"One of this Faculty's most important relationships is with you." - James Rush
Earlier this year we honoured Recreation and Leisure Studies grad Dorothy Dowling with the 2016 Alumni Achievement Award. While preparing for that event, I ran across an interview with Dorothy in which she said something that’s resonated with me ever since: “Relationships are the true currency of life.”
I couldn’t agree more. Here at Waterloo Applied Health Sciences (AHS) we understand that strong relationships are the foundation of everything we do. These include those tangible relationships formed on campus between colleagues, teachers, and students, as well as the partnerships we build with other institutions and community members as we work together to increase knowledge about health, well-being and the prevention of disease.
Alumni gifts and service strengthen everything we do
Of course, one of the most important of these relationships is with you, our alumni family. We’re proud to see you serving as ambassadors and advocates for our shared commitment to protecting and promoting health and well-being and preventing illness and injury across the life course. In addition, we are enriched by the thoughtful advice, guidance, volunteer service, and financial support offered by so many of you.
These generous gifts strengthen everything we do, and we are profoundly grateful for each and every one.
In these pages you’ll find stories about outstanding scholars, fellow alumni, current research and other news meant to help keep you up to date with the exciting things going on at AHS today. I hope you’ll find much to enjoy, and I encourage you to get in touch if you have a story to share, or would like to be more closely involved in what we’re doing here at AHS.
The real key to innovation
In closing, I’d like to share another sentiment, this one from author Walter Isaacson, who wrote the 2011 bestselling biography of Steve Jobs. Speaking at last year’s Waterloo Innovation Summit, Isaacson shared a thought he had extracted from his many conversations with Jobs: “Real innovation takes collaboration — and the best and hardest thing to create is not the product itself, but the team behind it.”
We are grateful you are part of our team. Thank you for everything you do to further the AHS mission of creating a better, healthier world for all.
To find out how you can become more involved with AHS, contact Wanda K. Deschamps, Director of Advancement: wanda.deschamps@uwaterloo.ca, 519-888-4567, ext. 38427.
