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Reflecting on a few of the remarkable accomplishments the Dalhousie community has achieved over the past year, President Dr. Tom Traves welcomed more than 500 alumni and friends to the Annual Dinner on September 29th.
A good measure of our success can be taken by how we're seen from beyond our campus, Dr. Traves said, adding that The Scientist magazine ranks Dalhousie's research milieu among the world's best. He also noted other accomplishments, such as our emphasis on renewing our faculty and attracting the best minds in the world to teach and do research, and that our annual research funding has leapt by 40 per cent to 100 million dollars. "We achieved the fifth best research growth rate among research-intensive universities, outpacing schools like McGill, Western, UBC, Alberta and Queen's," said Dr. Traves.
While the off-campus accolades have poured in, Dalhousie has also invested in campus renewal to create a more attractive learning and working environment. Dr. Traves went on to say, "Since 1999, we've spent $150 million to build a campus worthy of our ambitions. Most of that money has come from our alumni, and friends of the university, who've contributed $100 million to various Dalhousie projects
Future challenges
Dr. Traves was quick to point out however, that in light of an anticipated 20 per cent drop in the number of high school graduates across our region over the next few years, Dalhousie can not rest on its laurels. "In a smaller, more competitive marketplace, academic excellence is the cornerstone of success. Moreover, as we reach out beyond our borders to continue to diversify and strengthen our student body, Dalhousie's reputation as Eastern Canada's best university is our most important asset," says Dr. Traves.
Poetic inspiration
The guest speaker, alumnus, scholar, award-winning poet and author, George Elliott Clarke, (MA'89, LLD'99) reminisced about his long-standing relationship with Dalhousie and provided a thought provoking and entertaining reading from his new poem, aptly titled: Reflections of a Dalhousie graduate on how his experiences at the university have influenced the development of his poetry.
Special Recognition
The Dalhousie Alumni Association (DAA) recognized the A. Gordon Archibald Award winners who exemplify the theme of this year's dinner: Creating Opportunities. The Archibald awards identify alumni who display outstanding personal service, commitment and contribution to Dalhousie. DAA President, Chris Smith, (BCom'88) said that this year's winners: Joel Jacobson (BCom'63), Dr. Robert Parkin (DPharm'51, BSC'51, MD'56), and Sheri Price (BSCN'92, MN'01) represent "the amazing people who make Dalhousie University so very special."
Also recognized during the dinner was Dr, Dennis Phillips of Psychology, who was presented with the Alumni Award of Excellence for Teaching.
Mistress of Ceremonies, Liz Rigney (BA'89) closed the evening by encouraging everyone to "follow the lead of the amazing individuals we've celebrated tonight and create your own opportunities … Dalhousie-style!"