Summer 2013 Campus Magazine

LAURIER FOR ALUMNI & FRIENDS | SUMMER 2013

WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY

CAMPUS

Into the Wild

Alumnus Paul Colangelo’s awardwinning photography highlights environmental issues Corporate leader Chameli Naraine channels her success into charity Peter Hyne’s elaborate aquarium reels in worldwide interest

One gift at a time. One donor at a time.

Thank you to the 4,422 donors this year who are inspiring lives of leadership and purpose. Go to wlu.ca/development to watch our video and learn how Laurier’s donors are inspiring our future.

wlu.ca/development

contents A lens for change Photographer Paul Colangelo uses his stunning imagery to highlight pressing environmental issues in northern British Columbia.

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Research File

18

How do beauty labels in advertisements influence our perceptions?

Plus, does showing anger in negotiations give you an advantage?

12

14

The business of giving back

30

Tipping the scales

32

Hollywood helper

Chameli Naraine has earned success in the business world.

Now she’s using her skills to help those less fortunate.

There is something fishy going on in Peter Hyne’s basement.

The arts grad schools us on his new aquatic interest.

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When she’s not tweeting, blogging or writing, Vanessa King manages the daily life of Oscar-nominated actress Julianne Moore.

3 Editor’s note

30 Keeping in touch

4 President’s message

38 Postcard to home

6 Campus news

39 Calendar of events

12 Research file

40 Flashback

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013 1

We’re stronger when we have a whole crowd behind us.

Join a proud alumni tradition and make a donation today. Wilfrid Laurier University Alumni Association will match gifts from new donors for a limited time. We’re stronger together.

FIND OUT MORE AT

wlu.ca/strongertogether

EDITOR’S NOTE

Where has your degree taken you?

Waterloo | Brantford | Kitchener | Toronto

Volume 53, Number 1, Summer 2013 ISSN 0700-5105

Laurier Campus is published by the Department of Communications, Public Affairs & Marketing (CPAM) Wilfrid Laurier University 75 University Avenue West Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3C5 Publisher: Jacqui Tam Assistant Vice-President: CPAM Editor: Stacey Morrison Writers: Sandra Muir, Mallory O’Brien Design: Emily Lowther, Janice Maarhuis, Justin Ogilvie, Dawn Wharnsby Photography: Tomasz Adamski, Dean Palmer Send address changes to: Email: alumaddress@wlu.ca Tel: 519.884.0710 x3176 Publications Mail Registration No. 40020414 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Wilfrid Laurier University 75 University Avenue West Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3C5 We welcome and encourage your feedback. Send letters to the editor to campusmagazine@wlu.ca. We reserve the right to edit all submissions.

Laurier Campus (circ. 60,000) is published three times a year by CPAM. Opinions expressed in Campus do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or the university’s administration.

Cover photography: Paul Colangelo (BBA ’03) Visit us online at wlu.ca/cpam

Comedienne and actress Gilda Radner once said, “Some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what’s going to happen next.

Delicious ambiguity.”

Even with a plan in mind, this delicious ambiguity can strike, leading us to new directions and new challenges.

Paul Colangelo graduated from Laurier’s business program with a clear career path in mind and a job lined up at an insurance company. But rather than reporting to his desk job, he chose to pursue a different path.

Now an award-winning photographer, he highlights pressing environmental isssues in northern British Columbia. His stunning imagery and passion for the environment has directly impacted the protection of this remote, energy-rich piece of Canada.

With such an exceptional portfolio of work, we chose to feature one of Colangelo’s images on the cover this issue. It’s a bit of a departure for Campus, but his work certainly creates an eye-catching cover. What do you think?

Chameli Naraine faced parental expectations that she would attend university and become an engineer. Instead,

she chose to work full-time after high school before receiving a degree in economics and eventually becoming CEO of a $700-million company. What’s more, she started her own global charity to help impoverished women and children in Honduras and India. Her charity has addressed literacy, health and educational needs in these countries, established micro-businesses and provided shelter for hundreds of people.

In this issue we also meet Peter Hyne, whose varied career path was built on the foundation of a Laurier philosophy degree.

Now retired, he has discovered a new and unexpected interest: aquatic ecosystems. His massive fish tank, and expertise in saltwater aquaria, has garnered interest from around the world.

Delicious ambiguity. Isn’t it funny where life takes us? Have you done something interesting and unexpected with your Laurier degree? We would love to hear your story!

P.S. Don’t forget to check out this year’s Donor Report! More information is available on our inside front cover.

On the cover To see more of alumnus Paul Colangelo’s photography, visit his official website at paulcolangelo.com.

To learn more about the Sacred Headwaters, visit sacredheadwaters.com.

Questions, comments, rants or raves?

We’d love to hear from you! Email us at campusmagazine@wlu.ca.

Be sure to “Like” us on facebook. www.facebook.com/LaurierNow youtube.com/LaurierVideo

twitter.com/LaurierNews

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013 3

campus corner PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Laurier prepares for changing times

Every year I look forward to convocation with a sense of joy and optimism. It is the pinnacle of the academic year, a time to step away from the day-to-day work of the university to celebrate our graduating students and, through them, the achievements of the entire Laurier community.

This year, as I sat on stage looking out over our bright young graduates, I found myself thinking about the profound change that is rapidly reshaping higher education.

(l-r) Laurier President Max Blouw, honorary degree recipient Janina Fialkowska and Laurier Chancellor Michael Lee-Chin have fun before a spring convocation ceremony.

The educational experience of our most recent graduates is quite different than the experience of those of us who graduated 10 or more years ago; and the educational experience of future generations will be even more distinct. The traditional model of higher education is being fundamentally transformed, and at a faster rate than many of us realize.

Much of this change stems from the economic challenges gripping Ontario and much of the world. Other changes involve technology, where the dissemination of information is far more open, accessible and multi-directional than ever before.

Entwined with these forces is a significant change in societal expectations: students, parents, government, business and taxpayers are demanding that universities do things differently and more efficiently.

Here are just a few areas facing pressure to change: • Cost effectiveness. There is no doubt that universities are expensive to run: our talented labour force is our biggest expense; traditional campuses also have high capital and maintenance costs; our rate of inflation is typically higher than other sectors; and questions persist about the concept of faculty tenure and an academic calendar designed for an agrarian society which no longer dominates daily lives.

• Education delivery. Traditional teaching has been delivered face-to-face, with some blending of online

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instruction over the past 25 years. There is pressure to increase the online component, including massive open online courses (MOOCs), which encourage large-scale, interactive participation and open access. There is also intense demand for new, flexible learning modes — self-directed, peer-to-peer, not-forcredit, co-op, community service, and workplace or work-centered learning, to name just a few.

• Job training. There is a perception, despite much evidence to the contrary, that many university programs do not adequately prepare students for employment; that colleges do a better job in this regard; and that the return on investment for students and for society is not meeting expectations.

• Who pays? As tuition rises alongside the cost of delivering quality education, questions are being asked about the appropriate balance between private and public contributions, and the role of private and public funders in university governance.

My view, based on years of experience and substantial independent evidence, is that universities continue to offer great value to students and to society. For example, there are plenty of data to show that university graduates get jobs faster, are paid more, are more upwardly mobile, pay more taxes and have better health than those with less education.

My view is also that we must adapt to changes in funding, technology, and societal needs and perceptions if we are to stay relevant and effective.

The truth is, the onus is on universities to ensure that public perceptions reflect accurately our accomplishments and value, and to show a willingness to adapt and improve.

Fortunately, the Laurier community has always been willing to confront challenges and embrace change. Our efforts to be innovative in how we teach, to increase research capacity, and to improve our student experience will position us well for the times ahead. And our willingness to engage in the current Integrated Planning and Resource Management process and to implement a multicampus governance structure shows a collective understanding of the economic climate and the need to be responsive, cost-effective and accountable.

Change is upon us, but I am confident that Laurier’s commitment to academic excellence, collaboration, and student-focused learning will enable this university to adapt and prosper.

Dr. Max Blouw President and Vice-Chancellor

campus corner MESSAGE FROM THE WLUAA PRESIDENT

Welcome new alumni

In June, we welcomed more than 2,800 new members to the Wilfrid Laurier University Alumni Association (WLUAA) — all of whom are receiving this, their first edition of Campus magazine. Congratulations and welcome to our newest members of the WLUAA! You have joined a network of more than 80,000 alumni who live and work around the globe.

These CEOs, presidents, executives, teachers, entrepreneurs, parents and professionals are often willing to offer advice, to connect you with someone they know, to open a proverbial door for you. They too bleed purple and gold. They too like to attend Golden Hawks games. They too crossed the stage on graduation day and wondered what their next steps would be.

Find them on LinkedIn (Laurier Alumni, Official Group), attend our events to meet them in person, volunteer with your local WLUAA chapter or start a new chapter if your city doesn’t have one. The opportunity is yours to take.

To all alumni, I would like to invite you to Homecoming. You can read more about the events at both the Waterloo (Sept. 27-29) and Brantford (Oct. 19) campuses on page 26. Tour the campus if you haven’t been home for a while, listen to one of Laurier’s legends offer a lecture, visit with old friends, tailgate at the football game. I’m coming home, are you?

I would like to extend my very best wishes and a fond farewell to the WLUAA board members and Senate or Board of Governors representatives whose terms came to an end this year, and welcome our newest members. A full list of member changes can be found on page 35.

In closing, I thought I would share what the Alumni Association is working on. We are developing our Strategic Plan for the next three years. This plan will drive us forward and help us serve our growing alumni base more efficiently, and we are very excited about this process. In future issues, I will report back on the key highlights. In the meantime, feel free to reach out — the contact information is below.

Marc Henein ’04 President, WLUAA LaurierAlumni.ca facebook.com/LaurierAlumni twitter.com/LaurierAlumni mhenein@wlu.ca P.S. Watch the university’s video donor report, which features the WLUAA Board at wlu.ca/development.

