Mount Royal University Summit Spring 2014

SPRING 2014

Changing the face of

communication Fashion-focused grad takes online journalism to new heights

Also...

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SUMMIT SPRING 2014 12

CHANGING THE FACE OF COMMUNICATION

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WHO’S FRANK?

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#STEPIN, STOP CYBERBULLYING

Entrepreneurial journalist with a passion for fashion

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CELEBRATE NEW DEGREES New Bachelor of Child Studies and Bachelor of Health and Physical Education announced

NEW RIDDELL LIBRARY

AND LEARNING CENTRE

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GRADS PASS IT FORWARD New Graduating Class Bursary gives incoming students a much-needed economic boost

SOCHI OLYMPICS THE POLITICS OF SPORT As part of a panel at the SOMAR Speaker Series at Mount Royal, Olympian Mark Tewksbury weighs in on the politics that impacted the 2014 Winter Olympic Games

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IS CANADA’S NATIONAL PASTIME ON THIN ICE

MOUNT ROYAL WELCOMES NEW BOARD CHAIR Longtime board member takes the helm

Nursing student pilots #StepIn Program to help stamp out cyberbullying culture

12 Who’s Frank

ROCK ‘N’ ROLL HELPS TEENS THROUGH ROCKY TIMES

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HUMANITY UNSCRIPTED

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Humanity Unscripted

A group of alumni band together to explore the world and the human condition

MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR MIDWIVES IN ETHIOPIA Mount Royal’s Faculty of Health and Community Studies join forces with University of Alberta to help Ethiopian midwives, mothers and newborns

Marketing students stickhandle a nation-wide challenge to help put more Canadian kids into the arena

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Mount Royal and Bishop Carroll High School expose the big, bad, bullying elephant in the room

Musician Robb Nash visits Mount Royal as part of Mental Help Month to spread the message of resilience and hope

Mount Royal’s new library will house much more than paperbacks

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Trendsetting grad founds calgaryfashion.ca

WHAT’S APP AT MRU Student and faculty designed apps.

Chemical reactions are happening in the palms of students’ hands, while technology and wildlife are coming together like birds of a feather

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DEEPENING A FAMILY LEGACY

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THE FACES OF SUPPORT

Neepin Auger continues in the artistic and academic tradition of her celebrated father, aboriginal artist Dale Auger

Three unique donors support the University in three equally unique ways

34 EVERY ISSUE 6 Awards and adding value to our community Examples of Mount Royal’s work within the Calgary community and beyond

8 Faculty abroad Raphael Slawinski, Faculty of Science and Technology, is nominated for National Geographic Adventurer of the Year 2014; while Victoria Calvert, Bissett School of Business, takes students on a trek to the Cook Islands to help drive the local economy

48 Events calendar 50 Closing words Mount Royal welcomes Buffy St-Amand, new manager of alumni relations and annual giving

FROM THE PRESIDENT

DAVID DOCHERTY

President Mount Royal University

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SUMMIT – SPRING 2014

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ew undergrad programs unique to Western Canada; mountain climbing professors featured in National Geographic; a fashion-focused alumna reshaping the way Canadians practise communications; and a gigantic pink elephant making its way through Calgary to “stamp out” bullying.

The incredible people, programs, research initiatives and events featured in this issue of Summit exemplify what makes Mount Royal the remarkable, premier undergraduate, post-secondary institution that it is.

Meet Kimberley Jev, a journalism alumna who combined her keen entrepreneurial passion and communication education to found an internationallyfollowed, fashion-news website that has her garnering awards, setting trends, reshaping the way communications professionals make a living and rubbing shoulders with top culture journalists at Fashion Weeks across the globe.

Trek up the north side of K6 West with Raphael Slawinski, an associate professor in the Faculty of Science and Technology who received a nomination for National

Geographic’s Adventurer of the Year 2014, for being the first to summit the north side of K6 West.

A collaboration between Mount Royal University, Calgary’s Bishop Carroll, High School, and a massive pink elephant named “Frank” start a movement aimed at stamping out bullying, while nursing grad Jonathan Dennis develops and puts to practise an online, anti-cyberbullying program with Calgary junior high students.

We learn more about both the new Bachelor of Child Studies, the first of its kind offered in Western Canada; and the Bachelor of Health and Physical Education, a degree that combines a comprehensive approach to health and wellness and a connection to physical activity. Both start in Fall 2014. And we celebrate the new Riddell Library and Learning Centre, expected to open in 2017.

These stories are just a sampling of the tremendous people, programs and ventures that establish Mount Royal as a place where ideas and initiative matter.

It is these extraordinary accomplishments that define Mount Royal University.

MEET THE TEAM EDITOR

Theresa Tayler

ART DIRECTOR

Michal Waissmann

PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT Deb Abramson

MARKETING AND EDITORIAL COORDINATION Mike Hwang

COPY EDITOR Paula Arab

PHOTOGRAPHY

Summ

Kelsey Chapman, Kelsey Hipkin, James Paton, Roth & Ramberg, Laura Stobbe, Katie Turner, Michal Waissmann, Colin Way

GRAPHIC DESIGN AND LAYOUT

Collin Semenoff, Laura Stobbe, Michal Waissmann

CONTRIBUTORS

Deb Abramson, Paula Arab, Collette Burjack, Nancy Cope, Brendan Greenslade, Cathy Nickel, Vincent Salyers, Stacey Smith, Theresa Tayler, Shannon Thomas, Adam Thurston, Jessica Williamson Summit is published by Mount Royal University in the spring and fall of each year.

Distributed through various internal and external channels, Summit tells Mount Royal University’s ongoing story to its various audiences. Summit’s content will showcase the aspirations, achievements and contributions of Mount Royal students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters and, in so doing, clarify Mount Royal’s profile as a Canadian leader in undergraduate education.

ISSN 1929-8757 Summit Publications Mail Agreement #40064310

GET IT IN WRITING RIGHT ON YOUR SCREEN

Summit is published in the fall and spring each year. Like this issue, its pages will introduce you to the exceptional students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters of Mount Royal University who are, together, helping to change the face of education in Canada.

Now, you can enjoy Summit by arranging to have a digital version of the next issue delivered right to your desk or home.

IT’S EASY AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY Simply e-mail summit@mtroyal.ca with the following subject heading: YES, I WOULD LIKE TO ENJOY MRU SUMMIT BY E-MAIL. Same great stories — now, sustainably yours.

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: University Advancement Mount Royal University 4825 Mount Royal Gate S.W. Calgary, AB, Canada T3E 6K6

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AWARDS AND OUR COMMUNITY »» Mount Royal University recently hosted an international conference on genocide. Understanding Atrocities: Remembering, Representing and Teaching Genocide, brought experts, students, faculty, secondary school teachers, policy makers and the public together to share knowledge and teaching perspectives on the global and historical problem of genocide. »» Mount Royal’s Institute for Environmental Sustainability was awarded a research grant of $250,000, including $120,000 from the Canadian Water Network (CWN) to conduct research on the landscape effects of hydraulic fracturing on water and watersheds in Canada. »» Mount Royal students teamed up to help small businesses in High River that were devastated during the 2013 Alberta floods. Enactus, a group of students dedicated to building a better tomorrow, organized an excursion to High River before the 2013 holiday season to help stimulate the lagging economy. Calgarians were transported by bus so that they could shop and dine in the small town. Meanwhile entrepreneur students from the Bissett School of Business sharpened their own entrepreneurial skills while supporting High River’s small-business community recover from the devastating flood. Some 16 students partnered with local entrepreneurs over eight weeks, collaborating on development and growth strategies in a collaboration spearheaded by Mount Royal Associate Professor Wendelin Fraser and the High River Renewal Office. »» Mount Royal’s Department of Policy Studies hosted the 18th Alberta Intercollegiate Model United Nations. More than 90 delegates, representing 35 countries, attended the conference. Debate centred on the International Criminal Court, and the best ways for the international community to address and punish perpetrators in breach of human rights. »» Director of Residence Services Steve Fitterer was awarded the David B. Stephen Award by the Northwest Association of College and University Housing Officers. The award is in recognition of outstanding and distinguished contributions made to the association over many years of service. »» Mount Royal faculty member Jodi Nickel is a 2014 recipient of an inaugural Bookie Award. She received the award at the Big Book Club, April 11 at Hotel Arts. The first inaugural Bookies were presented to leaders in Calgary that are making a difference in the lives of local children by their commitment to literacy. The Bookies are part of Calgary Reads’ The Big Book Club, a book club that supports the work of Calgary Reads.

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Faculty Award

BY THERESA TAYLER

M

elanie Peacock, PhD, became a human resources professional because she believes that when it comes to running a successful business, people are a company’s greatest asset.

“People in an organization make a difference.

It’s through and with people that organizations succeed,” says the Mount Royal University, Bissett School of Business faculty member.

On April 10, Peacock received a Distinguished Career Award from the Human Resources Institute of Alberta. It’s a decoration that is awarded to only a few HR professionals who have at least 15 years of experience in HR and have also made significant contributions to the advancement of the profession in Alberta.

Peacock was nominated for her various contributions to Alberta’s HR sector, including, but not limited to: her role as a faculty member at Mount Royal where she is known for her exceptional teaching and mentoring of students; her volunteerism in the HR community; helping to advocate for the importance of the Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation; co-authoring the first Canadian edition of a text book on employee training and development; contributions as a media commentator; and participation as a presenter at numerous conferences (both business and academic).

Peacock says the recognition is rewarding and humbling.

“One does not have a distinguished career without distinguished colleagues and amazing opportunities. I am very grateful to all of the people I have worked with over the years and I am proud to be part of the human resources profession,” she says.

Peacock adds that she would like to thank the many wonderful individuals she has been fortunate to teach over the past twenty years.

“As an educator, I continue to be amazed by and inspired by my students. My work in the educational sector is extremely rewarding and brings great joy to my life,” she says.

Make the most of your lifetime connection to Mount Royal by taking advantage of the many perks available to our alumni family including: » discounted memberships at Mount Royal Recreation » special rates for Mount Royal Conservatory, Theatre and Cougar Athletics tickets » scholarships for children of alumni » access to the Mount Royal Library

Mount Royal alumni also receive special offers through our affinity partners: » TD Insurance Meloche Monnex » Industrial Alliance

To find a full listing of Mount Royal alumni benefits and services, visit mtroyal.ca/alumni.

We look forward to hearing from you!

403.440.7000 alumni@mtroyal.ca

SUMMIT – SPRING 2014

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PAKISTAN

REACHING NEW HEIGHTS FACULTY ABROAD

INSPIRING FACULTY MEMBER NOMINATED FOR NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC ADVENTURER OF THE YEAR 2014

BY STACEY SMITH

RAPHAEL SLAWINSKI, PhD

Faculty of Science and Technology

R

aphael Slawinski literally reached new heights last summer when he and his climbing partner became the first to summit K6 West in Pakistan.

The associate professor in the Faculty of Science and Technology who has taught at Mount Royal for the past decade, and his climbing partner, Ian Welsted, made history in July 2013. They became the first team to ascend the north side of K6 West, a challenging and treacherous peak in Pakistan.

The two men completed the 7,000-metre climb without the use of high-altitude porters or fixed camps. K6 West is a complex piece of terrain, known for its dangerous slopes as well as intimidating icefall and avalanche conditions. The summit has been attempted and abandoned by many of the world’s most accomplished climbers.

Slawinski and Welsted’s tremendous achievement earned them a win for the Piolet d’Or award 2014, which represents recognition by some of the most respected names in alpinism, as well as a nomination for National

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Geographic’s Adventurer of the Year 2014, people’s choice vote. Those recognized are honoured for their remarkable achievements in exploration, adventure sports, conservation and humanitarianism. Other nominees for the National Geographic award include the likes of long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad, big-wave surfer Greg Long, and a handful of others.

Climbing is a passion for Slawinski. He believes that it is more than just a sport.

