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Episode 5
From Parade Routes to Community Roots
Subscribe to Always Blue with Tim Rahilly: An MRU Alumni Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube Podcasts.
Meet our Guest: Sarah Hayes
About Sarah
Sarah Hayes is the Executive Vice-President, Foundation, Culture and Heritage, at Calgary Stampede and the Executive Director for the Calgary Stampede Foundation in Calgary, Canada. Ms. Hayes has been a key leader for youth and Indigenous programming, the Sam Centre and historical programs, Stampede campus and community spaces, and philanthropic programs during her time with the Calgary Stampede Foundation.
Meet our Host: President Tim Rahilly
About Tim
Tim Rahilly is the President & Vice-Chancellor of Mount Royal University (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) and is a Professor of Psychology. He has worked in higher education for over 25 years, but trained initially as a psychologist and received his Ph.D. from McGill. Dr. Rahilly has served in academic and administrative roles at Simon Fraser University, the University of British Columbia, McGill University, and has served on several boards. He is an award-winning teacher and leader and received the Queen Elizabeth Platinum Jubilee Medal in 2022 and was named one of 20 Compelling Calgarians by the Calgary Herald in 2020. Dr. Rahilly is enthusiastic, open and inquisitive — traits he brings to his work for Mount Royal and its students.
Meet our Co-Host: Melanie Rogers
About Melanie
Melanie Rogers is the vice-president at MRU and was previously the vice-president of marketing and communications. Rogers was also the vice-president, external relations at NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology) for three years, and served as an executive director of the Red Deer Downtown Business Association. She started her post-secondary education with a Bachelor of Arts in English at the University of Alberta. This March, Rogers received an Executive Certificate in Public Leadership at Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education.
- The Calgary Stampede is much more than a 10-day event. It operates year-round through youth leadership programs, agriculture education, scholarships, performing arts, and community-building initiatives.
- Community and volunteerism are core to Calgary’s identity. Sarah Hayes highlights how generosity, civic engagement, and volunteer leadership are deeply embedded in both the Stampede and the city itself.
- The SAM Centre represents Calgary’s evolving story, designed as an immersive, living museum. It creates space for people of all generations and backgrounds to connect with Calgary’s history and with one another.
- Programs that build “skills for life” matter. The conversation emphasizes leadership, teamwork, civic-mindedness, and creativity as essential lifelong skills beyond traditional workforce training.
- The Stampede creates opportunities for young people to shine, from first jobs and leadership roles to music, athletics, and performing arts. The organization gives youth a place to grow confidence and community connections.
- Institutions like MRU and the Calgary Stampede help combat loneliness and build belonging. Both organizations create welcoming spaces where newcomers, students, volunteers, and families can find connection and purpose.
Listen to Always Blue with Tim Rahilly: An MRU Alumni Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube Podcasts.
The views expressed by the host and speakers reflect their personal experiences and perspectives, and are not representative of Mount Royal University or the Office of Alumni Relations.
Have questions about Big Ideas? Contact alumni@mtroyal.ca