Welcome to USask’s Signature Tour series!
USask is offering a new series of custom, behind-the-scenes tours exclusive for our honoured alumni groups and special friends.
Join one (or more!) of the upcoming tours and meet fellow alumni, learn from USask experts, and get an exclusive look at some of USask’s most unique and innovative spaces. Discover how our researchers, faculty, staff and students are advancing our university’s aspiration to Be What the World Needs.
Upcoming Signature Tours
College Art Galleries: Russna Kaur exhibition
Date: February 4, 2025
Time: 10:30 am to noon (45-min tour, followed by refreshments)
Capacity per tour: up to 30
The University of Saskatchewan Art Galleries and permanent art collection are amongst our university’s richest cultural and educational resources. Our dynamic and vital gallery spaces and artwork support the university’s mission of teaching and discovery.
On this tour, alumni will join curator Leah Taylor for an exclusive guided tour of Russna Kaur’s impactful solo exhibition. Kaur is an internationally exhibited, award-winning painter based in Richmond, British Columbia. Her large-scale, multi-surface abstract works draw inspiration from diverse sources, including the spectacles of amusement parks, flea markets, and religious spaces. Growing up in a Punjabi family, Kaur’s background in biology, the Indian wedding industry, and commercial design influence her way of looking and making. She describes her paintings as “abstractions of real life, exploring how a surface can reveal a narrative that addresses complex personal and cultural histories.”
Health Sciences and CLRC
Date: April 8, 2025
Time: 10:30 am (45-min tour, followed by refreshments)
Capacity per tour: up to 10
This tour will cover both the Health Sciences Building and Clinical Learning Resource Centre (CLRC). Alumni will explore the innovative, environmentally friendly, and human-oriented spaces in the Health Sciences Building.
This tour, guided by the director of operations for health sciences, offers alumni an opportunity to get an up-close look at these facilities and gain valuable insights into how the university supports its students and researchers. The CLRC features state-of-the-art simulation technology and a dedicated team of operators who facilitate both student and community learning. Alumni will have the unique chance to hear from CLRC staff themselves and witness this technology in action, gaining a deeper understanding of how this environment enhances teaching and learning.
Patterson Garden Arboretum
Date: May 27, 2025
Time: 10 am (90-min tour, followed by refreshments)
Capacity per tour: up to 50
The University of Saskatchewan's Arboretum was established in 1966 as a research trial for woody ornamentals on the Prairies. Since that time, dozens of new specimens have been added each year, growing the arboretum into one of the most compelling collections of trees, shrubs, and vines in the Canadian Prairie provinces.
On this tour, alumni will meet arborist Alan Weninger and Jackie Bantle, manager of the agriculture greenhouse and horticulture field facility. They will share their insights on how the Arboretum provides essential learning spaces for our students and community, which help to educate next generations. Join fellow alumni for this informative and fun tour featuring fruit trees and other varietals in bloom for your enjoyment.