Showtime! Get ready for Alumni All-Access 2025

October is right around the corner and with it comes Alumni All-Access (AAA), your annual chance to reconnect, rediscover and celebrate the best of the University of Calgary.  

This year’s lineup has it all: the always-inspiring Arch awards, thought-provoking lectures, hands-on workshops and even a LEGO showdown. Whether you join in the fun online or step back on campus, you’ll find something to spark your curiosity and feed your sense of community. 

Alumni All-Access 2025 is open to everyone — alumni, community members and their families! Space may be limited on some events, so we encourage you to register as early as possible. 

For full details and to register, visit the Alumni All-Access page. 

Oct. 15 

It all kicks off Oct. 15 with something we can all relate to: a virtual session on cybercrime. Many of us have received those suspicious texts and scam emails, but do you know what to you should be doing when they arrive? In How to Stay One Step Ahead of Cybercrime, experts from UCalgary, the Calgary Police Service and the Canadian Cyber Assessment Training and Experimentation (CATE) centre, including alum Angelica “Heli” Meza, BCC’12, MBA’14, MISP’22, share real-world strategies to protect your data, finances and passwords.

Oct. 16 

The very next night, AAA raises the curtain on its signature celebration: the Arch Awards. Now in its 40th year, the prestigious event shines a spotlight on seven alumni whose careers exemplify UCalgary’s bold spirit, from innovators and leaders in medicine and education to champions of community and innovation. This year, we honour Dr. Hude Quan, PhD’98; Gordon Hoffman, MEd’71, Hon. LLD’24; Nannette Ho-Covernton, BSc (Eng)’87; Dr. Tyler Williamson, BSc’05, PhD’11; Dr. Pamela Farrell, EdD’23; Dr. Chenhua Li, PhD’23; and Dr. Haruna Dika, PhD’15. It’s a milestone evening that honours not only these extraordinary individuals, but also the enduring impact of an alumni community more than four decades strong. 

Oct. 18 

For sports fans, the UCalgary Dinos men’s and women’s volleyball teams take to the court for their AAA Double Header Home Opener weekend against the MacEwan University Griffins. Alumni can register for free admission (and parking, too) for this special event! It’s the perfect chance to reconnect with the thrill and energy of campus athletics. 

Did you know? 

If you are a proud UCalgary grad, you can take advantage of a special early bird discount on season tickets for the 2025-26 regular season. Enjoy the action across football, basketball, volleyball, hockey, soccer and more — all leading up to the 2026 U SPORTS Men’s Basketball Final 8 Championship, hosted at UCalgary’s Jack Simpson Gymnasium. Use code UCAlumni2025-26 at checkout to unlock your alumni discount. Offer valid until Sept. 30. >>TICKETS 

Oct. 19

If you’re more into creativity and nostalgia, tap into that energy with the Alumni LEGO Challenge. Led by Calgary firefighters Stephen Joo, BSc’97 and Stephen Cassley, BA’07, runners-up on the TV competition series LEGO Masters, this event invites teams of two to construct a surprise build, complete with a mini Rex the mascot, in just 90 minutes. Expect creative chaos, helpful tips from the masters themselves and some unexpected twists worthy of the show. Your ticket price includes competition admission for a team of two, one LEGO kit (based on your chosen difficulty level) to use as your building materials, refreshments and a complimentary parking code for UCalgary Main Campus. 

Oct. 20 

The spotlight shifts to the future of work in Being Human at Work: Thriving with Soft Skills in an AI World. This lunch-hour webinar explores how communication, adaptability and collaboration are increasingly becoming the career superpowers that complement automation. The speaker, Pauline Greenidge, is a workplace consultant, leadership coach and instructor with UCalgary Continuing Education. As founder and principal of Upward HR, she partners with leaders and teams to strengthen communication, collaboration and workplace effectiveness through leadership development, skills training and coaching. 

Later that day, join the first-ever live recording of Now Innovating: A Research-to-Impact Series. This podcast aims to inspire researchers and community partners to take new steps toward transforming discoveries into solutions, products and services. Hosted by Julia MacGregor, Sr. Marketing and Communications Specialist with the Vice President of Reaserch Office, this special episode features alumni who are finding creative solutions in circular plastics and gives you, the audience, a chance to join the conversation.  

That evening, Dr. Janna Klostermann, PhD, an assistant professor in the Department of Sociology, invites you to rethink care in our communities through a pop-up performance-style lecture, weaving stories and research together to challenge how we view aging, gender and equity. In this presentation, Klostermann will share how her research enacts a “counter politics of care” approach centred on telling, eliciting, and tending to untold or lesser-told stories of care. 

