Burman University Magazine Vol. 5, No. 1. | Fall 2022

Burman alumna assists refugees fleeing from the war in Ukraine

Heidi Baumbach (U ‘ 16) writes, “It’s been a crazy week. My apartment is crowded. The children are sleeping on mats on the floor. The women want to talk. Tonight, we chat until 4 a.m. with Google translate.

“Natasha left her husband behind. She isn’t sure if she will ever see him again. Her sister-in-law, sitting across from me, just found out she’s pregnant. Her husband is not able to cross the border either. I am told that men between the ages of 1860 with fewer than three children are not allowed to leave and must stay and fight. It is the only hope they have.

“I ask when we can get Natasha’s sister and mother out, and she breaks down. Their town is surrounded, she says. There is no way out. She shows me a video of a ‘neighborhood get together’ in the concrete basement of some structure. They are gathered in a semicircle like we would around a bonfire...old ladies and friends, listening to bombs drop.”

See Heidi’s story on page 21

While throughout the country tattered flags reveal the heavy toll of war, the resolve of the Ukrainian people remains unified and strong. Acts of kindness and support from around the world are of great value to millions affected by this devastating conflict.

Photo by Heidi Baumbach

BURMAN

UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE

EDITOR

Renate Krause

DESIGNER AND PHOTO EDITOR

David J. Kinsey, Alexander & Sydney, UBA

CONTRIBUTORS

Justina Adalikwu

Pekka Maättänen

Louicius Michel

Wendolin Munroe

Stephen Reasor

Ron Schafer

Eduardo Solá

Diane Southcott

Chloe Weir

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Heidi Baumbach

Jr Ferrer

Fine Arts Tour Begins Again

ABOUT THE COVER

Unfathomable courage and determination are manifested in the millions of Ukrainian mothers, children, and seniors leaving their homeland. The help of strangers offers a glimmer of hope that one day human kindness and concern will prevail over the cruelty and pointlessness of war.

TO MAKE A GIFT

Gifts in support of Burman University may be made at www.burmanu.ca or phone 403.782.3381 x 4161

VISIT US ONLINE AT

www.burmanu.ca Facebook: Burman University Instagram: @burmanuniversity | Twitter: @burmanuniv

© Copyright 2022 Burman University

Burman University Magazine is published two times yearly by the Burman University, Office of the President, 6730 University Drive, Lacombe, Alberta T4L 2E5.

Burman University is a Seventh-day Adventist institution.

Cutting the ribbon at the new library dedication on June 4, was a high point in the decadeslong history of the university. Pictured are (l to r) student representative Shania Solá (U ‘22), Pastor Jeff Potts, and President Loren Agrey.

place during Homecoming weekend on Saturday, June 4.

In a podcast titled “Where has Peace Gone?,” produced in the Burman Ministry Centre, Deon Rose and Josiah Anunciacion interview Leonardo Barboza. Read more about the Centre on page 18.

4

Burman’s behavioural science degree

Burman joins forces with the Echo Lacombe Association that operates, among other local projects, a food bank.

Dedication of the new library took

Dr. Wendolin Munroe (left) visits Spain’s cultural treasures with students (l to r) Michelle Mitchell, Deicy Alcudia, and Jeneath Mootoo.

Urgency, creativity, and boldness are key attributes critical to planning for the future of Adventist education today. The goals must be big because the needs and challenges are as well. A new Burman strategic plan, now being developed, reflects that reality.

Mapping Burman’s Future

The sense of optimism on this campus is almost tangible. As I think of all that has taken place here, both in the past and in recent years, I believe this optimism is well-founded.

Service | I see our students being encouraged to commit to lives of service. (Most recently, my heart was warmed by their decision to participate in our library capital campaign.) Those who choose to continue their studies are accepted into first-rate graduate programs not only here in North America, but in other parts of the world as well.

Research | I see our faculty engaged in research. They are publishing books. Their research findings are found in peer-reviewed journals. They encourage student participation as demonstrated at the recent campus-wide poster conference. They present, together with their students, at national and international professional conferences.

Alumni Engagement | I see alumni and friends in unprecedented numbers engaging with this school. The new library is only one reminder of what becomes possible when so many pull together to achieve a common goal.

God’s Leading | I also see God’s leading. And I am confident that He will continue to lead. So it is in the spirit of this confidence and optimism that I share part of our “Institutional Effectiveness Plan” on page 3 to give you a snapshot of our vision for what we want Burman to be in 2030. The complete plan is far more comprehensive, of course, and is currently being finalized by our faculty, staff, and administration.

Strategic Planning |We believe that if we can envision the preferred future for Burman, we can then “reverse engineer” a pathway toward that future, one that will be built in three 3-year increments, starting now.

If you think our vision audacious, I would agree. It is absolutely audacious. But measurable criteria will help keep us on track as we evaluate the effectiveness of each three-year increment.

By God’s grace and with His blessings, Burman University will continue to be the “light on the hilltop” that its founders intended it to be.

Our Vision

Burman University will be an institution of higher learning where academic programs meet the needs and interests of students and reflect current and emerging trends for entrance into graduate school and employment success. Starting now, we will form new collaborative partnerships with other institutions of higher education, develop new diploma/certificate programs, offer additional undergraduate degrees, and more.

Burman will be a place where a continuing commitment to spiritual growth, along with service to God and others, will permeate the campus. This will be achieved with a robust spiritual master plan, an abundance of service opportunities for students, and collaboration with other church entities.

 It will be a place where comprehensive marketing and enrolment processes ensure continued growth through the development of new markets and the process of building synergistic collaboration between marketing and the academic departments.

Burman will have an intentional campus-wide strategy to ensure strong retention of all students.

Burman University will be an institution of higher learning where research includes the illumination of the wonders of God’s creation and where our Christian heritage provides thoughtful solutions to issues and challenges that confront our local, national, and global communities.

 It will be a place where positive relationships with alumni and friends are fostered through continued and consistent engagement and philanthropy.

 It will be a place where intentional stewardship of financial and capital resources are evidenced by resiliency and the blessing of a well-designed and beautiful campus.

When our new library opened in January, it was equipped with 189 chairs, 61 tables, a huge number of mobile and conventional shelving units, study carrels, computers, copy machines, large screens, a 3D printer, a laser cutter, and a myriad of essentials in a 21st century academic library/student centre.

Students Follow in the Footsteps of the “Loggers”

Readers may be wondering why Burman students have joined forces with alumni and friends to raise $500,000 for library furnishings that are already in place. The fact is, university reserves made it possible to install the needed furnishings when the building itself was complete. Proceeds from the student campaign will repay the reserve fund.

Burman students were inspired by what they saw as the stunning new facility neared completion. They wanted to add their support to the final product. This is a remarkable commitment for a student body of its size. On the other hand, it is a reflection of a long history of student involvement with campus growth and development. It harkens back to the school’s pioneer days when students actually went logging to supply lumber for the original school building. The “Leduc Loggers” remain an icon in Burman’s history and lore.

The students’ initiative did not go unnoticed by supporters beyond the campus. Impressed by their ambitious goal, an anonymous donor has announced the gift of a $250,000 challenge grant. Each dollar contributed to the student campaign will be matched dollar for dollar up to that amount.

Pathways for making a gift

President

Burman University will be an institution of higher learning where a flourishing campus community engages with other communities to be a fully contributing member and to seize the opportunities and synergies of collaboration.

