SPRING 2014
a l u m ni
&
fr i en d s
Andrew Estabrooks, BA ’00, is head brewer for Picaroons, p. 6
Versatility of the
Liberal
Arts
Spring Convocation
October 3-5
ALUMNI WEEKEND
Volunteer Opportunities
for Alumni
THE STU FUND
Alumni Support
In Action
“ The warm and open environment I found at St. Thomas helped build my confidence, and before long I was fully engaged in the life of our community. Your support is vital to a meaningful student experience; future students will benefit from your generosity, just as I have.” – Steven Butler, BA ‘14 Co-Tom McCann Memorial Trophy 2014 Major Renewable Scholarships $8,000 to $50,000 Academics, leadership qualities, extracurricular activities
Endow an award with one lump sum donation, or fund an award with annual gifts
How Do Student Awards Work at STU?
You choose the type and value of the award, and 100% of your donation makes it into the hands of deserving students
Bursaries for those in financial need range from $500 to $2,000
Scholarships recognizing academic excellence are valued at $500 and up
In addition to helping us with financial aid, your support helps students participate in experiential learning and study abroad programs — valuable preparation for an increasingly global environment — and support community-based programs, clubs and other student-driven initiatives.
Last year gifts to the STU Fund supported:
• STU student’s participation in a Leadership Conference at Dalhousie University • A public lecture and exhibit by Uruguayan Artist Carlos Capelán on the Role of Politics and Culture in Creating Identity • Student’s attendance of the Annual Science Atlantic Undergraduate Psychology Conference hosted by STU • 30 new bursaries for students with financial need • Increased participation in travel study programs All donations to the STU Fund are tax deductible.
Leadership awards recognize students who can balance academic achievement with a commitment to community
What Can You Do?
Establish a new named award, scholarship or bursary in memory or honour of a family member, friend, professor or colleague or in your own name as a demonstration of the high value you place on a STU education. To make a gift that will support students, visit www.stu. ca/giving or call 506-452-0645.
By the Numbers • Total amount for scholarship and bursaries is $1.94 million • Average amount given to undergraduate entering students with scholarships is $1,965 • 68% of our first-year students receive an entrance scholarship
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ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS
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
May is always an exciting time on campus and around Fredericton, as we watch our graduates obtain their degree after four years of hard work. As St. Thomas alumni, we know that the world is at their fingertips, because four years at St. Thomas has prepared them well for what’s next. That’s because St. Thomas encourages its students to think outside the box and challenge the norms. It has been nine years since I graduated from St. Thomas, and I just have to look at my fellow alumni to know that the graduates of 2014 can truly become anything they desire. We have alumni in all fields of work around the world: RCMP officers, teachers, lawyers, actors / actresses, journalists, politicians, doctors, writers, bakers and the list is endless.
Cyndi Jenkins, BA ’05 President, STU Alumni Association
new class of 2014 alumni, as well as all our alumni, to continue to be ambassadors for St. Thomas – share your STU experiences, talk about the value of a liberal arts university and how it helped you achieve your goals.
Despite the differences in their chosen careers, they are all ambassadors for St. Thomas University. I would encourage our
Finally, it has occurred to me that this is the last time my words will occupy this space, as my term as president ends in October. I would be amiss to conclude my last Connections message without saying thank you to all the alumni who have supported the alumni board - either financially or by giving their time - over the years I have been involved. I look forward to seeing you all at future alumni events. Thank you.
Exploring the diversity of what comes next for our alumni
Jeff Wright Vice President, Advancement and Alumni
I am not a regular social media user, but I’m connected enough to watch my Twitter feed for St. Thomas University references. Nothing makes spring more exciting than reading tweets from Grade 12 students expressing their excitement about coming to STU this fall. Do you remember what that was like? Opening a letter or getting a phone call informing you that you’ve been accepted to St. Thomas, and the elation and thrill associated with the next big thing in your life? Your imagination started to take over: Where will I live? What courses will I take? Who else has been accepted? Who will I meet? Who should I tell first? Can I start right now? What a pivotal point in life. And in the blink of an eye, your years as a student at St. Thomas were over and you were faced with figuring out what came next. In this issue of Connections, you will read stories about what came next for a handful of St. Thomas alumni.
Equipped with a liberal arts education, the diversity of careers and industries explored and serviced by STU alumni cannot be overlooked. STU alumni are everywhere, and the value and impact of a liberal arts education remains just as useful and advantageous to employers as ever. Please enjoy this Spring 2014 issue of Connections. Please also take a few minutes to jot down some of the exciting alumni events dates including Alumni Weekend on October 3-5, 2014 where we will celebrate the 50 years in Fredericton and pay tribute to the history of St. Thomas and our first home in Chatham. And make sure you follow STU on Twitter: @StThomasU and @StThomasAlumni!
TABLE OF CONTENTS stu families 4 HILLTOP 5 profiles 6 Alumni Events 11 Campus Watch 13 Postcards to STU 18 New & noteworthy 20
We welcome your comments. Phone: 506-452-0521 E-mail: alumni@stu.ca Website: www.stu.ca Facebook: St Thomas University Alumni Twitter: @STUAlumni
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 9,000 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 Editorial Advisory Team Jeff Wright Jeffrey Carleton Tiffany Brown, BA ’14 Thea Johnson, BA ’14 Rebecca Howland, BA ’14 Jacqueline Cormier, BA ’08 Kathleen McCann, BA ’13 Wanda Bearresto, BA ’87 Photos Keith Minchin, Kyle Albright BA ’13 Design, Layout, Printing Kiers Marketing Group Taylor Printing Group Inc.
