Connections - Autumn 2021

STU Alumni & Friends

Autumn 2021

Hon. Graydon Nicholas

A Passion for Higher Education The Hon. Graydon Nicholas is STU’s New Chancellor

Recipients of the Carolyn LaydenStevenson Distinguished Alumni Awards Announced What’s New at STU?

Supporting the STU Fund makes an impact for students today!

Your gift helps to make possible such things as:

To mak a gift e

that will s visit ww upport students , w.stu.c a/givin g or ca 506-45 ll 2-2140

“I’m going to university because I want to be able to make the world a better place, but to make that happen I have to understand the world in its entirety. In my opinion, there’s no better way to do so than going on exchange, meeting new people from all over the world, and being a part of something that’s bigger than you are.”

– Elizabeth Polk, BA’21, participated in an International Exchange at Örebro University in Sweden.

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Scholarships and Bursaries Travel Study Programs Experiential Learning Opportunities Mentorship, Tutoring & Writing Workshops

Thank You!

“Moot Court is such a rewarding program and an amazing atmosphere.

It’s truly wonderful to be part of such a hardworking and supportive team.”

– Julia Evans, BA’23, is a member of STU's Moot Court Team and was named the Top Speaker at a regional tournament last fall.

STU Fund impacts today’s students

d in Intereste a new hing establis rd or including our t awa studen s University in y ffice a O St. Thom s? Contact the i lan lumn estate p ncement and A 140 of Adva at 506-452-2 s Relation ing@stu.ca. or giv

Contents

We welcome your comments Phone: 506.452.0521 Email: alumni@stu.ca Website: www.stu.ca Facebook: St. Thomas University Alumni Twitter: @StThomasAlumni

4 Alumni Association 6 Giving News 8 Cover Story 9 Profiles 15 Alumni Awards 16 Campus Watch

Connections is a publication of the Photo by: Keith Minchin

25 New & Noteworthy

Connections

Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations, St. Thomas University, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada E3B 5G3. It is distributed free of charge to more than 13,000 St. Thomas University alumni and friends worldwide.

Publisher Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations, St. Thomas University Editor Jacqueline Cormier, BA’08 Acknowledgements Ashlen Albright, BA’09 Wanda Bearresto, BA’87 Jeffrey Carleton Dionne Izzard Kathleen Johnson, BA’13 Eric Lewis Kaylee Moore, BA '14 Jodi Misheal Emily Oleksuk, BA’20 Photos Keith Minchin Design, Layout, Printing Karen Smith Design KarenSmithDesign66@gmail.com Rocket Rocket.ink

Alumni Association Board of Directors 2020-2021 Jane Abernethy, BT’73, BA’75 (Fredericton, NB) Don Bossé, BA’82, BEd’83 (Fredericton, NB) Steven Butler, BA’14 (Fredericton, NB) Dr. Dawne Clarke, BA’95 (Fredericton, NB) Robert Fisher, BA’80 (Burlington, ON) Mary Beth Gorey, BA’75 (Fredericton, NB) Suzanne Lalla-Murphy, BA’88 (Fredericton, NB) Dennis Livingstone, BA’73 (Riverview, NB) Sheri Shannon, BA’00 (Sussex, NB) Sabrina Sotiriu, BA'10 (Ottawa, ON) Margaret (Margie) Tracy, BA’75 (Fredericton, NB) Nora Valentino, BA’87 (Fredericton, NB) Melissa Wah, BA’10 (Fredericton, NB)

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F E AT U R E S

Thanks

Note of President and ViceChancellor, Dawn Russell

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he past months have been like no other at STU. Faculty quickly mastered new technologies to teach remotely.

Staff provided students with online supports and services.

Students attended class online and earned their credits. Internships, experiential learning, and community service marked the year, along with national student awards and recognition.

At the best of times, these are significant accomplishments. In the current context, they are a cause for celebration and gratitude as we successfully managed COVID’s impact on our university.

Over 500 students received their degrees in 2021, as graduates celebrated with their classmates and families at virtual Convocations. The Hon. Graydon Nicholas was formally installed as Chancellor, and he will bring to that role his knowledge and perspective from involvement in social work, law, Indigenous rights, and public service. His life has been about education and the possibility of a more tolerant society. We are pleased that he will continue that work at STU. All this to say is that determination and perseverance have been on display at STU since March 2020. I know that students deeply appreciate the dedication of faculty and staff, as does everyone from parents to the Board of Governors and alumni.

At our Commencement Ceremony for first-year students, I emphasized that while pandemic challenges continue, the value of a university degree is even more important. We need engaged young citizens with skills in critical thinking, literacy, analysis, communication, and collaborative problem-solving.

As successful STU graduates, they will be prepared to make that contribution to society, just like the alumni profiled in this issue.

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A Passion for

Higher Education

The Hon. Graydon

Nicholas is STU’s new Chancellor.

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Helping Homeowners Build and

Renovate Better Matt Daigle can turn any home improvement project into a sustainable one.

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Shaping the

Future of

Sustainable

Beauty Andrea Bárcenas finds a purposeful career with L’Oréal in Latin America.

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The Science Behind Making Decisions

Jacob Baisley is helping a British Police Force improve its decision making.

On the Cover: The Hon Graydon Nicholas Photo by Keith Minchin Autumn 2021

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Alumni Association Keep an eye on STU.ca/alumni for events in your area.

STU Alumni and Friends Annual General Meeting

Saturday, October 2, 2021 Registration required by Wednesday, September 30, 2021, by email at alumni@stu.ca or by calling Wanda at 506.452.0521.

Marg Tracy, President of the Alumni Association

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t is with pleasure and humility that I write as the outgoing president of our great alumni body. Our Alumni Board of Directors builds on the work of leaders and volunteers who came before us – supporting the mission and goals of the university, helping students achieve a full STU experience, raising the visibility of STU, and building engagement for our 18,000 alumni.

As your president, I have served as an alumni representative on the Board of Governors and Senate, as well as the Finance, Human Resources, and Advancement Committees of the Board of Governors.

It has been a joy and a blessing to serve the STU Alumni. The experience has enriched my life and I am proud to have been a member of an incredible team of board members who brought out the best in each other. And our board could not function effectively without the full support of the Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations.

Let’s continue growing, fundraising, advocating for STU, and supporting our alma mater wherever and whenever we can.

Thank you.

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St. Thomas University | Connections

Save The Date

Alumni Women’s Hockey Weekend

STU Sports Wall of Fame Luncheon

Alumni Men’s and Women’s Volleyball Weekend

STU Gala Dinner

January 7-8, 2022

January 29-30, 2022

Alumni Men’s and Women’s Basketball Weekend March 4-6, 2022

June 17, 2022

October 22, 2022

For additional information on these events, please contact the Alumni Relations Office by email wbearresto@stu.ca or phone 506.452.0521.

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T-Ring Winners

Celebrating the Story and People of St. Thomas

iana Chavez (BA’21) and Mary Grace Baker (BA’21) are this year’s recipients of T-Rings from the Alumni Association.

gift from the Board of Directors of the Alumni Association to the Campaign for St. Thomas has enabled a number of enhancements to the Great Hall, beginning this summer with the creation of three murals (a triptych) at the front of the Hall. Two smaller murals, in the recessed areas on each side of the rise, will flank a floor-to-ceiling mural on the end wall. Created by STU alumnus and well-known artist Bill Johnson, with the assistance of artist, muralist and current student, Laura Forrester, these works tell the story and celebrate the people of St. Thomas. Additional student artists may also participate in the completion of the large mural once classes resume in the fall.

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“Carrying the T-ring on my finger means bringing a piece of STU with me wherever I go – and I do so with pride. As an international graduate from Ecuador, the ring represents courage, resilience, and sacrifice. However, it also symbolizes the tight-knit and uplifting community that became my home away from home. Every time I look at the ring, I can’t help but smile while I reminisce about my time on campus, as STU allowed me to grow in ways that I could’ve never imagined.”

– Diana Chavez

“Over the past four years, St. Thomas University has given me so much.

Winning this ring completes the circle, in a way: from me receiving my scholarship to attend STU, and four years later, receiving a ring that represents a community that supported me through my journey.”

– Mary Grace Baker

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STUAA Gifts Wall Clock for Great Hall

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he STU Alumni Association has earmarked $10,000 of its $50,000 Capital Campaign donation towards the installation of a HUGE clock in the Great Hall. The clock is six feet high and has been installed on the end wall opposite the new chandelier and murals. “We are thrilled to support the transition of this central campus space.

What has been added – murals, chandelier, a wall clock – continues the makeover and will make the room a distinct part of a student’s experience. The Great Hall is living up to its name,” said STUAA President Marg Tracy (BA’75).