• Send a gift by mail

• Make your gift online at www.burmanu.ca/alumni/give

• Call the Advancement Office at (403) 782-3381, Ext. 4161 with credit card information

An Echo from the Hilltop

Burman University has taken intentional steps to be involved more deeply with the community of Lacombe. Members of the community are taking classes, participating in the orchestra, working out in the Physical Education Centre, attending concerts and lectures, and collaborating with the Small Business Centre at Burman’s School of Business. Yet another way that Burman University has chosen to partner with other entities in the city of Lacombe to make a powerful positive impact in the community is through the Echo Lacombe Association.

The Echo Lacombe Association is a community organization with a vision “to improve the quality of life within Lacombe by fostering a collaborative environment focused on cultivating innovation, nurturing a businessfriendly culture, promoting sustainable growth, and creating a safe, inclusive, vibrant, and healthy community.” (https:// echolacombe.ca/terms-of-reference).

Burman University, along with the Lacombe and District Chamber of Commerce and the City of Lacombe, is an anchor member with a permanent seat on the Association board since its inception in 2016. Dr. David Jeffrey was appointed to the board as Burman’s representative by thenPresident Dr. Mark Haynal and has served in that capacity since then.

Supported by community-generated proceeds from Echo Energy, a natural gas, electricity, and internet retailer, the Association provides grants that benefit community projects in Lacombe.

Echo Lacombe has had a special relationship with the local public high school, Ecole Secondaire Lacombe Composite High School (ESLCHS). In partnership with Mr. Steve Schultz, advisor to the student-led EchoVision Club at ESLCHS, Echo Lacombe has financially supported Roofs 4 Kids (students benefit from goats on the high school campus), an Okawimaw Asksisis indigenous carbon capture garden, and a beekeeping program.

The following are among the projects funded with Echo Energy support:

• The world’s largest fishing lure (Guinness World’s Record holder)

• The Lacombe Economic Action Partnership (in conjunction with Burman’s School of Business)

• A COVID-19 Business Emergency Rebate

• Financial Support for Lacombe Museum’s Learning Garden

• Lacombe’s Economic Development Microsite

• The openlacombe.ca website (to help residents navigate local business pandemic opening and re-opening hours)

• Lacombe’s annual holiday parade

• Business storefront enhancement grants

• Big Brothers Big Sisters learning kits

Dr. David Jeffrey, an assistant professor at Burman’s School of Business at the time, invested time with the high school beekeeping students, teaching them how to make business plans for their honey and for honey-derivative products like wax wrapping paper. In appreciation of Burman’s positive contributions, the university was publicly recognized as a supporter at ESLCHS’s announcement of its placement on the Top Ten Short List for the World’s Best Schools Prize for Environmental Action in 2022 by T4 Education. (https://t4.education/prizes/worlds-best-school-prizes/ environmental-action) In addition, students who were involved with beekeeping at the high school are now attending Burman University and lead Burman’s Beekeeping Club.

Dr. Jeffrey is also a founding organizer of the Echo Lacombe Food Rescue initiative. Launched in July 2021, after months of planning and preparation, Food Rescue collects outdated but viable food products from supermarkets and producers and makes hampers available free of charge to those seeking to make environmental choices. For some, it also reduces food insecurity.

A recent estimate suggests that at least 80,000 pounds of food have been rescued and distributed between July 2021 and June 2022. This food represents approximately $426,000 in value and 812,000 pounds of averted greenhouse gases.

Run by a paid manager and staffed by volunteers, Food Rescue reduces food insecurity for local families including some university student families. The program also presents great opportunities for Burman students to volunteer and serve the Lacombe community.

The Echo Lacombe Association is a collaborative organization that is having a powerful positive impact in the Lacombe community. The coalition of Burman University with community partners is one of the ways we continue to narrow the gap between the “townies” and the “hillies.”

Through intentional actions, of which participation in this association is one, Burman continues to reach out into the community of Lacombe, anticipating that they will continue to reach back and join us as partners in their educational journey.

Food Rescue reduces food insecurity for area families including some at Burman University.

Burman Hosts Conference for Athletic Directors of SDA Colleges and Universities in North America

Homecoming2022

Growing in Knowledge

June 3 – 5, 2022 saw the return of alumni to check out the place that had once been “home” and to reunite with those who were once (almost) family. They liked what they saw: “That’s a new building!” and “I love what they’ve done to the foyer in the ad building!” and “See the clock tower? Would you believe that was once a smokestack?” and “Have you been inside the PE Centre? That’s a worldclass facility!” and “I wish we had had a library like that!”

They approved. Home was enough of the old to make it recognizable and enough of the new to speak of progress and innovation.

During the past two years of COVID restrictions, the Athletic Directors of SDA Colleges and Universities in North America began to communicate and organize on Zoom, as did so many other organizations throughout the world. Its members decided to get together in person as soon as covid restrictions would allow. So Ron Schafer, athletic director of Burman University, suggested a 5-day conference to begin in Banff and continue at Burman.

On July 7, athletic directors from all but two of the colleges and universities arrived in Calgary and were transported to Banff where they spent the first two nights and then traveled to Burman via Johnston’s Canyon, Lake Louise, and Peyto Lake.

Throughout the July 7 – 12 convention, guest speaker Bob Schindler, author of Does God Care Who Wins?, challenged his audience to rethink Christian athletics. The overarching questions, in the words of Brandon Broome from Walla Walla University, was, how can athletic directors feel “more confident in the mission of Christ-centered athletic development?” and what is their place in “pushing the needle forward?”

Jered Lyons (Washington Adventist University) expresses the sentiments of the group when he says, “Athletics is important to those we serve. We just want to make sure that we are equipping them with the tools they’ll need and doing it in a way that will honour God.”

As the directors talked, asked questions, challenged each other’s thinking, and played together, they built a sense of community and developed strong, supportive relationships. Rod Bussey from Southern Adventist University writes, “The conference was a deeply meaningful experience. We explored ideas and principles for how to redeem sports in our hearts and then with our coaches and athletes.”

Simon Jacob from Oakwood University comments, “This conference was very much needed to remind and encourage us to continue the work of transforming lives through athletics.” And Broome adds, “The sharing of ideas and the intentional approach to addressing the current state of athletics in our institutions was refreshing and empowering.”

Burman was honoured to host this inaugural convention of athletic directors. Everyone in attendance agreed that the conference was very valuable in helping move forward with a clear SDA Christian focus.

The place is important, but people are even more so. Candace (Ganson) Sayler (HS ’82, U ’95) returned for her 40-year class reunion. She says, “I wish more of our class had made the trip back, but I’m so grateful for those who came. We reconnected. We talked of family and life. We talked of Jesus’ soon return for the greatest reunion of all. We agreed that we were blessed to have been part of this class and were grateful for the impact our friendships have had on us.”

The “Largest Honour Class in Attendance” award went to the high school class of 1972 celebrating their 50th reunion. Valerie (Bartsch) Aymont (HS ’72), one of the organizers of the event, reports, “I am so grateful for all the friendships we made in our high school years. Spending time together again and catching up on what has happened over the past number of years was special. I hadn’t seen some in 50 years! It was neat to recognize how close our collective and individual bonds are after all these years.”

She continues, “I was able to track down one classmate for the first time in 50 years. He came with his wife and remarked before leaving that they would be coming again. It’s great to hear that! We voted on having another reunion in five years. I’m already starting to work on it!”

Mark Your Calendar! Homecoming 2023 will take place on June 2 - 4.

President Loren Agrey presents the Exceptional Volunteer Award to Marcia (Bell) (HS ’78) and Kelvin (U ’78) Hill.

Romando Carey U ’21, chaplain at College Heights Christian School & Parkview Adventist Academy, shared his musical talents.

President Loren Agrey presents the Don F. Neufeld Medallion of Excellence to Leo Ganson (HS ’62; U ’64 & ’87; staff ’89 – ’10) during the Vespers and Awards Ceremony on Friday evening.

