Folia Montana Spring 2013

Spring 2013

The Magazine for Mount Alumnae and Friends

Construction of McCain Centre underway Mount’s basketball family bounces on Alumna checks in from educational internship in Kenya

All in the family

Why going to the Mount can be a treasured family tradition

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Contents Spring 2013 4

INSPIRING WOMEN HONOURED IN McCAIN CENTRE Accomplishments of 17 honourees celebrated

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NEW CENTRE SUPPORTS

ABORIGINAL STUDENTS Coordinator of Aboriginal students hired

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LIVES TO CELEBRATE Joyce Kennedy and Daurene Lewis A LONG-AWAITED REUNION After 49 years, classmates meet again in Bermuda

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SUPPORTING FUTURE MOUNT STUDENTS Bequest opportunities explained

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CLASS NOTES See what your classmates are doing

2 8 OOH LA LA!

Grads around the globe features two alumnae in Paris

ON THE COVER: Meet the Gromick family, and learn

why so many of them chose to go to the Mount. Story on p. 8-9.

Receive Folia via Email Would you like to receive Folia Montana in your in-box rather than your mail box? A digital edition of Folia Montana is available online. Contact us at alumnae@msvu.ca and the next time Folia is published, we will send you an email with a link to the latest issue.

Message from the President Along with the always-welcome return of the robins and leafing out of trees on our campus, there are other exciting signs of renewal at the Mount this spring. On April 9, more than 300 students, donors, honourees, alumnae and community members gathered on campus for the official ground-breaking of the Margaret Norrie McCain Centre for Teaching, Learning and Research.

And we had much good news to share on that day. We have reached and surpassed our $12 million fundraising target. We are constructing the only academic building on a Canadian university campus dedicated to honouring women. To date, we are honouring 335 women and counting in the new McCain Centre and on the Women’s Wall of Honour to be located in front of the Centre. The stories of women’s accomplishments that will be told throughout the building will ensure that future generations of students, faculty, staff and visitors are reminded daily of women’s rich and diverse contributions to our society.

On behalf of the Mount, I would like to thank the Mount Saint Vincent Alumnae Association Board of Directors for its dedication to this initiative and its pledge of $75,000 toward construction of the new Centre. Our sincere appreciation goes out to the more than 50 volunteers and community leaders plus the more than 730 donors who joined together under Project TWENTY12 to help us achieve our goals. Donations continue to come in, most particularly to the Women’s Wall of Honour, and these additional gifts will help minimize the share of building costs (currently about one-third) that will need to be financed.

We look forward to welcoming students, alumnae, donors, honourees and community members to the Mount towards the end of 2014, when we celebrate the grand opening and dedication of the Margaret Norrie McCain Centre for Teaching, Learning, and Research. If you would like to see our campus grow, you can check out the progress on our website at www.msvu.ca/construction.

Editor’s note The theme of this issue is the Mount as family, both figuratively and literally. It was my honour to meet the Gromicks, a family chock-full of Mount students past and present, who are featured on the cover of this issue and in the story on p. 8-9. We also pay tribute to Beth and Mike Brien on p. 11-12, who sent all of their six children to the Mount — five of whom played on our basketball teams.

In fact, there are so many families for which going to the Mount is a tradition that it is our plan going forward to feature one such family per issue of Folia Montana. If you’d like to nominate your family for a profile, please get in touch.

I am proud to say that my family, too, has been well represented here.

My sister, my aunt, and several of my cousins went to the Mount. My first memory of the Mount is my father bringing me here for an open campus science fair when I was seven. I came back at age 17 for my undergraduate degree. I gained so much from my Mount experience that I returned in 2010 to start a graduate degree and intend to graduate in May 2013 with my Masters in Public Relations. And who knows, maybe one or both of my children will one day enroll here, too. Here’s hoping.

The Magazine for Mount Alumnae and Friends

Editor: Alison DeLory, BPR ’98 University Advancement Manager, Alumnae Relations: Shani Pearson Program Coordinator, Alumnae Relations: Beth Pyesmany Arsenault Manager, Development: Anne Thibodeau Program Coordinator, Development: Stéphanie Comeau, BPR ’09 Administrative Assistant: Erin Hemeon (maternity leave) Administrative Assistant: Michelle Innes, CertBusi ’10 Records Clerk: Kathryn Baker Special Events Assistant (Co-op: Winter): Kyle Jackson Special Events Assistant (Co-op: Fall): Ashley Cameron Contributors The following departments at the Mount: Archives Athletics Project TWENTY12 Public Affairs University Advancement Cover Dean Casavechia

P.S. We’ve tweaked the design of Folia Montana in this issue. We hope you like our new look. Please let us know!

Letters to the editor “I was moved to tears by Susan Drain’s poem Alice on p. 11 of the Fall 2012 issue of Folia Montana. It perfectly captured the emotional impact the Women’s Wall of Honour has.”

– Angela Murray, BPR ’90, MPR Candidate, Class of 2013 “I received my copy of Folia Montana (Fall 2012) earlier this week and read it cover to cover. Great issue.”

– Wendy Walters, BPR ’03 Send letters to: Editor, Folia Montana, c/o Alumnae Relations, University Advancement Advancement House, Mount Saint Vincent University Halifax, NS B3M 2J6 F: 902.445.3962 E: alumnae@msvu.ca

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Published Alumnae Relations, University Advancement, Mount Saint Vincent University Design and production Cathy Little Digital imaging, prepress film and printing Transcontinental Printing Advertising Advertising inquiries 902.457.6433 or alumnae@msvu.ca Contact Us/Address Changes/Classnotes Alumnae Relations, University Advancement Advancement House Mount Saint Vincent University Halifax, NS B3M 2J6 Canada T: 902.457.6470 T: 1.888.MSV.ALUM (678.2586) (Toll Free in Canada/USA/Bermuda only) F: 902.445.3962 E: alumnae@msvu.ca W: www.msvu.ca/alumnae Folia Montana maintains and strengthens the connection among alumnae, friends and the Mount through coverage of newsworthy accomplishments, discussion of campus issues, information on Alumnae Association activities, and the sharing of class notes. It appears twice a year. The digital edition is posted on the University’s website at www.msvu.ca/alumnae Publication Agreement Number 40063269

Campus News

Construction now officially underway On April 9, 2013, the Mount community, stu-

dents, donors, volunteers and honourees gathered to celebrate the more than $12 million raised to construct the Margaret Norrie McCain Centre for Teaching, Learning and Research. The McCain Centre will be the Mount’s first new classroom facility in over 40 years. It is expected to open next year.

“The generosity of our supporters has been a wonderful show of confidence in our mission, our place in education, and our vision for the new building,” said Mount President Dr. Ramona Lumpkin at the groundbreaking ceremony.

Led by the single largest gift in the Mount’s history from philanthropist Margaret Norrie McCain, OC, ONB, DHumL ’05, ($2.25 million), fundraising initiative Project TWENTY12 brought together hundreds of donors in support of the new academic centre which will honour the lives of women throughout.

“This is the first academic building in Canada devoted throughout to honouring and telling the stories of women,” said Lumpkin. “The Dr. Rosemarie Sampson Centre for Aging and the Alexa McDonough Institute for Women, Gender and Social Justice are just two examples of how the contributions of women will be celebrated and honoured.

More than 280 guests gathered at the site of the McCain Centre and in the Rosaria Student Centre for the special celebration. This included more than 40 women being honoured in the McCain Centre and on the Riva Spatz Women’s Wall of Honour.

Mount Student Union President Zach Gallant spoke about how much students will benefit from the future McCain Centre. “The new McCain Centre means students will have more space to study, learn, and work on group projects armed with the latest in academic technology,” he said.

Project TWENTY12 campaign exceeds $12 million goal for McCain Centre

Watch it live! www.msvu.ca/construction 3

Inspiring Women A linchpin of Project TWENTY12 is the Inspiring Women initiative. It raised the most money towards our goal. An installation in the Elizabeth and Fred Fountain Atrium of the Margaret Norrie McCain Centre for Teaching, Learning and Research will permanently showcase these 17 inspiring women.

