Concordians came together for the university's annual Shuffle walkathon on September 26 raising more than $230,000 in support of scholarships, bursaries and student services.
Faculty, staff, students and retirees walked 6.5 kilometres from the Sir George Williams Campus to the Loyola Campus.
The Shuffle saw 856 participants, 64 teams and 2,470 donations, which brought the fundraiser's total to more than $3.2 million since its inception in 1990.
"This year is significant as we mark the successful close of the Campaign for Concordia: Next-Gen Now," said Meghan Kelly, BA 17, GrDip 18, radio host at The Beat 92.5, who emceed the event.
Shufflers kicked off the walk with a high-energy Zumba warm-up led by staff from Le Gym, followed by a ceremonial and oversized shoelace cutting.
At the Loyola finish line, participants joined Homecoming alumni for a 50th-anniversary community picnic, featuring a maker's market and complimentary treatments from students at the School of Health's Athletic Therapy Clinic. Music was provided by CJLO Radio.
Concordia President Graham Carr addressed the crowd, highlighting the event's enduring impact.
"Throughout our history, Concordia has excelled by prioritizing accessibility, diversity and excellence and by fostering creativity and innovation," Carr said. "The Shuffle is a perfect example of how those values continue to guide us."
Paul Chesser, BA 94, GrDip 97, vice-president of Advancement, announced this year's fundraising challenge winners.
Mike Babin, BSc 83, GrDip 86, captain of the Pace Makers, was named Shuffler of the Year for his dedication, personally sending more than 170 fundraising emails.
The Gina Cody School Trekkers, led by Chancellor Gina Cody and Dean Mourad Debbabi, were crowned Fundraising Front Runners, narrowly defeating the Pace Makers as top fundraising team.
Oliver de Volpi, Food Services manager and captain of Taking Care of Business, won the 50/50 raffle and generously donated his winnings back to the Shuffle.
Other standout teams included Facilities Footsteps, the Dr. Bob Roy Memorial Award, the Coach's Award in Women's Hockey and the JMSB Rock Stars.
Notable individual fundraisers included Chancellor Gina Cody, Hardial Rosner, BA 13, Les Lawton, Kathleen Perry, Marilyn Piccini Roy and Dean Mourad Debbabi.
In his closing remarks, Chesser shared a major milestone: "Together, we raised $365 million for the Campaign for Concordia surpassing our goal thanks to the incredible generosity of our community. And yes, that includes all of you Shufflers."
A dozen editions of the Shuffle contributed $2.3 million to the Campaign for Concordia, with support from 17,000 donors.
Funds raised throughout the campaign have facilitated scholarships and bursaries, academic research, athletics programs, experiential learning, campus improvements, and other strategic initiatives that enable students to thrive.
Shuffle 2025 was made possible thanks to the generous support of Manulife, BMO Bank of Montreal and Deloitte, along with longstanding partners the Concordia University Alumni Association and La Personnelle.