Ashia Lennon U ‘17 presents to an appreciative Homecoming audience the Sabbath morning sermon, “What to Do in a Shortage.”

(Left to right) Simon Jacob, Oakwood University; Nestor Osorio, Union College; Bob Schindler, author of Does God Care Who Wins?; Brandon Broome, Walla Walla University; J.R. Rogers, Pacific Union College; Jered Lyons, Washington Adventist University; Rod Bussey, Southern Adventist University; Javier Krumm, La Sierra University; Ron Schafer, Burman University; Rob Thomas, La Sierra University, Executive Director, SDA Physical Education Association

On the afternoon of June 4, about 600 people met at the College Heights Seventh-day Adventist Church to share their thoughts and thanks. Local politicians brought greetings; university chaplain, Massiel Dávila-Ferrer, invited God to bless the meeting. University librarian, Sheila Clark, spoke about how the library was created to foster joyfulness and nourish intellectual purpose. Architectural technologist

Adam Koning pointed out how Burman’s mission, “Think, Believe, Act,” is embodied in the structure itself. President Emeritus J.D. Victor Fitch gave heart-felt thanks to those who have given time, talents, and funds to make the library a reality. He then ventured away from the printed program, and, with the help of organist Wendy Markosky, led the congregation in the doxology: “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow.”

It was the perfect addition to a day that rang with praises.

From Vision to Reality

Dedication of the New Library

The library at Burman University has moved from vision to reality—from groundbreaking to dedication—in just 13 months and two days. On June 4, 2022, the campus and community celebrated the completion of the journey with a service of dedication and an open house.

The congregation assembled on the steps and sidewalk as Pastor Jeff Potts reminded them that all things, including the library at Burman University, belong to God and that His will and His “wise eternal purpose” were present in each step of the journey from vision to reality. After Potts offered the dedicatory prayer, President Agrey and student library assistant Shania Wollman Solá cut the ribbon. Eager to experience the library for themselves, people flowed into the opened doors.

With donors as hosts and informed faculty and staff as guides, they were greeted at the reception and circulation area, talked to friends in the Fitch Forum, learned about the history of campus libraries in the classroom, and saw the possibilities for hands-on learning in the makerspace. They studied the symbolism in the stained glass window in the Carol Clark Prayer Room, realized the potential of the group study rooms,

The congregation and representatives from various demographic groups joined President Loren Agrey and local teacher Skyla McCreery in a responsive reading that was a prayer to God: “May all that occurs in the library please you and bring glory to your name.” And then, right before walking 70 metres from the sanctuary to the front of the library, they joined their voices to sing, “Be Thou My Vision.”

and viewed Burman’s research projects displayed in the study alcoves. They learned about the Centre for Peace and Justice, the Writing Centre, and the offices for information technology. They talked with architects, examined a chart that once belonged to John Harvey Kellogg, and explored the library holdings.

In short, they experienced for themselves the blessings of a space where questions are nurtured, where creativity is exercised, and where wonder at God’s mysteries is encouraged.

Pictured above: (left to right) President Emeritus Victor Fitch; former librarians Keith Clouten, Carol (Horne) Nicks, and Joyce

Representatives from various demographics lead the congregation in prayer.

Bright and spacious, the library accommodates the 600 guests with ease.

(Left to right) President Loren Agrey with official government representatives at the dedication service: Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Lacombe-Ponoka Ron Orr, Deputy Mayor of the City of Lacombe Cora Hoekstra, and Deputy Reeve for the County of Lacombe John Ireland

President Emeritus J.D.Victor Fitch gave heart-felt thanks to those who have given time, talents, and funds to make the library a reality.

(Tinkler) Van Scheik; student representative Shania Solá; Pastor Jeff Potts; President Loren Agrey, and current librarian Sheila Clark

Burman’s First UndergraduateFaculty Research Conference

On April 7, 2022, students, administrators, faculty, and staff gathered in the new library for the inaugural Burman University Undergraduate-Faculty Research Conference.

Student presenters explained in brief what their research was all about. Some gave live demonstrations of concepts illustrated in their posters; others passed out summary sheets for attendees to take home. Visitors who were intrigued by specific posters stayed to examine them in detail. Among the general attendees were five pre-selected judges who scored each poster presentation according to a specific rubric.

Burman University has greatly boosted its faculty research output in recent years. In 2015 when the institution first became a full-fledged university, about one quarter of faculty members were engaged in productive research. Today, approximately threequarters of the faculty are publishing in peer-reviewed journals and presenting at professional conferences.

Productive Research Promoted

Productive research output is an important aspect of the definition of a university. Provincial as well as denominational accreditation hinges to a large degree on the quantity and quality of new scholarship being generated by an institution. Burman University’s research output is maturing and stabilizing thanks to some significant actions by the university:

Student Research Encouraged

The next big goal is to draw students into the research process. It’s important for professors to be active scholars; in fact, it improves classroom instruction and institutional credibility.

It’s also becoming increasingly important for students to be part of the process. Graduate schools are favouring applicants who are already familiar with the basics of research. Undergraduates entering the workforce are finding that research skills are valuable additions to their résumés. So the initiative to host a research conference on the Burman University campus was intended to jumpstart studentprofessor collaboration.

Dr. Donkor appointed Dr. Kiš as the lead conference organizer, and proposed two tracks: “The _____ of the Cross” and “Current and/or On-going Student/Faculty Research.” The primary theme which could be adapted to each discipline (such as “The Psychology of the Cross” or “The Pedagogy of the Cross”) was intended for students and professors who had not previously collaborated and were seeking direction for their burgeoning research partnership. The secondary theme was intended for those who already had collaborative research underway and were looking for a venue to showcase it.

Looking to the Future

Burman University plans to make this conference an annual event similar to those hosted by larger universities. In the future, scholars from sister institutions may be invited to participate, and an expansion beyond just poster presentations to oral presentations is foreseen. Both formats are accepted practice at conferences, so the choice of presentation will be extended to collaborative research teams.

Sixteen posters, eight under the primary theme and eight under the secondary theme, represented 16 student/faculty collaborative research partnerships. Cash prizes were offered for the top three research posters in each track (as scored by the judges).

Track I (primary theme)

First place: “The Music of the Cross: Unveiling Rhetorical Devices in J. S. Bach’s Large-Scale Sacred Works” by Zoe McCormick and Dr. Eduardo Sola

Second place: “The Legacy of the Cross” by Bryna Figursky and Dr. Tennyson Samraj

Third place: “The Crisis of the Cross: How a Secure Attachment Supports Jesus through Social, Physical, and Psychological Pain” by Katelynn David and Dr. Carole Anderson

Track II (secondary theme)

First place: “Who Stole Our Cheese?: Effects of supplemental dietary tannins on the performance of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)” by Isabelle Ison, Autumn Schulze, and Dr. Noble Donkor

Second place: “Longitudinal Evaluations of International Development: do projects have long-term impact?” by Takudzwa Nengomasha and Dr. Adam Kiš

There was a buzz of excitement as attendees listened to brief opening remarks from Dr. Adam Kiš, associate professor of anthropology and research director; Dr. Noble Donkor, vice president for academic administration; and Dr. Loren Agrey, president of the university. President Agrey’s, “I declare this conference officially opened!,” dispersed the group to browse the various research posters on the walls of the main floor book stack area.

• Incentivizing research output through offering course release to professors needing time for research

• Providing funding to faculty members for data collection

• Adding research productivity to the primary criteria for promotion

• Appointing research directors—professors with specialized training and experience in the research process who can mentor emerging scholars

• Showcasing faculty research at brown bag meetings throughout the year

As the university’s research profile climbs, it will be exciting to see what new opportunities open up for the research professionalization of both faculty members and students.