Alumni Association Board of Directors 2013-14 Executive Committee Bruce Hanson BA ’97 (Saint John) Cynthia L. Jenkins BA ’05 (Fredericton) Michael Lavigne BA ’91 (New Maryland) Phil Ouellette BA ’04 (Saint John) Dave Shearer BA ’03 (Oromocto) Andrew Speight BA ’04 (Fredericton) At-Large Members Don Bossé BA ’82, BEd ’83(Fredericton) Joe Breen BA ’66, BEd ’75 (Miramichi) Steven Butler, BA ’14 (Fredericton) Natalie Essiembre BA ’99 (Shediac) Gary Keating BA ’83, BA ’84 (Saint John) Dennis Livingstone BA ’73 (Riverview) Brendan Marshall BA ’06 (Gatineau) Frank McBrearty BA ’06 (Campbellton) John Townsend, BA ’74 (Fredericton) Jennifer Whitehead BA ’98 (Fredericton) ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS
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STU Families
Farrar family lays roots at St. Thomas University by Jacqueline Cormier, BA ‘08
Never Farrar from home Although Fredericton may have felt like it was a world away from the small community of Tide Head, New Brunswick, David Farrar said St. Thomas felt like home from day one when he stepped foot on campus in 1978 as a frosh. That’s in part because his twin sisters Patti and Penny attended STU and his older brother Colin had recently graduated with a BA and a BEd. “St. Thomas was a natural fit for me,” he said. “My sisters were there to show me the ropes. And really, when you are at St. Thomas when you’re on the hill and you’re on campus - you don’t feel like you’re in the city. You’re more in your own little town of St. Thomas. And STU was a lot smaller back then.” Whether it was over pints of beer at the pub nights held in the cafeteria, on the field during the intramural football games, or on the ice during intramural hockey games, Farrar has fond memories of the social side of STU. He said the small size of the campus made it easy to get to know each other – it just felt like home. Despite having a busy academic and social schedule, Farrar also found time to serve as a student member on the Board of Governors and the Senate. He lived in Harrington Hall for five years where he was also a proctor, and like most Raiders, he said Harry Rigby played an important role in his life. “Harry taught us all how to deal with people. He is a bit of a philosopher and was instrumental in teaching me about the realities of life and how to get along with others when you are in a position of authority.” His involvement with the university didn’t end with graduation. Until recently, he sat on 4 SPRING 2014
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the university’s Board of Governors and he continues to be an active alumnus. “St. Thomas gave me a full scholarship which allowed me to obtain an education I might not otherwise have had. In my mind, I owe it to the university to give something back. From my point of view, it’s the natural thing to be involved as much as I can as an alumnus or in some other capacity, such as sitting on the Board of Governors.” The Farrar name lives on at STU. Besides himself, his brother Colin and his twin sisters Patti and Penny, Farrar’s sister Vicky also attended STU. Most recently, his nieces Chelsea Farrar and Jillian Farrar attended. Farrar’s niece Jillian chose to attend St. Thomas because she wanted to study psychology without having to go too far from home. Much like her uncle, she kept a busy social schedule on campus, in order to make the most of her time at university. “I lived in Chatham Hall for my first three years (2007-2010) and I was involved in Welcome Week and on house committee. I tried to volunteer at different events as much as possible and spent a lot of time with friends and hanging out around campus.” Jillian, who completed a program in early childhood education after getting her BA in 2011 at STU, is now working in the circulation department at Brunswick News and as an after school counsellor at the Boys and Girls Club of Saint John. She says she loved her experience at STU and would recommend it to prospective students. “The small class sizes are great and there are a lot of interesting courses being offered. I’m glad I went there,” she said.
Left to right: Colin Farrar, BA ’74, BEd ’75; David Farrar, BA ’82; Penny (Farrar) Guitard, BA ’81.
Much like his niece, David Farrar said he chose St. Thomas partly because of his family connection, but he said ultimately it was the right university for him. “A liberal arts degree keeps your options open. It not only taught me how to think, it taught me how to write, a skill we all use every day,” he said. “Other degrees may limit what you can do, but if you study the liberal arts, there is any number of things that you can do. The world is your oyster. If you want to go to medical school, you can. If you want to go to law school, you can. Any number of careers are open to you after that. It’s just a good way to train your mind to think.” After graduating from STU, Farrar went on to study law at the University of New Brunswick. He was admitted into the bar in 1987 and was a litigator in private practice specializing in commercial litigation, insurance defence work, construction law, worker’s compensation law, occupational health and safety and employment law. He was appointed to the Nova Scotia Supreme Court in 2009 and elevated to the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal in 2010. The liberal arts background he acquired at St. Thomas has helped him during his time in the courtroom – before and behind the bench. “It’s very helpful to understand why people act in the manner they do. From my point of view, that’s one of the most important aspects of a liberal arts education – it’s the psychological and sociological understanding you have on why you interact with others.”
hilltop
Making decisions that affect people’s lives john linn is a senior policy advisor by Jacqueline Cormier, BA ’08 It was at St. Thomas that John Linn first became interested in Canadian public policy. Linn, who graduated from STU in 1994 with a political science major, is now a senior policy advisor with Transport Canada in Ottawa. “As analysts, our role at Transport Canada is to support evidence-based decisionmaking. Making decisions that affect people’s lives requires not just technical expertise, but creativity as well. In the policy world, this translates into the ability to see the larger picture, and anticipate the consequences, large and small, of taking a particular policy direction.”
“It’s good to see your work come out in the public light. When I was with Industry Canada, I was involved with the creation of scholarship programs for graduate students. One of these was the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship Program. Every now and then, you can actually see your work on the ground, and that is rewarding.” When Linn first came to campus, he was uncertain of what he wanted to do at the university. All that changed one day during a political science course. “Dr. Patrick Malcolmson gave a lecture on John Stuart Mills’ On Liberty and within minutes, I was hooked,” he says. “I could see the relevance of those writings to modern Canada.” “The political science faculty at STU approached political science from the great books or the classics, introducing us to
“ Every now and then, you can actually see your work on the ground, and that is rewarding.” Recently, Linn started working on a project to improve the development and delivery of enforcement practices across the transportation modes in Canada.
Hobbs, Locke, Plato, Aristotle and many others. We were introduced to the great works of Western thought, both ancient and modern.”
“A new file is always challenging but it is rewarding to be a part of a brand new initiative that has the potential to make a meaningful contribution to Canada’s transportation system,” he says.
After graduation from STU, he went on to complete a master’s at the University of Windsor in Canadian government and politics. He then studied public administration at Carleton University and that’s where he forged a deeper interest in public policy.
Prior to his work with Transport Canada, Linn spent 12 years at Industry Canada. Most of that time was spent working on issues related to higher education, research and development policy.
When he remembers his undergrad at STU, he says his time spent in the classroom was the most important. He
John Linn, BA ’94
recalls that the professors were top-notch and the quality of the lectures were excellent. This combination was a great influence and encouraged the strong interest in government that led to a career in the public service. “Political science is the study of governments, their forms, constitutions and the relationships between various political systems. The discipline, like any good liberal arts degree, also raises questions about the best way to live as human beings so I think marrying political science with liberal arts is a great way to prepare for a career in the public service.” ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS
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profiles
Hop crazy: Alumnus is head brewer at Picaroons Brewery
by Thea Johnson, BA ’14
Andrew Estabrooks, BA ’00
In many cases, wherever there is beer, there is joy. Over a pint of beer, strangers become friends, victories are celebrated, and losses are mourned. Over a pint of beer, a magical social environment erupts. This is what drives Picaroons head brewer Andrew Estabrooks every day. The journey to become head brewer wasn’t instant. In fact, it took him more than five years to attain this title. Estabrooks washed kegs for three months at Picaroons before he brewed his first beer. It was in that moment he got the taste for brewing and eagerly sought out more information on the craft. “It was easy to catch on fire,” he says. “There are lots of books and magazine articles written about beer. And that’s where my liberal arts education came in: the love for reading and learning and getting as much information out of that as I can get.” Looking back on his first time brewing, Estabrooks admitted he was excited, but also a bit anxious. “I was so nervous because there were so many little things to remember,” he says. “To be honest, the first 200 times you brew, you are never really on your own. So there’s 6 SPRING 2014
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that pressure of someone watching everything you do.” However, as he developed his brewing skills, Estabrooks became more confident and was eventually asked to pick his own style of beer and create it. This resulted in the production of the Yippee IPA, an East Coast-style India Pale Ale. “I just had a blast because I really love that style. I love working with hops; I’m kind of hop crazy sometimes,” he says. “It was exciting to have that satisfaction of taking home a bottle of the beer that I designed.” These days, Estabrooks, who manages four other brewers, oversees the entire brewing process at Picaroons. “It’s a lot of troubleshooting and putting out fires as well. My day can change in a moment if something doesn’t work right,” he says. In this management position, Estabrooks continues to seek out more information about his craft. He recently travelled to Wisconsin to complete a course with the Master Brewers Association, and sit in on the International Brewers and Distillery Exam. For Estabrooks, understanding what he does and how it works is central. Although the general perception of the brewing industry is romanticized and
fetishized, Estabrooks says that it involves an incredible amount of physical labour, most of which is related to sanitation. In fact, the cleaning portion comprises about 75 per cent of the beer-making process. “People think that brewing beer and making beer would be this insanely wonderful thing to do,” he says. “They think you must be drunk all the time, but it is very hard labour and there are a lot of critical points.” However, like any other job, Estabrooks admitted that not every day is peachy. “There are days when you want to pull your hair out,” he says. Nevertheless, he still finds enjoyment in his job. “It’s nice to be able to say I truly enjoy what I do. I love this industry. I love the social aspect,” he says. Estabrook’s hard work has paid off. Picaroons was named Brewery of the Year at the Canadian Brewing Awards in 2011, and the company continues to improve and expand. As for the future, Estabrooks plans to stay put and continue to help with the growth of the business. “We’re striving to grow three times the size of what we are now, within the next two years. I have to help to advance what I helped build,” he says.
