The Oxford Dictionary defines聽the term聽鈥渂elonging鈥� as 鈥渢he feeling of being comfortable and happy in a particular situation or with a particular group of people.鈥澛燣ately,聽I have been thinking a lot about this concept聽and聽how it relates to聽the School of Continuing Studies (SCS). Many聽typically聽think of continuing education聽as聽a means to聽an end; you learn in order to聽upskill, reskill, get a new job,聽or earn a promotion.聽But it is also so much more.聽Perhaps most importantly,聽continuing聽education聽is about聽a sense of聽belonging.聽聽
Whether you are a newcomer to聽Canada, a career shifter switching from one聽professional path to another, a career advancer聽moving on to a new rung on the career ladder,聽or聽you are聽transitioning to a new chapter in your personal life,聽you come to SCS聽as a learner聽to聽expand your horizons聽and become more comfortable聽with new聽knowledge, ideas,聽skills聽and people.聽This contributes to a greater sense of belonging.聽And for those of us who teach and work聽here, we too seek to聽feel聽comfortable, to grow, and聽to belong.聽We聽come together around a common mission: to advance and mobilize our combined knowledge and curiosity聽not only for our own growth,聽but for the betterment of聽society at large.聽聽
For聽example, the聽School聽has partnered with聽the Quebec government to make our聽Certificate in聽Computers and Information Technology聽and Certificate聽in聽础辫辫濒颈别诲听颁测产别谤蝉别肠耻谤颈迟测聽鈥� a brand new online program聽鈥撀燼vailable for full-time study and thus聽eligible聽for聽scholarship funding聽under the auspices of the聽聽program.聽This will help individuals who聽are unemployed return to the workforce 鈥� another form of belonging.聽We also continue to offer courses and programs designed to address聽the聽critical聽needs of聽our聽community聽and to ensure that no one is left behind 鈥� whether through聽data science and machine learning, legal translation,聽or聽through language acquisition in French or English, among many others.聽
I am also excited to聽launch our Equity, Diversity聽and聽Inclusion聽(EDI)聽working group this聽fall. This group will be working聽through sub-committees聽and volunteers聽to聽foster聽a stronger culture of belonging for all.聽The聽focus聽of our EDI initiative聽is not only to attract聽individuals from聽the聽full spectrum of聽diverse聽identities and beliefs, but also聽to ensure聽that聽everyone聽is able to actively contribute, to be valued,聽and to thrive within our community.聽Our Indigenous Relations Initiative,聽equipped聽with a聽new strategic plan, continues to work with partners聽from many different communities, including聽Inuit, Cree,聽Mohawk,聽and M茅tis,聽to ensure聽progress on the聽Truth and Reconciliation Calls to聽Action, as聽well as聽access聽to聽the full range of聽socio-economic opportunities.聽
We聽have聽also聽been working hard to聽make sure that everyone feels physically comfortable.聽We have updated and renovated some classrooms聽and office spaces.聽Protective measures are in place all throughout our building and campus 鈥� from hand sanitizers to masks and plexiglass where appropriate.聽聽
Each and every聽one of you has worked hard to maintain a life,聽personally and聽professionally, and聽to聽support your families, friends, neighbours,聽and employers聽during these long months of separation, isolation, fear, sickness,聽and loss.聽We still wake up every day to the challenges of COVID-19 and聽must adjust to a 鈥渘ew normal.鈥� But I hope that you聽will聽also聽take a moment to聽acknowledge聽your successes聽and acknowledge how far you have come.聽Thanks to all your聽collective聽efforts, we聽are a stronger community聽now.聽I cannot tell you how much I appreciate that thought alone and how much I look forward to seeing many of you in person again.聽It is a great feeling to belong somewhere,聽and I hope that you will find SCS and McGill that place for you聽as we start a new academic year聽together.