Third place: “Predator-Prey Relationship between Insects and Insectivorous Birds” by Francesca Etinoff, Dr. Pekka Määttänen, and Dr. Delano Lewis

Student presenters standing by their research posters draw visitors in for a closer look.

“The Legacy of the Cross” was a Track I winner presented by Bryna Figursky and Dr. Tennyson Samraj.

Research focused on J.S. Bach’s sacred works was presented by Zoe McCormick and Dr. Eduardo Solá. (First Place, Track 1)

Is Behavioural Science the Right Program for Me?

An undecided student talks with Dr. Justina Adalikwu-Obisike, chair of the behavioural science program:

I haven’t decided on a future career yet, but I think I’m interested in healthcare. How will a degree in behavioural science help me?

The BHSC program is a multidisciplinary program. It includes studies in sociology, social work, psychology, anthropology, and ethics, among others. So you will become grounded in the various skills that are required in the social, human, and allied health services should you wish to enter the workforce after graduation. Should you decide on a career (such as physical therapy) that requires graduate studies, a BHSC degree will give you the required competencies needed for that, as well.

So what in specific will I learn? What are the skills or competencies that are required? To develop critical thinking skills, you will be exposed to significant behavioural science theory from the various disciplines I mentioned earlier. Learning to evaluate how societies and social subgroups operate is a skill that is relevant in all human and social services. You will also be taught the rigorous investigation, observation, and research skills that are generally used in behavioural and social sciences as well as in top management positions in these fields.

That sounds like a lot of theory. Will I be given any hands-on experience?

Absolutely. Practicums are required components of the program. You will have two practicums to help you put theory into practice. Each of these experiences is modeled on Alberta provincial government protocols. Once you begin a practicum, you and your supervisor will follow comprehensive instructions that include roles, responsibilities, and timelines.

Will you help me find a practicum placement, or do I do that on my own?

We have developed strategic partnerships with local agencies in central Alberta as practicum locations. You will be given a list of those from which to choose. You may also apply for a practicum outside of Alberta—perhaps in your home community or city. We have a streamlined process to help you with that.

Graduates Make Presentation at International Conference

Should you decide that the behavioural science program is right for you, you will participate in our program orientation to make sure that expectations and procedures are clear.

June 2 – 3, 2022, Dr. Pekka Määttänen, associate professor of biology, and biology majors Naomi Akanmori (U ‘22) and Richard Gonzalez (U ‘22) presented their research findings at the Having IMPACTT 2: Advancing Microbiome Research symposium in Canmore, Alberta. The title of their presentation was “Lifestyle Medicine and the Microbiome— Do Lifestyle and Diet Immersion Programs with Significant Health Benefits Shift the Microbiome?”

The human microbiota has long been studied by scientists worldwide. It affects physical and mental health, but the extent to which changes in the microbiota are necessary or sufficient for healthy outcomes in humans remains unclear.

The subjects for Burman’s team were selected from two locations far apart from each other. The Karpalo program in Finland is a 5-day live-in with 6-week follow-up program that focuses on cardiometabolic health. The Nedley Depression and Anxiety Recovery Program (NDARP) in California is a 10-day intensive residential program focused on mental health. Both programs serve strictly plant-based diets and emphasize exercise, fresh air, sunlight, adequate hydration, abstinence from harmful substances, rest, and trusting relationships. These consistently result in improvements in mental and physical health in their participants.

However, research revealed that lifestyle immersion programs that significantly impact the health of individuals do not

necessarily cause consistent dramatic changes in gut microbial taxonomy. Määttänen suggests this could be because the ecology of microbial communities of different people are so different from one another that it is difficult to detect trends in changes when comparing them. Also, the same bacteria can behave differently under different circumstances (such as a different host diet), expressing different genes and producing different metabolites.

Further research will be needed, but Dr. Määttänen believes the importance of microbial communities specific to individuals (a sort of microbial ecological “type”) will likely grow in the coming years, similar to the advent of personalized medicine.

A BHSC degree opens the door to a variety of career options, including counseling.

I’m a little worried that I may have difficulties with a few of my required classes. What if I need additional help?

No student is left behind or falls through the cracks. Each of our faculty follows Burman protocols to assist students throughout their studies. Burman University’s low student-tofaculty ratio ensures that you will know your professors personally and that they will know you. Difficulties are usually cleared up while they are still manageable.

I applied to Burman because my faith is important to me. How will my studies in this program help me become stronger spiritually?

All of Burman’s faculty, including our BHSC faculty, integrate Burman’s core values into the curriculum and during course delivery. You will learn to process the ethical considerations of living in today’s world and be assisted in developing a vision for service. We expect that each graduating student from this program will become an engaged citizen who is proactive in promoting positive social change within a Christian framework. You will find the faith component permeates all we do.

Upon entering the program you will have an advisor to help you select courses and continue to work with you as you decide on career outcomes. We will also help you acquire important skills in résumé preparation and job interviews.

Naomi and Richard agree on the many benefits of presenting at a professional conference, networking with experts, and learning of future opportunities in the scientific community.

The members of Burman’s Board of Trustees come from across Canada. Some of these are ex officio—that is, they are members by virtue of the positions they hold in the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada. Others are elected by local church constituents.

Charles Ed II Aguilar joined the Board this summer. He is the newly-elected president of the Manitoba-Saskatchewan Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. For the past 17 years, Pastor Aguilar worked in management and administration for the British Columbia Conference and, most recently, Adventist Development and Relief Agency. He describes himself as a professional communicator who “respects traditions and enjoys creating structures and order.”

Pastor Aguilar will bring to the Burman University Board a wide range of skills that include experience in research and marketing, fund raising, strategic planning, and public relations. His core values for Christ-centred leadership are “social justice, advocacy, compassion, and innovation that is sustainable.”

When asked what he believes to be Burman’s main strength, he replies without hesitation: “Her alumni!”

Charles and Elizabeth Aguilar have three teen-aged children: Jewel, Jaden and Onyx.

Biology graduates present at international conference

Charles Ed II Aguilar

Business Broadens Its Reach

Government Grant to Expand Enrolment at the School of Business

Burman University is pleased to announce a $600,000 grant from the Alberta government to increase enrolment at the School of Business.

The School submitted a funding proposal in February 2022 when the Alberta government announced a $171 million Targeted Enrolment Expansion program for Alberta’s postsecondary institutions. The aim of this Alberta at Work initiative is to support enrolment in high-demand programs throughout the province.

On May 24, 2022, Minister of Advanced Education Demetrios Nicolaides joined post-secondary leadership in Red Deer to publicly award government funding to Burman University, Olds College, and Red Deer Polytechnic. This funding will create almost 900 new seats in central Alberta to support animation, computer programming, business administration, and health care.

Over the next three years, the School of Business will receive $600,000 to add 88 new students to the Bachelor of Business Administration program. They will gain the skills and training they need to enter Alberta’s labour market.

Mr. Nicolaides emphasized that “this new investment will ensure that Alberta’s workforce in the Central region remains highly skilled and has the expertise needed for the jobs of today and for the jobs of tomorrow.”

On behalf of Burman University, Vice President for Academic Administration, Dr. Noble Donkor, responded, “We greatly appreciate that the Alberta government works with postsecondary institutions to create real solutions for these highdemand programs. Burman University and its students will truly benefit from this support.”

New Scholarships

Attending a university can be costly. In an effort to help students keep loans to a minimum, the School of Business is announcing a new scholarship of $2,000 that is available to every new student admitted to the School.

