Surgite Magazine - Vol. 15, No. 2 - Spring 2023

Spring 2023

Vol. 15, No. 2

A Brock alumni magazine

Making an impact across the country and around the world

Metroland Media recently selected the Brock Library as the new home for nearly 100 years of Niagara history, as documented by reporters with the St. Catharines Standard and Niagara Falls Review newspapers.

This treasure trove of material — which includes clippings, photo prints and negatives, microfilm, notes and more — covers local history from the early 1900s to the dawn of the new millennium. It’s an incredible archive, and one we’re thrilled to be entrusted with.

In many ways, this collection is a natural fit for Brock. Universities share much in common with the news media, including our deep dedication to knowledge preservation and dissemination, which we know serves to strengthen our community. As an institution founded nearly 60 years ago by — and for — the people of Niagara, Brock’s bond with its community is incredibly strong. We are extremely fortunate to have such a relationship with our community and are proud to be Niagara’s university.

Of course, Brock’s influence reaches far beyond the borders of the Niagara region. As you’ll learn in the following pages, Brock grads, students and researchers are making an impact in communities across the country and, increasingly, around the world.

Much about Brock has changed over the past six decades, but our commitment to bettering the communities we’re in remains as strong today as it was in 1964. I hope you enjoy learning about this work and are inspired to get involved in your own community.

LESLEY RIGG President and Vice-Chancellor, Brock University

On the cover

The cover art for this edition of Surgite is intended to visualize the concept of ‘community,’ which carries many different meanings. The design, which uses bold reductive forms and an interplay of colour to portray a crowd standing together, reflects the role of Brock alumni not only as valuable members of the University community, but also meaningful global contributors whose impact continues to grow with each new graduating class. The cover’s kaleidoscope of colour is influenced by the stories of community connection highlighted in this issue.

EDITOR

Maryanne St. Denis

PUBLISHER

Matt Terry

ART DIRECTOR

Jenny Tilbrook

DESIGNER

Tabitha MacDonald

PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR

Carol McIntosh

CONTRIBUTORS

Amanda Bishop

Farzana Crocco

Kaitlyn Daw

Douglas Hunt

Charles Kim

Tarryn Landman

Stephen Leithwood

Cathy Majtenyi

Colleen Patterson

Mel Smith

Maryanne St. Denis

Matt Terry

Jocelyn Titone

GENERAL INQUIRIES

Brock Alumni Relations maintains a database of contact information for each graduate in accordance with all legislative requirements protecting privacy. We do not sell, trade or give away our mailing lists. If you do not wish to receive the magazine, or if you prefer to subscribe to our digital edition of Surgite, please fill out the form at brocku.ca/alumni

STAY IN TOUCH

Do we have your correct name and address? If not, please call 905 688 5550 x4190 or update your information at brocku.ca/alumni

BEYOND PRINT

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Surgite/sur-gi-tay/Latin for “Push on”

The inspiring last words of Maj.-Gen. Sir Isaac Brock

A lifetime of support

BY TARRYN LANDMAN

From young learners sharpening their math skills to seniors learning how to stay fit as they age, community members have come to rely on the guidance of Brock students.

Badgers offer a helping hand to Niagara residents through two innovative community-focused centres that have continued to grow in popularity over the years: the Brock Learning Lab and the newly revamped Brock Functional Inclusive Training (Bfit) Centre.

Through the Faculty of Education’s Learning Lab, Brock students gain teaching experience while helping local kindergarten to Grade 12 students build critical literacy and numeracy skills.

The lab’s in-school, small-group tutoring programs support thousands of elementary and secondary students across Niagara each year, while its one-on-one after-school tutoring programs offer individualized assistance to families.

The Brock Learning Lab model is unique in Canada for bringing together student employees and volunteers under the guidance of experienced educators and faculty experts to offer research-driven tutoring services to the community.

Over at Bfit’s new state-of-the-art facility, opened in January 2023, Brock Kinesiology and Health Sciences student volunteers and those on program placements work with more than 600 local residents to improve their quality of life.

Members have access to a range of accessible fitness equipment through the centre’s three programs: SeniorFit, funded by TD Bank Group and designed to help individuals aged 55 and older improve their strength, endurance and balance; Heart Strong, which provides tailored exercise plans to individuals with known cardiovascular disease; and Power Cord, a personalized wheelchairaccessible program for amputees and individuals with spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease.

Bfit is working to expand its impact across the region through satellite programs and a partnership with Niagara Health in hopes of helping more community members to live healthier lives.

Visit brocku.ca/learning-lab or brocku.ca/health-well-being to learn more.

Reina Tanimori (left), a fourth-year Concurrent Teacher Education student and Brock Learning Lab (BLL) intern, works with Myla Pilgrim during a numeracy tutoring session at the Brock Research and Innovation Centre on Lockhart Drive.

Power Cord program participant Jim Davis (left) works with Ryan Gibson (BScKin ’22), a Master of Professional Kinesiology student volunteer, at the Brock Functional Inclusive Training Centre.

Brock’s Eleanor Misener Aquatic Centre is always bustling. The 50-metre, Olympicsize pool has established itself as one of Niagara’s most popular swim spots, welcoming community members to the University’s main campus for lessons, fitness classes and competitive programs, as well as fun swims. It has been five years since Sofia Boswell (left), 11, and her sister Gemma, 10, took their first dip in Brock’s pool, where they’ve since developed their strong swimming skills.

