Class of 1976. L-R: Charlie MacDonald, David Sawler, Norma Linney, Sheldon Doyle, John Mader, Al Snow, Matt McKinnon, Mike Reid, Allen Spinney, Roger Garby, Peter Whitmee, Cyril Hiltz, Ronald Hiltz. (photo provided.) Missing from photo: Ashfaq Husain, Michel Larade and Peter Merritt.
Posted: June 25, 2026
By: Jocelyn Adams Moss, Faculty of Engineering
This spring, classmates from Nova Scotia Technical College’s (NSTC) Class of 1976 returned to Halifax to celebrate a remarkable milestone — their 50th anniversary reunion.
Led by reunion co-chairs Matthew McKinnon (BSc'73, BEng'76) and Al Snow (BEng'76), the three-day gathering brought together more than 20 engineering alumni and spouses from across Canada to reconnect, reminisce, and revisit the campus where their engineering journeys began.
The idea for the reunion was sparked more than a year ago. McKinnon, who retired from Dalhousie University’s Facilities Management in 2014, and Snow, now a Contracts Manager on major international mining projects working out of Vancouver, worked together virtually over many months to plan a memorable weekend for their classmates.
Their vision was simple: create opportunities to reconnect with old friends, explore familiar places, and celebrate how far both their class and the engineering profession have come over the past five decades.
Al Snow and Matthew McKinnon, Co-Chairs Class of 1976. (photo provided)
The reunion weekend began with a gathering at Henry House, followed by a tour of Sexton Campus hosted by members of Dalhousie’s Faculty of Engineering community. The celebrations concluded with a luncheon at The Wooden Monkey, where classmates shared stories, memories, and reflections on their time at NSTC.
Dr. Darrel Doman (PhD'08), Associate Dean Academic in Dalhousie’s Faculty of Engineering, welcomed the reunion group during their visit to Sexton campus.
“As a fellow engineer, I recognize how meaningful a milestone like this is for the Class of 1976. Many members of this class helped shape the engineering profession in Nova Scotia and across Canada, and their contributions continue to have a lasting impact. It was a pleasure to meet so many of them on campus, hear their stories, and celebrate this special occasion together,” says Doman.
Class of 1976 and friends at Henry House. (photos provided)
Message from reunion co-chairs:
"It was great to reconnect with old classmates, old roommates, and revisit both the old and new campus," says co-chair, Matthew McKinnon. "It was particularly interesting to see how engineering education has evolved over the years, from the labs and facilities to the level of support available for innovation and research on campus."
“It was impressive to see how progressive the engineering program is now at Dalhousie,” says co-chair, Al Snow. “Following our tour of the facilities, it was then nostalgic to walk through the Sexton gym, where our intramural games were held and Dixi Tech 7 and Ryan's Fancy dances ... and our final exams.”
