Connections Fall 2015 by St. Thomas University

FALL 2015

al u m n i

fr ien d s

Art of BUSINESS

The

How the Liberal Arts Complement Business

Ryan Lehr, BA '10

Tribute to Harry Rigby

ALUMNI WEEKEND

Recap

Justice and Tolerance

THE STU FUND

Supports STU

Students!

The STU Fund is the university’s unrestricted donation fund. Here is what the STU Fund has done in the last year:

• Sent 10 students to the East Coast Leadership Conference in Charlottetown • Funded an Artists-in-Residence Program that brought a series of artists and performers to campus that students and the community at-large enjoyed • Assisted with the launching of the St. Thomas Undergraduate Moot Court program • Provided funds to further the university’s global and international learning opportunities • Provided support for over 20 additional scholarships for STU students

Did you know? The average upper year class size at STU is 24 and all classes are capped at 60 students.

Ranked #1 in the country

when students were asked whether their university education is helping them think critically and solve problems. Maclean's 2016 University Rankings

In 2014-15, STU received donations from 1,170 alumni and friends. That's up nearly 50%. Keep this trend going!

2 FALL 2015

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

This year we hope the STU Fund can support all of the above again, plus help support new experiential learning opportunities such as Model UN and new travel study programs. Supporting students has never been more important.

“St. Thomas University is not just a place where I go for classes. To me it is first and foremost a community of friends and family, who support each other and want to help each other. Also, it's a place to make wonderful memories and to grow personally. I am grateful to attend St. Thomas University and for the scholarships that I received. I was lucky to receive them because of the generosity of the many donors who are the keystone which holds up the St. Thomas community.” - Jeremy Keats, BA ‘17

To make a gift that will support students, visit www.stu.ca/giving or call 506-452-0645.

WORN WITH PRIDE

WORLD-WIDE

Interested in establishing a new student award or including St. Thomas University in your estate plans? Contact Jeff Wright, VP Advancement at wrightj@stu.ca or 506-452-0645.

Welcome A Message from STU Alumni Association President

Fall is a wonderful time of the year with the new academic year well under way, the cool crisp mornings, the warm afternoons, and the trees changing colour. I think anyone who has ever attended STU would tell you the top of the hill is one of the most beautiful places to be this time of the year. Fall also marks Thanksgiving Weekend which is a time to celebrate the bountiful harvest and be grateful for the abundance that both nature and hard work have provided this season.

TABLE OF CONTENTS CONNECTING 5 stu builders 11 STU FAMILY 12 HILLTOP 13 COVER STORY 14 profileS 17 Campus Watch 20 postcards to stu 24 New & noteworthy 25 We welcome your comments.

Bruce Hanson President, STU Alumni Association

Fall is the time our STU community hosts Alumni Weekend. During homecoming, many of us were delighted to be reunited with old friends and to be able to relive some of the common experiences we shared. We also shared our accomplishments and the stories of the places life has taken us. This is a reminder that our successes stem from the encouragement and, more often than not, the challenges we received from our professors and fellow classmates. I recall being in Grade 1 (many years ago now) and drawing the ‘Horn of Plenty’ and hearing the story of how the Pilgrims came together to celebrate and give thanks for their good fortunes. Our ‘Horn of Plenty’ or the abundance we have in our lives really started as a result of the time and work we put in during our season at STU. Sharing our good fortunes is the pilgrim way.

STU Produces Community Leaders The biggest challenge facing alumni magazines is that most readers skim the publication, reading only an article or two and glancJeff Wright ing at photos, ads, and announcements. It's Vice President, a challenge to build a content-rich alumni Advancement publication that is acquiescent of this, but and Alumni also shines the light on all that is great about St. Thomas alumni, students, faculty and friends. But we feel this issue will draw your attention to STU alumni who are emerging as leaders in their communities, and initiatives and faculty on campus that take aim at building the leaders of tomorrow. In this issue, we also take a moment to reflect on one of STU’s most well-known characters, Harry Rigby. I also want to take this opportunity to briefly introduce our new Director of Advancement (Annual & Planned Giving), George MacIntyre, BA ’01. George is a STU alumnus and an active member of the Fredericton community. We are pleased to welcome George “back” to campus where he will direct several fundraising and sponsorship initiatives supporting our students, pursuant to our campus-wide commitment to offering a meaningful and memorable student experience and a modern liberal arts education.

Phone: 506-452-0521 E-mail: alumni@stu.ca Website: www.stu.ca Facebook: St Thomas University Alumni Twitter: @StThomasAlumni

Connections is a publication of The Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations, St. Thomas University, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada E3B 5G3. It is distributed free-of-charge to more than 10,000 St. Thomas University alumni and friends worldwide. Make a gift online supporting STU at www.stu.ca/giving. Publisher Office of Advancement and Alumni, St. Thomas University Editor Jacqueline Cormier, BA ’08 Acknowledgements Jeff Wright Wanda Bearresto, BA ’87 Jeffrey Carleton Kelly Cormier, BA ’97 Mark Giberson, BA ’76 Ashlen Henry, BA ’09 Kathleen Johnson, BA ’13 George MacIntyre, BA ’01 Photos Keith Minchin, Kyle Albright, BA ’13 Design, Layout, Printing Kiers Marketing Group Taylor Printing Group Inc.

Alumni Association Board of Directors 2015-16 Executive Committee Bruce Hanson, BA ’97 (Saint John) Frank McBrearty, BA ’06 (Saint John) Phil Ouellette, BA ’04 (Saint John) Vanessa Paesani BEd ’10 (Fredericton) Andrew Speight, BA ’04 (Fredericton) At-Large Members Don Bossé, BA ’82, BEd ’83 (Fredericton) Natalie Essiembre, BA ’99 (Shediac) Ellen Desmond, BA ’88 (Rothesay) Dennis Livingston, BA ’73 (Riverview) Allison, Muise, BA ’16 (Grafton, NB)

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

FALL 2015 3

SAVE THE DATE! Toronto Alumni Reception

Wednesday, December 2, 2015 5:30pm – 7:30pm Boardroom of CASSELS BROCK LAWYERS Suite 2100 Scotia Plaza, 40 King Street West, Toronto, ON

Ottawa Alumni Reception

Thursday, December 3, 2015 5:30pm – 7:30pm GROUNDED KITCHEN & COFFEEHOUSE 100 Gloucester St., Ottawa, ON

Saint John Alumni Seasonal Reception Tuesday, December 8, 2015 5:00pm – 7:00pm Boardroom of Law Offices of COX & PALMER Brunswick Square, Suite 1500 1 Germain St., Saint John, NB

STU Alumni Hockey Weekend Homecoming (Games & Gathering) January 22-23, 2016 GRANT HARVEY CENTRE 600 Knowledge Park Rd., Fredericton, NB

Lou Chabot Game

Saturday, January 23, 2016 Grant Harvey Centre 600 Knowledge Park Rd., Fredericton, NB

STU Basketball Alumni Homecoming (Games & Gathering) Saturday, February 13, 2016 Lady Beaverbrook Gymnasium 2 Peter Kelly Dr., Fredericton, NB

Halifax Alumni Reception

April 7, 2016 LOCATION TBD

St. Thomas University Gala Dinner

Saturday, April 30, 2016 DELTA FREDERICTON 225 Woodstock Rd., Fredericton, NB

Moncton Alumni Reception

Wednesday, May 4, 2016 THE ALMA CITY CLUB 114 Alma St., Moncton, NB 4 FALL 2015

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

Alumni UPCOMING

and University EVENTS

To RSVP or for details on any of these events or other upcoming events, please see www.stu.ca or contact Wanda by email at alumni@stu.ca or 506.452.0521

Alumni Gatherings

connecting

Harvest STU Alumni Pit Stop @ Corked Wine Bar – September 17, 2015

1 Tristan Wright, BA ’09; Cristina Montenegro, BA ’10; Myles MacKenzie (STU 06-07); Aaron Fecteau, BA ’09 2 Cyndi Jenkins, BA ’05; Heather MacDonald Bossé, BA ’82, BEd ’83; Mansoureh Nasserchian, BA ’08

3 Becky (Butcher) Clark, BA ’10, BEd ’11; Misha Nowicki, BA ’08; Allie Brubacher, BA ’10, BEd ’11

Sports Wall of Fame Luncheon – June 20, 2015 Five Tommie greats and a national medal-winning basketball team joined an elite group of St. Thomas athletes at the 2015 Sports Wall of Fame induction luncheon.