WLUAA 2013–14 EXECUTIVE

Board of Directors

Helga Recek ’00

President

Kate Applin ’09

Katie Reaume ’13

Fiona Batte ’96

Karen Rice ’87

Vice-President

Thomas Cadman ’87

Maeve Strathy ’10

Sarah Cameron ’87

Marc Henein ’04 Marc Richardson ’94

Vice-President

Marie-Helene Colaiezzi ’07, ’08

Chris Hiebert ’83

Cynthia Sundberg ’94

Secretary/Treasurer

Hrag Kakousian ’01, ’09

Paul Maxwell ’07

Shirley Schmidt ’86, ’09

Honorary President

Craig Mellow ’97

Board of Governors Representatives Scott Bebenek ’85 Tom Berczi ’88, ’93 John Trus ’90

Michelle Missere ’06

Senate Representatives

Past President

Kiran Nagra ’02

Ashley Cameron ’86

Andrew Ness ’86

Megan Harris ’00

Patricia Polischuk ’90

David Oates ’70

Dr. Max Blouw Tom Berczi ’88, ’93

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013 5

campus news BREAKING GROUND

New home of business and math programs scheduled to open in 2015 With ceremonial shovels in the ground and sights set on the future, provincial government and Laurier officials marked the construction start of the Global Innovation Exchange (GIE) building on University Avenue at Laurier’s Waterloo campus. The groundbreaking event celebrated the $103-million future home of Laurier’s School of Business & Economics and Department of Mathematics, which received a $72.6million investment from the Ontario government in 2011.

“This Project is an exciting step forward in Wilfrid Laurier University’s service and contributions in the City of Waterloo,” said Laurier President Max Blouw. “It will connect Laurier and our region increasingly to the global community, and it will be a tangible expression of the commitment of Laurier faculty, staff and students to global outreach, innovation and excellence.”

The provincial government’s investment in the facility is the largest single capital investment in Laurier’s history and signals the province’s confidence in the calibre of teaching and research at Laurier.

Housing the School of Business & Economics and the Department of Mathematics in the GIE will allow Laurier to meet the growing demand for enrolment in these programs and expand the university’s

ability to deliver integrated and engaged learning opportunities to students locally and globally. It will also enhance the synergies between Laurier’s business program and applied and financial math programs, and represent Laurier’s leadership role in business and technology.

The 215,000-square-foot building is designed to present a bold, forward-looking presence on University Avenue. The facility design boasts four storeys, a 1,000-seat auditorium, a four-storey atrium, lecture halls including a 300-seat circular lecture hall, and a Finance Research Lab with real-time trading facilities and Bloomberg terminals.

The GIE is scheduled to open for classes in Fall 2015. For more information, including artist’s renderings and floor plans, visit wlu. ca/GIE.

LAURIER’S CEO-IN-RESIDENCE

Tim Penner urges students to go global Tim Penner (BBA ’78), former president of Procter & Gamble Canada, urged students to set themselves up for learning on a global scale in his keynote address as Laurier’s new CEO-in-Residence.

“The best career move I ever made was moving to England. It stretched me in ways I needed to be stretched,” Penner said, speaking to a crowd of faculty, staff and students at Laurier’s Waterloo campus. “Don’t limit your career choices to one country.”

Global experience was just one of many tips that Penner shared during his talk, titled “My Path to Leadership (And Some Tips For Yours).” Other advice for career success included setting bold goals, embracing

change, helping to create a positive corporate culture and staying balanced.

As well, he said rather than focusing on getting that next great job title, look for opportunities where you will learn the most.

“Think about learning rather than managing your career,” he said. “It makes you a more valuable member of a community.”

Penner, who was born and raised in Kitchener-Waterloo, joined Procter & Gamble (P&G) right after graduation. In his early days with P&G, he worked in various marketing roles in Canada, advancing to the position of general manager of Health Care products. From 1993 to 1996, Penner was the vice-president of P&G’s Health and

Beauty Care in the UK and Ireland.

From 1996 to 1999, he was vice-president of the N.A. Paper business, located in Cincinnati, Ohio. He returned to Toronto as president of P&G Canada in 1999 and held that role for 12 years before retiring in 2011, after 33 years with the company.

Outside of work, Penner has served for 10 years on the Ontario Task Force on Competitiveness, Productivity and Economic Progress. He is vice-chair and leads the fundraising committee for the YMCA of Toronto.

He also serves as a trustee of Sick Kids Hospital. He is also a member of Laurier’s Campaign Cabinet to build Canada’s best business school.

Think about learning rather than managing your career. It makes you a more valuable member of a community. Tim Penner, CEO-in-Residence 6 LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013

campus news LAURIER LAUNCHES COMMON READING PROGRAM FOR FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS

Inaugural book is Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese Laurier’s new Common Reading Program has chosen the novel Indian Horse, by Richard Wagamese, as its inaugural book.

Over 50 books were nominated for the Common Reading Program, an initiative that will see Laurier’s 1,400 incoming first-year Faculty of Arts students at the university’s Waterloo campus receive a free copy of the book this summer, and participate in related online conversations, discussion groups and campus events in September.

Indian Horse tells the story of a northern Ojibway man looking back on a life scarred by his experience in residential school and redeemed through his gift for hockey. Narrated in the first person, the book follows Saul Indian Horse’s life from boyhood through adulthood, touching on themes of heritage, identity, nature and hope.

A nine-member committee comprised of Laurier students, faculty members, staff and local high school teachers carried out the selection process. Laurier Librarian Sharon Brown nominated Indian Horse.

Richard Wagamese is an Ojibway journalist, television and documentary producer, and author of 11 books. He won the Canadian Authors Association Award for fiction for his third novel, Dream Wheels, and was awarded an honorary degree from Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops.

Laurier’s Common Reading Program invites all students entering the Faculty of Arts in September 2013 to share a reading experience as they become members of the Laurier community.

TWO FACULTIES ESTABLISHED AT BRANTFORD CAMPUS

Changes align with Laurier’s multi-campus governance model Laurier’s Brantford campus is home to two new faculties: the Faculty of Liberal Arts and the Faculty of Human and Social Sciences. The faculties, approved by the Wilfrid Laurier University Senate and Board of Governors, became effective July 1.

The Faculty of Liberal Arts will house Contemporary Studies, Journalism, History, English, Youth and Children’s Studies, Human Rights and Human Diversity, Languages at Brantford and Law and Society programs. Programs in the Faculty of Human and Social Sciences include Criminology, Health Studies, Psychology and Leadership.

The changes stem from a Presidential Task Force on Multi-Campus Governance that was established in 2010 to meet the need for an overarching model of multi-campus governance, in response to fundamental shifts in the university’s identity over the past 15 years. With the opening of the Brantford campus in 1999, Laurier became a multi-campus and multicommunity university. Over the next several years, the Brantford and Waterloo campuses grew significantly, the Faculty

of Social Work moved to Kitchener, and Laurier established an office in Toronto.

In addition to the creation of two new faculties, the Brantford campus will see three existing Laurier faculties operating on campus this fall. The Bachelor of Business Technology Management program in Brantford will be affiliated with the School of Business & Economics at the Waterloo campus, and the newly approved Bachelor of Social Work with the Faculty of Social Work at Laurier’s Kitchener location. Laurier’s Faculty of Graduate and Post-Doctoral Studies already operates as a multi-campus faculty and will add the new MA in Social Justice and Community Engagement to its Brantford-based MA in Criminology.

Bruce Arai, former dean of the Brantford campus, will become dean of the Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, and John McCutcheon, former acting dean of the Brantford campus, will serve as acting dean of the Faculty of Liberal Arts until June 2014 while a search for and appointment of a permanent dean is undertaken. Associate deans for each faculty will also be named.

Laurier honours Waterloo Region Record’s 40 Under 40 winners (l-r) Laurier President Max Blouw and Laurier 40 Under 40 recipients Adam Lawrence, John Neufeld, Paul Dickson, Jennifer Smith, Paul Maxwell, and Jim Moss with WLUAA President Marc Henein at a reception at the Balsillie School of International Affairs.

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013 7

campus news BRANTFORD BUILDING ACHIEVES LEED SILVER CERTIFICATION

Sustainable features consume less energy The Research and Academic Centre (BRAC) West Building on Laurier’s Brantford campus has been awarded LEED Silver certification by the Canada Green Building Council.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a third-party certification program and an internationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. The BRAC West building has been designed to consume 33 per cent less energy than a comparable industry standard building.

Sustainable features of the BRAC West building include: low-flow water fixtures; high-efficiency glass; no-irrigation vegetation; natural daylighting with super energy efficient light fixtures; bike storage; elimination of refrigerant coolant HCFCs; regional and recycled materials; reduced parking and hard surfaces; solar reflecting roof; and construction waste diversion.

“We are very pleased to have achieved the Silver certification level with Laurier’s first LEED building, and to have been awarded all 35 of the certification points that were targeted,” said Gary Nower, associate vice-president: physical resources. “Certification requires a team effort from design through construction, and we recognize the contributions of MMMC Architects and the design consultant

team, as well as D. Grant Construction in achieving this milestone for Laurier.”

The BRAC East Building LEED certification application is currently under review, and the upcoming Global Innovation Exchange Building at the Waterloo campus will also be applying for certification at the completion of construction.

PEOPLE AT LAURIER Chris Alcantara, associate professor of political science, was shortlisted for the 2013 John McMenemy Prize for his article, “Mixing Politics and Business in the Canadian Arctic: Inuit Corporate Governance in Nunavik and the Inuvialuit Settlement Region.” The prize, awarded by the Canadian Political Science Association (CPSA) and the Société québécoise de science politique, recognizes the best article published in the Canadian Journal of Political Science.

Jörg Broschek, political science professor, has been appointed Canada Research Chair in Comparative Federalism and Multilevel Governance. Broschek joined Laurier in July from the Institute of Political Science at the Technische Universität Darmstadt in Germany where he specialized in comparative politics.

Juanne Clarke, sociology professor, has been named Laurier’s 2013-2014 University Research Professor. Clarke has focused on three main areas throughout her research career: medicalization, gender

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and media. Recently, she has been working on children’s mental health issues. Her University Research Professor project will continue this work with a cross-national scan of media representations of children’s mental health issues around the world.

Jana Gordon is the new assistant vice-president of development and campaign director in Laurier’s office of Development and Alumni Relations.

Most recently, Gordon was director of development and donor relations at the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. A native of Texas, highlights of her previous work include associate director of development for the Faculty of Music and Faculty of Arts at Laurier, director of development with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and corporate giving sales manager with English National Opera.

Duane Heide, a part-time instructor in the Faculty of Education received the 2013 WLU Award for Teaching Excellence in the contract academic staff category. Heide, who is also an elementary school teacher, has been at Laurier since 2009 teaching primary/junior mathematics instruction methods to Laurier’s Education students.

He is known for outstanding small-group teaching, curriculum development and an integrated learning style.

