By Aileen Lee, Alumni Engagement Officer
Pearson College UWC has always had incredible alumni willing and ready to contribute with their time and talent and the 2022-23 school year is no exception.
Reflecting on the year so far, we wanted to share with all eNews readers the breadth and variety of programs that are made possible thanks to the generosity of our alumni, who contribute their time, knowledge, experience and financial commitments to help build the capacities of current students, to assist the College in fulfilling our educational mission and to creatively link alumni together through knowledge sharing opportunities. Here are a few of the initiatives underway:
CALD Mentorship. This is a pilot program where each Climate Action Leadership Diploma student will be matched with Pearson alumni who have experience in climate action. The partners meet at least once a month for an hour until the end of the school year to talk about the student’s CALD-related projects and goals for the year. Alumni mentors provide guidance, support and share their anecdotal experiences for climate action while students seek feedback for their thoughts and initiatives from mentors. This year, 15 alumni and students partnered — and we hope to see that number grow for the next school year.
CIS Volunteers. Every five years, the College undertakes the process of reviewing and renewing our Council of International Schools accreditation. This year, 10 alumni volunteers are involved across nine accreditation committees. This has been a valuable opportunity to gain perspectives and learn about the college’s past, present, and future.
Language Tutors. Can you believe that we had more than 20 languages that were being self-taught by our students? Thanks to the UWC alumni network, we found 13 tutors to help Pearson students with their individual self-taught language courses. If you are interested in learning more about this program, please reach out to alumni@pearsoncollege.ca.
Life After Pearson. If you have Pedder Bay in your sights, please get in touch with us before your visit to campus! Students would love the opportunity to connect and learn about your Life After Pearson experiences.
Global Village Speaker Series Fundraiser. Thank you to our alumna, Dr. Laurie Houston (Year 3/1978, Canada-ON), for organizing the most recent GVSS, which doubled as a fundraiser for the College greenhouse, recycling and composting programs. We look forward to collaborations with local farms, the Composting Education Centre, and local recycling programs. The Pearson Producers and Sustainability Squad are extremely grateful for this opportunity to revive the greenhouse. Going forward, we have other exciting ideas to revitalize our Alumni in Residence Program in the coming months.
Alumni Spotlight. Stay connected with the College as we spotlight alumni in our social media, Pearson eNews, podcasts, and sometimes in news releases! Are you involved in an exciting initiative, or have you been recognized for your research, political, social justice, entrepreneurial or other achievements? Don’t be shy and let us know. Get in touch with awalker@pearsoncollege.ca or communications@pearsoncollege.ca.
Alumni Reunions. Let’s not forget the always-popular on-campus Alumni reunions coming up annually in August. Check our website or connect with us at alumni@pearsoncollege.ca.
These are just a few examples of the incredible work of our alumni. Thank you to all alumni who have reached out to the College in-person or remotely, visited the campus, attended our regional days, brainstormed with us, collaborated with us, supported us, and worked with us.
Your commitment enriches our community in a myriad of ways. We would love to hear from more of you – please connect with Alumni Relations at alumni@pearsoncollege.ca or alee@pearsoncollege.ca.