Father Tom Daley

Scholarship T

he recipient of the Father Tom Daley Scholarship in 2021 was Orion Tsehai Jemberu.

“It is an honour to be the recipient of the Rev. Thomas Daley Scholarship. The scholarship lightened my financial burden which allows me to focus more on my education. This award also recognizes my hard work which motivates me to keep pushing myself to achieve more.”

– Orion Tsehai Jemberu

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Restored Chandelier

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ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY

GALA Dinner Reception 6:00 PM | Dinner 7:00 PM at the Delta Fredericton St. Thomas University will hold its Gala Dinner on Saturday, October 22, 2022 at the Delta Fredericton (225 Woodstock Rd).

The proceeds of the Gala support student bursaries and activities.

We will also present the Carolyn LaydenStevenson Distinguished Alumni Award.

Tickets: $150 each or $1,000 for a table of 8. New this year: Tickets are $50 for STU students or alumni who have graduated since 2012.

To purchase tickets, please contact St. Thomas University at 506.452.0645 or e-mail eoleksuk@stu.ca

Saturday, October 22, 2022

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aster stained-glass artist Ned Bowes (BA’73) has gifted his alma mater a century-old, restored chandelier that now hangs in the Great Hall in George Martin Hall. Ned has been a stained glass artist and conservator for 40 years. When he realized the chandelier, from Pittsburgh, was too big for personal use, he wanted to share it so that others could appreciate its distinctive beauty.

Once the chandelier was hung, Ned brought the 7,000 crystals he had cleaned, repaired, and restrung, and started the reassembly, a process which took more than a week. For most of this time, he was working while lying on his back on scaffolding.

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Giving News

Leadership Scholarship for Indigenous Students T

he new Leadership Scholarship for Indigenous Students has been created through a generous gift to the University by a donor who wanted to make a meaningful contribution to students at the outset of their time at STU, removing financial barriers for the duration of their undergraduate careers.

With almost ten percent of students identifying as Indigenous, St. Thomas has the largest percentage of Indigenous students of any Maritime university. In creating post-secondary educational opportunities for Indigenous students, St. Thomas has been able to build on a history of support, which saw the first Indigenous students from a New Brunswick university graduate from St. Thomas.

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St. Thomas University | Connections

The enhanced facilities, programming, and personnel over the last number of years are tangible indicators that STU is more than just a welcoming, respectful, and caring environment; the University continues to grow its reputation as the Atlantic Canada leader in post-secondary opportunity for Indigenous persons.

St. Thomas is also the only university which offers the MMBSW – Mi’kmaq Maliseet Bachelor of Social Work. This degree is an accredited social work program that provides Indigenous individuals with an opportunity to receive social work education within a

flexible and culturally relevant framework, and is directed toward Indigenous peoples in New Brunswick, Quebec, and the rest of the Maritime Provinces who wish to become social workers in their communities.

The Leadership Scholarship for Indigenous students will provide funding for such things as tuition, accommodations, books, and living expenses. Funding is renewable, based on financial need, and provided the student is in good academic standing. One or more of these students may be studying in the Social Work program, while others may have an interest in further studies in Law.

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The Blacks in New Brunswick Reprint Edition Now Available

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t. Thomas University has worked with local organizers to reprint the book The Blacks in New Brunswick, by the late Dr. William A. Spray, with proceeds funding bursaries for Black students.

The reprint of the 1972 book, written by the former STU history professor, was the idea of poet, writer, and griot Thandiwe McCarthy.

He came across a copy of this book in his mother’s collection while he was trying to learn more about his identity.

“The book was amazing, every page educated me on a history no one had even whispered about in school,” said McCarthy.

“I could not believe that I had so much in common with the Black families that had struggled and endured under the broken promises of the founders of this province. Even more shocking than the information inside this book was my mother telling me that it was out of print and very difficult to find.”

McCarthy hoped there was a way to get the book reprinted so it could be used in schools to fill the gaps on Black history.

“My wish for this book is that it sits inside all the libraries and public schools across the province as a resource for Black students who become curious about the history of their culture in New Brunswick,” he said.

He teamed up with St. Thomas University and the Black Artists Alliance of New Brunswick to bring this project to life. The reprint includes a forward by McCarthy and a preface by University of Toronto professor Dr. Funké Aladejebi. A cover design was created by Karrie Nash of Karrie’d Away Creations who incorporated photos from the Kendall-Marr Collection courtesy of Carol Marr and Jennifer Dow. Dr. Aladejebi says the reprint was timely, as international movements like #BlackLivesMatter have made the Canadian public more aware of the lived experiences of Black Canadian communities.

“Perhaps what this republication of Spray’s work best articulates is the desire within New Brunswick to expand our understandings of Black life and to better ensure the preservation of these narratives. Persons of African descent continue to contribute, shape and impact the province’s social, political and economic life despite the continued erasure of Black people in mainstream media and historical literature,” said Aladejebi.

St. Thomas University President and Vice-Chancellor Dawn Russell says it’s exciting to see this significant work republished 50 years later.

“It was an honour to help bring this book to a new generation of students who want to learn more about the history of Blacks in New Brunswick. We thank Thandiwe for approaching us with this project.”

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Copies of The Blacks in New Brunswick may be purchased for $15 by contacting giving@stu.ca. All proceeds will fund bursaries for Black students.

I Paul and Casey Lordon Award

n 2018, Donna Lordon lost her husband Paul. When her son Casey passed away the following year, she wanted to honour their legacy in a way that represented the lives they had lived.

The newly-established Paul and Casey Lordon Award, valued at $5,000, will be given to a community-minded student who has had to overcome hardship. Paul and Casey were both graduates of St. Thomas, Paul in 1965 and Casey in 1999. Paul went on to a successful law career after graduation. Through a long battle with Huntington’s disease, Casey’s passion for Anthropology, science fiction and his family were sustaining factors in his life.

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Autumn 2021

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Cover Story

by Eric Lewis

New Chancellor Passionate about Lifelong Learning

Former Lieutenant Governor Graydon Nicholas began teaching at STU in 1983

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raydon Nicholas credits his mother with his passion for lifelong learning. “My mother went only as far as Grade 8, and she passed Grade 8 three times,” says Nicholas, New Brunswick’s former Lieutenant Governor and St. Thomas University’s new Chancellor. “There was so little to do in our community back then that she repeated the grade to continue learning. But she always told us, ‘make sure you do well in school. Make sure you listen to your teachers.

Don’t get in trouble.’ That kind of motherly advice.”

When Nicholas himself was going off to university, his mother had simple instructions for him: “I want you to go and learn and come back and help our people.”

Nicholas followed his mother’s advice and instructions. From Tobique First Nation, he has had a distinguished career and a long history of community service. He earned a Bachelor of Science from St. Francis Xavier University, a Bachelor of Law from the University of New Brunswick, and a Master of Social Work from Wilfrid Laurier University.

He worked with the Union of New Brunswick Indians as legal counsel and then as its Chair and President. As a jurist, Nicholas argued cases at all levels including at the Supreme Court of Canada, and was a Provincial Court Judge from 1991 to 2009. He served as Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick from 2009 to 2014, becoming the first Indigenous person to hold this office. He is a member of the Order of New Brunswick and the Order of Canada.

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St. Thomas University | Connections

Nicholas’s roots at St. Thomas go back to 1983 when he began teaching Indigenous law on Monday evenings.

He was the Endowed Chair of Native Studies at STU from 1989 to 1991 and was reappointed in 2015, a role he maintains today.

While he didn’t attend St. Thomas, his brothers and children did.

When he was asked by St. Thomas University President Dawn Russell to consider becoming the university’s Chancellor, he was surprised by the request, but intrigued and ultimately eager to take on the role.

The Chancellor is an ex-officio member of the Board who presides at Convocations, assists in the development of the university, and undertakes work related to its mission. Nicholas is the first layperson to take on the role that has historically been bestowed upon the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Saint John.

He is grateful for the opportunity and eager to support the university over his four-year term. Asked what he hopes to bring to the role, Nicholas says his first year is a learning opportunity during which he will gain a better understanding of how he can support St. Thomas.

“Education is liberation,” he says when asked why he believes so strongly in higher education. “Once you get an education, no matter what level or discipline, you have options. You can make choices. I believe in lifelong learning and have liked learning no matter where I went. Education gives you more opportunities.”

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Profiles

by Eric Lewis

Helping Homeowners Build and Renovate Better Rise Can ‘Turn Any Home Improvement Project into a Sustainable One’

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att Daigle turned his struggles as a homeowner into a successful business.

