Day in the life of Bryce Meldrum, senior development associate

Tell us a bit about yourself and your background. How did you end up at the School of Dentistry?

I grew up in Medicine Hat, Alberta in a large family — the youngest of seven kids. I studied at the University of Calgary where I received a bachelor of arts in international relations. I began my career working with a small non-profit based in Canada supporting projects in Haiti and Ethiopia. Then in 2013, I joined the University of Alberta and took on various roles, including with Central Advancement, the Faculty of Engineering and the Office of the Dean of Students.

At the beginning of 2020, I came to the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry. In spring 2022, I took on the School of Dentistry portfolio. In this role, I work closely with donors who want to give back to the school and assist in structuring their gifts. A key component is working with Paul Major and other senior leaders to understand the impact of giving to the school and the priority areas for support. My current focus is working with donors and philanthropists to create sustainability and growth for the pediatric dentistry care we provide to underserved children in our community.

Along the way, I married Diana Meldrum and we have three wonderful children: Isabelle, Pearl and Abraham. Diana also recently convinced me to add a goldendoodle named Peaches to our family.

What does a typical day for you look like?

I visit with donors every week both virtually and in person. As often as possible, I bring donors to the Oral Health Clinic, especially on Wednesday mornings when the “school visit” kids are in the clinic.

I am also frequently meeting with DDS and DH student groups, as well as school leadership, to understand the importance of oral health care for individuals and our community and the crucial role that the School of Dentistry plays.

Outside of work, I often spend evenings running kids around to various activities (piano, swimming, soccer, basketball, youth groups). When I find some time to myself I can be found hiking a mountain or doing a woodworking project. 

What’s one interesting anecdote from your job?

When I first took on the School of Dentistry portfolio, everyone was talking about “the clinic”. I didn’t know what they were talking about. After about a week I reached out to Doris Lunardon (a professor from the School of Dentistry) to request a tour. I was absolutely blown away by the size, scope and expertise. It made me appreciate my family’s U of A-trained dentist even more.  

What are your hobbies and passions?

I love to hike and backcountry camp. This year I am heading out with my seven-year-old son Abraham for his first backcountry backpacking trip. Over the last few years, I have also developed an interest in simple woodworking, mostly stump side tables and seats.

What’s one thing people don’t know about you?

Before joining the U of A, my work took me to Ethiopia on a regular basis. I loved travelling in East Africa and really enjoyed the people I worked with and the humanitarian projects we built together. I loved the friendly locals I met there and the incredible landscapes.