5 tips for volunteering

Making the most of any volunteer experience

BY KAITLYN DAW

Adam Carter (BPhEd ’97) has been a dedicated community servant for most of his adult life, volunteering an average of 400 hours annually for various community and charitable organizations.

His volunteer journey began in high school when he started coaching youth sport — an experience that would eventually inspire him to pursue a degree in physical education at Brock University and amass 22 years of volunteer coaching experience.

During his undergraduate studies at Brock, Carter seized the opportunity to renew his first aid certification with St. John Ambulance for free in exchange for providing volunteer hours. He quickly became "hooked," he says, and has served in various volunteer roles with the organization ever since.

From running the front-line volunteer program, overseeing 23 units across southern Ontario as an operations adviser, to providing humanitarian aid in times of local or national crises, Carter has collected countless experiences and skills along the way.

“I never gave much thought to the invaluable leadership skills I was developing through my volunteer work at the time,” Carter says. “I was just doing what I enjoyed doing.”

After decades of providing front-line service and critical leadership and governance support, Carter is shifting gears to focus more time on sharing his experience with the organization’s younger members.

"At this point in my life, I feel like one of the best ways I can give back to St. John Ambulance is to empower other members with the knowledge and skills I’ve collected over the years," he says.

Carter's long-standing dedication to volunteerism and community service has earned him the knighthood in the Order of St. John, which he will receive during a ceremony at Parliament Hill in June. Here, he shares tips to maximize any volunteer experience.

1 2 3 4 5

Know your ‘why’

Understanding why you give back is an important part of making the most out of volunteering. Sometimes the prospect of “climbing the ladder” can distract us from why we signed up to volunteer in the first place. Be open to the unexpected opportunities that your volunteer experiences present to you and let your “why” help guide you along the way.

Listen to your community’s stories

Take in what people have to say. Volunteerism is all about community service, and the members of the community you choose to serve are the direct beneficiaries of your support. You may be surprised by what you can learn if you pause and truly listen.

Set intentional boundaries (and honour them)

We naturally invest more of ourselves into causes and projects we are passionate about, but it is important to set and maintain clear boundaries. Time is a precious resource that we can never get back, so keep your goals in perspective and remember to make time for other obligations and values in your life.

Take time to reflect on your impact

Reflect on how you give back and check in with yourself to make sure you are serving your “why” along the way. It is OK to be proud of your volunteer accomplishments and to celebrate them, just ensure your motivations are focused on what you can give back and not purely on what you can gain from the experience.

Recognize when it is time to move on

Volunteer work should bring you a sense of joy or purpose that drives you in a healthy way — it should not be a stressor in your life. If a volunteer experience no longer aligns with your “why” or exists outside of the boundaries you have set for yourself, it is OK to move on and find something else that fulfils you. Both you and the community you serve will be better for it.

An echoing impact in Ontario’s north

BY MARYANNE ST. DENIS

The speech pathologist and Brock University graduate knows that for some of her clients, the words may never come.

But that only makes her time with them, as they work to learn effective ways to communicate, that much more vital.

Bloemberg beams when she talks about the profession she’s been dreaming of since she was 12, and the work she now has underway in some of northern Ontario’s most remote communities.

Her days are busy and often filled with challenges she could not have imagined when she first began the Speech Language and Hearing Sciences program in Brock’s Department of Applied Linguistics — and she happily admits, she would not have it any other way.

Four years ago, Bloemberg made the decision to pack up her life in Woodstock, alongside her husband Zack Nelson, and take a job in Red Lake, Ont., a place she had never heard of before.

Yet, something in her gut told her Red Lake was home.

She followed her intuition all the way north until she reached the small town of 4,100 people, found roughly 535 kilometres northwest of Thunder Bay and less than 100 km from the Manitoba border.

Its breathtaking views and welcoming community quickly confirmed she had made the right choice.

She has since found fulfilment in her work with Firefly, a multiservice agency that supports the health and well-being of children and youth across northwestern Ontario, also serving in partnership with Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority and Kenora Chiefs Advisory.

There’s nothing Courtney Bloemberg (BA ’17) wants more than to give children a voice.

To help them express their joy. To help them express their pain.

As Red Lake’s only live-in speech pathologist, Bloemberg’s services have been in high demand.

She travels to schools and homes in several remote towns and Indigenous communities, some of which she must access by plane, spending her days helping children with speech sound disorders, language delays or fluency challenges, such as stuttering.

Through Firefly’s Pediatric Rehabilitation Outreach Program, she works with non-verbal clients and those with severe speech disorders to provide augmentative and alternative communication support, as well as social-emotional learning and social interaction skill building for a variety of clients, including some on the autism spectrum.

She also helps with specialized clinics that focus on feeding and swallowing in support of complex cases.

Each day is different, which Bloemberg says is part of the appeal. There are unique challenges that come with being a speech pathologist in Ontario’s north, serving clients with varying needs, who speak different languages and are spread out geographically. They motivate Bloemberg to do better by her clients, and to find innovative ways to ensure they receive the service they deserve.

Her work in Indigenous communities is with children who are primarily Ojibwe speaking.

“I don’t speak Ojibwe — I wish I did, it’s a beautiful language — but I want them to feel comfortable using it when I’m there,” Bloemberg says.

She works through their language differences to teach her clients and their families speech strategies they can use in their own language.

