Dear members of the McMaster community,
It always amazes me how quickly the time passes between the end of one school year and the beginning of the next, and I am confident I am not alone.
It feels like we have just finished Spring Convocation when suddenly Welcome Week is on the doorstep.
While the rush and bustle of the fall term can be a little jarring after the quieter weeks of the summer, it is also a rich and inspiring time.
When the incoming class fills our campus with fresh faces and excitement, we all get to experience the thrill along with them. Their energy reminds us why we’re here: to educate and guide students as they make their way through some of life’s most important transitions on the road to independence, fulfillment and contributing to society.
I was inspired to speak recently with a group of instructors who are new to teaching at McMaster, and to participate in an event recognizing the winners of the President’s Awards for Outstanding Contributions to Teaching and Learning. I know our students are in very good hands.
Our Facility Services team has been working hard to prepare our campus grounds and buildings for the new term, including our residences — among them the new Lincoln Alexander Hall at the southeast corner of campus.
I’m proud we have named the new residence after one of Hamilton’s most celebrated citizens, an outstanding McMaster graduate who went on to become Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.
Celebrating Lincoln Alexander is one of the many ways we are working to highlight and grow connections between the university and Hamilton, including training and service in our hospital systems, students volunteering in the community, research studies and clinical trials our faculty members conduct here, and outreach programs such as McMaster Children and Youth University, now entering its 15th year.
Most of the incoming class will be graduating in 2030, when we will be celebrating the centennial of McMaster’s move to Hamilton from Toronto. The university has thrived here amid beautiful surroundings and a welcoming community, which have helped McMaster to grow into its potential.
The city and the university have both changed significantly since McMaster moved to Hamilton, and as we build toward the centennial of our move, we are eager to show how much we appreciate our bond with this city and its people.
We enter this new school year with great momentum.
We are welcoming our Faculty of Health Sciences’ new Vice-President and Dean, Dr. Nancy Baxter, an international leader in health-care education, research, clinical practice and administration.
Last week, the federal government announced that five top researchers from leading U.S. universities will be coming to McMaster under the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chairs of Canada program, which supports institutions in attracting researchers whose work will help build a stronger, more resilient Canada. We welcome our new chairs, and I am confident they will thrive in the welcoming, collaborative climate that produces such important, impactful research.
We are getting ready for the official opening of the beautiful new McLean Centre for Collaborative Discovery, a huge boost to our DeGroote School of Business and a showcase for integrated teaching and learning firmly rooted in real-world experience and impact.
We are preparing to implement Bolder Together, the new strategic plan we finalized in June, with measurable goals to chart our progress in critical areas such as maximizing the impact of our research on society and student-centred learning.
Our team continues to work behind the scenes on exciting major projects that will lift McMaster to greater heights while enabling our university to contribute more to our home community, our country and the world.
I’m grateful to our staff and faculty for their continuing work and enthusiasm in serving our students and our community.
As always, I urge our new and returning students to make the most of their McMaster experience by participating in sports, clubs, activities and volunteering opportunities.
I encourage you to savour the experience of making new friends and be sure to let your families know how you are doing.
The university experience can be stressful, and I encourage everyone to prioritize their health and well-being, using McMaster’s services when you need them.
As a professor and a parent, my strong guidance to all our students is to go to every class and keep up with your reading, assignments and lab work. If you make this a priority, the rest will follow.
Have a great year!
Susan Tighe
President and Vice-Chancellor