Father J. Arthur Scott, Crystal (MacFarlane) Cernivz, Callum MacPhee, Gordon Wheaton, Robert Mabie, and the men’s basketball team from 2003-04 made up the class of inductees. 4 Left to right: Callum MacPhee, BA ’70, BEd ’72; Scott MacLeod; Steve Lawrence; Dawn Russell, BA ’77; Andrew Robson, BA ’04; Crystal (MacFarlane) Cernivz, BA ’04, BEd ’05; Gordon Wheaton, BA ’72; David Robson, BA ’04; Robert Mabie; John Cann; Allison MacKay, BA ’07; Jacob Eatmon (representing his brother Chester, who played on the Men’s Basketball Team 2003-2004); Stella (Scott) Kennah, BScN ’47 (representing her brother Father J. Arthur Scott); and Malcolm MacAfee (representing his uncle Father J. Arthur Scott)

Miramichi Irish Festival – July 18, 2015 Members of the class of 1964 gathered during the Irish Festival.

5 Back Row: Ed Hospodar, BA ’64; Vince Ryan, BA ’64, BEd ’67; Darryl Nicholas, BA ’64; Farrell McCarthy, BA ’64, BEd ’67; Frank Quinn; Don Ross, BA ’64, BEd ’67. Front Row: Mark Barry, BA ’64; Ray Soucie, BA ’65, BEd ’75; Brian McCarthy, BA ’64, BEd ’66; Tim Shaw, BA ’64; Ann Quinn; Patricia Furlotte, BA ’64, BEd ’65 and Dorothy Gorman, BA ’64, BEd ’90. At event but missing from photo: Paul O’Connor, BA ’64; James Petrie, BA ’62, BEd ’66 and Ray Fraser, BA ’64. ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

FALL 2015 5

lumni weekend 201

ALUMNI WEEKEND

Alumni Weekend: October 2-4, 2015

We kicked off Alumni Weekend with a Social & Storytelling in our new Great Hall. 1 Emily Cochrane, BA ’11 and Christine Courchesne, BA ’11

2 Stephen Horsman, BA ’85, BEd ’86; Stephanie Underhill-Tomilson, BA ’95, BEd ’96; Dennis Livingston, BA ’73; Nora Valentino, BA ’87; Tracey Dale, BA ’90, BEd ’91 3 President Dawn Russell, BA ’77 with alumni storytellers Kelly Lamrock, BA ’95; Marg Tracy, BA ’75; Peter Pacey, BEd ’75; Sheri Shannon, BA ’00. 4 Bob Devereux, BA ’83; Greg Moffitt, BA ’83, BEd ’84; Roy Stevens, BA ’98; Robert Creamer, BA ’82 5 Stephen Brosha, BA ’06; Drew Speight, BA ’04; Catherine (Terry) Brosha, BA ’04 6 Don Bossé, BA ’82, BEd ’83 and Claude Cyr, HS ’54

6 FALL 2015

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

STU BBQ & Fair The STU BBQ & Fair was a great way for alumni to bring their children and grandchildren to campus for some family-friendly fun.

7 Local storyteller Joan Meade entertained kids of all ages during the STU BBQ & Fair. 8 Lucie and Cédric Cormier, class of 2035, are enjoying the bouncy castles in the courtyard during the STU BBQ & Fair. 9 Marcel St. Pierre, BA ’90, BEd ’91, performed “Unprepared and Unrehearsed,” an improv comedy show during the STU BBQ & Fair.

8 9

10 11

Tom McCann Memorial Trophy Reception A reception for the recipients of the Tom McCann Memorial Trophy was held during Alumni Weekend to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the award.

Alumni weekend 2015

ALUMNI WEEKEND

10 Left to right: Duncan Gallant, BA ’10; Stephen Brosha, BA ’06; Erin Crandall, BA ’05; Shane Donovan, BA ’95; Allison Charnley, BA ’79; Kelly Lamrock, BA ’95; Colin Farrar, BA ’74, BEd ’75; Ben Lord, BA ’15; Jeanne Geldart, BA ’70; Father Aaron Knox, BA ’02; Michael Grosvold, BA ’80 11 The most recent recipient of the award, Ben Lord, BA ’15, with the first recipient of the award, Jeanne Geldart, BA ’70. ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

FALL 2015 7

lumni weekend 201

ALUMNI WEEKEND

1 2

President's Special Reunion Lunch We celebrated many milestone reunion years at the Special Reunion Lunch.

1 Back row: Danny Watson, BA ’70; Patricia Murray, BA ’69, BEd ’72; Callum MacPhee, BA ’70, BEd ’72; Maureen Michaud, BA ’75; Dolores (Tait) Whalen, BT ’70; Michael Morris, BA ’70; Barry Lydon, BA ’69, BEd ’70. Second row: Joanne Lucas, BA ’75, BEd ’76; Mary McCann, BA ’77; Mary Beth Gorey, BA ’75; Allison Wrynn, BA ’70, BEd ’74. Front row: President Dawn Russell, BA ’77; Pam Harquail, BA ’75, BT ’75. Maureen Monaghan, BA ’75; Marg Tracy, BA ’75; Jeanne Geldart, BA ’70; Frances Morris, BA ’70

2 Margot Lynn McAloon-Parker, BA ’90; Dawn Russell, BA ’77

3 President Dawn Russell, BA ’77; Garry Hansen, BA ’85; Veronica Murphy, BA ’80, BEd ’82; Denyse Smart, BA ’80; Hon. Ken Oliver, BA ’80 4 President Dawn Russell, BA ’77; Father Aaron Knox, BA ’02; Santiago Chavez, BA ’15, Angie Fournier, BA ’05; Cheryl Sweeney, BA ’05, George MacIntyre, BA ’01; Vanessa Paesani, BEd ’10 5 John McAloon, BA ’50, and President Dawn Russell, BA ’77

6 Celebrating their 50th reunion: Kenny Gould, BA ’65, BEd ’68; President Dawn Russell, BA ’77; Al Smith, BA ’65; Mary Lou Foreman, BA ’65, BEd ’66; John Moore, BA ’65, Reg Hayes, BA ’65

8 FALL 2015

4 5

6 ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

The Thomists Dinner and Dance

Alumni weekend 2015

ALUMNI WEEKEND

We celebrated 50 years of The Thomists at a Dinner and Dance during Alumni Weekend. Harry Rigby was in attendance and conducted a few numbers! 8 Past members of the band got on stage for a photo with the current members. 9 Past members played a few songs with the current members.

7 The Alumni Association Award for Service Harold DeCourcey, BA ’69, CSW ’79, has received the inaugural St. Thomas University Alumni Association Award for Service. It was presented to him this evening at the Thomists Tribute Dinner and Dance. The award recognizes the exemplary engagement of our alumni in helping advance the aims and objectives of the alumni association and the overall reputation of the university amongst members of the association. Although well-known for his ongoing role as the backbone of the Friends of STU Hockey support group, Harold has been much more: board member of the STU Alumni Association for many years, ever-present volunteer at alumni and campus events both large and small, willing worker, capable organizer, collaborative team member, wise counsel, and institutional memory.