“It’s about taking the strategies I know in English and implementing them in Ojibwe,” she says, calling it one of the most rewarding aspects of the job.

Watching her clients progress is what motivates her to continue.

“It’s incredible,” she says after a slight pause, trying to find the words to sum up an experience that means so much.

There are days when children, with a little bit of support and guidance, can make strides in a single session. Others are more of a slow burn.

Both are equally as rewarding, Bloemberg says.

HANDS COMMENT-SMILE EAR-DEAF

“I can give them that voice to be able to express those needs.”

— Courtney Bloemberg —

As a speech pathologist in northern Ontario, Brock graduate Courtney Bloemberg (BA ’17) uses a variety of strategies and techniques to help children learn effective ways to communicate. She is pictured running through exercises with her one-year-old daughter Reid Nelson, and 10-year-old client Jordan Grand.

CIRCLE-XPERSON-WALKING-ARROW-RIGHTHEART-CIRCLE

While she’ll never tire of seeing a child’s expression when they overcome a communication hurdle, it’s the reaction of the parents that leaves Bloemberg, herself a new mom, feeling most moved.

“When they hear that word their child has been struggling with for so long, that really is the most incredible feeling,” she says. “And I don't think there are too many things that can compare with it, honestly.”

Becoming a parent herself, since welcoming daughter Reid in 2022, has also given Bloemberg new perspective on her job.

“I’ve had parents say to me, ‘All I want is for them to be able to tell me when they’re hurt, sick or something bad has happened, but they can’t express it,’” she says. “When my one-year-old can’t tell me what she wants, what’s wrong, I know how hard it can be. It was a real eye-opener for me, thinking about my sixand seven-year-old clients who are coming in and have never spoken a word in their lives.

“I’m now better able to understand the position of a parent whose child has never been able to tell them what they need,” she says. “I can help with that. I can give them that voice to be able to express those needs.”

Already working alongside fellow Brock graduate and Firefly counsellor Vikki Healey (BA ’08), Bloemberg hopes to inspire other professionals from her alma mater to consider a career in Canada’s more remote communities, including Red Lake.

She knows the thought may be daunting but says that is often true of the best moves in life.

“As much as there’s fear, you just have to jump over it,” she says. “I think you’ll find there’s an experience on the other side that you’ll love.”

Living in Red Lake, Ont., Courtney Bloemberg has had the chance to watch the northern lights dance in the sky above her home on more than one occasion.

“As much as there’s fear, you just have to jump over it.”

— Courtney Bloemberg —

Turning community challenges into opportunities

BY MEL SMITH opportunities

For decades, organizations in Niagara and beyond have been teaming up with Brock faculty, staff and students to address community challenges. Whether through research, service or experiential learning, students and industry alike have seen the advantages of community collaboration.

Where health care is concerned, these partnerships have helped to make lasting improvements to patient care in the region.

In 2019, when the University signed memorandums of understanding (MOU) with Niagara Health, Niagara Region Public Health and Pathstone Mental Health, a global pandemic wasn’t top of mind. Partnering to improve the health and vitality of the region

was a priority for Brock long before COVID-19 made its mark on the world — and will maintain precedence long after.

Formalizing the long-standing partnerships provided a framework for future collaboration, solidifying opportunities for the University and its partners to continue improving Niagara’s health-care system together. Brock partners with a range of organizations including not-for-profit groups and businesses. Together, they focus on co-creating research and student experiences that address regional challenges and opportunities.

The University strives to incorporate three key components into each of its MOU partnerships to ensure positive and useful outcomes: community-based research, service such as volunteerism or use of resources and facilities, and opportunities for experiential learning.

The MOUs acknowledge the mutual advantage of shared research and knowledge mobilization, while providing real-world experiences for students to apply their learnings and prepare for their careers.

In 2022, Brock’s health-care partnerships helped to expand physical and mental health research opportunities, establish programming, secure co-op work terms and volunteer placements for students, and continue pandemic support with vaccination clinics such as the provincial GO-VAXX bus.

To learn more about Brock’s community partnerships, visit brocku.ca/community

Surgite

Photos clockwise from bottom left: Fourth-year Psychology student Emily Massicotte-Finch (left) and Applied Health Sciences PhD student Luc Wasilewicz (right); Peer Assistant and fifth-year Concurrent Education student Evelyn Dilworth (left) and fourth-year Child Health student Tory Shklanka (right); Massicotte-Finch; and first-year Medical Sciences student Sophia Carnovale (left) and author, public speaker and podcaster Patty Krawec (right) all took part in programming organized by Brock’s Hadiyaˀdagénhahs First Nations, Métis and Inuit Student Centre.

“It's amazing that my time here and experiences with the resources in the centre have inspired me to reconnect with my culture and to want to learn more about things back home.”

— Emily Massicotte-Finch

Open door helps build Indigenous community connections

BY DOUGLAS HUNT

All are welcome.

It’s a message Cindy Biancaniello and her team have been working hard to convey.

While the Director of Brock’s Hadiyaˀdagénhahs First Nations, Métis and Inuit Student Centre aims to provide a welcoming, supportive and educational environment for Indigenous students, that commitment also extends to visiting school groups, partnering Indigenous organizations and other interested visitors and members of the University community.

Biancaniello, an Inuk and land claim beneficiary of Nunavut, and the Hadiyaˀdagénhahs team rely on a variety of connections with internal and external resources to ensure everyone they interact with feels comfortable stepping through their door to learn more about Indigenous cultures and ways of knowing.