In addition, Burman University announced a $1,000 Central Alberta New Student Scholarship for new students currently living within 100 kilometers of the campus. This includes a perimeter of Central Alberta communities including Olds, Rocky Mountain House, Leduc, and Stettler.

A further $2,000 scholarship by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada, is available to every SDA Canadian student. The numbers are limited, so students interested in applying for this scholarship should contact their local conferences as soon as possible.

Successful applicants to all three of these entrance scholarships can reduce their first-year tuition costs by one third. Additional scholarships, based on leadership, academic excellence, and other criteria, are available to second-, third-, and fourth-year students as well.

School of Business Conducts Seminars at Alberta Conference Camp Meeting

From July 18 – 20, Dr. Louicius Michel, professor and chair of the School of Business, and Breeann Burghardt, alumna of the School of Business now with the Corporate Financial Services for the Ministry of Culture and Status of Women in the Alberta Government, presented at the Alberta Conference 2022 Camp Meeting.

The three-day, free seminars were designed to provide attendees with basic, but useful, knowledge in three specific areas of financial management: family or personal finance, investments, and mutual funds.

The seminars are available on the Alberta Conference website: albertaadventist.ca

Community Collaboration

The Lacombe & District Chamber of Commerce and the School of Business continue to collaborate in developing and delivering business services to the City of Lacombe and surrounding communities through the Small Business Centre.

Plans are underway for activities during the Small Business Week (October 16 – 22). These include micro-credentials training in the context of the Alberta recovery plan. Mr. Jeff Hager, director of the Chamber, and Dr. Louicius Michel, chair of the School, are choosing courses with high demand in the business community.

The School of Business consistently offers services to the community through the Small Business Centre. Microcredential training will be creating additional opportunities for collaboration.

Increased Demand for Continuing Education Courses

The School of Business has resumed its continuing education program. Dr. Michel, chair of the school, explains, “Our main goal is to help employees add to their management and financial literacy skills. The summer of 2022 saw increased demands in bookkeeping, investments, and work ethics.”

Dr. Tennyson Samraj, professor of philosophy at Burman, taught the course in work ethics. The session emphasized the following ethics:

• Respectful work ethics: the relationship between morals, ethics, and law

• Professional ethics: the relationship between being good and doing good

• Business ethics: establishing and maintaining the proper intersubjective relationship between employer and employee

The Lacombe & District Chamber of Commerce has committed to continue promoting this program.

UNIQUE

The Saruk Centre: a rare opportunity

Is there such a thing as a “born leader?” Perhaps so, only it’s more likely that success is the result of trial and error. But could there be a better way to acquire leadership ability?

Leadership as something quite different from personality, knowledge, or one’s position in an organization, has been a topic of discussion among several Burman friends and alumni led by Elvin Saruk. They concluded that formal leadership training could complement Burman’s emphasis on service. From that belief, the Saruk Centre for Leadership Development grew.

The Saruk program is unique. The three-year program that includes mentorships, projects, and seminars costs about $4,500, but the tuition is entirely underwritten by the program’s founders. Students pay nothing!

Students may apply online to join the Saruk Centre program using their student portal.

Celebrating together: some of Burman’s 2022 graduates and their School of Business faculty and staff

Research Impacts Practice

Faculty members at the School of Education are researching subjects that have direct bearing on preparing teachers for classroom success.

Recognizing that many Canadians are bilingual and that education majors will, in all likelihood, be teaching bilingual students, Dr. Julia Falla-Wood, assistant professor of education, is interested in why even competent bilingual speakers continue to make errors in their communications. She analyzed three previously published studies on the learning processes of bilingual speakers.

The research questions addressed in the studies asked, What cognitive strategies do learners of a second language employ? How do these relate to the mother tongue? What is the role of mental translation in learning and using a foreign language? And at what point do bilingual speakers stop making errors?

resource. He is examining the resilience of Alberta’s SDA K-12 teachers and asks, “As the restrictions are rolled back, what are teachers’ levels of resilience? What supports will help develop teacher resilience post-pandemic?”

Chair of the School of Education, Dr. Chloe Weir, is engaged in collaborative research with education major Noella Kabera. Their project examines the competency development of preservice teachers in the Bachelor of Education program. Does it provide ample opportunities? To what extent does it (or does it not) support readiness? How do preservice teachers perceive their readiness to step into their own classrooms? As research develops and supports classroom practice at Burman, students will be the beneficiaries.

Dr. Julia Falla-Wood Retires

Choir-Sponsored Fine Arts Tour Resumes

Dr. Falla-Wood’s presentation of her findings at the 4th International Conference on the Future of Social Sciences and Humanities held in Rome, Italy on May 20 – 22, 2022, earned her the Best Presenter Award.

Dr. Falla-Wood found that the influence of the mother tongue prevails despite the learner living in the second language environment. Learners use a mental translation strategy to compare and establish similarities and differences between their mother tongue and the new language.

Surprisingly, bilinguals continue to make errors not only in the second language they acquired but also in their mother tongue. These errors could result from a continuous mental switch between the two languages that has become automatic. In other words, the mental translation strategy used in the learning process continues to be active in bilingual students.

Dr. Tim Buttler, assistant professor of education, is working on another project: teacher resilience. He reasons that in the face of the educational, social, and professional fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, resiliency is a most crucial

For seven years, Dr. Julia Falla-Wood, assistant professor of education, taught her students that in teaching, integrating faith and learning is as essential as integrating theory and practice. She says, “During our daily meditations, I connect a Bible verse with an educational experience my students may have as future teachers. I could never have imagined the impact. Prayer requests began to flow like never before and students shared in class how God has responded to their prayers.”

The faculty and students thank Dr. Falla-Wood for her committed service.

Burman: A Family Tradition

When Mariese Emmons decided to enroll in the School of Education, she was following the footsteps of her dad, uncle, brother, and two sisters. It was a good decision. She says, “I participate in vespers and Week of Prayer; I play sports; I have an amazing job at the Marketing and Enrolment department. These opportunities might not have been available somewhere else.”

She continues, “I encourage everyone I know to come to Burman. Here you will grow into the person you want to be, and that God wants you to be. Being at Burman has pushed me outside of my comfort zone and helps me become a better friend, sister, daughter, and soon-to-be teacher.”

Burman’s Fine Arts Tour, after a lengthy (COVIDdriven) hiatus, was officially approved again. From May 11 to June 1, Deicy Alcudia, Michelle Mitchell, and Jeneath Mootoo toured Spain with Dr. Wendolin Munroe, professor of music, and tour director Mervyn Kozachenko, a former choir president at Burman. They visited fabled cities such as Barcelona, Granada, Toledo, and Sevilla; toured historic sites such as the Alhambra, the El Greco Museum, and the Andalusian White Village; marvelled at soaring architecture and remarkable acoustics of cathedrals in every city they visited; and saw famous landmarks such as the Rock of Gibralter and the gorge at Ronda.

One Sabbath was spent on the beautiful campus of Sagunto Adventist College where they were warmly welcomed. Dr. Munroe says, “We felt like family. Only one of us spoke Spanish, but language was no serious barrier. Seeing groups gather under large shade trees to study the Bible together made us realize that we were connected—even that far away from home.”

Symphony Orchestra Tours Alberta

A select group of musicians from the Burman University Symphony Orchestra (BUSO) toured Alberta last March and April. Musicians included current music majors, faculty, and alumni.