Harold’s nominators all echo his commitment and support to both the university and its alumni. One comment stated, “Harold continues to support both St. Thomas University and the alumni community at large with his volunteer contributions. Not only is he more than deserving of this award for his alumni service, he is a great ambassador for our university.” 7 President Dawn Russell, BA ’77; Harold DeCourcey, BA ’69, CSW ’79; Bruce Hanson, BA ’97, president of the STU Alumni Association

STU Soccer Alumni Weekend

The inaugural STU Soccer Alumni Weekend- October 2nd and 3rd, was a fun filled weekend for Tommies old and new! 10 The weekend kicked off with an Alumni 7 aside tournament that saw the Alumni group in the final (still have it!). They joined

with the current Men's and Women's team to watch the STU Rugby games and followed it up with a Dinner at Grant-Harvey donated by Dolan's Pub. Find us on Facebook: STU Soccer Alumni & Supporters or Twitter: @STUSoccer.

Tommie Alumni: Dean Lackie, BA ’01; Amy (Murphy) Lackie, BA ’03; Amy (Whytewood) Hughes, BA ’03; Jared Cheverie, BA ’01; Chris Keirstead, BA ’02; Dylan Hughes, BA ’14; Joe Ross, BA ’12, BEd ’13; John Ryan Morrison; Matt DeCourcey, BA ’05; Kristina Gilders, BA ’06; Jenn Coburn, BA ’09

MISSING from Picture: YOU!

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

FALL 2015 9

Hey, you!

You went

to STU?

Where are you? The Alumni Office has, sadly, lost touch with some of our alumni, and we still donâ€™t have email addresses for many others. We use email to share the e-Connections newsletter and to invite alumni to local and regional events, so make sure we know how to reach you. Please take a few minutes to update your records with us.

TOTAL RECALL Tailgating party in the fall of 2006! Can you identify people in this photo? Email your answer to alumni@stu.ca by December 4th to win a STU hoodie or golf shirt.

Are you getting two or more of the same STU mailings? Please let us know! Help us reduce our mailings by emailing us at alumni@stu.ca.

STU BUILDERS

Music Man

Harry Rigby is the Man Behind The Thomists By Jacqueline Cormier, BA ’08 Harry Rigby could have had a successful career performing on any stage in the world. He chose St. Thomas and to lead The Thomists, contributing to hundreds of students’ musical and personal development. “It is fortunate for us that he chose St. Thomas University over Carnegie Hall,” said Bill Richardson, The Thomists’ lead singer since its founding in 1965. “Harry is the best musician I have ever come across,” Richardson added. “He is the only musician I have known who can take something in his mind and make it come out in the music flawlessly, instantly, in any key. That is a rare talent." Before STU, Rigby taught at Saint Joseph’s College in Memramcook. He had been in bands since he was a teenager in his native Ireland, so when he began teaching, forming a band seemed to be a natural fit. When the college closed in 1965 to make way for the Université de Moncton, Rigby started looking for a new home. That turned out to be St. Thomas University, where he was appointed Dean of Men and started teaching Latin and Philosophy. “Many of the senior students who played in our band at Saint Joseph’s were furthering their education at St. Thomas,” Harry Rigby once told the Telegraph Journal. “So, we just continued on. In the beginning, we used to practice every night of the week, Saturdays and Sundays included. It was hard work, but we nearly always left a session with the feeling we’d accomplished something.” The Thomists began as a university band but soon were in high demand across the community. The band played all over the Maritimes, had gigs in the United States and played at the Royal York in Toronto. Rigby was the reason behind the band’s tight-knit sense of community that remains vibrant to this day. “Harry used to open up his house to band parties, and there were many over the years,” Richardson recalls. “They usually started with a splash in the pool followed by a more than you could ever eat BBQ. Since his house was in a relatively secluded area, it allowed for as much noise making as we could ever want. I don’t know how we avoided major forest fires from the mammoth bonfires we would build. Harry would always strap on his accordion and we would gather around the fire and sing until the wee small hours.”

For the hundreds of St. Thomas students who played with The Thomists, Harry was a mentor who made students recognize their potential and then helped achieve it. As Dean of Men, he was in charge of keeping law and order in Harrington Hall and was accustomed to making his point in a way best described as “fiery.” But those who knew him knew that he didn’t stay hot-headed for very long. He had a soft spot for the men in his charge no matter what crimes had been committed. For a man who dedicated three decades to overseeing a university residence, perhaps there could be no greater tribute than naming a residence after him. And in 2001, that’s exactly what St. Thomas did. The newly purchased off-campus residence was named Rigby Hall in honour of the man who was the very definition of St. Thomas University residence life for 30 years. Last month, former band members gathered in Fredericton for STU’s Alumni Weekend to celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Thomists. The highlight of the weekend was a sold out dinner and dance. Former band members joined the current band for a few numbers and Harry Rigby was in attendance to conduct a few songs. The standing ovations that followed were a testament to the respect and admiration the whole community felt for St. Thomas’s own Music Man. The dinner and dance raised $3,500 for the Rigby Bursary Fund, a fund that was established by Rigby's family and friends. ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

FALL 2015 11

STU Families

Left to right: Luke Megarity, BA ’10, Eric Megarity, BA ’76, Erica Megarity, BA ’07

Learning About Justice, Fairness and Tolerance The Megaritys at St. Thomas University By Kelly Cormier, BA ’97 Eric Megarity, BA ’76, says the lessons he learned inside and outside of the classroom at STU had a big impact on him, and still serve him well – especially as a politician. And he’s pleased his two children followed in his academic footsteps. “It was a small community. It was a fun community,” he says about St. Thomas. “You knew almost everybody there, that in itself was a bonus. The classes were smaller, sometimes there were only ten students in the class. A big thing for me too was being able to communicate with people from all over the world.” When Eric was attending STU he worked part time for Alcool NB Liquor and ended up staying with the corporation. Over the years he held various positions and finished his career as a store manager. He was first elected to Fredericton City Council in 2008 and is currently deputy mayor. Eric is also the president of the Cities of New Brunswick Association. He says his liberal arts degree was a good foundation for a career in politics. “There are so many interest groups out there coming forward with different opinions, especially in my political life, and you’ve got to make sure you look at all sides. The professors pushed us to think 12 FALL 2015

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

like that – get out of your shell and get out of your box and look around,” he says. “I guess for me, my time at STU taught me to not tolerate the promotion of intolerance. The principles of justice and fairness were strong principles ingrained in the foundations of a St. Thomas education. And, at St. Thomas, the potential was there to discover new information, resources and connections to future opportunities.” Eric says he encouraged his children to attend STU knowing they would get a good, rounded education. Erica, BA ’07, is Eric’s oldest child. She majored in criminology and works with the Department of Public Safety. “I liked the small classes. It felt more like a community; you didn’t feel like you were just a number. My professors were very approachable so you felt like you could go to them with any questions or concerns. Being in a smaller class and being able to do presentations helped me improve my public speaking skills. A lot of my job now involves teaching others.” Erica says taking part in sports – she played volleyball and soccer – helped her gain team leadership skills.

“It was also nice to feel supported by the university both academically and while playing sports. It was a good experience all around. I’m glad I chose STU, and I’m very happy with where it got me.” Eric’s son, Luke, BA ’10, admits the fact that his father and sister attended STU had an impact on his decision to follow suit. Luke has worked in business and sales for several companies and about three years ago he co-founded a software development company, Full Pint Software Development. Luke says his time at STU helped him think outside of the box and learn that there’s not just one answer. “I got a great education at STU and I learned about things like deadlines, writing papers, and being prepared for tough questions. I use all of those skills in my business. Being able to think on my feet has been a huge help. Another thing STU taught me is to listen to others and their point of view and digest what they have to say.” Luke says he also learned a lot about teamwork, whether it was doing group projects or playing volleyball. Eric says he’s glad he and his children took advantage of such a great institution in their own backyard.

hilltop

Research Furthers Economic and Social Advancement in Developing Countries Supporting Research in Developing Countries

to solve their own problems. Our strategic plan talks about how we reflect that in our current work; how you bring it to life.”

by Mark Giberson, BA ’76

Early in her career, Vélez helped IDRC bring together democrats from around the world who had fought to keep ideas and learning alive while living under repressive regimes.

