Community Report for 2016
A Personal Note from the President Our Community Report shows the positive impact of your generous financial support on St. Thomas University. Wherever I am in Canada, I say, “If you could meet our students, you would see why we believe so strongly in STU.” They are top scholars and leaders on campus and in the community. They win national awards for their academic work. Their research is published in journals. They win humanitarian awards. They are top athletes, actors and activists. They use their time to help others. What is less well known is that many of our students are the first in their family to complete a university degree. More than half of our students receive some form of financial assistance, and almost 80 per cent of our new first-year students receive a scholarship or bursary. Young people from every background deserve a quality education and the opportunity to realize their potential. Sometimes they just need financial assistance, a helping hand along the way that supports them and the innovative programs we offer.
Dawn Russell is joined by Lily Fraser, Vice-President, Finance and Dr. Kim Fenwick, Vice-President, Academic and Research
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Your support makes a difference because we put your gifts into action every day. It allows us to offer one of the finest liberal arts educations in the country. And what a difference it makes for our students! After graduation, it means greater employment rates, career satisfaction, and higher earnings. Compared to other universities, STU grads have greater engagement with civic issues, environmental sustainability, and social diversity. Our graduates are also more likely to support community causes and become involved in social justice. Imagine what our students will accomplish in the future as they repay your belief in them. For now—on behalf of St. Thomas University—a heartfelt thank you for your support. Dawn Russell President and Vice Chancellor
Gifts in Action
“Experiential learning connects students directly to what they’re studying. We combine soft skills, global knowledge, and hard skills to customize the learning experience. That’s the cool thing about experiential learning—it’s based on the students’ needs, abilities, and passions.”
Expanding Experiential Learning Opportunities A collaboration with NB Power will see a new Office of Experiential and Community-Based Learning, work placements, and new scholarships for students. There will also be workshops and public events that explore the connection between public policy and public engagement. The Office of Experiential and Community-Based Learning will offer
students opportunities to use their education in practical settings. Through partnerships with external organizations, students will analyze significant and current social, business, and community issues. These experiences will expose students to real-life industry and workplace problem solving and decisionmaking, and enhance their education.
A Moving and Memorable Experience “I had the opportunity to delve into Irish literature, mythology, and culture in a manner far deeper than simply reading about it. It is such a beautiful and distinct country that can only be truly understood by witnessing it first-hand. It was a moving and memorable experience.” – Annie Tremblay, BA ’17, who participated in Irish Studies Abroad Program which was generously sponsored by donors.
– Jessica Hughes, Manager of the Office of Experiential and Community-Based Learning
Gala Dinner Raises Money for Student Aid Alumni and friends gathered at the STU Gala Dinner in April, raising more than $80,000 to support students in financial need. At the dinner, Roger Clinch, BA ’68, a highly recognized and respected senior executive in the private sector, and Stephen Ward, BA ’73, a philosopher, journalist, educator and award-winning author, were honoured with the Carolyn LaydenStevenson Distinguished Alumni Award.
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Gifts in Action
Moot Court is made possible by a generous donation by Stewart McKelvey Lawyers • Avocats.
Stewart McKelvey Supports Moot Court Program McKelvey and St. Thomas University’s Moot Court team has been instrumental in building our success,” said Human Rights professor Dr. Amanda DiPaolo, the faculty member in charge of the Moot Court program. “We also achieved great success by winning
The Irene Mulroney Entrance Scholarship has doubled in value this year. The scholarship, which is generously funded by the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney and friends of the Mulroney family, is awarded annually to a student enrolling full time with an admission average of 80 per cent or higher. This scholarship honours the memory of Irene Mulroney, the mother of the former Prime Minister of Canada. Mitch Claybourn of Fredericton, NB, was the first recipient of the Dwight Dickinson Basketball Award, named in honour of Coach Dickinson’s 22 years of service. Valued at $1,000, it is awarded to a student in satisfactory academic standing who has demonstrated athletic and leadership abilities. The award was generously funded by an endowment established by friends and alumni of STU Basketball.
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Artists in Residence
STU offers the only undergraduate Moot Court program in Maritime Canada. Our students get courtroom experience and have competed in national competitions in the United States. “The partnership between Stewart
speaker awards and qualifying for the American national championships. This would not have been possible without the team being able to participate in valuable invitational tournaments funded by the generous support from Stewart McKelvey.”
