Due to ongoing concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, Queen’s University is canceling all in-person activities related to Homecoming 2020, as well as all in-person alumni events for the rest of the calendar year.

“We know that this decision will cause great sadness and disappointment to the members of our alumni family,” says Karen Bertrand (Artsci’94), Vice-Principal (Advancement). “We had always hoped that this measure would not be necessary.”

The announcement comes as the university anticipates most undergraduate classes to be held remotely for the duration of the 2020 fall academic term.

“The health and safety of all members of the Queen’s community is our number one priority,” says Vice-Principal Bertrand. “We want to ensure that the same measures we are taking to protect our students are also in place for our alumni.” 

The decision was made as public health guidance continues to emphasize not only good hygiene practices, but also minimizing close contact among groups of people to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus and ease the burden on hospitals and other healthcare providers. Queen’s Homecoming routinely attracts more than 3,000 alumni and their guests from around the world.

“We know that our alumni look forward to reconnecting and reuniting with their former classmates, housemates, teammates, and students and many of them plan their reunion activities months and even years in advance,” Vice-Principal Bertrand says. “Our Homecoming team is actively exploring virtual activities to help keep the spirit of this cherished event alive this October. We look forward to the day when we can all be together again in-person to celebrate our relationships, our memories, and our university.”

For more information on Queen’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit our COVID-19 information website.