Maggie Gorman Vélez, BA ’01, talks about her work with the enthusiasm of a zealot. Says Vélez, “I feel that I’m working for a president who is really transformational and who is really doing interesting things – renewing the organization.” That organization is Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC). The president is Jean Lebel, Vélez’s boss. The IDRC was established in 1970 to support research in developing countries – helping them create and apply scientific, technical and other knowledge to further their own economic and social advancement. Vélez has been with IDRC since 2004, after obtaining a master’s of international affairs in development studies from Carleton University. She is now chief of staff to the IDRC president – advising on key staffing issues and strategic matters; writing speeches; meeting with senior government officials, potential donors and ambassadors; and standing in for Lebel at embassy functions and other important meetings. Vélez also had a key role in developing IDRC’s 2015-2020 strategic plan. “I was very involved in the strategic planning process,” she explains. “We led a group of senior managers across the centre to come up with a plan that everyone will remember; that everyone will be inspired by. Our mandate has always been that developing countries themselves need the scientific expertise to lead them

That meeting brought her in touch with Ricardo Lagos, former president of Chile. He had been on the receiving end of an IDRC research grant during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet, when, as Vélez puts it, “anyone wearing glasses was accused of being an academic and a subversive.” As Vélez recalls, “to see what Lagos had gone through during those years, and to know that he eventually went on to become the country’s president. It was so inspiring, so validating. That’s probably why I’m still here.” Vélez says her years at St. Thomas were instrumental in setting her on her path to the IDRC. “I’m from Stanley, New Brunswick,” she explains. “Growing up, I didn’t have much exposure to international issues and I didn’t travel internationally, except to Bangor, Maine,” she laughs. “I’d say it was my first year in economics at St. Thomas that really started to open the door – to a whole world of issues: poverty; labour rights; women’s issues.” Vélez speaks highly of former professors Dr. Joan McFarland and Sister Jane Galvin – crediting both with having given her a strong foundation in social justice and always being available with help. “When I went to Carleton, it was a huge shock,” recalls Vélez. “My mentor would meet with me for about five minutes every quarter. At St. Thomas, Dr. McFarland’s

Maggie Gorman Vélez, BA ’01 door was always open. Looking back, I’m so appreciative of that.” And today, Vélez sees first hand another benefit of her liberal arts education – its focus on critical thinking. “I’m seeing how senior management works and how critical thinking is really in demand. That’s what senior managers do all day – they’re thinking and making decisions. And, those decisions had better be based on something solid.” Vélez has another reason to remember St. Thomas fondly. She and her husband Andres Vélez Guerra – who works with the Department of Foreign Affairs – were married in the university chapel in 2009. Today, the couple lives in Ottawa with their three children – five-year-old Camilo and one-year-old twins Alicia and Nico. Hilltop features alumni involved in politics and public service. To suggest a profile, please email alumni@stu.ca. ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

FALL 2015 13

Cover Story

The Art of Business

Ryan Lehr, BA '10

The Complementary Relationship Between the Liberal Arts and Business

By Kelly Cormier, BA ’97

Ryan Lehr refuses to stand back and watch the world zoom by. He’s the sales manager at Crowne Plaza Fredericton – Lord Beaverbrook Hotel and he says one of the keys to success in business is the ability to keep up with the changing world. “The world moves so fast and if you’re not able to adapt and move forward, you’re not able to develop and move with the changes,” the STU alumnus says. “I work in a very fast-paced world – the market changes, people change – but the fact that I’m able to adapt allows me to elevate my personal game and my career and help a team move the company forward.” Lehr says the liberal arts education he received at St. Thomas taught him how to be adaptable. “It’s nice to have that core and structure that allows me to grow and learn,” he says. “What I found out very early was, regardless of what your major is, liberal arts allow you to understand social structures, they allow you to understand people. I read an article recently that quoted Steve Jobs as saying the best person you can have on your team is someone with a liberal arts degree because they can think critically, find solutions, and move things forward.”

“That’s one of the main things with pursuing a liberal arts degree: it actually gives you the general areas of study and enables you to find your own feet, so to speak,” she says. Fuglstad considers herself a ‘lifelong learner’ and equates this ongoing curiosity to her liberal arts education. In fact, despite having a successful career in finance, she chose to return to STU to do her honours in English literature. She says the structure of a liberal arts education, which exposes students to a variety of disciplines and points of view, is a great foundation for a career in business. “That comes with the ability to juggle the various courses involved in taking a liberal arts degree. It’s not always the same subject or the professors may not have the same style, so it absolutely transfers to working in an investment banking environment because no two days are the same here in the office. It’s a fast-paced environment. “A liberal arts degree is a highly versatile ticket to a wide range of jobs,” she adds.

Lehr is just one of the many STU alumni who have found a professional home in the business world.

“I think the broad and diverse areas of study involved with a liberal arts degree give you the ability to choose your career afterwards; you’re not in a narrow, specialized trade or degree in that you’re pin holed into one career path.”

Lehr’s wife Nadia Barry Fuglstad has also found a successful career in business and finance. She is an associate investment advisor with BMO Nesbitt Burns. She’s the first to admit she never really planned to work in finance.

The complementary relationship between the liberal arts and business is one of the reasons behind a recent partnership between St. Thomas University and HBX of the Harvard Business School. Through the partnership, STU is now offering its students CORe,

14 FALL 2015

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

cover story For the past two years, Ren has operated a business that works on apps for mobile phones and tablets. She says CORe furthered her understanding of business and taught her how to be more professional. “The most important thing I learned from Harvard is the habit of study - it really pushed me from reactive to proactive. It was interesting to learn Current student Catrina Ren how others were thinking. Overall it was a good experience, Harvard has really motivated me to come up with a new idea and maybe a new business.” Craig says the relationship between liberal arts and business is a two-way street. As much as business benefits arts students, the arts can benefit businesses as well. This was the reasoning behind another recent partnership with Cairn India Ltd, an oil and gas exploration company. Nadia Barry Fuglstad, BA '09 a multi-week, intensive program of online courses on the fundamentals of business. The Credential of Readiness (CORe) program introduces students to the language and concepts they need to know to begin a career in business. St. Thomas is the first partner university in Canada to join the program. Dr. Barry Craig, Vice President Academic and Research, says the partnership is a good fit. “The opportunity is for our students to have an experience at Harvard Business School at a reasonable price and get this great experience that they could not otherwise have.” After completing the program, students will receive a certificate from Harvard Business School, along with their BA from STU. “Because the students are liberal arts students, they bring something to the business courses. The program is set up so there is an intense amount of interaction. They have set this up so every participant, on average, has to do something every seven minutes. They have to interact, they have to build teams, they have to work across disciplines – things they’re used to doing as liberal arts students.” Catrina Ren, a fourth year BA student participated in a pilot program as part of the Harvard partnership this summer; she took a business analyst course, economics for managers, and business accounting. “Harvard is a big name university, and it was a great opportunity for me to see how their courses work.”