“Once you have committed to a big climb you have exposed yourself to considerable risk. You can’t just step off the court,” he explains. “All of the elements combine to create a place where I feel alive like nowhere else. It’s the intangible reward that mountain climbers keep chasing and very few experiences come close.”

The 46-year-old was born in Poland and immigrated to Western Canada as teenager. He credits his parents, climbers themselves, for igniting his passion for the summit.

Mount Royal professor Raphael Slawinski and his climbing partner Ian Welsted make their way up K6 West.

Hiking and camping were always incorporated into

family activities in the Slawinski family.

From small crags in the Midwest, to ice climbing around Lake Superior, Slawinski has scaled the world-renowned Stanley Headwall in the Canadian Rockies as well as peaks in Alaska and Asia.

His imagination was first captured by K6 West during a trip to Pakistan in 2005, where he and another climbing partner spent time trekking in the Charkusa Valley.

Slawinski and Welstead arrived in Pakistan in 2013, ready to take on the mountain. While mentally and physically prepared to tackle the defiant terrain, the two men couldn’t have predicted the one factor that nearly derailed their plans. Soon after arriving in Islamabad, Slawinski and Welsted heard reports that the Taliban had massacred 10 foreign climbers, as well as their cook at another base camp near the foot of Nanga Parbat. Shaken by the news, yet confident that their objective lay within a safe zone, Slawinski and Welsted continued on with their expedition.

Slawinski credits much of their success to proper planning and a bit of good luck.

For the first month, their objectives were trying to stay healthy in a foreign country and acclimatizing to the high altitude. Through training and preparation, some of these risks can be mitigated, but alpinists are always at the mercy of the weather.

“One of a climber’s greatest fears is to be trapped up high in bad weather,” says Slawinski, adding that the team had the help of a friend in the Pakistan meteorological department who supplied them with up-to-date weather information.

Six days of rock and ice climbing had Slawinski and Welsted pushing past their limits both mentally and physically, returning to base camp on July 30, victorious, and ready to celebrate with a single malt.

Slawinski is committed to returning to Pakistan and may also include some ascents in South America over the next few years. But for the near future he will be fulfilling a promise to his wife and staying close to home and climbing his beloved Rocky Mountains.

SUMMIT – SPRING 2014

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FACULTY ABROAD

Bissett School of Business students visited the Cook Islands in 2013. They spent time interacting with school children to help them establish life and career goals.

BISSETT STUDENTS HELP DRIVE ISLAND ECONOMY TROPICAL SETTING PRESENTS LESS THAN IDYLLIC ECONOMIC CHALLENGES

BY STACEY SMITH

VICTORIA CALVERT, MBA Bissett School of Business

V COOK ISLANDS

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ictoria Calvert, an associate professor in the Bissett School of Business, and five Mount Royal University students set off to the Cook Islands. They fished the waters with locals, took part in a luau under the stars, got hooked on eco-tourism and eventually landed themselves on the radar of the local police commissioner.

The escapades were all in the name of studying the culture and economics of the region, with an aim to help the Cook Islands find new ways to attract its largest economic driver — tourists.

Calvert and students visited Rarotonga to participate in a field school for two weeks in August 2013. The Islands provided the group with a rare opportunity to see how an idyllic setting also presents a wide range of socio-economic challenges.

“Being immersed in their society helped us to see what the Cook Islands have to offer,” says Mount Royal student, Adam Leitch. “The insight was invaluable when preparing the strategic

Students take a break from their field studies in the Cook Islands to enjoy some beach time.

While completing a field study in the Cook Islands, Bissett School of Business students were able to enjoy some of the local hiking trails.

Associate Professor Victoria Calvert speaks to a group of students in the Cook Islands.

analysis for the tourism board and so that we could understand the challenges that the Islanders face.”

Rarotonga, the most populous island of some 15 other small islands that make up the Cook Islands, is home to 13,095 out of the pacific paradise’s 17,794 total residents (2011 census). Two thirds of the population consists of either children or the elderly, putting extreme social, health and economic pressures on the country.

Calvert says the student team engaged with the locals on both a business and personal level to better understand how cultural differences play a part in the work provided.

“It was a huge challenge for the students to understand the tribal culture and all of its implications, but inspiring to see the students go through such a growth experience,” says Calvert.

As tourism is the largest economic driver on the islands, the first priority for the business students was to prepare an in-depth ecotourism strategic analysis of

10 other island communities. An ongoing priority for the government is to find ways to expand the islands’ appeal beyond the Pacific Rim, Australia and New Zealand and into North America. Calvert says research produced by the students will have a significant impact on future infrastructure development and marketing campaigns, as that research is being reviewed by senior government officials.

Calvert’s crew also worked closely with the police commissioner and his team as they prepared to host the 42nd annual Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police Conference in Rarotonga. Mount Royal students provided IT support in addition to creating marketing and communication materials for the conference.

Finally, Mount Royal students also engaged with a class of Grade 10 students and helped lead a goal-setting exercise, the results of which were surprising. Each of the Grade 10 students was interested in leaving the island to work or pursue a postsecondary education, but would not commit their wishes to paper until they

discussed and decided on it as a family and as a tribe.

“We come from a North American society where we each determine our destiny, while the Maori, Cook Islanders, have norms rooted in tribal beliefs and must consider their family input before making any decisions,” says Calvert.

Involving the students in cultural activities was essential for them to better understand the tribal way of life, the history of the island and what it has to offer. A luau with a Maori family demonstrated local customs, while a fishing expedition gave the students valuable insight into the effects of government corruption when the rights to natural resources are sold to foreign entities for personal profit.

The field school was so successful and well received by all parties that Calvert hopes to see more Mount Royal students return and help further alleviate some of the Cook Islands’ socio-economic challenges.

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Entrepreneurial journalist with a

passion for fashion Editor-in-chief, creative director, entrepreneur, there are many ways to describe her, but this stylista will tell you, journalist is her favourite label.

BY PAULA ARAB

“I’ve always understood that social media is about bringing a community together to talk about the interests they have in common — in this case, fashion and lifestyle.”

– Kimberley Jev, journalism alumna and founder of CalgaryFashion.ca

F

or Kimberley Jev, first impressions are lasting ones.

The Mount Royal University alumna can trace her current success as a digital fashion publisher to her upbringing on a residential oil — workers’ camp in Nigeria, where she spent her formative years. The lessons came from an extraordinary but unorthodox mentor — Jev’s childhood hairdresser, a woman affectionately known as Mama Ifeoma.

Now a journalist and founder of CalgaryFashion.ca, Jev fondly remembers those early beauty appointments with Ifeoma, who styled hair at a stall at the nearby market. Between that and Ifeoma’s customer base at the residents oil camp, she made enough to support herself and her six children.

Jev and her mom would regularly visit Ifeoma for hair appointments that turned into social events lasting for hours. The little girl was required to sit patiently while Ifeoma meticulously worked on her long curls, transforming them into wellmanicured braids. Even then, Jev had an eye-for-detail and the curiosity of a journalist. She would admire the styles of the fashion-forward women in the colourful market, but she also understood the social aspect of these visits, and the camaraderie and community that became so much a part of the relationship with Ifeoma.

As for her business instinct, that’s in Jev’s blood. Although British born, her heritage is Nigerian, and Jev will tell you: “Nigerians are some of the most entrepreneurial people in the world. I’d say just being around my mom and her friends really opened up my eyes to the world of business. I learned from Mama Ifeoma’s example how to take something people want, do it well and make a profit.”

Jev’s striking eyes first popped open to commercial opportunity at the tender age of six, when even then, an avid reader, she realized she had a scarce commodity others would pay for — English children’s novels.

“Books by authors such as Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl and others were hard to find in Nigeria. I noticed I was the only child in the camp with a range of reading books, so I made up my own library cards and rented my books out to the other kids,” says Jev. By age 10, she had made enough money from her home-made library to buy her first pair of gold-hoop earrings, which she still wears today.

There was no turning back.

Reading, fashion, entrepreneurship and understanding the dynamics of the social network between a Nigerian hairstylist and her clients, would all become the building blocks of Jev’s future success.

“I’m constantly looking for opportunities that motivate and excite me

— they usually involve writing, fashion or business,” Jev says.

As the creative director and editorin-chief of CalgaryFashion.ca, she has established herself as a reputable Western Canadian-based journalist, capturing awards, and inspiring a growing readership of serious trend and culture followers.

Last September, Jev was named the 2013 Media Personality of the Year at the inaugural Black Gold Awards, which celebrate the achievements of people in Alberta’s African, Caribbean and AfroCanadian communities.

CalgaryFashion.ca combines insider coverage of Alberta-based designers, shows and boutiques, with trend features and coverage of international runway shows as far away as Milan. It has grown from a fashion blog, to a full-on fashion news and lifestyle website that generates more than 200,000 page views every week and 30,000 unique visitors every month.

“Kimberley has built her site to fill an untapped niche in Calgary,” says Journalism Chair Shauna Snow-Capparelli, who remembers the student for her dedication to a vision. “She has become an authoritative voice in the Calgary fashion scene, as well as appearing as a fashion consultant on CTV and other media outlets.”

Born in Sheffield, England, Jev spent her childhood and teenage years travelling to where her father’s work took him as an oil geologist, between England, Scotland, Holland and Nigeria. She came to Calgary on her own to study at Mount Royal, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Communication — Journalism Degree in 2011.

It was her lifelong love for words and writing that drove her to become a writer. Her love for fashion led her to start CalgaryFashion.ca after just one year of journalism studies, because she noticed a gap that needed to be filled. While there were fashion shows in Calgary, nobody was covering them.

“I made that my job — to go to the shows and to follow the fashion beat,” she says.

“Because we moved around a lot when I was really young, I developed an understanding that some commodities are scarce in some places, and I sort of just clued in that if you have something that people want, then there’s a way to make it SUMMIT – SPRING 2014

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profitable and that’s just how it’s always been.”

The founder of the Black Gold Awards, Kobe Abrokwa, says Jev beat out stiff competition in the media category, which is a People’s Choice award.

“Kimberley was nominated and chosen by Albertans who follow her website,” Abrokwa says. “She has done some really amazing work in the community for people to vote for her as much as they did. This award is intended to encourage youth and we’re hoping (Jev) will serve as role model for young people and others who want to get into the media.”

Jev inspires the people who watch her work in many ways, and there are just as many words to describe her — editor-in-chief, creative director, fashionista, entrepreneur, trendsetter — but she describes herself simply as a journalist.

“I went to school for this. I’ve been trained by some of the very best people,” she says. “I’m also a strong advocate for introducing students to the business side of journalism — how newspapers are funded and what advertising is all about.

“I’ve always read fashion magazines, such as J-17 and Elle, as much for the fashion as for how the stories are put together, how the magazines are bound and how people are being educated about fashion.”

That focus on education has led Jev to bring international runway model, Stacey McKenzie, to Calgary to present a two-day workshop for models as part of ACTLIKEUKN_W (Act Like You Know), a bi-monthly series Jev introduced in 2012.

Now she’s turning her attention to launching a clothing line, and she’s planning for a new accessory line. Jev says her ultimate goal is to take CalgaryFashion.ca far beyond its current online format.

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“It’s a backwards model, but I really believe now that our audience has been developed, print is next — and then television and hopefully radio,” she says. “My intentions are to go all the way with it.”

That drive is summed up in the words Snow-Capparelli uses to describe Jev. “Kimberley is a great role model. She is proof for our current students that there are myriad uses for a journalism degree.”

The determination to take her bachelor’s degree to a level that transcends traditional journalism goes back to Jev’s own diverse cultural background and her first role model, Mama Ifeoma. As a self-declared “third-culture kid” — part Nigerian, part British and part Canadian — Jev understands how tradition and culture can be made relevant in the modern world.

Mama Ifeoma’s weekly braiding sessions nurtured a social forum where girls and women were comfortable discussing everything from hair and the latest styles to their hopes and dreams for the future. Jev created an online version of that social network.

“I’ve always understood that social media is about bringing a community together to talk about the interests they have in common — in this case, fashion and lifestyle,” she says.