Another highlight of the tour was their visit to Palau de la Música Catalan in the city of Barcelona. This century-old concert hall, built by a choral society that needed a home, seats 2,200. The stained glass arches lining two sides and the enormous skylight, also of stained glass, are the only source of light needed during daylight hours. Twenty-five years ago, the Palau was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Deicy Alcudia was excited to “see my roots. Where my family comes from, their culture and traditions. It was so comforting being able to understand and be understood in my native tongue.” Translating for the group, she reports, “certainly put my brain in high gear, but sometimes I couldn’t control the switch between the two.”

Dr. Wendy Markosky Honoured

Playing on a team gives Mariese a break from her studies and work.

Community engagement is important to the orchestra. Therefore, this year’s tour focused on churches in Alberta to thank their members for their generous support in donations and attendance. The group presented various chamber and solo works that, together with short explanations, were presented in historical order. The performances were received warmly and met with commendations and gratitude.

Dr. Wendy Markosky, professor of music, is chair of the music program and organist at the university church. Burman University honoured Dr. Markosky with the Excellence in Teaching Faculty Award 2022 during graduation weekend. Dr. Markosky was also named Honorary Alumna at Homecoming 2022.

A highlight of the tour was a visit to the Palau de la Música Catalan where overhead a magnificent stained glass skylight radiates shades of gold and blue, suggesting the sun and the sky.

“Where Has Peace Gone?”

Burman Ministry Centre created and produced a podcast mini-series called “Where Has Peace Gone.” The series was designed to be used as a tool for outreach and evangelism. This series explores the nature of peace as it relates to the lives of believers, including elements that counter peace, elements that encourage peace, and ways of experiencing peace in any situation.

Five students, Josiah Anunciacion, Leonardo Barboza, Enrique Machuca, Deon Rose, and Boris Ruzindana, collaborated in this production under the direction of Dr. Lindsay Chineegadoo, assistant professor and an executive director at the Burman Ministry Centre.

The series also features interviews with Dr. Glen Graham, assistant professor and director of the Centre for Peace and Justice, and Dr. Stephen Reasor, associate professor and an executive director of the Burman Ministry Centre.

The mini-series was featured each morning in the main auditorium at the 2022 Alberta Camp Meeting. It can be streamed on the Burman Ministry Centre’s YouTube channel or by visiting www. burmanministrycentre.org or www.burmanu.ca/bmc/ resources/evangelism-tools.

NextGen Summer Pastoral Internship Program

Over the past summer, six students completed NextGen, the paid summer internship program in churches across Canada for pastoral students.

Most graduates from Burman’s Religious Studies program enter directly into pastoral ministry before attending seminary. This custom necessitates a high degree of practical training before graduation. To strengthen such training, students engaged in the NextGen internship are mentored in at least six of the core ministry competencies identified by the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists (NAD).

The program, introduced by Burman Ministry Centre, is made available through a partnership between donors, local churches and conferences, the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada, and NAD.

Second Annual Canadian Evangelism Conference

Burman University faculty and students planned and hosted “Le Christ Canadien” on April 8 - 9, 2022. This conference explored the obstacles and opportunities faced in reaching the French-speaking peoples of Canada.

Keynote speakers where Rémy Ballais, a pastor from the Quebec Conference, and Guy Lacourse, director of French ministries in the Maritime Conference. Breakout sessions were facilitated by Burman students and graduates, including Gesklin Etienne, Jacques Alexandre, Alberta Sosá, and Emanuel-Olivier Jacques.

Every spring, Dr. Lindsay Chineegadoo and the students in his course Evangelism and Church Planting plan an evangelism conference. In the spring of 2023, they will host a conference on the topic of rural evangelism.

For more information, visit www.burmanministrycentre.org

Farewell to Dr. Kevin Burrell

Over the past seven and a half years, the religious studies department has been inspired, challenged, and blessed through the presence and work of Associate Professor of Old Testament, Dr. Kevin Burrell.

Dr. Burrell, a scholar of growing esteem in the field of biblical ethnology, has accepted a teaching position in Ontario. Students and staff will all miss Dr. Burrell very much and wish him and his family all the best as they embark on this new chapter of their lives.

Welcome to Dr. Stephane Beaulieu

Those considering studying for the ministry at Burman University can apply for a paid internship next summer to gain practical experience and explore their calling before they even begin their program. More information is available at www.burmanministrycentre.org or www.burmanu.ca/bmc/ministries/ internship-program.

We are delighted to announce the addition of Dr. Stephane Beaulieu to the faculty of the religious studies program. Dr. Beaulieu, a graduate of Burman University (class of ’01), is the new associate professor of Old Testament studies. He has published a book on Isaiah 42, a book chapter on Exodus 1-14, and articles on a range of topics related to the Old Testament.

Religious studies students will be benefitting from Dr. Beaulieu’s years of pastoral experience as well as his experience teaching at Pacific Union College, Southwestern Adventist University, and the SDA Seminary at Andrews University. We welcome the Beaulieus to the Burman University community.

Boris Ruzindana and Enrique Machuca conclude the podcast series “Where Has Peace Gone?”

Dr. Stephane Beaulieu and wife Melanie

Refining Aspirations

Psychology students Barbara Afram and Skylar, sponsored by their department, attended the 83rd annual national conference of the Canadian Psychologic Association (CPA) in Calgary, Alberta, June 17 – 19, 2022, with their professor, Dr. Carole Anderson. One dominant conference objective is to promote “excellence and innovation in psychological research, education, and practice.”

Basically a research conference with multiple presenters at any given time on all areas of psychology, the CPA added a new section in black psychology this year. Barbara was elected as the student representative of this section. She says that the conference “provided me with amazing opportunities to network, expanded my knowledge in the field, and connected me with my career passions”

Dr. Anderson brings to her classrooms 25 years of practice as a therapist. Owner and operator of a wellness centre, Dr. Anderson is a registered psychologist. She has a strong interest in the impact of childhood trauma on adults’ mental health, relationships, and general well-being.

Celebrating Alumni Success

The psychology faculty congratulate Takudzwa Nengomasha’s acceptance into graduate school at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC). Taku is from Africa and has lived in several different countries. Her home country is Zimbabwe. She will focus on gender studies at UNBC.

The faculty also celebrate Kiralyn Bruggemann’s acceptance into Adler University, Vancouver. Kiralyn is from Toronto. Her graduate studies will focus on industrial and organizational psychology.

Skylar’s experience was positive, as well. She reports, “I met numerous professionals, from professors and speakers to other students. The opportunity to network with and learn from those within the numerous areas of psychology was so valuable. I learned so many new things that will help me develop my vision for the future! Getting the chance to meet new people from across Canada who share my passion for psychology was not only useful, but fun and inspiring. I look forward to future conferences and connections.”

Dr. Anderson also found the conference valuable not only insofar as it supported students in their academic and career aspirations but also for herself as a teacher, professor, and therapist. She writes, “There were presentations that outlined the process for getting into grad school, sessions on how to teach psychology more effectively, and sessions that were in line with my own areas of research interests. The conference facilitated making connections and inspired me.”

Remembering

Daniel Jackson

On July 23, 2022, Daniel R. Jackson (HS ’67, U ’71), former president of the North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, passed to his rest. Elder Jackson held several pastoral and administrative positions in Canada and also served as a missionary in Sri Lanka and India during his 49-year ministry. He chaired the Burman University Board during his tenure as President of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada. He always had a strong affinity and affection for our campus.

After retirement in 2020, Elder Jackson and his wife Donna retired to Salmon Arm, B.C. Together with his family, we look forward to the day that Elder Jackson so often preached about: the second coming, when Jesus will say to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Come and share your Master’s happiness.”

Loren Agrey, President

 As Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine, and as missiles leveled cities and villages, death and destruction forced millions of Ukrainians to seek refuge beyond the country’s borders. Alumna Heidi Baumbach (U ‘16) was among the first who responded to assist the fleeing and desperate women, children, and seniors.

