Community Report for 2023
STU TODAY:
FAC T S & FIGURES OVER 25
ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES
TOP CHOICE MORE STUDENTS STUDY LIBERAL A R T S AT S T U THAN ANY OTHER NB UNIVERSITY
— MPHEC
STU STUDENTS RATE FACULTY SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER FOR EFFECTIVE TEACHING AND REPORT A MORE SUPPORTIVE CAMPUS ENVIRONMENT — NSSE
FIRST AT FOUNDED MOOT COURT NELSON MANDELA WORLD
HUMAN RIGHTS COMPETITION
AND OSGOODE CUP 8/10 FIRST-YEAR GENEVA 2017
IN
1910
TORONTO 2019
STUDENTS
WHO APPLY FOR
SCHOLARSHIP
/BURSARY 2
RECEIVED ONE
1,650 99% STUDENTS FROM
35 COUNTRIES
OF FACULTY HOLD THE HIGHEST DEGREE IN THEIR FIELD
President & Vice-Chancellor My first days at STU have been spent connecting with as many people as possible. No matter who I meet, when they hear that I am the President of STU, they want to speak about their relationship with our university. People admire and support STU. They are looking forward to the future and my task will be to harness that energy. We had a great summer. We had two Convocations, graduating more than 400 students. Our Moot Court Team finished second at the Mandela Championships. Alumna Sydona Chandon won a Human Rights Award. Our enrolment numbers are stronger, with higher numbers of international and provincial students. Looking to the future, we are starting a collaborative strategic planning process that will prepare STU for the next stage of its development. My role will be to build on the tremendous attributes that you all experienced and find ways to grow STU. We are starting from a great foundation. From my wife Mona and I, thank you for the very warm welcome! — Dr. M. Nauman Farooqi, President and Vice-Chancellor
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Making Education Accessible STU Gala Dinner Supports Students
In October 2022, we gathered for the first time in three years at the STU Gala Dinner to honour distinguished alumni and to support our students. Thanks to our alumni and friends, and with the continued support of numerous sponsors, the event raised $71,810 for students. We also bestowed the 2022 Carolyn Layden-Stevenson Distinguished Alumni Award upon award-winning journalist Harry Forestell, Provincial Court Judge the Hon. Nicole Angers, and former Child and Youth Advocate and Seniors’ Advocate, Norman Bossé.
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The McDougall Family Prize
John and Jackie McDougall of Calgary spent four years cheering on their son Adam and the Tommies Men’s Volleyball team, coming to know the coaches, players, and members of the STU community. They wanted to do something for STU that would have a lasting impact, so they established The McDougall Love of the Game Prize for a graduating player who demonstrates passion and dedication to the game. The first $1,000 prize was given at the last game of the 2022-23 season to Brendan Murphy. Brendan graduated and has returned to St. Thomas in the Bachelor of Education program.
Hildebrand Estate Gift
The Dr. John and Isabel Hildebrand Scholar-Bursary was created through a planned gift by honorary degree recipient, Dr. John F. T. Hildebrand and his wife Isabel. Dr. Hildebrand was a life-long educator who taught at several schools in New Brunswick and was the Superintendent of Schools in Fredericton. He passed away in 2018. His wife Isabel was an impressive soprano soloist and a choir member for more than 70 years. Upon her death in 2022, St. Thomas was gifted funds for an endowment to set up the Dr. John and Isabel Hildebrand Scholar-Bursary for an upper year student from the Maritime provinces. The first $5,000 award will be given out in 2024.
Viola Jean Sappier Van Dijk Memorial Fund
Viola Jean Sappier Van Dijk received her Bachelor of Social Work in 1996. She was a champion for women’s rights, particularly Indigenous women’s rights. In the 1980s, she was an active leader in amending the Indian Act to ensure equal status rights for Indigenous women in Canada. For her efforts and years of dedication to preserving the rights of Indigenous Peoples living offreserve, she was honoured by the Congress of Aboriginal People with the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012. After she passed away, her husband Tony Van Dijk established a memorial prize honouring his late wife. The Viola Jean Sappier-Van Dijk Memorial Prize is for a graduating Wolastoqiyik/Wolastoqey or Mi’kmaq student in the Social Work program. This year’s recipient was Torey Solomon of Kingsclear First Nation.
