governments and communities. We keep Acadia’s name in front of individuals, foundations, and corporations who are prepared to invest in today’s generation of students and are sincerely interested in the experience we have offered for more than 178 years.

2016 was an extremely successful year for Acadia’s Office of Advancement.

Its three core functions – Philanthropy, Alumni Relations, and Communications and Marketing – each achieved significant results.

We raised $11.2 million, more than in any other year in Acadia’s history.

We held 70 alumni and donor events in seven countries around the world – more than in any previous 12-month period – and enhanced the vibrancy of our partnership with the Associated Alumni. Our Communications and Marketing team earned recognition from the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (CCAE), while also setting new records for the reach and popularity of our social media channels and continuing to improve the quality of the Bulletin, our alumni magazine.

Acadia’s scale is small, but through the efforts of everyone in our Office of Advancement, our impact on students, alumni and stakeholder communities is big. This report summarizes this year’s highlights.

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2016 COMMUNITY REPORT

Philanthropy We are deeply grateful for the generosity of our donors, who made 2016 a record year for Acadia. We have been rebuilding our fundraising capacity since 2012 and we saw strong results last year as a result of this sustained effort. In 2016 we raised $11.48 million, bringing our four-year total to $30.48 million. Most importantly, we have maintained good year-over-year momentum which positions us well as we look toward Acadia’s next major campaign, now in its quiet phase.

12m

Gifts to Acadia University, 2013–2016

10m 8m 6m 4m 2m

2013

2014

2015

2016

A special highlight of 2016 was the announcement in September of $15.98 million from the Federal and Provincial governments through the Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund directed to the renovation of Huggins Hall and Elliott Hall and the construction of a new Innovation Pavilion in the space that connects them. We have now secured the $6.3 million in private support needed to proceed, completing the funding for this $22.25 million project, the most significant investment in an academic building on campus since the construction of the new biology building was completed in 2008. The most exciting aspect of this project is how it will add to Acadia’s research and commercialization capacity, particularly in the field of agri-technology. Acadia is one of western Nova Scotia’s most important assets and we are acutely aware of the growing economic impact and future potential of faculty research in areas such as wine-making and grape-growing, tidal energy and clean water.

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2016 COMMUNITY REPORT

Also in 2016, the 8,000 ft2 Stevens Centre opened in time to help us host the CIS National Women’s Soccer Championship. The Stevens Centre adds considerable capacity to our varsity sports program through new football and hockey locker rooms and a new strength training facility. New bleachers in our gymnasium welcomed their first basketball fans in October and in honour of our donors and highly-regarded former coach Stu Aberdeen, we officially named the Stu Aberdeen Court.

Interest in scholarships and bursaries for Acadia students remains strong.

Donors recognize the burden that rising costs for education place on all students and their generosity means that Acadia is an appealing choice for students from across Canada and more than 50 countries worldwide.

A complete list of new awards and funds established in 2016 is contained in Appendix A.

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2016 COMMUNITY REPORT

Communications and Marketing The role of the Communications and Marketing team is to support all departments and functions on campus in their effort to reach their audiences whether they be donors, alumni, prospective students, community members, news media, or funding agencies. At the same time, with the rise of social media and the growing speed at which information moves, an increasingly important function is to protect and enhance Acadia’s reputation in a hyper-competitive business environment.

During 2016, Communications and Marketing posted almost 100 stories about the campus and its community members to the University website. In addition, we grew the number of social media followers on Facebook and Twitter by more than 10 per cent and our posts to Facebook alone reached more than five million viewers. Acadia has one of the most active social media profiles of all universities in Canada and in April 2016 was ranked 10th in Canada by Engagement Labs for its performance on Facebook. The closest Nova Scotia university on the list was Cape Breton University, which placed 30th.

In June at the annual CCAE Conference in Saskatoon, we were pleased to receive a bronze award for our handling of the delicate but important communications related to the 2015 meningitis outbreak on campus declared by Nova Scotia’s Chief Medical Officer of Health. Serious incidents that affect the health and safety of our campus community instantly moved to the forefront of everyone’s priorities and the positive response and support we received from the broader Acadia community during the outbreak underscored the relevance of our well-known hashtag: #bestfamily.

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2016 COMMUNITY REPORT

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2016 COMMUNITY REPORT

Alumni Relations Keeping our more than 35,000 alumni connected to Acadia cannot be done from behind a desk in Wolfville. In 2016, we held 70 alumni events in seven countries while also hosting our signature events on campus and in Halifax.

More than 4,000 alumni and friends of Acadia attended these events, a 10 per cent increase over 2015.

In April, at our Annual Alumni Gala and Silent Auction in Halifax, we honoured Distinguished Alumni Award winner Brigadier General Hilary Jaeger (Ret’d) (’79) and conferred the inaugural Young Alumni Awards on Mike Kennedy (’05) and Chansey Veinotte (’10). The Gala has become one of our most important ways to engage alumni while raising money for student scholarships, varsity athletics, and S.M.I.L.E. We are grateful each year for the hundreds of volunteer hours our Associated Alumni dedicate to making this a success and for the sponsors who help deliver an outstanding

Barbara (Schnare) Rafuse (’66) and Margaret (Hankinson) Prime (’66) share a moment during Summer Reunion 2016 on the Acadia campus.