The Ontario Women’s Directorate has recognized Ginette Lafrenière, associate professor of social work and director of the Manulife Centre for Healthy Living, with an award titled “Leading Women, Building Communities.” Lafrenière was honoured for her contributions to social initiatives across Waterloo Region, including being an active volunteer with the Violence Against Women Forum of the Central West Region of Ontario. She also founded the Social Innovation Research Group at Laurier.

campus news LAURIER CELEBRATES CONVOCATION

First cohort graduates from Health Sciences program Wilfrid Laurier University graduated more than 2,800 students and awarded four honorary degrees during the university’s spring convocation ceremonies in June. As well, Laurier bestowed one Distinguished Governor Award to John Ormston and one Order of Wilfrid Laurier University to Mary D’Alton for exemplary service to the university.

In total, eight convocation ceremonies were held — five in Waterloo and three in Brantford.

Honorary degree recipients included distinguished pianist Janina Fialkowska, accomplished corporate leader John Thompson, awardwinning novelist Eric Walters and acclaimed advocate for the rights of imprisoned women Kim Pate.

Laurier Chancellor Michael Lee-Chin reminded students of their good fortune, to be graduating and living their dreams. “We stand on the shoulders of our forebears,” he told graduates. “We have the opportunity to have a voice in the system. We have the opportunity to have power in the marketplace. Don’t abuse this privilege.”

A ceremony on the Waterloo campus marked a milestone for the university, with the first cohort of Laurier’s Health Sciences Bachelor

Tim Martin, former head of treasury at BlackBerry in Waterloo, a Laurier alumnus and former WLUAA Board of Governors representative, has been appointed executive director: strategic initiatives at Laurier. Reporting to the president, the executive director is responsible for driving key initiatives to support the university’s strategic direction.

A book by Tanis MacDonald, associate professor in the Department of English and Film Studies, was shortlisted for the 2012 Gabrielle Roy Prize, which honours the best in Canadian literary criticism.

WLU Press published MacDonald’s book, The Daughter’s Way: Canadian Women’s Paternal Elegies, marking the fifth year in a row that a book published by WLU Press has been on the shortlist, three of which have won.

Rob Milne, associate professor of geography and environmental studies, received the 2013 WLU Award for Teaching Excellence in the full-time category. Milne was recognized for his extensive teaching

of Science program graduating, and preparing for the next phase of their education toward becoming doctors, occupational therapists, dentists, health administrators, and other heath-related professionals.

The first cohort joined Laurier in September 2009. Enrolment was originally expected to be 50 students in the first year, but it exceeded expectations with 78 students. The second cohort had 100 students, and the third and fourth had 120. Another 120 students are expected to enroll this fall.

Following two years of required courses including health sciences, biology, chemistry, psychology and mathematics, and with a greater appreciation of the possibilities for future study, students begin to focus on long-term goals with their choice of elective courses in third and fourth year.

dossier — 17 different courses and more than 8,700 students between 2003 and 2012 — the remarkable quality of his online course development, outstanding teacher evaluations, and his strong knowledge of ecology and environmental studies.

Laurier researchers Bill Quinton, Canada Research Chair in Cold Regions Hydrology and associate professor in Laurier’s Geography and Environmental Studies Department, along with Jennifer Baltzer, Canada Research Chair in Forests and Global Change and associate professor in Laurier’s Biology Department, are among participants in the $5-million Changing Cold Regions Network (CCRN) recently announced by Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). The CCRN will study the relationships between changing climate, ecosystems and water in the permafrost regions of the Subarctic, the Boreal Forest, the Western Cordillera and the Prairies.

Brian Rosborough has been appointed to the new position of senior executive officer of the Brantford campus. Rosborough’s five-year term commenced July 1, 2013. The senior executive officer reports to the university president and represents his office at the Brantford campus. The role has two core functions: to create opportunities and strategies that advance Laurier’s academic mission, and to build strong relationships with the Brantford campus’ partners and stakeholders.

Jason Roy, political science assistant professor, is the recipient of a 2013 Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) Award for Teaching Excellence. The award recognizes educators who go above and beyond the textbook to inspire their students to learn. It is awarded annually to professors from each of OUSA’s member campuses as selected by students as examples of teaching excellence.

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013 9

campus news BMO FINANCIAL GROUP DONATES $1.25 MILLION

Gift will support entrepreneurship and global education initiatives for students Laurier’s School of Business & Economics (SBE) recently received a $1.25-million gift from BMO Financial Group, which will support entrepreneurship and global education initiatives for students.

“We are grateful to BMO for their investment in our vision to build Canada’s best business school,” said Micheál Kelly, dean of SBE. “Laurier is surrounded by one of the best ecosystems for a business school that you will find anywhere in Canada. As a result, we offer an outstanding education in entrepreneurship and a unique spirit that permeates the entire university.

We have done a lot in the area of entrepreneurship, but there is a lot more we want to do and this gift will help us get there.”

The donation will fund a professorship in entrepreneurship that will support curriculum, program development and research in entrepreneurship across all faculties at Laurier, fostering entrepreneurial behaviour in all students.

The gift will also support students involved in international exchange programs, as well as provide 210 academic scholarships and grants.

Manfred and Penny Conrad learn about the new Music Therapy Clinical Improvisational Lab from Professor Heidi Ahonen at the Master of Music Therapy program’s 10th anniversary reception.

MASTER OF MUSIC THERAPY PROGRAM MARKS 10 YEARS

First-of-its-kind lab unveiled Laurier’s Faculty of Music celebrated 10 years of alumni and student excellence in its Music Therapy master’s program in early April, and also unveiled a Music Therapy Clinical Improvisational Lab — the first of its kind in Canada.

The improvisational lab will enhance research, as well as teaching and learning in the undergraduate and graduate music therapy programs.

“The lab enhances client and therapist sessions through the use of modern equipment and technology, furthering the research of clinical improvisation as a whole,” said Heidi Ahonen, a music professor and director of the Manfred and Penny Conrad Institute for Music Therapy

Research. “Improvisation provides the opportunity for clients to express themselves through sound.”

The Faculty of Music celebrated the Music Therapy master program’s 10th anniversary with student performances, keynote speakers and a reception.

Over the past 10 years, graduates of the program have developed into a community of music therapists practising music-centred psychotherapy. Students gain practical experience working with clients through community practicum placements and in the faculty’s on-site clinic.

Laurier has the longest running Master of Music Therapy program in Canada.

Improvisation provides the opportunity for clients to express themselves through sound.

Heidi Ahonen, music professor and director of the Manfred and Penny Conrad Institute for Music Therapy

DEVELOPMENT DAY 2013

Alumni gather for learning and networking In early May, more than 200 Laurier alumni and community members gathered on Laurier’s Waterloo campus for the sixth annual Development Day. The upbeat tone for the day was set following a morning keynote address from Neil Pasricha, author of 1000awesomethings.com, The Book of Awesome and The Book of (Even More) Awesome. The values discussed by Pasricha — social, structure,

10 LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013

stimulation and story — were valuable takeaways for attendees.

After a book signing, participants attended concurrent sessions to discuss specific skills in a more intimate setting.

Following lunch, Sara Dunkley (BBA ’99), founder of Beautiful World Canada Foundation, continued to inspire and encourage the audience to learn and grow in both a personal and professional setting.

campus news ALUMNI OFFICE WINS TWO NATIONAL AWARDS

CCAE awards recognize outstanding alumni relations initiatives Laurier’s Alumni Office received two awards from the prestigious Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (CCAE) Prix d’Excellence program. The awards were presented during CCAE’s national conference in June in St. John’s, Nfld.

The Prix d’Excellence awards program recognizes outstanding achievements in alumni affairs, public affairs, communications, marketing, development, advancement services, stewardship, student recruitment and overall institutional advancement.

This year, Laurier won gold for Alumni Roundtables in the Best Alumni Initiative category and silver for A Golden Celebration: A

LAURIER’S NEW ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY GARDEN

Outdoor space will showcase Aboriginal culture Laurier celebrated the official opening of its Aboriginal Community Garden June 21, on National Aboriginal Day. The garden, located at the Waterloo campus’ Aboriginal Student Centre at 187 Albert St., is named “Mino-kummik,” which means “the good bountiful earth” in Ojibway.

“As Aboriginal people it is important to us to have an outdoor space that represents the traditional teachings and world views of Indigenous peoples all over the world,” said Jean Becker, senior advisor: Office of Aboriginal Initiatives.

The garden consists of a landscaped seating area, an area designated for ceremony, a fire pit, a small vegetable/herb garden and an Aboriginal medicine garden.

Any university group or class can book the space, which will showcase Aboriginal culture with activities such as elder teachings, sunrise ceremonies, drum birthings and circle teachings. Laurier’s Faculty of Education and the Faculty of Social Work will also integrate the garden into their curricula.

A garden at the Brantford Aboriginal House also features plant species indigenous to the area, which are regularly used and harvested for their medicinal properties by people of the Six Nations and New Credit reserves.

Tribute to Fred Nichols in the category of Best Alumni Event.

“This national recognition is a testament to our strengths and expertise in providing our alumni with meaningful opportunities to engage with and contribute to the life of the university,” said Rob Donelson, Laurier’s vice-president of Development and Alumni Relations. “I am proud of the continued recognition of our staff and look forward to another rewarding year of exceptional alumni events and programs.”

This is Laurier’s fourth win in the Best Alumni Event category since 2008, and second consecutive gold for Best Alumni Initiative.

VARSITY HOCKEY PLAYER NAMED OUTSTANDING WOMAN OF LAURIER

Fiona Lester shines as student, athlete, volunteer Fiona Lester has been named the 2013 Outstanding Woman of Laurier (OWL). Lester, the captain of Laurier’s varsity women’s hockey team, received the award in March during a luncheon at the Waterloo Inn Conference Hotel.

Lester is a fourth-year Biology and Downhill skier Kelly VanderBeek, left, Math major from Peterborough. She and OWL winner Fiona Lester. has twice been named an OUA First Team All-Star and three times a CIS Academic All-Canadian.

“It’s really exciting to win this award,” said Lester. “There are so many great female athletes out there, so many that I’m friends with, that it’s just awesome and a great honour.”

In 2012, Lester was one of only two Canadian student-athletes to be named to the Capital One Academic All-America College Division first team. She also earned the 2012 Luke Fusco Academic Athletic Achievement Award, which recognizes the Laurier female athlete who best combines academic and athletic achievement.

In the summer, Lester works at the Laurier Girls Hockey Camp as a counsellor and instructor. She has also worked as a supervisor with the Ontario Ranger Program at the Killarney Camp.