Irving Oil, Arthur L. Irving Family Foundation Gift $2M to Scholarships
Students will have greater access to post-secondary education with the transformative gift of $2 million from Irving Oil and the Arthur L. Irving Family Foundation for the establishment of new entrance scholarships. Three full-tuition renewable entrance scholarships will be established and funded through the Arthur L. Irving Family Foundation Scholarship Endowment. When fully mature, this endowment will fund 12 Arthur L. Irving Family Scholars each year. Established in recognition of recently retired President Dawn Russell, who led the university from 2011 to 2023, these scholarships recognize academic excellence. The inaugural three Arthur L. Irving Family Scholars will begin their studies in 2024.
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Sisters of Charity of Saint John
The Sisters of Charity of the Immaculate Conception – SCIC have gifted $100,000 to create a new endowment which will provide renewable entrance scholarships for students from New Brunswick. To be known as The Sisters of Charity of Saint John Scholarship, one renewable entrance scholarship will be awarded each year, for a total scholarship value over the undergraduate degree of $6,000. This scholarship endowment has received a further $50,000 from the New Brunswick University Opportunities Fund, a provincial program which provides a 50 percent match to new funding programs for students from New Brunswick. The inaugural Sisters of Charity of Saint John Scholarship has been awarded for the academic year beginning in 2023.
Gifts in Action Moot Court at-a-Glance
This year, STU Moot Court competed at the American Moot Court Association Eastern Regional where STU placed fourth out of 50 teams competing, earning a bid to the national competition in Louisiana. Three students in the regional competition came home with speaker awards. Four students competed at the Osgoode Cup in Toronto, the Canadian undergraduate moot championships. Two students were quarter finalists at the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot and came second in the brief writing competition. 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.
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New J.W. ‘Bud’ Bird Endowments to Fund Indigenous Student Research
A recent gift from J.W. Bud Bird will provide opportunities for students for years to come. The gift of $100,000 has established an endowment at the Miramichi Salmon Association, the income from which will fund The MSA Wild Salmon Grant at STU. The MSA Wild Salmon Grant will provide $5,000 annually for an Indigenous undergraduate student in the upper years of study, to fund an academic work under the supervision/oversight of the appropriate Dean, Department, or Faculty. Students receiving this Grant will undertake a written report with a goal of engaging public concern and support for the Miramichi River watershed, and the conservation of wild Atlantic salmon, and including the value of traditional Indigenous knowledge as it relates to the preservation of rivers and natural spaces.
STU Mooters Finish Second at the Nelson Mandela World Human Rights Moot Court Competition STU graduates Julia Evans (BA’23) and Elisha Gunaratnam (BA’23) performed exceptionally well at the Nelson Mandela World Human Rights Moot Court Competition in July in Geneva as they finished as runner-up to India’s National University of Advanced Legal Studies. Following the preliminary round, Elisha was named the #3 speaker and Julia was named the #1 speaker in the competition. STU Moot advanced to the finals after defeating Oxford University Law School in the quarterfinals and the University of Sydney in the semi-finals. Forty-six students from 23 universities in 19 countries competed in the event at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, July 17-21. STU Moot was the only North American team. It was also the only team competing from a school that does not have a law school.
Chancellor’s Lecture Series on Indigenous Issues
The Chancellor’s Lecture Series on Indigenous Issues was established by the Hon. Graydon Nicholas and his wife Beth Nicholas. He is the first non-clergy Chancellor in the University’s history, and as the Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick from 2009 to 2014, was the first Indigenous person to hold that office. The inaugural lecture in this new series featured Dr. Cindy Blackstock, a Gitxsan activist for child welfare, and Executive Director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada.
Harrison McCain Foundation
Long-time supporters of St. Thomas through their bursary program, the Harrison McCain Foundation has also been a generous benefactor of the Wabanaki Student Centre and Indigenous Student Services at St. Thomas. The Harrison McCain Foundation confirmed an additional gift to enable the expansion of the Wabanaki Centre, support an additional staff member of the Centre, create new programming for Indigenous students, and enhance cultural gathering spaces for Indigenous students at St. Thomas. Over the past ten years, the gifts of the Harrison McCain Foundation have allowed for significant investments in resources for Indigenous students which include the Wabanaki Student Centre, Indigenous Student Services, an Elder-in-Residence, Indigenous counsellors, and a variety of programming and activities.
