A leadership role we fully embrace

Fall always evokes in me a wonderful sense of nostalgia as I reflect on my time at Acadia and the many opportunities that my experience there has given me. I’m sure a lot of you feel the same way, appreciating as I do the start of a new academic year at our alma mater and the tremendous potential that a fresh cohort of first-year students will explore over the next several years. There will, of course, be challenges along the way, but isn’t that the essence of any learning experience? The opportunity to test our limits, develop our strengths, find new avenues of interest and endeavour, and build relationships that will last a lifetime. That’s the Acadia I know and the experience I share with so many of you in my capacity as President of the Acadia Alumni Association. From the moment students set foot on campus through to graduation and beyond, they are woven into the fabric of the Acadia family, preparing not only for a career during their academic journey, but for inclusion in the 40,000-strong Acadia alumni family as well. It may seem counterintuitive perhaps, but the fact is the Alumni Association is with our students from the very beginning, invested in all they do. It provides mentorship and scholarship support, and has taken a leadership role in the transformation of career services at Acadia by committing $350,000 to the program. The goal is to develop a holistic approach to skill development that will prepare Acadia’s students to be civic and community leaders, ready to effect meaningful and lasting change on campus and as members of our alumni community. Coincidentally, the Association also fosters equity of access and opportunity within the greater Acadia community. This commitment was added into our Strategic Plan to highlight the importance of equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility. As an association, we believe that the diversity of our Acadia family is our strength and that these values must continue to influence all that we do. As a result, we are committed to enhancing the experiences of all students and alumni, whoever they are and wherever they may be. The power of advocacy, information and strategic action cannot be underestimated, and we are dedicated to safeguarding and fostering the transformative nature of the Acadia student experience for generations to come. The benefits to each individual are enormous, and the value they bring to our alumni family is immeasurable. It forms a continuum, and a perfect opportunity to dream big and strive for incredible things at Acadia. Every new academic year brings the sweet promise of great potential, both for our students and members of the Alumni Association. It’s fitting and wholly appropriate that we work together to meet and exceed our individual and collective potential and that all of us continue to serve the Acadia community vigorously and faithfully. In Acadia spirit,

Matthew Rios (’14) President, Acadia Alumni Association