The best years of their lives
Danielle Morin stopped emceeing the proceedings long enough to mark her own 20th anniversary.
Photos by Luigi D’Astolfo - IPI
John Hall remembers when a graduating student “knew everybody.” For him, that was in 1954, and the university was like a family. Of course, it helped that his father, Henry F. Hall was the president of the university. By 1967, he had been asked to create a personnel department at Sir George Williams.
One of the bright young men he hired five years later was Gerry Jones, now in charge of Payroll. He and Hall, who has taught business courses for many years, reminisced May 18 at the 42nd annual Long-Service Reception in the Oscar Peterson Concert Hall.
When sociology professor Hussein Merhi looks back over his 20 years at Concordia, he thinks of how many times he had to move his office. Now he’s on the Loyola Campus, and he loves it. “I think it’s the idea of the country,” he said with a smile. “My parents had a farm in Lebanon.”
Françoise Sullivan is a distinguished artist who teaches on the side, but she’s done it for 30 years. She recalled that her early painting classes were six hours straight. “It was exhausting. And I also taught dance then, two three-hour classes a week.”
Sandra-Lynn Spina remembers her job interview 30 years ago. “I was interviewed by June Chaikelson, who was chair of the Psychology Department. I wore layers of makeup and had my nails polished. I had worked in private industry and that’s how we had to look. But here, it was: Relax! I loved it.”
Ramesh C. Sharma has been teaching in the business school for 45 years.
There were married couples. Garry Milton was celebrating 35 years, and his wife, Wendy Hedrich, 25 years. Maria Peluso went onstage to be congratulated for her 25 years, and then went up again to accept a gift and certificate for her husband, Everett Price, who has served 35 years but is in hospital.
Board chairman Peter Kruyt expressed his gratitude to a former teachers. Dan Otchere, celebrating 35 years, had his photo taken with his son Kwabena, who works in the library.
President Claude Lajeunesse congratulated each of the 137 employees and expressed the university’s gratitude for their dedication to duty.
One woman exclaimed afterwards, “I’m so glad I came! Morale is very low where I work, and I nearly didn’t. This was really nice.”
The record at this reception, which recognizes long service in five-year increments, was set by Ramesh C. Sharma (Physics), who has been teaching at Concordia for 45 years.
Emcee Danielle Morin, marking her 20th anniversary at Concordia, voiced the thoughts of many when she said, “You wake up one day and ask yourself, Where did the time go?”
Here is a complete list of honorees:
20 years / 20 ans
25 years / 25 ans
30 years / 30 ans
Dan Otchere (Economics) marks his 35th year.
35 years / 35 ans
40 years / 40 ans
45 years / 45 ans