As part of the partnership, professors in the Great Books program at STU offered a series of lectures via webcam to a group of employees working for Cairn India Ltd. The series included four lectures on ethics from the point of view of Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, and Rawls. “It shows the value that what we do here is portable; it’s a value anywhere in the world,” Craig says. “It gives St. Thomas University exposure in this key growing market of India. So now you’ve got a bunch of people from a company in India going home and saying to their friends and family ‘there’s this amazing school in Canada that has this fantastic approach to education.’” Mike Ashar, Cairn India CEO and liberal arts advocate, says his company has a deep talent pool of managers, engineers, geologists, geophysicists and other scientists from some of the best universities in India. “While the employees have rich backgrounds and have varied interests outside work, the deep technical training has been accompanied by shallow exposure to the humanities,” he says.

Dr. Barry Craig Vice-President Academic and Research ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

FALL 2015 15

Cover Story good dad? For the Cairn India participants that really seemed to strike a nerve.” MacDonald added that the partnership also benefited the university, who got some great exposure to a new market. “We were engaged with a group of highly successful professionals, and they tell us they had a tremendous experience. They got to see St. Thomas is a great place.” Dr. Sara MacDonald, BA '95, and Dr. Andrew Moore, BA '03 “Extracting oil from the ground smartly requires extensive collaboration inside and outside our company. The Great Books course from STU builds their thinking, interpersonal and conceptual skills. It also allows them to see the many shades of grey versus a black and white deterministic answer.” Dr. Sara MacDonald and Dr. Andrew Moore are two of the professors in the Great Books program who delivered lectures. “One of the specific texts that we chose for the group had to do with the nature of ethics,” MacDonald says. “I think when you’re in a business environment usually the way by which you think of succeeding is find

the most efficient route to ‘X’, usually that means profit. So we were asking them to think about whether the most efficient route would be the best route. “One of the most important things students take away from Aristotle is his treatise on friendship. Even if you don’t think there are ethical considerations out in the business world, you absolutely think there ought to be ethical considerations in your personal relationships with your family and friends. So what Aristotle asked you to do is to think about that. If you want your friend to be ethical or good to you, how easy is it to shift gears? If you’re cut throat out in the business world, what’s the likelihood you’re going to be able to come home and be a

Dr. Moore says the idea was to show the participants that there might be different ways to look at questions and problems. It also proved that there are some ideas that seem to resonate with people no matter their background. “I think this lecture series was an interesting extension of our mission as it allows us as professors to talk to a constituency that we don’t normally get to talk to,” Moore says. “It allows us to talk about the things that are important to us here at St. Thomas like social justice, ethics, and environmental responsibility. It also allows us to test out our arguments and ideas with a different set of people with maybe different priorities than your average undergraduate student. It was a really worthwhile discussion.”

stu.ca/careernetwork STU has launched the Alumni Career Network to connect our 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. Do you know alumni who would be a good fit for the network? Send us an email at alumni@stu.ca! 16 FALL 2015

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

Morgan Roherty, BA '09

CPA, CA, - Senior Tax Specialist at Bringloe Feeney LLP

Nicola MacLeod, BA '14

Business Intelligence Coordinator with Ignite Fredericton

Shawn Martin, BSW '15

Social Worker with Horizon Health’s Addictions and Mental Health Services’ Child and Adolescent Team

PROFILES He had pitched the idea to his publisher about ten years ago, but the problem with the book at that time was that it didn’t have an ending. “When I woke up from my last surgery, the surgeon explained to me that he had made my legs the same length – something that hadn’t been true in almost 40 years.” And there it was: the ending to his book. Kavanagh hasn’t let his disability define him. He has maintained a positive outlook, something he equates to his ability to put things in perspective and to confront challenges instead of giving up. “I’m no Pollyanna. I don’t believe you can surmount everything,” he warns. “But I believe you can’t know in advance what will break you and what you will be able to overcome. All you can do is believe that you can get past it. You might as well approach the situation – whether that’s an illness, a severe disappointment, or a tragedy – you might as well approach it as something that you can deal with. We are very bad as human beings at assessing what we can or can’t deal with.”

Photo: Debi Goodwin

Walking the Walk

Peter Kavanagh, BA ’73, Releases Memoir about Living with Polio By Jacqueline Cormier, BA ’08

Peter Kavanagh has spent his entire life thinking about walking. He was diagnosed with paralytic polio as an infant and suffered permanent paralysis in the lower part of his left leg. What followed was a childhood filled with painful medical procedures, steel leg braces, heavy shoes, more surgeries – and a constant focus on putting one foot in front of the other. In his new memoir, The Man Who Learned to Walk Three Times, the STU alumnus and former CBC producer gives insight into the mind of a chronically ill child and the challenges he faced growing up that followed him into adulthood.

Indeed, Kavanagh has had to learn to walk three times. First as a toddler. Then, as a teenager following a hip-to-pelvis fusion that had him bed ridden in a body cast for a year. And again today, as he recovers from a hip surgery that lengthened his weakened leg. Although Kavanagh’s story is shaped by physical challenges, his book is not a medical case study. His story is one of hardship, resilience, and hope. “The idea for this memoir had been on my mind for quite some time,” he says. “When I reflected back on my childhood in particular, I was quite struck by the notion of experimenting on children and why we subject children to serious operations and serious experiments.”

Despite his struggles, Kavanagh is the first to say he is blessed. He has had a very good life – one filled with family, travel, and a successful career in journalism. He spent 25 years at the CBC in television and radio with programs such as The Journal, Morningside, The Sunday Edition and Ideas, as well as publishing in The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, the National Post and numerous publications in the United States and Europe. He spent his professional life examining and analyzing issues and ideas – something he first discovered at St. Thomas University. “St. Thomas was remarkably formative in terms of who I am as an individual. St. Thomas was the first place I learned that you could have an intellectual life. That you could wrestle with issues and have fun doing that. I was always a cerebral kid, but going to St. Thomas allowed that to shine through.” The Man Who Learned to Walk Three Times is available on Amazon.ca and in most book retailers near you.

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

FALL 2015 17

PROFILES

STU Alum Advocates for Transgender Equality By Jacqueline Cormier, BA ’08

Photo: Kelly Baker

AJ Ripley, BA ’08, was never one to sit quietly on the sidelines, especially when they witnessed prejudice, injustice or inequity. Now, the STU alum is using their voice to advocate for transgender Canadians. “I think it’s important to advocate because I want some young trans person out there who just got fired or kicked out of their house, or sexually assaulted to know that they have a community in me. That I can shout for them while they find their voice.” Ripley, a non-binary transgender person, recently hosted and co-produced On Hold, a documentary about Canadian transgender health care access. The documentary started airing on Vice.com in October. “When VICE approached me to host the documentary I agreed because I thought it was important to show Canadians what healthcare access looks like nationwide for trans people,” Ripley explained. “Even in provinces doing it well, like Ontario, there are issues with training medical professionals and transphobia, not to mention horrendous wait times for people looking to 18 FALL 2015

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

access gender reassignment surgery. What we learned through making the documentary is that waiting for these surgeries equates to death.” Statistics show that 43 per cent of trans people attempt suicide. Ripley said calling it “suicide” takes the onus off the government. “And that’s who’s responsible. Ask any psychologist, general practitioner, or healthcare professional who works with the trans community and they will tell you that suicide ideation and attempts drastically decrease once a trans person has access to transitioning (whether that’s medically through surgery and hormones or socially through legal means such as name changes and proper gender marker indications on identification documents). These people are dying from lack of access and intentional neglect. Calling it suicide doesn’t give the whole picture.” Ripley said the New Brunswick trans community is especially vulnerable, as New Brunswick is the only province in Canada that doesn’t cover gender-confirming surgeries – something they hope will change soon. “I hope the doc will bring national attention to the barriers to access for trans

people trying to navigate the healthcare system in our country,” Ripley said. “I hope it will loosen regulations and gatekeeping around who can receive gender-confirming surgeries, and encourage a dialogue into expanding what type of procedures are offered. I hope the documentary will put pressure on the government to shorten wait times for trans people on the list to accessing these surgeries. And, ultimately, I hope this documentary will help prevent trans people from dying of neglect.” Although Ripley has vowed to keep fighting until transgender people have the same rights as everyone else, they admit they can’t do it alone. “If you’re an educator, teach your students about gender inclusive language and the importance of names and pronouns. If you’re in a position of power, hire qualified trans people. If you’re a cop, stop arresting us. If you’re a doctor, please treat us like every other patient.” You can read more about AJ Ripley on their blog http://transcanadamyway.com/.