In 2015, prior to the birth of their first child, Daigle and his wife Mallory Lennon renovated their home, hoping to update the look and feel of the house while saving them money and lowering their carbon footprint.

They nailed the look and feel – Lennon is an interior designer and founder of Reimagine Designs in Fredericton – but their next power bill showed no savings in energy use or dollars.

Frustrated, Daigle – a product manager at the time – began looking for ways to make their home more efficient. He found few answers available to the average homeowner.

Daigle, who graduated from St. Thomas with a Bachelor of Arts in 2007 before obtaining a Master of Business Administration in Entrepreneurship at the University of New Brunswick in 2009, was bitten by the entrepreneurship bug.

In July 2015, he founded Rise, an online resource that aims to “turn any home improvement project into a sustainable one – by bringing together homeowners, home improvement pros, suppliers, and energy utilities.”

Launching a business is a daunting step but one Daigle was ready for.

“I think for any entrepreneur starting a new gig, you’ve got to have so much conviction in what you are doing that it’s kind of unshakeable,” he says. “I don’t think there was any nervousness. My wife started her firm about the same time I started Rise. The only thing you really worry about is, ‘Financially, am I OK to do this?’ I went quite a while without

having a salary until we were first funded in 2016. ” Perseverance was required during the startup stage, but Rise quickly became Daigle’s full-time job. The company has received five million website visits since launching.

It has been featured in Time Magazine, the Globe & Mail, and Forbes and has developed a reputation as a leader in sustainable home improvement. It employs 14 full-time staff – most of whom are based in New Brunswick – and a team of 10 writers.

“Our goal is to give homeowners a better home,” Daigle says. A “better home” through the Rise lens is one that contributes to the owners’ health and wealth while benefiting the planet.

Rise recently evolved from being a robust educational resource to adding an online store connecting homeowners with sustainable products and services.

“The number one question we kept getting from people was, ‘OK, you’ve sold me on a particular product, but where can I buy it?’” Daigle says. “We would always have to refer folks elsewhere. Now we’re working with dozens of manufacturers so you can order their products at the click of a button.”

Daigle majored in Criminology and minored in Sociology at St. Thomas. Asked how his time at St. Thomas has affected

his career, Daigle says it “opened my critical thinking.”

“Asking questions, asking why things are the way they are – it’s a huge part of the company I’ve built to date,” he says.

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For more information on Rise, visit buildwithrise.com.

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by Kaylee Moore, BA’14

Heading to Harvard Abbie LeBlanc to Pursue a PhD in Political Theory at Harvard University

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lumna Abbie LeBlanc is heading to Harvard University this fall to pursue her PhD in political theory.

LeBlanc, from Fredericton, NB, received numerous offers from top universities – including Oxford, Notre Dame, Georgetown, and others – before deciding to continue her research on Thomas Hobbes and Michel Foucault at Harvard.

LeBlanc plans to use Foucault as a lens to examine the social contract as a tool of violence rather than its general presentation in political history and political thought as being constructed by consent. She is also interested in feminist political thought, Indigenous political thought, and the history of settler colonialism in Canada.

The Great Books, Human Rights, and Political Science alumna went on to pursue a masters degree at McGill University after graduating from STU in 2019.

She said STU’s first-year Aquinas: Great Books Program taught her skills in academic writing and shaped her as a scholar.

“The two big things we learned in Aquinas were to take what we read and talk about it – which is a really difficult and undervalued skill – and to write really well. To have informed discussions and

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debate on the fly with other people is difficult and you really only learn by doing it,” she said. “You don’t always think of the Arts as hands-on learning, but it is.

It’s something you learn by doing.”

LeBlanc also attributed the personal attention she received from professors at STU for helping her stand out in her applications to graduate schools.

“I had a fantastic experience within my departments at STU,” LeBlanc said.

“Everyone I worked with made an honest attempt to connect with students and ensure we were understanding and enjoying the courses.”

An Appreciation for Teamwork: Experiential Learning, Moot Court, Athletics Just before beginning her third year at STU, LeBlanc became an international moot court champion – alongside teammate and fellow STU alumna Navy Vezina – after placing first at the 2017 Nelson Mandela World Human Rights Moot Court Competition in Geneva.

LeBlanc also played for the Women’s Rugby team and

St. Thomas University | Connections

said both experiences helped teach her the value of teamwork in and outside of academia.

“I felt just as much camaraderie from my moot court experience as I did from rugby. They’re two very different types of teams but were both equally important to me during my time at STU,” she said. “In the real world, no one is working entirely on their own. You learn to work with other people and solve complex problems.”

Looking back on her time at STU, LeBlanc said studying the liberal arts truly does set graduates up for both a rewarding and a meaningful career and life.

“You can do whatever you want with a liberal arts degree. You’re equipped to do practical work to make money, while also figuring out what you’re most passionate about – to discover what kind of job you want to pursue, or how to elevate your current job into something you love.”

As for after Harvard, LeBlanc said she hopes to return to STU to share her passion for academia as a professor.

“The reason I’m pursuing a PhD is because I want to come back and teach at STU, specifically because of how much it has going on. I really admire the professors I had and what they’re doing at STU – the kinds of programs, the exclusively liberal arts atmosphere, the Great Books and moot court programs – those just aren’t things you find at other schools.”

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Profiles

by Kaylee Moore, BA’14

Mi’kmaq Alphabet Book Shyla Augustine Publishes Children’s Book

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St. Thomas School of Education student and 2020 Bachelor of Arts grad Shyla Augustine published her children’s book to inspire others to learn the Mi’kmaq language.

The Mi’kmaq Alphabet Book teaches readers the Mi’kmaq words for different animals corresponding to the English A-Z alphabet. The first print of Augustine’s book has almost sold out with copies ordered from across Canada, the United States, and the UK. The book was shortlisted for the Alice Kitts Memorial Award for Excellence in Children’s Writing through the New Brunswick Book Awards.

“My dream – my goal – is to work at schools within my community to help bring language and culturally-based lessons back into our education.”

Augustine earned her Bachelor of Arts at STU as a mature student.

She completed an internship at the children’s centre where her son attended and saw the curiosity the children had in her culture.

“I needed to learn more, my kids needed to learn more, and there are other kids wanting to learn – so why not make that happen?”

“All the inspiration that I have – all the hard work and dedication – is just me thinking about my kids,” she said. “Then going from thinking about them to thinking about all the other kids and even people my age.

They can use the book to start learning if they want to.”

Augustine created the book out of her own learning. She transformed her home into a classroom by drawing on her research and conversations with elders. With a chalkboard, she learned with her children as they discussed the weather, numbers, and animals.

“If I can’t teach them fully, at least I can teach them what I’m learning.

We’ll learn together.”

“If you take advantage of all the resources around you, you will succeed.”

Augustine said she built connections with professors, the Wabanaki Student Centre, the Writing Centre, and the Office of Experiential and Community-Based Learning, that put her on this path.

“Coming in as a single parent, my profs were so understanding and knew that I really wanted to learn. I became a stronger student, a stronger mother. I don’t know what I would have done without STU because it really changed my life in more ways than one.”

Returning to STU for her Bachelor of Education, she realized the impact she could have on future generations of learners.

“Teachers learn every day, too. I’m willing to learn. I’m willing to teach and pass down that knowledge.”

Mi’kmaq Alphabet Book Augustine was able to see this book to fruition thanks to a FutureWabanaki Grant through STU’s Office of Experiential and Community-Based Learning, the help of Illustrator Braelynn Cyr, and local publishing company Monster House Publishing.

Starting in 2021, every baby born in New Brunswick will receive a free copy of the Mi’kmaq Alphabet Book as part of NB’s Born to Read Program.

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The Mi’kmaq Alphabet Book is available to purchase online through Monster House Publishing and at local bookstores across New Brunswick.

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Profiles

by Eric Lewis

Shaping the Future of Sustainable Beauty

Andrea Bárcenas Finds a Purposeful Career with L’Oréal in Latin America

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mbracing change was not a new concept for Andrea Bárcenas when she decided in 2011 to enroll in the Journalism program at St. Thomas University, about 6,500 kilometres from her home in Peru.

Originally from Columbia, Bárcenas spent much of her childhood moving around Latin America due to her father’s career in the cropprotection industry. Through her family’s travels, Bárcenas developed a love for new adventures and experiencing new cultures.

When St. Thomas University representatives were visiting her Peruvian high school during a university fair, Bárcenas was intrigued by the

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St. Thomas University | Connections

school’s liberal arts approach to education.

After high school graduation, she travelled to Fredericton by herself, quickly making home here thanks to the help of the St. Thomas University International Students’ Association.