profiles
Taking liberal arts to a new level Tim Coates may be working for one of the largest corporations in the world, but his main goal has nothing to do with a bottom line. Instead, he is helping IBM give back to people and businesses that need it most. He is a program manager for Corporate Citizenship with IBM. by Rebecca Howland, BA ’14 “Corporate Citizenship is IBM’s term for corporate social responsibility (CSR),” Coates explains. “It goes beyond traditional CSR; we bring IBM technology and expertise and work alongside communities and organizations to make a positive societal impact.”
Coates says a good example of this is Supplier Connection, a program that leverages IBM’s cloud, big data and enterprise security technologies to help small businesses access the supply chains of Fortune 500 corporations. In 2013, this program helped direct over $1.5 billion to small businesses in communities across the US. Coates says STU taught him the ability to learn – a skill that has proven itself very useful. “Including this one, I’ve had three ‘real’ jobs since graduating from STU. They were very different from one another, which forced me into periods of rapid learning,” he says. “The ability to see a problem, and then dissecting it using the different dimensions I learned through my time at STU, I think, allows me to come up with productive solutions.” After graduating from STU, Coates took two years off and lived abroad. “Even though it wasn’t a long time, those two years made a big difference. The experiences I had put me in a different place, where I was ready for something else, whatever that would be.” That ‘something else’ turned out to be the public policy program offered by the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
“The economics program at St. Thomas has a strong policy focus, which I enjoyed and found to be very relevant. We explored in depth how you take economic knowledge and apply it in real world settings,” he says. “By the time I applied for grad school I knew that whatever I was going to do, it was going to be in the policy world. And the reason I chose the Kennedy School was because I wanted to study at a school that took the political side of policy seriously.” The liberal arts foundation he got at STU helped him during his public policy studies. “What the liberal arts do very well is explain why humans are such complex animals. This turns out to be pretty important for public policy. What good are models of human behaviour if they don’t take all this complexity into account? Without a lens that incorporates sociology, history, psychology, and economics, you’ll never get desired policy outcomes, whether that’s job creation, high graduation rates or decreased obesity.” Since Coates deals with social responsibility at IBM, he is able to apply both his liberal arts and his public policy knowledge to deal with the public and with the complexity that surrounds it, just like he learned during his time at the Kennedy School. “This is one of the world’s biggest and most respected companies,” he says. “The resources that are potentially available is ridiculous. Working to leverage those resources to make a positive impact on communities is exciting.”
Tim Coates, BA ’03
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profiles Despite all the work they do, Henheffer says the organization hasn’t become a household name – something he plans to change. “I want to massively expand awareness on free expression in Canada,” he says. “It’s becoming increasingly important and Canadians don’t realize how close to the edge of the cliff their freedom of expression is or how much their rights are being infringed on.” Henheffer started at St. Thomas in 2005 after taking a journalism class in high school and realizing he wanted to pursue it as a career. “My high school teacher who taught that course went to STU and many of my family members went to STU, so I decided to go to STU,” he says. His mother Maria Henheffer, BA ’77 also went to STU.
Tom Henheffer, BA ’09
FIGHTING
It was through the annual Dalton Camp lecture hosted by the university that he connected with the then editor of Maclean’s magazine, Ken Whyte, and ultimately landed an internship after graduation. After his year-long internship, where he covered and broke exclusive video of murderer Russell Williams, he was hired as a staff reporter.
to protect free expression ALUMNUS HEAD OF Canadian Journalists for Free Expression Tom Henheffer is the head of an organization that’s fighting to protect freedom of expression in Canada and around the world. Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) has been working to promote universal respect for the freedom of expression and greater access to information since 1981, and as their executive director, Henheffer gets to combine his passion for journalism with business and human rights. “The stuff we do is pretty cool,” Henheffer says. “Recently, we’ve been actively campaigning to get Mohammed Fahmy and his colleagues from Al Jazeera released from prison in Egypt. He was thrown in jail essentially for no reason, so we’ve organized protests and have been lobbying the government with letters and e-mails.” CJFE is constantly working on free expression issues that arise in Canada. They’ve been lobbying the government to pass
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by Kathleen McCann, BA ’13 “I went from being an intern to launching and running Maclean’s web TV series,” he says.
pro-expression legislation, they just fought Bill C-461 – which would have made the CBC’s sources subject to access to information requests, essentially killing investigative journalism at the broadcaster – and they’re about to release their annual review of free expression in Canada.
From there he freelanced, created his own company, which patented a widget for digital SLR cameras, and worked as the small business editor at the Toronto Star before landing his job at Canadian Journalists for Free Expression.
One of their most important initiatives is the Journalist in Distress Network.
Henheffer credits much of his professional success to the journalism program and his liberal arts degree.
“The Journalist in Distress Network includes small grants to help journalists that are in trouble,” Henheffer says. “For instance, if a journalist gets shot and needs emergency surgery, we will pay for the surgery. We’ve paid to have people smuggled out of a country because they were in danger, and if a journalist is killed, we can help pay for the funeral or the cost to their family until they get back on their feet.”
“I’ve had the pleasure of working with journalists who graduated from schools all over the place and I think the students from STU rival anything they can produce. I know I had the opportunities I did because I went there,” he says. “More broadly than that, the Bachelor of Arts degree makes you a well-rounded person. It encourages lifelong learning, which is very important, and it makes you adaptable in any situation.”
profiles
Alumna is expert on bullying in Canada
Puppets for social change by Jacqueline Cormier, BA ‘08
by Kathleen McCann, BA ‘13
Dr. Danielle Quigley, BA ’06 St. Thomas University alumna Dr. Danielle Quigley is becoming a leading expert on bullying in Canada. Since graduating from STU with an honours in psychology, Quigley has completed her master’s and PhD at Carleton University and is now a post-doctoral fellow with the Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network (PREVNet). The organization is dedicated to preventing bullying and promoting relationships by putting research into practice.
