There are many ways to make a difference . . .

In this issue, we celebrate the ways in which people are making a difference - be it big or small - at home and as far away as Bangladesh, Haiti, Libya and Peru.

Starting at home, 30 business and community leaders - each of whom has made a profound and lasting difference in their respective areas of work and influence - have agreed to help RRU make a difference in the area of post-secondary education. As inaugural members of the university's Fellows Council, they are charged with advising the university on relevant issues affecting leaders today and into the future.

“These people exemplify community and corporate responsibility,” says RRU president Allan Cahoon. “With their involvement, we can be sure RRU will remain relevant and innovative.

The role of the Fellows Council, established in November 2008, is to guide Royal Roads as it responds to current and emerging labour force and marketplace needs in British Columbia and across Canada. Meet the Fellows.

Another milestone marking a way in which RRU is making a difference was the official opening of an office in downtown Victoria on March 3, 2009. Located at Shoal Point, the new office houses the university’s Corporate Education Division which designs and delivers customized executive education for organizations in the public and private sectors.

“At a time when much of the news is doom and gloom, this is a real success story,” says RRU president Allan Cahoon. “Already, we have secured over $1 million in long-term contracts to deliver tailor-made training to corporations and businesses.”

Jack Stepler is chief executive officer of the Corporate Education Division with Mike Thompson as associate vice-president, business development and Ron Duffell as executive director.

Duffell is also operations director of Leaders for Life.

Tailored for a variety of health leaders - including new graduates, clinicians with a vision for leadership and highly skilled mid-and-senior level leaders from within the health system - Leaders for Life is a professional development program developed as part of a strategic partnership between Royal Roads and the Health Care Leaders' Association of British Columbia.

Royal Roads leads the business operations of Leaders for Life and the Health Care Leaders' Association of British Columbia shares space at RRU's downtown office.

“The new location allows our organization to continue to promote excellence in health services leadership and management,” says Geoff Rowlands, chief executive of the Health Care Leaders' Association of British Columbia.

Corporate education training is delivered on-site in one of two classrooms or at a client’s corporate location.

“Locating this operation at Shoal Point on Dallas Road means we can better serve our business and public sector clients,” says Stepler. “It’s ideally located for executives in downtown Victoria and those commuting from the Lower Mainland via Helijet and float planes.”