May 2014 Director's Message
~By: Anne Fenety, Assistant Professor, Director BSc, DipPT, MScPT, PhD
In this issue of the newsletter, I once again ask how we could better support our students-- in this case our former students, i.e. our alumni. Pictured above is Ashley Loder, MScPT graduate of 2010 being presented with the Dalhousie Physiotherapy door prize at the May, 2014 Newfoundland and Labrador Physiotherapy Association AGM. That day in St. John’s, I spoke about plans for our 50th anniversary in 2015. I also asked some of the five questions I pose below, all aimed at engaging our alumni. These questions are aimed first, at discovering what our alumni want (for fun), second, at what alumni need (for knowledge) and third, at how alumni could help.
First, let’s talk fun
Are you going to Congress in Edmonton? We are and we hope you’ll drop by our booth, say hello and pick up your free beverage ticket for our Dal PT Party, being held Friday evening following the Enid Graham lecture (by Sandy Rennie) and the Silent Auction. Join us as we celebrate alumni and former Dalhousie faculty.
What would entice you to come to the 2015 Congress in Halifax? Seeing your classmates? Seeing your former professors? Attending a kitchen party bash? Touring the School? Hearing a guest speaker? These are some ideas and we welcome yours.
What events would draw you to Halifax for our 2015 Gala Event Weekend, October 2-5, 2015? To meet the first inaugral class of our School? Partying at the Saturday night Gala? Playing golf? Cruising the harbor on a tall ship? Meeting former professors, staff, lab demonstrators, and clinical instructors? Meeting current students? Attending the Graduation Ball & Awards Ceremony? Raising funds for the Physiotherapy Foundation of Canada? Attending continuing education events? We want your feedback. Please take a moment to respond to a very short survey to inform our 2015 Steering Committee.
Second, let’s talk needs
Would you be interested in online / on-site continuing education courses / workshops? I do not propose that the School compete with continuing education offered by the CPA Divisions. The School, combined with the broader university community could offer a wide array of skills and workshops we would consider developing if there is interest. These include behavior change for physiotherapists, pharmaceutical updates, business practices, human resource issues (e.g. managing change, conflict, harassment, etc.), exercise prescription, best practice updates, and managing complex patients. We are very interested in hearing your needs; your ideas.
Third, we need your help
Are you willing and able to help us with these celebrations? Would you like to be involved with the 2015 celebrations? Would you support the development of an alumni association? Do you have some fun photos we could use in our newsletter or on our website for the 50 year digital history project? Do you have any ideas to promote scholarship fundraising?
I should stop before I set a world record for the number of questions posed in a 500 word newsletter article. I do have one more: Why is the School so interested in alumni engagement? Because we need to be more relevant to our alumni. We have much to offer. We are open to your ideas.