The OWL event included an inspirational keynote address by Kitchener native Kelly VanderBeek, a three-time World Cup downhill skiing medalist and participant at the 2006 Winter Olympics. Laurier alumna Daiene Vernile, anchor and producer for CTV Southwestern Ontario’s Provincewide, hosted the event.

This year’s event raised about $18,000 to help support women’s athletic initiatives, scholarships and the mentoring program at Laurier.

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013 11

research file What does

attractiveness mean to you?

Laurier researchers are studying how beauty labels influence our perceptions

by Sandra Muir

Beautiful. Perfect. Fabulous. Lean.

These are just some of the words that advertisers use in beauty ads, but are these the labels that adolescents actually use when describing beauty? That’s what Laurier researchers Sybil Geldart and Stephanie Burgoyne are exploring in a new study that goes beyond the biological response to beauty.

Research on the adaptive response to beauty has long been documented with certain features known to be preferable from a fertility perspective, such as a smaller chin and larger lips for women, and bushier eyebrows and a dominant jawline for men. But what part does culture play in how we define beauty? Is there a perceived difference between being labeled beautiful versus attractive?

“I like this type of research because it moves our thinking beyond a biological basis of physical attractiveness, which has become increasingly popular in face-perception research these days. It starts to explore experiential and cultural influences on our response to beauty,” says Geldart, an associate professor of psychology on Laurier’s Brantford campus. “This is really about subculture, and I think it gives a well-rounded picture of what perceptions of beauty are about.”

The study follows Geldart’s previous experimental research, which measured how young women reacted to different labels of beauty. Participants were asked to rate faces

Does showing anger help in negotiations?

Ivona Hideg’s research shows that only genuine emotions can give you the edge by Sandra Muir If you are going to make someone an offer they can’t refuse, you don’t need to be the Godfather – but you do need to show genuine anger.

A study recently published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology titled “The consequences of faking anger in negotiations” suggests that faking anger in a negotiation can backfire. The study was co-authored by Ivona Hideg, an assistant professor in Laurier’s School of Business & Economics.

“There are a lot of studies that suggest in order to be successful in negotiations you 12 LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013

should be tough,” says Hideg. “But if you actually don’t feel genuine anger, people can see through the act and will react in the opposite way.”

To test this theory, Hideg and researchers Stéphane Côté from the University of Toronto and Gerben Van Kleef from the University of Amsterdam conducted experiments with undergraduate students and actors trained in displaying emotions.

Students were asked to negotiate the price of a car with an actor as the salesperson. The actors were asked to either display no emotion, obviously fake anger or

genuine anger. Two experiments — one dealing with face-to-face negotiations and the other with video-mediated negotiations — demonstrated that “surface acting” or inauthentic anger (compared to showing no emotion) made students demand a better

research file

based on attractiveness, prettiness or cuteness. The study found the women reacted differently to the images and spent more time looking at faces they thought should be rated attractive, compared to faces they considered pretty or cute.

“This told me there was a difference between verbal codes of beauty,” says Geldart. “So we wanted to look at (social) media to see how these labels appear.”

Over a six-month period Geldart and Burgoyne analyzed more than 160 print advertisements in a selection of Canadian and American women’s magazines for teens, adults and seniors. They also looked at television, billboard and website ads. Specifically, they looked for the words pretty, attractive, beautiful, hot, cute and gorgeous. The researchers were surprised by the results.

“We originally searched for the attractive, cute, prettiness words or any derivatives of those,” says Burgoyne, an assistant professor in Youth and Children’s Studies at Laurier’s Brantford campus. “But what we discovered is that advertisers were using other words to sell their products.”

The word beautiful did come up, but not in a significant percentage. Instead, Geldart and Burgoyne came across words like perfect and fabulous, or made-up words like “babe-licious.” In the magazines geared towards seniors, advertisers specifically used words like healthy and radiant. For teens, the most frequent words included cool, awesome, lean and picture-perfect.

“We’re thinking that advertisers are using these words because they think these are the words that will make us want to buy these beauty products,” says Geldart. “And it seems they are adapting the words based on what they think beautiful means to those different age ranges.”

With the content analysis now complete, Geldart and Burgoyne

deal due to reduced trust. In addition, students displayed a lower desire for future interactions.

On the other hand, “deep acting” or more genuine anger decreased students’ demands (compared to showing no emotion) because the actors were perceived as being more tough, which is consistent with prior research on the effects of showing anger in negotiations.

“Our study shows you may gain something if your anger is genuine,” says Hideg. “However, your strategy is going to backfire if you’re being fake and you’re not showing genuine emotion.”

While the undergraduate students could tell when the actor was displaying fake anger, they could not say exactly why. The answer is in the way the face moves.

Researchers Stephanie Burgoyne, left, and Sybil Geldart.

are preparing to interview adolescents about beauty labels to see if the words used by advertisers mirror adolescent labels of beauty.

The researchers say the study is important because it can help us be more conscious of the labels that advertisers are using, and help adolescents and their parents become more aware of any pressures young adults might face.

“Young people are bombarded with the visual image of beauty, which is thinness, but now we’re also bombarding them with verbal cultural expressions associated with perfection,” says Geldart.

The videos of the actors were carefully coded, and researchers found that when people fake emotions, the muscles in the face don’t move symmetrically. One eyebrow may move more than the other, or only one side of the jaw may clench.

One of Hideg’s new areas of research involves investigating cultural differences in reacting to fake and real anger. Most of the studies she has read so far suggest that people with dialectical reasoning — which is more dominant in Asian cultures — are more accepting of contradictory emotions.

For example, you might realize someone is faking an emotion, but you don’t react negatively and assume it might just be a one-time event.

However, people with low dialectical thinking — usually found in Western

Europe, Canada and the U.S. — assume that if someone is faking an emotion, they must be a bad person.

“They make internal attributions that kind of discount the whole situation and they react negatively,” says Hideg.

Hideg likes that her research has practical implications in the business community, as well as day-to-day life.

“You buy a car, you buy a house, you negotiate with your spouse where you’re going to go on vacation, or perhaps you have children and need to debate what they are going to eat for dinner — we actually engage in negotiations a lot in our everyday lives. And there are always some emotions involved.”

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013 13

campus feature

THE BUSINESS OF GIVING BACK Chameli Naraine leads a multimillion-dollar company, but makes giving back a priority

C

hameli Naraine was in a village outside of Varanasi, India, checking on the work of her charity, the Naraine Global Fund, when she met a grandmother who had used a $4 loan from her foundation to set up a produce stand in the local market.

“She took me by the hand to show me her stand, and told me she wants to get another stand to sublet,” says Naraine. “Today, she has six stands in the market.”

story Mallory O’Brien 14 LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013

Photo: Dean Summer Palmer 2013 15 LAURIER CAMPUS

Naraine and the children of Padma House, left and centre.

Naraine (BA ’89) is CEO of Symcor, a $700-million company based in Toronto that provides financial processing services to major banks and retailers.

She started the Naraine Global Fund in 2008. The foundation provides funding and oversight to grassroots organizations in India and Honduras to improve the lives of women and children through the delivery of educational, skills training, literacy and health programs.

In Honduras, funds from Naraine’s charity helped build an orphanage for children living in extreme poverty called Padma House, named after Naraine’s mother.

Padma House, which has room for 12 children and two caregivers, also provides access to education, medical care, clothing, and a safe and loving environment.

The foundation also funds the Reyes Irene Valenzuela School, where one day a week 400 young women attend to earn their high school diplomas.

“These women work around the clock in the homes of the wealthy, and are often treated poorly,” she says.

“They work nonstop but by law they are allowed one day off.”

The women also have access to health care, including medical consultations and annual workshops on physical health, personal hygiene and nutrition, and reproductive health. “It’s not popular to teach about contraceptives in Honduras, but it works,” says Naraine.

In India, the Naraine Global Fund partners with World Literacy of Canada to focus on literacy, skills training and microfinance programs — providing small loans to women interested in starting their own businesses — with classes, scholarships and a mobile library bus that travels to various communities to help residents learn how to read. On one of her first visits to India, one of Naraine’s most affecting experiences was seeing women who could not measure cloth because they were illiterate. Thanks to the organizations she supports, the women can now measure a piece of cloth, make a business out of selling shirts, and use the income to support their families.

“We prefer to keep the women in the villages and make the village better,” says Naraine. “I don’t want to just give you an apple. The root to poverty elimination is basic education, and then getting a job and doing something. That’s the simplicity of what you can do for

16 LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013

someone if you can teach them how to read, write and do numbers.”

Global community development models show that women and children are the most underserved of the population and the ones who improve the fastest with investment in skills, which lifts the entire community, says Naraine. “My philosophy is that humans, as a species, could not be millions of years old if we couldn’t create positive change. My role is to not only participate in that change, but help create and lead it.”

N

araine, who is of Indian descent, was born in Guyana, South America. In 1976, at the age of 16, she quietly left the country with her family, including three younger brothers and an older sister. Due to the political situation at the time, it was difficult for people to leave Guyana.

“We left school one day and never came back. We walked away from everything, and basically started over.”

The family settled in Kitchener-Waterloo, where Naraine’s aunt was living. It was April, and they arrived during a terrible snowstorm. Naraine and her family relied on each other to acclimatize not only to the weather, but also to a new culture. The family of seven moved into a three-bedroom house. To make ends meet, her father, an engineer in Guyana, took a job repairing combines, while her mother babysat children in the family home.

To help support her family, Naraine took a summer job at global technology company NCR, and she continued to work there part-time throughout her final year of high school. Instead of going to university for engineering, as was expected by her parents, she continued to work at NCR because she enjoyed it.

“Luckily my parents were quite liberal,” says Naraine.

“For an Indian guy, my father was very progressive and encouraged the development of women.”

While at NCR, Naraine completed a three-year business program in materials and operations management at Conestoga College. She worked 80 hours a week, excluding homework, for those years to pay for her education and help financially support her family.

“College was great in terms of engaging the mind in the practical aspect, the mechanical side of the mind to create good things,” she says. “It also prepared one for the working world. But what was missing was the philosophical side of the brain, engaging in higher education.”

Naraine wanted a university degree, but she was still not interested in engineering. She decided to pursue a degree in economics and business at Laurier part time.

“It was hard to juggle it all,” she admits. “I tried to enjoy the campus and people and setting, but I was still at NCR working more than 50 hours a week. Even so, it was still very stimulating intellectually.”

