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Rhonda’s Corner | Summer 2025
As I reflect on the energy of the recent convocation and alumni reunion season, I am struck by the strong sense of continuity that defines Victoria University. For those of you who graduated recently or decades ago, your presence in our community continues to shape and inspire the experiences of current students. This year, that intergenerational connection felt especially poignant.
During the reunions for both Victoria College and Emmanuel College, I watched students and alumni walk side by side through campus, often pausing together at the site of our new Indigenous Healing Garden. Though still in development, the garden is already becoming what we hoped it would be: a space of reflection, renewal and community. I have seen students study quietly under its trees, faculty and librarians meeting, and alumni rediscover Vic U through its evolving landscape. In many ways, the garden mirrors our institution—rooted in history, growing toward a more inclusive future. If you happen to be in the vicinity of campus, please visit and enjoy the garden.
This spirit of connection—between past and present, tradition and transformation—is at the heart of Victoria University’s identity. Victoria University occupies a unique space alongside and with the University of Toronto. As one of three federated universities, we are both part of a world-class research institution and a distinct academic community. We are home to two vibrant Vic U colleges: Victoria College delivered with the Faculty of Arts & Science, and Emmanuel College, a member of the Toronto School of Theology. This federated structure might not be widely understood outside the U of T context, but those who have studied here know the value of having the best of both worlds: belonging to a smaller, close-knit environment while accessing the breadth and depth of U of T.
Our graduates often say they didn’t just attend U of T—they graduated from Victoria University in the University of Toronto as dual citizens. That nuance matters. It reflects the pride, connection and identity that come with being part of a federated community. And it reminds us that while our students may arrive from many places, they leave with a shared sense of purpose—walking forward, as so many of you did, along a path shaped by Vic U.