Four STUdents named FutureNB and FutureWabanaki Award Winners
STUdents Chanté Laverlot, Jazna Ward, Juliane Martin and Noah Deas were selected as FutureNB and FutureWabanaki Student Excellence Award recipients. The awards are given to students who have demonstrated excellence in experiential learning. Selected students must have made a significant contribution to a community partner or their internship host employer. St. Thomas continues to be a leader in Experiential Learning thanks to the early support of donors like NB Power Corporation, whose multi-year funding was the basis for the ongoing success of the program.
Juliane Martin interned with the John Howard Society of Fredericton Chanté Laverlot interned at The Ville Cooperative
Jazna Ward interned with the Indigenous Tourism Association of New Brunswick Noah Deas interned with Solo Chicken Productions
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Student Success Student Ethan Nylen Awarded Rhodes Scholarship
Ethan Nylen (BA’23) was one of 11 students from across Canada to be awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to pursue graduate studies at the University of Oxford. The Rhodes Scholarship is the oldest and one of the most prestigious international scholarships and provides recipients funding to study at Oxford. Nylen completed a Bachelor of Arts with honours in Great Books and a major in Political Science at STU. He will continue his studies in the Master of Philosophy in Politics program and further his research on Sir Francis Bacon’s political theories.
Atlantic Journalism Awards Two St. Thomas University students were recognized for their contribution to student journalism at this year’s Atlantic Journalism Awards. Giuliana Grillo De Lambarri received the m5 Student Journalism Award and Jacob Moore received the Boyne Clarke Student Journalism Award.
Enactus STU Takes Home Regional Award
Enactus STU was recently awarded the 2023 Scotiabank Climate Action Challenge Regional Runner-up at the Enactus Canada Regional Exposition in Halifax. Enactus is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring students to improve the world through entrepreneurial action. Their project, Spring Up, started as a cleanup initiative on the city’s trail system and expanded to include a Sustainability Swap of gently used items. These eco-conscious community projects had measurable improvements in waste diversion, water conservation, and individuals and businesses educated on climate action as stronger sustainability habits were formed among university and community members.
Faculty Success Dr. Shannonbrooke Murphy Appointed to the NB Human Rights Commission
Dr. Shannonbrooke Murphy, holder of the the Endowed Chair in Human Rights, has been appointed to the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission for a three-year term. As a Commissioner, she will be part of the quasi-judicial decision-making body that determines if a human rights complaint should be dismissed or referred for a formal hearing before the Labour and Employment Board. Members of the Commission are appointed through an open, merit-based competitive process. Dr. Murphy has two decades of experience in human rights legislative, policy, and constitutional reform work, and she specializes in teaching human rights advocacy.
Research Project Examines Contesting Energy Discourse
A new research project at STU is examining how adding more voices to the media discourse about energy transitions can help New Brunswickers make better choices about their future. Contesting Energy Discourses through Action Research (CEDAR) is a five-year project studying energy transitions in Canada with a focus on New Brunswick and is funded by a $375,000 SSHRC Insight Grant. The project is led by Dr. Susan O’Donnell, Dr. Janice Harvey, Dr. Andrew Secord, and Dr. Clive Baldwin at St. Thomas University, as well as researchers J.P. Sapinski at the Université de Moncton and M.V. Ramana at the University of British Columbia.
Resource to Help Navigate Aging in NB
Psychology professor Dr. Michelle Lafrance and a team of researchers and practitioners have launched a new resource to help New Brunswick seniors and their caregivers navigate the health and home care systems in the province. Aging in New Brunswick: A User’s Guide was put together by researchers and practitioners who work with older adults. The Guide hopes to help older adults in New Brunswick navigate the complex landscape of information, services, forms, and resources. “There is no one-stop shop for services and healthcare issues for seniors in the province,” Lafrance said. “This is our team’s attempt at putting the information all in one place.” Download a PDF version of the guide at stu.ca/ aging-in-nb or order a free printed copy by calling 2-1-1.
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Community Success STU Student Services Recognized for Excellence
STU Cares Day of Action
Each year, students have the opportunity to participate in the STU Cares Day of Action—a day that provides a meaningful way for students to learn about the work of local community organizations through hands-on volunteer experience. This year, students volunteered at the Fredericton Homeless Shelters, Ability NB, Habitat for Humanity, Fredericton Community Kitchens, and Hayes Urban Teaching Farm.
