MacEwan University and the Edmonton Elks have inked a community partnership aimed at providing hands-on learning opportunities to MacEwan students.

Beginning this season, the Elks and MacEwan will work together on a variety of initiatives, creating formal ties around the aligned goal of benefitting Edmonton and Alberta through education.

The partnership coincides with MacEwan's 50th anniversary and will see students gain valuable experience with the Green and Gold through internships, co-operative education placements, job recruitment, content creation and design, leadership development and support for the university’s Griffins sports teams. 

"We're excited to partner with MacEwan, as we provide opportunities for students to gain the skills needed to develop into the community leaders that are at the core of what makes Edmonton such a great place to live," says Victor Cui, Edmonton Elks president and CEO. "Education is a lifelong pursuit and we're excited to benefit from the energy and perspective university students will bring to our organization. It's particularly exciting for us, as we help celebrate MacEwan's 50th anniversary and their continued work as a leader in post-secondary education."

The strategic partnership, which is the first of its kind in Edmonton, builds on MacEwan's ​ reputation of being a student-focused institution aimed at providing education in a collaborative and supportive learning environment. 

"The Elks are such an amazing entrepreneurial and vibrant institution in this city. I’m thrilled that MacEwan students will benefit from the expertise of the Elks through real-world experiential learning opportunities,” says Dr. Annette Trimbee, MacEwan’s president and vice-chancellor. “​These opportunities put our students squarely in the mix, preparing them to be job-ready once they complete their studies." 

Work on the partnership began earlier this year, with the first group of students set to join the Elks during the academic year that begins in September.