LOOKING FORWARD WITH HOPE AND OPTIMISM

Dear alumni family,

I write this year’s greeting from my home office instead of my law school desk. I, like many of you, have had to adjust to a new way of living and working since March of 2020. With the Weldon Law Building closed for over 16 months now, students, faculty and staff have shifted to a new reality of engagement and learning as a result of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Yet, despite our inability to gather face to face, we continue to rally as an alumni community in our collective support of the law school and its students.

It is my hope that the behind the scenes work that we are doing now in the Alumni Relations office lays the groundwork for relevant, interesting, fun, inclusive and meaningful opportunities for you to stay involved with the law school in the future. I am happy to share that we have been working on a number of projects including: a DLAA board renewal and refresh with Chair Tony Amoud, the planned introduction of graduate student and young alumni programming, a review and refresh of our Weldon Mentorship Program with appropriate recognition and stewardship and increased support for your Class Giving projects. We recognized Judge Corinne Sparks with the 2020 Weldon Award for Unselfish Public Service and inducted eight remarkable alumni into the Bertha Wilson Honour Society. We held virtual alumni gatherings in Ottawa and Montreal, sent our students treat bags to enjoy while studying for exams in December and April, mailed our new graduates their alumni pins and assembled a stellar alum panel for the Weldon Welcome Days event for prospective students. And although our September Law Alumni Reunion Weekend may not be possible again this year, we hope to recognize and celebrate this occasion with some milestone classes via small dinners or virtually. Once again, I would like to express my deepest gratitude for how much you have continued to support us through this pandemic and acknowledge the tremendous impact it has had on each of you personally and professionally. Despite this, you continue to volunteer, organize, donate, mentor, advise, teach and share. Thank you for answering the phone or an email when we need you. Your involvement continues to be the primary reason that students choose your law school each year—they recognize and appreciate what the Weldon Tradition of unselfish public service means. On behalf of Tammi Hayne and myself, we thank you for all that you do.

We look forward with hope and optimism to what this next year will bring and to a time when we can learn, recognize, celebrate and gather with you in person again. We hope you enjoy this 42nd edition of Hearsay and as always, we welcome your feedback and ideas.

Sincerely,

Darren Dick Director, External Relations Schulich School of Law