Rebecca Tremblay, BA ’08
Rebecca Tremblay is a puppeteer with a social conscience. Through her organization, The Puppeteaching Project, she uses her felt friends to convey important messages and lessons to children around the world. “Puppets have the ability to reach children and break-down barriers in a way that adult teachers cannot. As non-human characters, puppets are highly accessible to children, able to address difficult topics in a non-threatening and non-judgemental manner.”
“I’ve had the opportunity to be involved in a number of PREVNet initiatives, including the creation and delivery of our Healthy Relationships Training Module, which educates adults on the importance of healthy relationships and how to promote and maintain them with children, youth, and other adults,” she says.
Tremblay, who is now living in Australia, began working with puppets while she was still a student at St. Thomas. She volunteered with the Cathedral Puppeteers and performed puppet shows to Sunday schools and to children around the province. The troupe also performed in New Hampshire and then in Belize, where they also did humanitarian work in the community.
“I also had the opportunity to co-create a program for Girl Guides of Canada with my former supervisor, called Girls United, which promotes healthy relationships between girls. Girls who participate in this program receive the Girls United crest and the program has been adopted internationally.”
Soon, puppets began accompanying her wherever she went. When she travelled to Western Africa to intern as a theatre director with local youth, the puppets followed. When she worked as an education coordinator in Fiji, the puppets came along too.
On top of this, Quigley has written blog posts for prevnet.ca and ivillage, and was recently asked to become a community blogger for Global News. “I write about issues around bullying and respond to bullying issues in the news and popular media, which is a great way to engage the public on a national stage and a perfect way to support our mission of promoting safe and healthy relationships for Canadian children and youth.” It was during her time in Fredericton that Quigley realized bullying and peer relations were her biggest interests. After volunteering with vulnerable youth, hearing about their problems with peer relationships, and watching the documentary It’s a Girl’s World, she decided to pursue the issue. “The work I’m involved with in PREVNet is having a huge impact in the lives of Canadian children and youth,” Quigley says. “The best part is that I really feel that the work we’re doing is making a difference in the lives of Canadians and that we’re quickly becoming global leaders in this area of research and practice.”
It soon became clear that she could incorporate her puppets into a career, and so she created The Puppeteaching Project. The Puppeteaching Project offers professional puppet shows and workshops to schools and groups of children. Tremblay also trains local youths to become puppeteers, write their own shows, and then perform to children in the region. “We just adapt the material to the need. In Fiji, where some schools don’t even have soap, we dealt with basic hygiene issues: brushing your teeth, washing your hands, things like that. We also dealt with diabetes prevention and tsunami awareness. Disease prevention is a big theme in many places, but I also focus on environmental education and social issues. In Fredericton, I dealt mostly with bullying issues, for instance.” Tremblay hopes the interactive component of puppets help children remember her messages. “Kids get so excited about a puppet show. The magic of “real live puppets” singing, dancing and speaking to children in a colourful, energetic and entertaining way means that the lessons are wellremembered; they go home and tell everybody about it. And so the message is spread even further.” ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS
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Profiles by Rebecca Howland, BA ‘14
Ben McNamara, BA ’07, BEd ’08
From Poli Sci to PRO-LINE For some people, it’s a long journey from convocation to a dream job. For Ben McNamara, that journey took a little less than seven years. McNamara is now a sports analyst for Atlantic Lottery, working on PRO-LINE.
exactly fit the profile Atlantic Lotto was looking for. He majored in political science and minored in history and human rights. He also came back after completing his arts degree and took an education degree.
“At Atlantic Lottery, we offer PRO-LINE, which allows people to bet on sporting events,” he says. “There is a team of us who do research on sporting events, set the betting lines, and help create programs offered by PRO-LINE.”
“ ... I was able to walk into the interview and say...I have the knowledge and skills to be able to work in this environment.”
McNamara says his degree from STU gave him the analytical skills necessary for his position with PRO-LINE. “Whether it’s psychology, political science, philosophy, sociology, or music, you have to take an idea and put it into your own words and be able to back up your opinion with fact. That’s huge for me in my current job because a lot of what we do is we look at the market and say, ‘okay, what’s a good idea moving forward? How can we improve the process? What are some of those big goals that we need to improve upon?’ That’s certainly something I got from my liberal arts degree.” When he applied for the sports analyst position, he didn’t 10 SPRING 2014
“They were looking for someone with a statistics degree.” he says. “I took one statistics course in second year, so I didn’t really fit that qualification. But, I was able to walk into the interview and say ‘okay, I may not have the technical skill you are looking for but I have the knowledge and skills to be able to work in this environment.’” It also helps that McNamara is a die-hard sports fan. “I have for my entire life been a complete and utter sports dork. To be able to incorporate that into my job, it’s almost a bit of a dream job for me.”
ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS
Rethinking the role of academia in politics by Kathleen McCann, BA ‘13
Anne Dance ’BA ‘07
Anne Dance’s liberal arts degree has taken her places.
every day to create viable public space for Canadians,” she said.
Since graduating from St. Thomas in 2007, she’s put her education to use as an intern on Parliament Hill, as a Commonwealth scholar in Scotland and as a professor in Fredericton.
Recently, Dance returned to St. Thomas to teach Frontiers of World History during the intersession term. She said she enjoyed reconnecting with the campus community and was impressed with the quality of the students.
Dance received a master’s degree from the University of Victoria before returning to her hometown to work on Parliament Hill. During her time there she worked in a non-partisan capacity for a Tory Member of Parliament, as well as a Member of Parliament from the Bloc Québécois. “It made me rethink politics and the role of academia in politics,” she said. “There’s a real need for dialogue between researchers, politicians, and policymakers.” Dance’s latest research, which focuses on public space and Parliament Hill, will be published in the Journal of Canadian Studies and is a combination of her experience in Parliament and her background in liberal arts. “I wanted to understand protests, security, and public access on the Hill, as well as parliamentary privilege, and how all of these factors are negotiated
“There’s a real need for dialogue between researchers, politicians, and policymakers.” “It’s been absolutely lovely to catch up and to see firsthand how hard the faculty and others here work every day to make St. Thomas University a welcoming, innovative place for students.” Dance believes her Bachelor of Arts degree has been influential in creating opportunities for her and has given her the confidence to explore her research interests. “My degree has been tremendously valuable and I wouldn’t have been able to do any of these projects or jobs without it,” she said. “It gave me the confidence to pursue pressing big questions that are important and relevant to society.”
SAVE THE DATE! Fredericton, NB - June 20, 2014 LeRoy Washburn Golf Classic
Alumni
Play a round of golf in support of our student-athletes at the annual LeRoy Washburn tribute event. Visit www.gotommies.com to register and for more information.
UPCOMING
and University
Fredericton, NB - July 11-13, 2014 BEd’94 Class Reunion
This 20 year reunion event for the Education Class of 1994 led by Ken Craft, Heather McNeill, and Ramona Meharg is sure to be a fun time. Mark your calendars and RSVP at alumni@stu.ca.
Miramichi, NB - July 19, 2014 Alumni Social
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
Join STU alumni for some fun at this annual event in conjunction with the Irish Festival. This year we will gather from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm at Season’s View Café at 1729 Water Street. Don’t miss it!