You are invited to join us in

celebrating the outstanding achievements

and

contributions of our alumni!

Please visit us online at www.stu.ca/giving to nominate outstanding fellow alumni!

AS M

UNIV ER

TY SI

The Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes the outstanding accomplishments of living STU alumni who have earned prominence as a result of their outstanding professional achievements and/or service to society.

ST . T HO

We are accepting nominations for the Carolyn Layden-Stevenson Distinguished Alumni Award, which will be presented at the STU Gala Dinner on April 30, 2016.

Alumni ASSOCIATION

Deadline December 31, 2015

Save the date

St. Thomas University

GALA Dinner

Help Support students in financial need, honour distinguished alumni, and enjoy an elegant evening of dining and entertainment. Please join us at the 2016 St. Thomas University Gala Dinner on Saturday, April 30, at the Delta Fredericton. St. Thomas University alumni and friends will gather to recognize the recipient of the Carolyn Layden-Stevenson Distinguished Alumni Award. All proceeds of the evening will go towards students in financial need.

For more information or to purchase tickets, please contact adejong@stu.ca. ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

FALL 2015 19

Campus WATCH New Alumni Career Network As graduates, you know the enduring benefits of a liberal arts degree. Thinking critically and expressing yourself compellingly. Acquiring knowledge from multiple fields, advanced communication skills, informed understanding of different cultures, and exceptional critical skills. These are just part of the benefits of studying the liberal arts. When speaking with prospective students, our challenge is sometimes convincing them that studying the liberal arts can provide these skills and more. Maybe it is better to show people. We recently launched our Alumni Career Network (www. stu.ca/careernetwork). It provides background on 25 career groups and each has information on career paths, suggested academic majors, and skills needed. What makes it uniquely STU is that for each group, we have profiled graduates working in that area. Their success is inspiring and their advice will have an impact on our students. More than 50 graduates are profiled on the network. Each has agreed to take e-mail inquiries from students about their career. These graduates – from doctors, to talent acquisition specialists to business consultants to professional hockey scouts – show the breadth, depth and impact of a liberal arts degree. A STU degree has helped them immeasurably, and now they want to give back. The Alumni Career Network also lines up with a new initiative of Universities Canada, the organization representing Canada’s 97 universities.

Katie Clow, BA ’14, BEd ’15 and Ryan Oulton, BEd, ’15, delivered the valedictory address.

Why We Chose Education as Our Calling

education as your profession. Remember this when you are trying to manage a class full of struggling students and you feel like you’ve tried everything you could to help them. Remember this if you ever contemplate giving up on your dream job.

Katie Clow, BA ’14, BEd ’15 and Ryan Oulton, BEd ’15, Speak at Summer Convocation

Remember why you chose to become a teacher – never give up on your dreams and never let your students give up on their dreams.

Katie Clow, BA, BEd, from Summerside, PEI and Ryan Oulton, BSc, BEd, from Sackville, NB, shared the valedictory at St. Thomas University’s Summer Convocation where 114 students graduated, including 77 education students from seven Canadian provinces. This is an edited version of their remarks. Our graduation doesn’t mean that we are done learning. It simply means that we are ready to start a new chapter in our lives. Many of us may end up on the other side of the world, but none of us will ever forget where we came from. Being a teacher means that we will always be growing, always changing. We continuously strive to do better – to be better – and to truly make a difference, be it in our own lives or especially in the lives of others. Always remember that we have the power to have a positive impact on others. Remember this when you are up at 3 am grading papers, wondering why you chose

If we could leave you with one piece of advice it would be to walk your talk. Stand up for what you believe in. Go the extra mile for a student. Don’t be a teacher who says one thing and does another. I’m sure we can all think of one teacher who didn’t walk their talk. But more importantly, I’m sure that we can all think of at least one teacher who did. Those are the kind of teachers that truly stay in students’ memories. Be those teachers. Whether you were here for 11 months or five years, St. Thomas has offered you experiences like no other. A liberal arts education is a unique one – it teaches a person to be open-minded critical thinkers and prepares a person for life. Be proud to call yourself a graduate of St. Thomas University, and if you have the opportunity, come back and reminisce every once in a while.

As part of our commitment to build a smart and prosperous Canada, Universities Canada has pledged to equip students with the skills and knowledge they need to flourish in work and life and empower them to contribute to Canada’s economy and economic success. One way STU can help is to better connect students with our successful graduates on the Alumni Career Network. Dawn Russell President and Vice-Chancellor

Megan Clark, BEd ’15; Jacob Tozer, BA ’14, BEd ’15; Laura West, BEd ’15 20 FALL 2015

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

campus watch

Finding Meaningful and Realistic Ways to Fight Injustice Dr. Christina Szurlej Joins Human Rights Program Dr. Christina Szurlej is on an ongoing journey to find meaningful and realistic ways to fight injustice and lessen human suffering. She is the newest faculty member in the human rights department where she will also serve as the director of the Atlantic Human Rights Centre. For Szurlej, teaching and advancing human rights is a vocation – one that allows her to contribute to the betterment of society. “I understood human rights to be

a tool to fight for the rights of those whose voices may not otherwise be heard from the impoverished and marginalized to those who are disempowered,” she said. Szurlej believes studying human rights at a liberal arts university will generate more leaders who can critically question existing policies, laws and structures, and then develop alternatives that will benefit society. “Liberal arts graduates strive to understand the root causes of issues confronting society and acknowledge

that yielding a profit should not be the primary or only determining factor for taking or withholding action. Instead, graduates emphasize quality of life and adopt a holistic approach towards building a society that flourishes, founded on strong relationships to others within the community.” She is teaching Introduction to Human Rights, Human Rights and Non-Governmental Organizations, International Human Rights and the Senior Seminar.

Nurturing and Inspiring Students Leigh Rivenbark Joins the Musical Theatre Program in Fine Arts After working as an artist for several years, Leigh Rivenbark is the newest faculty member in the Musical Theatre program in Fine Arts. Aside from the positive influence he hopes to have on his students, Rivenbark is looking forward to directing the Musical Theatre class production of Rent from March 2-5, 2016, and contributing to the growth of the Musical Theatre program. In the classroom, Rivenbark sees himself as a mentor who focuses on nurturing and inspiring his students. “In my teaching practice, I find that students thrive not only when they’re nurtured but when they’re

challenged,” he said. “I see myself as being a mentor rather than an authority figure. After all, my students are the future of musical theatre. I may be teaching them today and then working with them professionally down the road.” Rivenbark is teaching four classes this year – Musical Theatre; Voice and Movement; Voice, Breath, and Body; and Music Theory – all of which he hopes will feed into the musical theatre component with an emphasis on creating a well-rounded performer. Rivenbark holds a Master’s of Fine Arts in Directing from the University of Alberta and is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada.

Imagining Education Possibilities for Today’s World Alumna Marcea Ingersoll Joins School of Education Although teaching may have been considered a ‘traditional’ profession in the past, Dr. Marcea Ingersoll, BA ’94, knows that this is no longer the case. “In today’s world, the pace of change and immediate access to information outstrips anything our society has ever known,” she explained. “Teachers are being challenged to imagine educational possibilities that are responsive to current realities. I’m excited that today’s teachers are concerned, innovative, curious, and dedicated professionals who are developing critically conscious 21st century learners whose skills and habits of mind will have an impact: locally and globally.”