“We know that students and community members are on a journey, both personally and academically, and we want to help them learn more about where they came from and where they are going,” she says. “But we can’t do it on our own. We are nothing without our community and the supports and generations of knowledge it provides.”

Fourth-year Child Health student Tory Shklanka has spent time in Hadiyaˀdagénhahs to explore her Inuk and Mi’kmaq heritage while learning first-hand how beneficial the resources and connections organized through the centre can be.

“Being associated with Hadiyaˀdagénhahs has opened so many doors for me, from helping to find a work placement with De dwa da dehs nye>s Aboriginal Health Centre in St. Catharines, conducting research on decolonizing experiential education, and even attending a conference about decolonization in Barbados,” she says.

While they regularly connect students like Shklanka with partner organizations, Biancaniello and her staff have also made it a priority to welcome and educate community members through a variety of programming, including drum-making workshops, traditional meals and reconciliation events, regardless of whether they are students at the University or self-identify as Indigenous.

That open-door policy has created another layer of support for Carly Judson.

The fourth-year Concurrent Education student knew she wanted to continue learning about her traditional Sagamok Anishnawbek ways of knowing while she was studying at Brock, but she was moved to learn the resources extended to others in her life as well.

At a recent event to honour missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, Judson was able to bring family members with her to take part in educational talks and workshops related to the subject.

She says the chance to grow and learn as a family has been transformative.

“I really like that you don’t have to be a student to participate,” she says. “My sisters came to a beaded medicine bag workshop and had the same opportunity to learn that I’ve had. It means so much to go through those things together and to know that everyone is welcome here.”

Fourth-year Psychology student Emily Massicotte-Finch has also harnessed the resources the centre has provided, participating in traditional arts activities and an Indigenous leadership conference, among others, to connect with community further afield.

“My time in Hadiyaˀdagénhahs has encouraged me to grow a deeper connection with my roots in the Batchewana First Nation near Sault Ste. Marie,” she says. “It's amazing that my time here and experiences with the resources in the centre have inspired me to reconnect with my culture and to want to learn more about things back home. Now, when I do go home, I can’t wait to share what I have learned and to learn more about my own history.”

With a full slate of workshops and school visits on the horizon, Biancaniello says the drive to continue building connections and welcoming anyone who comes through the door meets both personal and institutional goals.

“I’m guided by the four basic principles of the Inuit,” she says. “By working for the common good, living in respectful relationships, maintaining harmony and balance, and planning and preparing for the future, we develop positive relationships with so many people. Without those relationships, we won’t have a community.”

Inspired by the past,

$500K gift supports future women leaders

BY JOCELYN TITONE

Laura Sabia strongly believed in equal opportunity for women.

The daughter of immigrants and the first of her family to earn a university degree nearly a century ago, she went on to become a noted Niagara politician, journalist and women’s rights leader.

And this spring, she was also the inspiration for a $500,000 gift from Brock University Chancellor Hilary Pearson and her husband Michael Sabia.

“Laura was a remarkable woman and great mentor to me,” Pearson says of her mother-in-law. “Her commitment to women, and to young women in particular, was extraordinary.”

The gift made in honour of Sabia will support students and researchers studying science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) subject areas and aspiring student entrepreneurs.

“The world needs more women in STEM and more women exploring entrepreneurship, and we can’t think of a better place for them to do that than at Brock,” says Pearson.

Part of the gift will create Laura Sabia Entrepreneur positions in Brock's growing Entrepreneurship Co-op program, which provides students the opportunity to dedicate a paid co-op work term to developing and launching their business idea.

Another portion of the gift will support women in the Yousef Haj-Ahmad Department of Engineering through the

creation of annual Laura Sabia Scholarships for women studying STEM subject areas and Laura Sabia Research Scholar awards in support of women researchers or projects involving women students.

“While women working in STEM still face incredible challenges, those circumstances are changing, thanks in large part to the pioneering work of people like Laura Sabia,” says Lesley Rigg, Brock University President and Vice-Chancellor. “This is a wonderful gift that will have a profound impact on Brock students and researchers.

“I applaud Chancellor Pearson and her family for their foresight and vision and thank them for their generous support.”

Biology PhD candidate Mariana Garrido says the gift will help boost representation of women in STEM. As the founder and lead organizer of Brock’s annual Women in STEM event, she is passionate about highlighting scientific research done by women at Brock and inspiring younger women and girls to pursue STEM careers.

“I think visibility is part of the impact of this donation,” says Garrido. “We have an International Day of Women and Girls in Science dedicated by the United Nations for a reason. There are reports being done on the number of women in science because there are not many, and we can count them.

“Part of my goal with Women in STEM is to showcase these women, create a community and connect with young women to show them what is possible for them in these fields.”

entrepreneurs, to be professionals, to be engineers — to compete in every possible way,” she says.

Much of Pearson’s career in the past two decades has been spent advancing a culture of philanthropy in Canada. She served as President of Philanthropic Foundations Canada for 18 years, working closely with many of the country’s largest private charitable foundations. In 2018, she was named a Member of the Order of Canada.

Sabia was a founding member of the National Action Committee on the Status of Women, was President of the Canadian Federation of University Women, and served on St. Catharines City Council from 1963 to 1968. In 1974, she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada “for her devoted service to the cause of the status of women.”

