Garnet Key celebrate another year of wearing red blazers

 

The Garnet Key is Concordia’s honour society, and it’s been around for many years, longer than Concordia, in fact. These are the students in garnet (i.e. dark red) blazers who officiate at university events.

The 46th Key turned over their responsibilities to the 47th Key on March 27 with a lively banquet at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Jeanne Mance St. They also gave out awards. Jeremy Levy, a member of the 45th Key, who was given the Emeritus Award for his outstanding work as advisor for the Key.

The outgoing Key: Lauren Leinburd, president, and Cheryl MacKinnon, vice-president, who were given awards for making an outstanding contribution, Maria Arango, treasurer, Tanya Simkus, secretary, Sara Bernard, Aaron Ben Shabbat, Philip Borioni, Brittany Bonhomme, Catherine Belair and Marissa Keena.

The incoming members of the 47th Key are Carolyn Brown, Kimberly Crompton, Gennifer Girardello, Derek Grossi, Jennifer Harris, Christine Kelly, Daniel Khazzam, Jennifer Lewy, Jamie Rozen, Elisabetta Treta, Andrew Verkade and Lina Lopez.

Leinburd said that the outgoing Key were active in the many events associated with the opening of the new science complex last fall. They also assisted at formal dinners at the Rector’s house, the Tanagra opening at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, an engineering conference attended by the mayor, and a visit to the university last spring by then heritage minister Sheila Copps.

“This year, as you may have noticed, there are 12 GKs instead of 10. Due to the increasing size and nature of Concordia, there will be an event increase of approximately 35 per cent,” Leinburd said. “More Keys will be needed to attend more events, including building openings and a special guest for convocation.”

She said that the recruitment and selection for the Garnet Key is painstaking. Candidates are invited to join based on their academic standing. Applicants are invited to write an essay outlining their work, and their extra-curricular activities at the university and elsewhere.

Out of hundreds of applicants, 60 are chosen for interviews. Thirty are selected to attend a cocktail party at the Mount Stephen Club, and of those, the new 12 Garnet Key members are selected.

A number of Garnet Key alumni make a point of attending the dinner, and enjoying the skit presented by the incoming Key. They include Global Television sportscaster Paul Graif and Justice Joel Silcoff, who sits on the Quebec Superior Court.