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2016 COMMUNITY REPORT

evening that celebrates Acadia’s very best. The 2017 Gala was held on May 26 at the Halifax World Trade and Convention Centre where we celebrated retiring President and Vice-Chancellor Ray Ivany. All alumni and friends of Ray were invited to be part of an event that was our biggest and best yet.

On campus, our July 8–10 Summer Reunion featured graduates of the classes of 1941, 1946, 1951, 1956, 1961, 1966 and 1976. It included a special concert in the Garden Room at the K.C. Irving Environmental Science Centre featuring David Parker (‘84) and Jennifer King (‘91). The Class of 1956 captured the Reunion Cup for having the highest percentage of people in attendance. In October, Homecoming Weekend was well attended and we celebrated the 60th reunion of Acadia’s first football team, the 1956 varsity squad. A special addition to the weekend was a national telecast by Rogers Sportsnet of the Acadia-Mount Allison football game, one of only four national broadcasts of CIS football in 2016.

In November, more than 60 of our alumni participated in a launch event in Toronto for the Maple League, an historic alliance between Acadia, Bishop’s, Mount Allison, and Saint Francis Xavier universities. The Maple League is a collaborative effort to promote the style of university this group represents and to raise the profile of our campuses with prospective students in key markets across Canada and internationally.

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2016 COMMUNITY REPORT

2016 Events A full list of 2016 events is below and we are looking forward to a full calendar in 2017.

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EVENT

DATE

Corporate Sponsor Recognition

January

1993 Class Reception

January

Halifax Varsity Showdown

January

Bahamas Reception

February

Bermuda Reception

February

Toronto Business Breakfast

February

Halifax “35ish” Reunion

February

Toronto CBC Backstage Tour

February

Tully Tea

March

Florida Reception

March

Halifax – AUS Basketball Championships

March

New York Reception

March

Halifax Basketball Reunion

March

Halifax Gala Dinner

April

Vancouver Reception

May

Victoria Reception

May

AAAU Annual General Meeting

May

Calgary Reception

May

Ottawa – Atlantic University Pub Night

June

Ottawa Lobster Picnic

June

Toronto Pub Night

June

Toronto Reception

June

Summer Reunion

July

Alumni Golf Tournament

July

Welcome Week – Student Move-In

September

Bridgewater Reception

September

Yarmouth Reception

September

2016 COMMUNITY REPORT

EVENT

DATE

Bulmer Race

October

Hockey Honour Roll

October

Alumni Backyard Barbeque

October

Women in Sports Breakfast

October

Charlottetown Reception

October

London, UK Reception

October

Class of ’51 Book Presentation and Luncheon

October

Stu Aberdeen Court Naming

October

Hong Kong Reception

November

Montreal Reception

November

Ottawa Social on the Hill

November

Singapore Reception

November

Sunday, August 30

November

Annie G. Murray (IODE NS Chapter) Reception

November

Cookie Day

November

Chancellor’s Receptions

November

Founders’ Day

November

CIS Women’s Soccer Reunion and CIS National Championship

November

Toronto Canadian Club Luncheon

November

Toronto Maple League Gala Dinner and Launch

November

Carol Sing

December

Dartmouth Choir and Carol Sing

December

Office Interiors Hosted Reception

December

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2016 COMMUNITY REPORT

Appendix A: New Funds and Awards Chipman/Rose Memorial Award. Established in 2016 by friends and family of Lynn Chipman (’07) and Kim Rose (’87), this entrance award is granted to a full-time female student from the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia. Value: $1,000.

Lynn Chipman had a 33-year career at Acadia in Technology Services, finishing as Manager of Information Systems. She earned a Certificate and Diploma in Business, Certificate in Computer Science and a Bachelor of Business Administration during that time. Kim Rose joined Computing Services in 1991 after receiving a Bachelor of Computer Science from Acadia. Eventually she became Director of User Support and later, Director of Open Acadia.

MacVicar Athletic Bursary. Established in 2016 by Mary Whitney MacVicar (’90) and Allan MacVicar (’92), the award is granted annually in recognition of financial need. The recipient is a male student actively involved in athletic pursuits (varsity, club or external) while attending Acadia. Bursary applicants must convey in writing how this bursary will support their academic and athletic endeavours. Value: $1,000.

Sarah Hastings Memorial Scholarship. Established in 2016 by campus friends of Sarah Hastings, this award is granted on a renewable basis to an entering full-time student from Ontario in recognition of academic excellence. The recipient is preferably from Cameron Heights Collegiate Institute in Kitchener and shares Sarah’s personal attributes. She attended Acadia in 2014-2015 as a business student, lived in Chipman House and is remembered for her positive, outgoing personality. Value: $1,000.

Whitney Athletic Bursary. Established in 2016 by Mary Whitney MacVicar (’90) and Allan MacVicar (’92), the award is granted annually in recognition of financial need. The recipient is a female student actively involved in athletic pursuits (varsity, club or external) while attending Acadia. Bursary applicants must convey in writing how this bursary will support their academic and athletic endeavours. Value: $1,000.

