Roughly translated, that means the University of Manitoba, though I’ve always had my doubts about the correctness of the genitive. I’m very attached to it, though; it’s my alma mater.

Alma Mater; noun:

the school, college, or university that one once attended.
the anthem of a school, college, or university.
(alma means nourishing or kind)

Nourishing is apt. One tends to take for granted all one has learned at mater’s knee (or some other low joint), absorbed at such a tender age that the knowledge has become second nature and is no longer attributable. Last night I was nourished, also stimulated and refreshed.

Like other universities, U of M holds gatherings around the country, keeping in touch with its alums and beating the drum for funds and loyalty. Last night, I thought, would be no exception, though it was different in that it offered breakfast, lunch or dinner and called it a Brand meeting. No - no capitals; we were invited to come and share our thoughts about ”the evolution of a brand”. They meant it, too. No pitch for funds, in fact, a delicious dinner with wine, followed by, instead, an interesting SWOT team of ideas. Actually, we were the team. I didn’t get the leader’s name. I will.

Here it is: Erik Athavale

S W O T is an acronym based on the four components or ideas that we were led to discuss, encouraged by the informality and spontaneity of the leader, albeit he had a marker and big tear sheets - and very legible hand-writing.

S is for Strengths

W is for Weaknesses

O is for Opporttunities

T is for Threats (or Challenges - makes me think of that Chinese symbol we have been told means either opportunity or danger?

“The Chinese word for "crisis" (simplified Chinese: 危机; traditional Chinese: 危機; pinyin: wēijī) is frequently invoked in Western motivational speaking as being composed of two Chinese characters respectively signifying "danger" and "opportunity". Wikipedia. But a later note on the Google page says this is wrong. No matter, it’s “common” knowledge we have known for a long time.) So….

Almost everyone contributed, more than once. A wandering mike was at our disposal and we were encouraged to speak, anyone who felt like it, and more and more people felt like it. My table neighbour graduated in 2007; I earned my first degree in 1951. That’s a good spread of years.

My grandfather was in the first graduating class from the Manitoba Medical School in 1911; my father graduated in 1926 and my brother in 1953, the first third-generation doctor, enabled by my grandfather’s late entry. (iHis was a second trajectory career.) Anyway, there’s a wide spread of years, approaching Elise Boulding’s The Long Now, with all its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges. Sooo…

Let’s hear it for the evolution of a brand. Stay tuned.