President's Message - Ending the year in a spirit of generosity

Ending the year in a spirit of generosity

It is hard to believe the end of 2018 is already here! Before joining family and friends for seasonal festivities or enjoying a well-deserved rest, I wanted to take one final opportunity this year to share the latest news from the Foundation with you.

Launch of our 2019 programs

The launch of our annual competitions on December 3rd generated a tremendously positive response. Thanks to each and every one of you who helped spread the word by sharing the news through your networks and expressed your enthusiasm for our programs.

As was noted the day of the launch, in addition to offering more doctoral scholarships (20 instead of 15), the development of Scholars’ leadership skills will play a greater role in our 2019 programs. Mentors and Fellows will play a key role in this regard, as they will be called upon to share their knowledge, skills and aptitudes with the Scholars during our Institutes for Engaged Leadership. In 2019-20, the events will take place in Washington, D.C. and Yellowknife (NWT), under the scientific theme Power & Knowledge. Our community retreat in Quebec’s Eastern Townships in May will also offer a taste of what the Institutes for Engaged Leadership have in store.

Do you know Ph.D. students, professors and agents of change working in a variety of settings? If so, encourage them to apply to our competition by February 22nd. Full details for applying can be found on our website.

Upcoming event: New Year, New Ideas

On Friday, January 25th, all members of the community – current and former Scholars, Fellows, and Mentors – are invited to our New Year, New Ideas 2019 gathering, to be hosted at the Foundation in Montreal. Together, we will get the year off on the right foot by inviting thoughts and insights on how to foster Inclusive Excellence and Engaged Leadership through our programs. It will also be an opportunity to discuss the progress we have made in recent months.

That's not all. The day will begin with a session on leadership led by Dr. Joseph MacInnis, a founding Member of the Foundation. A physician-scientist, marine explorer, and author, he has built a field of expertise in leadership in high-risk environments, as well as ways to enhance leadership abilities in our personal and professional lives. It will be a great opportunity to hear him share his knowledge.

There is still time to sign up, so I hope many of you are able to join us!

Future Forums

From December 3rd to 6th, our Future Forums consultations on Inclusive Excellence and Engaged Leadership visited Atlantic Canada, stopping in Fredericton, Moncton, Charlottetown and St. John's. As these events continue, I would like to highlight the way in which local and regional realities shape the leadership experience, and also that local leadership is crucial for the advancement of our communities.

The Future Forums are set to continue in January, this time in Ontario. We will be in Toronto on January 14th and 15th and in Ottawa on January 17th. We will also be holding a special session in Kingston on January 16th. I invite you to visit the Future Forums section of our website for additional information.

The Spirit of Holiday Generosity: Volunteering and Giving

The Foundation team has just returned from a volunteer activity with the Fondation du Dr. Julien, a leading community-based social pediatrics charity in Quebec. This activity is part of a new policy at the Foundation to contribute to communities, in ways that channel our four themes. Going forward, the team will be participating in five volunteer activities during regular work hours throughout the year. Volunteering is a meaningful way for a charitable organization such as the Foundation to contribute to communities and demonstrate our commitment to the well-being of our society and our fellow citizens. The Foundation also believes in the benefits volunteering can bring to staff members in terms of teamwork and personal growth. By extension, we believe volunteering is a crucial component our engaged leadership and will be building volunteerism into our Institutes in the future.

The holiday season is a time for generosity. Therefore, I encourage you to donate your time and support causes that are dear to you.

Happy holidays to all!