It was a daring choice she would recommend to others.

“It helped me to open my mind and grow up, learn how to adapt. It would be a choice I would recommend every time,” she says.

Bárcenas ultimately chose to major in Journalism, Communications, and Media Studies while minoring in French.

She speaks highly of her time at St. Thomas.

It was a positive environment where students were encouraged to be themselves, she says.

During her four years at St. Thomas, Bárcenas wrote for The Aquinian and worked in communications for the New Brunswick Child and Youth Advocate Office and Buen Día Canada in Fredericton.

Following graduation in 2015, she moved to France to study at Institut Lyonnais before settling back in Peru working in government communications. Soon enough, Bárcenas was able to combine her interest in storytelling with her passion for fashion and cosmetics, taking on the role of corporate communications and sustainability analyst for L’Oréal, the world’s largest cosmetics company, in 2018.

Within months, she was promoted to Head of Corporate Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainability for Peru. In June 2021, she was promoted again, to Head of Corporate

Affairs & Engagement for Operations in Latin America, based in Mexico City.

“I’m working with a higher purpose,” Bárcenas says, explaining that her work aligns with her personal passions and interests. “I’m working to create the future of beauty with sustainability and innovation, working in a company that is worried about the community and women empowerment. You don’t have to sacrifice your personal ambitions to have a good job. It’s not always easy to find that perfect balance, but for me, I’ve always thought that I have to be happy and pursue my values and personal ambitions.”

She points to the company’s L’Oréal for the Future sustainability program that includes a series of ambitious commitments that aim to protect the beauty of the planet, to inspire the whole business ecosystem to join this sustainable transformation, and to support global environmental and social challenges like supporting highly vulnerable women, contributing to the regeneration of nature, and promoting circular economy to a new level.

As her career trajectory continues upward, Bárcenas looks back on her time at St. Thomas fondly.

“I think it’s a happy place,” she says. “It’s a place where you are free to be yourself. That’s something I really liked about STU – the diversity of people that I met. Diversity in terms of nationalities, gender, sexuality. It was amazing. People had freedom to be themselves.

That diversity and inclusion that was always promoted at STU connects very well with what L’Oréal promotes right now. I feel in that sense I am choosing the right places.”

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by Eric Lewis

From Small-town N.B. to the International Stage

Trevor Kennedy is Director of Trade and International Policy with the Business Council of Canada

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It was while attending Harvard University’s Model United Nations with the St. Thomas University Model UN team that Trevor Kennedy’s interest in international relations crystalized.

Born in Woodstock, N.B. and raised in nearby Debec, Kennedy was interested in history and global affairs as a teenager. A high school teacher provided the encouragement Kennedy needed to pursue those interests in university, but he still lacked a sense of what he wanted to do with his education.

“I didn’t really have a lot of international experience,” Kennedy says. “I grew up in a small, mostly rural community and the Harvard Model UN trip was one of my first experiences really getting outside of that bubble. But based on my education at St. Thomas, I felt very confident. Despite all these people coming from these famous, big schools in the United States that you see in movies, I really felt that I could compete and I could grow.

From there, I had a hunger to experience more in the world.”

That’s what he did. In his third year at St. Thomas, Kennedy went on an exchange program to Japan that would change his life. Following graduation with a

Bachelor of Arts in International Relations, Kennedy returned to Japan to teach English while he learned to speak Japanese. He stayed there for three years where he had the fortune of meeting his future wife.

Upon returning home to Canada, Kennedy pursued his Master of Arts in Asia Pacific Policy Studies from the University of British Columbia. He later worked for Global Affairs Canada as a junior trade policy analyst and trade policy officer before being hired as Director of Trade and International Policy with the Business Council of Canada.

Formed in 1976, the Council is made up of about 150 chief executives and entrepreneurs of Canada’s leading enterprises. It leads research and advocacy efforts, engages the federal and other levels of government on social and economic policy decisions, and promotes

Canada globally as an ideal place to invest.

Kennedy is responsible for leading the Council’s work on Canada’s international trade and foreign policy. Per his corporate biography, he “advises and executes the council’s trade policy initiatives, liaising with Canadian policymakers as well as business networks involving key

international partners, primarily in North America, the Indo-Pacific and Europe.”

Kennedy admits that his career trajectory is not what one might expect from a liberal arts graduate, but he believes a strong liberal arts education can prepare you for anything.

“The liberal arts experience – if approached with an open mind – can prepare you for a lot of things that you weren’t necessarily planning or thinking about doing.

It can set you on a course for life,” he explains.

He credits the flexibility at St. Thomas and opportunities like the Model UN course and exchange programs for helping him find his path in life.

“I’m so grateful for how everything worked out,” he says. “It’s an unconventional career path, but I’ve been very fortunate.”

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Autumn 2021

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Profiles

by Eric Lewis

The Science Behind Making Decisions

Jacob Baisley is Helping a British Police Force Improve its Decision Making

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acob Baisley credits St. Thomas University for teaching him “how to think.” The Miramichi native graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Political Science from St. Thomas in 2010. He is now a data scientist with the Kent Police Innovation Task Force in England and runs his own consulting firm, Known Unknowns, where he helps organizations use data to improve decision making.

“The field of data science is a funny one,” Baisley says. “It’s a term that gets bandied about to describe people that do a little bit of programming and some statistical analysis; they have a really good sense of business intelligence and how a business may want to make decisions, and it’s kind of at the intersection of those.

“If you have any modicum of those three concepts and you can do a bit of everything, then people will call you a data scientist,” he says with a laugh.

Baisley’s work with the Kent Police Innovation Task Force is part of bringing new concepts and automation to policing. Using existing data sources and statistics can provide officers with a picture of crime in a particular region and remove some of the labour-intensive manual research, leaving officers with more time to actually solve crimes and implement preventative policing measures, Baisley says.

When he arrived at St. Thomas in 2006, Baisley was considering a career in politics, something he was “quickly disabused of,” the admitted political junkie says.

He credits professors Dr. Claire Goggin and Dr. Dawne Clarke whose respective Introduction to Quantitative Research

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St. Thomas University | Connections

Methods and Introduction to Criminology courses set him on his career path. Baisley became fascinated by data and criminal intelligence.

After completing his degree at St. Thomas, he worked as an executive assistant to a provincial minister. He eventually pursued his interest in criminal intelligence, studying at the Justice Institute of British Columbia and later obtaining his master’s degree in Applied Intelligence at Mercyhurst University in Pennsylvania.

After moving to England, Baisley began volunteering as a data analyst with the Kent Police Force and was awarded the Kent Police Chief Constable’s Volunteer of the Year Award in 2018. He was soon recruited to work full time with the force.

Baisley also launched his own business, Known Unknowns, a “bespoke intelligence consultancy that leans toward data science.”

His goal is to work with community organizations to enable them to make better decisions with the data they have available.

“I don’t want to be one of those consultants that is here forever,” he says. “I want to do a piece of work and leave. And I want you to be in charge of your own destiny.

And if you have another problem, call me. But this problem is done.”

Baisley says St. Thomas taught him how empathy and perspective are critical to decision making.

“There’s actually a science to how you make decisions,” he says. “And that is what is important. I think I always had that itch.

But St. Thomas is what unlocked that for me.”

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Alumni Awards

STU Honours Three Alumni with Carolyn Layden-Stevenson Distinguished Alumni Awards

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t. Thomas University will be honouring three alumni who have excelled in journalism, law, and human rights at its Gala Dinner on Saturday, October 22, 2022. The dinner, which supports student bursaries and activities, will celebrate the achievements of Provincial Court Judge the Hon. Nicole Angers, award-winning journalist Harry Forestell, and Child and Youth Advocate Norman Bossé with the Carolyn LaydenStevenson Distinguished Alumni Award.

Nicole Angers (BA’96) Nicole Angers has been a defence lawyer, a Crown prosecutor, and is now a Provincial Court Judge. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from St. Thomas University and a law degree at the Université de Moncton. From 2002 to 2011, she worked for the Office of the Attorney General of New Brunswick, and for the Public Prosecution Service of Canada from 2012 until her appointment to the provincial court in 2019. She is also involved in her community by serving on several volunteer boards, mentoring law students, and coaching minor basketball.

The common thread in her career has been dedication to her craft and continuous improvement. Her sense of humour has served her well to confront the challenges that she faced daily in her work as a prosecutor. As a judge, she strives to serve the interests of the citizens in a fair and just manner and be a positive role model for young lawyers.

Harry Forestell (BA’84) In a career spanning more than 30 years, Harry Forestell has had a front row seat to the news and the newsmakers as he reported from Europe, the UK and North America.