A

fter graduating from Laurier in 1989, Naraine’s career advanced and she had many opportunities to work around the globe with NCR, including Singapore as director of business development for Asia-Pacific. She worked at NCR for more than 25 years before eventually moving on in 2002 to Ohio-based National City commercial bank, where she became executive vice-president for corporate operations. She left the bank six months before the economic collapse, and “technically retired” at 47.

When the opportunity to take a top job at Symcor came along, Naraine thought it was an exciting opportunity — exciting enough to come out of retirement. She has a passion for big business, and Symcor processes more than one billion cheques and almost 50 million payments a year for Canada’s largest banks.

“I am a strong proponent that businesses with healthy leadership can materially impact society in a positive manner,” she says.

She is incredibly proud of the company’s record of high employee engagement and customer satisfaction.

“I want to engage the human aspect of the business. If employees are satisfied, they will always do their best. I like to go visit employees and hear their ideas and how they are doing.”

Naraine, whose company hires many Laurier co-op students, wants to influence students’ priorities in life because “quite frankly, the world is a very interdependent place and the globe is getting smaller.”

She wants young business graduates to share her passion for people and for people in business. At a recent talk at York University, Naraine told the audience, “I work, I live comfortably, I make sure my family is taken care of and I give away my money. I put it in my foundation.” After her talk, “The students asked me: ‘You really do that?’ and I said, ‘You really wouldn’t consider doing that?’ We had a fun debate about that.”

In 2012 Naraine received the Premier’s Award for Business, an award presented by the Government of Ontario to recognize the social and economic contribution that college graduates make to the province and throughout the world.

Naraine says hard work and sharing opportunities, whether in business or giving back, is the key to success.

“Young grads think they have the ticket to success but they don’t understand how the human system works. I learned that from my family unit — from survival. We would have one chicken, and it had to go to seven of us.

Everyone had a piece. No one in the family would ever take another piece. Building your career by stepping on people is not the way to do it. You need to collaborate, but have the courage to pull out and pass when you need to.” CAMPUS

Naraine looks on as children enjoy books from a mobile library bus in India, above right.

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013 17

Photographer Paul Colangelo highlights environmental issues through the lens of his camera

CALL of the

18 LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013

campus feature

The Sacred Headwaters in northern British Columbia is the shared birthplace of three of the most important salmon rivers in the province: the Stikine, Skeena and Nass. It is also the traditional territory of the Tahltan First Nation, and supports an incredible ecosystem of wildlife. This remote, delicate landscape is at risk from oil and gas exploration, and mining operations that would cover nearly one million acres of the headwaters with wells, roads and pipelines. Photographer Paul Colangelo is telling visual stories that he hopes will help protect it. story Sandra Muir | photography Paul Colangelo

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013 19

On Todagin Mountain, in northern British Columbia, Paul Colangelo waits.

He knows a herd of Stone’s sheep — believed to be one of the largest herds in the world — will be passing through the area soon. Camera in hand, he lays on the ground for up to four hours a day as the sun begins to set and the mercury dips. When it’s dark, he heads back to his camp for a quick freeze-dried dinner before slipping into his sleeping bag.

On the fourth day, the herd comes through.

20 LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013

“When I got that shot, it was a feeling of pure joy,” says Colangelo. “When a photo finally comes together, it’s affirmation that you just have to be very patient.

I find myself becoming more and more patient with each photo shoot.”

Colangelo (BBA ’03), a photojournalist and environmental activist, has been documenting the landscape of northern B.C. for four years. It is a vast and extraordinary wilderness that most Canadians will never visit. His award-winning photographs have appeared in Canadian Wildlife magazine and Orion magazine. He is also a National Geographic Explorer, receiving grants from the iconic organization to help fund his projects.

Working mostly in the Sacred Headwaters, a 20-hour drive north of Vancouver, his photography is helping to raise awareness of the area, which is being threatened by energy companies eager to tap into its plentiful resources.

Going to great lengths to capture the perfect shot is how Colangelo connects people with the natural world, and highlights pressing environmental issues.

“If I can tell a visual story in a way that people can relate to and connects them to nature, that’s great,”

says Colangelo. “The ultimate goal is to spark some sort of reaction or emotion, or even spur them into action.”

It was a sudden spark

of emotion that changed Colangelo’s career path. Growing up in Unionville, Ont., Colangelo always planned to follow in his father’s footsteps with a business career.

But while enrolled in Laurier’s business program, he struggled to find a passion for the products he was helping to market.

As a graduation gift, Colangelo received his first camera and took it with him on a month-long backpacking trip to Hawaii before starting a new job at an insurance company. During a hike along the Na Pali Coast, he had a “dehydration-fuelled epiphany.”

“I promised myself that I would spend my life working on something I truly cared about.”

Sitting in his cubicle a week into his job, he came across the website of National Geographic photographer Frans Lanting.

“I used to go through the old moisture-crinkled National Geographic magazines in my parent’s basement when I was young, and my favourite section was the On Assignment page at the back,” says Colangelo. “I still remember a picture of Frans Lanting up to his neck in a swamp with his camera. I had no idea that I’d be doing the same one day, but those dreams of adventure never left me. I knew instantly it was something I wanted.”

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013 21

(clockwise l-r) Camp after a windstorm; tributaries of the upper Klappan River; the path of the Skeena River; Skeena headwaters; drop-off on Todagin Mountain; a hunting outfitter and his horse.

That night Colangelo couldn’t sleep. He poured over the websites of every professional nature photographer he could find and wrote to them asking for advice on a photography career. What he heard was that competition would be fierce, he would be broke for years and get rejected constantly.

“For some odd reason, this made me want it even more,” he says. “I was looking for a challenge, excitement and to explore the world.”

He enrolled in a two-year photography program at Langara College in Vancouver, and then landed a job in California with Lanting, the man who inspired his career change. Colangelo worked hard to produce a portfolio of work, and learn the power of storytelling.

The Sacred Headwaters project is a turning point in Colangelo’s photography career. It is his first cohesive body of work on an issue he is passionate about. It also marks his transition from “a nature photographer who takes nice pictures, to a photojournalist who tells stories.”

Todagin Mountain,

home to the Stone sheep, falls within the Sacred Headwaters. In 2010, nearly the entire plateau was opened to mining exploration, threatening the vast majority of the herd’s habitat.

For the past two years Colangelo has been documenting the sheep, living on the mountain for months at a time.

22 LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013

He uses a variety of techniques to capture the Stone sheep in their natural habitat, including rappelling down cliffs to install camera traps — remotely triggered cameras equipped with motion or infrared sensors — to photograph the herd as they navigate the precipitous cliff trails.

The goal is to create a map showing exactly what habitat the herd uses, and then overlay it with mining tenures to directly highlight the land-use conflict.

To reach the sheep, Colangelo is dropped off by helicopter with enough food and gear to last a few months. His only communication with the outside world is a satellite phone, and his only companions are the wildlife that call the Sacred Headwaters home, including grizzlies who roam the plateau in search of ground squirrels and marmots, and a resident pack of wolves.

“One of the most memorable experiences was when a pack of 12 wolves and I startled each other as we came over a crest,” says Colangelo.

“We all just stood there staring at each other for a while. This was after camping on the plateau for months. You become just another animal on the mountain.”

More challenging than wildlife encounters are the harsh elements of the plateau. “The wind is relentless — you can’t sleep and it keeps you on edge. My tent has seemed like a paint shaker for many sleepless nights.”

He once found himself tent-bound by a storm for a week. Windstorms have also destroyed his camp, sending his tent a mile down the valley, crashing it into cliffs before dumping it in the river. On more than one occasion, Colangelo has been forced to go on a recovery mission to collect his underwear, which has been scattered across the plateau.

Wildlife stories can take a long time to photograph due to the logistics

campus feature

of working in remote locations and the unpredictability of the animals.

But to Colangelo, they are important stories to tell.

“People so often think of humans as separate from the rest of life — there is us, and there is wildlife. But this is a mistake that will come back to bite us. Everything we use and enjoy in life has its beginnings in nature.

Everything in even the largest city can be traced back to its beginnings in the natural world. We are utterly dependent on the processes of the natural world, and we risk destroying the mountain we’ve created beneath us if we disregard the rest of life and unravel ecosystems.”

Colangelo

first learned about the Sacred Headwaters in 2009.

He travelled to the region to photograph a swimmer from Smithers, B.C., who was swimming the entire length of the 570-kilometre Skeena River to unite communities downstream against encroaching oil and gas companies.

Shell Canada was planning to drill coalbed methane gas wells over nearly one million acres in the area, threatening communities, wildlife and contamination of the three salmon rivers. The Sacred Headwaters is part of the Tahltan First Nation’s traditional territory, and the Tahltan had already been fighting for several years to stop the development.

“After standing in this incredible landscape and hearing local people describe just what the area means to them, I felt the need to tell this story and paint a picture of the Sacred Headwaters for those who might never see it themselves,” says Colangelo. “But that is an extraordinary task because it is a vast mountainous landscape with one road going through it. So, the project ended up taking four years.”

Sacred Headwaters

Prince Rupert

Prince George

BRITISH COLUMBIA Vancouver

His photo documentary, called Sacred Headwaters, Sacred Journey, exhibited at the Banff Mountain Film Festival and Mountainfilm in Telluride, Colorado, in 2011, and the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival in 2013. His photographs also appeared in the book Sacred Headwaters: The Fight to Save the Stikine, Skeena and Nass by Wade Davis, an explorer-in-residence at the National Geographic Society.

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013 23

“ People so often think of humans as separate from the rest of life — there is us, and there is wildlife.

But this is a mistake that will come back to bite us.”

24 LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013

In December 2012, the B.C. government announced that Shell was withdrawing plans to develop coalbed methane wells in the Sacred Headwaters.

The government also banned all future oil and gas exploration in the area.

“Countless individuals and organizations from around the world chipped in to protect the Sacred Headwaters. But in the beginning it was a small group of local people who cared about their home enough to stand up against the world’s second-largest corporation, and won,” says Colangelo. “For me, it was affirmation of the important role that photography can play in conservation issues.”

Colangelo says that while this is a major victory, there are still battles to fight. The ban is limited to oil and gas exploration, and there are still coal and copper-gold mines proposed for the area.

He is now shifting from looking at individual issues in northern B.C. to a regional perspective, telling a series of three stories about the wildlife hotspots of the north. Colangelo’s next project is Salvation Fish, which documents the culturally and ecologically important eulachon fish, whose 90 per cent decline has largely gone unnoticed.

