It is a time-honoured tradition for Mount Allison’s Chancellor to share reflections with the community at the end of their term, and I am most honoured to do so here.

Mount Allison has played a significant role in our family for much of our lives. As alumni, my husband, David (’82), and I often reminisce, trading “back in my day” memories about campus and student life. Two of our children, Jeffrey (‘16) and Allison (‘17), carried on the family tradition as part of the Mount Allison community, flourishing as student-athletes. And during my time as Chancellor, we have had many rewarding moments connecting with passionate students, alumni, and other community members.

The truth is, Mount Allison lives in all of us and our time with the University never really ends. The lessons we learned, the friendships we made, and the experiences that helped us become who we are — they continue to shape our careers and our lives. This has allowed us to build such a connected, vibrant community — and it is why we continue to give back.

Mount Allison is where David and I have focused our volunteer and philanthropic efforts.  As Chancellor, one of my greatest privileges has been working on fundraising projects together with our President, the Board of Regents, and the rest of the Mount Allison community where we have seen significant and lasting impact for students and their future successes.

It has been extraordinary to witness the many, many ways alumni and friends of Mount Allison show their philanthropic commitment and creativity. I have met with alumni classes who have demonstrated that the sum of the parts is greater than the whole — mobilizing individual contributions to create meaningful scholarships and bursaries. I have spoken with students about their internships, which have proven to be life-changing — whether with an organization here in Sackville or on the other side of the world and, the common thread that ties these transformative experiences together is that they were funded through generous donations.

One of my great honours as Chancellor has been being part of some of the University’s most historic projects — the establishment of the Pierre Lassonde School of Fine Arts and the Frank McKenna School of Philosophy, Politics, and Economics — and witnessing first-hand how philanthropic investments both support these initiatives and enhance Mount Allison’s reputation and recruitment efforts.

Another historic milestone of pride is the complete revitalization of the R.P. Bell Library Building and the creation of the Scott McCain and Leslie McLean Centre for Health and Wellness. These construction projects are now underway and although my term as Chancellor may be coming to an end, I will be eagerly watching the progress and cheering as milestones are achieved. These projects will transform the student experience for generations to come — with modern, inviting spaces for study, socializing, and sports and recreation. Gifts of all sizes from our passionate community members will be vital to the success of these projects.

I would like to thank the faculty, staff, students, and the entire Mount Allison community for what has been a truly inspiring eight years.

While my term as Chancellor is ending, you can count on me to continue to be a fierce and proud champion of our University — because our time with Mount Allison never really ends.