The Department of English hosted Lesandra Dodson, Lisa Anne Ross, and the coop company members as artists in residence on campus. They worked with students who were cast in the chorus of Theatre St. Thomas’s production of Euripides’ The Bacchae and led physical theatre workshops twice a week, including very challenging “contact improv” work. The residency was made possible by gifts to the STU Fund.
A Meaningful Student Experience STU Cares: Day of Action STU received the United Way’s Community Builder Award for organizing the STU Cares Day of Action. The university partnered with the United Way to organize two days of action events. In September, students spent the day sorting clothes at the Fredericton Homeless Shelter, serving food and organizing shelves at the Community Kitchen, painting walls at Family Enrichment and Counselling Services, painting and gardening at the Marysville Community Centre (The Ville), and undertaking a mini-awareness campaign
Women’s Rugby Partners with Fredericton Homeless Shelter The Tommies took their work ethic from the rugby field to a volunteer project that will benefit hundreds of women in the Fredericton region. They partnered with the Fredericton Homeless Shelter to help renovate their newest facility by crack-filling, sanding, painting, and ripping up carpet. The facility will include an education centre and will house up to 13 women.
for Hospice Fredericton. In March, students did a community tour at the Victoria Health Centre where they got to visit with organizations such as Capital Region Mental Health and Addictions, Laubach Literacy, Meals on Wheels, and Easter Seals. They then headed to The Ville to help clean, sand, and paint.
“The most rewarding part of this experience will be the satisfaction of knowing this shelter is going to house 13 women that don’t have anywhere to go.” – Jenna Betts, BA ’16
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More Than Just a Book
Alumni Career Network
The Young Offenders and Juvenile Justice class in Criminology collected books to donate to the New Brunswick Youth Centre in Miramichi—the only secure detention and custodial institution in the province for young persons under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. On top of the donations, STU Youth Matters was able to purchase new reading materials, thanks to a generous contribution from the Meighen Family Foundation.
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“Growing up as a quiet kid, the books I read played an important role as characters provided me with a positive influence and inspired me to follow my dreams. Youth should be given the opportunity to share in that experience, and if these books bring a single smile to their faces, it was absolutely worth every effort.”
The Long Night Against Procrastination The end of the semester and exam time can be stressful for our students. That’s why this year we hosted the Long Night Against Procrastination, an event to help students make progress on their academic work. The event included: • Therapy dogs • Writing help • Subject specific tutors • Zumba break • Quiet work rooms • Midnight snack • De-stress craft corner
– Taylor Newman, BA ’16
STU launched the Alumni Career Network to connect students with alumni who are working in a variety of fields. The alumni profiled on the website show the breadth, depth and impact of a liberal arts degree. www.stu.ca/careernetwork
Tom Henheffer, BA ’09 Executive Director, Canadian Journalists for Free Expression
Learning from Guest Speakers Lodhi Memorial Lecture Roméo Dallaire Former Canadian Army LieutenantGeneral and humanitarian Roméo Dallaire spoke about lessons learned during the Rwandan genocide and explained how the international community now has a role in providing assistance in the Syrian refugee crisis. Vigod Memorial Lecture Alex Neve Alex Neve, the secretary general of Amnesty International Canada, spoke about the potential for a change in human rights leadership in Canada following the federal election, whether it’s addressing violence against Indigenous women at home or advocating for strong global responses to the Syrian refugee crisis on the world stage.
McKenna Centre Distinguished Speaker Series Blair Feltmate Discussion on climate change has largely focused on mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. Blair Feltmate explained why the national conversation must also fully embrace adaptation to climate change to address challenges that will otherwise be beyond correction—and economically, socially and environmentally debilitating to Canada. Endowed Chair in Criminology and Criminal Justice Lecture Hon. Wally Oppal The Hon. Wally Oppal, who led two of the most significant commissions of inquiry in Canada, spoke on “British Columbia’s Missing Women Commission of Inquiry.” Dalton Camp Lecture in Journalism Lyse Doucet BBC chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet showed the modern parallel between Longfellow’s poem Evangeline — about two lovers lost in the Acadian expulsion — and today’s refugee crisis.