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2016 COMMUNITY REPORT

Lan Kwan Sum Bursary. Established in 2015 by the Estate of Lan Kwan Sum, Class of 1976. To be granted on a renewable basis to female students in any full-time program who demonstrate financial need and satisfactory academic performance. Preference to entering permanent residents of Hong Kong or landed immigrants to Canada from Hong Kong. Lan Kwan Sum graduated from Acadia University with a MEd in Special Education in 1976. Originally from Hong Kong, she held a strong belief in the value of a good education. Value: $5,000 - $10,000 each.

Prof. Owen Stephens Award. Established in 2016 by Nancy Handrigan (’92) to honour Prof. Owen Stephens, the award supports a student who works as house manager to operate technical equipment, front of house and backstage for concerts in Denton Hall, Festival Theatre, Convocation Hall and the K.C. Irving Environmental Science Centre Garden Room.

Owen Stephens graduated from Acadia in 1963, 1965 and 1971 and was a much-loved professor in the School of Music from 1973 to 2008.

Value: $1,200.

DHX Media Awards. Established in 2016 by DHX Media, these awards are granted annually to full-time undergraduate students enrolled in a Bachelor of Business Administration who have a demonstrated interest in the creative arts – music, visual art, theatre, dance, film or digital media. In recognition of academic success and with a preference for students who may have financial need, one award will be granted to a student majoring in Finance or Accounting and the second to a student who is female and/or a member of a visible minority group. DHX’s CEO is Acadia alumnus Dana Landry (BBA ’93) and Mark Simpson (BBA ’00) is Director of Finance. Value: $1,000 each.

Tait Family Award. Established in 2016 by Lyn Tait (’75), the Tait Family Award is granted to entering students from Atlantic Canada, with a preference for Newfoundland, whose financial and family circumstances would not otherwise allow them to attend university. This award is available on a renewable basis. Lyn Tait, originally from Grand Falls, Newfoundland, graduated from Acadia in 1975 with a BA in Economics and Political Science. The scholarship support she received at Acadia inspired her to establish the Tait Family Award. Value to be determined.

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2016 COMMUNITY REPORT

The Singapore Alumni Class of 1987 Scholar-Bursaries. Established in 2016 by the Singapore Alumni Class of 1987. To be awarded to domestic students entering their third year of study, in recognition of academic achievement and financial need. Two awards annually, one in Business and one in Computer Science. Value: $1,000.

The Ronald Reid Prescott Hockey Scholarship. Established in 2016 by Tom Prescott (’58). The award will be presented to a student-athlete who is a member of the men’s varsity hockey program; is in good academic standing; has otherwise demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship both in and out of the athletic arena.

The recipient will be recommended by the Director of Athletics in consultation with the head coach of the men’s varsity hockey program. This award is in memory of Ronald Reid Prescott (’30). Ronald was an engineering student and member of the Acadia hockey Axemen. Value: $2,000.

Global Brigades Scholar-Bursary. Established in 2016 by Acadia Global Brigades, this award is granted annually in recognition of academic excellence and financial need to a student participating in Global Brigades activities at Acadia for the first time. The recipient will demonstrate, through an application, knowledge and appreciation of the Global Brigades mission and vision and will have an interest in global health or sustainable development.Value: $1,000.

Moira Grace Crawford Scholar-Bursary in Music. Established in 2016 by Claire (’89) and Kirk VanBlarcom (’85) in loving memory of Claire’s mother, Moira Grace Crawford, this award is granted to an entering student in the School of Music in recognition of both academic excellence and financial need.

A graduate of Mount Royal College and Acadia University (1982), Moira was born in Roslyn, Scotland. She taught piano, organ and voice for over 40 years and was assistant organist at Acadia’s Manning Memorial Chapel.

Claire VanBlarcom, CFP, FMA, RRC, CIM earned her BA in Sociology at Acadia in 1989. Kirk VanBlarcom, CPA, CA, CFP earned his BCS degree at Acadia in 1985 and in 1991 earned his Chartered Accountant designation.

Value: $1,500.

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ADVANCEMENT STAFF TEAM (as of December 31, 2016)

Melanie Coleman

Christina Ozon

Administrative Assistant

Coordinator, Systems and Stewardship

Britney Foote

Oonagh Proudfoot

Finance Assistant

Senior Alumni Officer

Nancy Handrigan

Scott Roberts

Executive Director, Philanthropy

Executive Director, Communications and Marketing

Len Hawley Marketing and Development, Athletics

Fred Sgambati

Melanie Jackson

Coordinator, Advancement Communications

Coordinator, Branches and Events Alumni Affairs

Sandra Symonds

Debbie MacMillan Administrative Assistant

Rod Morrison Vice President, Advancement

Ian Murray Executive Director, Alumni Affairs and Advancement Strategy

Manager, Production and Events

Cassandra Tremain Manager, Systems and Stewardship

Sherri Turner Manager, Communications and Marketing

Office of Advancement Acadia University 512 Main Street, Box 40, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, B4P 2R6 Email: advancement@acadiau.ca

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