University of Saskatchewan College of Engineering celebrates its first 100 years

"Our reunion is about showcasing our alumni, and thanking them for engaging with and supporting the college," explains Ernie Barber, dean of the College of Engineering. "At the same time, it will be a celebration of everything engineering. We have enough people coming back to make it one heck of a good party."
The centennial weekend kicked off on Thursday with a Research Day, a half-day event showcasing faculty and graduate student research. This morning, over 800 alumni and guests came out to the official opening ceremony featuring a lecture on the history of innovation by best-selling author and special guest, Steven Johnson.
"Innovation is at the core of what engineers do," said Barber, reflecting on the college's proud moments and contributions over the past century and what the future holds. "The work of engineering impacts the world around us, and is more interdisciplinary than ever before." The college's priorities for the future include continuing to attract the best and brightest students and building meaningful partnerships with industry and community partners, including Aboriginal peoples.
One of the college's earliest achievements is the work of its first dean, Chalmers Jack MacKenzie, well known for designing and building Saskatoon's unique Broadway Bridge, a project intended to help the unemployed during the Great Depression. As part of this weekend's celebrations, alumni and friends will gather at the top of the Broadway Bridge for a plaque unveiling and commemoration of C.J. MacKenzie. Centennial participants will take part in a number of events over the weekend, including campus tours, a golf tournament, an iron ring renewal ceremony, an evening gala dinner and individual class reunions.
"We want this reunion to be a celebration of engineering," says Barber. "Our college has an incredible reputation for the excellence of our alumni and the ever-present student spirit and loyalty they have for this university. Graduates have played an important role in shaping Saskatchewan and have made significant contributions to the economy in Saskatoon and around the world."
The College of Engineering offers nine program streams and is home to 1,600 undergraduate students. Over 300 students graduate every year to become professionals and researchers working in Saskatchewan and around the world. There are 400 post-graduate students in Masters and PhD programs, more than 150 staff and faculty, and 13,000 alumni.
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For more information, contact:
Mark Ferguson, University Communications
University of Communications
(306) 966-1815
m.ferguson@usask.ca