He began as a freelance reporter for local CBC Radio and regional newspapers in the Parliamentary Press Gallery in Ottawa. After a decade as a producer for CBC morning shows in Saint John, Ottawa, Windsor and Toronto, Forestell moved to London, England where he established himself as a science and medicine correspondent for broadcasters including BBC World Service, Radio Deutsche Welle and NPR. After serving as CBC TV’s European Business Correspondent, he returned to Canada in 1999 where he was business editor for CBC television’s national morning show and business correspondent for The National covering the tech boom and collapse and the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. He returned to London in 2005 as European correspondent for CBC Newsworld’s morning show. In 2010 Forestell became anchor of CBC News New Brunswick and during this period, the program has twice been recognized as the top show in its category in Atlantic Canada. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from St. Thomas University and a Bachelor of Journalism from Carleton University’s School of Journalism.

Norman J. Bossé, QC (BA’76, BEd’77) As Child and Youth Advocate and Seniors’ Advocate, Norman Bossé, QC, has defended the human rights of the most vulnerable people in New Brunswick.

Prior to this role, he has had an extensive legal career with nearly 30 years as a practicing lawyer in Saint John, NB with the firms of Clark Drummie (1984-2010) and McInnes Cooper (2010-2013). He received his designation as Queen’s Counsel in 2008. He is a member of the Canadian Bar Association and Law Society of New Brunswick, where he served as Chair of the Complaints Committee.

Bossé has also served as an Honorary Solicitor and President of the New Brunswick Division of the Canadian Cancer Society, and as a member of the National Board of Directors of the Canadian Cancer Society and National Cancer Institute. Before his legal career, Bossé taught junior high school in Sussex, New Brunswick. He holds a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education from St. Thomas University, and a Juris Doctor from the University of New Brunswick.

Bossé and his wife, Moira, reside in Saint John, and have four daughters (three of which are STU alumni!) and eleven grandchildren.

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Autumn 2021

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Campus Watch

STU Celebrates Convocations Virtually

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TU celebrated its Convocations virtually this year. They were live-streamed on STU’s YouTube channel and included traditional elements of an in-person Convocation, including remarks from the president, address to the graduates, and valedictory speech.

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Bachelor of Social Work Convocation January 25, 2021

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raduating students Jessica Arbing and Jordan Grimsley served as co-valedictorians. In their valedictory address, they reminded students to use the qualities and skills they developed at STU as they head into the field of social work.

“When you are in the workforce, when you are trying to pursue social justice, remember you are not alone. Remember the relationships you built with like-minded social workers at STU. Together we are stronger,” Grimsley said.

Géraldine Poirier Baiani, president of the New Brunswick Association of Social Workers, was the guest speaker. She had a 35-year career as a social worker and public servant – starting in Child Protection Services and working in most of the programs in the Department of Social Development, moving from Supervisor, Manager, and Regional Director to Assistant Deputy Minister of Program Delivery.

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Spring Convocation May 11, 2021

Summer Convocation July 9, 2021

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iana Chavez, who is from Quito, Ecuador, was the class valedictorian at the spring convocation. She spoke virtually to the more than 300 graduates who were receiving a Bachelor Arts, Bachelor of Applied Arts, and Certificates of Native Language Immersion Teaching.

“Let me ask you a question: without the buildings, the classrooms, and the events, everything that makes STU the small and special community it is, what is left of it? The answer is simple. The thing that can never be taken away from us is our tight-knit community.”

During the ceremony, the university also bestowed an Honorary Doctorate upon award-winning poet, journalist, and playwright Harry Thurston. Thurston has written more than two dozen books of poetry and non-fiction and has contributed to numerous magazines including National Geographic, Audubon, Equinox, Harrowsmith, and Canadian Geographic.

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St. Thomas University | Connections

f Maria Oakes could describe the class of 2021 in one word, it would be resilient.

Oakes, who is from Bath, NB, was the valedictorian at St. Thomas University’s Summer Convocation. She spoke virtually to the more than 110 graduates who were receiving a Bachelor of Education, Bachelor Arts, and Bachelor of Applied Arts.

“By completing a university degree during a global pandemic, we have persevered through adversity, and conquered barriers that stood in our way,” she said. “We have continually demonstrated resiliency and I believe the challenges we have faced and persevered through have not at all reduced us, but dignified us as educators and graduates, and most importantly, citizens of the world.”

Guest speaker Dr. Jennifer Russell, New Brunswick’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, commended the graduates on completing their studies during a global pandemic.

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Medal Winners

Honouring Faculty Members

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t. Thomas University honoured three faculty members for their professional achievement and impact on the university.

Dr. Andrew Moore (BA’03) (Great Books, Aquinas) received the John McKendy Memorial Teaching Award.

Bachelor of Social Work Convocation

Prof. Cristi Flood (BA’14) (Gerontology) received the Award for Excellence in Part-Time Teaching.

Both the University Medal for Academic Excellence in the Bachelor of Social Work and the Fay Nagler Levine Memorial Prize Jordan Grimsley, Limoges, ON

Dr. Karen Robert (History) received the University Service Award.

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Spring Convocation Governor General’s Academic Medal Giao Dang, Quang Tri, Vietnam – Bachelor of Arts (Honours in Economics) University Medal for Academic Excellence in Arts Maria Emilia Gutierrez, Quito, Ecuador – (Honours in Human Rights)

Summer Convocation University Medal for Academic Excellence in Education Lara Whalen, Fredericton, NB

Dr. Elizabeth McKim Named Professor Emerita

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r. Elizabeth McKim received the honorary title of Professor Emerita at the 2021 Spring Convocation in recognition of her meritorious career of over 27 years at St. Thomas University.

McKim was a faculty member in the Department of English Language and Literature where she served twice as chair. She also chaired or served on every major Senate Committee, making an important contribution to the Admissions and Academic Standing Committee. As well, she served on the Board of Governors and special university committees on matters of mission and curriculum.

Dr. McKim is highly respected by her peers and students as an innovative and exemplary teacher, scholar, and mentor. She received the university’s Teaching Excellence Award in 1997 and was nominated many times in subsequent years. She is an expert in the field of English Romantic literature, having published on Wordsworth, Coleridge, and Elizabeth Bishop.

Equally noteworthy are her two decades of research and scholarly work in the field of narrative studies and aging, having written and co-authored numerous books and articles on the subject. She was instrumental in the founding of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Narrative at STU and has co-edited its journal, Narrative Works, for the past decade.

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Alexa Navas Named 2021 Recipient of Tom McCann Memorial Trophy

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student leader known for her warmth, community building, and strong academics is the recipient of the top student award at St. Thomas University.

Alexa “Ale” Navas, from Managua, Nicaragua, has been named the 2021 recipient of the Tom McCann Memorial Trophy. The trophy is presented annually to a senior student who possesses strong leadership, character, and personality traits, and best portrays the spirit of

the university through their contributions.

During her four years at STU, Navas’ contributions have been extensive. She has been involved with the Students’ Union, the St. Thomas University International Students Association, the STU chapter of Venezuela 180, Campus Ministry, was a Peer Tutor, an International Student Ambassador, a Campus Tour Ambassador, and the Secretary General for JPHMUN – all the while maintaining an impressive GPA.

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Autumn 2021

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Liberal Arts in Action – Internships

STU Launches Master of Social Work Program

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ur internship program allows students to put their knowledge to work while they are still studying. Student placements offer personalized opportunities with organizations that focus on advocacy and social responsibility, economic development, business, journalism, policy, marketing, environmental sustainability, and much more. In the 2020-21 academic year, students were placed in approximately 150 paid internships.

“Working as part of a team on something as important as this meant I always had someone to answer my questions and provide guidance. This position opened my eyes and made me realize there is so much more I want to do.”

– Olivia Ishimwe interned with Black Lives Matter Fredericton

“It was difficult for me to not see my culture recognized in my schools growing up.

Through my internship, I was able to connect with people from within the education system on this project. The work is intended for public school educators to use to teach students.”

– Leanne Hudson interned with the Provincial Archives New Brunswick’s Integration of Indigenous Culture, Knowledge, and Traditions Project

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“My internship allowed me to engage in hands-on work by participating in walkabouts – where we converse with Fredericton’s homeless population to gather information for future programming – we also worked on a documentary aimed at debunking stereotypes associated with homelessness.”

– Simon Wassef interned

with the John

Howard Society

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Alexandre Silberman Earns Prestigious CBC Donaldson Scholarship St. Thomas journalism student Alexandre Silberman is one of twelve young journalists across the country to receive the Joan Donaldson CBC News Scholarship.