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in the early hours of February 24, 2022, confirmed Heidi Baumbach’s decision. She was on her way from Calgary, Alberta to Warsaw, Poland to help Ukrainian refugees. On her own, a civilian with no Western relief agency to back her, Heidi looked for a place to stay and a vehicle to rent once she landed. Miraculously, in the midst of the chaos that met her, she found both. Then she drove the one-hour trip to the Ukrainian border to observe the needs.

She says, “I am familiar with the languages and had studied in Poland before. I planned to work with whatever relief agencies were on the ground. Laws and regulations that would keep a civilian in Canada from attempting any such thing at home are generally less stringent in Eastern Europe.”

What Heidi found at the border was heartbreaking to see: dazed, disoriented, exhausted, scared refugees who needed shelter, food, water, transportation, someone to talk with. She recalls, “The only form of aid evident were two guys with a shopping cart full of toilet paper. But then, within 48 hours, the Israelies set up a medical tent.”

One of Heidi’s first tasks was to drive to orphanages near the border and bring orphans safely to Poland. (Human trafficking was already a huge concern. She was told that one orphan could mean mortgage payments for a year!) She expected five orphans waiting for her; instead, there were 14 vulnerable people of various ages—both women and children. She took them all to her apartment and gave them temporary assistance for 48 hours so that they would have a safe space in which to decompress and decide on their next move. Then she turned her attention to money. How to pay for what the families needed? As a single individual, her resources were limited.

Fortunately, Heidi’s work had caught the attention of news crews from Canada and Japan. They shared her protegees’ stories with millions of readers, and funds started arriving.

Barbara (left) and Skylar

“Here Am I, Lord, Send Me” Isaiah 6:8 KJV

Within 48 hours of Heidi’s arrival at the Polish border, an Israeli medical aid tent was set up. Pictured here is Heidi with her newfound friend Malka, a medical worker from Israel.

Heidi also posted on social media. She set up a GiveSendGo account. And she prayed. Surely, if God could keep refugees’ clothes and shoes from wearing out in the desert [Deut. 29: 5], He could also supply today’s needs. And He did. People at home responded with open hearts and hands.

Once evacuated from the orphanage and out of danger, 14 women and children spent 48 hours in Heidi’s Poland apartment while deciding what to do next. Five little friends huddle under blankets on the floor.

The Prsemysl refugee camp, a repurposed old shopping centre at the border, was overwhelmed. Supplies were being delivered, but they weren’t always what was needed. Heidi’s March 7 Facebook post reads, “Tonight, I went into a bathroom crowded shoulder-to-shoulder like a nightclub. One sink out of four worked. Under the sinks sat a row of eight used plastic children potties. A boy crouched under the hand dryer; his mother shielded his eyes.

“The line for the bathroom was over an hour long. Two unisex stalls for the entire refugee camp! I found an empty spot to set down my bag, pulled out something that smells nice, and began to wipe the counters. Women, encouraged by being able to ‘do something’ stepped out of line to help. They picked waste off the floor with their bare hands.” The bathroom became one of Heidi’s side projects. She checked it daily.

One day, in a grocery store, Heidi had issues with her credit card. To make it work again, she had to make two separate purchases of $100 each. So she filled two shopping bags with deodorant, the most expensive item in the store. When she distributed the sticks at the camp, she was overwhelmed by the response. A simple stick of deodorant was enough to make people feel they were valued.

Malka, Heidi’s Israeli friend from the medical tent, alerted her to the plight of seniors. She pointed out that to get to the border, many of them had sat in cars for days—a catastrophic

situation for the elderly. Their joints were stiff; their feet and legs, swollen. And then they had to stand and wait in 500-metre-long queues for buses to transport them to refugee camps—some of them a six-hour ride away. An uneven path led to the three porta potties with steps to walk up. Heidi was appalled. She thought of her grandparents at home, and her heart ached.

Frightened and exhausted, travelers escaping the threat of shelling and bombing in Ukraine found temporary comfort. What lay ahead was completely unknown.

While shopping one day, Heidi noted a medical supply store across the street in Rzeszow. She bought three wheelchairs, five canes, two walkers, and two free-standing commodes (Malka, Heida figured, would curtain off a corner of the tent for privacy). When she arrived at the border, the three usually dour Polish police who inspected the van broke out in smiles and nods of approval. They, too, had noticed!

On March 11, Heidi was on her way back to Canada. As she drove west toward the German border she was overcome with guilt. Then she saw 53-foot tractor-trailers heading east— truck after truck, loaded with containers packed to the brim with aid supplies. A contact texted her, “Help is here. Filling in the gaps will be our job.”

Back in Canada on March 18, Heidi writes, “One of our lovely families from Ukraine is working on paperwork released by the Canadian government yesterday. Many more families will follow. We could have never ever anticipated our communities to be so incredibly open-hearted, and yet I don’t think their generosity surprises any of us for a second. We are surrounded in this country by such good people, and I am so excited for us to share this goodness with new friends and neighbours joining us very soon.”

Allan Robertson U ’60 (1935 – 2022) began his pastoral career as associate pastor of the Vancouver Central Church in British Columbia after graduating from Andrews University with an MDiv degree. Williams Lake, B.C. was Allan’s first pastorate where the district included Beaver Valley, Prince George, and McBride. Throughout his career, Allan pastored many other churches in Western Canada, including the College Heights Church in Lacombe.

Pastor Robertson also had a career in teaching. After high school graduation, he took a six-week summer course to become a principal/teacher in a 72-student, two-room school in Thunder Bay, Ontario, for two years. Following his college graduation, CUC (now Burman University) invited him to take the place of a professor who was taking a leave of absence. That year Allan discovered that teaching and preaching intersect. He joined the CUC religion department again later for five more years. One of his former students, Eric Rajah, writes, “Over a span of nearly 50 years the lives of the Rajah family were enriched by associating with the Robertson family—a relationship that began with my dad arriving in Vancouver without us. It continued through my student days and then with Candi and my request for Pastor Robertson to

perform our wedding. We kept in touch during my visits to Kelowna in their retirement. Elder Robertson has left behind words and actions that continue to shape lives.”

Many of Pastor Robertson’s former students and church members would agree with Eric. His words and actions have shaped many lives. Burman University awarded Allan Robertson the Don F. Neufeld Medallion of Excellence in 2000.

Arni Skoretz HS ’68 (1950 –2022) faced many challenges in his life, but he faced them with courage and determination. Despite needing the assistance of a wheelchair, he refused to let challenges define him, rather he defined them

Receiving his master’s degree in social work from Wilfred Laurier University, Arni dedicated his career to serving the most vulnerable children, youth, and families as the administrator of child welfare for Central Alberta. While he was the longest-serving member of the Burman University Board, he also taught social work classes at both CUC (now Burman University) and the University of Calgary.

After Arni’s retirement in 1996, he helped pioneer the Canadian Accreditation Council of Human Services that went from being Alberta-based to nationwide, and eventually

international. His passion greatly influenced the field of social work and inspired a generation of social workers to push the boundaries of their profession.

Arni and Elvine Skoretz generously supported numerous A Better World projects. They traveled to Kenya to visit a rehabilitation centre for children with disabilities in 2004. In true Arni fashion, he didn’t see tragedy; he saw opportunity. This trip spurned Arni and Elvine into action. Not only did they sponsor the rehabilitation centre, they built schools in Kenya and Afghanistan, and fervently supported education for girls in under-developed countries.