It was community that led Jev to Mount Royal University as a place to study, drawn by the relationships small class sizes would foster. And indeed while CalgaryFashion.ca was sown from seeds planted in the community of a Nigerian oil camp, it blossomed in the gardens of Mount Royal’s classrooms.

“This would not have happened if it wasn’t for the faculty and staff of the Communication department, and their countless support and countless direction,” says Jev. “They really gave me the tools that I needed to make this happen, even when this started growing all of them have been involved in the website in tiny ways and big ways. It really wouldn’t be what it is if it wasn’t for Mount Royal.”

– With files by Nancy Cope – Makeup by Stephanie Tran

SUMMIT – SPRING 2014

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Celebrate new degrees Mount Royal launches two new degrees — the new Bachelor of Child Studies, the first of its kind offered in Western Canada, and the Bachelor of Health and Physical Education, a degree that combines a comprehensive approach to health and wellness, plus a connection to physical activity

BY PAULA ARAB

D

evon Wills is an impassioned early childhood educator, who was asked to speak at the launch of Mount Royal University’s latest degrees. The young man put his decade-long career working with children on hold to go back to university and get that vital piece of paper, a bachelor’s degree.

Wills, in his first year at Mount Royal University, was over-thetop ecstatic to get confirmation that his applied degree program in child studies will be transitioned into a full baccalaureate — the first Bachelor of Child Studies (BCST) in Western Canada.

He enrolled in the applied university degree program because it was the only degree option available in his expertise and interest area.

Hearing rumblings that a baccalaureate would soon replace the applied degree, the first-year-student with aspirations of graduate school held his breath and hoped the rumours were true.

“So, excuse me while I let out a sigh of relief,” says Wills.

The BCST and the new Bachelor of Health and Physical Education (BHPE) are the 10th and 11th baccalaureates offered at Mount Royal since 2007. Both were announced at the University on Feb. 12, by Chad London, dean of the Faculty of Health and Community Studies.

Current students in seven Mount Royal programs now have the option to transition their studies to the new degrees.

Beginning in September 2014, the BHPE will replace the Bachelor of Applied Ecotourism and Outdoor Leadership; the Bachelor of Applied Business and Entrepreneurship — Sport and Recreation; and the Bachelor of Physical Education University Transfer. The four majors of the new degree are: Athletic Therapy; Ecotourism and Outdoor Leadership; Physical Literacy; and Sport and Recreation Management.

Four existing programs will transition to the BCST. They are: the Bachelor of Applied Child Studies, the Child and Youth Care

Counsellor Diploma, Early Learning and Child Care Diploma and Early Learning and Child Care Certificate. The BCST will offer majors in Child and Youth Care Counsellor and Early Learning and Child Care.

By rolling seven programs into the new degrees, Mount Royal both leverages its existing expertise and funds the new degrees by reallocating internal resources. That drew accolades from the Hon. Jason Luan, MLA for Calgary Hawkwood, who attended the announcement on behalf of Alberta Innovation and Advanced Education.

“Without asking government for more money, you re-aligned your priorities,” Luan said. “I’m going to sell that story to my colleagues, of how Mount Royal makes a great example.”

Ultimately, the new degrees are about the students, and Mount Royal’s commitment to providing them with access to high-quality, four-year undergraduate programs that meet society’s needs for specialists trained at the degree level.

For Wills, it’s about fulfilling a dream. As accomplished as he was throughout his career, he realized something was missing; a degree.

“For a long time I considered an education degree, but I didn’t want to be teacher,” says Wills. “I considered a social work degree, but I only wanted to work with children. It was after a long search that I came across the applied degree in child studies, and to be honest it seemed that it was tailored for what I wanted to learn.

“The only drawback was that there was no guarantee that I would be accepted into after-degree programs or graduate school.

You see, I want to apply for my Master’s degree, a dream I was gambling on and hoping that all of those rumours in the community would come to fruition. And today, I can say they did.”

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New library fit for the future learner Riddell Library and Learning Centre to be a hub for students and the Calgary community, offering advanced resources

BY BRENDAN GREENSLADE

A

fter nine steadfast years of strong planning and campaigning as part of the University’s most ambitious fundraising effort to date, funding has been secured to construct the new Riddell Library and Learning Centre (LLC), a space dedicated to academic excellence and student success.

Construction on the technologicallyadvanced library is expected to begin in spring 2014. The Riddell LLC will encompass a balance of design and functionality equating to a space four-times larger than the existing library. An abundance of new resources for students and the Mount Royal community will be included.

“The current library was built when we had a tiny, college library collection. Before the birth of the Internet or the personal computer,” says Alice Swabey, faculty member and liaison librarian of the library, which was originally built in the 1970s.

“The world of information has grown exponentially — with students needing more and more help to navigate and evaluate it.”

“The need for a library and learning centre is critical in Mount Royal’s growth as a full-fledged University,” adds Carol Shepstone, University Librarian.

The Riddell LLC will differ vastly at first glance. Technical developments in the way information is collected and made available to the public means the days of paperbacks and hardcovers are not necessarily long

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gone, but traditional books and publications will be living along side new resources, such as multimedia teaching spaces, a Student Learning Commons, group study rooms, as well as media production rooms, all supported by the latest technology.

All that and the Riddell LLC will be going “green,” as it will be the third Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standard building on campus and Mount Royal’s second LEED Gold standard facility.

It’s all possible through the support of a generous donation from the Riddell family, as well as the Alberta government, which committed $85.8 million for the construction of what has been a top capital priority for Mount Royal since 2005.

Located in the core of the University’s community, the Riddell LLC will serve to inspire lifelong learning for all Calgarians by offering public access for research, literary events, lectures and forums.

“It’s incredibly important for our students to have access to a full-fledged university library. Expertise, technology and collections are absolutely key for student success,” says Shepstone.

“Mount Royal has fabulous library staff and faculty. To also have a facility to match the level of talent here is astounding. The potential is unlimited.”

– With files by Colin Brandt

GRADS PAY IT FORWARD New Graduating Class Bursary gives first-year students a much-needed boost

L

auretta John knows firsthand how daunting that first year of university can be.

She’s nearly 9,000 miles from home. Now in her second year at Mount Royal University and working towards a Bachelor of Communication, this native Australian still remembers struggling to make ends meet while starting classes in a foreign country.

“There would be months where I would be pretty scarce on food,” John says. “I’d go and eat at friends’ houses or cut down on portions because money was tight. And there were times when I had to decide, do I pay my tuition or my rent?”

Despite these challenges, John persevered. Today she finds herself surrounded by a supportive network of friends, classmates and faculty, and she looks forward to pursuing a career in the magazine industry.

She says she knows there are still many students fighting to overcome the same obstacles she faced.

That’s why John jumped at the opportunity to be involved with Mount Royal’s new Graduating Class Bursary — the first bursary at Mount Royal to be funded by the graduating class and awarded to first-year students in financial need.

BY COLLETTE BURJACK

Along with Sara Elkadri, also working toward a Bachelor of Communication, John is helping to spread the word about this unique gift. Under the guidance of Whitney Struthers, coordinator of annual giving, University Advancement, Elkadri and John are visiting fourth-year classes asking students this year to donate $20.14 to signify their graduating year of 2014.

“It’s a struggle. You don’t realize how many bills you have until you move out,” says John. “Some students put all their money into tuition and become homeless. I know a girl who was bouncing through shelters because she spent all her money on tuition,” John says.

Every year, Mount Royal’s graduating class will have the opportunity to contribute to their own gift. Grads of 2015, $20.15, and so forth as the years advance. The busary program will help with the costs of everything from textbooks and rent, to tuition. The Class

of 2014 Gift will be permanently recognized on campus with a design created by Mount Royal’s Interior Design and Information Design students.

For John and Elkadri, the Graduating Class Bursary goes beyond providing financial assistance.

“For fourth-year students it’s a way of saying: ‘we enjoyed our time at Mount Royal, and we hope you enjoy yours.

Welcome!’ ” says Elkadri. “And for first-year students it provides a sense of community as well as financial relief.”

Elkadri and John are also encouraging alumni and the Calgary community to contribute to this gift — the first of its kind at Mount Royal.

“For alumni who never had the chance to participate in a class gift, this is their opportunity to give back to the university they love,” says Elkadri.

Echoing Elkadri’s sentiment, John sees this bursary as an opportunity for donors to share their love of Mount Royal while bettering a student’s education.

“Your donation is going to benefit a lot of students,” says John. “And speaking as someone who could have used this gift when I first came to Mount Royal, I can tell you that that means a lot.”

Donate to the Graduating Class Bursary, visit mtroyal.ca/class2014gift or contact Whitney Struthers at 403.440.5536 or wstruthers@mtroyal.ca.

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Sochi OlymPics— THE Politics of SPort

BY THERESA TAYLER

In

the weeks leading up to the Sochi Olympics the world was poised for dark drama.

First, there was the anti-gay law — the one banning so-called homosexual propaganda — that Russian President Valdimir Putin implemented just months before athletes — gay and straight — were set to arrive in Sochi for the 2014 games.

Then, there were the security issues.

Fears about Russia’s ability to control impending terrorist attacks caused concerns to peak as security experts and western governments voiced anxiety around safety for athletes and delegates.

The world braced itself for a potentially tragic Olympic event, while media seemed to focus just as much on Russia’s human rights record, security protocols and the politics surrounding the Games as they did on sport and athletes.

The underlying question became: Is sport above politics?

(he was an athlete representative with the IOC, and Chef de Mission for the 2012 Canadian Summer Olympic team), he understands the challenges when political issues arise around the Olympic games.

“Sadly, the issue of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) rights joined other serious political issues such as security concerns. Obviously when people are at serious risk, that’s another major political issue around Sochi that caused more discussion around government policy and security,” Tewksbury says.

David Legg, PhD, Mount Royal faculty member and past president of the Canadian Paralympic Committee, adds that the issues leading up to Sochi are an example of why politics and sport is an incredibly important discourse to have on campus in the lead-up to any major international games.

“I can’t think of anything like the Olympics where someone holds up a nation’s flag on a similar scale of public

Mark Tewksbury, Olympic gold medalist, says politics and sport Often go hand-in-hand.

On Jan. 27, with the Sochi Olympic and Paralympic Games on the horizon, Mount Royal tackled this complex question head on.

Through the University’s SOMAR Speaker Series and the Faculty of Communication Studies, Mount Royal invited a panel of speakers to the table: Mark Tewksbury, Canadian swimmer and Olympic gold medalist; David Legg, Mount Royal faculty and past president of the Canadian Paralympic Committee; and Kristina Groves, the most decorated speed skater in the World Single Distances Championships, to discuss the connection between sport and politics. The forum was moderated by Marc Chikinda, dean of the Faculty of Communication Studies.

Tewksbury is no stranger to the politics of sport. As an openly gay, former Olympic athlete he has become a prominent advocate for gay rights and causes globally. He is also known for challenging the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for what he described as rampant corruption in the late 1990s.

He says that having been on the inside

interest. It’s a worldwide event that the vast majority of countries are participating in, and they’re marching under their flag.

There’s nothing like it — no wonder it breeds nationalism,” says Legg, who has attended five Paralympic and three Parapan American Games in various administrative roles.

In the wake of Russia’s pre-games anti gay stance, Tewksbury was called on once again to speak to gay rights issues. During the SOMAR Speaker Series event, he told the panel the anti-gay and lesbian laws struck a chord internationally with people in a positive way.

“In my lifetime, I never thought I would see this kind of support for LGBT rights around the world,” he says. “This awareness is important, because there are still 76 countries in the world where LGBT people can be executed or imprisoned because of their sexuality.”

Before the Olympics began, U.S. President Barack Obama and European leaders, including British Prime Minister David Cameron, announced they would not attend the opening ceremonies amid

concerns over Russia’s human rights record. The U.S. took a symbolic stand by sending openly gay athletes as part of the delegation to attend the games.

Much to the relief of both spectators and athletes, the Sochi Olympic and Paralympic games came and went without a major human rights or security incident.