Fredericton, NB - TBD STU Harvest Pit Stop
Last year’s STU Pit Stop was a hit. Let’s do it again! Plan to stop by for a drink as part of your Fredericton Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival plans, and don’t forget to check out STU Jazz during the festival. Watch the STU alumni website for event details.
Fredericton, NB - October 3- 5, 2014 Alumni Weekend
You can’t miss this! It’s been years since we held an alumni gathering of this magnitude. Come back to campus for the weekend and join in on the festivities. Reconnect with friends, former professors and classmates. To learn more, and to register, visit www.stu.ca/alumniweekend.
Fredericton, NB, October 4, 2014 STUAA Annual General Meeting (and fall meeting)
As part of Alumni Weekend, the St. Thomas University Alumni Association will hold its fall meeting and the 2014 Annual General Meeting. All alumni are invited to attend the Annual General Meeting. Location and time will be determined soon.
Fredericton, NB – October 4, 2014 STU Gala Dinner
Join us for an elegant evening in support of students in financial need. Tables are of eight (8). Join us on this special evening when we look back on the last 50 years, award the inaugural Carolyn Layden-Stevenson Distinguished Alumni Award and Alumni Service Award, and toast all that is good about STU.
ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS
SPRING 2014 11
Join us at the
2014 Alumni Weekend as we celebrate
50 years in Fredericton! October 3rd-5th, 2014 Many events including campus courtyard party, STU book launch, alumni mass, special reunion brunch, STU Gala Dinner and several athletic reunions and events.
Reconnect with campus, classmates and professors. To learn more and register, visit www.stu.ca/alumniweekend, by phone (506)452-0521 or by email alumni@stu.ca.
Campus WATCH Cedric Noel celebrates as he receives his Bachelor of Arts degree
Spring Convocation Celebrates the Class of 2014 St. Thomas University celebrated the achievements of more than 350 students from the Bachelor of Applied Arts, Bachelor of Social Work and Bachelor of Arts programs at Spring Convocation. President and Vice-Chancellor Dawn Russell welcomed the graduates, faculty members, honorary degree recipients, family members and supporters to the ceremony, noting the day’s focus was the success of the graduating class. Russell acknowledged the graduates’ influence on the STU community – through sports, student government, The Aquinian, clubs and societies – and applauded them for their contribution to the university.
“As a group, those of you graduating today added greatly to the richness and compassion that characterizes our community. I want to thank you for your many and varied contributions.” She offered encouragement to the graduates, urging them to value their liberal arts degree as well as the work ethic, passion and compassion they’ve developed during their time at STU. “Like the St. Thomas graduates who have gone before you, you will find your way to a fulfilling career and I know you will make us proud,” she said.
Excellence (and Variety) in Liberal Arts One of my greatest pleasures is participating in the conferral of degrees at Convocation. This special event marks the culmination of a success story I see building over four years.
Dawn Russell President and I see faculty engagement with Vice-Chancellor students. I see students thrive and grow throughout their studies. I see students engaged in a variety of university activities and in the community. Then I see the success of our graduates as they begin their careers. For some it is tough to get traction. We are in difficult economic times, and the value of the liberal arts can be underappreciated. But the evidence of the value of a BA is very compelling. Many of our graduates pursue post-graduate degrees for which a BA is a pre-requisite. Canada’s Graduate Outcomes Survey shows that within a few years of graduation, other graduates are working as social workers, police/correctional officers, teachers, counsellors, community workers, lawyers, journalists and politicians. Still, others take very different paths. As this issue of Connections shows, from master brewers to corporate citizenship advocates to sports analysts, our graduates define their future. Personal success is a combination of education and individual talent along with creativity, drive, a capacity for hard work, integrity and a zest for life. Combine these qualities with one of the best liberal arts educations in Canada, and STU graduates have the opportunity for a future even better than they ever imagined.
Legal reformer Kim Pate and educator Dr. Israel Unger received honorary degrees for their commitment to social justice and human rights. Unger, a Holocaust survivor who moved to Canada in 1951, told the graduates what he believes to be the country’s best features. “The first outstanding feature is that we give young people opportunities. The second outstanding feature of Canada is that if you have something to offer, the doors are open,” he said.
Left to right: Bishop Robert Harris, St. Thomas University Chancellor; legal reformer Kim Pate; educator Dr. Israel Unger; and STU President and Vice-Chancellor Dawn Russell. Pate and Unger received honorary degrees for their commitment to social justice and human rights. ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS
SPRING 2014 13
campus watch Katelyn Waite co-authors articles on eyewitness testimony
Student research
Katelyn Waite, BA ’13, has had a paper published in the International Journal of Liberal Arts and Social Science based on her honours thesis that examines police knowledge of the fallibility of eyewitness testimony.
Waite co-wrote the paper with psychology professor Dr. Ian Fraser and English professor Louise Bond-Fraser. Award-winning student journalist She surveyed 168 police officers across the country about Cherise Letson, their knowledge on the fallibility of eyewitness testimony BA ’14, won the and found that the average score was 61.1 per cent. John H. McDonald Award for investi“Almost 39 per cent of the time, police officers gative reporting may unknowingly be contributing to the number at the Canadian of wrongful convictions in Canada,” she said. University Press National Conference. The purpose behind the article was to promote Her winning story the findings of the survey and help police officers become aware of the impact they have on witnesses. titled “UNB’s Investment Portfolio” “The fact that 20 per cent of officers within this study stated they did not have any revealed the exposure to the research into eyewitness accuracy needs to be addressed,” she said. university had been investing money in Waite is also the co-author of an article in the March issue of Blue Line Magazine, a companies such as Canadian police magazine. The article demonstrates that although police officers are Haliburton and trained to use appropriate line-up protocol, they aren’t aware of its importance. the Exxon Mobil Corporation.
STU partners with CampusTours for interactive campus map The virtual map launched by St. Thomas University uses the latest technology to provide future students a chance to see the campus from a new perspective. The interactive map, the first of its kind in Canada, includes photos, videos, panoramic views, and detailed descriptions of each building on campus. It can also be viewed on smartphones. “St. Thomas is known for the beauty of its campus, and this lifelike map comes as close as possible to capturing that,” said Jeffrey Carleton, director of communications. “It gives potential students a glimpse into the student life at the university.” CampusTours is an award-winning company based in Maine and is one of the largest providers of interactive map services. The St. Thomas University campus map can be found by visiting map.stu.ca.
CONVOCATION 2014
teaching awards
Professor Alan Hall
Fine arts professor Martin Kutnowski was awarded the John McKendy Memorial Teaching Award for Fulltime Faculty. He received glowing evaluations from students, has developed a detailed teaching philosophy and has 20 peer-reviewed articles in his teaching portfolio. Great books and aquinas professor Alan Hall, a teacher known for his passion and enthusiasm in the classroom, was recognized with the Part-Time Teaching Award. His teaching style is focused on discussion and he gives students the opportunity to discover, analyze, and understand some of the western tradition’s core texts. Dr. Martin Kutnowski 14 SPRING 2014
ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS
The Tom McCann Award is presented to a senior student who portrays the spirit of St. Thomas University, while demonstrating leadership, character and personality. With President and Vice Chancellor Dawn Russell are 2014 co-winners Cristi Flood, BA ’14, and Steven Butler, BA ’14.
