MPC 2011 Reunion: When Technology is not Enough

By: Ian Ray Barcarse, MPC 2015

Technology is a wonderful thing. It allows us to build communities, maintain relationships, and keep in touch with people near and far. But what happens when technology is not enough?

For the MPC class of 2011, it meant reuniting face-to-face.

On Thursday, March 5, 2015, The School of Professional Communication welcomed the first MPC graduates back to Ryerson for an intimate get together. Despite busy schedules, long commutes, and the frigid winter cold, seven members of the inaugural cohort came back to campus to reconnect.

Nearly four years after graduation, the alumni caught up with one another to talk about work, life, and MPC memories. Dr. John Shiga, Acting Graduate Program Director explained, “this event was a great opportunity for alumni to reconnect and see how the MPC and ProCom programs have developed in the past few years.”

In partnership with the ProCom Alumni Association (PCAA), the alumni also received an exclusive tour through the new ProCom spaces. The tour included the innovative Practicum Centre with state-of-the-art workspaces, the ProCom Flexlabs that are perfect for hands-on courses, and the MPC lounge that has been approved for over $13,000 worth of renovations.

Needless to say, technology has its perks but it does not replace the importance of offline communities. It is through face-to-face communication that we create shared experiences, occupy shared spaces, and build a community of meaningful relationships.