There were also no major protests at the Olympic village.

“I was personally quite surprised that there were no large protests from the Russian LGBT community, but having seen some footage of the brutality they experienced in earlier protests, I can’t really blame then for not putting themselves in the line of danger again,” says Tewksbury, who has become a confidant and mentor for many young athletes who he says have confided in him throughout the Olympic season.

“Some felt very insecure the first couple of days in Sochi. One lesbian couple on the team didn’t know if they should share the same spoon while eating their McFlurry, in case it was seen as promoting the LGBT lifestyle — but as the Games went on they felt less conscious,” he says. Ultimately, Tewksbury questions the Russian government’s motives for implementing the law to begin with.

“With the Russian affiliated militia moving into Ukraine mere hours after the Olympics were over — and before the Paralympics began — I couldn’t help but wonder if the constant focus on the LGBT issue by Russian authorities leading up to the games wasn’t a means of distraction from their real intentions,” he says.

In partnership with Mount Royal, the Faculty of Communication Studies and the Alberta Global Forum at Mount Royal, the SOMAR Series events are free to all who attend.

SOMAR’s Politics and Sport forum attracted over 100 people to Mount Royal’s Ross Glen Hall within the Roderick Mah Centre for Continuous Learning, as well as various media outlets. Similar provocative forum discussions addressing issues of current interest to Canadians, Albertans and Calgarians are scheduled for 2014. Please check mtroyal.ca/events for more information.

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Marketing students stickhandle a nationwide challenge to put more Canadian kids on the ice

BY CATHY NICKEL

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ON

any given day this winter, tens of thousands of young people across Canada will lace up their skates and hit the ice.

Whether it’s tykes or teens playing pick-up shinny or rec-league hockey on outdoor rinks or in community multiplexes, the passion for hockey runs deep. It is Canada’s game. This sport is so hardwired into our cultural DNA, that “He shoots, he scores!” is as much a part of our lexicon as the Loonie or a Tim’s Double Double.

It’s no wonder that a flicker of fear rippled through the halls of the Bissett School of Business when Hockey Canada came calling for help. Last fall, the agency turned to Mount Royal University’s senior marketing students for a plan to increase participation and encourage more young people to play hockey. The momentary blush of anxiety caused by the magnitude of the assignment was quickly replaced by a rush of excitement. The students realized they were about to embark on a project that could make a difference in the lives of millions of people — and to the country itself.

Several studies show a steep decline nation-wide in the number of youth taking part in hockey. Enrolment peaked in the early 1990s

at about 19 per cent and is expected to drop to around seven per cent by 2015, prompting Hockey Canada to set an ambitious goal of doubling the number of youth playing hockey by 2020.

“Often times, organizations the size of Hockey Canada can be quite insular in the thoughts that go into program design,” said Paul Carson, VP of hockey development for the agency. “It is imperative that external points of view be considered and that we encourage fresh perspectives and innovative approaches to how we might tackle the many challenges that face grassroots sport today.”

Given just seven weeks to come up with a five-year plan, fourthyear students in David Finch’s Market-Driven Strategy course got to work. “Those students, who will graduate with degrees in Business Administration met in Hockey Canada’s boardroom, saw an Olympic gold medal, the Canada Cup and a jersey worn in a gold-medal game,” said Finch, PhD, an assistant professor at Bissett. “They knew this was bigger than Hockey Canada, bigger than hockey . . . this was for Canada.”

Hockey Canada isn’t the only top-tier organization looking to work with Mount Royal marketing students. Lululemon, Rogers

Communications, the Calgary Stampede and Village Brewery have all clamoured for the opportunity. Organizations have an 18-month wait once they’re chosen, a testament to the Marketing program’s growing reputation.

To meet the Hockey Canada challenge, students broke into two teams working on competing marketing plans (aimed at increasing youth hockey participation) to pitch to Hockey Canada. Upping the high-pressure stakes, Hockey Canada dangled an internship to a successful candidate who would be hired to implement the plan.

“At this stage in their education, students aren’t necessarily here to learn more about marketing. They’re synthesizing and integrating the functional elements they’ve learned, and applying them on a real assignment with a real client,” says Finch. “In this course, it’s not about getting an ‘A.’ It’s about delivering a highvalue outcome to the client.”

Team leaders Tyler Massie, who graduated in 2013, and Chad Neufeld, who will graduate in Spring 2014, helmed the competing teams of business students.

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Mount Royal Marketing students pitch business plans to Hockey Canada aimed at strengthening hockey enrolment across the nation.

“Hockey is a connector for patriotism across the country,” Neufeld says. “So we wondered, as students, how we could provide value when it comes to something that is so central to our identity as Canadians. We realized it was going to be the hardest work we’ve ever done.”

“Whether you live in a large city or a small town, hockey matters,” Massie adds.

“While we might not be influencing the development of the next Sidney Crosby, we knew we would have an influence on how many kids would play at the rink on Sunday, instead of being at home playing video games.”

The students mined a wealth of Hockey Canada data and gleaned information from scores of interviews with people ranging from parents and coaches, to the Western Hockey League commissioner.

The result?

“Hockey Canada was overwhelmed,” Finch says. “And surprised by what the data showed.”

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Why is our national pastime threatening to become past-tense?

A build-it-and-they-will-come approach doesn’t work. There’s little relationship between participation and access to rinks.

MRU student research identified that hockey is a social game. Most people take part to have fun, so the sport’s competitive intensity can actually dilute the value of taking part. Cost can be a barrier for some, as can game scheduling.

But new Canadians and women are embracing the sport.

The students came up with several possible solutions to the issue. One is for Hockey Canada to introduce noncompetitive hockey leagues. This has proven to positively impact registration in New Brunswick and in Calgary.

Finch says lack of regularly scheduled games is also shown to be an issue.

Another fix that student teams identified may be that leagues need to look into scheduling regular games on pre-planned days so that parents and kids always know when they’re expected to hit the ice. It makes the whole process easier on everyone, and encourages families to sign

their kids up and take part. “(A regular schedule) allows kids to have other activities, and parents can manage their schedules better,” Finch says. “Reducing practice time to focus on games is another option. This opens up prime ice time so kids aren’t playing at 7 a.m. or 10 p.m.”

Finch adds that successful leagues are also concentrated on fun, and tend to be non-contact.

“They keep score, but not standings,” he says.

“We were so encouraged by the quality and depth of thought that the Mount Royal students put in to their presentations,” adds Carson. “The materials provided to Hockey Canada through this research have provided our organization with some excellent jumping off points to be considered in areas such as recruitment of new members, retention of current members and measuring the quality of programming for current members.”

Carson says the student research was both informative and enlightening.

The exact strategies Hockey Canada will use going forward will likely be a key task for the summer intern the organization will hire from one of the student teams.

– With files by Paula Arab

MOUNT ROYAL WELCOMES NEW BOARD CHAIR L O N G T I M E B OA R D M E M B E R TA K E S T H E H E L M BY N A N CY C O P E

K

arl W. Smith has been appointed chair of Mount Royal University’s Board of Governors by the Honourable Dave Hancock, Premier and Minister of Innovation and Advanced Education.

Smith is president and chief executive officer of FortisAlberta. A Calgary business leader with an extensive record of service to the community, he began his three-year term as Mount Royal board chair in January 2014.

The University’s President, David Docherty, says he is delighted to welcome Smith as chair.

“Karl has served as a public member of our board since 2010 and brings a strong knowledge of Mount Royal to his new position,” Docherty says.

“Most recently, Karl has chaired the University’s Campus Development Committee, which is playing an integral role in the current construction of the new home for the Conservatory and the Bella Concert Hall as well as in future construction of the

Riddell Library and Learning Centre.”

Since joining Mount Royal’s board in 2010, Smith has also served on the Governance and Nominating Committee, the Audit and Risk Committee and the Finance Committee.

He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Alberta and earned his Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree in 1981 from Memorial University, in Newfoundland.

Before coming to FortisAlberta, Smith was president and chief executive officer of Newfoundland Power Inc. (2004 to 2007).

Prior to that, he was chief financial officer of Fortis Inc. (1999 to 2003) and, before that, vice president, finance and chief financial officer of Newfoundland Power Inc. (1995 to 1999). Between 1989 and 1995, Smith held the positions of vice president, finance of Fortis Properties and Fortis Trust Corporation.

In his community service, Smith focuses both on electric utilities and on education. He is

past chair of the Canadian Electricity Association and is on the boards of directors of the Western Energy Institute, and Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation.

He also serves as chair of the board of Junior Achievement of Southern Alberta and, in past years, has been a member of the advisory board to the Faculty of Business Administration at Memorial University.

Smith says he is looking forward to his role as the link between Mount Royal’s board, President Docherty, the Minister of Innovation and Advanced Education, and the community.

“I am excited to be a member of a board that is dedicated to Mount Royal and to the public,” Smith says. “I am proud to serve as the 18th chair of this outstanding institution.”

+ Stay connected to MRU with an alumni membership to Rec.

mtroyal.ca/recreation

403.440.6517

First year grads = 50% off public rates Alumni and family members = 20% off public rates

Who’s Frank?

Mount Royal University and Bishop Carroll High School expose the big, bad, bullying elephant in the room

BY JESSICA WILLIAMSON

Let’s be frank. Your natural response is likely to avoid me. I am big, unpredictable and most would say I stink.

My ears are larger than the average four-year-old’s, and I have infrasound hearing capabilities that allow me to hear things that humans cannot. To be honest, some of what I have heard has been heartbreaking.

I heard that many of you remember eating lunch in the bathroom so that the other kids wouldn’t “see the fat kid getting fatter.” I have heard the hurt of physical 26

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and emotional pain, while friends, teachers and even parents wrote the incident off as normal childhood interaction and behaviour.

So who am I? I’m Frank the Elephant, a metaphor for bullying and a symbol for the need to speak frankly about an issue too often written off as normal conflict.

Bullying is the elephant in most classrooms, sports arenas, playgrounds and workplaces – something that is there but no one talks about.

Visit whosfrank.ca for more information on the Who’s Frank? anti-bullying campaign.

BESTSELLING AUTHOR BARBARA COLOROSO A FRANK PROJECT Frank, a life-sized pink elephant, is the hero of an anti-bullying movement conceived by a group of Mount Royal University faculty and students in partnership with students and counsellors from neighbouring Bishop Carroll High School. The partners met for an initial brainstorming session in October 2013 to discuss a powerful way to mark the seventh annual Pink Shirt Anti-Bullying Day. The Who’s Frank? campaign was born, along with its spokes-elephant, Frank. The hope is that Frank will grow beyond Calgary and become a national icon in the fight against bullying.

“It’s more than a day, it’s a way,” says Aaron Verones, a Grade 11 student and Who’s Frank? founding committee member. “We want to make this a movement not just an initiative (but a worldwide understanding).”

Things kicked off on Nov. 27, 2013 with a “write-in” hosted on Mount Royal’s main street. Modeled after the “sit-ins” of the 1960s, organizers encouraged students to anonymously share their experiences of bullying in hopes of empowering the community to stand up, speak out and step in.

The stories collected provide the powerful narrative of the campaign and can be found at whosfrank.ca, a website that encourages the larger community to share bullying experiences.

Those stories were shared at the Who’s Frank? launch at Bishop Carroll on Feb. 26, to mark Pink Shirt Anti-Bullying Day. The mascot, built at Mount Royal, visited the school along with the original anti-bullying Frank, renowned American author and speaker Barbara Coloroso.

“It is a short walk from schoolyard bullying, to hate crimes, to genocide,” says the best-selling author whose numerous television appearances include the Oprah Winfrey Show.

“Genocide is not an unimaginable horror. It was thoroughly imagined, meticulously planned and horrifically executed by people who treated others as less than human. Dehumanization can start with name calling in the schoolyard,” she says.

Coloroso, who started her career as a Catholic nun, has had a long journey of being frank in her anti-bullying crusade, travelling the world to speak with and educate groups of parents and students.

