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Dear Members of the Queen’s Community,

Community-engaged learning opportunities often bring together students, faculty, staff, and community partners to address and respond to community-identified challenges. Wendy Craig’s first focus in her work as Special Advisor to the Principal on Community Engagement has been on these mutually beneficial learning experiences that effect positive change through collaboration among students and community organizations.

Each year, teaching awards at Queen’s University are conferred to educators and staff who excel in teaching and promote innovative and inclusive learning environments.

On Oct. 17, Principal and Vice-Chancellor Patrick Deane and Vice-Provost Teaching and Learning Gavan Watson hosted a reception at Grant Hall to celebrate these annual awards and recognize the 2022-23 recipients.

For the ninth consecutive year, Queen’s is preparing for Thrive – a week-long series aimed at building positive mental health and wellness through discussion, learning, skill development, and resource sharing. This year’s events focus on compassion and how we can demonstrate compassion through simple, everyday acts and gestures.

In late September, global leaders gathered in New York City for the United Nations’ General Assembly’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Summit. The question on everyone’s mind: at the midway point in an ambitious 15-year pledge to meet a series of SDG targets by 2030, how much progress has been made? The answer, some, but not enough. The summit called for a renewed commitment and energy from participating countries.

To all Members of the Queen’s Community,

A Polishing the Chain ceremony took place on October 5 to recognize and renew the ongoing relationship between the university and Indigenous communities. Senior leaders, ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ senators, staff, faculty, students, and Indigenous community members came together at the new outdoor Indigenous gathering space, located at the south end of Tindall Field.

This weekend, we have watched with grave concern the attack on Israel which has led to escalating conflict across the region. This has been particularly distressing for our Israeli and Palestinian community members – including students, faculty, and staff – who have family or direct ties to the region. We extend our greatest sympathies to all those affected by these terrible events.

With all academic activity suspended on Oct. 2 to observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, nearly 400 Queen’s community members dressed in orange shirts gathered at the heart of campus to honor survivors and Indigenous communities persecuted and harmed by Canada’s residential school system.

The nomination period for the Principal's Teaching and Learning Awards is now open until Jan. 31, 2024. New this year is a partnership with the Queen’s University Alumni Association (QUAA) for an updated Alumni Award with a focus on lifelong learning.