Noted

politician, journalist and

leader

Niagara

women’s rights

Laura Sabia in 1968 (above) and as an open line show host on what was then Radio CKTB in 1973 (right). Brock President and ViceChancellor Lesley Rigg and Chancellor Hilary Pearson (top right) at the April 19 announcement of a $500,000 donation made to Brock by Pearson’s family in Sabia’s honour.

“The world needs more women in STEM and more women exploring entrepreneurship, and we can’t think of a better place for them to do that than at Brock.”

— Hilary Pearson

Planning, purpose and Purple Carrots

BY FARZANA CROCCO

Alana Perri (BA ’13) has felt first-hand the impact of expressive art therapy.

She found comfort in drama following the death of her mother, using the arts as a tool to navigate her grief.

Now, the Brock University graduate is committed to helping others experience the ways in which the arts can make a difference in their lives.

In 2020, Perri purchased Purple Carrots Drama Studio, which provides arts-based programs and services for individuals in the Toronto area with diverse physical and neuro abilities.

Her venture into entrepreneurship came at a difficult time, as restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic meant a switch to virtual programming, which didn’t meet the needs of her clientele.

To get her business on the right track, she turned to her alma mater for support.

“I was feeling very defeated. There was so much I didn’t know about running a business, and I didn’t know the first place to look for help,” she says.

That’s when she discovered Brock LINC’s Navigate program — one in a series of programs available to community members interested in dipping their toes into entrepreneurial waters.

Perri credits the program for providing her focused time to learn about the fundamentals of starting a business as well as mentorship that helped her build the confidence to make informed business decisions as she grows Purple Carrots. In April, she was named the program’s first Navigate Community Award winner, taking home a $2,500 cash prize.

“The difference in the business over the four months of the program is night and day,” she says. “I didn’t realize how much energy it was to try and create a huge umbrella of services. I’ve been able to focus, have a plan and purpose, and shape the direction of what we’re building.”

Purple Carrots now has plans to expand beyond Toronto, with new offerings expected in St. Catharines this fall.

For more information on Brock LINC’s entrepreneurship programming, visit brocku.ca/linc

As the owner of Purple Carrots Drama Studio, Alana Perri (BA ’13) (pictured above and right) works with individuals with diverse physical and neuro abilities.

“The difference in the business over the four months of the program is night and day.”

— Alana Perri —

carrot carrotcarrot

Creatingthroughchange art

BY CHARLES KIM

When graduates of Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA) head off into the world, they do so with plans to make their mark in the arts community. Some have gone on to create successful theatre groups or perform their music in front of crowds of thousands. Others have showcased their work in, or even curated, popular art exhibitions around the globe.

Justus Duntsch (BA ’17) is using his art to spark difficult conversations and to support some of Niagara’s most vulnerable residents.

The Centre for Studies in Arts and Culture (STAC) graduate has developed his career with the wellness and development of the Niagara community in mind.

He strives to be the change he wants to see in the world.

“Where do you start when you want to make the world a better place? It must start with you. It has to be genuine,” Duntsch says. “I think the best way is to speak with your actions.”

Along with sitting on and chairing a variety of community arts committees since graduation, Duntsch has spent time working with Start Me Up Niagara, which supports individuals facing significant life changes and provides them with opportunities to stabilize, participate and grow.

The organization offers services and programming to those facing challenges such as poverty, homelessness, unemployment, disabilities, addictions and mental health issues.

Through the ‘Art Me Up Niagara’ program, Duntsch helps participants to express their past and present through the exploration of multidisciplinary arts in a safe studio environment.

His work with Start Me Up Niagara has also led to his latest arts project, Before the Barriers, which reflects on the many people who took their own lives at the Burgoyne Bridge in St. Catharines from 2018 to 2019.

Duntsch says the project’s subject matter is difficult to talk about, which has only driven him to ensure these critical community conversations take place.

“There needs to be a space where this can be discussed without the stigma and that’s really what I’m trying to get towards,” he says.

Duntsch hopes to adapt the project for an academic space and has been in discussions with his alma mater, and STAC Director David Vivian, about how to do just that given the sensitivity of the topic.

He says he’s thankful for Brock’s STAC program — which helps students to gain a critical view of contemporary culture — as it provided the skills he’s needed to get to where he is today.

“The instructors are top shelf, the tools, the space — it’s really a world-class facility,” he says of the MIWSFPA.

Knowing the inspiration that came from his time at the downtown arts school, Duntsch looks forward to seeing where other aspiring artists from the University and beyond take their talents and how they use them to create change in the world.

“For anyone doing their thing in the arts and anywhere for that matter, just keep on keeping on. Look inside and ask yourself, who do you want to impact? What’s your desired outcome? Find what drives your passion and take the next steps,” he says.

“Where do you start when you want to make the world a better place? It must start with you.”

— Justus Duntsch —

Brock graduate Justus Duntsch (BA ’17) has used his art to create community change, including through a public art and community beautification project on Robinson Street in Niagara Falls (pictured top left) and through his work with Start Me Up Niagara. Duntsch is pictured above alongside Nancy Edmonstone, a local artist and regular participant in the Art Me Up program.

Brock University’s Homecoming celebration returns

Saturday, Sept. 16 to Sunday, Sept. 24

NEW Badger Bazaar

Discover unique and handmade goods from talented local artisans, Brock alumni and student entrepreneurs at the University’s inaugural Badger Bazaar.