“There is nothing like waking up in the morning knowing that you are doing exactly what you are meant to and looking forward to every day of it.” CAMPUS

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013 25

WATERLOO

Homecoming 2013 Events | Sept 27–29 Friday, September 27 School of Business & Economics (SBE) Alumni Awards Dinner Theatre Auditorium 6 p.m. | $60 per person Celebrate with fellow SBE alumni and Dr. Micheál Kelly, dean of SBE, for the inaugural SBE Alumni Awards.

Golden Hawks Hall of Fame Dinner Senate & Board Chamber 6 p.m. | $65 per person The Golden Hawks Hall of Fame, created in 1986, celebrates individuals, athletes and teams who have made outstanding contributions to varsity athletics programs.

The 2013 inductees are Brian Devlin ’07, Scott Evans ’09, Bill Francis ’08, Erica Howard ’07, Anthony Maggiacomo ’08, Dean Boles and the 2001/2002 Women’s Hockey team.

Saturday, September 28 Free Pancake Breakfast Dining Hall Quad 9 a.m. – Noon | Free Start your day with a free pancake breakfast.

Rain or shine!

Legends of Laurier Lecture Series: Dr. Paul Tiessen Senate & Board Chamber 9:45 a.m. | Free Reminisce about your Laurier days with Fred Nichols, dean of students emeritus, host of the Legends of Laurier Lecture Series. Our 2013 lecturer is Professor Emeritus of English and Film Studies, Dr. Paul Tiessen.

Wilfrid Laurier University Alumni Association (WLUAA) Annual General Meeting Paul Martin Centre 10:45 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. | Free

Post-Game Dinner and Celebration Wilf’s Pub 4 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Order from our Alumni Homecoming Menu

Meet your Board of Directors, find out more information about WLUAA, provide your feedback and have a chance to win prizes.

Wilf’s is the perfect place to celebrate a Golden Hawk victory! Admission is free until 7:30 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis.

Laurier Campus Tours Alumni Hall 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Free

Homecoming HawkTail Party Theatre Auditorium 7 p.m. | Reception 9:30 p.m. | Dance Featuring Blackwater Trio & Friends | $30 per person

Enjoy a tour of your favourite Laurier campus spots and facilities. Tours leave Alumni Hall every 15 minutes.

Junior Hawks – Children’s Program University Stadium Noon | Free Children are invited for story time, crafts, games, face painting and more.

Football Game & Tailgate Party University Stadium Laurier Golden Hawks vs. Windsor Lancers 1 p.m. Kickoff

All alumni are invited to attend the revival of the Homecoming Alumni Reception & Dance.

This casual evening will include cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a performance by Blackwater Trio & Friends. Join fellow Hawks for the party of the year as we officially ring in Homecoming 2013 and celebrate the reunion classes.

Come to the Cabaret Senate & Board Chamber 7:30 – 10:30 p.m. | $25 Adults | $10 Students

$15.95 Adults (Football Game Only) $18.95 Adults 19+ (Endzone Tailgate Party) $7.95 Laurier Students $11.95 Students (non-Laurier) $3.95 Children 4–12 FREE Children under 4

Join the Wilfrid Laurier University Alumni Choir for the second annual informal evening of musical highlights presented by awardwinning graduates from the Faculty of Music.

These versatile young artists will provide music selections that are guaranteed to appeal to all musical tastes, from opera to jazz, classical to gospel and even rock ‘n’ roll.

Homecoming 2013 reaches a fevered pitch as we cheer our Golden Hawks to victory!

REMEMBER: You must purchase a ticket to access the Endzone Tailgate Party.

Ticket prices increase by $2 when purchased on game day.

Alumni Party Wilf’s Pub 9 p.m. | $10 per person Featuring live music. Purchase your tickets early to avoid disappointment!

learn more about 26To LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2011Homecoming 2013 or to purchase tickets, visit laurieralumni.ca/ homecoming

Accommodations Discounted accommodations are available for returning alumni and friends at the following hotels in the Kitchener-Waterloo area.

More information about each hotel is available online. Quote “WLU Homecoming” when making your reservation to take advantage of the Laurier alumni group rate. Book early to avoid disappointment.

Waterloo Inn Conference Hotel Booking cut-off date: September 11, 2013 Kitchener-Waterloo Hotel & Conference Centre Booking cut-off date: September 13, 2013

HAWKS’ COMING HOME!

Destination Inn Booking cut-off date: September 13, 2013 Courtyard Marriott Booking cut-off date: September 13, 2013

Alumni Party The Turret Nightclub 9 p.m. | $10 per person Featuring a live DJ. To avoid disappointment, purchase your tickets early!

Homecoming Athletics Friday, September 27

Sunday, September 29

Men’s & Women’s Soccer: UOIT @ Laurier – 6 p.m. & 8 p.m. @ University Stadium

Homecoming Chapel Service Keffer Memorial Chapel, Waterloo Lutheran Seminary 10 a.m. | Free Music during the service will be provided by the Wilfrid Laurier University Alumni Choir, under the direction of Carolyn Neumann VanderBurgh ’95, and the Chapel Choir, under the direction of Elvera Froese.

6th Annual Laurier Loop University Stadium 10 a.m. | $30 per person Participate in the four-loop 10-km run, twoloop 5-km run, one-loop 2.5-km run, or one of three relays in support of Laurier’s Sun Life Financial Movement Disorders Research & Rehabilitation Centre (MDRC).

Experience Stratford Festival Theatre, Stratford 10:30 a.m. Bus Departs Laurier 2 p.m. Showtime | $99 per person Enjoy the Fiddler on the Roof as part of the Experience Stratford package, offered at a discounted rate made possible by the Wilfrid Laurier University Alumni Association.

The cost includes coach transportation, lunch, tickets to the performance and a post-show chat with the actors.

STAY CONNECTED facebook.com/LaurierAlumni LaurierAlumni (official group)

Saturday, September 28 Men’s Football: Windsor @ Laurier – 1 p.m. @ University Stadium

Reunion Celebrations The following classes are encouraged to come back to campus to celebrate their milestone reunions:

Class of 2008 5th Anniversary Class of 2003 10th Anniversary Class of 1998 15th Anniversary Class of 1993 20th Anniversary Class of 1988 25th Anniversary Class of 1983 30th Anniversary Class of 1973 40th Anniversary Class of 1963 50th Anniversary Department of English & Film Studies: 65th Reunion All alumni who graduated prior to 1962 will celebrate as part of our Founders’ Club.

Are you a member of one of these classes?

Be sure to visit laurieralumni.ca/reunions for reunion-specific details and to support your class gift.

Men’s Baseball: McMaster @ Laurier – 1 p.m. & 4 p.m. @ Bechtel Park, Waterloo Sunday, September 29 Men’s Baseball: Laurier @ Waterloo – 1 p.m. & 4 p.m. @ Jack Couch Park, Kitchener

Homecoming Retro Photo Contest Enter for a chance to WIN a $500 VIP HOMECOMING 2013 PACKAGE Visit facebook.com/LaurierAlumni for full details and to enter.

All event details subject to change. twitter.com/LaurierAlumni #LaurierHomecoming

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2011

27

BRANTFORD

BRANTFORD

HOMECOMING 2013 OCTOBER 19, 2013 Legends of Laurier Lecture Series: Dr. Peter Farrugia Noon–1 p.m.

Class of 2008 & Residence Life Reunion 1 p.m.–2:30 p.m.

Tailgate Party 2 p.m.–3:30 p.m.

Men’s Hockey Game

Brantford Civic Centre Laurier Golden Hawks vs. Windsor Lancers 4 p.m.–7 p.m.

Alumni Pub Social 7:30 p.m.

All event details subject to change.

To learn more about Homecoming 2013 or to purchase tickets, visit

laurieralumni.ca/homecoming

Make time to play.

LIFE HAPPENS. WE CAN DREAM WITH YOU. Is it time to travel, take in a game or a day away with the kids? GradVantages partners help you achieve your dreams with discounted tickets and great rates.

GRADVANTAGES… YOU’VE EARNED IT, USE IT! laurieralumni.ca/gradvantages Former NHLer Rob Whistle ’85 drives for the green at the annual Laurier Golf Classic in Brantford.

keeping in touch

by Mallory O’Brien

It’s 24-feet long, holds 1,350 gallons of water, and contains hundreds of rare and endangered aquatic species.

No, it’s not a tank at Toronto’s new waterfront aquarium. It’s “Peter’s Fish Tank,” a world-class aquarium in the basement of Laurier alumnus Peter Hyne’s home in Oakville, Ont.

HYNE (BA ’72) RETIRED IN 2010 after selling his company, Cyence International Inc., for almost $40 million in 2008. When the architect designing Hyne’s unfinished basement said the space needed a “signature,” Hyne chose an aquarium.

“I thought it would be something I could put my arms around,” says Hyne, laughing about how the size of the tank increased dramatically. “But if I get into something, it’s not going to be half-measure.”

Hyne had no background in marine biology or maintaining a fish tank, so he began reading a leading online forum for saltwater aquaria and the project kept growing in scope. Eight months later, a six-person team began constructing Hyne’s huge L-shaped tank.

30 LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013

The tank was so large it had to be installed by crane. The rock that supports the tank’s coral was flown in from Jakarta, Indonesia and never left its watery environment (exposure to air could alter the natural buildup on the rock’s surface).

The water in the tank is managed by a complex system of pumps, cleaning and chemistry to mimic natural ocean water and currents. Two people come twice a week to clean the aquarium. Any loss of power would result in the aquatic life dying, so two generators providing 400 amps of electricity back up the entire system.

Hyne is a pioneer of using LEDs to provide the tank’s lighting. They are more easily customizable and take less power to run than traditional aquarium lights.

“The tank requires not only the perfect balance of water chemistry, temperature

and flow, but also light,” says Hyne.

“You have to replicate what the sunlight would be like after it travels the 149-million kilometres to Earth, and then that extra 10 feet into the water.”

Hyne receives visits from marine biologists and aquarists from around the world who want to examine his setup. Recently, a scientist working for the Australian government visited Hyne to learn more about his use of LEDs. The scientist was researching ways to take specific frequencies out of the light spectrum to study how smoke pollution is affecting the Great Barrier Reef.

Hyne’s most expensive acquisition is a $700 pair of triggerfish, who need to be caught in the wild as a pair because they mate for life. He has also been successfully breeding the endangered banggai cardinalfish.

keeping in touch

... if I get into something, it’s not going to be half-measure. photo by Dean Palmer

Although Hyne’s new hobby has its share of challenges, he’s always ready to meet those obstacles head on. It’s how he managed his post-graduate journey from cutting lawns at Laurier’s Waterloo campus to becoming president and CEO of a multimillion-dollar company.