The REDress Project: An aesthetic response to the more than 1,000 missing and murdered Aboriginal women in Canada. Jaime Black Jaime Black’s internationally recognized installation, The REDress Project, explores themes of gender, identity, place and resistance through installation, photography and performance. Women and Gender Studies and Peace Studies Lecture Dr. Julie Kaye Although Dr. Julie Kaye says awareness has grown about missing and murdered Indigenous women and the violence faced by Indigenous women, she argued that many of the systems and structures of Canadian society continue to function from the premise in which they were conceived: the dispossession and erasure of Indigenous women. Irving Chair in Journalism Lecture Ros Guggi Award-winning journalist and editor Ros Guggi discussed how the next generation of journalists will need new skills and different approaches to survive and thrive in the midst of tumultuous changes in the news business.
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Teaching Students about Respect and Diversity STU partnered with Anglophone School District East to present the Respect and Diversity Conference to more than 200 middle school and high school students, their educators, school administrators and community members.
Members of the STU community presented on issues ranging from mental health, the importance of safer spaces in schools for the LGBTQ community, and intercultural conflict resolutions.
St. Thomas University has appointed Beaverbrook Art Gallery’s senior curator Jeffrey Spalding to serve concurrently as director of its Yellow Box Gallery, located in McCain Hall. The partnership will include a series of exhibitions while working with students at STU to provide a unique practicum in applied art history and museum studies.
STU’s Yellow Box Gallery Partners with The Beaverbrook Art Gallery
Campus Partnerships
STU Criminology and Criminal Justice and Fredericton Police Collaborate on Pilot Project in Youth Justice St. Thomas University’s Criminology and Criminal Justice Program and the Fredericton Police Force established a new partnership that will provide insight on the issues facing youth today, particularly mental health challenges. Under the new partnership, students are putting their classroom knowledge into practice and gaining first-hand insight into daily police operations concerning youth. The Fredericton Police Department will learn from the youth who offer different perspectives on issues facing young people and obtain information which could impact police policies, programs, and intervention efforts.
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Student Success STU Students Take First Place at Startup NB Ali Ponte, BA ’17, Adriana Rivas, BA ’17, and Oriana Cordido De Sola, BA ’19, from Venezuela, were part of a six-person team that earned first place for their product Glow App—an application to help individuals showcase their personality when applying for a job. “We began thinking about how to improve the application process,” said Ponte. “The biggest thing employers miss in the process is something nearly impossible to demonstrate on paper—personality.” Glow App allows applicants to submit short video clips, giving employers an idea of their personalities.
Rubaina Singh, BA ’15, is one step closer to her goal of working with UN Women, the United Nations organization dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. The Interdisciplinary Honours graduate has been accepted to the Canadian and American Dual Juris Doctor program at the University of Windsor and University of Detroit Mercy— the only comparative program where students earn both Canadian and American Law degrees in just three years.
In only his second year, Michael Pallotto, BA ’18, is experiencing first-hand the big opportunities that can come from a small university. His essay, “The Big Power of Small Business: How Local Enterprise Better Achieves the Common Good” was selected as a winner of the Georgetown Institute for the Study of Markets and Ethics essay contest, earning him a scholarship to attend a symposium at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.
Journalism major Sean McCullum, BA ’16, took home the John H. MacDonald student journalism award for social media for his work with The Brunswickan. As multimedia and online editor, McCullum was responsible for social media management, creating videos, reader relations, analytic analysis, and updating the website. A large portion of his time was spent re-designing the paper’s website.
Stefen Savoy, BA ’17, received the Atlantic University Sport Student Athlete Community Service Award for his commitment to academics, athletics, and community.
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Jeremy Speller Uses Sport to Encourage Education in his First Nations Community said. “That’s exactly what we want to do—use sports as an instrument to encourage education.” Last year, the community sent First Nations youth to Fredericton to watch Speller play basketball for the Tommies. They plan to do the same this year, but in a larger capacity. “STU and my community in Gesgapegiag are teaming up to bring the youth here again, but this time we’re opening the invitation to other First Nation communities,” Speller said. “We want to give the kids an opportunity to see more than just basketball.”
The men’s volleyball team at St. Thomas University had another successful season, capturing their third consecutive Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association title and representing the conference at the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association national championships.
The women’s hockey team had one of its most successful campaigns this year, competing for the Atlantic University Sport championship for the second time in program history and qualifying for the Canadian Interuniversity Sport national championships. The team earned their first ever win at a national championship when they beat McGill 2-1 – a huge feat considering the student population of McGill is 20 times that of STU! Jonathan Gionet of the track and field team won a silver medal for STU in shot put at the AUS Championships.