The scholarship provides graduating journalists a paid, four-month internship with the CBC at the national level. Recipients are chosen from nominated students – at the undergraduate and graduate levels – across Canada. Selection is based on exceptional academic performance; demonstrated aptitude in multi-platform reporting; and a deep engagement with the world through travel or

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St. Thomas University | Connections

community participation.

Silberman, originally from Burlington, VT, said the university’s partnership with the CBC attracted him to study at STU and move to Canada where his family has roots. He said he’s also benefited from the university’s extensive alumni network.

“Many of my colleagues at the CBC are STU grads, which has allowed me to easily make connections. It’s wonderful to have a network of people in the industry willing to offer career

t. Thomas University has launched a Master of Social Work that specializes in clinical practice and intensive workplace practicums.

The new Master of Social Work is a full-time, one-year graduate program for students who possess a social work degree. It will provide students with advanced theory and skills in professional leadership, social work supervision, and skills development through courses, and the option of a thesis or a faculty-supervised, 450-hour practicum. The first classes began in September 2021.

Coinciding with the new MSW, the Bachelor of Social Work program is being restructured into a two-year program admitting students after their first two years of a Bachelor of Arts.

STU also offers a Mi’kmaq Maliseet Bachelor of Social Work degree, a program that provides Indigenous individuals with a social work education in a flexible and culturally relevant framework.

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advice and help any way they can.”

Throughout his degree, Silberman was named to the dean’s list; worked as a student publication news editor; completed an internship with business-news site Huddle; studied abroad at Institut Albert le Grand in Angers, France; represented STU at the 2019 Harvard Model United Nations; and served as STU Debate Society President.

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Campus Watch

STU Moot Court Recap

STU Students Gaining Experience in Economic Policy Development

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ive St. Thomas University students took part in the Bank of Canada’s Governor’s Challenge, a virtual event that allows students from across the country to gain real-world experience in economic policy development.

Alec Pellerin, Maria Amalia Cordova, Giao Dang, Thao Pham, and Fabiana Rosado formed the STU team. Dr. Fariba Solati, from the Department of Economics, was the team’s faculty adviser.

The annual event challenges students to use their knowledge of macroeconomic theory to develop and defend monetary policy initiatives as policy advisors to the Bank of Canada’s Governing Council. This year was STU’s first time participating.

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Students Study Social and Political Factors in their Economic Research

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hree Economics students presented their research at the Atlantic Canada Economics Association (ACEA) Seminar Series. Fourth-year students Giao Dang, Fabiana Rosado, and Maria Amalia Cordova presented their honours thesis research at the virtual conference that brought together Atlantic Canadian economists from academic institutions, government departments and agencies, and private sector organizations.

Rosado’s paper focuses on the rate of

American Moot Court Association

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TU Moot Court finished a virtual season sending three teams to the American Moot Court Association National Tournament and earning two brief-writing awards.

Megan Cormier and Grace Baker finished tied for 17th and first-year mooters Ashley Thornton and Emily Green finished tied for 33rd at nationals.

Ethan Nylen and Julia Evans – who were designated alternates for the national tournament – were called up shortly after the event began. Their written brief placed seventh of the 100+ submitted briefs, and STU mooters Laura Rae and Mark Edgar’s written brief placed fifth.

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female labour-force participation of immigrants from Latin America and the Caribbean in Canada. Dang and Cordova each presented on the concept of “Brain Drain.” Dang’s paper examines the flow of immigrants and migrants into and out of Canada, whereas Cordova’s paper deals with brain drain in Atlantic Canada.

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Canadian Moot Osgoode Cup

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laina Mejia and Matt Oram capped off a storied moot career placing 2nd at the Canadian Moot Osgoode Cup.

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The STU moot court experience has been made possible, in large part, thanks to a generous donation from Frank and Julie McKenna to create an endowment fund in the name of McKenna’s long-time assistant Ruth McCrea.

Autumn 2021

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Campus Watch Sydona Chandon Named NB Multicultural Council Student Champion

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hird-year student Sydona Chandon has been awarded the New Brunswick Multicultural Council’s International Student Champion award for her service to others and promotion of cultural diversity within the STU community.

Originally from Westmoreland, Jamaica, Chandon’s experience coming to a new country inspired her to do what she could to help ease the transition for others. She has taken on roles that have allowed her to make

a difference. She is vice-president of the Black Students Association, fundraising officer for the St. Thomas University International Students’ Association, and was the 20192020 international student representative for the Students’ Union. She has planned social activities and inclusion events for international students and developed a monthly leadership award which recognizes student efforts to improve the campus community.

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STU Research & Ancestral Indigenous Roots: Ideas Podcast Series Brittany Gray Launches Project AIR

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TU students presented their research as podcasts for the new STU Research & Ideas Podcast Series. A new website houses the students’ podcasts, as well as a podcast series on faculty research. You can listen to the podcasts here: STU.ca/research_ideas.

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Creative Writing Prize Winners Announced

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ara Lamk, Delaney Crawford, and Emma Rhodes are this year’s recipients of the St. Thomas University Creative Writing Prizes.

Lamk received the David Adams Richards Prize for Prose, Crawford won the Velensky Prize for Work in any Genre, and Rhodes was awarded the Casto Poetry Prize.

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St. Thomas University | Connections

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ifth-year Psychology, Human Rights, and Criminology student Brittany Gray has created a resource program for Indigenous students to learn more about their culture and ancestral roots.

Project AIR will offer a Moodle resource page with teachings from elders and knowledge keepers; cultural and ceremony activities co-led by fifth-year student Rachel Burke; and a safe and supportive community hub. Gray hopes to expand Project AIR to other university campuses across Canada to help others connect to their culture.

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Tommies Leadership Awards W

ith regular season play and championships being cancelled for the 2020-21 academic year, members of the STU Tommies continued to be committed to their classwork, training, and for some fortunate ones, exhibition competition.

In a season like no other, St. Thomas Athletics took the opportunity to honour members of its teams who persevered through the pandemic-plagued season as well as showed heart and dedication at practices and lifted the spirits of their teammates and others.

Morgan McHatten, Woodstock, NB Women’s Basketball – Wing “Morgan always brought an upbeat approach to each practice and found ways to keep the team energy positive and confident.

Morgan is a very quiet but effective leader.”

– Coach Fred Connors

Nigel Cornelius, Cambridge, NS Men’s Rugby – Prop “Nigel has a very positive, infectious attitude that rubs off on everyone who crosses his path. He leads by example and his presence and engagement makes us a more cohesive group.”

– Coach Matt Coffey

Kaylee Vader, Sherwood Park, AB Women’s Hockey – Forward “Kaylee has been an integral part of the women’s program throughout her time as a Tommie.

She is always there to listen to a teammate in need. In the current climate, she showed tremendous leadership.”

– Coach Peter Murphy Ravtej Singh, Fredericton, NB Men’s Soccer – Winger “Week in week out, Ravtej has represented our team values of respect, professionalism, and work ethic every time he steps on the field and he is very deserving of this recognition.”

– Coach John-Ryan Morrison

Megan Mills, Fredericton, NB Women’s Volleyball – Left Side “Megan’s dedication to practices, encouraging her teammates, her desire to be better at every practice was amazing. Her ability to unite the experienced and youthful players provided a great season.”

– Coach Don McKay Jack Gallien, Sainte Antoine, NB Women’s Soccer – Goalkeeper “Jack had an unwavering dedication to the team and training during the disrupted 2020 season. He gave 110% at every training session. Jack’s love for the game is contagious and we are fortunate to have him on our side.”

– Coach Michelle DeCourcey Geoffrey Lavoie, Ottawa, ON Men’s Basketball – Forward “Geoff’s dedication to excellence is second to none and has vaulted him into a natural leadership role with our group. Geoff leads by example every day through his work ethic and his attention to detail.”

– Coach John Hickey Hope Metallic, Listuguj, QC Women’s Rugby – Wing “Hope has displayed strong leadership traits, inspiring and served as a role model for other athletes and embodied the creative spirit and work ethic that comes with being a Tommie.”

– Coach Nathan Bustard

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Virtual Indigenous Education and Awareness Series

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he Indigenous Students Reconciliation Committee organized, “The Indigenous Education and Awareness Series,” a four-part Zoom series.

Part 1: Ron Tremblay, the Traditional Grand Chief of Wolastoq, spoke about Indigenous Treaties specifically the Peace and Friendship Treaties that were signed between 1725 and 1779 between the British and various Indigenous nations.

Part 2: Ivan Augustine, Director of Education at Elsipogtog and member of the Three Nations Education Executive Committee, discussed Residential Schools and Indian Day Schools.

