In 1988, there was still a Cold War and a Soviet Union. The first well-known computer virus, the Morris Worm, was making the rounds. Calgary hosted the Winter Olympics. Brian Mulroney and the Progressive Conservatives were elected to a second majority government. The year鈥檚 top-grossing movie was Rain Man, and the biggest-selling album was George Michael鈥檚 Faith.
A lot can change in 25 years 鈥� but some things carry on.
Last Friday, President Tom Traves hosted a reception for those faculty and staff who have reached the 25-year mark in their Dalhousie career. The attendees gathered in the Lord Dalhousie Room in the Henry Hicks Building to enjoy snacks while reminiscing and reflecting on their contributions to the university.
President Traves discussed the idea of 鈥渃ommitment鈥�: how it often starts just by entering a new situation and hoping it works out, but grows significantly over time. He emphasized the impact the assembled faculty and staff have had on generations of Dal students.
鈥淵ou've taught with them, or supported them all, in some fashion,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen you look back, you should have a sense of your accomplishment and a great sense of pride.鈥�
Making a difference
When asked, the attendees readily offered up stories about how Dal has changed since they started working at the university.
鈥淚t鈥檚 sort of the things you鈥檇 expect: we鈥檙e a larger university, and certainly the technology we use has changed dramatically,鈥� says Roger Brush with Audio/Visual Services.
Roger Brush (Audio Visual), Daniel Mahar (Academic Computing Services), and Katherine Robinson (Medicine).
鈥淲hen I started, there were maybe 12-13,000 students here,鈥� says Bill Pohajdak, professor in the Department of Biology. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a noticeable change now, but not a bad one 鈥� it鈥檚 exciting. The students themselves, I鈥檇 say, haven鈥檛 changed so much, though they鈥檙e perhaps a bit bolder, more direct. But the experience here is still great; Dal is a great place to work.鈥�
Allyson Bremner, Blair Nickerson, Shelley Parker, and June Ferguson, all from Civil and Resource Engineering.
For some in the room, the biggest change they experienced was becoming part of pilipili漫画 in the first place, in the university鈥檚 two prominent mergers over the past quarter-century.
鈥淐oming from TUNS to Dal, what鈥檚 stayed the same is the support and encouragement I鈥檝e gotten,鈥� said Lori Lamrock, manager of employee development and administration in Facilities Management. 鈥淚鈥檝e really had the opportunity to learn and grow through a number of different roles.鈥�
鈥淚 came to NSAC when it was at its prime growth stage, so I always say I grew with the institution,鈥� said Samuel Asiedu, professor and chair in the Department of Plant and Animal Sciences in the Faculty of Agriculture. 鈥淥ver time, we became an intensive research university and now we鈥檙e happy to be part of Dalhousie. I think we鈥檙e blending in nicely.鈥�
Before presenting each honouree with a special 25-year pin, President Traves offered thanks to all in the room.
鈥淥n behalf of all those thousands of students who have come and gone; on behalf of all your colleagues that you've worked with; on behalf of the community you've contributed so much to, inside the university and beyond; I just want to say a huge thank you 鈥� thank you and congratulations."
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25 years
Faculty and staff who reached 25 years working at the university between June 1, 2012 and May 31, 2013:
Kenneth Archibald - Facilities Management, Agricultural Campus听听 听听听 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Samuel Asiedu - Plant and Animal Science听听 听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Jonathan Barzilai - Industrial Engineering
Bernard Boudreau - Oceanography听听 听
Stephen Bourke - Academic Computing Services听听 听听听 听
Paul Briggs - Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Roger Brush - Studley Audio Visual
Louise Clark - Financial Services听听 听
John Cordy - Facilities Management
J Cyrus - Industrial Engineering
Judith Davidson - Bookstore
Leonard Diepeveen - English
John Dornan - Saint John Regional Hospital听听 听
Sandra Drew - School of Health Administration听听 听听听 听
Robert Finbow - Political Science
Alan Fine - Physiology & Biophysics
Bruce Friis - Dental Lab
Anne Gaetz - Sexton Design & Tech Library
Jerzy Gajewski - Urology听听 听
Jonathan Grant - Oceanography听听 听听听 听
Gillian Graves - Obstetrics & Gynaecology
John Hanly - Medicine听听 听
Nancy Hayter - Research Services听听 听
John Hill - Civil & Resource Engineering
Kenney Hunt - Facilities Management听听 听听听 听
Barbara Isner - Faculty of Engineering
Twila Johnson - Continuing Tech Education - Sexton
B Lynn Johnston - Medicine
Daniel Kelley - Oceanography
Vladimir Kozousek - Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
Daniel Labrie - Physics and Atmospheric Science听听 听听听 听
Lori Lamrock - Facilities Management
Melani Lane - Residence Operations, Agricultural Campus
Virginia Long - Dalplex听听 听听听 听
Bertrum MacDonald - Information Management听听 听听听 听
Charlene MacKinnon - Central University
Kathleen MacPherson - Community Health & Epidemiology听听 听
Daniel Mahar - Academic Computing Services听听 听
Roisin McDevitt - Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Denise Mitchell - Faculty of Medicine
Suzanne Morgan - Dalplex听听 听
Blair Nickerson - Civil & Resource Engineering
Stephen Parcell - Architecture听听 听
Shelley Parker - Civil & Resource Engineering听听 听
Allan Paulson - Process Engineering & Applied Science
Amanda Pelham - Communications & Marketing听听 听
Heather Philp - Administrative Computing Services听听 听
Bill Pohajdak - Biology
V Elizabeth Publicover - Human Resources听听 听
Katherine Robinson - Medicine听听 听
Dawn Russell - Schulich School of Law
Mysore Satish - Civil & Resource Engineering
Cheryl Schnare - Financial Services
J Norman Scrimger - Computer Science
Joanne Shewchuck - Carleton Animal Care Facility听听 听
Barry Siddle - Facilities Management听听 听
Gita Sinha - Medical Neuroscience
Thomas Slauenwhite - Facilities Management听听 听
Kim Stewart - College of Continuing Education
Alan Surovell - Transition Year Program
Margie Tate - Environmental Sciences听听 听
Wanda Thomas Bernard - Social Work听听 听
Carmichael Wallace - Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eugena Walsh - Continuing Tech Education, Sexton
Robert Warner - Mechanical Engineering
Donald Westin - Dean's Office, Architecture & Planning
Bonnie Van Buskirk, President鈥檚 Office
This list was compiled by the President's Office and Human Resources in consultation with faculties and departments. If you believe anyone was left off this list in error, they are more than welcome to attend the event next year. Contact the President's Office at 494-3804.