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This season was the men’s soccer team’s most successful campaign in recent memory, as the squad came one goal short of claiming the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association men’s soccer championship.
Tommies Outstanding Achievements
Jeremy Speller, BA ’17, is using sports as a way to encourage youth in his First Nations community to go to school. The Millennium Bursary recipient and member of the men’s basketball team has been working at the youth centre in the Gesgapegiag community, located on the south shore of the Gaspésie in Quebec, for a number of years. He’s coached basketball and attended his third youth First Nations Educational Council tournament in June. “We all know sports are correlated with education and success,” Speller
Women’s rugby claimed their second straight silver medal at the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association conference final.
Faculty Success The book Women Voicing Resistance, co-edited by Sue McKenzie-Mohr, associate professor in the School of Social Work, and Michelle Lafrance, professor in Psychology, has won the 2015 Distinguished Publication Award, presented by the Association for Women in Psychology. Lafrance was also recognized for her excellence in research with the University Scholar Award at the 2016 spring convocation.
School of Social Work Professor Dr. Aamir Jamal has always had a passion for girls’ access to education and now, thanks to a program he helped create, 34 children in Pakistan have the opportunity to go to school. The Canadian Association for Children’s Education in Pakistan was created to support the schooling of vulnerable children, particularly orphans and girls.
Dr. Kelly Bronson of the Department of Science and Technology Studies teamed up with colleagues from the University of Guelph to conduct a citizens deliberation on the hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” issue as a case study in public policy formulation. The purpose of the research was to conduct a one-day deliberation on fracking with ordinary New Brunswickers and give attention to Aboriginal voices. Bronson said the researchers are interested in a discussion that goes beyond the technical details to include what values this group of citizens thinks the government should consider when it forms decisions about energy policy.
Criminology and Criminal Justice Department Professor Dr. Susan Reid received the University Service Award at Spring Convocation for her outstanding contribution to the university and wider community. Reid has devoted much of her career to the wellbeing of youth in New Brunswick. She is the Director of the Centre for Research on Youth at Risk and co-leads Youth Matters, which began as a high school-university partnership network of young people. Reid is a member of the New Brunswick Harm Prevention roundtable, a founding board member of Champions for New Brunswick Children, a member of the New Brunswick Crime Prevention Strategy’s Youth at Risk working group, a longstanding board member of the John Howard Society, and an inductee to the New Brunswick Crime Prevention Hall of Fame.
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Where are our students from? Full-time student body by province of application (2015-2016) l 6% ationa Intern 4% dn rC he Ot 4%
Number Value
N O PE I
Scholarships and Bursaries Disbursed (2015-2016) Scholarship - Entrance (first-year)
388
$ 808,987.91
4%
Scholarship - In Course
38
$ 40,648.20
Scholarship - Renewals
263
$ 717,371.43
Total Scholarship
689
$ 1,567,007.54
Bursary - Entrance (Undergrad)
186
$ 155,828.22
Bursary - In Course
102
$ 78,583.32
Bursary - Post-Bacc
29
$ 18,150.00
Bursary - Renewals
19
$ 10,000.00
Total Bursary
336
$ 404,679.98
Other Awards
90
$ 269,283.76
Total Other Awards
90
$ 269,283.76
N S 10%
NB 72%
GRAND TOTAL
1115 $ 2,240,971.28
Notes: Excludes B143 International Bursary figures (processed as a tuition waiver) and B163 Exchange Travel Bursaries
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Giving at STU Who is Giving to STU?
Where is your money going? Student Experience 3%
Operations 3%
Athletics 13%
Alumni 21%
Organizations 51%
Student Awards 43%
Greatest Need 18%
Friends 28% Academic Initiatives 20%
Canadian University Survey Consortium Survey of Graduating Students 2015 • 91% were satisfied or very satisfied with the overall quality of education at STU • 91% would recommend St. Thomas University to others • 95% of STU graduates were satisfied with the quality of teaching they received • 96% reported professors are accessible outside of class
The Shared Aspirations of Our Community St. Thomas University Strategic Plan 2013-2018 Our Strategic Plan is the result of an extensive consultation with our community. During that process, clear and positive themes emerged about the future of St. Thomas University. Strategic Priorities: 1. Excellence in Undergraduate Liberal Arts Education 2. A Meaningful and Memorable Student Experience 3. A Commitment to Research and Societal Engagement 4. A Welcoming, Diverse and Inclusive Community 5. Financial Sustainability
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STU Budget at a Glance 2016-2017 Budgeted Revenues (Total: $28,364,400) 2016-2017 Budgeted Expenses (Total: $29,343,200)
Other $1.2M 4%
Operating Grant $14.1M 50%
Tuitions and Fees $13.1M 46%
Student Services Computing Services $1.7M Fiscal Transfer $1M 6% to UNB 3% $1.9M 6%
Ph ys i $2 cal P .2M la 8% nt Administration and General $5M 17%
Economic Contribution of STU Attracted 104 full-time faculty to the city Employs 103 part-time faculty Employs 90 staff members Educates 2,000 students every year (3/4 of these are from NB) Granted 7,760 academic credentials since 2004.