Members of STU’s Student Services team were recognized by the Atlantic Association of College and University Student Services for excellence in their work. Ale Navas, Internships Coordinator, won the Dr. Richard Papenhausen Award for New Professionals, and the Office of Experiential Learning and Career Development, comprised of Clara Santacruz, Miriam Richer, Erin Feicht, and Ale Navas, won the Award of Excellence in Student Services for their Social Enterprise Program. The Office of Experiential Learning and Career Development was also the recipient of Ability New Brunswick’s Volunteer Award of Excellence. This is awarded annually to an individual or group who demonstrates outstanding initiative and leadership in their work with Ability NB.
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Orange Shirt Day at STU
STU commemorated Orange Shirt Day on September 29, 2022, as campus was closed on September 30 to observe the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Students, faculty and staff wore orange in support of survivors and those who were lost to the residential school system. Ceremonies and activities were organized to encourage the campus community to reflect on the painful legacy of residential schools in Canada.
STU Santas Program Helps Students with Children This year’s STU Santas campaign raised $4,225 to support 47 children of STU students in financial need over the holidays. “STU Santas has become known as a heartwarming way for our community to step up and demonstrate its kindness and generosity,” said Claire Morrison, Campus Minister and organizer of the campaign. “On behalf of all the student families who received assistance from STU Santas, thank you!”
Recognizing Inspirational Canadians At Spring Convocation, honorary degrees were bestowed upon Melanie Ann Ross and Ted Nolan. Melanie Ross is a vocalist and artistic director. She has been a preserver and promoter of traditional music, keeping the history of the “old songs” alive. During Convocation, she sang “The Banks of the Miramichi”. Ted Nolan is an award-winning hockey coach and philanthropist. His success on the ice provided him with the opportunity to inspire Indigenous youth, either through the Ted Nolan Foundation, which funds scholarships for Indigenous women, or the 3Nolans Hockey School, which develops the hockey, life, and leadership skills of Indigenous youth.
Alumna Receives New Brunswick Youth Human Rights Award
Alumna Sydona Chandon (BA’22) has received the 2023 New Brunswick Youth Human Rights Award from the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission, earning praise for removing barriers and creating diverse spaces in society. Chandon received the award for her exceptional contribution to advancing human rights, equality, diversity, and inclusion in the province. Her advocacy has increased the visibility of university students, particularly those of the BIPOC community, and the enhanced creation of safe and inclusive spaces in post-secondary education and beyond.
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Meaningful Student Experience Social Justice Book Drive Connects Students with Incarcerated Young Adults
Students in Dr. Susan Reid’s Youth Justice classes are using books to create connections with incarcerated youth. The students collected 250 books for federally-incarcerated young women, who are approximately the same age as the students, at the Nova Institute in Truro, Nova Scotia. The Book Drive was spearheaded by Dr. Susan Reid, Criminology professor and Director of the Centre for Research with Vulnerable Women and Youth (CRVWY), in collaboration with STU alumna Meghan MacEachern, BA ‘16, Assistant Director of CRVWY.
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The Plutonium Project
Eight STU students worked as research assistants with the Plutonium Project, an interdisciplinary research project led by Dr. Janice Harvey and Dr. Susan O’Donnell in STU’s Environment and Society Program. The students analyzed the NB government’s initiative through the lenses of media discourse, global security, political economy, and environmental, health, and economic impacts, as well as Indigenous perspectives. “As a team, we worked collectively to uncover the reality of nuclear energy in Canada in hopes of bringing awareness and inspiring further research that can place these projects under scrutiny,” said research assistant Maria Caridad Guerrero, an honours student in Political Economy.
Indigenous Education and Reconciliation
STU Education students learned more about Indigenous issues and reconciliation this spring thanks to the Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada, a massive floor map that shows the locations of Indigenous communities, historic and modern treaties, residential schools, and more. Indigenous language groups are featured instead of provincial and territorial boundaries. Teacher candidates also developed lessons based on the map for elementary students from Montgomery Street School. This project was part of the Indigenous Education and Reconciliation course, which is mandatory for all Education students.
Beyond 2023 “The critical thinking skills and high-level writing I honed at STU have been instrumental in my rewarding career. STU equipped me with the tools to navigate the intricacies of public service, making a positive impact in government.”
