Dear colleagues,

With Campaign for Acadia wrapping up successfully at the end of December, Dr. Rod Morrison, our Vice-President, Advancement, has announced that he will be retiring effective the end of February 2021.

Rod joined Acadia in 2012, and in his eight years with us, he has been instrumental in rebuilding important relationships in our alumni community, establishing new partnerships with corporate and foundation donors, and strengthening the Advancement team.

As most of you know, Rod and Campaign Director Nancy Handrigan ('92) assembled a distinguished alumni Cabinet led by Nancy McCain ('82) to embark on Campaign for Acadia – the most ambitious fundraising initiative in our University's history. Beyond exceeding the $75-million goal, the Campaign, which launched publicly in 2018, garnered national and international awards and was exceptionally cost-efficient in design and execution.

While Rod oversees Acadia's Advancement program, he also serves as a Director of the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (CCAE) and the California-based PETNA Foundation. When he first arrived on campus, his responsibilities included Communications until 2017, when the unit was moved to the President's Office.

Rod's track record of achievement is significant. I know he takes special pride in the number and range of new awards established to assist and encourage Acadia's students, in the development of our campus infrastructure, and, above all, in the relationships he and his team have forged with alumni and donors at home and abroad.

Under his direction, the Alumni Bulletin and website won national awards, AcadiaTV was honoured nationally and internationally, and Communications received national recognition for its handling of crisis communications during the meningitis outbreak in 2015. And in 2020, Advancement held an amazing online weekend of Homecoming celebrations to connect with alumni around the world during the global pandemic.

Since I arrived at Acadia in 2017, I have come to know and respect Rod as a consummate professional. Acadia University has been enormously fortunate to have had him at the helm of our Advancement team. While I anticipated that Rod would retire once the Campaign was completed, I will be very sorry to see him leave. Fortunately, he will be with us for a few more months as we transition to a post-campaign advancement environment.

While we will miss Rod both personally and professionally, he leaves a legacy of positive change for our entire University community – from improved teaching, learning, and athletics resources to revitalized infrastructure in labs and academic buildings to an enhanced endowment that will make an Acadia education more accessible to generations of future students.

Before Rod leaves, we will provide an opportunity for the community to say farewell. However, this will be done within the pandemic restrictions that will almost certainly be with us into the New Year.

Today, however, please join me in congratulating Rod and thanking him for his many contributions to Acadia and, perhaps most importantly, wishing him and Lynda a long and very enjoyable retirement.

Sincerely,

Peter