Jake Trepanier U ’11 writes, “When I first arrived at Burman, I registered in the business program with a minor in international business. I thought I was going to learn how to run the show. But something bigger happened: I was surrounded by Christian people full of joy, love, and humility, and God touched my heart. learned that success is more than money. At Burman I found my true self, the man who could succeed but only through the Lord.” And God has blessed his commitment.

Jake now has a beautiful wife and three healthy children. They recently built their dream home in a beautiful rural setting. For the past 10 years, Jake has been the

general manager of Vitrerie Claude (a window company) and Plomberie Tetreault (a plumbing store) with 50 employees. Two years ago, together with two partners, Jake built more than 400 storage units on a six-acre lot. Their five-year plan is to expand this number to more than 2000 storage units throughout the province of Quebec.

Jake says, “Even though my weeks are very busy, I am also involved with my church. I am a member of the oldest church in Canada in South Stukely. Our church is growing, so we are now looking for a space solution to welcome all the new people. I am actively working on plans to find a new place or to renovate our current building.”

Theresa Donkor U ‘15 is an associate at Rudnicki & Company, a criminal defence firm in Toronto, Ontario. Her practice focuses on appeals from unlawful conviction and sentence at all levels of court.

Following her graduation from Burman with a degree in Business Administration, Theresa earned her law degree from the University of Toronto. She was a student leader, an academic prizewinner, and a finalist in provincial and national moot competitions centred on racial justice and criminal law.

Allan Robertson Theresa Donkor Jake Trepanier Family Arni Skoretz

Monique Scott Taylor Lakusta-Wong

Prior to practicing criminal law, Theresa articled and worked as an associate at a prominent Bay Street law firm in Toronto where she provided specialized legal and strategic advice to emerging and high growth companies in the tech sector.

Taylor Lakusta-Wong HS ’13, U ’17 a biology major (bio-medical track) at Burman, graduated from Loma Linda University School of Medicine this year. At the same time, she was also awarded a master’s degree in bioethics. This dual degree program added an additional year of study to the usual 4-year degree in medicine. Taylor will continue her residency at Burlington, Vermont, at the University of Vermont Medical Center, her first choice for the match. After four years of residency, Taylor is interested in pursuing a fellowship in neuro immunology, which is implicated in many diseases, including multiple sclerosis and dementia.

Monique Scott U ’21 started her career as a substitute teacher in the Wolf Creek and Red Deer Public School Districts (grades K-6) after graduating from Burman’s School of Education. Before long, she was offered a contract to teach at West Park Elementary School from January to June, 2022. Monique writes, “It was the most amazing experience, and was able to put all the theoretical aspects of my

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In Memoriam

Chris Arbeau U ’12 May 11, 2022

education into practice. It was truly a joy to lead this amazing group of fourth graders of whom I’ve become very fond.”

Drayton Christian School has offered Monique a teaching position for the upcoming 2022/23 school year. She attributes her success as an educator to “finding a gem of a university called Burman. It was there that I found a godly environment, with professors and staff that cared about me. I had access to my professors, whether through office hours, email, or phone calls. I knew that I had found the right fit for me as a mature student when my professors prayed with and for me and my fellow classmates daily. They cared about my spiritual, physical, and mental well-being as they helped me achieve my professional goals.”

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Ann Huedepohl Astleford HS ’60 April 15, 2022

Gerald Berden HS ’59 May 8, 2022

Guy Bourdeau (att) April 8, 2022

Dennis Bozak (att) November 10, 2021

Robert Burton U ’66 March 24, 2022

Edward Chipeur U ’56 September 24, 2021

Glenn Comm HS ’73 May 4, 2022

Orval Comm HS ’68 May 14, 2022

Beatrice Coupland U ’50 December 28, 2021

Luvamay Epp Dovich U ’56 July 11, 2021

Melvin Drury, staff March 11, 2022

Ralph Ellison U ’01 December 7, 2021

John Elloway (att)

Allen Fowler (att) November 19, 2021

Vernon Ganz HS ’54, U ’56 January 1, 2022

Verne Gustavsen HS ’52, staff December 13, 2021

Glenna Haluschak HS ’80 February 7, 2022

Delbert Hanson HS ’52 December 25, 2021

Derek Hillary (att), staff June 30, 2022

Howard Homenchuk HS ’58, U ’62 August 23, 2021

Robert Huether HS ’54 April 17, 2022

Ruby Krause Huether (att) January 22, 2022

Lydia Schulz Jansen (att) March 10, 2022

Ruth Klatt Jewkes, staff September 7, 2021

Edgar Johanson, staff March 29, 2022

Gordon Kingsfield, HS ’50 October 24, 2021

Geraldine Roth Krym U ’54 December 26, 2021

Eric Kutzner HS ’60 February 12, 2022

Lorna Watts Long-Travers HS ’62 October 1, 2021

Lyla Jean Egolf Lorenson U ’85 October 9, 2021

Russell (Mac) McCleary Martin (att) June 1, 2022

Kathleen Cooper McEwan (att) December 1, 2021

Lloyd Mickelsen HS ’48 April 8, 2020

Burman University notes with sadness the passing of the following alumni (based on the information received between June 2021 and June 2022):

William Moor U ’76 January 2022

Rosaline Tkachuk Nahorney (att) May 21, 2022

Mary Neill HS ’51 October 14, 2021

Kenneth Nielsen (att) December 2, 2021

Murray Olynick (att) July 30, 2018

Floyd Penstock (att) October 8, 2021

Ruth Tym Phillips HS ’51, U ’52 August 8, 2021

Tillie Dudar Polishuk (att)

Kenneth (Bugs) Pollock HS ’76 February 12, 2022

Bruce Proud HS ’72 January 12, 2022

Donald Quiring HS ’64 April 24, 2018

Harold Reimche U ’47 August 29, 2021

Alma Blabey Reimche HS ’41 May 9, 2021

Carl Ritchey (att) March 12, 2021

Allan Robertson U ’60, staff March 27, 2022

Gordon Sayler HS ’74 August 29, 2021

Leslie (Les) Sayler, U ’74 April 28, 2022

Harvey Schultz HS ’84, C ’90 January 2022

Linelda Clouten Shapka HS ’81 November 17, 2021

Jacqueline Pearson Sharman HS ’80 November 29, 2021

Robert Simanton HS ’55 November 12, 2021

Sarah Martins Simanton (att) December 15, 2021

Arni Skoretz U ’68, board member April 11, 2022

William Soloniuk U ’42 & ’47 August 4, 2020

Michelle Spenst HS ’87 January 7, 2022

Alois Stern (att)

Roland Stickle U ’56 June 4, 2022

Wilford Tetz (att), board member August 19, 2021

Beverly Lennox Thorne HS ’62 June 13, 2021

Charles Thurston HS ’57 May 16, 2020

Elfrieda Tilstra Volk U ’61 March 29, 2022

Douglas Wagner (att) June 11, 2021

Joe Welygan (att) February 19, 2022

Roy Wigley (att) August 24, 2021

William Yuros HS ’63, U ’64 November 5, 2021

Each year, alumni, friends and Seventh-day Adventist church members across Canada give an annual offering to help young people at Burman University as they journey to higher education and greater service.

On October 29, 2022, you will again have the opportunity to enhance the learning environment at Burman. Your gift may help support projects that range from entrance scholarships to technology upgrades, from landscaping to campus ministries expenses, from student supports and faculty research to renovated bathrooms in the dormitory.

I’m getting ready to attend grad school. I can tell you that that couldn’t be possibe without my program and what my professors have done for me. They have opened up my world view and capabilities. Most of all, I will miss the people. I’ve made some life-long friendships, and these are what you really get at Burman.

Tessah Karake International Studies ‘22