“Young people are swimming in a culture of mean,” says Coloroso, who left her vocation and became a mom, then – Barbara Coloroso academic, writer, public speaker and anti-bullying advocate. She has been studying bullying since the early 1970s.

The author of The Bully, The Bullied, and The Bystander, imparted her wisdom to a packed auditorium of students, staff, media and members of the broader community.

It is a short walk from schoolyard“ “bullying, to hate crimes, to genocide.

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– Illustration by Micaela DeBoer 28

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LET’S GET FRANK ABOUT BULLYING She earlier applauded their efforts in creating the Who’s Frank? campaign.

“It’s the antithesis of bullying, being frank about what’s going on,” Coloroso says. “These young people are not just breaking the cycle of violence, they are working to create a deeply caring community. It’s very clever, I hope it becomes a lasting thing.”

At the school rally, more than 600 students surprised Coloroso with a Glee-club-style anti-bullying flash mob of music and dance, led by an ambitious team of five Bishop Carroll student organizers. They rallied the choir, visual arts and photography students to share powerful messages about bullying, each group keeping from the others what they were doing for the full impact of the surprise factor.

Natalie Meisner, PhD, co-organizer and associate professor in Mount Royal’s Faculty of Arts was overwhelmingly pleased at the response from students, faculty and community members in Calgary who recognize that the issue of bullying is one that cuts across all lines, including race, class and gender.

“I think we are realizing that one of the effects of bullying is that it functions to punish differences of all kinds,” she says. “As a world-class and exceptionally multicultural-city, Calgary is now finding its footing on the global stage and we need to be sure that our social and cultural growth keeps pace with all the other types of growth happening here.”

While 2014 is the inaugural year of the campaign, it is the hope of the organizing committee that stories will be collected and shared on an ongoing basis both in person and online.

“This is a campaign with its roots here at Mount Royal and in Calgary but, with the help of technology, it’s capable of expanding nationwide and beyond,” Meisner says.

“The frank conversation about bullying across the community will empower our youth to imagine and create caring environments where there is no room for bullying.”

Coloroso agrees. “You can’t stop bullying alone,” she says. “Mount Royal is an integral part of the entire community and here to support the younger people in that community.”

A resident of Littleton, Colorado, Coloroso has personally seen the impact bullying can have on children and youth. Her youngest child was targeted by his peers during his elementary school years. All three of her kids had friends at Columbine High School during the assault in 1999. Her son, Joseph, was a friend of one of the shooter’s siblings.

“People often think that the impetus for writing the (anti-bullying) book was the shootings at Columbine, but it wasn’t,” says Coloroso.

“Our youngest was a target of bullying in school. As parents, we handled it poorly, and the school handled it worse.”

Coloroso initially turned down a first request by David Kent of Harper Collins Canada to write the book, but later accepted after her son told her: “Maybe if you write it, other kids won’t go through what I went through.”

Coloroso believes Frank, the mascot, can be just as powerful.

Let’s give the last words to the courageous, pink elephant:

I am committed to being your mascot, the brave-hearted one who is willing to stand up, speak out and step in. Together we will empower our youth to create environments where there is no space for bullying because frankly, it must stop.

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#STEPIN, STOP CYBERBULLYING Nursing student pilots #StepIn Program to help stamp out cyberbullying culture

BY THERESA TAYLER

T

hirteen-year-old Julia Neis used to be a social media mover and shaker.

A couple of years ago, the teen was on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter — you name it — but that all changed when she logged on to see a classmate was posting demeaning things about her online.

“There were about 30 notifications alerting me that this person was posting all sorts of things about me,” says Neis.

“Things really got out of hand.”

Neis immediately blocked the bully from her Facebook page. But the next day at school things escalated.

“It ended up in a screaming match between her and I. I don’t even remember what our issue was about to begin with,” says Neis, who left the school and is now a Grade 8 student at Samuel W. Shaw Junior High.

The incident had a profound impact on Neis, who closed her Facebook account and took a break from social media.

Navigating the at-times choppy waters of social media as a teen can be a hard go.

Matters surrounding cyberbullying are nothing new to teachers, guidance counsellors and parents who are trying to protect kids from and teach youth how to

deal with this new brand of bullying.

It’s an issue that Mount Royal University Bachelor of Nursing student Jonathan Dennis decided to tackle head-on during a recent practicum with the South Calgary Health Centre.

In the fall of 2013, Dennis developed the

thinking, we need to do some kind of health promotion that uses these aspects to target kids,” he explains.

“Targeting the actual bully or victim just doesn’t seem to go as far. Our focus is in changing a culture of bullying. To do that, you really need to focus on the bystander.”

As part of the program, students had access to a website where they could use their social-media and technology prowess to create anti-cyberbulling videos (primarily made on iPads and iPhones).

Teens who participated, including Neis, were — Jonathan Dennis, Bachelor of Nursing student encouraged to show through creative vignettes how to #StepIn Program, a blend of technology handle a cyberbullying situation when and community-health-based nursing that they see it happening. uses social media to encourage teens to The students ate it up. curb the culture of cyberbullying by stepping “There’s nothing like being told you’re in to help others who are bullied online. allowed to use your iPhone during class With the help of the Wellness Student time to win over a bunch of 13-year-olds,” Committee and community health nurse says Dennis, laughing. at Samuel W. Shaw, Dennis developed The program impacted her and her the program and piloted it with teens at classmates because it was interactive, the school, including Neis. says Neis.

“I could see how advanced the kids “It’s better to do rather than just listen. were in terms of technology and it got me It was fun. It was actually a program that us

“I could see how advanced the kids were in terms of technology and it got me thinking, we need to do some kind of health promotion that uses these aspects to target kids.”

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Jonathan Dennis, Mount Royal student and anti-cyperbullying mentor 13- and 14-year-olds could enjoy,” she says.

According to Darrin Fisher, principal at Samuel W. Shaw, while the mediums that bullies use to target others may have changed over the past two decades, ultimately — whether bullying is happening online or in person — the heart of the issues remain the same.

“Bullying is human nature. Unfortunately, it’s always going to be there,” says Fisher. “What we need to do is support not only the victim, but the bully and the bystander as well, so that people know how to react.”

Fisher considers #StepIn to be a success, and his own staff will continue to develop and use the program in the future.

“Since the #StepIn Program finished, you hear the kids talking in the hallways. They’re beginning to give each other good advice, such as ‘Don’t react. Tell an adult.’ It’s been a great tool for kids to learn about positive relationships,” says Fisher.

As it turns out, staying ‘off-line’ isn’t easy for teens such as Neis who want to maintain a voice in the social fabric of their peer group. Neis is avoiding Facebook for the meantime, but has recently opened an Instagram account so she can photo share with her friends.

“I missed (social media) and my friends kept telling me to get back online. As soon as I signed up again, I was immediately more social with people at school,” she says.

Neis now approaches possible bullying situations with the tools she needs to nip the problem in the bud. She says the #StepIn Program taught her and her classmates an important lesson.

“Whatever you do, don’t retaliate. Don’t defend your friends online with more insults directed at the bully. It will just make things worse,” she says.

STOP CYBERBULLYING HERE’S HOW:

Mount Royal University Bachelor of Nursing student and #StepIn Program developer Jonathan Dennis shares his tips for teens experiencing cyberbullying: Take the conversation off-line “Don’t accidentally contribute to a turf war online by trying to defend yourself or a friend,” Dennis says.

Record the incident Printing out a screen-shot of the bullying behaviour is a great way to start.

Tell Report the bullying to a trusted adult, such as a parent, principal, teacher or guidance counselor.

Support the victim off-line Approach the victim in a private setting — in person or through a private message works best — and let them know they are supported. “You want to take the bullying out of the public social media forum so that it doesn’t continue to get worse and worse online,” says Dennis.

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Rock ‘n’ roll helps teens through rocky times Following a life-threatening crash as a teenager, Robb Nash experienced anger, self-doubt and depression. After working through these issues and recovering from significant physical injuries, Nash found his passion: connecting with young people through music. As part of Mount Royal University’s Mental Help Month, Nash and his group, The Robb Nash Project, visited Calgary to spread a message of resilience and hope.

BY THERESA TAYLER

It

was 2007 when Canadian rocker Robb Nash was offered a professional recording contract with his then-band, Live on Arrival.

For a musician, that’s a chance at the spotlight, the leather- and metal-studded life of a rock star, sipping champagne while flying around the world on private jets en route to stadiums filled with screaming fans.

Not bad work, if you can get it.

But Nash decided to go another route.

He ripped up the record contract and never looked back.

Nash and his new band have been touring the Great White North, not charging a penny, for the past four years. He does it because he’s on a mission to help youth dealing with mental health issues, including suicide, bullying, self-harm and depression.

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“Ripping up the record deal, it wasn’t a sacrifice. At least, it didn’t feel like a sacrifice for me, because I know why I do what I do,” he says.

Fast-forward to 2014. Nash is packing up his tour bus for his next gig — a youth correctional facility in a remote area of Canada, where he’ll play to a crowd of troubled teens incarcerated for everything from petty theft to murder.

Then, it’s on to the next province, where Nash will play to a number of high schools.

He’ll be lucky if the public school system can afford him a stage, never mind a sound system, and he can forget about the champagne, that’s not on the school cafeteria menu.

But he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Every suicidal person, every person hurting, feels cursed. The depressed person

can’t brush these feelings off. What we’re trying to do (through music) is help people be OK with who they are and what they feel.”

Nash performed at Mount Royal in November 2013 on an invite from the Alumni Chapter of Child and Youth Studies (ACCYS).

Marlene Kingsmith, PhD, associate professor Child and Youth Care Counsellor diploma program, suggested he would be the perfect fit for Mount Royal’s Mental Help Month.

Nash played to an audience of alumni, students, mental-health service providers and the youth with whom they work. With dedication from the President’s Task Force on Student Mental Health (established in 2012), Mount Royal is working hard to erase the stigma and bring these issues to the forefront so they can be addressed without shame.

“You really have to see a performance to understand the impact (Nash) has on people,”

“ ” Kingsmith says. “He’s not an academic or counsellor. He’s a young man who sees tragedy in the world and decided to do something about it.

“It just works. The kids watch him and they see that he’s trying to help them find their passion in life. It’s about hope.”

Nash’s music is raw, honest and emotional.

Along with his band, he has presented to more than 220 schools and almost 100,000 students, performed at 2012 WE DAY and has been awarded multiple accolades such as the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012) and the Mood Disorders of Manitoba Helping Hands Award (2013).

Nash, himself, is no stranger to so-called dark times. As a high school student, he was in a car crash that sent him sailing head-on into a semi truck. He was pronounced dead on the scene. Unexpectedly, as paramedics

“Every suicidal person, every person hurting, feels cursed. The depressed person can’t brush these feelings off.

What we’re trying to do (through music) is help people be OK with who they are and what they feel.”

— Robb Nash, Canadian musician and speaker. Nash found healing through music following his own struggle with depression.

transported him to the hospital, he regained a pulse.

“I still need surgeries though, even to this day,” says Nash, whose accident was more than a decade ago.

After the crash, he admits he was consumed by the question ‘Why me?’

His turning point came when he finally figured out the answer.

“You know why? Because we were driving on an icy road and we hit a semi. That’s why – it’s simple,” Nash says. “There’s no great answer or deep punishment that I’m going through. It’s a simple answer, and that truth set me free.”

Once Nash was able to let go of the past, he was able to start thinking about life in a different way. He began asking himself not ‘Why me?’ but ‘Why do I do what I do?’

“Why music?” he says.

That’s when he realized that it was more important to aim for a why in life than a what.

“Every morning I wake up and I say: ‘I’m available.’ When schools call and they need us to come play, the band goes. So far, it’s worked out,” says Nash.

The Robb Nash Project recently received official charity status. Their aim to is to continue to visit schools and community organizations in need for years to come.

“We try to encourage those people to find the why? in life, to find the significance,” Nash says. “There’s no formula for reaching out to these kids. It works because we say what’s in our hearts.

