Shufflers flock for students

Under blue skies, a sea of green-clad Concordians made their way from the Sir George Williams Campus to the Loyola Campus at Shuffle 23 on September 28. The annual 6.5-km walkathon attracted numerous faculty, staff, students and others to raise funds for university scholarships and bursaries.

Concordia President Alan Shepard marked his first Shuffle by praising Concordians for coming out in such large numbers for a great cause.

Another Shuffle rookie, Marie Claire Morin, vice-president of Advancement and Alumni Relations, lauded the Shufflers as they prepared for the march. “You all deserve a big thank-you for helping the Shuffle raise much-needed funds for scholarships and bursaries for Concordia students,” she said.

Morin also acknowledged the volunteer advisory committee led by chair Jang-Hwan Kwon.

Immediately following the Shuffle, Shepard hosted the President’s Picnic under a tent on the Loyola Campus grounds. He informed the impressive crowd, estimated at about 1,000 people, that Shufflers raised more than $51,000 to that point. The final tally will be known in a few weeks.

Shepard also announced the three grand prize winners: Aracelly Guerra Quiroz scored two round-trip air tickets to New York City, Chicago or Washington, D.C., courtesy of Norko Travel; Cynthia Lee Parkinson took home an Apple iPad courtesy of La Personnelle; and David Jones garnered a $500 travel voucher from UNIGLOBE Voyages Lexus.

There were 85 prizes in all. Winners’ names are listed on the Shuffle website.

Also at the President’s Picnic, Kwon presented the 2012 Shuffler of the Year to long-time participant and supporter Bryan Barbieri, professor of marketing in the John Molson School of Business.