Part 3: A panel discussion made up of past and current students spoke about reconciliation at STU. Part 4: Brandy Stanovich, President of the Board of Directors for the Indigenous Women of the Wabanaki Territory, discussed the movement, statistics, and truth about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two Spirited People (MMIWG2S).

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Autumn 2021

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Campus Watch

Theatre at a Glance

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espite COVID-19 making live productions challenging, theatre still found a home at STU – virtually.

The Plain Site Theatre Festival The second annual Plain Site Theatre Festival, curated by Alex Rioux and run by Theatre St. Thomas in partnership with Solo Chicken Productions, returned to campus to present new 2SLGBTQIA+ centered plays with the aim of fostering queer visibility in our arts scene and on our campus.

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Scope–A Virtual Scavenger Hunt Directed by: Jean Michel Cliché SCOPE is a sci-fi digital performance told in the form of a scavenger hunt held across the internet. Scope is an online experience incorporating film, visual art, social media and more. Each simulation is captured as an immersive 360 degrees film, dropping the audience directly into a world of astronauts, robots and talking dogs.

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St. Thomas University | Connections

Musical Theatre

Due to Covid protocols, Musical Theatre students were unable to sing in a room together this year.

Without the ability to learn and rehearse music as a group, they decided to shift outcomes for the course.

Students learned to rehearse and audition online. They worked with Broadway actors and New York casting agents to test their material, learn about the industry, and hone their craft. They also studied the work of major musical theatre composers and took part in a workshop process for a professional musical in development.

In the second semester, with their Writer-in-residence Michael Doherty as a guide, students studied the ‘rules’ of musical theatre form and content, formed teams, and explored the writing process first-hand. Students also had a workshop and talk-back with Leslie Arden, a veritable giant of Canadian musical theatre Typically offered as an independent study option, this year the Musical Theatre students studied voice with Canadian Soprano, Sally Dibblee, and solo repertoire with Tania Breen.

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Staged Reading of Refugee Hotel

Directed by: STU Alumnus Lucas GutierrezRobert (BA’20) ‘What does it take to remember? What does it take to forget?’ The Refugee Hotel is a fictionalized story based on playwright Carmen Aguirre’s experiences arriving in Canada with her family during the brutal military coup in Chile. Theatre St. Thomas held a filmed reading featuring a BIPOC cast and crew.

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Foolish Deeds

Theatre St. Thomas in partnership with Solo Chicken Productions, presented their production of Foolish Deeds, a weird, delightful odyssey featuring a gaggle of Greek Gods, Goddess, and various other beings from the pantheon who after spending too much time alone find themselves ranting, raving, crying and whining about their Daddy issues, Tinder accounts, and how hard it is to spend time with oneself.

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Faculty News

Criminology Professor Dr. Susan Reid Named to the Order of New Brunswick

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riminology Professor Dr. Susan Reid has been awarded the Order of New Brunswick, one of the province’s highest civilian honours.

Dr. Reid is receiving the ONB for her dedication to social justice through her applied research and programming in the areas of youth justice, trauma, victimization, and gender-based violence, and for her promotion of volunteerism and social action.

A professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, her research has centered on youth justice.

She teaches courses on youth justice policy, at-risk children

Dr. Kim Fenwick Reappointed Vice-President (Academic and Research)

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r. Kim Fenwick has been reappointed Vice-President (Academic and Research) at St. Thomas University for a fiveyear term to June 30, 2026.

“Her leadership in the areas of experiential learning and the Senate Committee on Reconciliation, are noteworthy. As well, her input and support in moving forward the Master of Social Work degree and programs like Moot Court, Musical Theatre, and Visual Arts are successes,” said Dawn Russell, President and Vice-Chancellor.

She added that there has been progress on developing STU’s research capacity through the Canada Research Chairs, an updated Strategic Research Plan, and research internships for students. Fenwick also led the improvements of policies on harassment and discrimination, academic/non-academic misconduct, and sexual violence.

In addition to building on these accomplishments, Dr. Fenwick is interested in further progress in areas including reconciliation, recruitment and retention, and building a successful Master of Social Work program.

Fenwick holds a B.Sc. from Acadia and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Western. She joined St. Thomas’s Department of Psychology in 1995.

She served as Chair of that department for seven years and has served on, and chaired, numerous Senate and University committees. She was appointed Dean of Social Sciences on July 1, 2012 and became Acting Vice-President (Academic and Research) on January 11, 2016.

Following a national search, she was named to the position on July 1, 2016. She is the author of numerous scholarly publications and was the winner of our Teaching Excellence Award in 2006.

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and youth, crime prevention, and child and youth rights.

Her work with young people in conflict with the law has led to an increased understanding of the key issues they face. She is currently the Director of the Centre for Research on Vulnerable Women and Youth, which provides research, consultation and outreach to a variety of community organizations. For example, at the New Brunswick Women’s Correctional Centre in Miramichi, it engages women in research projects and the creation of programming on trauma, victimization, and gender-based violence.

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Autumn 2021

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Campus Watch

Book Launches

Dr. André Loiselle

Faculty

(English Language and Literature) edited Cinema of Pain: On Quebec’s Nostalgic Screen.

Dr. Tony Tremblay

Dr. Gül Çalıskan (Sociology)

(English Language and Literature) published The Fiddlehead Moment: Pioneering an Alternative Canadian Modernism in New Brunswick.

edited Gendering Globalization, Globalizing Gender: Postcolonial Perspectives.

Dr. Karla O’Regan (Criminology and Criminal Justice) published Law and Consent: Contesting the Common Sense.

Dr. Jamie Gillies (Communications and Public Policy) edited Political Marketing in the 2019 Canadian Federal Election.

Dr. Matthew Hayes (Sociology) released a Spanish version of his book, Gringolandia.

Migración NorteSur y desigualdad global.

and Criminal Justice) wrote Just the Usual Work: The Social Worlds of Ida Martin, Working-Class Diarist..

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Research at a Glance In partnership with the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre for Family Violence Research at the University of New Brunswick, Dr. Karla O’Regan (BA’98) received a Public Health Agency of Canada Grant of $153,996 for her research, “Supporting the Health of Survivors of Family Violence in Family Law Proceedings.”

Dr. Gül Çalıskan and the New Brunswick Multicultural Council received a Mitacs Accelerate Grant of $60,000 for their project,

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Dr. Bonnie Huskins (History) and Michael Boudreau (Criminology

“Intercultural and Anti-Racism Skills Toolkit - Research and Development Project.”

Dr. Fariba Solati received $44,795 from the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation Research Assistantship Initiative for her research on “Brain Drain/Gain in Canada: How Does New Brunswick Keep Its Human Capital Compared with Other Atlantic Canada Provinces.”

Dr. Erin Fredericks (BA’06) received $50,000 from the New Brunswick Health Research

St. Thomas University | Connections

Foundation & Mental Health Research Canada COVID-19 Child, Youth & Family Mental Health Impact Grant for her project, “We’ve Survived Before: An Intergenerational, LGBTQ+ Youth-Led Response to COVID-19.”

Funded by a SSHRC Partnership Engage Grant, Dr. Raluca Bejan, (Dalhousie University) teamed up with STU professors Dr. Kristi Allain and Dr. Tracy Glynn to research COVID-19 and the health and safety of migrant workers in Maritime Canada.

Dr. Clive Baldwin received $21,000 from the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation’s New Brunswick Priority Occupation Student Support Fund for his project on “Developing Interactive Narrative-Based Learning in Child Protection.”

Dr. Baldwin and a team of researchers from STU and other universities have received a SSHRC Insight Grant of $187,716 for a project entitled “New Religious Movements and spiritualities, narrative identity, and religious diversity in Canada.”

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New & Noteworthy 1980s

News from classmates and friends around the world

1990s

Wayne Knorr, (BA ’83) (Hons) is the Communications manager for the city of Fredericton. Wayne became national President of the Canadian Public Relations Society in September of 2020. He will head the 1,400-member association representing public relations and communications professionals for one year.

Kevin Kiley, (BA ’90) has been named one of Atlantic Business Magazine’s Top 50 CEOs for 2021. This year’s award recognizes the resilience and strength of Atlantic Canadian leaders after the difficulties faced during a global shutdown. Kevin is a Managing Partner at McInnes Cooper and was nominated by members of the firm for his excellent leadership and communication over the past year.

2000s

Serena Lewis, (BSW ’05) has been nominated and chosen as the successful candidate for a Canadian Distinguished

Service Award for the Canadian Association of Social Workers.