“I’m not the best singer or guitar player.

I’m just available. I make myself available.”

– With files by James Parsons

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D E T P I R C S N U Alumni band together to explore the human condition

BY BRENDAN GREENSLADE

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These questions drove Kelsey Chadwick, Kelsey Hipkin, James Paton, and Katie Turner to cross geographic borders, overcome language barriers and strive to gain a rare glimpse into the human race.

It all started with sushi. No matter how many times the story is told, it always begins somewhere between that first and last bite of sashimi.

Whether it was the saltwater aromas and eastern Asian atmosphere emanating from the Shibuya Izakaya kitchen in Calgary, or just one of those ‘je ne sais quois’ moments, the pact made over that meal marked the start of four singular stories, that when told together would become Humanity Unscripted.

Chadwick, Hipkin, Paton and Turner, all Mount Royal Bachelor of Communication — Journalism students at the time, made a late-night pledge with one another in January 2010 while munching on raw fish.

The deal, band together on a worldwide endeavour into the essence of human

condition through a travel journalism project that would take them as many places as possible. They would document their interactions through photos, videos and blogs. Piloted in Calgary and subsequently crowd-funded through raising many small amounts of money from a large number of people online, each signed their name on the back of a business card they happened upon in the sushi restaurant, a pseudo contract that they were determined to honour.

“For years, it’s been our collective dream to travel the world, telling the stories of the people we meet. We want to show that no matter where you live in the world, we all share commonalities,” states the group on their official website — humanityunscripted.com.

After crossing the convocation stage between 2010 and 2012, each set out on their respective career paths. Paton took on a position with the Calgary Police Service primarily as a documentary photographer; Turner joined Metro Calgary’s team as a reporter; Chadwick became a video journalist and anchor at CTV Regina; and Hipkin a reporter with the Cochrane Eagle and then with CREBNOW Real Estate

News. It would have seemed the sushiinspired Humanity Unscripted pledge was all but forgotten. However, curiosity about the commonalities of people inspired them to put their budding careers on hold to reunite to live out their pledge.

For years, it’s been our “collective dream to travel the world, telling the stories of the people we meet. We want to show that no matter where you live in the world, we all share commonalities.

”

— humanityunscripted.com Inspirational observations from random strangers, on their purpose and dreams on a brisk winter day in downtown Calgary laid the groundwork for an examination into the human spirit. On Stephen Avenue, they asked and recorded people’s answers to

Left: The Humanity Unscripted team met this young boy in Varanasi, India and dubbed him “Smiles.” Photo by Katie Turner.

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their queries: What is love? What is life? What is your purpose? What are your dreams?

The project began to find its place somewhere between a social investigation and truth-seeking mission.

In September 2013, the tires of a Boeing 747 left the tarmac and Humanity Unscripted grew its wings.

After touching down in Mumbai, India the quartet set off south to the country’s wealthiest state, Goa, on the coast of the Arabian Sea. Then it was on to Fort Cochin in the state of Kerala before turning back northward towards the country’s spiritual capital, Varanasi.

Paton admittedly struggled through the fray to find the allure of his new surroundings.

“India’s kind of a really tough place for me — at the start I really hated it,” he says.

“I went from seeing burning bodies on the banks of the Ganges and experiencing the smell of rotting garbage when I first arrived, to an evening up on the rooftop of our hostel where we met a young boy we called “Smiles.” We saw what must have been a thousand kites flying over the city at sunset. The beauty was so immense that I sat in awe for 30 to 45 minutes before even taking out my camera.”

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Top: A shop owner takes a break from sweeping his store front in Mumbai, India. Photo by James Paton.

Above, left: The Humanity Unscripted team in Goa, India in October. Photo courtesy of Humanity Unscripted.

Above, center: A plane takes off from the short runway at Lukla Airport in Nepal. The Humanity Unscripted team landed at what’s known as the world’s most dangerous airport in early November to begin a 13-day trek in the Everest Region.

Photo by James Paton.

Above, right: A driver peers over while waiting in traffic in Mumbai, India. Photo by James Paton.

From New Delhi, India to Katmandu, and into the Himalayas where they trekked to the summit of Kala Patthar — a landmark viewpoint of Mount Everest — the group soldiered on.

“That climb was the epitome of dedication — I have never pushed my body so hard,” says Turner. “But it was amazing to do something none of us ever thought we would.”

The four friends collected an array of video and photos from chance encounters — tour guides, Tuk Tuk drivers, fellow travellers, all with unique and common introspective interpretations of love, life and happiness.

The Humanity Unscripted team also visited Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos, and their journey continues.

For Chadwick, an emotional moment happened during her time volunteering at a guest house in a small town on the border of Thailand and Laos that acts partially as a shelter for women who have escaped abusive relationships or who were shunned for becoming pregnant when unmarried. This is where she met Baauw, a young mother at the facility.

“Even though we were only there for two days, when we went to leave she hugged

Top, left: A young girl enjoys a treat with her grandfather on the banks of the Ganges in Varanasi, India. Photo by Katie Turner.

Top, center: A young passenger on a motorbike in Mumbai, India holds on tight in traffic.

Photo by James Paton.

Top, right: Katie Turner shows video to two of the kids who live at Daauw Home in Huay Xai, Laos where the Humanity Unscripted team volunteered in January. Photo by Kelsey Hipkin.

Above: Along the banks of the Ganges in Varanasi India, the team met this holy man.

Photo by James Paton.

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experience has “This given us a huge respect for education. No matter where you go there are people who have given, or would give anything for the chance for themselves or others to get an education.

—

”

Katie Turner, Humanity Unscripted

Top: A woman in Hoi An, Vietnam, smiles as she paddles down the Thu Bon River. Photo by Kelsey Hipkin.

Left: A man rides along the banks of the Ganges at sunrise in Varanasi, India. Photo by James Paton.

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us and started crying,” Chadwick says. “Just realizing that only after two days how much our friendship meant to her was a very profound feeling that I will carry with me.”

For Hipkin, that human connection came in Hoi An, Vietnam.

“I don’t know if it’s that I think today’s generation doesn’t take enough time to talk to seniors, or it’s just because I am an old soul, but we were walking down the street in old town Hoi An and there was this old woman in this boat,” says Hipkin, who eagerly joined the woman and her husband for a ride. “(They) didn’t speak any English at all, yet we spent the entire trip smiling and laughing.

I felt an amazing connection and it made me realize that you don’t necessarily need to speak the same language to connect on a level of respect.”

In Cambodia, the group met Sim Sao, a man who has devoted the last 10 years to his dream of building a school in his community through his social enterprise, Tuk Tuk for Peace.

“This experience has given us a huge respect for education,” says Turner. “No matter where you go there are people who have given, or would give anything for the chance for themselves or others to get an education.”

From their time working as a team for The Reflector, a student-run newspaper, during their days attending Mount Royal, the team gained their practical experience, bonded as a team and developed their thirst for storytelling.

Sally Haney, assistant professor of Journalism at Mount Royal, remembers the quartet as curious and bright students engaged with their world.

“I remember those four talking about their big idea: graduate, go to work, save some money, then reconnect and embark on an amazing adventure together,” says Haney.

“Many students talk about doing something like this, but few actually materialize. Knowing these four, I knew they had a tremendous shot at making it happen — when Humanity

Unscripted materialized, it definitely wasn’t a surprise.”

The business card that started it all is held dear and even made the journey with the team. What were once only aspirations have now been replaced by experiences, lessons and hope — hope that sharing worldview stories will inspire others to make connections close to home and across the globe, bridging across languages, cultures and beliefs.

Top: A woman crosses a busy road in Hanoi, Vietnam. Photo by James Paton (pictured above). This photograph was given a nod from the editors of National Geographic, and included as part of their online “Daily Dozen” on Feb. 11, 2014.

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Making a difference for midwives, mothers and newborns in Ethiopia COLUMN BY VINCENT SALYERS, EdD Associate Dean Faculty of Health and Community Studies at Mount Royal University

M

others and children in Ethiopia are dying. According to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), about 25,000 women perish during childbirth each year due to complications, and another 500,000 suffer from long-term disabilities from childbirth and pregnancy complications. More shocking is that the number of newborns who die each year is said to be even higher.

The African nation is one of six countries in the world with the worst outcomes for newborn and mother mortality.

Our team is proud to be part of a passionate group of health-care professionals from Mount Royal’s Faculty of Health and Community Studies who are aiming to help cut those dire statistics down and save lives. A new joint-initiative between Mount Royal University and the University of Alberta aims to improve the odds for Ethiopian mothers and babies by helping to train competent local midwives.

In 2013, the faculty embarked on a five-year-project based at the University of Alberta, and funded by the federal government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada. The project is also in collaboration with Canadian and Ethiopian partners. Its intention is to reduce maternal and newborn deaths, illness and disease in Ethiopia.

Through guidelines set by the Millenium Development Goals, Ethiopia is already working hard to reduce child mortality rates by two thirds, and maternal mortality rates by 75 per cent, by 2015. The nation aims to build roads and rural health centres, and to add ambulances for each woreda (village), with free transportation for women in labour who need specialized attention. But Ethiopia will have to overcome many more challenges, including access to

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Senior Midwifery Tutor Training Program instructors, Susan Jacoby (standing) and Mesert Desta Haileyesus (seated near computer) working with a small group of midwife participants using a puzzle as a teaching strategy.

quality health care and health personnel, and improving the quality of related education and services, particularly those of midwives.

While midwifery programs in Ethiopia are aligned with the Ethiopian Occupational Standard (EOS), International Confederations of Midwives, and the World Health Organization Competencies for Skilled Attendants in Africa, a number of challenges have been identified. Many midwives are encouraged to undertake leadership roles as teachers and mentors quite soon following graduation, often before they have consolidated their knowledge and expertise and gained practical experience.

Mount Royal’s Faculty of Health and Community Studies will implement an education program for Ethiopian midwives who have been selected to tutor other Ethiopian midwife instructors. The Senior

25,000 The average number of women that perish during childbirth each year in Ethiopia

– UN Population Fund (UNFRA)

Midwifery Tutor Training Program (SMTTP) will enhance and develop existing midwives’ teaching skills to ensure a high level of clinical skills. Delivered between February and May 2014, and on an annual basis thereafter for the following three years, the program will consist of four annual courses with 20 students in each. The program will be held at St Paul’s Hospital Millenium Medical Centre in Ethiopia’s capital city, Addis Ababa.

The team is fortunate to work with dedicated midwives in Ethiopia who are making a difference in the lives of women and infants every day.

The concept is a learning sandwich. Classroom work occurs at the beginning and end of the program, while eight weeks in the middle are spent in the field. In the first year, the initial four weeks will be taught by Mount Royal faculty members, including midwives and registered nurses each with related teaching knowledge and expertise.

Twelve Mount Royal faculty and staff will be involved with the program in Ethiopia. The team is fortunate to work with dedicated midwives in Ethiopia who are making a difference in the lives of women and infants every day. We take for granted so much in our busy lives, as we work as registered midwives and practitioners in Canada, knowing that we have one of the finest health-care systems in the world, with low maternal and infant morbidity and mortality.

We are so priviliged to be part of this collaborative effort, which assits struggling midwives and aims to improve the health of women and babies.

You.

Staying current As an MRU grad, you know our commitment to your success.

Continuing Education offers the programming excellence and personal attention that you expect from Mount Royal.

Continuing Education programs meet your personal and professional development needs.

• Practical, industry-recognized programs • Schedules for busy working adults • Many online programs

Come back to MRU for lifelong learning.

Members of the MRU team include: Vince Salyers, associate dean of the Faculty of Health and Community Studies, and Dianne MacDonald, manager, Office of International Education.

From the School of Nursing and Midwifery, team members include: Pam Nordstrom, director; Maggie Quance, chair; assistant professors Margot Underwood, Deborah DuranSnell, Susan Jacoby and Mary Landsiedel; Pattie Pryma, associate professor; Heather McLellan, chair, Advanced Specialty Health Studies; Julie Booke, associate professor, Physical Education and Recreation Studies; and Doreen Ma, project administrative assistant.