Hyne, who never finished high school, said he was academically “a disaster.”

His family moved around a lot, and he attended 23 schools within a single decade. However, while he was working for Dominion supermarkets, the company sent him to Humber College for a business diploma and he excelled.

“In a sense I was a late bloomer, but growing into an adult frame of mind, university was a great place for that,” says Hyne, who attended Laurier (then Waterloo Lutheran University) after earning his business diploma.

Hyne sits on Laurier’s Arts Advisory Committee and feels strongly that his philosophy degree was key to his success.

“I didn’t know at the time how potent the decision was to pursue an arts degree — it’s been instrumental to my material success. The most powerful asset a graduate can have is the ability to communicate and think critically.

I know those are buzzwords but it’s a fact — I have hired thousands of people and the best performers were good communicators and excellent critical thinkers.”

Hyne eagerly took opportunities when they appeared, leading him through careers with provincial and federal correctional services, a psychiatric hospital and for the team that negotiated the first Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (a precursor to NAFTA).

He also worked in IT for the federal government. His IT background (and friendly relationship with Bill Gates) served him well when he decided to leave public service to “finally go and make some money.” He sold his first company to AT&T before starting Cyence.

“The adaptability of being able to pick up and move from one domain to another has led to my success,” says Hyne. “It’s hard for a person to take that leap when someone calls out of the blue and asks if you’d be interested in being a parole officer. It’s hard not to stay.

My advice is in the first 20 years after graduation, do everything you can.

It will come back to benefit you in your later stages of life.”

To visit Hyne’s fish tank online, visit www.petersfishtank.com. CAMPUS

Have you done something interesting with your arts degree? Let us know: alumni@wlu.ca | facebook.com/laurieralumni | twitter.com/laurieralumni | laurieralumni.ca LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013 31

keeping in touch

Q&A

Vanessa King: managing the behind-the-scenes life of a movie star

When Vanessa King (BA ’01) graduated, she moved back to her hometown of St. Andrews, New Brunswick, and got a job at a hotel to start paying off her student loans. When a film crew rolled into town looking for local hires, she jumped at the opportunity and soon found herself running the production office of a $2-million movie. She has worked in the entertainment industry ever since.

Hollywood

32 LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013

For the past seven years, New York City-based King has worked as the personal and executive assistant to Oscar-nominated actress Julianne Moore. She also teaches a weekly screenwriting workshop and was a finalist in Final Draft’s International “Big Break” contest, and semi-finalist in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (OSCAR) screenwriting competition. King also writes for actress Zooey Deschanel’s blog HelloGiggles.com, and has been named one of The Huffington Post’s “Funniest Women on Twitter” (@manhattancanuck).

What does a personal assistant to a movie star do?

VK: My day starts at 9 a.m. — I’ll stop by my employer’s house (I work from there) and take her dogs for a walk as I do a few neighbourhood errands like get the mail, groceries and visit the vet. Mid-morning we meet to go over what she needs done for the day such as administrative tasks, emails and scheduling. I handle all her

travel, the details for all her events, and I manage her house, and work directly with her publicity and management teams, her accountant and agents on any number of projects. It’s a busy day, but no day is the same, which is what I like about it. I’m usually home by 7:30 p.m., but sometimes it’s later and sometimes I travel. It’s really about embracing the job and being flexible, which is key.

Do you ever get starstruck?

VK: When I first started I was a little nervous but never starstruck. After a while you realize these famous faces are really just regular people who happen to have jobs that elevate them to a level of recognition that other professions might

not have. Actually, I did get starstruck when I met Ryan Gosling a few years ago — I’ll admit to that!

After being dubbed one of the funniest women on Twitter, do you feel any pressure when you tweet?

VK: Totally! There will be days or weeks when I won’t tweet anything because I’ll get writer’s block and think, “I have failed at laughter!” But then it goes away and I’ll unleash a ridiculous amount of debatably funny tweets (March 31: A bottle of wine leaked all over my vegetable crisper. Guess who’s having salad for breakfast tomorrow?). Most of what I tweet is what I’m thinking at that moment, so they sort of lend themselves to self-deprecation with huge helpings of sarcasm.

kind people who love to promote my writing. One of them is Haylie Duff (sister to singer Hilary Duff) who is a foodie and wrote a column for the blog. She recommended me! Mostly I write mindless and fun madness from my brain (“The Internet Says I’m Dying” or “Things the Little Mermaid Taught Me”) and I have a series called “10 Questions With” where I ask celebrities 10 questions from one of those Internet surveys that I think my mom used to send me every week back in the ’90s.

Write m ore NOTES!

How did you get involved with HelloGiggles.com?

VK: Over the years I’ve met some really

What are your plans for the future?

VK: Deep down I’m just a struggling screenwriter.

I’d like to work on selling something, whether it’s for television or film. A decade down the line I see myself producing or being a

WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

development executive. I think I have a knack for making stories better and producing comes naturally to me because in a sense that’s what I do every day.

Now if only I could find a financier with a padded bank account….

Follow Va nessa on twitte r @manhat tancanuc k

sa Vanes Follow ter on twit ca a t at n @manh

ore Write m !

NOTES

2013 AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE CONGRATULATIONS TO CHEYANNE McGILLICUDDY-RICHARDSON ’13 DAN DAWSON ’88 HOFFMANN-LITTLE AWARD FOR FACULTY DR. KEVIN SWINDEN FACULTY MENTORING AWARD DR. QUINCY ALMEIDA YOUNG ALUMNA OF THE YEAR KANDICE BAPTISTE ’11 HONORARY ALUMNUS ALAN QUARRY ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR TOM BERCZI ’88, ’93 STUDENT ALUMNA OF THE YEAR

SCHAUS AWARD FOR STAFF

Read more about these exceptional individuals, or nominate someone who embodies the spirit of Laurier for the 2014 WLUAA Awards of Excellence by visiting laurieralumni.ca/awards.

laurieralumni.ca LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013 33

It’s a changing world, and Laurier needs to provide the most up-to-date resources for our students. Thanks to donations from generous people like you, the Laurier library will help our students reach their full potential.

Q: Why give? A: To help build our future.

LEGACY DONORS MAKE THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE. Their lifelong commitment and generosity

provide vital building blocks for future generations of Laurier students. Through a planned gift, such as a charitable bequest in your will or a gift of life insurance, you can help cement Laurier’s continued success for years to come. To learn how easy it is, contact Cec Joyal, Development Officer, Individual & Legacy Giving at cjoyal@wlu.ca or call 519.884.0710 x3864.

wlu.ca/giving

keeping in touch

ALUMNI UPDATES 1960s Ron Woods (BA ’63) winters in Naples, Florida, and while there he volunteers with Habitat for Humanity in Collier County, the most successful Habitat in North America.

He recently started an organization called Canadian Friends of Habitat of Collier County, and invites Canadians visiting the Naples area to volunteer. To contact him, email cdnfriends@hotmail.com.

1980s Marcia (Thibodeau) Hanna (BA ’81) graduated in April 2012 with an advanced Business Administration diploma in accounting from St. Clair College in Windsor, Ont. She will continue to pursue self-employment interests in accounting and art.

1990s Allyson McHardy (BMus ’91 MusDip ’92) appeared in the Opéra de Montréal premiere of Dead Man Walking playing Sister Helen Prejean. Kimberly Barber, an associate voice professor in Laurier’s Faculty of Music, played the role of Mrs. Patrick De Rocher.

Warren Richmond (BA ’92) is the founder and president of Olivan Marketing Ltd., in Mississauga, Ont. The company is celebrating 10 years in business and recently moved into a new 20,000-squarefoot facility.

Tony Cho (BA ’95) travels the world as one of seven tour supervisors for the Women’s Tennis Association. Cho started in 1986 as a line umpire in Toronto and worked his way up to calling tennis games for the largest professional women’s athletics organization in the world.

Adrienne Frizelle (BA ’95) and her husband of 17 years, Pat, have relocated from Boston to Atlanta, where she has started working at Central Garden & Pet as customer marketing manager – national accounts.

She previously worked with Avery Office & Consumer Products for 12 years, first in Pickering, Ont., then in Framingham, MA. In 2012, Frizelle graduated from Nichols College with a Master of Organizational Leadership degree.

Luis Enrique Vargas (MusDip ’97) has released a new album, Bartok String Quartets Nos. 1, 3 & 5, with his string

quartet, Euclid Quartet. A violinist and lecturer at Indiana University South Bend, he has been a member of the Euclid Quartet, a well-regarded chamber ensemble, since 2001.

Michael Rea (MBA ’98) recently received the Governor General’s State Visit medallion during a visit to South Africa

by Governor General David Johnston.

The medallion is awarded to individuals for continued and exceptional service in promoting and enhancing Africa-Canada relationships. Rea’s citation read: “A founding trustee, program director and primary funder of the Soweto Marimba Youth League, Michael Rea has helped improve educational outcomes in South Africa through the medium of music. His philanthropic work with South African companies in support of educational programming has contributed to significant academic improvement in children attending under-resourced schools. He is a strong and proud supporter of the maple leaf abroad.” Rea lives in South Africa where he works in sustainability and integrated corporate reporting. In 2010, he received a Laurier MBA Alumni Award in the Community Leadership category.

NEW MEMBERS JOIN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD At the Wilfrid Laurier University Alumni Association (WLUAA) board meeting in May, eight alumni joined the WLUAA board, three alumni transitioned to new roles, and two alumni rejoined the Association in new roles.

The following alumni are joining the WLUAA:

Kate Applin (BMus ’09) is founder and artistic director of Metro Youth Opera. She is the school manager and is also marketing manager for Bravo Academy for the Performing Arts.

Investment Management as senior vicepresident of sales. He also has an MBA from the Ivey School of Business at Western University. He joins the WLUAA as a representative to the Senate.

program at the Brantford campus. She received an Honours Bachelor of Arts in contemporary studies from Laurier and a Bachelor of Education from Nipissing University.

Chris Hiebert (BA ’83, BusDip ’85) has volunteered for the Laurier Golf Classic for the past 10 years, which raises money for student support. Hiebert works at the Royal Bank of Canada as regional director of commercial markets/public sector.

Additionally, Shirley Schmidt (BBA ’86, MBA ’09) is now treasurer, which was previously held by Marc Richardson (BA ’95), who is now vice-president of operations. Scott Bebenek (BBA ’85) was vice-president of operations and will now represent alumni on the Board of Governors.

