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PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

WHAT A YEAR!
By Professor Markus Stock UC Principal
Smiling headshot of Professor Markus Stock, UC Principal

With the COVID-19 pandemic having reached a one-year milestone, I cannot overstate how heartened I am by the unwavering support and kindness that our UC community has shown for one another during these extraordinary times. The resilience of our entire community has been palpable, and the tenacity and determination to keep learning and moving forward displayed by our students in particular is remarkable.

As a College, we’ve found new ways to teach, to connect, to advise students, to hold events, and to mobilize knowledge and passions for the good of the College and the University. We’ll surely continue to utilize the best ideas put into action along the way to the benefit of our students, even in the post-vaccine world we’ll soon be entering.

We’ve also found new confirmation in absentia that a college experience is an in-person experience, which we have missed and long to return to. And as we look to the Fall of 2021, we can, with cautious optimism, hope that most courses, student services, and co-curricular activities will be offered in person. I certainly long for it, and I know that the UC community does, too. Until then, some more patience is needed.

The invitation to ‘unmute yourself ’ is among the most iconic speech acts in our daily virtual lives right now, in the university and beyond. For me, this pandemic motto has reverberated in the ways members of UC community have participated and, indeed, shaped social justice causes, true to UC’s values of equity and diversity. And the call to ‘unmute’ has taken various forms in the College, which we seek to document in this UC Magazine.

The issue showcases some of the most recent work that UC students and faculty have been participating in continuously. ‘Activist Love Letters,’ for example, a collection of student pieces created under the direction of UC Canadian Studies instructor Audrey Hudson, PhD, promotes learning while highlighting talented leaders and creative people and, also, giving back to the community in a positive way.

UC is extremely proud of our newest Rhodes Scholar, Jeffrey Fasegha. His undeniable passion and drive have taken many different forms. From athletics to entrepreneurship to creating groups dedicated to significant causes changing the lives of people and communities, Jeffrey truly epitomizes UC’s values through all of his activities. You can read about Jeffrey’s inspirational path to being named a Rhodes Scholar in this issue.

We also hear from other students working towards positive change in causes that relate to them on a personal level. Sophia Fan, a UC student with whom I had the pleasure of co-chairing the UC Sustainability Committee this past year, speaks about her contributions to leadership in the UC Literary and Athletic Society. Her approach to promoting environmental sustainability is multifaceted and rightfully champions social justice causes as integral to the path towards preserving a livable climate. Neha Sultana, another UC student, talks about her excitement and readiness to engage with the UC Lit and other student groups. The enthusiasm of our students to push for change inspires me and so many others. It is truly a privilege to be able to work towards enhancing their college experiences.

We recognize that the struggles and changes people have experienced over the past year are not equal. UC is committed to supporting our UC community and to propelling the College forward to a brighter and more equitable future. It is with optimism and a certainty of the strength of our UC community that we look forward to the next academic year and beyond.