A message from Dr. Annette Trimbee, president and vice-chancellor.

Some time ago, I set a health goal of "getting my steps in" each day. I’ll often reach that goal by walking MacEwan’s contiguous seven-block campus. 

During these adventures, I get to witness diverse moments of campus life. Yet I’m always struck by the sense of community that consistently permeates the air.

That climate isn’t an accident. It’s the result of our institution’s unique approach to post-secondary education. 

Every university has the privilege of working with students during a unique period in their lives. It’s a period of evolution – when a person goes from being "who they are" to discovering – or rediscovering – to a sense of belonging and then finally, who they can become. 

At MacEwan, we understand that evolution is one of skills and one of selfhood. We not only impart knowledge, but help students understand why that knowledge matters. In our teaching, learning and research activities, we strive to help students realize and fulfill their potential as they discover their chosen paths. Our teams in career services, academic advising, student supports and facilities work collectively to create an environment where learners can thrive.

It’s an approach that blends calibre with care, preparing students not only for employability, but for the tensions and contradictions they’ll confront in a fast-changing world. 

Each day, you can see countless examples of this approach in our classrooms, labs, hallways and gathering spots. Across our university, faculty and staff are doing far more than delivering curriculum and programming. They are helping students on their journeys of discovery, with keen interest in equipping them for what’s next.

We routinely hear anecdotes from students and alumni, relaying moments and memories from their times at MacEwan. The extra attention they received from a professor who knew their name and recognized their passion. The courage they found and developed in classes that felt safe to experiment. The inspiring conversation with a counsellor who helped them crystallize their life’s ambition. The list of anecdotes goes on.

Common to them all is deep appreciation for how MacEwan propelled their personal development. And, notably, lasting remembrance of the meaningful, enriching and impactful connections they made with people at our university. 

Students who attend MacEwan experience an environment that enables them to try new things. A place where it’s okay to disagree – with professors, or peers, or one’s own pre-held beliefs – and learn something in the disagreement. There’s ample room for exploration of ideas and identities, without feeling lost in a sea of nameless faces. 

And by learning and growing in this kind of nurturing climate, our students gain confidence – in their abilities, in their problem solving, and in themselves as maturing, goal-driven leaders.

You can see this in action through projects like our International Business students’ collaboration with Edmonton Global, where they developed strategies to help Alberta expand its global market presence, or in the work of our new Chancellor’s Research Chairs, whose mentorship of students connects scholarly excellence with social impact. These examples show how MacEwan integrates challenge with care, reflection with purpose.

Maintaining that special mix of calibre and care is integral to the overall spirit of our university. Even as we expand our enrolment and our campus (and boy, are we ever expanding!), it’s incumbent on all of us at MacEwan to continue cultivating this unique culture for which we’ve become known and in which we rightly take pride.

Dr. Annette Trimbee
President and Vice-Chancellor