Ingersoll is the newest faculty member in STU’s School of Education, where she will be teaching Elementary School Reading and Language Arts Methods, Middle School Literacy and Language Arts Methods, Secondary English Methods. She brings with her a passion for education and the narratives that accompany teaching and learning. “It’s a privilege to accompany learners on their educational journeys, and I’m grateful to be able to do something I love,” Ingersoll said. “As a teacher, I am always learning as well, and I attempt to stay current by engaging with new technologies and striving for professional growth.”

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

FALL 2015 21

campus watch

New Logo Represents Duality of First Nation Students A new logo has been created for First Nation students at St. Thomas University. It was designed by Shane Perley-Dutcher, a prominent Wolastoqui Silversmith from the Nekootkook (Tobique) First Nation. “The T-logo is a symbol of unity, respect and inclusiveness,” Perley-Dutcher said. “The Wolastoqiyik and Mi’kmaq culture will always be the heart of our learning process. Through this design, we honour the spirit of lifelong learning and we honour the heart of our students that take the steps to improve their well-being through education. This design carries hope for a better future for First Nation learners at St. Thomas University.”

Graydon Nicholas Named Endowed Chair in Native Studies The Honourable Graydon Nicholas has been named the Endowed Chair in Native Studies. Nicholas served as NB’s Lieutenant Governor from 2009-2014. He was the first Aboriginal person to receive a law degree in Atlantic Canada and the first appointed as a provincial court judge. The Endowed Chair in Native Studies was established in 1984 as a result of the university’s long standing interest in the educational needs of Native students and its relationship with First Nations communities. Among its goals, the chair makes resources available to Aboriginal communities and promotes the understanding of Aboriginal issues in society. The Chair also supports the Native Studies Program.

Dawn Russell’s Term as President and Vice-Chancellor Renewed for Five Years The Board of Governors is very pleased to announce the reappointment of Professor Dawn Russell as President and Vice-Chancellor of St. Thomas for a second five-year term beginning July 1, 2016. This decision by the Board of Governors follows a broad consultation process that solicited feedback from each university constituency, including members of the Board of Governors, faculty, staff, students, Senate, FAUST, STUSAU, the Alumni Association and the Student’s Union. Leaders in the post-secondary sector in the region were also consulted. President Russell’s accomplishments since she became President and Vice-Chancellor on July 1, 2011 have been considerable. Of particular note are her achievements in organizational restructuring, building an effective senior management team capable of realizing the university’s objectives, leading the development and implementation of a five-year strategic plan, and improving the degree of transparency and accountability around issues and decisions.

Profs Win a Distinguished Publication Award 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. The award is given to books and articles that make a significant contribution to research and theory that advance the understanding of the psychology of women, while promoting the goals of the association. 22 FALL 2015

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

campus watch

The Small University of Big Opportunities STU's Marketing Campaign The 2015-16 recruitment cycle is in full swing. This year’s publication suite hit the road with the Recruitment Team in early September, including the university Viewbook, an international student Viewbook, college fair booth displays, recruitment presentations, program brochures, open house invitations and posters, a multi-part acceptance package for accepted students, and more.

With Hawk Communications in Moncton, St. Thomas's Department of Communications won Silver in the magazine category at the 2015 Summit Creative Awards for last year's university Viewbook. The competition received 5,000+ submissions from 20 countries and had an international judging panel (blind judging) of 16 members from 8 countries.

The marketing campaign launched in October under the theme of “The Small University of Big Opportunities.” The campaign features real St. Thomas students from different parts of Canada and the globe as they share their “big opportunity” story through video and ads.

The university began the academic year with a new website. The redesigned site allows the university to showcase more image driven promotion of community accomplishments, events, and news. In addition to a more modern look and feel, stu.ca is now responsive. Responsive web design allows for a more productive and enjoyable user experience as content adjusts depending on the device used to view the website. ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

FALL 2015 23

POStCARD

T-ring Takes Alumna to Rogers Cup

TO STU

Katelin Cummings, BA ’11, Wins Contest with Engraved Grad Ring Katelin Cummings, BA ’11, knew her T-ring could take her places, but she never imagined it would help her land a front-row seat at the Rogers Cup. Cummings – a longtime tennis fan – has “Djokovic” engraved on the inside of her T-ring, so when Rogers challenged Canadians to post a photo showing their love for tennis, she knew what to submit. “I decided to engrave “Djokovic” on the inside of my T-ring after watching him come back and win a huge match at the beginning of my final year at STU. “Djokovic!” became a motivational phrase for me,” she said. Shortly after submitting her photo, Cummings was told she won the contest and was getting a VIP trip to the Rogers Cup finals, complete with airfare, hotel, and a chance to meet the tournament champion. “When I found out I won, I thought I would scream or cry, but I just started hysterically laughing and couldn’t stop,” she said. “I was on a conference call with a bunch of people from Rogers in Toronto and Montreal, and they said they wished they’d filmed or recorded it.”

During her weekend stay in Montreal, Cummings got to meet Andy Murray, the 2015 Rogers Cup Champion, and had her experience filmed by Sportsnet for a television commercial. The highlight of the trip, though, was getting to walk on centre court.

“No one is allowed on centre court but the players and staff, and I got to have that experience. It was so special,” she said. “I also sat in Djokovic’s match chair.”

Cummings’ “Djokovic” engraving motivated her through her final year at St. Thomas and through her master’s degree at Memorial University – this Rogers Cup experience was an added bonus. “I really loved that this experience combined my love of tennis with my connection to STU,” she said. “Green and gold for life!”

Postcards feature alumni and student travels and adventures. To suggest a profile, e-mail alumni@stu.ca. 24 FALL 2015

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

NEW & NOTEWORTHY

New&Noteworthy News from classmates & friends around the world

1960s Judge Michael McKee, BA ’62, LLD, ’12, received the 2015 Distinguished Community Service Award in September at the United Way and the Moncton Area Lawyers Association Distinguished Community Service Award Gala.

1970s

St. Michael’s College. His most recent publication was “Religion of Ancient Israel” in The Anselm Companion to the Bible, edited by Corrine L. Carvalho, pp. 152-67. Winona, MN: Anselm Academic, 2014.

1990s Michael Whitlock, BSW ’90, is the adult clinical services supervisor with Community Mental Health – Richmond Centre in Charlottetown, PEI.

0 7 9 1 1 0 0 5 6 9 1 19 1 Peggy Holt, BA ’73, BEd ’74, recently launched the book Garden Meditations, a collection of Haiku poems based on 18 years of painting Peter and Marie Cashion’s garden. The book was cast on a Ludlow Typograph Machine and printed on a Vandercook Press at David Brewer’s Rabbit Town Press in Fredericton. Peggy hand bound each book with a Japanese stabbing technique using garden twine. Each book has a jacket with a small copy of one of Peggy’s paintings. Garden Meditations is a limited edition.

Stephen Ward, BA ’73, recently published his latest book on media ethics, Radical Media Ethics: A Global Approach by Wiley Publishers. This is Stephen’s sixth book on journalism and media ethics, and argues that the media revolution requires a radical re-conceptualization of the aims and principles of media ethics. The book also puts forward new principles for global media, and a code of ethics for digital, global media. He says his interest in ethics grew out of his philosophy classes with Profs. Frank Cronin and Leo Ferrari when he was an undergraduate at STU.

Tracy Malley-Hall, BSW ’92, has worked in the Department of Social Development since October of 1992. She has worked in child protection, children in care program and she is presently a supervisor in the child care program for the last eight years. She has two children, Andrew (18 years old) and Madeline (15 years old). Her son Andrew is in his first year at STU!

