the Legend
DECEMBER 2010
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UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE
Smith revels in the opportunity to volunteer
Alumnus Adam Smith has been volunteering with Operation Red Nose for 10 years.
BY KALI MCKAY Adam Smith (BSc ’05, MSc ’09) can see his breath in the air as he makes his way out to the parking lot. He unlocks the door and slides into the seat of yet another strange car, catching his reflection in the rearview mirror as he adjusts it. If you watch closely, you might notice a stifled yawn – it’s 3 a.m. As a student, Smith pulled his share of all-nighters. In fact, he laughs at the memory of
sleepless nights spent monitoring lab experiments as he worked towards his master’s degree in biochemistry. If you ask him what’s keeping him up now, it’s not all-night parties or lab work. Instead, the 28-year old’s lack of sleep comes from long nights as an Operation Red Nose (ORN) volunteer. “I started volunteering when I was on the track team,” explains Smith, who threw weight and shotput for three years before suffering a career-ending
injury. “Red Nose started as something I had to do – but now it’s something I want to do.” Having returned for the 10th successive year, Smith obviously enjoys volunteering but he takes his responsibilities very seriously. Originally participating out of obligation to his team, Smith admits he’s had a change in perspective and now volunteers as a way of giving back to the community. “I’ve developed a greater appreciation for what it’s all about,” says Smith. “It’s more than hanging out with friends and raising money for Pronghorns athletes. It’s also about playing an active role in the community, and taking part of the shared responsibility for making that community a better place.” Although, Smith admits, the money does support a cause near and dear to his heart. “As a student athlete, it’s not easy to balance school with a tough training schedule,” acknowledges Smith, who trained up to 30 hours a week and didn’t have a lot of time left over for a part-time job. “I travelled to meets and competi-
tions across Canada, and all of my expenses were covered by Pronghorns Athletics.” With those thoughts in mind, Smith returns each year to volunteer for ORN. He gives generously of his time, spending up to five nights each winter making sure that holiday partygoers and their vehicles get home safely. In addition, he’s worked with groups like the Graduate Students’ Association to encourage others to get involved. “ORN is a great program and offers the best of both worlds: you and your vehicle home safely at the end of the night,” says Smith. “It has
become a staple of our community and demand continues to grow each year.” As he buckles his seat belt and shifts into gear, Smith knows he’s going to be tired the next day, but his yawn turns into a smile when he thinks about the difference he’s making. Operation Red Nose, now in its 16th year, provides rides home to individuals in their own vehicles. There is no fee for the service, but donations are gratefully accepted. For more information or to volunteer, call 403-329-2681. If you’re out on the town and need a ride, call 403-320-4155.
It’s not too late to make your donation to Supporting Our Students 2010. Gifts received or post-marked on or before December 31st are eligible for a 2010 tax receipt and all 2010 donors will be invited to the donor recognition gala in the new year. To donate, visit www.ulethbridge.ca/giving/SupportingOurStudents
DINNER HELPS BRIDGE GAP
The new Recruitment-Retention website offers a window into the RRIP initiative.
BY JANA DEWAAL
dent community where all our help services, across the institution, are aligned and optimized.” The data collected from the summer focus groups is in the process of being analyzed, with a priority list of major projects in the works. Establishing project teams is ongoing and the University community is invited to participate. A website has been created (www.uleth.ca/recruitment-retention) as a window into the project process. It details the intent of the initiative, how it began, how the team establishes priorities and makes recommendations, and offers a summary of all the focus groups and surveys conducted. “This is a way to give every employee in the institution the opportunity to act with the same information in their hands,” says Mirau. “We also hope the website will serve as a good feedback loop, so that people can continue to contribute to the process.” Clearwater says this is a key institutional initiative in that it has the ability to positively affect the U of L for years to come. “If this is done right, it could be something that really puts us on the map, not only in terms of retention but also with recruitment,” she says. “Students will want to come here because they’ll see an institution invested in providing them with the tools for their success.”
Christmas, like many other holidays, can be a difficult time for international students to be away from family and friends. With events like the annual International Christmas Dinner, the International Centre for Students (ICS) helps ease that feeling of isolation, all the while introducing international students to Canadian customs and traditions. Charlene Janes, the international liaison officer at the University of Lethbridge, plays a major role in assisting international students as they adapt to campus life socially, academically and culturally. “I represent international student interests at the University, act as an advocate on behalf of international students on both academic and welfare issues, and provide advice, support and referral to students,” says Janes. Janes and the ICS encourage students to participate in the social and recreational activities the office provides. These include the monthly International Café gatherings, where birthdays are celebrated, stories are shared, games are played and students are presented an opportunity to build friendships. Potluck dinners and the annual Christmas gathering are also popular events.
Children’s smiles translate in any language.
Eddie Sottie, an international student from Ghana and PhD candidate in biomolecular science, has been studying at the U of L for the last 15 months. He says he makes an effort to attend all the events planned by the International Centre. “The events they organize for us have really helped me to learn so many things about the way Canadians relate to people and treat foreigners,” says Sottie. “International students are treated with so much respect, and I am so impressed with the way Charlene pays attention to our needs.” The traditional Christmas dinner was held on Dec. 3 in the Students’ Union Ballroom. Students were invited to bring a Canadian guest as well as any family members to the event. In addition, four international alumni also attended. “My kids were showered with Christmas presents,” laughs Sottie. “The event and the dinner mean a lot to us as
a family because it helps us feel at home.” The tradition of the International Christmas Dinner started three years ago, and serves as the last major international student event for the fall semester. Its rise in popularity, over the past three years, has been remarkable. The first dinner had just 35 attendees, while the second ballooned to 72. This year, the number doubled once again, with 150 people taking part. “Many of our students go home or travel at Christmas so this has provided a wonderful opportunity for us all to connect prior to the Christmas break,” explains Janes. “We had two very special guests this year as Dr. Mike Mahon and his wife Maureen attended. They talked with each student and barely had time to eat. It seemed every student wanted their picture taken with the new president and his wife.”
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“Our faculty, students and staff know what needs to be addressed, and they have been openly sharing with us some excellent ideas,” says Mirau. “I’ve been very encouraged by the excitement that’s out there.” Hakin says the whole thrust of the project is a new way of doing business for the U of L. Recruitment and retention cannot be treated as separate and distinct issues, nor can the approaches to dealing with them be handled individually – the entire institution needs to buy into the same delivery. “If you look at all the effort we traditionally put into getting students into the institution, we then have to ask ourselves what are the factors that keep them here,” he says. “If we lose them after one year, two years, that’s a lot of wasted effort and money. We need to build a strong stu-