By Elizabeth Kane
The early fall sun was shining on Carleton University as returning Ravens flocked to campus to celebrate Throwback – Carleton’s homecoming celebration. From Sept. 23 to 29, the 2023 edition of Throwback welcomed more than 3,000 enthusiastic attendees to 30 alumni and community events.
“It was a pleasure to welcome everyone back home for a few days,” says Christina Chénard, assistant director, Alumni and Community Liaison. “It was inspiring to see every faculty and athletics all represented and celebrating together.”
Faculty of Engineering and Design alumni networking event. Photo by Melanie Mathieu.
“There were great lectures, celebrations and discussions about substantive issues—opportunities to connect current students and student-athletes with the university’s history and pathways to the future.”
“Throwback really creates a special energy on campus, and reminds us all of the lifelong relationships we build here.”
The festivities began with a weekend collection of academic and athletic reunions, 70th anniversary celebration for the Department of Earth Sciences and three-day architectural symposium hosted by the Azrieli School of Architecture & Urbanism.
Saturday and Sunday saw impressive victories on the field as both the Ravens football team and women’s rugby team defeated their challengers on home turf.
Carleton Ravens football game against the Toronto Varsity Blues held on Sep 23, 2023. Photo by Marc Lafleur.
As the week progressed, the celebrations picked up speed.
On Sept. 25, the Azrieli School of Architecture & Urbanism held a Forum Lecture event that saw alumni, students, faculty and community members take in the beauty of the Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre (CDCC) and hear from Paul Lewis, of LTL Architects, as he presented a case to rethink the material basis of architecture in a time of environmental crisis.
That same evening saw the community launch of MacOdrum Library’s Wellness Desk – an opportunity for guests to share Carleton’s comprehensive vision for student wellness and learn about how the desk will help students navigate resources in times of stress.
Events returned to the downtown area on Tuesday evening with the launch of the Hive @ CDCC – a collection of small meeting rooms and practice rooms. Attendees had the opportunity to view the new space and take part in a drumming workshop.
Community launch of MacOdrum Library’s Wellness Desk, supported by the Carleton Alumni Association.
On the Carleton campus, the Department of English Language and Literature hosted a literary and dramatic arts event where students shared their original work in both showcase and open mic formats.
The midpoint of the week saw the university host two informative and engaging events.
At the CDCC, 200 guests attended Navigating Cannabis and Mental Health, where faculty from both the Faculty of Science, which recently celebrated its 60th anniversary, and the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences discussed the intricate relationship between cannabis use and mental health.
The Carleton Annual Biology Butterfly Show. Photo by Brenna Mackay.
Wednesday evening also saw the Faculty of Public Affairs host its annual Currents Lecture. Amira Elghawaby, Canada’s Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia, journalist, human rights advocate and Carleton alumna, presented Islamophobia: an ongoing threat to building the society we deserve.
Faculty of Public Affair’s Currents Lecture featuring alumna Amira Elghawaby, Canada’s Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia.. Photo by Leo Solano.
Sept. 28 saw a variety of alumni networking events and reunions take place, including for the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, the Faculty of Engineering and Design, and the Department of Economics. The Sprott School of Business hosted an MBA reunion that evening, celebrating 15 years since the launch of the program.
That evening, the School of Journalism and Communication hosted the 14th Attallah Lecture with Prof. Eve Ng. In the lecture, Between Legacy and Streaming: Mainstreaming Gays in the 21st Century, Ng discussed the mainstreaming of LGBTQ content and what it has meant for media production and culture more broadly.
As the work week wrapped up, the Department of Neuroscience hosted a special alumni lecture as part of its Neuroscience Colloquium. Presented by Prof. Hymie Anisman, Canada research chair in Behavioural Neuroscience, With Cures in Mind – a 50 Year Journey led attendees through a fascinating history of the field.
Carleton Ravens Women’s Basketball Invitational on Sept. 30, 2023. Photo by Charles Fortin
The final weekend of celebrations saw Throwback end on a high note as the Ravens took to the court and the pitch. The women’s basketball team was undefeated at the Carleton Ravens Fall Invitational Tournament, while both the men’s and women’s soccer teams emerged victorious in their games against RMC.
Wednesday, October 4, 2023 in Alumni, Community, Events, Throwback
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