Alumni Highlights: Barb Cox-Lloyd

Tell us about the campus when you went to the U of S; how is it different today?

In 1974 when I stepped onto campus it seemed huge with lots of students and a lot of activity. As is true now, the Bowl was a centre of student activity, but it was less organized with touch football games and people enjoying the outside.  Now there are more students and a lot more buildings.

Home Economics was housed in the ‘new’ wing (at that time) of the Thorvaldson Building. Home Economics classes were held there, but as a Food Science major I had many of my classes with Agriculture students. That meant running to the John Mitchell Building from Thorvaldson on a regular schedule. This was fine when the weather was good, but in the 5 minutes between classes it could be a run when we had to bundle up on cold days.

There weren’t as many indoor walkways between buildings, so we spent far more time running outside between classes in the cold. A friend of my daughter told me that she never needed a coat because she could travel between classes inside all the time. That wasn’t true in the ‘70’s. The only indoor passage was a tunnel between the residences, Marquis Hall and the Arts Building that we only used if it was really cold!

What’s one of your favourite memories you had outside of the classroom?

I lived in Athabasca Hall for my first two years on campus. There was a group of us that regularly met in Marquis Hall to share meals and enjoy each other’s company. The terrific part of that time was that we were all from different colleges and brought a very different perspective to discussions.  As I recall we solved the world’s problems on a regular basis, but laughed a lot as well.

The four years of university for me were very social where I made lifetime friends. Most of us were away from home for the first time and formed bonds that lasted a lifetime.

Overall, how was your U of S experience?

I loved my four years at the U of S. In hindsight it provided me with the opportunity to grow in an environment that was all new and exciting. I grew in confidence and independence. It really was where I formed the values that defined my life.

How did going to the U of S shape your career as CEO if Habitat of Humanity Saskatoon?

My career has been varied and wide ranging since leaving the U of S. What I learned throughout my time there was to love learning and how to analyze a situation. This is what shaped my career along with the desire to build a strong community that benefits everyone.

What does it mean to you to be a U of S alumni?

I have always been proud to be an alumnus from the U of S. As I have said, my time there helped define the values I hold that have shaped my life.

Be sure to check our Centennial page as we feature a different alumnus each month.