Alumni Pub Night

Alumni ReceptionRecognition

Join us in honouring Brock's distinguished alumni award recipients and those celebrating their 25- and 50-year class anniversaries at a special reception and luncheon.

Reunions

Raise a glass with fellow alumni at Trust Beer Bar, Niagara's premier craft beer destination. Sample some of Ontario's finest brews and enjoy Trust's delicious Mexican street foodinspired menu.

Badgers, it’s time to come home. Reconnect with old friends, relive fond memories and make new ones at your reunion gathering this Homecoming.

Start making plans to soak in the nostalgia during special events over two weekends.

TROPHY-STAR

Brock Night at Niagara Grape and Wine Festival

HOT TICKET

Indulge in a VIP experience with access to private amenities and a comfortable bird's-eye view of Montebello Park and more.

at Cave Spring Vineyard, with a one-hour yoga session, sparkling wine tasting and vineyard history chat, catered lunch by Revalee Brunch Café and a flight of four curated wines.

Athletics games

Cheer on your Badgers with fellow fans and alumni at various sporting events throughout the weekend.

Badgers give back on and off the ice

BY STEPHEN LEITHWOOD

Apink ribbon with the initials ‘R.L.’ adorns the back plate of Brock men’s hockey goalie Mario Peccia’s mask.

The colourful addition is a tribute to Peccia’s uncle Rocco Lapadula, who passed away from breast cancer four years ago. He played a key role in Peccia’s life and inspired him to help others.

“It’s a gift to help others. I learned that from my Uncle Rocco,” says Peccia, a thirdyear Sport Management student from Toronto. “He was heavily involved in his community and volunteering with the Make a Wish Foundation. I witnessed the positive impact of his hard work.”

When head coach TJ Manastersky challenged his student-athletes to engage with the community, Peccia took the proverbial bull by the horns.

“We’ve named him the chair of our community leadership group within our team,” Manastersky says. “He’s taken charge of it, but overall, our players have been so receptive and took ownership to identify areas they wanted to expand their community efforts in.”

The Badgers’ community work began building momentum prior to the COVID-19 pandemic when members of the team made visits to the Children's Health Unit at Niagara Health's St. Catharines site.

Coming out of the pandemic, the Badgers’ community committee — made up of Peccia, Ethan Sims, Christophe Cote, Tyler Rollo, Jacob Roach, Rylan Thiessen and Olivier Desroches — quickly went to work this season to begin engaging organizations.

“Our goal was to make a positive impact on others with intentional efforts alongside non-profit organizations,” says Peccia, who is also the co-President of Brock’s Student-Athlete Leadership Council. “All of the events this year, and the ones we are planning in the future, are important to us.”

The Badgers worked with Big Brothers Big Sisters of North and West Niagara to

Karis Amsterdam Dodson of Tomorrow’s Voices choir runs through a tunnel of high fives from Brock hockey players after singing the national anthem prior to an Ontario University Athletics game at Canada Games Park earlier this season.

host two home games tied to raising funds and awareness to make a difference in the lives of at-risk youth in the region.

Both the men’s and women’s hockey teams helped battle poverty by hosting a community event for United Way Niagara, which played a role in helping the Brock University United Way Committee surpass its fundraising goal of $160,000 for the local organization.

When the Badgers weren’t speaking at elementary schools, they were hitting the ice alongside children participating

in United Way’s After School Matters program or teaching international students how to skate.

The Badgers also teamed up with ParaSport Ontario and the Niagara Sledge Hockey League (NSHL) to elevate the NSHL’s work with athletes with disabilities. The NSHL performed during an intermission of a Badgers game before the para-athletes played a game of sledge hockey against the Brock athletes. Brock Associate Professor Todd Green of the Goodman School of Business jumped at the chance when the

men’s hockey team reached out to his local choir, Tomorrow’s Voices, a barrier-free, audition-free non-profit choir for children ages eight to 18 who love to sing. The team invited the group to sing the national anthem before a large crowd at Canada Games Park.

“The kids had an amazing time singing at the hockey game. The players and coaches went out of their way to make it special for the kids,” Green says. “I’m very thankful to coach Manastersky and the team for giving them this opportunity, which was one of the highlights of our year.”

Peccia adds that the team is just getting started with community initiatives.

“Being a student-athlete comes with the responsibility of representing oneself and the school. We have the power to connect with our community and positively impact the neighbourhoods in our region,” he says. “We look forward to raising the bar every year moving forward to inspire others and promote teamwork for a supportive environment in Niagara.”

“We have the power to connect with our community and positively impact the neighbourhoods in our region.”

— Mario Peccia

Transit changes driven by VPMI partnership

BY CATHY MAJTENYI

For people who don’t own cars, and for those with physical mobility issues, getting around can be a challenge. Large buses with fixed routes and times may limit where, when and how people travel.

Transit agencies are increasingly turning to ‘microtransit’ — an on-demand service that may include paratransit, with smaller vehicles and flexible routes — as a more resourceful way of transporting people.

But co-ordinating multiple routes and times can be complicated, something Alexander Bailey (BSc '09, BSc '10, MSc '13), Software Engineering Manager at the Waterloo microtransit company RideCo, knows first-hand.

To explore this issue further, the Brock graduate has teamed up with Professor of Computer Sciences Beatrice Ombuki-Berman, who researches how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to design optimization algorithms that improve the efficiency of routing systems used by transit organizations such as RideCo.