TheTom
McCann
Award
campus watch
Answering broader scientific questions Kelly Bronson joins science and technology studies Kelly Bronson had completed her undergraduate degree in evolutionary biology and worked in a lab at a wetland plant for a year before realizing something was missing. Bronson, who recently joined the science and technology studies department, was becoming increasingly interested in broader scientific questions. She left her master’s in science to pursue a master’s in sociology at the University of Saskatchewan. After completing her master’s, she headed to York University to begin a PhD in communications and cultural studies where she focused on
the role of the law, particularly legal language, in mediating public relationships with science. “I am thrilled about being at STU and I am doubly thrilled to be in a science and technology studies program. I feel so lucky because it’s the only undergraduate STS program in Canada,” she said. “It seems like a very good place to build students’ critical insights around how technology interacts with society and how we might build better relationships between technologies and the natural environment.”
For Rory Crath, the path to becoming a social work professor was winding but rewarding.
Harnessing the power of advocacy and activism
After finishing his Rory Crath joins the School of Social Work undergraduate degree in political science at McMaster University, Crath was drawn to the social work program at Crath enrolled in a master’s in developmental St. Thomas because of its political roots. studies, which led him to spend a year in India volunteering within a leper colony that was “STU is one of the most highly politicized social developing its own form of social action. work programs in the country,” he said. “The direction it takes and its sensitivity to having a politically Following this, Crath pursued a doctorate, during infused curriculum to challenge students to think of which he returned to India to take part in an social work as a practice really excited me.” agroforestry project in the Himalayas. He then became involved in advocacy and community development work in Toronto with youth who had some form of street involvement in their life.
Jamie Gillies likes talking about big ideas. As the first professor to join the new communications and public policy program, he has the opportunity to do that on a weekly basis. “I love being able to take a huge concept and break it down in class,” he said. After teaching part-time at St. Thomas for three years – and commuting between Fredericton and Michigan – Gillies began teaching full-time in the fall of 2013. “I heard there was an opportunity to teach in this new program, I gravitated towards it and I am finding that I absolutely love teaching at St. Thomas,” he said. Gillies earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Victoria before completing his
He is currently researching different forms of urbanization and their impact on communities.
Thinking big Jamie Gillies joins the journalism and communications department master’s and PhD in political science at the University of British Columbia. The interdisciplinary element of liberal arts is one of the things Gillies has enjoyed most about teaching at St. Thomas. “I would argue that the ideas we engage in the classroom are bigger here and you get an opportunity to talk to undergraduates about the big ideas at the heart of liberal arts,” he said. “There is something special about students at St. Thomas; they’re different than the students I’ve taught elsewhere.” ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS
SPRING 2014 15
Outstanding Performances
campus watch
16 SPRING 2014
1 The women’s basketball team made history this year, bringing home their fourth consecutive ACAA championship and claiming the silver medal at the CCAA nationals. 1 The men’s volleyball team dominated in the ACAA with only one regular season loss en route to their second ACAA title in three years. At nationals, the Tommies became the first ACAA representative to defeat an outer-conference team since 1981. 2 The women’s hockey team hosted the 2014 Scotiabank CIS Women’s Hockey National Championships and represented the AUS and the university well with strong performances against some of the country’s top teams. 3
2
St. Thomas University celebrated the athletic ideal at its annual Athletics Banquet. Jason Cannon, BA ‘16 of men’s volleyball and Kelly Vass, BA ’15, of women’s basketball earned top billing, taking home athlete of the year honours. Ashley Bawn, BA ’13, BSW ’15, and Rodrigo Flores, BA ’14, were rewarded for their hard work and dedication with community awards. Bawn received the Cathy Wadden Commitment Award, and Flores received the John Frederick Walls Memorial Award. Left to right: President Dawn Russell; Ashley Bawn, BA ’13, BSW ’15; Kelly Vass, BA ’15; Jason Cannon, BA ’16, Mike Eagles, director of athletics.
3 ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS
campus watch
Canada Research Chair and School of Social Work professor Dr. Clive Baldwin receives SSHRC Grant study to focus on transableism
Members of the Bachelor of Education Class of 2014
“You have been given the precious gift of knowledge...”
Arts and education graduates celebrate Fall Convocation
Herménégilde Chiasson (left) and Robert Kenny (right) received honorary degrees at the 2013 St. Thomas University Fall Convocation.
The powerful role of an individual in society was the dominating theme as St. Thomas University celebrated its Fall Convocation. “Beyond the workplace, the liberal arts equip you to understand the human experience, enable a deeper understanding of society, and make informed criticism, all necessary for our democracy to flourish,” said President and Vice-Chancellor Dawn Russell. Honorary degree recipient Hon. Herménégilde Chiasson reiterated this message in his address. Chiasson, former
Student wins Terry Fox Humanitarian Award Stefen Savoy, BA ’17, was recently awarded a Terry Fox Humanitarian Award. The award, valued at $7,000 annually for four years, is given to individuals who demonstrate qualities of citizenship and humanitarian services while pursuing excellence in academics, sports, fitness, health, and voluntary community service.
Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick, has been described as one of Canada’s most accomplished cultural icons. “You have been given the precious gift of knowledge to share and to use in building a world of beauty and understanding,” he said. Also the recipient of an honorary degree was Robert (Bob) L. Kenny, QC, a noted lawyer, volunteer, and advocate of the Fredericton community, who was described as, “a sterling example of the engaged citizen,” by Dr. Barry Craig, Vice-President (Academic and Research).
St. Thomas University Canada Research Chair and School of Social Work professor Dr. Clive Baldwin has received an Insight Development Grant valued at just under $50,000 from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council to study transableism. Transableism refers to the desire to shift from being able-bodied to disabled through choice rather than happenstance. This could manifest itself through self-amputation, seeking elective amputation, or elective spinal cord injury. Dr. Baldwin was drawn to this topic as there is little research about transableism and those who suffer from it are often misunderstood. “Few, if any, transabled people ‘want’ to be disabled,” he said, “Rather, whatever the cause, they are extremely burdened by being able-bodied, so their physical bodies do not correspond to their internal map of how their body should be. “Currently there is no ‘cure’ for such feelings and so transabled people seek to become disabled so as to lessen the feelings of burden and to allow themselves to be who they see themselves as,” he added.
The Rosemary Clews Research Internship Baldwin also recently received the inaugural Dr. Rosemary Clews Research Internship to assist him in another research project on coping and adaptation in later life. This funding, which honours former Assistant Vice-President (Research) Dr. Rosemary Clews, offers a student a paid research training position under the supervision of a seasoned researcher.
