McGillians gathered in large and small groups around the world on March 13. They met for breakfast in Auckland, New Zealand, mingled over drinks in Geneva and Vancouver, and played McGill trivia in Washington, D.C.
The rallying point was McGill24, the 24-hour digital fundraiser that set a new record this year. It raised nearly $2.3 million from 5,244 donations for causes across the University.
Dedicated alumni volunteers who fly the McGill flag played a pivotal role in that success. They helped bring together supporters for McGill24 events. They also act as ambassadors for the University, building the McGill community where they live.
Lynn Chau, BCom’10, helped organize the first ever McGill alumni event in Columbus, Ohio, a McGill24 pub night at a local tavern.
A pub night seemed perfect, especially since the craft brew culture in Columbus is quite strong, Chau says.
“Before we organized the event, I told myself, ‘if even one person shows up, I'll be happy.’ And someone did!” Chau reports.
“We had a good time bonding over our McGill experiences, sharing our personal stories, and reminiscing over life in Canada,” says Chau, a Toronto-area native now living and working in the Buckeye State.
“We also talked about how we could find other alumni in the area and engage them. Either way, we think we'll try to meet once a quarter or so.”
McGill prides itself on being a global university, and that global reach was evident in the McGill24 events held in 24 cities around the globe. They drew nearly 900 people in total, from Shanghai to London, Bermuda to Boston, and Calgary to Vancouver.
Some 200 people attended the McGill24 pub night in Toronto on a heated patio – spring hadn’t officially sprung yet. In Montreal, alumni donned their McGill red and flocked to a downtown restaurant where they heard from McGill Principal Suzanne Fortier.
Ten McGill alumni met for a McGill24 dinner in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The group spanned a wide range of ages and included a 1960s graduate from Macdonald campus and recent McGill graduates.
They challenged one another to donate, says Kwan Tantu Widodo, BEng’83, the volunteer who organized the event.
They also shared memories of McGill. Tantu Widodo, who majored in chemical engineering, remembers computer punch cards, as did others. Their first exposure to winter also came up. She experienced white Christmas in Montreal. “That was beautiful.”
They weren’t a big group, but that’s fine, says Tantu Widodo. “We had a lot of fun.”
Learn more about McGill24, our annual day of giving.