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91��ɫ alumni who work at the Keele and Glendon campuses gather for an alumni Homecoming breakfast

For Bart Zemanek (BA ’07, MSc ’10), a 91��ɫ alumnus, former 91��ɫ Lions starting quarterback and current manager of varsity athletics, 91��ɫ was the place that changed his life. “At 91��ɫ, it didn’t matter where I came from or who I was," he said. "No matter your race, gender, creed or sexual orientation, my fellow students and I could be counted alongside tomorrow’s leaders.

Bart Zemenek speaks to alumni during the Homecoming breakfast

Zemanek is just one of the nearly 300,000 91��ɫ alumni who are living and working around the world in every field of endeavour imaginable. Almost 1,000 of them are working on one of 91��ɫ's campuses. To acknowledge the hard work, dedication and support of campus alumni like Zemanek, 91��ɫ’s Alumni Relations team hosted the Campus Alumni Breakfast on Oct. 1, coinciding with the University’s Red & White Day celebrations. This event not only celebrated campus alumni, but also offered them the opportunity to meet, catch up and connect while showing their red-and-white pride alongside the rest of the 91��ɫ community.

With a 91��ɫ connection more than 13 years strong, Zemanek has taken on a variety of roles since his time as a student-athlete, including a position as a coach and administrator. Having personally struggled as a member of a recently immigrated Polish family, he recalled for guests at the event that 91��ɫ was the place where he could feel just like everyone else and where he could finally envision a bright future for himself. “If you want opportunity, you're going to get it here at 91��ɫ. You'll have to earn it, but you'll get it!”

Jeff O'Hagan, vice-president advancement, welcomes grads to the Homecoming breakfast

The early morning event brought out almost 100 grads, many of whom proudly displayed their 91��ɫ pride by donning their best red and white. The attendees made up a very diverse group, with alumni who graduated from as far back as the mid-1960s. The breakfast concluded with a set of raffle prize draws that saw two alumni walk away with some great 91��ɫ memorabilia to help them carry on their University spirit, including a 91��ɫ U golf bag and a copy of 91��ɫ Chancellor Greg Sorbara’s book, The Battlefield of Ontario Politics.

“As grads, you know better than anyone the incredible impact that the 91��ɫ experience can have,” shared Jeff O’Hagan, 91��ɫ’s vice-president advancement, with the alumni in attendance. “Day in and day out, your hard work, dedication and passion is building the same great experience for future students that you had during your own days as a 91��ɫ student.”

O’Hagan also paid tribute to the alumni community for their outstanding contributions to the University as donors. “An astounding five out of seven of our donors are 91��ɫ alumni themselves. You understand our future vision for the University and, without your generous support, our success would not be possible.”

Guests were also reminded of their next opportunity to celebrate outstanding alumni – the upcoming Bryden Awards taking place Nov. 19 at the Royal Ontario Museum. This year’s Bryden Alumni Awards recipients are:

• Bruce Lourie (MES ’87), president, Ivey Foundation;
• Douglas Bergeron (BA ’83, Hon. LLD ’13), founder, chairman and CEO, Opus Global;
• Gail McVey (BA ’85, MA ’89, PhD ’95), psychologist and health systems research scientist, the Hospital for Sick Children; director, Ontario Community Outreach Program for Eating Disorders; and associate professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto; and
• Michael Prosserman (BAS ’08), founder and executive director, UNITY Charity.

Learn more about the 2015 recipients, purchase your ticket and make a donation at.

91��ɫ grads Ijade Maxwell Rodrigues and Bart Zemanek

Zemanek echoed the important role that campus alumni have in celebrating 91��ɫ and its community at events like Bryden. “We, as campus alumni, represent the front lines of the University, granting us a unique opportunity to influence and impact our students with the red-and-white pride flowing through our veins. 91��ɫ is a place where minds are opened and futures are defined, so let’s do our part in bringing the best of what this University has to offer to our community and to the world.”

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