Posted: November 26, 2024
How long have you volunteered at Dalhousie and in what capacities?
Over the past two years since graduating, I began attending events where I learned about opportunities to get involved. I’ve since volunteered as a recent-grad panelist for a capstone course lecture, for the 2023 and 2024 Engineering Golf Tournament committee, as a 2024 poster judge for the Designing Productivity event, and as a 2023 and 2024 First-Year Technical Communications guest lecture panelist.
What inspired you to become a Dal volunteer?
After graduating, I realized Dal offers many opportunities to be involved. I attended my first alumni event in Halifax with a former classmate and met several seasoned alumni. I learned they had volunteered as mentors, panelists, speakers, poster judges, event planners, and more. This encouraged me to stay involved and gave me some ideas on how to do it.
What have you learned or gained from volunteering at Dalhousie?
Through various faculty events I’ve remained connected with former classmates and discovered new events of interest. The Stanfield Conversations was one example of this, as was Dalhousie’s Designing Productivity conference where I volunteered as a judge for the student poster presentation.
What is the single best experience you’ve had as a Dal volunteer?
During my degree I was involved with the faculty society and campus newspaper but had always wanted to join one of our student-led engineering design teams. Often these teams represent the university internationally and compete alongside other prominent schools. As a result, I have been grateful for the opportunity to support student fundraising efforts through the Engineering Golf Tournament.
What advice would you give someone considering volunteering for Dal?
As a recent graduate, I see the impact of the generosity of volunteers within the university, and I especially highlight those behind the scenes coordinating volunteers and making everything happen. Although it is not always possible to allocate the time as a volunteer, being involved with the university has been a very positive experience. Staying connected with the university was easier than I thought, and I’m grateful for the encouragement to explore some events of interest and stay involved!
What’s your favourite memory of Dal?
Thinking back to my own degree, the senior project in industry and guest lectures added a valuable perspective to my scope of study. Since graduating, I have gladly accepted the invitation to participate as a panelist to outline my role in industry for a first-year guest lecture. I also attend the Capstone Conference each year to learn about senior project findings and contributions to the field.
