Welcome to the Principal's Corner, a regular feature offering Emmanuel College Principal HyeRan Kim-Cragg a chance to share news on updates, current events and milestones with the Emmanuel College and Victoria University community.
New Year's Greetings to everyone reading my first monthly “Principal’s Corner.” I am excited to share a few of the things that keep me occupied and shed light on the life of Emmanuel College.
Attention
Our only elevator has been shut down for repairs. Work on it began on Dec. 21. It is our hope to see it modernized and fully functioning in the near future. This challenge has heightened our awareness of accessibility issues and their implications for accommodating in-person classes throughout the building. It has also forced us to revisit our experience of online learning over the past two years to discern its positive and negative impacts as we assess how this method might help us deal with the disruption to our space. This unexpected elevator shutdown has challenged students, staff and faculty once again to quickly adapt. It is a learning experience for us all.
Good News
The Emmanuel Chapel will soon be a dual delivery space. This is a major five-year investment. With enhanced technology, the chapel will now be able to live-stream religious services and host various events in a hybrid format. Donations to help us pay for this dual delivery system are much appreciated and can be made by visiting the EC Annual Fund page.
More Good News
The Garden Project, which seeks to transform the Emmanuel College courtyard lawn into an ecologically sustainable and Indigenous garden has been launched with the encouraging Seeds of Hope grant from The United Church of Canada (UCC). This project will be completed sometime between the UCC's centennial year in 2025 and Emmanuel College’s centennial year in 2028. It will also involve installing a ramp in the garden area which is currently not wheelchair accessible. Victoria University’s infrastructure and sustainability team (Office of the Bursar) and office of Alumni Affairs & Advancement are closely working with me and Indigenous faculty member Prof. Jonathan Hamilton-Diabo on this worthwhile project! If you would like to make a donation to the Indigenous Garden project at Emmanuel, please visit the EC Annual Fund page.
A Plea
Many of our students are hungry. Last term, the old telephone booth in the Emmanuel College student lounge was used to store and dispense non-perishable food items, toiletries and cleaning supplies to meet the needs of our students. There was an intentional campaign to fill up the booth whose contents at one point had been seriously depleted. This food crisis is one of the brutal effects of the pandemic. Please remember there is a food bank at Emmanuel. Please consider donating things that students can use by emailing Beth Anne Fisher.
A Plan
Starting this term, I would like to feed our students more often. In addition to our monthly community lunch, I am asking local communities of faith to provide an additional monthly meal at Emmanuel. If your congregation/community is able and willing to support this lunch, perhaps sponsoring one per year, please email the office of the principal. I have already had a few initial conversations with United Church congregations in the city and have received positive feedback. The Azerbaijani Women's Support Centre (AWSC), of which our faculty Prof. Nazila Isgandarova is active, is going to feed our students on March 15. In addition to food, there is bound to be nourishing conversation as well.
– Principal HyeRan Kim-Cragg