In the fall of 2024, Marianopolis College will host a series of alumni events in Boston, New York, Toronto, and Vancouver. Graduates living outside Montreal will have the opportunity to connect with fellow alumni, build local networks, and celebrate our global community alongside Marianopolis leadership. These upcoming events were inspired by an impromptu reunion last fall in Boston for alumni studying at or graduated from Harvard, organized with the help of Class of 2012 graduates David T. Wu and Ada Hsieh.

Last October, you both helped host and organize an evening for Marianopolis alumni at the Harvard Club in Boston. Having the opportunity to meet Marianopolis graduates who were starting their first semester must have brought back memories about your own transitions from the College to university. What did that first semester or year at university mean to you?

After graduating from Marianopolis, we both started studying at McGill University. The first semester was a transformative and memorable experience. We still remember our first day of class sitting in an auditorium of 700 students from across the world. It was both an exciting and intimidating moment as we focused on disciplines that would pave the way for our future careers at the intersection of healthcare and life sciences.

Looking back, our experiences at Marianopolis definitely allowed us to have a smooth transition to university. The combination of small class size and autonomy to select courses and professors bridged the gap between high school and university seamlessly. Among the countless students at McGill, it is easy for new students to become overwhelmed and disconnected. Seeing friends and colleagues from Marianopolis across campus helped make an unfamiliar place more familiar, and helped to create a support network throughout our studies and careers.

What motivated you to help organize the event in Boston last fall?

This opportunity really came about when Director General Christian Corno reached out regarding new Marianopolis graduates starting their journey at Harvard. We thought it would be a great opportunity to welcome these students to Boston and also bring together a group of alumni to share our diverse experiences and build the community.

What would you say to other alumni who might be interested in reaching out and making themselves available to recent graduates?

Many of our friends have graduated from Marianopolis and the topic of giving back to the college comes up often during our gatherings. As Marianopolis strengthened our friendship, we would like to find ways to pay it forward. To other Alumni interested in giving back, any small gestures counts. From helping one student with some career advice, to supporting a larger scholarship, it’s the thought that counts.

Looking back at your time at Marianopolis, as you were getting ready to transition to university, who were the professors, what were the courses which had a lasting impact?

There are many professors who have made a lasting impact on our life and journey. Just to name a few, Anne Jeannet has always been an avid enthusiast of healthy lifestyle, sports, and collegiality. She encouraged us to find balance between school work and wellness, and was always willing to help participate and organize any student club events. Her office was always available to lend an open ear, and that was a quality that was shared among all the Marianopolis professors and that can’t be replicated elsewhere. We also both engaged in competitive dragon boat and it was great to always see a familiar face during competitions, as Anne is a seasoned veteran of the sport!

In addition, Christopher Turner, Pascal Gallant, Kate Sheckler, Laura Tipney were amazing teachers that inspired us from arts and sciences to sports. And finally, staff members are also an essential aspect of student life and experience. Staff members Josie Cavaliere, Trudy St-Croix and Veronique Champoux all played a key role in our student life and extracurricular experience. Marianopolis college is truly a place where everyone can find their area of interest and thrive with the support of teachers and staff.

How closely do you keep in touch with your friends and connections from Marianopolis?

We are very thankful to have made long lasting friendships and connections during our time at Marianopolis. The small classrooms, and active student life enabled students to mingle and connect with like-minded individuals. The friendships that we have made at Marianopolis are among the closest we have, and despite everyone being busy and living in different cities or countries, we still go out for dinner and drinks whenever we are in town.