Research and Ideas Fair
Student researchers gathered to share their findings at the 2014 Research and Ideas Fair on March 14. Students presented research about literature and society; beliefs, culture and society; health, well-being and personality; human rights and public policy; media and technological change; race, gender and identity; law and society; and politics and power. ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS
SPRING 2014 17
TO STU
POStCARD
As far as the eye c an see
Kathryn Cro cepted a ssman, BA ’12, BEd ’13, Nanshan job teaching En glish as wanted to get o Shenzhe ut o an n in She “I wante nzhen, G additional lang f her comfort z d ua on uangdon she said to be challenge g in Sou ge at the Intern e, so she ac. d and pu th ational S e rn C s hed a bit hina. chool of While sh , a n d I wante e BEd ’13, ’s in China, she d to see ’s keepin w some of Beijing. ho is teaching the worl English g in contact wit d,” The two h fellow at the B met in B have bee eijing Co alumna eijing an n meetin Erin nco d visited g “The wa the Grea up in various p rd College of S Flower, BA ’12, ll goes o ino C a t rt W s all of Ch of Asia, n it is noth ina. and mos anada in ing short as far as the ey t recentl e wall got y, they there, etc of amazing. Tak can see; it goe s explain it in mo . it was incredib ing into conside over steep hills re , around ration th “amazin le to sta e c n g,” but it detail or with o ther word d there with m historical aspec orners, and really, tr y own tw t of how s other th uly was!” o the fee an “incre dible,” “ t. I wish I could magnific ent,” or
Have a story from abroad to share? Postcards feature alumni travels and adventures. To suggest a profile, e-mail alumni@stu.ca. 18 SPRING 2014
ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS
Your opportunity to
make a difference for a future STU Grad St. Thomas University and the Alumni Association are looking for alumni to participate in mentoring programs that help STU students prepare for their post-graduate careers. To hear more about how you can help please email us at alumni@stu.ca.
You are invited to join us in
celebrating the outstanding achievements
and
Please visit us online at www.stu.ca/giving to nominate an outstanding fellow alumni!
D e a d l i n e J u n e 3 0 th
AS M
UNIV ER
TY SI
We are accepting nominations for the Carolyn LaydenStevenson Distinguished Alumni Award and the Alumni Association Award for Service, both of which will be presented for the first time at the STU Gala Dinner on October 4.
ST . T HO
contributions of our alumni!
Alumni WEEKEND 2014
New&Noteworthy News from classmates & friends around the world
1960s John McDermott, BA ’64, BEd ’70, has been enjoying his retirement from the Canadian Forces for many years. He was a training development officer, completed 32 years of service, retiring as a captain in 1995. Since then he has enjoyed playing golf, woodworking and gardening. His main activity has been doing ballroom and Latin dancing, attaining the championship level and competing in several national championships. Up until last fall, he was the president of DanceSport Atlantic for 12 years and on the executive on the national board of DanceSport Canada. In this capacity, he was fortunate to produce the national championships in Halifax in 2008 and 2013. He continues to dance, teach dancing and travel extensively. Dance has been a joy for him and keeps him young. He is married to Donna Marie (nee McKiel), a graduate of Saint Vincent’s High School in 1961 and St. Joseph’s school of nursing in 1964. He and Donna recently celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary. john.mcdermott@ns.sympatico.ca
Carole Reid Evans, BA ’76, has been married 35 years to a UNBer, Harry Evans. They have lived and raised their family in Ottawa for 29 years and loved it! For 16 years, real estate has been her life, culminating in being named in the Top 40 Royal LePage agents in Eastern Ontario this year and in the top 3 per cent in Canada. Travel and music have become their passions with amazing Canadian bands coming to their home for home concerts (a change for her, as she is used to performing.) She is flying to Slovenia in the fall. Life has been good! Carole@EvansTeamOttawa.com
0 7 9 1 1 0 0 5 6 9 1 19 Ron Planche, BA ’68, is now retired and resuming a semi-professional photographic career. Ronplanche@gmail.com
1970s
Fr. Andrew J. Morasse, BA ’70, C.S.C, is celebrating his 40th anniversary of Ordination to the priesthood on December 7, 2014. ajmcsc@gmail.com Margaret “Peggy” (O’Toole) Basom, BA ’71, is a retired Professor Emerita from San Diego State University and working part-time at the University of San Diego.
1980s
Kim Jenkins, BEd ’81, is the chief operating officer of the Keyano College Land Trust Corporation, and is currently leading the development of the Trust Lands on the Saline Creek Plateau. This 472 acre project will bring much needed housing to the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo and provide Keyano College with the funds necessary for growth and development. Prior to his move to Keyano College Land Trust Corporation in April of 2013, Kim spent 32 years with the Fort McMurray Catholic School District, the last five in the role of superintendent. Shawn Perry, BA ’84, teaches at the Canadian International School in Singapore, but lives across the border in Malaysia. He has two children: Nico, aged 10, and Nadia, aged 7. He is married to Anca Toma. Jim Higgins, BSW ’86, BEd ’90, BA ’99, was recently appointed the vice principal’s job at Vincent Massey Elementary School in Saint Andrews, NB.
Steve Byers, BA ’72, completed 15 years of service with AIDS Niagara as executive director, at the time, being the longest serving E.D. in an AIDS service organization in Ontario. He has worked for over 35 years with special needs and disabilities. In October, he was appointed to the ‘Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Accessibility’ in St. Catharine’s.
1990s
Peter Gick, BA ’72, went on to receive a master’s degree in criminology at the University of Ottawa. He worked in various positions for the Government of Alberta and is now retired. He is interested in finding old friends. petergick6@gmail.com
Carrie Hunter-Cruz, BA ’95, BEd ’01, her husband Paul and son Jacob are pleased to announce the arrival of their daughter Isabella Alexa to the family January 29, 2014. Carrie is on maternity leave from her teaching job at the Durham District School Board in Ontario. carrie_hunter@hotmail.com
After a prestigious career in the field of aviation and research and development, John Kane, BA ’73, is currently working as a management consultant for Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology (Ottawa). He is working with the applied research staff in the area of intellectual property and technology transfer. John’s mother and daughter live in Fredericton. His daughter Alison is working in the research office at UNB. His son Alexander is a fleet engineer with Sunwing Airlines in Toronto. kingkane@rogers.com
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ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS
Sean David Leland, BA ’92, is a store manager at the United Furniture Warehouse in Brandon, Manitoba. He is also a singer/ songwriter. seandavidleland@hotmail.com
Dr. Roger Moore, Professor Emeritus, is the recipient of the 2014 Christopher Knapper Outstanding Volunteer Award. This award recognizes individuals who have made a significant contribution to the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education over the past several years and in particular over the past five years.
NEW & NOTEWORTHY
Seth Bowen, BA ’99, lives in Quispamsis with his wife Natalie, son Christian (14) and daughter Molly (7). He is the district manager with PepsiCo Foods. He still enjoys playing hockey and travelling. Seth.bowen@pepsico.com
2000s
year as a librarian intern in the children’s department of the Saint John Free Public Library. She is currently employed with Horizon Health Network as a health sciences librarian. This is a one year contract at the Miramichi Regional Hospital, and her title is library services coordinator. She has also co-written a chapter in the book Class and Librarianship: Essays at the Intersection of Information, Labor and Capital, scheduled for release in early 2014 by Library Juice Press/Litwin Books. pmceachreon@gmail.com
0 9 0 9 0 1 0 0 80 2 Jodi McDavid, BA ’00, recently received her PhD in Folklore from Memorial University. Natasha (Salzman) Pyne, BA ’00, married Peter Pyne in August 2007. She has worked in a group home for special needs adults in the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia for the past 13 years. They purchased their first home last February in Berwick, Nova Scotia.
