As some of us are sitting on the edge of our seats watching every high and low of athletes in the 2026 Winter Olympics, I find myself reflecting on the parallels between elite competitive sports and the mission and work of McGill University's School of Continuing Studies (SCS). Olympic athletes strive for excellence through preparation, resilience, and informed risk-taking–not unlike the learners, educators, staff, and partners who make up our SCS community.
At McGill SCS, ambition is woven into our DNA. For more than 50 years, we have empowered adult learners to shape and reshape their futures through flexible, innovative, and career focused programs designed to meet real focused programs designed to meet real labour focused programs designed to meet real labour market needs. Just like in an Olympic competition, we are continuously challenged to respond to dynamic conditions – whether within ourselves or around us. This means continuously honing and refining our skills, adding new skills along the way. Think of how exciting it is to see someone master a new concept, to critically apply a new idea or tool. It is not so different than nailing the perfect landing after a triple lutz, mastering a new freestyle ski move, or defending your goal on ice. Just like the Olympic Games, McGill Continuing Studies offers a venue in which excellence and calculated ambition are rewarded. As a mentor of mine used to like to proclaim, “go big or go home.”
Like the Games, our academic programs and our collective work ethic emphasize mastery, discipline, and adaptability. Just a few years ago, most of us were rather clueless about the “cloud” or generative artificial intelligence. Now we are immersed in preparing professionals to apply AI in their own professions – from financial industries to supply chain and logistics – or mastering cloud and cybersecurity, or navigating the intersection of linguistics, translation, and language technologies. Some might liken this to navigating a slalom course or jumping moguls at lightning speeds. Elite athletes take calculated risks, just like our learners and community members do. Sometimes they lead to greater heights, and sometimes we find ourselves having to regroup and start over. But with each iteration, we get stronger and better at what we do.
The School of Continuing Studies, like the Olympics, provides opportunities for individual and team achievement – even when it might seem that the odds are stacked against one, for example, for individuals from underserved communities. Just as Olympic athletes rely on coaches, trainers, and support teams, our learners thrive through the dedication and support of instructors and staff, and with the help of strategic industry and community partnerships. Together, we strive for our personal bests. And just like the Olympics, SCS attracts an international community and audience while we embark on another run at gold.
The 2026 Winter Olympics remind us that excellence is both a personal and collective pursuit of a place on the podium, representing another milestone of success. Together, we bring to continuing education and lifelong learning our individual ambitions and provide the collective structure, support, and opportunities to turn that ambition into achievement. Ultimately, everyone is a winner – with or without a gold medal.