Milestones and memories at Alumni Reunion
The Sheldon and Tracy Levy Student Learning Centre was packed as former TMU classmates reunited at Alumni Reunion, many travelling to the event from across Canada, with some arriving from the U.S. and Asia.
Hundreds took the opportunity to visit buildings like the Rogers Communications Centre and the Ted Rogers School of Management, attend a Campus Tour or be guided by a docent at The Image Centre to view the renowned Richard Avedon photography exhibit (external link) . TMU’s Archives and Special Collections brought out photographs and memorabilia speaking to the stories of the thousands of students who have walked the halls since this institution’s founding.
Check out the full Alumni Reunion photo gallery.
Alumni in the family
For Robert Henstridge (Hospitality and Tourism ’86), his family’s TMU connection spans three generations. Robert’s late father, William, was one of the very first graduates of what was then the Ryerson Institute of Technology, founded in 1948 as a training ground for the post-World War II economy. Robert’s daughter, Sandra, graduated in 2022 from the Hospitality and Tourism Management program.
Leo Cusumano (Civil Engineering ’86), and Tina Cusumano (Office and Administrative Studies ’86), both met while students at TMU. Their children, Josephine and Simon, are also alumni, graduating in 2012 and 2015, respectively. Leo notes they still have the voicemail recording of former TMU President Sheldon Levy calling to congratulate Josephine on her receipt of a TMU Gold Medal, the university’s highest academic honour for students.
The Class of ’86 gathers to receive 40th anniversary pins at Alumni Reunion. Front row, fourth from left: Tina Cusumano and Leo Cusumano. Top row left: Robert Henstridge.
Staying connected
In the 60 years since they graduated, the Architectural Technology Class of ’66 has regularly kept in touch. Ernie Gelmich travelled to Toronto from Winnipeg with his wife to attend Alumni Reunion. Stewart Crawford was last on campus 15 years ago, when the company he worked at, Ivanhoe Cambridge, held Stewart’s retirement party at the Mattamy Athletic Centre.
TMU’s Class of ’66 take their turn at the podium. Stewart Crawford is at the far right and Ernie Gelmich fourth from right.
Craig Fairclough, who served as a reunion coordinator for the Occupational Health and Safety’s (OHS) Class of ’96, called up his OHS cohort. Edward Morgan travelled in from Calgary with his wife, Michelle Colleton, also an OHS alum. Jeff Sproule travelled in from Nova Scotia.
Occupational and Public Health alumni gather, including, first from left: Michelle Colleton, third from left: Edward Morgan; fourth from left Jeff Sproule; and fifth from left: Craig Fairclough.
James McGee (Film and Photography ’81) brought along specially printed “Rye High 5” T-shirts for his alumni friends and shared a photo of the five from 1981. They happily posed for a then and now photo at Reunion.
The Image Arts Class of ’81 now and then. From left: Richard Cairns, James McGee, John Sutton, Bob Lynn, Kint Quon.
Milestone years
The event concluded eight floors up at the Sarabjit S. Marwah Learning Exchange, with a special reception for alumni celebrating milestone years since their graduation. Each was handed a pin commemorating their anniversaries by President and Vice-Chancellor Mohamed Lachemi.
Among them was Diane Bickley, Fashion ’61, who received a pin to mark her 65th milestone year – as well as a standing ovation from the crowd.
From left: Catherine Paisley, chair, TMU Board of Governors; Mohamed Lachemi; Diane Bickley; Donette Chin-Loy Chang, chancellor, TMU.
For the class of 2021, who did not have an in-person convocation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was an opportunity to formally cross a stage and be congratulated by President Lachemi and TMU Chancellor Donette Chin-Loy Chang.
TMU’s Class of ’21 — and hopefully one future TMU alum — were given pins to commemorate their milestone fifth anniversary.
For many alumni, not only was it a time of reconnection. Many felt gratitude for how their education paved the way for both the personal and the professional. Said Michelle Colleton (Occupational and Public Health ’97), who met husband Edward Morgan (Occupational and Public Health ’96), when they were both students: “We owe a lot to this school here.”
Keep the Alumni Reunion spirit going! Consider being an Alumni Reunion coordinator for 2027. We’ll be honouring graduates with years ending in a ’2 or ’7.