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Dr. Susan Apostle-Clark: Leading academic inspiring women to pursue careers in higher education administration. Instrumental in founding the Nancy’s Chair.

Sponsored by the Honourable Nancy Ruth, CM.

Community of the Sisters of Charity: Founders of the Mount 140 years ago, their impact around the world is profound. Sponsored by the Sisters of Charity - Halifax.

The Honourable Myra A. Freeman, OC, ONS: Educator, community volunteer and first female Lt. Governor of Nova Scotia.

Sponsored by Margaret Norrie McCain, OC, ONB, Annette Verscherun, OC, Larry Freeman, anonymous donors.

Dale Godsoe, CM: Community volunteer, consultant and women’s advocate. Sponsored by Margaret Norrie McCain, OC, ONB, John Risley, OC, and anonymous donors.

Ruth Goldbloom, OC, ONS: Community volunteer, visionary and one very determined lady who inspired so many to give back to their community. Sponsored by the Friends of Ruth Goldbloom.

Martha Jodrey, OC: Educator and advocate for ensuring no child is left behind by their learning disabilities. Sponsored by Bruce Jodrey.

Rita Joe: Mi’kmaq poet and song writer, and recipient of an honorary degree from the Mount. Sponsored by BMO.

Aldéa Landry, CP, CM: Business woman, former politician and first Acadian woman appointed to the Cabinet of the Province of New Brunswick. Sponsored by the John and Judy Bragg Family Foundation.

Daurene Lewis, CM: Accomplished politician, nurse, educator, textile artist and the first black woman in Canada elected as a mayor.

Sponsored by Dale Godsoe, CM and anonymous donors.

Belle MacDonald: Dedicated nurse who inspired those in her profession, saved and cared for thousands of premature infants, and at the same time, raised seven children on her own.

Sponsored by Colin, Jack and Mickey MacDonald.

Janet MacMillan, APR: Graduate of the first public relations class at the Mount, business woman and community volunteer who inspires aspiring public relations professionals. Sponsored

by Elizabeth and Fred Fountain, CM.

Joanne McCrea: Tireless volunteer, backbone of her family, and quiet advocate for many important causes.

Sponsored by McCrea Family Charitable Trust.

The Honourable Nancy Ruth, CM: Senator, women’s advocate, philanthropist and founder of women’s organizations and the Nancy’s Chair in Women’s Studies at the Mount. Sponsored by the Friends of Senator Nancy Ruth.

Margaret Fawcett Norrie: First woman Senator from Nova Scotia, trailblazer in national politics and mother.

Sponsored by Margaret Norrie McCain, OC, ONB.

Dr. Elizabeth ParrJohnston, CM: Corporate director who was often the only woman at the table and former president of the Mount. Sponsored by Emera.

Rose Schwartz: Immigrant to Canada who, and after being widowed, ran a successful family business, contributed tirelessly to her community, and raised six children. Sponsored by the Friends of Ruth Goldbloom.

Annette Verschuren, OC: Canadian business woman, champion of corporate responsibility, leader of major Canadian and international retailers.

Sponsored by Purdy Crawford, OC, Elizabeth Parr-Johnston, CM, and John McLennan.

Mount opens Aboriginal student centre Mount reaching out to Aboriginal students

The Mount officially opened its Aboriginal Student Centre on Feb. 28, 2013, in keeping with its strategy of ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion on campus.

“We ask the Great Spirit to honour us with a great day,” said Dr. Donald Julien, CM, ONS, DHumL ’08, executive director of the Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq, during his prayer to celebrate the opening. There was also a smudging ceremony, a performance by the All Nations Drum Group, and traditional foods.

The Centre was established as a physical space where students can meet, chat and access a resident counselor who can help them navigate any questions or concerns. Dozens of students, staff, faculty and community members came to the opening to see the new space and welcome Art Stevens, the Mount’s new coordinator of Aboriginal students, who will run the centre and act as the University’s ambassador for Aboriginal students.

At the opening Julien, who received an Honorary Doctorate from the Mount in 2008, paid credit to the Mount’s leadership team over the past few years, starting with interim president Alexa McDonough, OC, ONS, DHumL ’09, who agreed to have the Mi’kmaq Flag raised on the campus during Treaty Day Celebrations.

“It shows the respect that this campus has for the Mi’kmaq of this province and beyond,” said Julien. He noted that the commitment was further cemented when Dr. Ramona Lumpkin became the University’s president, selecting a Mi’kmaq Advisory Committee to make impactful change for current and prospective Aboriginal students.

Those attending the opening reception at the Aboriginal Centre bore witness to some of the long-standing traditions of the Mi’kmaq culture, including the presentation of an eagle feather from Julien to Lumpkin as thanks for her leadership in making the idea of the Centre into a reality.

Alumna and Mount staff member Sherrie Vanderaa, BBA ’03, said, “What a wonderful step ahead for the Mount. It makes me proud to be a part of the Mount community when I see these initiatives. Good luck with the new Centre.”

John Sylliboy accepted a one-year position at the Mount as program director leading a new project called: “Engaging Aboriginal Communities through Education.”

The Mount has a long history of providing access to education for under-represented populations – to women, working adults, lowincome students, and those first in their family to attend university.

Eighteen months ago the Mount set out to remedy a perceived gap in its educational outreach and means of addressing the educational needs of Aboriginal students, resulting in this new position.

As program director, Sylliboy manages a community needs assessment and provides administrative and research guidance while helping strengthen relationships between the Mount and its surrounding Mi’kmaq communities. He is located at the Aboriginal Student Centre, 2 Melody Drive, and can be reached at 902.457.6102 or via email at john. sylliboy@msvu.ca.

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New student position advocates for students facing barriers

Caritas Day celebrates the spirit of service

The MSVU Students’ Union (SU) and the Mount’s Disability Services teamed up this past semester to develop a new part-time position under the job title Inclusion Advancement Liaison. The person in this position helps plan union events with SU executives, attends student representative council meetings, and advocates for students with barriers.

“This job is aligned with many interactive duties,” says Zac Quinlan, executive vice president at the MSVUSU. “The Union constantly strives to improve its diversity and employment opportunities and this position features both aspects.”

The pilot project began this past September as a volunteer program at the SU and has since become an employment opportunity opening up once a semester.

Brianna Burns is the first student to fill the role. Burns is involved with promotion and advocacy, and will practice graphic design skills while collaborating with other students.

“It’s not easy to secure employment, especially if you are facing societal barriers,” says Kim Musgrave, BA (Hon) ’92, coordinator of disability services. “This project will give students a foundation for employment and hopefully open up opportunities for their future.”

Angela Muise, a senior tourism and hospitality management student and co-president of the Business and Tourism Society, sits among food students collected for Feed Nova Scotia on Caritas Day, Jan. 30, 2013. Caritas Day springs from the spirit of service. After a devastating fire in 1951, the Sisters of Charity, overwhelmed by the generosity that helped get the Mount back on its feet, instituted a day each year that would allow students to “give back” to the wider community. Classes are cancelled so students and faculty can volunteer for campus-organized initiatives, or on their own.

Your Mount

FEEDBACK

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alumnae@msvu.ca

www.msvu.ca/alumnae

In this new feature, Folia Montana will feature campus photos submitted by readers. We welcome pictures with or without people, taken during your time on campus or more recently.

Here we see a murder of the iconic Mount crows flocking to their evening perches. It was contributed by Melissa Falle, BPR ’03. Please email your high res, digital submission(s) to: alumnae@msvu.ca.

@MountAlumnae

www.facebook.com/MSVAA (Like Us!)

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life to celebrate

Joyce Deveau Kennedy Joyce Deveau Kennedy passed away December 7, 2012 in Halifax. Kennedy was born in Boston on July 2, 1937 and raised there. At Boston College, Kennedy discovered her love of learning. She graduated Magna cum Laude in 1962, and went on to graduate studies in the Department of English at the University of Delaware, earning her PhD in 1967. She subsequently taught English at four universities, ending up at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax in the mid-1970s.

