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Alumnus Jim Courtney (EngSci 6T6) leads Team U.S.A. to a welcome ceremony at the athlete’s village at the 2015 Toronto Pan Am & Parapan Am Games. (Photo: Stéphan Grégoire)

Many of our alumni volunteer with U of T Engineering. In celebration of National Engineering Month, we turn the spotlight on those that go the extra mile by volunteering in the greater community. From climbing one of the Seven Summits for charity to surgical education and research in Africa, our alumni are passionate about giving back. This story is the third of a five-part series.

When alumnus Jim Courtney (EngSci 6T6) filled out the application to volunteer at the 2015 Toronto Pan Am & Parapan Am Games, it was the first step of more than half a million he would take.

He thought he might be assigned as a stadium attendant. What he ended up experiencing went way beyond his expectations.

For the Pan Am Games, Courtney was initially tasked to be a National Olympic Committee (NOC)/National Paralympic Committee (NPC) assistant, working with a designated Olympic committee to ensure their athletes and support teams have a great experience during the games.

Due to his previous work experience in the United States, he requested to work with the U.S. Olympic Committee. After spending a couple of days helping to break down containers of equipment into their offices, Courtney was asked to be the official driver for the U.S. Olympic Committee’s chief security officer — a former United States Secret Service agent at the White House.

“During the course of the games, we would drive all over the Greater Toronto Area and Golden Horseshoe to various competition and training sites,” he said. “The chief security officer would go into the venue and talk to the U.S. team’s coaches and trainers to see what the security arrangements for the athletes would be at the site.”

A side benefit was that Courtney was able to watch 12 different competitions.

He also actively participated in a Facebook group for NOP/NPC assistants, often describing his visits to the various venues. The group proved to be a useful tool for bonding and communication, including an urgent message about a Venezuelan team member’s lost kayak as a result of an airline mix-up. Courtney took action and helped to ensure the safe delivery of the kayak on time to the course in Minden, Ont.

“We worked under a very positive and supportive atmosphere at the games — from the volunteers right up to the athletes,” he said.

Courtney was also able to partake in a number of bonus activities during his time as a volunteer, including participating in the opening ceremony rehearsal, leading the U.S. team into the athlete’s village at their welcome ceremony and joining the U.S. team as they walked into the closing ceremonies.

“I never expected that I would ever be a part of a ceremony at an international multi-sport event,” he said. “You have a certain level of expectations. You follow these events for years and you’ve watched the opening and closing ceremonies on TV. To actually participate was a big deal.”

During the Parapan Am Games, Courtney worked with Paralympics Canada, providing driver and logistics support services while developing an appreciation for how the games significantly change the athletes’ lives.

In the end, he volunteered for seven straight weeks and, according to his FitBit, walked more than 500,000 steps.

Courtney is also a longstanding volunteer with U of T Engineering, where he manages activities for promoting attendance at monthly Skule™ Lunch & Learn events.

Looking to volunteer at U of T Engineering? There are many rewarding student-focused, Faculty-level and University-wide volunteer opportunities for alumni. Make a connection, share your experiences and inspire the next generation of engineers today.

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