Today has been designated as National Day of Observance by the Government of Canada to commemorate the people who lost their lives and the significant impacts we have all felt because of COVID-19.
At OCAD University, we pay tribute to all of the health care workers who have worked tirelessly with professionalism and dedication, and we extend our sincere condolences to those who have lost loved ones to the virus.
While our campus has been relatively quiet since we closed our buildings close to a year ago, our faculty and staff have been working from home to provide our students with engaging learning experiences as well as a range of support services. Our students have had to transition from coming to campus to studying in their homes, and we know they have been missing the vibe of being on campus, hanging out with their friends, and creating and making in our studios.
It’s taken a tremendous amount of creativity and hard work to pivot from in-person instruction to remote delivery of our curriculum, and to finding ways to create a sense of community and belonging in a new reality. And while it has been difficult and challenging, our community has come together, demonstrating such resilience and creativity, and an unwavering commitment to supporting one another and our students. OCAD U is indeed a caring community.
So, on this National Day of Observance, I want to thank all the members of the OCAD U community – from our faculty and staff members who have gone above and beyond to deliver engaging learning experiences and services to our students who have shown such resilience and commitment to their learning. We are grateful for the ongoing support of our alumni, donors, supporters and partners, and I look forward to the coming months with optimism.
Ana Serrano
President and Vice-Chancellor
OCAD University