2012 CONFERENCE AND REUNION
SAURG was created as a means through which a group of Acadia alumni could organize an event to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the start of the Acadia Rec program (with a curriculum distinctive from Physical Education). Given concerns over alumni travelling a distance to attend a reunion, it was decided to host a professional conference followed by the reunion. That way, those invited as presenters would probably stay for the reunion, and others might better justify the time and expense to travel to the reunion by the fact that they could also attend a conference.
So, on May 23-25, 2012, a very unique conference was held at Acadia University entitled Creating Community through Connection, Collaboration and Celebration, in recognition of 40 years of the academic program in Recreation. Eight panel sessions were held, each addressing a key societal issue, with all 40 panelists and moderators being graduates of the Acadia Rec program. Participants came from across Canada and the United States and from as far away as Dubai. In addition, there was a spirited three-hour session entitled Five Minutes of Fame where conference participants had an opportunity at the mic to share information about any topic they felt would be of interest to the group.
Following the conference, on May 25-27 the first reunion of Acadia Recreation graduates in 40 years took place on campus. There were representatives spanning all four decades with a strong contingent from the initial classes in the mid 1970’s right up to some who had graduated 2 weeks prior to the reunion. A team of committed current students served as on site volunteers. A myriad of activities took place including campus tour, wine and cheese reception, kick off, nostalgia night, Recreation soapbox, Irving centre tour, Interest group discussions, Return to Planet Acadia, dance of the decades, a chapel service where faculty and students who have passed on were remembered, a tree commemorating the event was planted, and the SAURG AGM.
So, on May 23-25, 2012, a very unique conference was held at Acadia University entitled Creating Community through Connection, Collaboration and Celebration, in recognition of 40 years of the academic program in Recreation. Eight panel sessions were held, each addressing a key societal issue, with all 40 panelists and moderators being graduates of the Acadia Rec program. Participants came from across Canada and the United States and from as far away as Dubai. In addition, there was a spirited three-hour session entitled Five Minutes of Fame where conference participants had an opportunity at the mic to share information about any topic they felt would be of interest to the group.
Following the conference, on May 25-27 the first reunion of Acadia Recreation graduates in 40 years took place on campus. There were representatives spanning all four decades with a strong contingent from the initial classes in the mid 1970’s right up to some who had graduated 2 weeks prior to the reunion. A team of committed current students served as on site volunteers. A myriad of activities took place including campus tour, wine and cheese reception, kick off, nostalgia night, Recreation soapbox, Irving centre tour, Interest group discussions, Return to Planet Acadia, dance of the decades, a chapel service where faculty and students who have passed on were remembered, a tree commemorating the event was planted, and the SAURG AGM.
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