Family - 28 years

Last Friday - September 21 - was Mary's birthday and also our 28th wedding anniversary. We brought Fiona along and had dinner together in Burlington where Mark lives at the moment (about 45 minutes from Fonthill). After dinner we enjoyed a short walk along the shore of Lake Ontario and Hilary took some nice photos....

A moment of reflection and on we go again.....; we are a lucky bunch....

MSF at York

James Orbinski - a good friend from the crazy years with MSF - is setting up a fascinating research institute at York University on global/planetary health. Tonight they organized an inaugural lecture by the current International President of MSF on humanitarian work in the 21st century.

A wonderful, thought provoking and sincere presentation from Joanne followed by a question and answer period between James and Joanne including several questions from the audience. After all of that James had a moment to do a selfie with me. He is truly a very special human being...

Action shots in the new office

So happy to see our new reception desk functioning in a way I have envisioned since I started at Seneca four years ago. Sweet patience, but now it starts to look modern, inviting and professional.

At each work-station there are cushions which can be used as seats. One of our student ambassadors is showing it on the photo above. Something to get used to for folks, but very cool...

We are a "happening place" again. Still lots of details to be finished, but important milestone.

New offices - time to move in

The new offices of Seneca International at the main Newnham campus are ready to move in today. One of the outside windows offers a view of the world....

The reception desk is shaped as a "globe" and takes a very prominent and welcoming atmosphere in this office where we mostly welcome prospective students, agencies and other business partners we have locally and around the world. Behind it to the right is an open space with a small kitchenette and relaxed furniture which will arrive in a few weeks; a bit like Google/Facebook style atmosphere. Also three small meeting rooms because the work-stations are designed in an open office area style.

The meeting rooms are at the moment a bit of storage until we unpack everything again after having camped out in a temporary space for almost five months during the renovations.

To the other side of the central reception desk is the office area for about 30 staff consisting of our business development and projects & contracts teams; excited to move in our new digs...

In the back we have a number of so-called "hoteling work-stations" with lockers for those who only every now and then are in Toronto. From the back the view towards the reception desk:

Happy and proud to have initiated and steered this office transformation. Ready for the next years of impacting the internationalization of Seneca....