I’m often asked what we’re striving for here at MacEwan. When I reflect on the past few years, the phrase “we overestimate what we can do, and we underestimate what we’ve done” comes to mind.

When we first started our journey with Teaching Greatness, there was a lot of nervousness. I’ve talked in the past about how we’d need to be bold in our aspirations and decisions in order to reach our long-term goals.

Now here we are, ahead of the game in many of the targets we set out for 2025 in the Teaching Greatness dashboard, without losing what makes MacEwan unique and special.

I’m tremendously excited by the bold ideas we see coming to life here at MacEwan, none more than the exciting new academic offerings we’re developing. From the innovative Indigenous Studies minor in Indigegogy to a unique post-baccalaureate certificate in behaviour analysis, from new majors in data science, public relations and environmental sciences to a Bachelor of Public Safety and Justice, General Faculties Council (GFC) has been active this year in helping a wide range of relevant programs of study through the development process.

By being nimble, we’re creating educational pathways for graduates who meet the demands of a changing workforce. I was excited to hear that the new Digital Experience Design major for the Bachelor of Design has received tremendous interest – proof of what happens when we understand our students and the emerging needs of industry, and how we pivot to meet them.

We’re also being recognized as trendsetters. The AI policy and procedures we’ve developed are not only being noticed by other institutions, but are being embraced and adopted into their own policies. We are increasingly seen as a place that welcomes challenging conversations. Over 250 people came to our latest Chancellor Speaker Series when we hosted Dr. James Canton to share some mind-blowing predictions on the future of health care in the age of AI, and Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon held a symposium on digital respect at MacEwan as part of her first official visit to Alberta.

When I’m out and about, these are the kinds of things I hear from people.

In turn, that attention has more students seeing us as their first choice for their post-secondary education, along with more donors, more partners and more funding. These are the foundations we need so that our students have valuable learning experiences that make them better prepared. It’s not about being bold to get attention, it’s to enable us to provide students with an exceptional undergraduate education.

So, in the spirit of convocation, take a moment to pause and reflect on the journey your team has taken to get us to where we are today. Yes, we’ve faced challenges that had us reevaluate and adjust, but let’s not underestimate what we’ve achieved. The list is much longer than the few examples I’ve shared here today.

What you’ll notice at the heart of MacEwan’s achievements is innovation. When we dedicate ourselves to a culture of innovation, we have shown we can achieve great things. Looking ahead, I want us to think about what is our cultural path to greatness?

In my mind, it starts at understanding what students need. Taking care of our people so they can be the best they can be to achieve what we said we would. Putting heart and compassion into what we do.

But what does a culture that embodies greatness look like? I like to start these types of conversations with questions. For example, when we face challenges, what are we doing to make sure we’re not just hanging in there, but finding ways to keep our momentum? When we make a mistake, do we fix it with kindness and care? How do we encourage the spirit of innovation to keep bringing different ideas together and exploring new approaches?

These sentiments were echoed in last week's inspirational convocation address by one of our newest honorary doctorate recipients, Beverley McLachlin, Canada’s longest-serving and first woman chief justice of the Supreme Court of Canada:

“Never settle for simply existing. Never settle for being less than you can be. And when you’ve given the task at hand your very best, don’t forget to take a smile and a sparkle – that’s what will put you over the top.”

Achievement is about more than targets. To me, greatness is being excellent at what you do and doing it with your heart and soul.

I want to thank everyone for what you’ve achieved over the past year, for yourself, for your team and for MacEwan. Enjoy your summer.

Dr. Annette Trimbee
President and Vice-Chancellor