John Trus (BA ’90) rejoins the Board as a Board of Governors representative and Megan Harris (BA ’00) returns to the WLUAA as a Senate representative.

Fiona Batte (BBA ’96) is chief financial officer for Angstrom Engineering Inc. She received the WLU Alumni Award for her outstanding contributions to campus life.

Andrew Ness (BMus ’86) works at Sheridan College as director of international services.

He also has a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Ryerson and an MBA from Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.

Ashley “Ash” Cameron (BBA ’86) lives in Burlington, Ont., and works at MacKenzie

Katie Reaume (BA/BEd ’13) is a new graduate of Laurier’s concurrent education

To learn how you can get involved with the WLUAA, visit laurieralumni.ca/alumni/ alumni-association LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013 35

36 LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013

keeping in touch

ALUMNI UPDATES Anne Gloger (BusDip ’99) is the founding director of East Scarborough Storefront.

She helps build local social infrastructure in an underserviced area of Scarborough, Ont., known as Kingston Galloway Orton Park. Her work includes facilitating collaborative initiatives with residents, social service agencies, academics, artists, corporations, urban planners and anyone with an interest in improving life in the neighbourhood.

2000s Lynn Albrecht (MSW ’01) works as a social worker in Kitchener, Ont. She has written a book called Dying For Sex, which will be published this summer. It is a humorous mystery that takes place in Kitchener-Waterloo.

Travis Schneider (BBA ’02) lives in Los Angeles where he has been involved in several e-commerce startups, including StarBrand Media (acquired by Sugar, Inc.) and ShopNation (acquired by Meredith Corp.). He now works as vice-president at Meredith Corp, one of the largest magazine publishers in the U.S. He is married to Suzanne Dick (BA ’02).

Matt Farrell (MA ’06) is a faculty member at Fanshawe College in the School of Language and Liberal Studies. He is currently teaching Applied Sustainability, the first Massive Open Online Course at the college.

Dave Britton (BBA ’06) has been appointed portfolio manager at the Toronto investment firm Sionna Investment Managers. Britton joined Sionna in 2006 as an analyst, and most recently was an associate portfolio manager.

Mike Morrice (BBA/BSc ’08) is leaving his role of executive director of Sustainable Waterloo Region (SWR) to lead Sustainability CoLab, a new national network focused on enabling, mobilizing and building capacity for communitydriven and action-oriented approaches to business sustainability. SWR will be one of the first affiliates of the new network.

Mike Morrice

Morrice will continue to live and work in Waterloo Region.

Graham Beamish (BA ’09) is the hockey analytics assistant for the National Hockey League’s Buffalo Sabres where he is responsible for statistical analysis of opposing teams, referees and mapping league trends.

Email your updates to alumaddress@wlu.ca

IN MEMORIAM After courageously fighting cancer for more than 20 years, Anita (Neufeld) Jewell (BA ’71) passed away on Dec. 5, 2012 surrounded by her immediate family. She was a devoted mother, grandmother, wife and friend to many. She was an appreciated elementary school educator in both public and Christian schools in Ontario and Parksville, B.C. She appreciated good humour, food, reading, painting, travelling, gardening, walking and Christmas celebrations in her West Coast island community. She is sadly missed by her husband, Michael Jewell (BA ’72, MSW ’76), her son Aaron and daughter Zoe. The Rev. Joseph W. Williams (MDiv ’91) passed away Jan. 11, 2013 at the Toronto General Hospital after a long struggle with heart disease.

Aaron Lightstone (BMT ’97, MMT ’04), above left, and his band Jaffa Road, recently celebrated a second Juno award nomination for the group’s latest release, Where the Light Gets In, in the World Music Album of the Year category.

Also in the group is sax player Sundar Viswanathan (BMus ’89) second from right.

Craig Montross (BBA ’92) passed away unexpectedly from liver failure in April 2013 at the age of 44, one year after his wife Deb (Robertson) Montross (’91) died from cancer. He was a longtime employee at Carrier Corp. in Mississauga, Ont., and an active member of the Toronto Cricket Club. For 20 years he organized an annual golf tournament in support of Camp Oochigeas, a camp for children with cancer. The couple is survived by their young son.

David Falk, professor emeritus in the Faculty of Music, died June 1 at the age of 80. He joined Laurier in 1975 as a voice instructor and also led Laurier’s Opera program. Falk was keen on making performances memorable, and his influence on the Faculty of Music will continue for years to come.

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013 37

postcard to home

By John Hudson (BBA ’95) Since graduating, travel has been a significant part of my family’s life.

I have been married to my wife Laura for 16 years. We are both chartered accountants and have worked for a number of different international companies. We have three children (Matthew, 11, Ben, 8, and Kate, 5) who were each born in a different country.

To date, Laura and I have travelled five continents visiting 31 countries, and have moved eight times while living in four countries.

It has been a hectic lifestyle and it might not be for everyone. But for our family it has been a wonderful experience that has provided us, and more importantly, our children, an opportunity to see and learn about an increasingly globally-connected planet.

We have lived in Singapore for two years now, after calling Switzerland home for more than three years. As we look back on our most recent move, it was quite a change moving from a climate like Toronto’s to one where the weather is hot with almost 100 per cent humidity year round. But Singapore is a wonderful place to live. In many ways, it is probably more western than many realize, given its foreign business and immigration strategy, and its rather large expat community.

Our philosophy while abroad is to visit as many sites and countries as quickly as possible, since we know our moves will likely end when

our children reach high school age. With this approach in mind, our Asian highlights to date have been the Maldives (noted for its beauty), Vietnam (where we enjoyed Ha Long Bay bumboat rides), and most recently, Nikoi Island, a tiny Indonesian island with just 15 treehouses for its guests. In May, we also cheered on Laura as she ran a half-marathon on the Great Wall of China!

As an expat, saying goodbye or welcome to other relocating families is a constant and recurring theme. At the same time, we have also found that goodbye in one location can quickly change to good to see you again in another, with a number of our Switzerland friends joining us in Singapore with company relocations of their own. It has also been interesting to discover that many of our children’s Swiss and Singaporean teachers are actually from small towns across Ontario where we used to live. Two examples that prove it truly is a small world.

P.S. To answer the No. 1 question we get asked about Singapore: it’s true that gum is not sold in convenience stores, but it is available for purchase in pharmacies (you must register your purchase). Just don’t spit it out on the sidewalk or there will be a fine coming your way!

Are you a Laurier alumna/us living abroad and interested in sharing your story? Email campusmagazine@wlu.ca.

38 LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013

calendar of events

MARK YOUR CALENDAR For a complete list of events, tickets or more information, visit laurieralumni.ca/events

Mad Science Group Presents Aug. 10, 2013 11 a.m. – Noon The Summer Event Series at the Stedman Community Bookstore on Laurier’s Brantford campus concludes with this free wild and wacky science show. Kids will discover the ooey gooey origins of plastic and make their own slippery slime! For more information, visit stedmanbookstore.com.

Laurier Association of Lifelong Learning (LALL) course registration Registration until Sept. 9, 2013 Courses start Oct. 21, 2013 Do you want to learn about planets and the universe? Or are you interested in the weather, art or financial planning? LALL probably has a course for you! LALL offers a unique option for adult learning with a variety of classes in a range of subjects. Information about fall classes and registration fees are available at wlu.ca/lall. Or join the mailing list at lall@wlu.ca to receive the latest news and events.

SBE Dean’s Alumni Golf Classic

Laurier President Max Blouw at the Toronto Region Board of Trade Sept. 20, 2013 11:30 a.m.

Laurier President Max Blouw will speak about the value of post-secondary education at the Toronto Region Board of Trade. University staff, students and alumni receive a member discount. For more information, email infotoronto@wlu.ca.

Sept. 13, 2013

Chudleigh’s Farm Family Event

Enjoy a round of golf at the Grey Silo Golf Course in Waterloo, plus lunch, dinner and a silent auction. Proceeds go towards SBE student scholarship awards.

Oct. 6, 2013

Oktoberfest Oct. 18, 2013 Join fellow alumni for dinner at the Hubertushaus followed by fun and festivities at the Concordia Club in Kitchener. Get your tickets early for this popular event!

Golf Trip to Arizona Nov. 10-16, 2013 Travel to Tuscon, Arizona, and stay at the J.W. Marriott Starr Pass Resort for a week of sunshine and golf with fellow alumni.

Bring your family and enjoy all the beautiful fall colours at Chudleigh’s. Enjoy wagon rides, nature trails and the petting zoo.

‘LIKE’ US FOR LIFE Find Laurier alumni on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Join a group, find out about events, network, share a tweet and like us for ‘like’ life.

facebook.com/LaurierAlumni @LaurierAlumni | #LaurierAlumni Laurier Alumni (Official Group)

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013 39

flashback The Carnegie Building, 1999 When Laurier’s Brantford campus opened its doors in 1999, it had one building to accommodate its one program and 39 students — the Carnegie Building, a former public library located in the city centre.

The historical building, built in 1904, was already slated for renovations when the City of Brantford leased it to the university for one dollar a year in 1998.

Initially considered a temporary location to hold classes, a local architecture firm was hired to restore the architectural glory of the original neoclassical library — the stained-glass skylights in the domed ceiling, grand archways and pillars were all preserved.

Now a focal point of the Brantford campus, the Carnegie Building houses administrative offices, classrooms, faculty offices and lounge space. The university has gone on to restore some of Brantford’s most significant historical buildings, including Post House, a former post office and customs office built in 1912 that is now a residence building, and Wilkes House, a prestigious residence that dates to 1869, which is now an apartment-style student residence building.

Do you have a photo of your Laurier days?

Email a high-resolution image to campusmagazine@wlu.ca and it could appear in Flashback.

40 LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2013

A painter puts the finishing touches on the Carnegie Building.

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Inspiring Lives.

wHat’s in a leaf? At the heart of it this national symbol honours our namesake, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, seventh Prime Minister of Canada. That alone is a unique claim among Canadian universities.

But look closely. Laurier’s maple leaf is a microcosm of connectivity and support – every vein contributing to the health of the whole.

The beauty and simplicity of the maple leaf can only be realized through this common purpose of nature. And so it is at Laurier – faculty, staff, students and alumni committed to a common vision: To Inspire Lives of Leadership and Purpose.

wlu.ca

wilfrid laurier university

Waterloo | Brantford | Kitchener | Toronto