Big news, big feels, big heels — thanks for the memories 2024

SAIT Instructor Richard Stroobant dressed up as “The Demon,” aka Gene Simmons.

🎆 Happy new year!

With all the possibilities of 2025 ahead, we have plenty to look forward to this year at SAIT.

But, before we leave 2024 behind, for Auld Lang Syne — for old times — we’re stopping the clock to look back on just a few of the highlights that made last year truly memorable.

Breaking ground on something big

In May, the pop of confetti cannons and cheers of SAIT students and employees greeted a $30-million gift from the Taylor Family Foundation supporting construction of the new, and aptly named, Taylor Family Campus Centre. The centre will be a reimagined cornerstone of student life on campus, and is scheduled to open in late 2027.

Moving on up

We broke into the top five of Research Infosource Inc.'s Top 50 Research Colleges in Canada, moving from sixth to fourth position on the annual ranking for 2024. SAIT’s Applied Research and Innovation Services (ARIS) Hub had another big year, which included joining NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) network.

SAIT’s School of Hospitality and Tourism was ranked #14 in the world — up one spot from 2023 — and #1 in Canada on CEOWORLD Magazine’s yearly ranking. The School of Business was also #1 in Canada in their category.

Move over Hammer Throw

On the heels of the Summer Olympic Games in Paris, SAIT threw down with the best at WorldSkills — the Olympics of skilled trades — in Lyon. Two SAIT competitors represented Team Canada: Tyler Cherkowski competed in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, and Noah Harding competed in Plumbing.

Learn more about Skills competitions

SAIT’s KISS-iversary

On Feb. 6, 1974, KISS made the second stop of their first-ever North American tour — playing on campus #HereAtSAIT. To celebrate the 50-year KISS-iversary, the SAIT campus radio station rebranded to KISS 103 for the day. “The Demon,” aka Gene Simmons, aka SAIT Instructor Richard Stroobant, was spotted at Heritage Hall ready to rock and roll.

Getting out to the mountains

SAIT is setting up shop in Banff thanks to a $30-million donation from the Wim and Nancy Pauw Foundation. The gift supports a partnership between SAIT and the YWCA Banff to bring world-class hospitality and tourism training to one of Canada’s premier tourism communities.

Here in Calgary, we’re also extending our downtown footprint with new space in the Barclay Centre for the School for Advanced Digital Technology.

Out and about on campus

Whether we’re taking time to reflect, boosting belonging or showing our pride, connecting with community on campus is always top of the list #HereAtSAIT.

We marked International Women’s Day with our annual conference, grooved to a silent disco party for Neurodiversity Celebration Week, hosted local youth for a special try-a-skill event during Apprenticeship Day, joined a commemorative campus march for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, played Drag Bingo for Pride Week, cleaned up campus for Earth Day, danced at Diwali...and for Lunar New Year...and during Black History Month. We listened, we learned, we laughed — thank you 2024 for bringing us together.

Out and about in the blue-sky city

We love to connect with the Calgary community too! Here a just a few highlights from 2024.

Software Development students took first and third place in the YYC Hacks 2024 Hackathon pitching apps to support newcomers to Calgary and local businesses. SAIT once again joined the Calgary Pride Parade to support the 2SLGBTQ+ community on campus and in our city. Bachelor of Hospitality and Tourism Management students raised $3,200 for Ski Jumping Canada at a silent auction event at Village Brewery as part of their project management class. The Global Engagement Opportunities student group organized opportunities for international students in the School of Business to volunteer with Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids.

SAIT also hosted it’s 2024 Community Volunteer Fair in January. The annual event is a chance for students, employees and alumni to network with local charitable organizations and connect with volunteer opportunities.

Learn more about SAIT’s 2025 Community Volunteer Fair

Celebrating SAIT’s Class of 2024

What’s not to love about convocation?! And we had even more to love last year, celebrating our Class of 2024 in spring and fall through a record seven convocation ceremonies, and also proudly hosting two Indigenous graduation celebrations recognizing our First Nations, Métis and Inuit graduates.

Catching a ride on the vomit comet

The SAIT Supernovas were the first team of students from a polytechnic to participate in the Canadian Reduced Gravity Experiment Design Challenge, also known as CAN-RGX. The Supernovas designed and built a drone to tackle space debris and tested it in microgravity conditions onboard a modified Falcon 20 aircraft nicknamed the vomit comet — yikes. The CAN-RGX challenge takes place annually and is hosted by Students for the Exploration and Development of Space in partnership with the National Research Council and the Canadian Space Agency.

Catching up with 20 years of history

2024 marked the 20th anniversary of the Art Smith Aero Centre. The centre opened Oct. 21, 2004 and became SAIT’s first facility where students can commute by private vehicle, public transportation or by air 😎. Located on land connected to the Calgary International Airport, the centre occupies 13 acres and includes state-of-the-art classrooms and labs and a 21,000 square foot hangar.

Catching culinary fire

For the first time ever, Canada was invited to compete at the Trophée Jean Rougié — a renowned French culinary contest for rising chefs. It wasn’t enough for SAIT’s Erik Hansen just to represent Canada, he brought home the top prize too!

As you say so long 2024, don’t forget to celebrate the moments that made it memorable.

Now, 2025, let’s do this.

🎉 Looking for more highlights from 2024? You can also relive the year through SAIT’s top alumni and donor moments in LINK Magazine.