Her curiosity was boundless and in no way limited to her chosen field of study. From childhood, Kennedy felt a calling to put her spirituality into action. She enrolled at the Atlantic School of Theology, graduating in 1986 with a Master of Divinity. In 1990, she was named Director of Continuing Education at the Mount, and helped guide many new students, particularly women re-entering formal studies. After retirement from the Mount in 1999, Kennedy spent several years

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as the full-time head of Elderhostel Canada, Atlantic Region (later, Roots to Learning).

Kennedy belonged to a large number of professional, church, and civic organizations and boards, and was a columnist for the Daily News from 1991 to 1994.

Kennedy displayed an inviting openness to everyone she met, from freshly arrived refugees looking to begin new lives in Canada who relied on her hospitality and help, to folks in the neighborhood who treasured the advice and counsel she so warmly offered. Kennedy is survived by her loving husband of 45 years, Frederick, and sons Simon (Suzanne), David (Dana), and Frederick (Deadra); grandchildren Fiona, Timothy, Leo, and Ceres, and many extended family.

life to celebrate

Daurene Lewis, CM, DHumL ’93 On January 26, 2013, Daurene Lewis, CM, died suddenly in Halifax. She was 69.

Lewis had close connections to the Mount, serving as Executive Director of the Centre for Women in Business and receiving an Honorary Doctorate from the Mount in 1993.

Lewis, a native of Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, was a descendant of Black Loyalists and the seventh generation of her family to be born in Annapolis Royal. Lewis won the mayoral race in the town in 1984. She was the first black woman in the country to be elected mayor.

Prior to political life, Lewis was a nurse and nursing instructor who worked in hospitals in Yarmouth and Toronto.

Later, she ran her own weaving and design business. Lewis held a master of business administration from Saint Mary’s University. Among her many awards are the Black Cultural

Centre’s Wall of Honour (1994), the Global Citizenship Award commemorating the United Nations 50th Anniversary (1995), Queen’s Jubilee Medal (2002), and the Order of Canada (2003).

At the time of her death, Lewis was the principal of two campuses at Nova Scotia Community College in the Halifax region. Donations can be made to the Mount in memory of Daurene Lewis as she will be honoured in the Margaret Norrie McCain Centre for Teaching, Learning and Research.

Call 902.457.6470 or email giving@msvu.ca.

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Feature

“You’re part of the Mount family.” It’s a phrase that can describe the feeling one has as a student here, in a university setting that is comfortable, nurturing and supportive. But for some families it has a more literal interpretation, as a place where many who are blood relatives all come to learn. The Mount attracts multiple members of many families – often spanning two, three or more generations, and sometimes tracing back to the Mount’s beginnings. In this article you will meet a family whose affiliation with the Mount is both deep and wide. It is the first in what will become a regular feature of Folia Montana: the Mount family profile. In this, as in coming installments, we will investigate why going to the Mount is sometimes a treasured family tradition.

family All in the

From8left: Peggy Ritchie, Sarah Pickrem, Meagan McCurdy, Elinor Gromick, Barb Gromick, Kristin McInnis.

Did you k

now...

The Moun t offers ha lf tuition to the third child second or undergrad enrolled in uate prog rams when the children li ve at home w ith their parents?

For the Gromicks, education has long been a family

business. Six family members have come here, and between them they, so far, have earned seven degrees and have two more in process.

Growing up, “The table talk was always degree, degree, degree, school, school, school,” says Barb Gromick, BPR ’88, MEd ’03.

Barb Gromick watched her mom, Elinor Gromick, MEd ’84, and her sister, Peggy Ritchie, BSA ’84, go to the Mount at the same time. Elinor Gromick was a mature student and says the “very practical” MEd program advanced her career as a school principal, while Ritchie found an education that suited her strong organizational abilities and prepared her for the workforce. Ritchie eventually was hired by the Mount, and has worked here for the past 17 years. She is currently the capital projects assistant, involved in planning the new Margaret Norrie McCain Centre for Teaching, Learning and Research. “This is where I belong, working here. This is the right fit for me,” Ritchie says.

Most nights in the 1980s, someone in the Gromick household was studying. Barb Gromick remembers family members reading together at opposite ends of the table. She studied public relations then spent a year in France before switching tracks and enrolling in education at Université St. Anne. She went on to obtain an MEd from the Mount in ’03.

She is now a school principal in Eastern Passage, NS. Barb Gromick passed on the family legacy of women educators to her niece, Kristin (McCurdy) McInnis, BA ’05, BEd ’07, who is Ritchie’s eldest daughter.

McInnis was the first member of the third generation in her family to come to the Mount. She excelled here, receiving two endowed scholarships, an in-course merit scholarship, and an entrance scholarship. McInnis loved studying History and English, yet when it was time to choose her teachable subjects, her Aunt Barb told her Math and French would help her find a job. “I literally burned my math books after high school,” McInnis says, she hated the subject that much.

But at the Mount, under professor Dr. Charlie Edmunds, she

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says she learned to love it. “After swearing off math, I did a minor in math,” McInnis says, claiming she got her first teaching contract because of that decision. She now teaches at a high school in Middle Musquodoboit, NS, and is back at the Mount completing an MEd. Her husband, Anthony McInnis, BA ’00, BEd ’06, also went to the Mount, and the family jokes that their baby daughter, Amelia, will be the first member of the fourth generation to come here.

Ritchie’s second daughter, Meagan McCurdy, BSc ’09, was the next in the family to enroll. She also earned merit and entrance scholarships for her high marks. Although the bus ride from her Dartmouth home to campus often took two hours, McCurdy never doubted her decision to come to the Mount. “I always knew I wanted to fly (she’s now a pilot with Skylink Express), but I wanted a degree too,” McCurdy says. She credits the Mount with teaching her the study and test-taking skills she needed to earn her pilot’s license and upgrades.

Ritchie’s youngest daughter, Sarah Pickrem, is currently in the second year of her BSc degree majoring in Biology and considering a career in physiotherapy, rehabilitation, or working with marine life. She is a presidential scholar, and received the Alumnae Association’s Entrance scholarship, which has been awarded annually to the child of an alumna/ alumnus since 1924. “I didn’t know how to study before I came to university. Expectations here are higher, which is great. I don’t just read a book and forget it all. I make connections. It’s all coming together,” she says.

The Gromick descendents all credit the tuition policies and scholarship programs to be major factors in their decision to come to the Mount. But they also all add it was more than just the savings. It was how the programs were structured and the quality of the instruction that stood out.

“Classes get smaller and smaller as you go along,” Barb Gromick says, crediting Doug Simpson and Dr. George Day in particular for inspiring her. McInnis nods. “I became very close with my professors starting in second year...you just knew each other so well.”

“My mother made me go to the Mount. She was right. It was a good fit.” – Peggy Ritchie 9

Brien children excel on the court and in the classroom Families are at the heart of many of the Mount’s athletics programs, perhaps none more so than the Briens. Mike and Beth Brien have been a mainstay in the stands for the past 20 years, cheering on an incredible five of their children who have played on Mount basketball teams.

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They could be called the Mount’s basketball family. “We’re avid

fans,” said Beth Brien, admitting even she finds it hard to remember all the games she and Mike attended.

Their son David, BBA ’97, was the first, coming to the Mount in 1993 after being recruited by coach Rick Plato.

After graduating he returned in 2003 to coach, a position he still holds today. Son Colin played from 1998 to 2002.

Son Mark, BBA ’08, was next, joining the team from 2005 to 2008. Daughter Katherine, BBA ’10, was also playing basketball at the Mount for those first three years, at which point Beth and Mike often had to split up so one parent could be at each of their games. Katherine continued on for two more years, graduating in 2010. Daughter Christina joined Katherine in 2009, and played her last game for the Mount this past February.

