BComUnity: Good Vibes Only

Last year we all had to adapt in unexpected ways. Although much of the year was spent in isolation, when we could, we still found ways to safely connect with our communities, whether that was from a distance of six feet or virtually. It is that spirit of community that led the Alberta School of Business undergraduate office to create BComUnity. Launched in late December, BComUnity set out to recognize students and staff for their hard work and resilience during a very challenging semester by putting a call out for nominations for students, staff and faculty who may be in need of a little pick-me-up.  

“BComUnity was inspired by one of our students who approached me with concerns that fellow students were feeling quite isolated with all the online learning and the public health restrictions,” said Leo Wong, associate dean at the School of Business undergrad office. 

“Our hope for BComUnity was to recognize all the positive, often smaller, gestures that our students, staff and faculty have been supporting each other with, and to spread positive messages of encouragement so our students feel supported and part of our School of Business community.”

In response to the pandemic, the Fall 2020 semester saw all in-person classes transition to online learning across the university. Remarkably, the large scale endeavour of moving 40,000 students, hundreds of courses, and 89,000 exams online was successfully completed in three days. However, despite the logistical win, the impacts of virtual learning on mental health were soon felt by staff, faculty and most notably students—who were missing the connections with their peers and the student life they were used to back when they could attend classes on campus. 

“We often see students recognized for their accomplishments or involvement in extracurricular activities and student clubs,” said Leanne Yang, ‘21 BCom and student organizer of BComUnity. “BComUnity allows students who may not be visibly involved in clubs to be recognized by friends and professors for their resilience during an unusual year. Through this initiative, we hope to reach as many students as possible to let them know that others are cheering them on.”

In total, 441 nominations were received— of these, 247 undergraduate students were nominated, four MBA students, and 23 staff/faculty members with a number of people receiving multiple nominations. In the end, 40 lucky entries will be randomly selected to receive a $25 gift card from Starbucks, generously provided by RBC’s Future Launch program. 

Keep your eyes open on the School’s social media channels for the names of the winners and for more details on the next BComUnity draw happening in March.