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— Isabella Mehlitz, BA’23
(Communications and Public Policy) – Digital Media Tourism Coordinator at the City of Fredericton and Tom McCann Award Recipient
“STU’s Gerontology program allowed me to view the realm of aging critically. I learned so much about older adults in a social light, long-term care, ethics, and much more. What I learned at STU has been essential in my job.”
— Meaghan Stewart, BA’23 (Gerontology) – Recreation Coordinator at the Shannex
“My experience at STU gave me the chance to grow beyond what I could have ever imagined. You will develop a portfolio of skills that will make you a stand-out candidate to any employer.” — Simon Wassef, BA’21
(Criminology and Criminal Justice) – Strategic Communications, RCMP
“The liberal arts education at STU has provided me with the theoretical and practical foundation I needed to succeed after graduation.” — Khanh Do, BA’22
(Economics and Political Science) – Audience Engagement Specialist at Viafoura
Facts and Figures Where Our Students Are From
Donations at STU
Full-time Students by Province, 2022-2023 Where is Your Money Going?
NB — 74% International — 11% NS — 6% Other Domestic — 4% ON— 3% PE — 2%
STUdents Speak
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Satisfaction with teaching quality at STU is significantly higher than the Canadian university average (CUSC FY 2022)
STU outperformed national university averages in teaching measures and how students view their professors (CUSC FY 2022)
Academic Initiatives — 59% Student Experience — 20% Student Awards — 12% Areas of Greatest Need — 5% Athletics — 4%
Who is Giving to STU? (% of number of donors)
Friends — 50% Alumni — 33% Faculty and Staff — 13% Organizations and Foundations — 4%
How Our Students Are Supported Awards Disbursed 2022-2023
Number
Value
$243M
Scholarship — Entrance: first-year
269
$ 1,046,276.00
Scholarship — In Course
72
$ 227,883.00
Scholarship — Renewals
262
$ 932,688.00
Total Scholarship
603
$ 2,206,847.00
ECONOMIC
Bursary — Entrance: Undergrad
118
$ 216,700.00
Bursary — In Course
201
$ 226,795.00
Bursary — Post-Baccalaureate
13
$ 7,250.00
Total Bursary
332
$ 450,745.00
Other Awards
43
$ 115,924.00
Total Other Awards
43
$ 115,924.00
GRAND TOTAL
978
$ 2,773,516.00
ANNUAL
IMPACT
OF STU Better Earnings for Alumni
$175M
$62M Impact on NB GDP
Injected by Out-of-Province Students/Visitors
$4.6M
Research Impact
$1M
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Board of Governors Faculty
Most Rev. Christian Riesbeck, B.Soc.Sc, STB, MDiv – Founding Member M. Nauman Farooqi, BSc,MBA, PhD – President and Vice-Chancellor Kim Fenwick, BSc, MA, PhD – Vice-President (Academic and Research)
Michael Dawson, BA, MA, PhD Marcea Ingersoll, BA, BEd, MEd, PhD Robin Vose, BA, MA, MMS, PhD
Appointed
Student
Tammy Augustine, BA, LLB Stacey Couturier, BA, BEd, CPHR Ellen C. Desmond, BA, LLB, MSW, LLM, KC David Farrar, BA, LLB David Ferguson, BA – Chair Marlene Floyd, BA Krista Han, CPA, CA, FEA Brent Henry, CPA, CA Daniel McCarthy, BComm, FCPA, DComm Sister Mary Beth McCurdy, BA, BTh, MA Graydon Nicholas, BSc, LLB, MSW – Chancellor Phillippe Ouellette, BA, MA Daniel Stevenson, BBA, LLB, LLM (Tax) Vaughn Sturgeon, BA, CMA, CPA Stephen Ward, BA, MA, PhD
Jonah Simon
Alumni Melissa Wah, BA Stephanie Underhill Tomilson, BA, BEd, MEd
Observers Jeffrey Carleton, BA, MA – Associate Vice-President, Communications James Culligan, BBA, CPA, CGA – Vice-President, Finance and Administration Jodi Misheal, BA, BEd – Vice-President, Advancement and Alumni Relations Stevie-Rae DeMerchant – President, Students’ Union
51 Dineen Drive, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada E3B 5G3 www.stu.ca
www.stu.ca
STU
Ex officio