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Academic $17.6M 60%
Beyond 2016: STU Shapes Tomorrow’s Leaders “St. Thomas University helped me discover my love for writing and telling stories. The university’s student newspaper, The Aquinian, allowed me to explore and improve my writing. My professors and classmates also saw to it that I chased after my dreams of one day becoming both a reporter and author. Today, they’re still pushing me.” – Elizabeth Fraser, BA ’12, Winner of The Jim MacNeill New Journalist Award for 2016 at the Atlantic Journalism Awards and author of Faith Is
“The learning community at STU cultivated my passion for social justice and encouraged me to find my voice as an activist and diversity advocate. STU provided me with critical learning skills and a sense of community engagement that I’ve carried forward in creative projects—such as the documentary I helped create with VICE and the video project I participated in with The New York Times—and in my professional career as an academic and educator.” – AJ Ripley, BA ’08, Advocate for diversity rights and host/co-producer of On Hold: Investigating Transgender Health Access in Canada “My time at STU showed me there are diverse perspectives within every issue and it takes all sorts to make the world go round. Working in economic development and within the business community, I’ve often found myself in situations where I’m the only arts grad at the table. It has been a great advantage and opportunity to bring diversity and inclusivity to the conversation.” – Nicola MacLeod, BA ’14, Recognized by Huddle Today as one of “6 Young New Brunswickers to Watch” for her commitment to community development
“The STU community challenged me to ask questions and find answers to ‘what is the common good?’ while providing an enabling environment to put this into practice and teaching me to lead (I found out this means to serve). The experience shaped my ideas, how I raise my family, and what I seek to contribute to our community.” – Michael Cameron, BA ’08, led partnership between Cuso International and Canada’s top MBA School, providing students the opportunity to address poverty in developing countries
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St. Thomas University Board of Governors Ex officio Most Rev. Robert Harris, BA, LTh, JCL - Chancellor Dawn Russell, BA, LLB, LLM - President and Vice-Chancellor Kim Fenwick, BSc, MA, PhD - Vice-President (Academic and Research) Appointed Tanya Chapman, BA, BEd Justice David Farrar, BA, LLB Don Fitzgerald, BComm, Chair Peter Forestell, QC, BA, LLB The Hon. Noël A. Kinsella, BA, LPh, PhD, STL, STD Carolyn MacKay, BN, MBA Rev. Douglas R. McNeill, BA, BTh, MDiv Claire Morris, BA, MSW Phillippe Ouellette, BA, MA Vaughn Sturgeon, BA, CPA, CMA Bill Whalen, BA, APR, FCPRS Dianne Wilkins, BT, BA, MEd (Administration) Faculty Christine Cornell, BA, MA, PhD Thomas Bateman, BA, MA, PhD Dawne Clarke, BA, MA, PhD
Students Nicholas Decarie Sekou Hendrickson Alumni Francis McBrearty, BA, LLM, JD Observers Lily Fraser, BSc, MHA, CPA, CGA (Vice-President, Finance and Administration) Jodi (Hutchinson) Misheal, BA, BEd (Interim Vice-President, Advancement) Fernanda Damiani (President, Students’ Union)
Administration
www.stu.ca
Leadership
Dawn Russell, President and Vice-Chancellor Kim Fenwick, Vice-President (Academic and Research) Lily Fraser, Vice-President (Finance and Administration) Jodi (Hutchinson) Misheal, Interim Vice-President (Advancement and Alumni Relations) Michael Dawson, Associate Vice-President (Research) Scott Duguay, Associate Vice-President (Enrolment Management) Michael Boudreau, Dean of Humanities, Acting Dean of Social Sciences Karen Preston, Registrar
51 Dineen Drive, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada E3B 5G3 www.stu.ca