Humber Polytechnic alumna Jennifer MacKenzie returns to her alma mater every year for Alumni Fest.

It’s not like the 2002 Nursing graduate lives just around the corner either – she’s a registered nurse in Thunder Bay. However, MacKenzie says she tries to come back each year to be a part of the festivities.

The former Humber Hawk was a student athlete during her time at Humber and served as a captain for the women’s volleyball team and was named an all-Canadian. Her son currently plays on the men’s team.

“Being at Humber was literally the best experience of my life outside of having my own kids and raising a family,” said MacKenzie. “Some of my best memories are being at Humber and playing volleyball here.”

Humber hosted Alumni Fest from September 13-21 which featured events and activities including Toronto Blue Jays and Argonauts games and a virtual workshop. It culminated with Campus Day on September 21. Held at North Campus, there were tours, opportunities to interact with technology including drones, AR and VR, and to engage with the Barrett Centre for Technology Innovation’s humanoid robot Pepper.

There were also drop-ins at the world-class Golf Lab where participants could meet with golf experts and test their driving skills for a chance to win a prize. As well, there were volleyball and basketball games between varsity alumni and current Humber student athletes.   

Aisha Shaikh, a 2021 Graphic Design graduate, attended Campus Day and feels Humber does an excellent job staying connected with its more than 315,000 alumni. Shaikh said the outreach Humber does, coupled with the events and perks offered to alumni, makes it feel like she’s a valuable part of the community.

“Events such as this are really cool and allow us to remain connected to Humber,” said Shaikh. “I actually came to Alumni Fest last year and wanted to come back again this year to be a part of the fun.”

Jacquelyn Assinewe originally took Fashion Arts and Business before taking a pathway into the Bachelor of Commerce – Fashion Management program. Assinewe went from being a student with a work-integrated learning position to a part-time employee to being employed full-time as an Indigenous Student Advisor at Humber.

She found connection with her Indigenous peers through Indigenous Education and Engagement, calling it her “safe space” while on campus, and made lifelong friends there.

“I love the environment at Humber and I just really like being here,” said Assinewe. “Everyone is so friendly.”

Cheryl Pinto is manager, Employee Engagement and Learning and Organizational Effectiveness Support at Humber. She’s also a graduate of the Business Administration program. Pinto fondly remembers her time at Humber and the meaningful interactions she had with her professors and what a great culture Humber had established.

Pinto brought her son with her to see what Humber offers and that it’s not just a place where she works but a post-secondary institution engaging with youth and preparing them with the skills needed for future career success.

Stay up to date with the latest news and events by visiting the Alumni and Advancement website.