Continuing Education 403.440.6875 mtroyal.ca/conted

WHAT’S APP AT MRU

BY CATHY NICKEL

CHEMICAL REACTIONS ARE HAPPENING IN THE PALMS OF STUDENT HANDS Egypt, The Congo, Portugal, Brazil, Sri Lanka, Hungary, Korea, Italy, Australia — the international language of organic chemistry is being spoken in these and more than 30 other countries thanks to an app created by two Mount Royal professors.

The first of its kind, Organic Chemistry Nucleophilic Substitution Reaction app uses the iPad’s interactive design to give students a new and better way of understanding the impact of a variety of factors on a class of chemical reactions.

“It’s a challenge for students to recognize how changing any number of factors, such as the connectivity of atoms, can alter the mechanism and outcome of a reaction,” says Brett McCollum, PhD, associate professor of chemistry at Mount Royal. This is the foundational knowledge necessary for the study of organic chemistry, said the co-developer of the app.

According to McCollum, because molecules can’t be seen by the naked eye, it’s difficult for students to visualize what’s happening.

Students might have all of the pieces of the puzzle, but they can’t see how it fits together.

“This app uses the symbolic language developed by chemists to represent the shapes and behaviours of molecules. It guides students through the process of predicting the products of a nucleophilic substitution reaction, one of the most important types of reactions in organic chemistry,” he says.

Along with his spouse, Mount Royal instructor Sam McCollum, who teaches mathematics upgrading, the husband and wife duo developed the app over a three-week period. It debuted on iTunes on Nov. 17, 2013, and, at Summit press time, had been downloaded well over 1,000 times.

Students get answers right away (there’s no need to wait for scheduled lab time to witness reactions) and can quickly test a 42

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number of variables. Blend this interactive feature with the app’s summary information and a set of questions that assess whether students understand the material, and you put a powerful learning tool in the palm of students’ hands, ready to be used wherever and whenever they need it.

That, McCollum believes, is part of the global revolution that is increasingly seeing “smart” technology – especially tablets – used in higher education.

McCollum is recognized by Apple as an innovator in education for doing amazing things with Apple technology in and out of the classroom. He is a post-secondary Apple Distinguished Educator in Calgary and one of just eight across Canada. That status has him actively looking at ways these game-changing devices can meet the evolving needs of a whole new generation of globally connected learners.

“It’s natural for me to take on a challenge like this,” he says, adding that his next app will focus on general chemistry. “There aren’t many chemists who have the programming experience to create iOS apps, and few programmers have the necessary subject matter expertise for a chemistry app. I do — and I want to be one of the people who is helping to usher in an amazing future of postsecondary education.”

TECHNOLOGY AND WILDLIFE, THEY GO TOGETHER LIKE BIRDS OF A FEATHER It’s all too easy to fall in love with an app’s good looks and sexy bells and whistles. But as we’ve come to know well, many a relationship with a promising app comes to an abrupt end when you can’t figure out how to use it.

The Miistakis Institute for the Rockies was determined to avoid that pitfall when it hired Amy Lai, a fourth-year student in Mount Royal University’s Bachelor of Communication – Information Design program, to make sure its new app delivered on its promises.

Miistakis is a non-profit organization affiliated with Mount Royal University. The Institute undertakes and supports pure and applied research respecting the ecosystems of the Rocky Mountains and surrounding regions. It focuses on bridging the relationship between people and the Rocky Mountain ecosystem. Miistakis was sponsored

by Cenovus to create an app for the company’s field employees.

Named Wild Watch, the new app enables oilsand workers to share wildlife observations to better understand local species and behaviours.

“When you create an app, it might make sense for you, but it might not for the end user,” says Lai, who worked part-time from June through September 2013 to test the app’s ease of use.

“You think it’s fine, but perhaps when you test your app with an actual user, it’s not as intuitive as you thought it would be,” she says.

Danah Duke, executive director with the Miistakis Institute, says the Institute’s affiliation with Mount Royal (2013) was based on a few key ingredients.

“We felt Mount Royal offered an opportunity to work closely with students across many different disciplines and departments,” says Duke.

“We were inspired by the energy at the University and wanted to be part of it. As an applied research institute, we also wanted to contribute to the research capacity that Mount Royal is building.”

Tracy Lee, senior project manager with Miistakis, adds that the Institute was immediately drawn to the Information Design Program within the Faculty of Communication Studies, because aspects of the program focus on student learning around usability of technology — exactly what Cenovus Energy and Miistakis were after with the Wild Watch app. “(Lai) was an important part of the Miistakis team, and led the usability component of the project,” says Lee. Lai completed two rounds of testing with six participants. The user interface (how people interact with and use the app) had already been designed, but programming was yet to be done. She developed a script that asked testers to complete a series of tasks using paper mock-ups of the proposed app screens. She then recorded the results.

“I love user testing and evaluating the user experience,” says Lai. “If users can’t find what they want or it’s too hard to use or it takes too long, they won’t use it. What I do — information design — closes the distance between the person who’s creating the app and the user,” she says.

Over the last few years, many people working in and around Cenovus Energy’s oilsands’ projects have used observation cards to report wildlife sightings. The Wild Watch app offers an easier way for everyone to participate and share knowledge about local wildlife on a virtual platform.

For Miistakis, developing the software supported the institute’s mission of conservation through innovative research. The project has already garnered attention from other energy companies looking to adapt the application to support data collection in their own project areas.

– With files by Brendan Greenslade and Theresa Tayler

Summer camps for kids!

Where U Come to Learn and Play!

Jul. & Aug. 2014 • Ages 5-17

mtroyal.ca/mrukids

DE E P EN I NG A FA M I LY L EGACY

BY ADAM THURSTON

Neepin Auger continues the artistic and academic tradition of her celebrated dad, aboriginal artist, Dale Auger

N

eepin Auger is following in the footsteps of her late father, Dale, a world-renowned First Nations artist. She is a multilingual author, illustrator and painter, whose art follows the stream of her father’s but very much expresses her own voice.

When Neepin is not penning children’s books in her native Cree, or creating beautiful acrylic canvases, she is at Mount Royal University studying to become a teacher. She also finds time to mentor other students in the Aboriginal Education Program (AEP).

Take a moment to stop and talk with Neepin and you will find that she has a deep passion for education and the arts. The journey from remote northern Alberta to Mount Royal didn’t come without challenges.

Originally from Bigstone Cree Nation in northern Alberta, Neepin spent most of her childhood growing up just outside of Calgary, in Redwood Meadows near the town of Bragg Creek.

“My dad died of cancer when I was 19 (2008). I didn’t get to graduate high school… by my late teens I was already married with a baby,” she says.

Her father, Dale Auger, was a wellrespected playwright, author, speaker and visual artist. His death, along with the birth of Neepin’s daughter, Gracie, marked a 44

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turning point in Neepin’s life. She decided to get her high school diploma and go to university, eventually enrolling in Mount Royal’s Aboriginal Education Program in 2006.

As a child, Neepin watched her father study at Mount Royal College, Grant MacEwan College, the Alberta College of Art and Design, as well as the University of Calgary, where he completed his Bachelor of Education in 1992; Master of Education in 1996; and, ultimately, his PhD in Education in 1999. Her equally academic mother, Grace, passed the bar to become a lawyer in 1997 when Neepin was nine years old. Neepin says, watching her parents pursue post-secondary while they were well into their adult lives, inspired her to be a life-long-learner.

She still remembers being a child and exploring the nooks and crannies of Mount Royal when it was a college, as she would wait for her father to get out of class.

“I grew up in these hallways and remember certain things, like the cement chairs,” she says. “There are a lot of memories being here as a kid. Our whole life was based around education and art.”

Neepin’s own educational journey, much like that of her parents, didn’t follow a conventional route. In Grade 8, her parents began home-schooling her alongside her brother, which allowed Dale to teach the two children about their heritage, as well as expose them to art and painting.

Neepin reflects fondly on memories of

sitting at her father’s feet in his art studio.

Dale would take the children out hunting, send them to find plants in the forest to learn about their traditional uses, and encourage them to participate in sweats and other aboriginal ceremonies.

When the idea of post-secondary first came to her mind, she wasn’t exactly sure what she wanted to pursue or where she would fit in. She knew she would also have to balance her studies with her first love — that of being an artist. Neepin has been creating vibrant, acrylic paintings, inspired by her own Cree culture, for more than a decade. Her work hangs in private collections throughout Western Canada, as well as in the hallways of Mount Royal’s Iniskim Centre.

Through the help of the Iniskim Centre, Neepin was able to investigate a variety of opportunities.

Currently, Neepin is in her third year and will graduate with a bachelor’s degee in Education Elementary in 2015. She also hopes to be among the first peer mentors as part of the BMO Peer Mentorship program, which started in 2014 and continue the mentoring she currently does through the Iniskim Centre.

The impact of her presence is felt throughout the Iniskim Centre, says Tori McMillan, administrator, Aboriginal Education Program.

“It shows, literally, in terms of her art on the walls and in the relationships she has made here,” McMillan says.

“Neepin has the perfect combination of

“ I want to take everything I do and make it bigger. I don’t just want to follow the expected path.

This is a philosophy I will take forward with me into my teaching career.” — Neepin Auger skills. She has academic passion, a desire to share her culture and artistic talent, as well as the leadership capabilities to make things happen. She recognizes that her late father’s name and her family history carries respect and opportunity.”

As a mentor, Neepin aims to help new students as they start their own educational journey.

“To be able to be that person that can stand there and say you can do this, you can succeed, and speak from my own experience, gives them the strength to succeed themselves,” she says.

Her latest endeavor, two new books for children, Discovering Numbers and Discovering Words, have a certain importance for the writer and illustrator. Not only did she get a chance to paint the 36 pieces of artwork featured in the books, she also wrote each book in Cree, English and French.

These works are Neepin’s way of passing the gift she received from her father onto her daughter; that of knowing her aboriginal culture.

“These books are an opportunity to learn together and take a step forward. The sharing is not just about the words on the page. It is bigger and broader,” she says.

Neepin included words and images that are unique and representative of aboriginal culture including, teepee and arrowhead among others.

“I wanted to include these elements because these are the images, understanding and values that I wanted to bring forward to a greater community,” she says.

She believes this is just one way to bring aboriginal culture into the everyday vocabulary and to create understanding.

Though her journey has taken its own path, she has never let the challenges or bumps change where she wants to go. Her childhood may have been unconventional, but she knows that without those unique experiences, being exposed to her culture and art early on, she wouldn’t have achieved what she has today. Neepin continues to live her life with the belief that regardless of what you may face in life there is always an opportunity to achieve those goals that you hold important.

“I want to take everything I do and make it bigger. I don’t just want to follow the expected paths,” says Neepin. “This is a philosophy I will take forward with me into my teaching career.”

L A N G UAG E S 101 With Auger’s board books, you can learn your 123s and ABCs in English, French, and Cree:

a b c

Apple Pomme Picikwâs Butterfly Papillon Mimikwâs Canoe Canoë Cîmân

1 2 3

One Un Pêyak Two Deux Nîso Three Trois Nisto

To learn more about Neepin Auger, her art and books, visit neepinauger.com SUMMIT – SPRING 2014

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T

hey don’t have a secret handshake or hold clandestine meetings, but there’s a group of people hidden in the shadows at Mount Royal University.

They are the dedicated individuals who quietly donate their time and resources to bring scholarships and bursaries, new facilities, equipment and numerous other opportunities to students. These everyday heroes help Mount Royal students achieve more than they may have ever thought possible.

Here we shed some light on just three of the remarkable individuals who have become an integral part of the Mount Royal family.

W E N DY WO OD

BY COLLETTE BURJACK

THE FACES OF SUPPORT AG N E S C O OK E

JA M E S B E RG E RON

AG N E S CO OK E

W E N DY WO OD

JA M E S B E RG E RON

Great-grandmother, philanthropist Agnes Cooke’s destiny was shaped before she was born. Named after a nurse who saved her sister’s life, Cooke’s mother encouraged her to follow in her namesake’s footsteps. Not only did Cooke succeed in becoming a nurse, but as a lifelong volunteer and recent philanthropist she dedicated herself to improving lives.