When the Brock-Niagara Validation, Prototyping and Manufacturing Institute (VPMI) announced funding for Brockindustry research partnerships, Ombuki-Berman jumped at the opportunity. She reached out to Bailey, her former master’s student, to collaborate on advancing AI systems at RideCo and in the industry as a whole.

The VPMI is a collaborative hub that connects technical expertise and innovation at Brock University with industry partners mainly in, but not limited to, southern Ontario’s bioproducts, bioscience, bioagriculture and chemical manufacturing sectors. Some of VPMI’s current and past projects include:

• Testing the effectiveness of the drug tideglusib — produced by U.K.-based AMO Pharma Inc. — on cardiac and skeletal muscle health and function in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

• Combining social network analysis with current prediction models to see if this strategy can help the Niagara data analytics company Rel8ed-a Coface Company and others be more responsive to market changes.

• Working with the Toronto-based Arbor Life Labs to further develop the company’s all-natural hair-loss solution that targets multiple biological actions involved in hair growth.

• Exploring how a fungus called Metarhizium can act as a natural fertilizer for hemp plants, in collaboration with Toronto hemp company Canbud (now called Steep Hill Inc.).

VPMI-industry partnerships enable companies to gain access to Brock’s advanced scientific and applied research expertise, state-of-the-art equipment and testing and training capabilities, says VPMI Director Paul Zelisko.

“Companies become more successful if they’re able to understand their processes better,” says the Associate Professor of Chemistry.

Brock graduate Alexander Bailey (MSc ’13), Software Engineering Manager at RideCo., has created a partnership with his former master’s supervisor to study artificial intelligence in micro-transit systems.

Professor of Computer Science Beatrice Ombuki-Berman is working with Waterloo-based RideCo to research how artificial intelligence can be used to design optimization algorithms for microtransit systems.

When that happens, a company’s market share increases, more jobs could be created, the economy grows and new knowledge is generated to benefit groups in society such as people suffering from diseases, Zelisko says.

“Communities drive our research interests and projects because we want to service them,” he says.

Ombuki-Berman says the RideCo partnership is a “classic, practical example where I can take my solutions from the classroom, from the lab to the real world.”

Advances in AI and information technologies are critical in providing practical routing and scheduling software solutions for transportation and distribution in the private and public sectors.

“Because Alex's company is now in the real world, they are dealing with actual data reflecting what happens on the ground, not just a simulated environment,” OmbukiBerman says. “If we work together, we can

come up with a real-world benchmarking framework and data set using RideCo as a case study.”

The team will then share some of the initial routing and scheduling framework with the wider transport industry through open-source code, which anyone can use, alongside the data, and share in their own work.

Bailey says he is excited about how the Brock-RideCo partnership is aligning academic work with the actual challenges of route optimization for microtransit within the public transit sector.

“If we can serve more people in a faster time frame within the same budget a transit agency already has in place, then that makes a big difference for actual people to get to work, school, doctors’ appointments or anywhere else they need to go to connect with their community,” he says.

“I love the way the VPMI encourages Brock to collaborate with local small- and medium-sized enterprises,” says Ombuki-Berman. “Our partnership to achieve more efficient transit systems can lead to improved quality of life for countless individuals and protection of the environment through decreased emissions.”

“Our partnership to achieve more efficient transit systems can lead to improved quality of life for countless individuals and protection of the environment through decreased emissions.”

— Beatrice Ombuki-Berman —

Searchlight win launches new phase for Price

BY AMANDA BISHOP

Canadian musician and Brock alumnus Chad Price (BA ’10) has had a busy year since winning CBC Music’s Toyota Searchlight national talent competition last June.

Somehow, Someway” has led Chad Price (BA ’10) somewhere special.

The single, which has been streamed nearly 1.5 million times, helped Price to win CBC Music’s national Toyota Searchlight competition in June 2022, kicking off a new phase in the R&B singer’s decade-long career.

“Winning Searchlight has been a true honour,” says the Brock University graduate. “I’ve gotten to work with all the fine folks at CBC Music, and they’ve been incredible in their championing of my music and in opening up doors for me in the industry that used to be closed.”

The win brought with it a recording residency, distribution deal, studio time, musical equipment and a coveted spot in the Allan Slaight Juno Masterclass, which Price describes as a “crash course” in the Canadian music industry.

“The crew at Canada's Music Incubator are so knowledgeable and helped curate a bespoke program that connected me with tons of industry leaders, from major label publishers to live performance coaches,” he says.

The journey culminated this spring in a full-band performance at Junofest in Edmonton, a three-day event held to highlight fan favourite musicians and Juno nominees leading up to the March Juno Awards ceremony. Along the way, Price also released Introversion, his third studio album, and helped Canadians ring in 2023 during CBC’s New Year’s Eve celebration.

The Communication Studies grad calls Brock “instrumental” to the foundations of his music.

“There was something about being in a new city for the first time, being around new people and being influenced by so many new cultural and pop-culture things that opened me up and inspired me to want to create,” says the London, Ont.-born artist. “I can't tell you how many late nights I spent in Village Court 8, and then later in my shared student house on Glenridge, just playing my guitar and writing song after song.”

On his graduation day, Price was in Los Angeles recording his debut album.

“I don't recommend missing Convocation, but if you must, that's about as good of a reason as I can think of,” he says.

Chad Price (BA ’10) performs at the London Music Hall in his hometown of London, Ont.

