A message from the Director

Ken Carter

Though the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador experienced a year like no other in 2020, Grenfell's Office of Engagement continued to reach out to our community collaborators and industry partners. While adhering to health guidelines and university protocols, we were able to continue our work using a variety of adaptations and innovations.

In our new virtual world, we were able to maintain relationships with governments, community and industry, continuing to support community-engaged research projects and building new opportunities in the western region. In the middle of the pandemic, we officially launched the Centre for Research and Innovation, a physical resource in the heart of Corner Brook that will provide the tools, resources and research capacity to enable the development of sustainable and resilient communities in the western region.

Our industry-engaged research projects continued to move forward, such as the work being done with Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Ltd. to repurpose its waste streams. The Navigate Entrepreneurship Centre quickly adapted its support programs to create a virtual entrepreneurial ecosystem for start-ups and entrepreneurs; this community helped many through the pandemic with online coffee breaks, workshops and panel discussions.

In the realm of engaged learning, we continued to offer supports to students such as the development of Grenfell's co-curricular record as well as a virtual "Get Involved Grenfell" Volunteer Fair to encourage student connections with organizations and community groups.

Engagement is central to Memorial University's mission, and in 2020, was critical to the continuity of our sociocultural fiber of our province. Actively connecting and maintaining relationships over the past year has been essential.

I hope as you read the stories and information contained in this report, you will gain a sense of the strides we were able to make, even in the face of the pandemic. Whether virtually or in-person at a distance, we have continued to strengthen our identity as a campus through engaging with our partners and the communities around us.