Oct. 21

Just past the halfway point, and there is plenty more where that came from. Check out a rare behind-the-scenes field trip to the Aerospace Innovation Hub. From futuristic prototypes to the startups turning science fiction into fact, get a front-row look at how UCalgary and Innovate Calgary are shaping the future of flight. Step inside for a guide tour from Alex Guo, BSc (Eng)’23, the prototyping lab manager. Afterwards, you’ll meet Dr. Colin Hill, BSc (Eng)’17, PhD’22, and Mac Hunik, the Hub’s Aerospace Accelerator Fellows, who will share the companies they are building and the tech they are developing 

For aspiring digital creators, the day also features From Idea to App: Build with Vibe Coding, a beginner-friendly online workshop introducing the Vibe Coding platform, showcasing how anyone can bring their app idea to life without prior experience. Just practical insights, live demos and a welcoming space to discover your creative potential. You’ll meet Alim Charaniya, a serial tech startup founder and product strategist with a deep background in mobile development and startup growth, as well as Dr. Vui Kien Liau, PhD, associate director (technology programs) with UCalgary Continuing Education. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, educator or just curious about building something new, this webinar will show you how to take the first step toward becoming an app creator in today’s no-code/low-code era.  

Finally that evening, alumni with a heart for service can don an apron and join the “Soup Squad” in Ladle UP! and help prep ingredients for meals that nourish UCalgary students. This volunteer opportunity is a great way to reconnect with your alma mater, meet fellow alumni and support our vibrant community. The Campus Food Hub is a space dedicated to improving food access and food literacy for students. The Ladle UP! program provides an opportunity for students to have a soup lunch for only $2.  

Oct. 22 

History buffs are in for a treat as historian Dr. Tim Cook, PhD, a member of the Order of Canada, delivers a special Highlander’s Lecture Alumni All-Access event. Join Dr. Cook and the Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies for an illustrated lecture on how Canada and the U.S. went from suspicion to solidarity during the Second World War.  

Oct. 23

The following day, you’ll have a chance to explore the cutting-edge work happening inside the Life Sciences Innovation Hub with Field Trip: Journey Into Innovation, where groundbreaking research becomes real-world health-care solutions. You’ll meet Alla Bondareva, the Hub’s associate director. Located in the vibrant University Innovation Quarter just north of Main Campus, this 127,000-sq.-ft. facility includes modern wet- and dry-lab spaces equipped with everything from microscopes to incubators. 

In the evening, clinical professor Dr. Gurdeep Parhar, MD’92, brings a fresh perspective on ADHD to Embracing Neurodiversity: ADHD in the Workplace, highlighting both the challenges and the often-overlooked strengths of neurodiverse colleagues. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is growing in awareness in numerous populations. This presentation will offer an insightful exploration into ADHD and its impact within professional environments. 

Later that night, grab your popcorn for Science in the Cinema at Calgary’s Central Library, featuring a screening of Warrior Fathers, the moving story of a Stoney Nakoda father navigating parenthood in a colonial world, followed by a panel discussion with director Chris Hsiung and producer / star Thomas Snow, BA’14.  

Oct. 24

Step into a world where words come to life! You can unleash your creativity in a Writing Workshop: Painting a Scene Through Words with award-winning instructor Heather Clitheroe, BA’01. This fun session promises to transform your writing from bland to brilliant. Clitheroe teaches courses in science fiction and fantasy, mystery, fan fiction, and business writing. She also leads creative writing programs for teens and adults at the Calgary Public Library.  

Clitheroe will also moderate what promises to be a lively panel that evening. Immerse yourself in one of today’s hottest genres, fantasy romance, as New York Times bestselling author Danielle L. Jensen headlines Let’s Talk Fantasy Romance. She’ll be joined by alum Shannon MacNaughton, MBA’19, co-founder of Slow Burn Books. This panel discussion will include an audience Q&A and book signing!  

Oct. 25

AAA’s wrap-up day features two marquee events: the annual UCalgary Open House, where future students and families can explore programs and campus life (with alumni on hand to welcome them), and a thought-provoking Saturday Morning at the Law School session on What Canada Can Learn From Global Climate Migration Policies. With countries like Australia pioneering new approaches to climate-driven migration, what lessons can Canada learn? This conversation promises to be both timely and vital and will be led by expert Kamaal Zaidi, BSc’97, LLM’10. 

From LEGO bricks to big ideas, volleyball cheers to visionary lectures, Alumni All-Access 2025 is a week-long showcase of everything that makes our community vibrant. Whether you join us in person or online, there’s no better time to reconnect with your alma mater. 

Alumni programs are made possible through the generous support of UCalgary Alumni Association Partners TD Insurance and Manulife.