Christina is a candidate to graduate with her business administration degree at the Fall 2013 convocation. In her final season, Christina was named a Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Academic All Canadian, team MVP, and she also received the Alumnae

Varsity Prize. Daughter Kelly, MEd ’12 (the only Brien child not to play basketball) was also a Mount student from 2010 to 2012.

Beth and Mike Brien supported their children for an amazing culmination of 20 basketball seasons, 420 league games, 210 home games, 40 Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) championship games and 11 trips to CCAA Nationals.

Additionally, in September 2008, Mike Brien was appointed to the Mount’s Board of Governors. He still serves the Mount in this capacity today.

June Lumsden, director of athletics and recreation at the Mount, recently paid tribute to the family at Christina’s – the youngest Brien – final game at the Mount. Speaking of Mike and Beth Brien, Lumsden said, “Through the thick and thin, the wins, the losses, the extreme heartache and great jubilation they sat, stood, drove, and flew across this country to be there for their children.”

Beth Brien told Folia Montana that watching Christina play her last game, which signified the end of her children’s Mount basketball careers, was a really sad day. “It was tough. I’ll never cheer in that capacity again. When your child is on the floor you’re into it, excited, and you want them to win. I’ll still be cheering for the Mount, but maybe not bringing my cowbell out to any games,” she said.

The University is grateful for the Brien family’s exceptional dedication to the Mount and particularly our basketball program.

Photos: The Briens, from left: Colin, David, Beth, Mike and Kelly. Beth and Mike are holding a collection of photos of all their six children who went to the Mount, five of whom played on the Mount’s basketball teams. Katherine is pictured on the court wearing jersey #8, Christina in pictured playing in jersey #11. Mark Brien appears only in the framed photos Beth is holding.

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Alumnae gatherings and celebrations

A HEARTFELT THANK YOU – Deanne MacLeod, BBA ’92, and Janet MacMillan, BPR ’81, both volunteers with Project TWENTY12, gathered at a Feb. 13, 2013 event that recognized Project TWENTY12 volunteers. MacMillan served as Chair of the Board of Governors from ’07-’09, and MacLeod, President of the Alumnae Association, will assume the Chair’s position in June 2013.

21ST ANNUAL SCHOLARS’ LUNCHEON – On Nov. 22, 2012,

students, donors and the Mount community gathered to celebrate student success. Pictured is S. Donna Geernaert, BSc ’64, Chancellor, Matt Kennedy, Bachelor of Science (Science Communications) student, Lisa Whynott, BOA ’94, vice-president of the Alumnae Association Board, and Dr. Ramona Lumpkin, the Mount’s President and Vice-Chancellor.

WOMEN’S WALL OF HONOUR Celebrate a special woman in your life. www.womenswallofhonour.ca

Contact: University Advancement T: 902.457.6470 E: giving@msvu.ca

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Alumnae News

BERMUDA RECEPTION – The Mount held a reception for alumnae at the Coco

Reef Resort in Bermuda on Sept. 28, 2012, hosted by the Dean of Professional and Graduate Studies, Dr. Kim Kienapple and Manager of Alumnae Relations, Shani Pearson. A group of the Mount’s Bermuda alumnae came together for a day of catching up with friends. The Mount has more than 400 alumnae in Bermuda.

This photo features the Bermuda contingent that attended the Mount in the 1980s.

OTTAWA PUB NIGHT – On Oct. 23, 2012, the

Mount’s President, Dr. Ramona Lumpkin, and Beth Pyesmany Arsenault, program coordinator, Alumnae Relations, hosted a fun-filled pub night event with our National Capital Region friends in Ottawa.

MEET SMART

MEET ON CAMPUS EXCELLENT SERVICE. PERSONALIZED RESULTS. CREATIVE SOLUTIONS.

Workshops. Conferences. Annual General Meetings.

For 1 or 1,000, we have the solution. We have audiovisual equipment, business services and technical support to meet all of your needs. Our on-site catering services will meet your most unique requests. And from May to August, choose from traditional residence rooms or apartment-style suites.

Our Conference Services department is here for you. For more information contact reservations@msvu.ca Toll free: 1.866.405.1805 Tel. 902.457.6364 OR 902.457.6355

www.msvu.ca/meet

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Alumnae Weekend 2012 More than 80 alumnae gathered on September 21-22 to celebrate Alumnae Weekend 2012.

The weekend began with the 50th class lunch, celebrating our graduates from both the College and Academy in the year of 1962. There was also a martinis and mingling event, harvest brunch, and two chef’s showcase dinner. Some alumnae wore nametags, but a familiar face was all others needed to reconnect with friends from their days at the Mount. There were many smiles and much laughter as alumnae reignited their friendships and reminisced.

The annual Alumnae Weekend is hosted by the Mount Saint Vincent Alumnae Association and organized by a committee of volunteers with support from the Alumnae Relations Office.

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Alumnae Association

Two Mount friends reunite after 49 years as if no time had passed Photo: Jacque (Kaplan) Harris, Shani Pearson, Charlotte Pavy-Roban

On a warm Bermudian weekend this past September, two Mount friends saw one another for the first time in almost half a century – and acted as if no time had passed.

Jacque (Kaplan) Harris described hugging her friend from the Academy Class of ‘63, Charlotte (Pavy) PavyRoban, with, “A timeless embrace that embodied nearly 50 years of lives well spent.”

The reunion happened on September 28, 2012, when Alumnae Relations hosted a reception at the Coco Reef Resort in Bermuda for Bermuda alumnae.

Shani Pearson, manager of the Mount’s alumnae relations, travelled to Bermuda with Dr. Kim Kienapple, the Mount’s dean of professional and graduate studies, and met with Bermuda College to host the reception. A few weeks before going, Harris contacted Pearson by email looking for classmates. She hoped to get in touch with her close friend from the Academy, Charlotte Pavy. Harris and

Pavy had lost touch and the only thing Harris knew of Pavy was that she’d originated from Bermuda. Pearson got to work trying to reconnect the two women over the course of a few weeks.

The Monday prior to the reception, Charlotte PavyRoban, checked her voicemail. A message from Pearson played regarding the alumnae reception and explained that Jacque Harris wished to get in contact. Pavy-Roban couldn’t wait. Pearson put them in touch, and the friends made plans to meet.

Harris travelled from North Carolina to Bermuda. PavyRoban says, “I had a wonderful weekend with Jacque and was sorry to see her leave.” The parting wasn’t too sad, however, as the women will reunite again in Halifax at their 50th class reunion this September 20-21 at the Mount.

We look forward to seeing these great friends and many others as they reunite with their classmates.

ALUMNAE WEEKEND SCHEDULE 2013 Friday, September 20

Saturday, September 21

Golden Jubilee Luncheon

Anniversary Brunch

Martinis and Mingling at the Meadows

Tradition Meets Modern - A Contemporary Twist

12 noon, Multipurpose Room (MPR), Rosaria Student Centre Celebrate the 50th Class for the Academy & College Classes of 1963

5.30-7.00pm The Meadows Tickets: $30.00 per person Come mingle with friends while you sample signature Mount themed martinis and an assortment of flavorful canapés.

11.30am, Multipurpose Room (MPR), Rosaria Student Centre Tickets: $30 per person. Complimentary for Celebration years.

Join us as we celebrate the 140th anniversary of the founding of the Mount. Share stories and celebrate our history over an elegant brunch.

Special guests: Classes of 1938, 1943, 1948, 1953 & 1958.

6.00pm for 6.30pm Season’s by Atlantica, 1980 Robie Street, Halifax Tickets: $60.00 per person Luis Clavel (Seasons by Atlantica) is a proud Nova Scotian chef born in Puerto Rico. This dinner will highlight his respect for local ingredients through both traditional and modern cooking techniques, taking Nova Scotian cuisine to the next level with a creative and contemporary approach. You don’t want to miss out! Limited tickets are available.

For information call 902.457.6762 or email alumnae@msvu.ca

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There are three basic types of bequests:

por ting F p u S utur s n o e Generati Remembering the Mount in your will A belief that higher education can transform someone’s life led Brenda Hattie, MA ’01, to include Mount Saint Vincent University as part of her estate plan by naming the University as a beneficiary in her will.

