ALUMNI News - Fanshawe College

FEATURES
Joanne Beaton is a Fanshawe College graduate who is
proud to celebrate all that Fanshawe has meant to her
and her family. She recently sponsored a seat through
the Alumni Appeal campaign, and it felt so good, the
family just named a second one! But don’t worry, there
are lots more left for you.
In the many years between her early days at Fanshawe and today,
Joanne has never forgotten those fi rst ties to the college: it was
where she fi rst met her husband Brad who sat behind her in
marketing class.
They settled in St. Thomas and Joanne worked in offi ce
administration before becoming a full-time Mom to her growing
family. They now have fi ve children: Andrew (22), Emily (21), Peter
(18), Elizabeth (17) and Katherine (15).
Over the years, she was also an avid community volunteer with
the Elgin Association for Community Living. As Volunteer Chair of
the Community Relations Committee, the Association sponsored
her to take a 24-hour course at Fanshawe College in philanthropy
and fund-raising. It proved to be a fi eld that she was really keen to
learn more about.
She returned to Fanshawe College to take Fund Development in
2001 and Public Relations in 2003. In 2004, she followed up with a
third certifi cate in Corporate Communications.
“It was daunting at fi rst to return to college as a mature student
but it was the best thing I ever did,” she says. “Fanshawe has
opened doors for me in a whole new career fi eld – one that I love.
I want my children to know that when you have a good life, you
also need to give back. My support of Fanshawe is a way that I can
model that for them.”
Today, Joanne is Foundation Offi ce Assistant at Fanshawe College
and she was only on the job a few months last fall when she saw
the perfect way to give back. She chose to sponsor a seat for
$1,000 as part of the Alumni Appeal fund raising campaign.
The tradition continued this year when she and her husband
bought a second seat, this one named in honour of their eldest
son, Andrew, who graduates from Fanshawe in Multi-Media Design
and Production in June.
There are lots of seats left to name in the Alumni Lecture Theatre
(D-1060). You are invited to call 519.452.4112 for more information
on how to take a seat of your own!
taking a
stand by
taking a
seat!
Fanshawe College Alumni News Spring 2006 25