People who know me well know that I am a Glendon alumna. I’ve always been proud to flaunt my Glendon connection and, whenever I’ve had an opportunity to come back to the place where I spent my first years in Toronto, I’ve always done so with renewed pleasure.
Over the past two decades, these short 
visits were often related to my work as a journalist for Le Métropolitain, for example, covering a cultural event or an international conference, a meeting with the Principal, an international lecture, the inauguration of the Centre of Excellence, graduation ceremonies, etc. I have even come back here to improve my translation skills.
So, I approached the events surrounding Glendon’s 50th Anniversary with a high sense of anticipation. When I attended the alumni reception on Friday, September 30, I was a bit worried that I wouldn’t know anyone since many of my classmates, most of whom were Francophones, had gone back to Quebec after their graduation from Glendon.
The organizing committee for the 50th Anniversary had planned a few activities for that day, and approximately a hundred Glendon alumni came out to participate. These events included the screening of the film Glendon College – Its First Ten Years, an exhibition of photographs taken by former Glendon Principal David McQueen and the 50th Anniversary alumni reception.
While I didn’t spot any of the students I socialized with during my student days, I did rediscover that Glendon alumni – Anglophones and Francophones alike – are all part of one and the same family. For example, a brief encounter with Pierre David, who came to Glendon after completing high school in la Belle Province in the early 1970s, gave new meaning to these celebrations. A political science major, this Montreal lawyer echoed many other students by stating – loudly and clearly – that his “best years” were spent on York University’s bilingual campus.
“There were about 200 Francophones at Glendon at that time, and I carved out a niche for myself in political science,” recalls Pierre David. The small campus size allowed me to discover my potential, and I created a new family for myself here. Glendon is also where I learned to think and respect other people’s ideas. This training strongly influenced my career path. In addition, four of my friends from that time also studied law after leaving Glendon, just as I did. This campus holds only the best
memories for me.”
Then, suddenly, I heard shouts of joy! Two women couldn’t believe their eyes. One of them, Andrée Tremblay, had just come across an old classmate who had majored in history and is now retired after working many years in the field of education. They, too, considered Glendon to be synonymous with good times. Forty years later – as if time had stood still for four decades – they picked up where they had left off all those years ago.
Following the example of these “Glendonites,” other small groups gathered on the main floor of the Centre of Excellence, where the reception was held. They enjoyed reminiscing about their young adult years on the Glendon campus, where no building is taller than the trees – a fact well demonstrated by the recently built Centre of Excellence.
By Christiane Beaupre, published in Le Métropolitain on October 19, 2016