Hattie is a part-time faculty member at the Mount teaching in the departments of Women’s Studies, and Family Studies and Gerontology. She is also a researcher at Dalhousie University, and a PhD student at the Mount. She is actively involved with a number of initiatives at the Mount including the Institute for Women, Gender and Social Justice.

“I am particularly pleased with the Mount’s commitment to the education and advancement of women, and to social justice in general, and have a desire to help, in particular, female and transgendered students who would not otherwise have access to a university education,” notes Hattie. “At this stage of my life I am not in a position to make the financial contribution to establish an endowed scholarship. However, I can do this in the future with a bequest in my will.”

Not only are bequests the most popular vehicle for making a planned charitable gift, they are often the simplest. In providing a future gift through a bequest, alumnae donors benefit in the following ways: • You have the use of your assets during your lifetime.

• Your estate receives a tax receipt for the full value of the bequest. If the total bequest exceeds 100% of the net income of your final tax return, the excess may be carried back to the previous year.

• As a revocable gift, bequests provide flexibility and can be altered at anytime should your circumstances change.

UN HÉRITAGE À PARTAGERMD LEAVE A LEGACY TM

1 A specific bequest provides a specfic dollar amount or item of property. A gift of certain sums of money may also be called a “general bequest” or a “percuniary bequest.”

2 A residual bequest provides all or a percentage of the property of an estate after debts, taxes, expenses and specific bequests have been paid.

3 A contingent bequest takes effect only if the primary intention cannot be met. (For example, if beneficiary does not survive the donor.)

If you are considering a bequest or any other type of planned gift, please consult with your financial advisor to make certain it is the best option for you and your family. Donors are also encouraged to work with University Advancement. Hattie explains, “By working with staff in University Advancement and having an agreement on file at the University, I have the criteria for my scholarship already established and know that as per my wishes, this scholarship will provide support to female and transgendered students for many generations to come.”

Alumnae and friends notifying the University of their intent to include the Mount in their estate plans are recognized through the 1873 Society.

Hattie adds, “I am happy to be included amongst the members of the 1873 Society at the Mount and in doing so, hope to encourage others to consider a gift to the University as part of their estate plan.

For more information about making a bequest or other planned gift, please contact University Advancement at 902-457-6470 or giving@msvu.ca.

Alumnae Association

President’s Message

Deanne MacLeod, BBA ’92

As another academic year closes, so does my term as President of the Mount Saint Vincent Alumnae Association. It has been a privilege to serve in this role for the past two years. I have particularly enjoyed meeting so many alumnae from different programs, different classes, and in many ways, different Mounts.

One of the roles of the Alumnae Association is to protect the legacy left by past students and members. We are charged with taking the gifts of time, energy and money contributed by members and others, and using them wisely to help preserve the spirit of the Mount while supporting the continued evolution into an even stronger institution.

The generous gifts of so many alumnae to Project TWENTY12 will forever change the landscape of the Mount. Your Alumnae Association has also contributed to this project with a pledge of $75,000. Generous bequests, such as one gratefully received this year from the Estate of Beryl MacDonald, ACAD ’40, BScSec ’44, will help the Association continue to honour and support Mount students with prizes, bursaries and scholarships.

I would like to wish the best of luck to our incoming President Lisa Whynott, BOA ’94 and to thank each of you for extending me the opportunity to contribute to the legacy of the Mount Saint Vincent Alumnae Association.

Board of Directors 2012-13

Alumnae Award of Distinction Call for Nominations Deadline: August 2, 2013 The Mount Saint Vincent Alumnae Association, in recognition of the 140th Anniversary of the founding of the Mount, is seeking nominations for the Alumnae Award of Distinction.

The recipient will be honoured at the Alumnae Weekend Dinner on Saturday, September 21, 2013.

Open to all alumnae from Mount Saint Vincent Academy, College or University, this award is presented to a Mount alumna/us to recognize distinguished professional achievement, outstanding contributions to the community at large or to a particular field of endeavour.

The Mount Saint Vincent Alumnae Association will make a $500 donation to an Alumnae Association scholarship, bursary or award, in honour of the recipient.

Information about the award, nomination process and eligibility, can be found at

www.msvu.ca/alumnae

HONORARY PRESIDENT Dr. Ramona Lumpkin EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President: Deanne MacLeod, BBA ’92 Vice President: Lisa Whynott, BOA ’94 Immediate Past President: Sheldon Miller, BBA ’99 Secretary: Tanya Baggio, BBA ’95 Treasurer: Tracy Newman, CA, BBA ’00 MEMBERS AT LARGE

Alison DeLory, BPR ’98 Tanya Lorimer-Charles, BBA ’89 Adrienne MacDonald, BTHM ’06 Melissa MacKinnon, BPR ’04 Brian MacLeod, BBA ’98 Kelly MacLeod, MAEd ’01, MEd ’05 Terri Mann, CertBusi ’03, BTHM ’06 Sabitha Masih, BEd ’99, MEd ’02 Stephanie Shute, BA ’11 Erin Tomlinson, BPR ’04, BEd ’08 Caroline Wolfe Stewart, BScHEc ’90 STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE Zac Quinlan, MSVU Students’ Union ALUMNAE REPRESENTATIVES ON THE MOUNT BOARD OF GOVERNORS Deanne MacLeod, BBA ’92 Lisa Whynott, BOA ’94 Caroline Wolfe Stewart, BScHEc ’90 EX OFFICIO Shani Pearson, Manager, Alumnae Relations

17

Mount grad enhancing basic literacy skills

in Kenya

Lee-Anne Benoit, BA ’07, and currently enrolled in the BEd program, is in Kenya for three months on a Students for Development Internship Program. The project is administered by the International Projects Office at the Mount, and funding is provided by the Government of Canada. Benoit wrote this first-person account of her experiences in Kenya two weeks after arriving in Nairobi.

The Studen ts For Dev elopment program is funded by the Canadia Internation n al Develop ment Agen and offers C cy anadian stu dents the opportunit y to live an d work for short perio ds of time in developing countries in order to gai n new skills and experie nce exchange, d s, to engage in cultura evelop a glo l bal perspec and contrib tive, ute to the ad vancement of a develop ing nation.

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I

t is important to me that I continually seek out new experiences and strategies to expand my global perspective and educate myself about ways of life in other parts of the world. By doing so, I evolve and am better able to bring about meaningful change in society through the students I reach.

With this in mind, I applied—and was chosen—to be one of the four lucky education students from the Mount selected to travel to Kenya as basic literacy instructors.

It seems like only yesterday that I was bundled up in winter gear heading out to my teaching practicum, waiting to embark on this three-month long internship in Nairobi, Kenya.

I’ve been in Africa now for two weeks. I hand wash my clothes and linens, boil water for showers, drink purified water, and am constantly vigilant about health and safety. Although I have travelled fairly extensively, culture shock during my first three days here in Nairobi left me feeling completely helpless, as if I had lost my independence.

To my delight, however, all of the Kenyans that I have met and interacted with have been incredibly warm and welcoming. It is refreshingly easy to make friends as socializing seems to be a huge part of this culture. The Kenyans I’ve met are a vibrant group of people who love to sing, perform, laugh and share their food, time and space. They are generous and fun loving, and value affection and touch.

My work here is just starting, but in the last week I have visited a couple of schools – one a wealthy international school and one an impoverished rural school. I observed classes, interacted with students, learned a great deal about the Kenyan

education system, and did some research into local NGOs and organizations interested in literacy development. I am making contacts and designing an action plan for the next twoand-a-half months. My goals are to connect with the faculty of education at my host institution, the Kenyatta University, and contribute to literacy research. I especially hope to work with marginalized groups such as disabled students and orphaned girls to expand their reading and writing skills. I would like to design and implement workshops through the university and teacher colleges to discuss strategies through which our two systems can be integrated. I discovered there is a community outreach department on campus and I am intrigued about the potential opportunities there. I am also keenly interested in spending time at the early childhood education centre on campus to learn about early Kenyan child-rearing practices and how children are prepared for school.

