Big thinking in the Big Apple
Concordia President Alan Shepard lauded the university’s quality, “family” feel and rising international profile at a gathering with Canadian consular officials and senior figures in the university’s New York alumni chapter.
The event, held at the residence of the Consul General of Canada in New York on May 2, marked Shepard’s third of four spring meetings with Concordia’s international alumni chapter executives.
Advancement and Alumni Relations (AAR) operates 24 geographic chapters: 14 in Canada and the United States and 10 internationally.
New York’s alumni chapter represents about 1,000 alumni, more than half of whom live in New York City.
Shepard, who was asked about his presidential role, called his transition from Toronto’s Ryerson University to Concordia in 2012 appealing. “I have to say it’s a happy surprise,” he said.
He drew attention to the “quality of the institution” citing the John Molson School of Business’s burnished international reputation.
Shepard voiced Concordia’s other strengths in arts, engineering, mathematics and sciences and praised the university’s sense of community.
“Even though [Concordia] is a big place, it is still a very personal place,” he said.
Host and New York’s Consul General of Canada John Prato underscored the enduring affordability of Canadian post-secondary studies. “One of the things you realize when you come to the U.S. is that we Canadians all benefitted from an incredible education at an incredible price,” he said.
Ken Taylor, the former Canadian ambassador to Iran, was also on hand to chat with guests.
New York alumni chapter co-president Russell Makofsky, BComm 07, likened his peers to a close-knit family. “We work together, help each other and stay connected,” he said.
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