Change…never stops, however we at times wish it would. After thirteen years at CTE it is time to bow out. When I first started, I was hired by the TRACE Department (Teaching Resources and Continuing Education). There was a director, Gary Griffin, associate director, Donna Ellis (now director), Verna Keller, myself and one TA developer. We offered six to eight workshops per term. After a few years we amalgamated with LT3 (Learning and Teaching Through Technology) to form what is now CTE. We have certainly come a long, long way. Now we have a permanent staff of 19, along with 9 contract graduate students and 2 coop students. We offer more than 30 events per term for the university community.
I’ll miss the university as I have spent most of my working years here, starting in the early 70’s, taking a break to raise two daughters, Stefanie, who has a MSc (Molecular Biology & Genetics) from Guelph and Natalie who has an BScN (Nursing) from McMaster. I returned to work on a casual basis to what was once the Correspondence Department, now the Centre for Extended Learning. Then I got a full-time position at St. Paul’s United College. From St. Paul’s I moved to the TRACE Office. But, most of all, I’ll miss the people, friends I have worked with, students and faculty. What a wonderful community to have been a part of!
Now, again, it’s time for a big change for me. My husband and I made a deal: I would retire the year after he did…so here I go. With three grandchildren under the age of two and elderly parent/-in-laws, my family needs me for the next little while. Since my husband and I have travelled through the United States and Europe, it’s time now to see Canada coast-to-coast, which we’ll start visiting next summer.
Farewell all, the memories will be forever in my heart.