It’s been difficult adjusting to a new standard of living, language, cultural norms, and diet. I have felt extremely vulnerable and overwhelmed by the unfamiliarity of my surroundings, yet exhilarated and stimulated at the same time. This is Africa, and I’m excited to be living a temporary new life as Kenyans do.

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Teaching is a journey says award recipient

Stephanie Sajatovich, MEd ’09, has won a Prime Minis-

ter’s Award for Teaching Excellence Certificate of Achievement in 2012. Sajatovich, who teaches Math, Science and Physics to junior and senior high school students at Armbrae Academy in Halifax, says she was “totally surprised and overwhelmed” when she learned of the honour.

“It makes you feel very valued,” she says. Sajatovich was nominated by the senior school’s director, Karen Fougere, and received letters of support from students, parents and colleagues who praised her for her approachability, compassion, and devotion. Sajatovich received a personal letter signed by the Prime Minister, and her award was read aloud in the Nova Scotia provincial legislature by MLA Leonard Preyra. She was one of 67 recipients nationwide.

Sajatovich met the award’s criteria for innovative teaching in several ways. She had her Grade 9 students investigate how the school could become more energy efficient.

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She redeveloped the Physics program at Ambrae Academy by integrating elements of the International Baccalaureate program and the Advanced Placement curriculum into the current curriculum. She created a rolling curriculum for Grades 11 and 12, through which students learn about a topic in Grade 11 and then revisit the same topic in more detail in Grade 12. She also partners with Dalhousie and St. Mary’s Universities so her students can visit university physics labs. And she teaches using a SMART board that allows her to review her lessons after she has delivered them, tweaking them so they are continually improving.

Sajatovich has been teaching at Armbrae since 2006 after spending the previous five years teaching in Hungary and England. She is currently pursuing a second masters degree in Leadership at Acadia’s Faculty of Education.

“I still have so much to learn,” says Sajatovich. “For me, this award recognizes that teaching is a journey.” @MountAlumnae

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Alumnae News

Alumna expects a very good year for her wine tours

Susan Downey, BA ’04, loves both Nova Scotia and

wine, and found a way to combine those two passions when she started Great Escapes Nova Scotia Wine Tours last year.

The company offers both packaged and build-your-own wine tours mainly transporting customers from Halifax to the Annapolis Valley wine region and back. Some trips include gourmet dining, cheese sampling, or visits to distilleries and local attractions.

“I want to give people an experience they can talk about for years to come,” says Downey. Her favourite Nova Scotia wines are aromatic whites, such as Muscat and Tidal Bay, and sparkling wines. The Nova Scotia climate is less favourable to full-bodied reds, which require copious amounts of sun and heat, but she says customers almost always still find wines they enjoy. “We can grow grapes here!” she emphasizes.

Downey became interested in viticulture and saw the need for her wine tour company when she was working part-time at Premier Wine and Spirits. Although she says she never imagined becoming a small business owner, it’s been gratifying.

Downey books and guides the tours herself with some administrative help from her spouse, and works at the enterprise fulltime about eight months a year, and part-time in the winter during the Winter Wine Festival. For now, she is also a substitute teacher in the winter months.

Last year, Downey hosted about 650 guests on her wine tours, and she plans to expand and hire part-time help this summer. A new tour she’s offering will take guests on an overnight excursion to Annapolis Royal where they will visit the Annapolis Highland and Bear River vineyards. She’s also applied to the Utility and Review Board for permission to buy her own vehicle, and will be able to accommodate double-bookings.

The best part, she says, has been overcoming the challenges and hurdles of a start-up. “The more I put in the better the outcome.”

Do you ha to share o ve a stor y r suggest? haps you Peror one of yo

ur fellow a nae has s lumtarted a n ew busine received a ss, n award, o r is involve in ground-b d reaking re search or humanitari an work?

Folia Mon is always tana interested in finding about the out exciting th ings alum nae are accom plishing.

E-mail us: alumnae@ msvu.ca.

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Class notes Our featured photo this month is Crystal Vaughan, BA (Hon) ’08, who has established a new writing collective at the Mount called the Lakepen Writing Group. It has been meeting twice monthly to share and workshop members’ creative writing.

Lakepen members include (in group photo): Rosemary Drisdelle, BA ’05, Erin Tomlinson, BPR ’04, BEd ’08, Dr. Susan Drain, professor and writing coordinator in the Department of English, Ryan Blades, Corinne Gilroy and Jennifer Skidd.

Photos: Courtesy of Melissa Shaw

1960s Catherine McKinnon, ACAD ’63, DHumL, ’04, received the Mary Helen Creighton Award for Lifetime Achievement during the East Coast Music Awards in 2012.

1970s Barbara (MacAskill) (Carmichael) Pinsky, BA ’75. After 32 years with the Canadian Public Service, Barb retired as Regional Director of IT in 2008. She and her husband, Norman, and two youngest children moved to Western Australia. Barb now teaches Wu Tao (dancing yoga) and enjoys the warm weather.

Merilyn (Draper) (Teeft) LeBlanc, BHEc ’77, married Rev. David LeBlanc in June 2011. She lives in Stewiacke, NS.

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Chris Power, BScN ’77, President and CEO, Capital District Health Authority, was named one of Canada’s Top 25 Women of Influence™ in 2012 in the healthcare sector. The Women of Influence Inc. recognition program honours and celebrates women who have demonstrated strong and unyielding leadership. Chris was recognized for her compassion, long career as a frontline nurse, and role since 2006 as CEO of Capital Health where she provides strategic leadership to the organization.

1980s Peter Zwicker, BBA ’81, retired after 28 years in the public service in June 2012. He was re-elected for his third consecutive term on Lunenburg Town Council in the October 2012 municipal election.

Bertha “Betty” Tenwolde, BCS ’82, moved to the US 20 years ago and for the past 16 years has been managing several affordable communities outside Boston. She enjoys volunteering with Girl Scouts and the Friends of the Arts at Boston Latin School.

Christine Fletcher, BCS ’83, recently sold four novels to Harlequin Superromance. Her debut book, A Better Father, is an April 2013 release. Chris makes her home in Syracuse, NY, with husband, Larry Brown, an ever-changing assortment of their five children, and the occasional grand-hamster.

Contact Chris at cannychris@aol.com or through her writing website, www.krisfletcher.com.

Class Notes

Cathy Sprague, BSA ’84, has been named Executive Vice-President, Human Resources, with Bruce Power. Cathy joined Bruce Power in late 2012, and is responsible for human resources functions including labour relations, recruitment, talent management, engagement, total rewards and wellness. Bruce Power is privately owned and the world’s largest nuclear generator, producing more than 25% of Ontario’s power.

Rachel Bailey, BPR ’84, is Lunenburg, NS’s first female mayor.

The former deputy mayor took 75% of the more than 1,100 votes cast in the October 2012 municipal election.

“It is a huge honour and I see it now, too, as a big responsibility, and one I take very seriously and I hope I serve the role well,” Rachel said moments after being named the victor. Voter turnout was 68%, compared with 54.8% in the previous municipal election, which was largely attributed to the fact that the election marked the first mayor’s race in Lunenburg since 1994.

Sharon Avery, BPR ’96, was awarded the Canadian Bar Association’s Zöe Odei Young Lawyers Award on Jan. 31, 2013. This award honours and recognizes a young Nova Scotian lawyer’s distinguished and exceptional service to the Canadian Bar Association, his/her community and charitable causes. Sharon is a lawyer with Cox and Palmer in Halifax. She has worked with numerous charities and community organizations over the years including the Mount’s Project TWENTY12.

Lisa (Thow) Harrington, BEd ’87, has written a a new young adult psychological thriller called Live to Tell. The protagonist, Libby Thorne, wakes up in the hospital.

They tell Libby she was in a

car accident, it was her fault, that an innocent victim is clinging to life, and that she could go to jail. The problem is, Libby can remember none of it.