1980s

In January 2015, Patrick O’Brien, BA ’80, was appointed director of human resources with the City of Moncton. After a 25 year career with the criminal justice system that spanned several provinces, Pat joined the city’s HR department in 2008.

At its 2015 annual meeting in Ottawa, Dr. John L. McLaughlin, BA ’82, was elected President of the Canadian Society of Biblical Studies, the national professional society of biblical scholars and professors, for the 2015-2016 academic year. He is currently associate professor of Old Testament/Hebrew Bible and interim dean in the Faculty of Theology at the University of

Andrew Titus, BA ’94, has kept busy this year. In addition to working as professor at STU, raising a youngish family and holding weekly poetry workshops at middle schools throughout the district, he is an avid endurance athlete and the Maritime ambassador for Trailrunning Canada magazine and The North Face. In the past year, he has been published numerous times in Trailrunning Canada, Bicycle Times and iRunFar, and has won two awards for Creative Writing of the Year. In addition, he came in 9th (1st in his age group) at the Vermont 100k, 6th (and 1st in his age group) at the Duncan Hadley Duathlon, 1st in the Wascally Wabbit 65k, 4th (and 1st in his age group) at the Brookvale 50k, and 10th at the UTMA 44k, among many others. In August, he won a 100K adventure race held in Gatineau Park and organized by Impossible2Possible.

David McTimoney, BEd ’95, superintendent of the Anglophone West School District has been chosen to represent Atlantic Canada on the board of directors of the national education charity, The Learning Partnership. The Learning Partnership focuses on supporting, promoting, and advancing publicly funded education in Canada by bringing together business, government, school boards, teachers, parents, labour and community organizations across Canada to create long-term partnerships. Eric Crawford, BA ’96, BEd ’97, has been named pro scout for the Montreal Canadiens’ organization.

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

FALL 2015 25

NEW & NOTEWORTHY 2 Lisa McGibbon, BA ’97, is currently a pilot for WestJet Airlines where she has worked for several years. After graduating from STU, she lived overseas teaching English before returning to Canada where she attended the Nova Scotia Agricultural College for one year. She then attended the Moncton Flight College where she obtained her Commercial Pilots License. She then obtained her Flight Instructor Rating in Calgary, Alberta where she then taught flying lessons for over three years. Following that, she flew medevac and charter flights throughout primarily Alberta for several years before working for Canadian North Airlines where she flew throughout the Arctic and across Canada. She met her husband, Patrick Palmer, while they were both flying for Canadian North Airlines. They both fly for WestJet now and were 2 married in September 2015.

2010s Congratulations to Emily Bossé, BA ’11, on being a 2015 finalist for the Writers’ Trust of Canada / McClelland & Stewart Journey Prize. Her story “Last Animal Standing on Gentleman’s Farm,” which was first published by The Fiddlehead, will appear in the anthology The Journey Prize Stories 27! Sarah Bulman, BA ’12, was recognized as one of 21inc’s Top 50 Atlantic Leaders Under 40. Michelle Ouellette, BA ’13, BSW ’15, is doing her PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies at UNB, studying “Ethics in Long Term Care: Exploring the Interaction Between Public Policy, Organizational Philosophies, and Frontline Ethical Decision-Making.” Christina Murray, BA ’15, moved to Ottawa in order to work on starting her own business in health and fitness and she has started a Masters in Human Services Counselling, Health and Wellness this fall. Her business, Humbly Confident, will focus on promoting mental and physical fitness, starting with women and girls and then expanding to men. Through this, she is also working to develop a project proposal for the juvenile justice system in New Brunswick, to work with female young offenders, creating positive self-esteem and mental health as a deterrent from crime. To get a better feel of the company, please visit www. gofundme.com/humblyconfident.

0 9 9 1 0 0 0 2 8 7 2000s

9 0 6 3

Congratulations to Ryan O'Shea, BA '05, for winning the 2015 Emera NB Marathon By The Sea in August and the marathon at the 2015 Legs for Literacy!

3 Emily (Coldham) Brennan, BA ’07, and Matthew Brennan, BA ’06, welcomed their son, Cameron Michael Brennan. Cameron was born at 9:17 pm on February 1, 2015, weighing 7lbs 8oz. He is a very happy baby boy, always smiling and telling great stories.

9 1

Four of Megan Young-Jones’, BA ’07, BEd ’08, students from George Street Middle School are now national award winners and published authors. The grade eight students won the Entrepreneurial Adventure Program’s BMO Financial Group National Student Innovation Award for Impact on School and Community for their Maliseet book 4 Weyossisok (Little Animals).

4 Jonathan Wilson BA ’07, BEd ’08, Coach of STU Men’s Rugby and Jodie deSolla BA ’07, BSW ’11 welcomed future STU Alumni Benjamin Charles Wilson October 9, 2015.

Lindsay Ingalls, BA ’08, is working as a blogger and freelance writer out of Portland, Oregon. You can read her blogs here: http://www.naturallyfamily.com/ and http://runningwithtongs.com/

26 FALL 2015

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

5 After falling in love in the halls of the JB O’Keefe Fitness Centre, Jason Cassidy, BA ’11, and Jayne Erickson, BA ’10, got married this summer in Pugwash, NS, surrounded by some of their best friends from their time at STU as varsity athletes!

In �emoriam

The St. Thomas University Alumni Relations office, STU Alumni Association, and the university community extend condolences to the family and friends of the following alumni who passed away recently:

Leo Sullivan, BA ’60 October 16, 2015

Erin Murray, BA ’05 June 15, 2015

David Boyle, BA ’73 August 27, 2015

Bob Kenny, LLD ’13 June 6, 2015

Gregory Sullivan, BA ’73 August 25, 2015

Alan Geddie Burke, BA ’83 July 28, 2014

Ryan Murray, BA ’03 August 24, 2015

Richard Carr, BA ’70, BEd ’72 July 23, 2014

Employment & Labour

Order pizza

Online!

papajohns.com

0 0 0

30% off regular menu price enter promo code: Stu

An experienced team dedicated to workplace law At Cox & Palmer, we believe that pro-active policies and practices are the foundation of strong workplaces. Issues such as workplace harassment, human rights law, and terminations are always on the minds of employers, and that’s where we come in. You can rely on Cox & Palmer’s New Brunswick team for all your employment and labour needs.

Jamie Eddy jeddy@coxandpalmer.com 506.462.4751

SmYtHe & dundonald plaZa • 269 main Street • 474-7272

2015-16 TOMMIES ATHLETICS RAFFLE

VIP FUN IN THE SUN NHL & GOLF DREAM PACKAGE IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA March 18-23, 2016 • In Support of STU Athletics The Package • Return airfare for FOUR from Fredericton, Moncton, Halifax, or Toronto • FOUR BMW Lounge (All Inclusive Food & Beverage) Seats to: -- March 19 Arizona Coyotes vs. Tampa Bay Lightning -- March 22 Arizona Coyotes vs. Edmonton Oilers • FIVE Nights accommodation (double occupancy) • LIMO transportation to and from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport • FOUR tickets to MLB Spring Training Game • TWO rounds of GOLF (Four Golfers) with Carts • RETAIL VALUE OF PACKAGE $10,000+!!!

ONLY 750 TICKETS AVAILABLE Best Deal – Three (3) for $100 or One (1) for $50 Draw Date: February 10, 2016 STU vs. UNB Men’s Hockey Game Grant Harvey Centre – 2nd Intermission

To buy tickets call 452-0645 The personal information requested on this form is collected for the purpose of maintaining communication with alumni and supporters of St. Thomas University. Questions concerning the collection, use or disposal of this information should be directed to ph: 506-452-0522. Charitable Registration #10804 3282 RR0001.

Lottery License #0043434 56 008

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

FALL 2015 27

HERE’S SOMETHING JUST FOR