Serena is a local, national and international facilitator on the topics of dying, death and grief. Her recognition for this award comes from her work during the tragic Portapique shootings in Nova Scotia.

2010s

Kayla Preston, (BA ’18) has received a SSHRC scholarship for her PhD in Sociology at the University of Toronto. Kayla graduated from Dalhousie University in May of 2020 where she also received a SSHRC scholarship and reached the finals for the 2019 SSHRC storyteller competition that was held in Vancouver.

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In Memoriam We extend condolences to the family and friends of the following alumni and friends who passed away recently:

Jared Christopher Holder, BEd’09 February 8, 2019

Bryan Murphy, BA’71 August 12, 2019

Raymond Kardas, BA’76 August 22, 2019

Brian Frederick Markey, BA’68 BEd’69 November 14, 2019

Allison Crocker, BA’72, BEd’82 December 22, 2019

Albert Lavigne, BA’60, BEd’64 March 2, 2020

Peter H. Mitchell, BT’76, BEd’79

April 2, 2020

Rod Brideau, BA’69 June 11, 2020

Robert Losier, BA’64, BEd’68 August 2, 2020

Laurette Drapeau, BA’73

August 27, 2020

Leigh Ann Forbes, BA’88 October 31, 2020

Hugh Fitzpatrick, ND November 9, 2020

Sharon Maureen Dolan, BA’80 November 19, 2020

James (Jim) Asher, BA’68 December 1, 2020

Guy Albert, BA’67 December 11, 2020

Sabrina Case, BA’97, BEd’99 December 22, 2020

Patrick McCluskey, BA’53, BEd’55 January 14, 2021

Joseph (Joey) G. Ryan, BA’08 January 20, 2021

Peter Smyth, BA’74

January 27, 2021

Robyn Kelly Sweet, BA’03 January 28, 2021

Jack Walsh, BA’75 February 4, 2021

Allan Stewart Swim, BA’86 February 5, 2021

James (Jim) Pye, BA’70 February 14, 2021

William (John) McMaster, BA’65, BEd’66 February 14, 2021

Tree l a i r o Memting ate Plan e university held a privory of the , th in mem In June Planting ) e e r T l . (Jack Memoria John J e ic t s u r. J assed Hon. M , who p 5 ’7 A B 21. The Walsh, ruary 20 b e F in away d by his s donate a ho w e e tr Jack, w honour s to y il fam and wa at STU t r ta s te a r. got his alma m is h f o d u very pro

Michael O’Keeffe Nowlan, HS’55, BA’59, HON’10 February 17, 2021

Anne Taylor, BEd’63, MA’64 February 28, 2021

Claude Cyr, ND

March 18, 2021

Wallace (Wally) James Jimmo, HS’55, BA’59 March 19, 2021

Christine Anne Cornell – Faculty June 15, 2021

James Mark Burns, BA’70, BEd’71 July 1, 2021

Andrew (Andy) Williams, BA’87 August 4, 2021

Autumn 2021

25

New & Noteworthy: Tributes Dr. Christine Anne Cornell Jim Asher, BA’68 (1963-2021)

(1944-2020)

C

hristine Anne Cornell passed away peacefully on June 15, 2021 at Fredericton Hospice House after a short, but courageous battle with cancer. Beloved wife of Kevin Tutt, Christine is also survived by her parents, Lois Stanley (Roger) and David Cornell (Colette Lavallée); brother, Andrew Cornell; nephew, Harry Edmundson-Cornell (Natasha); stepbrother, Stephen Stanley (Krista); stepsister, Kelly Stanley; aunts, Janet Cummings (John) and Judy Cornell. She was predeceased by her grandparents, James McMenomy, Florence McMenomy, Ron Cornell, and Muriel Cornell.

Her love of animals almost led Christine to become a veterinarian, but her love of books led her to pursue an academic career. Christine was an Associate Professor at St. Thomas University teaching in the Department of English Language and Literature and the Great Books Program, a program she played an instrumental role in founding.

Christine’s approach to life was always to put others first. This included putting the quality of her teaching first to ensure that her students were engaged, challenged, and had the best learning experience possible. St. Thomas recognized Christine’s dedication to teaching with the university’s Excellence in Teaching Award in 2007. A passionate lifelong learner, Christine had many hobbies including birding, photography, music, creative writing and, more recently, she created an online game and learned 3D graphics which she used to create comics and a graphic novel for teaching Shakespeare’s Roman plays.

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J

im Asher was born in Victoria on August 9, 1944, and later became a passionate Frederictonian with an enduring belief in New Brunswick.

Jim was known for his keen intellect, gentle demeanour, and compassionate nature. His good humour and joie de vivre made him an engaging conversationalist. His interests were varied, from astronomy, science, and economics, to music, photography, and liberal arts. Jim was an advocate for literacy and a devoted reader with an ever-changing stack of books by his chair. A prolific writer, he was always so careful with the written word.

Progressive in his views, Jim was forever thinking of “how to make the world work” and there is no better example of this than his determination to have a centre of excellence in the study of family violence established on the university campus. Out of this grew the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Foundation. He was excited by technology and using it to help people and communities tell their stories. As a lifelong philosopher Jim had a wonder about the world. He taught philosophy at St. Thomas University and in later years was a member of “The Philosopher’s Soup.”

He is survived by his wife of 46 years Jane (Garey), daughters Kathryn (Adam Gilmore) and Elizabeth, and grandsons Miles Elliot and Reid Alexander. Jim was predeceased by his parents Jock and Maureen as well as brothers John and Robert.

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Hon. Justice John J. (Jack) Walsh, BA’75 (1952-2021)

T

he Hon. Jack Walsh, QC, cherished husband and father, passed at the age of 68 on February 4, 2021. He was a proud Miramichier and true gentleman. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Brenda (Blackmore), daughters Becky (Doyle) and Katie (Will), and grand-daughter, Andie.

After high school, Jack worked at the mill to save money to attend STU. He worked hard towards his Bachelor of Arts and was accepted to UNB Law School during his third year.

He was in private practice in the Miramichi for a decade before becoming a Crown Prosecutor. He was nationally known for being one of the first lawyers in Canada to introduce DNA evidence at trial and later worked at the Federal Department of Justice to develop DNA legislation and consult with police and prosecutors. He was appointed Judge of the Provincial Court in 2008 and Justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench in 2009. Over his career, he received the Canadian Bar Association’s John Tait Award of Excellence in Public Sector Law, the Crown Prosecutor’s Association’s Robert Murray Award, and the Canadian Bar Association’s Distinguished Service Award.

Jack was a kind, unassuming man who showed passion towards everyone and everything he loved. He left his mark and will be missed by his family, community, profession, and his friends at STU.

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26

St. Thomas University | Connections

Planning for the future is a key part of ensuring the people you love and the institutions you hold dear are part of your legacy. Leaving a planned gift is an easy way to declare your commitment to St. Thomas and to safeguard the future of its students.

Imagine knowing that your connection to St. Thomas will serve as a catalyst and motivation for future learners. Many students, every year, benefit from the thoughtfulness and planning of those who have chosen to make St. Thomas part of their legacy.

There are several ways to plan for the future:

Beneficiary Designation | You can name St. Thomas University as a beneficiary of your retirement plan, life insurance or insurance annuity assets.

If you have been thinking about including St. Thomas in your plans for the future, please contact Dionne Izzard at dizzard@stu.ca or 506-452-2140.

planned giving

Securities | You can give publicly-listed securities such as stocks, bonds and mutual funds to St. Thomas University through your estate. A donation of securities is a great way to make a significant difference to our students and university. The elimination of the capital gains tax on gifts of securities may create a considerable tax advantage for you.

We’ve partnered with Ten Thousand Coffees to create STU Connects, a networking platform that matches alumni with students and recent grads for career inspiring conversations, either online or in person.

All you have to do is meet a student virtually once a month. Chat on the phone or exchange emails. Answer their questions, share your experience and provide insight.

Join today: stu.ca/stuconnects/alumni

506-452-2140

Bequest | Consider leaving a Bequest for St. Thomas in your Will. You can either determine a set amount, leave a percentage or the remainder of your estate to St. Thomas University once all other bequests and expenses have been paid.

STUdents are asking for your perspective.

stu.ca/stuconnects/alumni

Be Part of the Future

Jamie Eddy, Partner

Dedicated to finding solutions to workplace issues Issues such as workplace harassment, human rights law, occupational health & safety, and terminations are always on the minds of employers.

You can rely on Cox & Palmer’s experienced New Brunswick team for all of your employment and labour needs.

Jamie Eddy jeddy@coxandpalmer.com 506.462.4751

Autumn 2021

27

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