Live to Tell is filled with staggering twists and emotional punches. Lisa lives with her family in Halifax. Lisa’s first book, Rattled, was published in 2010.

Jackie Poirier, BBA ’88, was recently awarded the Dr. Ray Carroll CGA of the Year Award. It is the highest recognition for volunteer service at the Certified General Accountants (CGA) Association of Nova Scotia.

Jackie is a long-serving volunteer with the CGA NS who has dedicated much of her career to the CGA designation and profession. Jackie’s day job is Director of the Nova Scotia Tax Services Office in Halifax.

1990s Anne O’Connell, BPR ’90, who is now a professional writer living in Phuket, Thailand, has written a new novel called Mentalpause. Her protagonist is Abbie, who is riding a hormonal roller coaster and hanging on for dear life. She finds herself in a body she no longer recognizes, a marriage that feels overwhelming, and she questions her very sanity.

Mentalpause is available on Amazon in both print and for Kindle.

Simon Kennedy, BPR ’91, moved from his federal government position of Senior Associate Deputy Minister of Industry, to Deputy Minister for International Trade, effective November 12, 2012. He lives in Ottawa.

Kerry (Dorey) Bryan, BBA ’91, and Andre Bryan welcomed their daughter, Allison Mya Bryan, into the world on Aug. 18, 2011. Kerry is a self-employed tax and business consultant. They reside in Mahone Bay, NS, and Ocho Rios, Jamaica.

You can contact her at kerrybryan@ hotmail.com.

Jayne Peters, BSc ’91, MEd ’00, has written a new book for children ages three to seven called Messy Jessy. With a delightful rhyming scheme and bright fun illustrations, children can follow Jessy through her messy day. From spills, crashes and jelly faces to bruises, scratches and mismatched socks, Jessy’s day is filled with laughter, spirit and mess. Messy Jessy is available from Bryler Publications.

Lisa L. Payne, BBA ’92, has written a new novel called What If They Knew?

Secrets of an Impressive Woman. It includes the confessions of 101 Impressive Women who have found the courage to love themselves, fully expressing both their dark and light sides. The book contains the raw truth and emotion as these women shed years of pent up anguish and fear, and step into their authentic power.

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An Afternoon Tea Sunday, June 2, 2013, 2pm-4pm Multipurpose Room Rosaria Student Centre The Mount Bring your friends & family and join us for an elegant afternoon tea. Step into summer with flower arranging, socializing, delectable tea sandwiches, scones with clotted cream, cakes and pastries.

Tickets can be purchased by calling 902.457.6762 or emailing alumnae@msvu.ca $20 Adults $12 Children under 12

Kathleen McConnell, BA ’93, has a written a new book called Pain, Porn & Complicity: Women Heroes from Pygmalion to Twilight. Kathy currently teaches English at St. Thomas University in Fredericton. Her book asks: “What if Alexander Pope’s Rape of the Lock had been filmed by Steven Spielberg? What if Buffy the Vampire Slayer had gone to Columbine High? What if Leopold Von Sacher-Masoch had been the dramaturge for catwoman?” Kathy launched her book at the Mount on Feb. 13, 2013.

Carole Foran-Swinkels, MEd ’94, received the Mensa Canada Distinguished Educator Award 2012 this past July after being nominated by her student, Ben Schmidl, at Leslie Thomas Junior High. The award is given to one teacher a year for excellence in education. Carole is a teacher with the Halifax Regional School Board and lives in Sackville with her husband and two children.

Sonia Hage-Cameron, BCY ’95, MA (CYS) ’03, with her brother, Jamil, and sister, Lyla Hage, BPR ’95, has opened a new preschool and family centre in Bedford, NS. “The solid foundation I built at the Mount has given me the knowledge, skills and confidence to seek out this opportunity with my siblings,” Sonia writes. “My sister, Lyla, has a strong business and communications background . . . We have all had different jobs and careers, but now we have come together, using our varied experiences and education to develop and build this new business.” Contact Sonia through play-learngrow.com or email: sonia@play-learn-grow.com.

Lynn Coveyduck, BPR ’96, has been awarded a Queen’s Jubilee Medal for her contributions to Junior Achievement. As President of Junior Achievement of Nova Scotia, Lynn is a true ambassador of Junior Achievement not only in Nova Scotia but across Canada. Lynn continually provides students with new and exciting opportunity to learn and experience business from the leaders and mentors in her community. Lynn has also been an active volunteer at the Mount, chairing the PR and Communications Committee of Project TWENTY12.

Leola Connor, BA ’99, and alumnae members of the Ex Libris book club were joined by author Tom Gallant at a recent gathering. Pictured with Leola (centre) are alumnae Nancy Ardenne, BA ’71, Dorothy Smith, BA ’70, Pat Butler, BA ’85, and Patty Bowie, BScHE ‘71.

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2000s

2010s

Anita Peters, CertBusi ’91, DipBusi ’96, BBA ’01, has written a new book called Common Courtesy Makes Good Business Sense. Anita passes along many principles she learned in corporate management. It is a self-improvement, motivational and personal development guide for corporate professionals, interspersed with thought-provoking and clever cartoons.

Can Hicyilmaz, BBA ’11, has opened Ottoman Café, Halifax’s newest hookah bar and Turkish café on Spring Garden Road. The Istanbul native wanted to offer visitors a laid-back atmosphere complete with authentic Turkish coffee, desserts and an array of flavoured, chemicaland tobacco-free shisha.

Kat Kruger (pseudonym for a BPR ’06 grad), has written a new book called The Night Has Teeth. The protagonist, Connor, is a 17-year-old American living in Paris who tries to make friends and fit into a new culture that is rife with people who have their own motivations for befriending him. He continually finds himself confronted with things that aren’t what they appear, people who transform into beasts, and scientists who covet his DNA. It was published

by Fierce Ink Press.

Nordia Brown, MEd ’07 Nordia currently lectures part time at the University of the West Indies and the International University of the Caribbean in Jamaica. Nordia would like to connect with other Mount alumnae in Jamaica.

Leanne Marriott, BPR ’11, BSc (SComm) ’12, and Danielle Pinkney, BSc (SComm) ’12, are the Mount’s first Bachelor of Science (Science Communication) graduates. This innovative new program capitalizes on the Mount’s strengths in the areas of communication studies and science.

It helps fill a gap in Canada’s need for well-qualified science communicators who can work with government departments, school districts, university researchers, non-profit agencies, private sector companies, and media.

April Whitzman, BPR ’12, a diehard baseball fan, has launched a web site to profile baseball prospects called JaysProspects.com, and already interviewed hundreds of Toronto Blue Jays prospects. She also recently participated in the MLB Fan Cave contest in which she competed to live in New York City, cover baseball games, interview players and celebrities, and learn the ropes of working for Major League Baseball.

McDonough named to Order of Nova Scotia Alexa McDonough, OC, DHumL ’09, was named to the Order of Nova Scotia in November 2012. McDonough, a former federal and provincial NDP leader, become the first woman to lead a major political party in Canada when she was elected leader of the provincial NDP in 1980. McDonough became the leader of the national party in 1995. She was President of the Mount from 2009-2010.

Mount President joins AUCC board Mount President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Ramona Lumpkin has been elected to the 13-member board of directors of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC). As a director of the board, she joins a distinguished roster of university presidents from across Canada who oversee the business and strategic direction of the association, and advocate for the interests of member universities and colleges.

Board of Governors Member part of Top 100 Shannon MacDonald, member of the Mount’s Board of Governors and managing partner, Atlantic Practice, Deloitte LLP, has been named one of the Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada: KPMG Professionals Award. MacDonald has more than 20 years of experience in public accounting and consulting services.

Be hone

Jake Yorke, BSc (Hon) ’08, and Gill Morrison, BA ’08, were married on Oct. 6, 2012. “We met each other on our first day at the Mount, when we were in the same frosh group, and started dating a few months later,” Jake writes.

this sectio st, you flipped to first, didn’t n of Folia Montana section is you? Our Class No tes pop we’d like to ular with readers, a nd k e e p it popular contributo wit classmate rs, too. Please, let h you sk by sending now what you are u r p to a b ri ef (50 update to alumnae@ words or so) msvu.ca, you’d like, and if please resolution include a highphoto also .

