We hope everyone is preparing for a restful and restorative holiday season and a promising 2023. 2022 was an incredible ride for the MCM community. We’re looking forward to working and learning with you next year, and thought we would take the opportunity to reflect on 2022 and our Fall Residency.

After two long years of remote residencies, we were able to come together for our first in-person residency in February and a second in June. You can have a look at how our beautiful Summer Residency went here.

Fall Residency is a special time. The university is back after a long summer break for many, the air is crisp and the campus is aflame in colour. Fall at McMaster University is a time of promise, with the electricity of a new year of learning in the air. MCM Fall Residency took place in this beautiful setting.

Second year MCMers had two important courses, Marketing Management (taught by Maria Lee-Fook) and Data Science and Analytics (Dr. Alex Sévigny, APR), which establish the platform for year 2 of the MCM, which is focused on strategy, leadership and measurement.

First year MCM candiates took Management Accounting (Adam Prokop) and Organizational Public Relations (Dr. Terry Flynn, APR, FCPRS), key courses aligned to the management and strategy communications theme of the first year of the MCM program.

All courses reinforced the MCM motto, “Where communications and business meet.” The goal of the MCM program is to provide students with the education necessary for them to be leaders and entrepreneurs in the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors.

That means providing core courses aligned to the DeGroote School of Business MBA curriculum, coupled with cutting-edge strategic communications courses taught by successful professionals and leading academic researchers. It’s a winning combination that we believe in. You only have to look at our MCM capstone defenses here to see the MCM philosophy in action!

Fall Residency wasn’t only about academics. Students enjoyed an impactful guest lecture by Daniel Tisch, president, Argyle Communications, during the Fall MCM Gala at the historic Hamilton Club. Daniel gave a deeply personal keynote address in which he detailed his personal journey as an immigrant and leader of Canada’s biggest independent strategic communications firm. He spoke of his family origins in Europe and Argentina and Argyle’s key role in supporting the historic Sixties Scoop lawsuit that was settled in 2022. He described how this has led to Argyle developing an Indigenous justice pillar to their business. His moving address was met with a standing ovation from the MCM community.

Our MCM Master Class was offered by noted Canadian journalism and science communicator, Avis Favaro, who is currently Science Communicator in Residence at McMaster University. Avis shared insightful stories and many tips on how to use social media to effectively promote science and combat misinformation on the web.

Finally, students also enjoyed much personal time together and with faculty. They went on a hike through the trails behind McMaster through Cootes Paradise, led by avid hiker Dr. Alex Sévigny. As well, they had many wonderful, healthy breakfasts and lunches together. One of the core values of the MCM is our community. We come together and build professional and personal relationships during MCM residency. We are a community of life-long learners and scholar-practitioners devoted to advancing our capabilities and success, while building the profession in Canada and around the world.

We are looking forward to our first in-person MCM Winter Residency in February and a wonderful 2023, full of learning, friendship and exciting opportunity.

From our MCM family to yours, a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, the best of the festive season and Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year 2023!