‘New kid on the block’ offers support to seniors

BY COLLEEN PATTERSON

Crafts in the community room. Trips to the local library. Talks on Taco Tuesday.

With each experience, Ella Laygo felt more connected to her new neighbours.

Since September, the Brock Master of Applied Gerontology (MAG) student has lived among and bonded with older adults in a St. Catharines affordable housing complex.

Laygo is the first recipient of the Intergenerational Community — Engaged Residency (ICER) award, a unique pilot project between Brock University and Niagara Regional Housing (NRH).

Through the project, one MAG student will be chosen annually to spend a year putting into practice what they are learning

in the classroom, immersing themselves into the lives of older adults, establishing rapport and helping to build a sense of community while residing in a one-bedroom NRH unit.

“When the project started this past September, things were just beginning to open up from the COVID-19 pandemic. People were lonely and feeling a loss of community,” says Associate Professor of Applied Gerontology and Health Sciences Pauli Gardner. “Ella has helped to rebuild and inspire new connections not only among the residents but also with the city they live in. As the ‘new kid on the block,’ she provides tenants with the opportunity to share what they know and to learn about new things together.”

To get to know her neighbours in profound ways, Laygo has shown her vulnerable side and let the residents provide direction.

“Much of what we do when in a group or one-on-one is typical activities an adult grandchild would do with an older relative or family friend,” Laygo says. “Some things are planned and others are spontaneous.”

With initiatives held both in the building and out in the community, ICER activities have included craft and game nights, education on fraud prevention, language tutoring and trips to the library, food banks, service organizations and more. They are planned with NRH co-ordinators and MAG professors and supported by funding from Brock’s Faculty of Applied Health Sciences.

One of Laygo’s favourite experiences with the residents took place last November, when they decided to celebrate Taco Tuesday.

“Some of the residents suggested we come together as a group in our common room and make tacos,” she says. “Growing up in the Philippines, this wasn’t a meal I had prepared before, but people were excited for it.”

When only one person signed up to help her make the tacos, Laygo became nervous.

But, to her surprise, she arrived to find five volunteers who had set everything up and were already preparing the food.

“Every night I reflect on what the residents are getting out of the ICER experience and how they are helping me to see perspectives that are often

invisible,” Laygo says. “The taco event is very memorable for me because almost 30 people showed up and there was a real sense of community and connection. I really started to understand the whole being of each person and what other things go on

learning space that fosters a sense of community and shared responsibility.”

Currently on academic leave from her job as an Occupational Therapist Assistant and Physiotherapist Assistant at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, Laygo says the ICER experience has given her a “wider lens” to reflect on her interactions with people.

with them in their day-to-day lives.”

Gardner says the result of their time together is a “collective intergenerational

“I work with older adults who are in physical pain and provide therapeutic exercises, but now I’m gaining a better understanding of how there is more to a person than their physical pain and medical problems,” Laygo says. “The ICER award is helping me create a non-judgmental and person-centred approach to care for those who I will work with in future.”

“Every night I reflect on what the residents are getting out of the ICER experience and how they are helping me to see perspectives that are often invisible.”

— Ella Laygo —

Photos from left: Brock graduate student Ella Laygo (right) and fellow students get to know her Niagara Regional Housing (NRH) neighbours; NRH resident Julius Babkovic enjoys Taco Tuesday; NRH resident Maria Van Bussel and Laygo learn to play ukuleles during Music Night; Laygo joins NRH resident Joseph Comeau on an outing to the St. Catharines Public Library.

Where are they now?

Alumni updates from the past few months:

Class of 1980s

Stan Butler (BPhEd ’80, MEd ’88) has been named head coach of the Erie Otters in the Ontario Hockey League.

Class of 1990s

The Canada Agricultural Review Tribunal has appointed Emily Crocco (BA ’98) as its new Chairperson.

Simon Haynes (BSc ’98) was named President of the Canadian Energy Geoscience Association.

Class of 2000s

Ryan Alexander (BA ’09, MSc ’11) has been named Chief Executive Officer of Community Care City of Kawartha Lakes.

Brian Davies (BA ’02) has retired from Bethesda Services after 38 years, including 28 as Chief Executive Officer.

Daniel Julien (BSM ’06) has joined Ottawabased consulting firm I4C Consulting Inc. as Chief Revenue Officer.

The creation of a lacrosse program for Anishinaabe women and girls in the Sudbury area is being led by Marcia TrudeauBomberry (BA ’00) through the non-profit group Anishinabe Baagaadowewin. Trudeau-Bomberry also works as Chief Executive Officer of Anishinabek Nation.

Grand Erie District School Board has appointed Julie White (MEd ’01) as Superintendent of Education.

Class of 2010s

Josh Knoester (BSM ’15) has been appointed as Chief Operating Officer of the Canadian Elite Basketball League after previously serving as the league’s vice-president.

Cannabis distributor Humble & Fume Inc. has announced Matthew Mackay (BBA ’18) as its new Chief Financial Officer.

Plan your next chapter.

Then Now

Brock University’s students and employees have long brought their enthusiasm and school spirit to a variety of community events across Niagara and beyond. The streetscapes may have changed since the 1988 Niagara Grape and Wine Festival’s Grande Parade that led Badgers through downtown St. Catharines, but the commitment to community has remained the same, as seen in Brock’s 2022 involvement in the popular procession.

It’s

to see

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