Platos celebrate 25 years Congratulations to men’s basketball coach Rick Plato and team manager, Andrea Plato. The couple celebrated a quarter century of coaching, managing and mentoring the Mount Mystics.

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Look who joins our alumnae The Mount awarded honorary doctorate degrees to local leaders in the fields of human rights and medicine as part of this year’s Fall 2012 Convocation.

Dr. Joan Glode, CM, BA ’69, MSW is a

proud and respected member of the Mi’kmaq First Nation Community of Acadia. She is one of the first people from the Mi’kmaq community to graduate with a Master’s degree from the Maritime School of Social Work. Dr. Glode has spent her life advocating and working for Aboriginal families and children. She spent 20 years as the founding director and executive director of Mi’kmaq Family and Children’s Services of Nova Scotia. Dr. Glode also held positions with the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission, Indian and Northern Affairs, and the Micmac Native Friendship Centre.

Dr. Glode has served on various national and provincial boards and committees, and her work has been recognized nationally. Dr. Glode graduated from the Mount with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1969. She was a member of the Mount’s Board of Governors from 2000 to 2006.

In Memoriams 1930s Mary “Joan” Covey, ACAD ’33 (November 30, 2012)

1940s Sister Mary Bernadette Romaine “Gerard Marie” Bates, BA ’43 (November 25, 2012) Wanda Evelyn Bianco, BSc ’47 (November 22, 2012) Jean Marie (Rossiter) O’Connell, BA ’40 (October 26, 2012) Sister Therese Schnurr (Cecilia Therese), DMus ’47, BEd ’62 (October 23, 2012)

1950s Sister Anne Loretto Beatty, BA ’59 (November 1, 2012) Charlotte Mary (Edwards) Chinn, BSc ’55 (November 3, 2013)

Sister Kathleen Dalton (Mary Katherine), BA ’53 (October 31, 2012)

Sister Grace Virginia Gillis, BA ’55 (February 13, 2013)

1960s Maureen (Mullane) Cleary, BSc ’60, BEd ’62 (November 11, 2013)

1970s Marie Darlene (Orchard) Ainsworthy, DOA ’77 (March 20, 2012)

Nora Ellen (Strickland) MacLeod, BA ’76 (November 5, 2012)

Sister Evelyn Spruin (Teresa Evelyn), BA ’74 (January 4, 2013)

Dr. Margaret Casey, CM, MD, LLD, moved

from Toronto to Nova Scotia in pursuit of a career in medicine. Following graduation from the Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie University, her primary focus of work in general medical practice has taken place at the North End Community Health Centre, an inner-city resource that provided Dr. Casey the opportunity to gain an understanding of the impact of social determinants of health and social justice. Dr. Casey has also volunteered in medical clinics in St. Lucia and Haiti. Dr. Casey has been a member of various committees and Board of Directors. At the Mount, Dr. Casey has been a member of the Board of Governors, a committee member with the Nova Scotia Centre on Aging and a volunteer in support of Project TWENTY12.

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1980s Bonita Amber Lantz-Carter, CDC ’80, BCS ’84 (January 19, 2013)

1990s Scott Cheverie, BPR ’96 (March 4, 2013) Linda DeGrace, BPR ’90 (April 11, 2013) Sylvia Olga Fedoruk, DHumL ’93 (September 26, 2012) Daurene Lewis, DHumL ’93 (January 26, 2013) Mary Catherine (MacNeil) Orman ’98 (September 1, 2012) Rita MacNeil, DHumL ’93 (April 17, 2013)

2000s Sabrina Constance Ann “Bree” Murdock, BEd ’00 (September 2, 2012)

Mount Community Bonny Jean Delaney (November 25, 2012) Sara Drohan (July 27, 2012) Joyce Deveau Kennedy (December 7, 2012)

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Do you know the face?

Can you help identify the faces, when exactly the photo was taken, and what they were up to? Please let us know. Contact: Editor, Folia Montana at alumnae@msvu.ca, or Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, NS B3M 2J6.

Thursday, July 25, 2013 Granite Springs Golf Club

Alumnae Association Supporting Mount students!

Join us for a day of golf, prizes and fun!

Registration: $175 To register: Call 902.457.6762 Email alumnae@msvu.ca

You knew the face.

Shirley (Aqui) Forde, BSc ’57, MAEd ’62 called to say “that’s me.” Shirley is pictured here in the chemistry lab in Evaristus Hall with Anne (Connors) MacEachen, BSc ’56 and Barb (Essery) Downie, BA ’56, BEd ’57.

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around s t ad

he

Gr

Paris

globe

What brought me to Paris was . . . (Julia) a great

job opportunity. Eric and I had been living and working in Calgary for five years when I was offered a position at my company’s head office in Paris. The offer to join their bilingual communications team was a dream come true. Eric decided to leave his job and come on this adventure with me.

He since landed his job with Total in e-learning.

The most memorable experience I’ve had in Paris is . . . (Julia) a private, after-hours work function at the

Living here suits me because . . . (Eric) first and

Louvre. Because my employer is a significant sponsor, we were able to hold a private employee event beneath the pyramid after the museum had closed to the public. We were free to roam amongst the paintings and sculptures. I’ll never forget how stunning the pieces looked in the evening light, completely unobstructed by tourists.

The biggest culture shock has been . . . (Julia) the

The most rewarding thing about working in Paris . . . (Eric) is simply working in a truly international team.

foremost, it is a great adventure and a rewarding challenge.

But also, the availability of travel to other European countries is second to none. adjustment I had to make to my work style and the way I approach day-to-day interactions with colleagues. I was really disoriented in the beginning. Different things are valued in different countries, and that transfers into the business world too.

The best thing about living here is . . . (Julia) it’s a new

adventure every day! You can walk down the same street daily and see something new each time. If Eric and I went out every day of the year, we would still never see every museum, taste every type of cheese, or visit every monument that Paris has to offer.

Going to the Mount helped prepare me to live and work in Paris because . . . (Eric) one of the principles that we learn

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is that learning is lifelong. That philosophy helped me understand that I could learn a new language even at 30 years old.

I work with a Norwegian, an Indonesian, an Iranian, an American and several French employees.

I knew I made it in Paris when . . . (Julia) my boss

said to me, about a year after I had taken up my position, “Julia, tu sais faire” (you know what you’re doing). We finally had that moment when we realized we understood each other. From that day on, I’ve been more confident and he’s entrusted me with more responsibility.

What I miss most about going to the Mount . . .

(Eric) is working with my friends and colleagues at the

MSVU Students’ Union. Some of these friendships are ones I still carry with me today. I’ve even met up with one of my former Vinnie’s Pub colleagues in Paris.

The advice I’d give to alumnae considering working abroad is . . . (Julia) if you’re curious about the world and open to new ways of doing things, you’ll get so much out of the experience. You won’t take the little things for granted anymore. It’s exciting to wake up and wonder what challenges this country will throw at me today.

Thank

YOU

Your gifts have an immediate impact on our students through scholarship, bursaries, department funds, new facilities, library acquisitions and much more.

This year, we have been able to award more than 475 Scholarships, Bursaries and Awards.

Thank you for your generous support of Mount students.

“I consider this scholarship to be a great financial blessing that will allow me to remain debt free throughout my education and to plan better for my future.”

– Arielle Bourque, BBA Student and Presidential Scholar

Above: S. Donna Geernaert, Chancellor, Arielle Bourque & Dr. Ramona Lumpkin, President & Vice-Chancellor at the 2012 Scholars’ Luncheon.

From Sunday to Thursday throughout the academic year, Mount students call alumnae and friends to support the Annual Fund Campaign. Thank you for taking a minute to chat with them.

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Spring 2013 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Advancement House Mount Saint Vincent University Halifax NS B3M 2J6 Canada