I am so pleased that this issue of the Bulletin focuses on our third strategic pillar - Campus Culture. Campus culture at Acadia has never been a static idea; it is a living expression of who we are together, and how we rise to meet the moment in front of us. Through wars and depressions, global pandemics, times of expansion, and times of constraint, Acadia has repeatedly faced periods of uncertainty with a spirit of resolve, creativity, and shared responsibility. That spirit– quietly courageous, deeply rooted in community – is what continues to distinguish our university today.

When we speak of “campus culture” as a strategic pillar, we are not simply talking about student life or extracurricular activities. We are talking about the values and habits that shape how we teach, how we learn, how we treat one another, and how we welcome the wider world to Acadia and into Wolfville. It is the everyday culture of showing up for each other, of believing that education is not a product but a shared endeavour, and of understanding that each generation carries an obligation to the next.

In this respect, our alumni form the most enduring thread in the Acadia story. Buildings change, programs evolve, leadership turns over, but alumni remain a constant – a living bridge across time, connecting the aspirations of today’s students to the legacy of those who came before. Whether you left campus five years ago or fifty, your relationship to Acadia is not something that ends with convocation. It continues in the way you speak about this place, the way you mentor, encourage, and support, and the way you embody Acadia’s values in your communities around the world.

Over the last few years, Acadia has faced challenges familiar to universities everywhere: demographic shifts, financial pressures, government policies, and changing expectations of what a degree should provide. At each turn, the response that has mattered most has been a cultural one – our willingness to come together, listen carefully, and commit ourselves again to the core purpose of this institution. That purpose is clear: to create a learning environment where students are known, supported, and challenged; where they develop both intellectual skills and a sense of responsibility to something larger than themselves.

Alumni play a unique role in sustaining that environment. Your generosity – of time, of resources, of expertise – has helped maintain scholarships, create new learning opportunities, and open doors for students who might otherwise never have imagined themselves at Acadia. Just as importantly, your engagement signals to current students that they are part of a much larger family, one that believes in them and expects them, in turn, to invest in others. That sense of continuity builds confidence: students know that when they step off campus, they are joining a network that will walk alongside them, not just celebrate them at graduation and move on.

Campus culture is shaped in classrooms and labs, but also on playing fields, on stages, in residence lounges, and in quiet conversations over coffee on Main Street. Alumni help animate all these spaces – through guest lectures and career panels, through cheering on our teams, through returning for reunions and engaging online, and through creating internships and employment pathways beyond the Valley. Every time you share your story of how Acadia changed your life, you give current and prospective students a glimpse of what is possible for them. We need you to do that now more than ever.

Looking ahead, securing the future of Acadia will depend as much on the strength of our culture as on any budget, building, leadership team, or program plan. A positive culture of community commitment to learning is what allows us to adapt without losing our identity. It is what ensures that as we innovate in teaching, embrace new technologies, and respond to global challenges, we remain grounded in the close, relational educational experience that has defined Acadia for generations.

Thank you for being the constant in this evolving story. Your belief in Acadia, your resolve in times of challenge, and your ongoing commitment to providing opportunities for students are not just appreciated – they are essential to who we are and who we are becoming.