At 89 years old, she has no plans to slow down anytime soon.

“I’ve volunteered since I was 15,” says Cooke. “I’ve been very fortunate in my life, and I want to pay that back.”

After growing up in Elfros, Sask., Cooke moved to Calgary with her husband in the 1950s. Finding that hospitals were unwilling to hire a married woman, she turned her attention to raising three children and helping in the community. Cooke volunteered with numerous organizations, including the United Church, Carewest Sarcee Nursing Home and the Mustard Seed. After her husband, Donald Cooke, passed away in 2003, Agnes established a Calgarybased foundation to fund brain and stem cell research.

She was introduced to Mount Royal in 2011 when she moved to Royal Park Retirement Home.

“I’m a walker, and I knew I was close to Mount Royal,” Cooke says. “I like to walk through the halls and along the grounds.”

As Cooke made her regular trips through campus, she was inspired by the energy at the University. She knew she wanted to help support the school in some way, and when she found out that the University offered programs in health care, she knew exactly where she would start.

Cooke has created bursaries for students in the Midwifery and Nursing programs, as well as for musicians in the Conservatory’s Academy for Gifted Youth; donated to the construction of the new Conservatory building and Bella Concert Hall; and was instrumental in launching the Stephanson Cooke, Behind the Curtains: An Interactive Relationship Violence Symposium (Faculty of Health and Community Studies).

“I’ve always thought that education is so important,” says Cooke. “It’s the best investment Canadians can make — in our youth, in education.”

Midwife, donor You might just end up with a crush on Wendy Wood — that’s one of the hazards of her profession.

“As a midwife, you’re there right at the point when people need you most,” says Wood. “So clients almost end up with a little bit of a crush!”

Wood credits her own midwife for where she is today. Inspired by the care she received, Wood left her 15-year career as a paramedic to pursue midwifery in 2009.

But five years ago there were no midwifery programs in Alberta, so Wood received her certification through a combination of on-site training and online courses.

When Wood learned Mount Royal would be offering Alberta’s first Bachelor of Midwifery, she was thrilled — and immediately wanted to help. She signed up as a preceptor, mentoring students during their practicums.

“I truly believe that when you’re taught, you teach,” says Wood. “Someone gave their time and knowledge to me when I was coming up, and so that needs to go back around.”

Wood didn’t stop there.

In 2012, her family became involved in Free the Children, an international charity that works to empower youth. To participate, Wood’s children had to undertake a local and international project.

Wood decided to take on that same challenge.

“I remembered the difficulties I faced when I returned to school,” she says.

“Suddenly, I was scrambling to meet the demands of being a full-time student while still working part time and raising two young children. I thought, I could make life easier for someone else.”

Wood created the Midwives for Midwifery Bursary, which will be awarded to midwifery students who are struggling financially. It’s a cause she is encouraging others to join.

“I’m a single mom, so I can’t donate a lot,” says Wood. “But in doing this, I hope to lead by example and encourage my fellow midwives to do the same.”

Retiree turned student and peer tutor Four years ago, James Bergeron was stumped when his daughter asked him for help with her math homework.

“I looked at it, and I had absolutely no concept of what she was learning,” Bergeron says. “So I made a commitment to myself, I decided that when I retired, I was going back to school.”

That’s how — three decades after completing an MBA at Concordia University — Bergeron found himself back in the classroom, taking advanced mathematics and computer programming at Mount Royal University.

But Bergeron is doing more than burying himself in textbooks. Recognizing his natural inclination for mentorship, Bergeron’s professors encouraged him to join Student Learning Services as a peer tutor.

“I enjoy the interaction with students,” says Bergeron. “They see I’m not afraid to jump into a problem I don’t know how to solve, and that sparks a discussion.”

In 2013, Bergeron deepened his connection with Mount Royal by creating a scholarship in memory of his mother-in-law.

“I like the idea of giving. I see classmates who are struggling financially, and I want to help,” he says. “While at the same time encouraging others to be helpers.”

The Evelyn Fraser Delaney Math Help Award is awarded to students who have completed a second-level math course, and have committed to helping other students with math. Bergeron chose to throw his support behind a math award not only because of his own love for numbers, but because he says his mother-in-law always found it to be a challenging subject.

“She would have fallen off her chair if she knew I’d created a math scholarship for her because she wasn’t any good at math!” says Bergeron with a chuckle. “But she loved helping people, and that’s part of the fun of doing something like this — it’s the combination of me and her.”

Find out how you can make a difference.

Call 403.440.7700 or visit mtroyal.ca/giving

SUMMIT – SPRING 2014

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EVENTS CALENDAR MAY

20

CONTINUING EDUCATION INFO NIGHT

4:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Roderick Mah Centre for Continuous Learning Talk with staff and instructors about courses offered through the Faculty of Continuing Education and Extension. mtroyal.ca/conted

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PEARLS OF WISDOM

6 – 10 p.m.

Triple Gym Join us for the 17th annual Pearls of Wisdom, the best down-home crackin’ lobsterfest in the west. Presented in partnership with RBC Royal Bank, this event raises funds for student scholarships. mtroyal.ca/pearlsofwisdom

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SUMMIT – SPRING 2014

JULY

2-AUG.1

TRANSCANADA INTERNATIONAL FORUM ON SCHOLARSHIP OF TEACHING AND LEARNING

The Institute for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning sponsors this forum to bring together higher-education administrators, private and public-sector stakeholders, and faculty who are committed to fostering and promoting systematic scholarly inquiry across the international post-secondary landscape. These events are often organized around a theme, and range in focus from institutional leadership to the role of students as co-researchers. $50 Mount Royal / $75 External / Students free mtroyal.ca/isotl

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JUNE

MORNING SIDE MUSIC BRIDGE SUMMER FESTIVAL

5-6

Leacock Theatre and venues across Calgary This international music exchange program brings exceptional young artists ages 12 through 18 from around the globe to study and perform in Calgary. The festival offers more than 15 concerts (free and ticketed) including Artist in Residence concerts plus numerous student recitals. mtroyal.ca/musicbridge

SPRING CONVOCATION

Triple Gym Graduates and their guests are invited to attend Spring Convocation at Mount Royal University. Convocation offers graduates the time-honoured tradition of celebrating their accomplishments with faculty, peers, family and friends. Ceremony times vary. mtroyal.ca/convocation

20

WYATT ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE CONCERT SERIES

7 p.m.

Leacock Theatre Hailed for their “ravishingly beautiful tone” and their “extraordinary technical skills and musicianship” the members of the New Orford String Quartet are all principal players in the Montreal and Toronto Symphony Orchestras. These like-minded musicians came together with a plan to revolutionize the concept of string quartet playing. Featuring Jonathan Crow, violin; Andrew Wan, violin; Eric Nowlin, viola; and Brian Manker, cello. $50 Adults, $35 Students/Seniors/MRU mtroyal.ca/conservatory

AUGUST

25

MOUNT ROYAL COUGAR CLASSIC GOLF TOURNAMENT

Pinebrook Golf and Country Club This annual event raises money for scholarships that allow Mount Royal Cougars student-athletes to pursue their dreams while achieving a university degree. Spend the day with supporters, alumni, student-athletes and coaches of our varsity teams. Registration includes 18-holes of golf with a power cart, tee gift, BBQ lunch and dinner. $220 Alumni, $250 General public mrucougars.com

SEPTEMBER

20

MRU COLOUR-U-BLUE WALK OR RUN

10:45 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

MRU Pond Get blue and show your MRU pride and join Calgary’s original colour run in its third year. Run or walk 4.5 km in and around the Mount Royal campus. Prizes for wildest costumes. DJ and snacks at the finish line. $15 MRU students / $20 Recreation member / $30 Non-member mtroyal.ca/recreation

For more events, check out Mount Royal’s events calendar at: mtroyal.ca/events

OCTOBER

2

ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

6 p.m.

Ross Glen Hall, Roderick Mah Centre for Continuous Learning The MRU Alumni Achievement Awards (formerly Legacy Awards) recognize the accomplishments of Mount Royal alumni and celebrate a spirit of community and lifelong connection to the University. Come celebrate and pay tribute to alumni who have made remarkable contributions to life in our city and around the world. $100 www.mtroyal.ca/AboutMountRoyal/ Alumni/Class2014Gift

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OPEN HOUSE

9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Ross Glen Hall, Roderick Mah Centre for Continuous Learning A great opportunity to learn about the programs offered at Mount Royal University.

Meet professors face to face and tour the campus and residences. mtroyal.ca/openhouse

SUMMIT – SPRING 2014

49

CLOSING WORDS Buffy St-Amand with her husband Kelly and twins Nickolai and Isabelle

Mount Royal welcomes Buffy St-Amand, new manager of alumni relations and annual giving

BY COLLETTE BURJACK

BUFFY ST-AMAND

Manager of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving Mount Royal University

L

ike many of you, I think of Mount Royal University as my extended family.

After years of living and working abroad, my husband and I settled in Calgary in 2001. When we arrived, we had no family and no jobs — we were starting from scratch.

Fortunately, I was adopted by International Education at what was then Mount Royal College. I didn’t realize it, but not only had I found a job that would prove both challenging and inspiring, I had also stumbled upon an institution that would shape the person I am today.

Like thousands of students before me, Mount Royal gave me the foundation on which to build the next stage of my life. It helped spark my interest in the non-profit sector, leading me to a rewarding career that empowers people and organizations to better their communities.

Now, 13 years later, I’m returning to Mount Royal, and it feels like I’m coming home.

I’m not alone. Countless individuals throughout Calgary

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SUMMIT – SPRING 2014

and beyond share this feeling of belonging. As the new manager of alumni relations and annual giving, it’s my goal to create opportunities for our students to learn from and engage with these individuals; to re-establish a sense of community that continues long after graduation.

Flipping through the pages of this magazine, it’s impossible not to be inspired by the numerous stories of Mount Royal’s exceptional students and alumni. These stories would not be possible without you — our alumni, faculty, staff and friends.

It is your involvement that enables our students to excel.

From mentorship and volunteer opportunities to attending musical performances at the Conservatory or cheering on our beloved Cougar athletes, there are so many ways to give back to and support the institution you love.

As part of the Mount Royal community, we all have a part to play in supporting and celebrating student success. I look forward to hearing from each of you.

Only months after graduating from the Université de Moncton, located in sleepy New Brunswick, Buffy St-Amand found herself on the crowded streets of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia working as a market research consultant.

This began a career that took her around the world to the Philippines, Tanzania and countless other countries before she landed in Calgary.

Today, St-Amand looks forward to her next adventure as Mount Royal University’s new manager of alumni relations and annual giving.

St-Amand was introduced to Mount Royal in 2001 when she was hired as the first coordinator for International Education. In 2008, she joined Volunteer Calgary (now Propellus) to lead the Leadership Calgary program where she built a thriving alumni network as director of community engagement. She transitioned briefly into private consulting in 2012 before returning to Mount Royal in 2014.

Describing herself as a “connector and relationship builder,” St-Amand brings to her position her expertise in community engagement and her willingness to embrace the unknown to her new position.

“Alumni relations in post-secondary everywhere is going through a lot of changes; that’s what makes it exciting,” says StAmand. “My international experience taught me not to be afraid of taking risks and to embrace bold new perspectives.”

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b MOUNT ROYAL CONSERVATORY AND BELLA CONCERT HALL

The curtain will rise on this innovative, adaptable and exquisitely designed teaching and performance facility.

Including a breathtaking 790-seat performance hall, the Bella is destined to captivate all who enter its doors, grace its stage and treasure the timeless power of music.

To mark the opening, a landmark series of performances is being planned for the Fall 2015.

Join us to celebrate the transformative power of music.

Learn More

mtroyal.ca/conservatory 403.440.6821