Learning we received $125 million in funding from the province for the new School of Business building felt like waking up from a dream that so many people have worked incredibly hard to make a reality.

I can't understate how significant this capital investment is – not only because it allows us to do the critical work outlined in our strategic vision but also because it recognizes that vision has struck a chord and resonated in a meaningful way far beyond our campus.

Everywhere I go, I encounter people who talk about MacEwan being “on the map” and becoming even more visible. They appreciate that we're making a difference and doing things the right way. Our story resonates with them. To me, that connects directly to the fact that we are not a cookie-cutter university. What makes us unique – and what makes the spaces and places we inhabit so special – is our diversity, interconnectedness and the relationships we share. We are do-ers. We are makers. We are unafraid of asking tough questions because we know we can work together to find solutions. We don't come up with ideas and shelve them; we break things down and get them done.

As we pursue our plan for growth outlined in Teaching Greatness, adding a new building to our campus and increasing the number of students we serve, we mustn't lose that "secret sauce."

Earlier this term, I attended two sessions with several other university presidents from across North America – one exploring talent and another on using campus spaces to deliver your vision. Both topics felt like they were tailor-made for MacEwan.

The talent we have here – and the talent we intend to keep adding as we pursue Teaching Greatness – is our foundation. Our talent is agile and responsive to opportunities and emerging issues. Our people are not just responding to change but helping identify changes needed to grow and lead, and the direction we must take to get there. We speak a lot about how MacEwan is a great place for students – and it certainly is – but it is that way because of our people. Those same people – our faculty and staff – also make this a great workplace. We transform students' lives here, but in doing so, we also grow and change as an institution.

Expanding our campus with a new building will make a big contribution to that ongoing work, but this building is far more than just a new home for the School of Business. This building is a manifestation of our strategic vision as a university. It will generate more excitement and energize our community, providing many opportunities to shine a light on the excellence we have to share. It will also enable changes and opportunities across other campus spaces.

I am convinced the journey we have embarked on together will one day become one of this university's key milestones. When future alumni, staff, and students look back at our institution's history, I believe they will see Teaching Greatness among MacEwan's pivotal moments.

It's hard to believe, but we are more than a year and a half into our new strategic vision. We have already accomplished so much and continue to make incremental changes that are having a transformative impact.

Our students continue to offer incredible examples of what it means to be Grand as a Griffin – from engaging in diverse undergraduate research experiences and piloting innovative student-focused programming to heading out into the field and making a difference in our community. Our faculty are breaking old trends and setting new ones – addressing fatigue, exploring Afrocentricity, strengthening connections to Ukraine, addressing sexual violence and much more. We’re also poised to continue in that direction, with a new Canada Research Chair nominee in Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality.

Although the 18 months since we launched Teaching Greatness have passed in the blink of an eye, we are only getting started.

So, when people ask me what is on my mind these days, it's how those incremental changes – some small steps and some much bigger – will bring about meaningful changes in our community, internally and externally.

I'm thinking about how we use these incredible new spaces that we will have to deliver on our vision. And those spaces will undoubtedly be amazing – modern, flexible, open, and adaptable. For the first time, we will be shifting our sights north and having the front doors of the School of Business open to 105 Avenue. Emphasizing which direction a set of doors opens to may seem overly simple, but the message that choice sends is significant: our future is about relationships, connections, and growth.

We are well on our way to having the tools we need to build and enhance our strong reputation and the high expectations we have created. A new space offers us room to grow and build on our excellence. We have always known that we are a remarkable institution with outstanding people. Now other people do too.

Dr. Annette Trimbee
President and Vice-Chancellor