9 1
2 Chris McCallum, BA ’03, and Grace
McCallum, BA ‘04, would like to announce the birth of their second daughter, Avery Rose McCallum. Avery was born in Beijing, China. Her big sister, Lila, is thrilled! Chris is the athletic director and P.E teacher at the Canadian International School of Beijing. Grace works at the Canadian International School as well. She is currently on maternity leave, but is returning in August as the principal of elementary and pre-school.
2
Have an update to share? Let us know!
alumni @stu.ca
1 1 On September 8, 2013, Vanessa (Playfair) Moore, BA
’01, BEd ’02, and Ben Moore welcomed their beautiful daughter Evelyn Ann into their arms. Mom, Dad and Evelyn are loving spending time together as a little family and enjoying new adventures that each day brings. Andrea Rizzato, BA ’01, has been practicing law with Sheldon Nathanson Barristers & Solicitors for ten years. Her practice includes family, labour and employment, property, wills and estates, personal injury and other areas of civil litigation practice. Margaret (Peggy) McEachreon, BA ’02, has completed a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree at the University of Western Ontario in May of 2012. She spent one
3 3 Shawn Gallagher BA ’04 and Sofia RodriguezGallagher, BA ’08, welcomed their first child on August 20. Her name is Cassandra Gallagher.
Michael Duggan, BA ’05, and his wife, Sarah (Pierce) Duggan, BA ’06, are now living in Nova Scotia with their new son Oliver William, born in September. Michael is working with the Nova Scotia Community College. Erin Maston, BSW ’05, wanted to send an update on her family. Her oldest daughter Kailey is now 16 and is spending the school year in France on the Rotary Exchange. Her middle
ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS
SPRING 2014 21
NEW & NOTEWORTHY son, Tiernan, 14, is doing well with his Certified Autism Service Dog and is enjoying snowboarding and other “regular” teenager activities and her youngest son, Aiden, 6, is adapting well to the big city life and is doing great in the French Immersion program they have for him at his neighbourhood school. She misses the Maritimes very badly and hopes everyone is doing well. erinemaston@yahoo.ca Last year, Katrina Chase, BA ’05, moved to Estevan, Saskatchewan with her boyfriend. Although they both miss the east coast, they have quickly adapted to the prairie lifestyle. She is currently working as a community education liaison with pre-kindergarten to grade 12 students at Arcola School. Since receiving her BA from St. Thomas in 2005, she has obtained a Bachelor of Social Work from Dalhousie University and a Master of Education from Mount St. Vincent University. katrina.chase@cornerstonesd.ca Stephanie (Waugh) Shanks BA ’05, BEd ’06, married Evan Shanks in 2006. Stephanie taught middle and elementary school between 2006 and 2009. She went to work at start-up Radian6 Technologies in professional services (and later training department). She purchased a home in Marysville in 2010. In 2012, she founded Chickadee Larder Gourmet Condiments company as a hobby business. In 2013, she took the business wholesale; she is currently selling in many locations across the Maritimes with national and international interest.
Laura MacLean, BA ’94, is pleased to announce that her daughter, Mary MacLean, BA ’07, received her PhD in psychology from Brock University on October 19, 2013. She is currently a postdoctoral scholar at the Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She received NSERC funding throughout her academic career, including Masters and PhD Canadian Graduate Scholarships in addition to a postdoctoral fellowship. After completing his undergraduate degree at STU, Matthew Carter BA ’08, continued on to complete his Bachelor of Education at the University of New Brunswick. Finishing in 2009, Matthew moved to Cormorant, Manitoba and started working as a full time teacher. Six hundred kms north of Winnipeg, with temperatures reaching -50, Matthew truly worked in northern isolation. Matthew has been accepted to complete a Master’s of Administration and Educational Leadership – (School Principal) at Harvard University – a very prestigious program offered to only 16% of international students.
0 7 9 1 1 0 0 5 6 9 1 19 Sheldon V. Betts, BA ’06, has been working as a high school English and social studies teacher in Fort McMurray for the last six years. He writes, “this is a great place to teach - I have loved it! So many people here are from back east, so it’s easy to relate to others.” He has had the opportunity to travel to places such as Kenya, Cancun, London and British Columbia. Sheldon plans to move back to New Brunswick. Lacey Roberts, BA ’06, married a fellow student from STU. Until recently, they lived in Miramichi where she taught English as a second language. In 2011, her husband accepted a new job offer on Prince Edward Island. In the fall of 2013, they welcomed the arrival of their first child. They named her Ellavine Joyce Blaikie.
Annie Bourgoin, BA ’07, was recently married and welcomed a baby boy, Jonah Jayden.
Michael Cameron, BA ’08, had a beautiful baby boy in March of this year, Liam Cameron Chau. He is currently working in a new role at Cuso International as a senior advisor corporate and institutional partnerships. mikecamero@gmail.com Rebecca Tremblay, BA ’08, recently graduated with her masters in international development from La Trobe University in Australia.
4 Iris Willbond McCormick made her first appearance on October 12, 2013, weighing in at 8lbs 11oz. Her parents, Julie Willbond, BSW ’08, and Tony McCormick couldn’t be more ecstatic about this new addition to their family.
4
Ashley (Horton) Marshall, BA ’08, is currently living in Fort McMurray with her husband Kyle and their two children Ella (2.5) and Austin (1). She was working as a contract administrator for Suncor but now she stays home with her children and helps her husband with their construction company. She would love to get back in touch with old friends from STU. gxmnq@stu.ca
Chris Markey, BA ’07, won an iPad for updating his information with the alumni office as part of our ongoing lost alumni campaign. Update your information by contacting alumni@stu.ca.
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ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS
NEW & NOTEWORTHY
6
0 9 0 9 0 1 0 0 80 2 5
5 Hiedi (Irvine) Cuppage, BA ’08, married Josh Cuppage in Campbellton, NB, in June 2013. Hiedi and Josh live in Whitehorse, Yukon, where Hiedi is working for Yukon College. In photo: Back row, Dan Murphy, BA ’08, Nick Moore, BA ’08, Sebastian Palmer, BA ’08, Hiedi (Irvine) Cuppage, BA ’08, and Emily MacDonald, BA ’07.
9 1
Julia (Finniemore) Parent, BA ‘09, has completed her law degree at UNB and is currently practicing at Stewart McKelvey in Saint John. Julia would love to hear from any alumni currently living in Saint John and surrounding areas: julia.finniemore@me.com
2010s
6 Mikhail Bullard, BA ’10, Gabriel Ortiz (STU ’08-’10), and Yinuo Naomi Tao (STU ’07-’10) are all in Washington. Mikhail is the third secretary/vice consul at the Embassy of The Bahamas to the United States. Gabriel and Yi have an import business and Yi has just been accepted to the MBA program at The George Washington University School of Business. They met up with Ryan Sullivan, BA ’00, in Washington recently.
Jenna (Cross) Holland, BA ’10, BEd ’11, is married to Stephen Holland, BA ’09. Since graduating, Heather L. Burns Mann, BA ’10; BSW ’12, worked as a clinical social worker within the Extra Mural Program in St. Stephen for one year and is now working at the Saint John Regional Hospital as a clinical social worker. Heather.BurnsMann@HorizonNB.ca Courtney (Carrier) LeBlanc, BEd ’10, recently transferred to Fredericton as a full-time (B) teacher after teaching for three years in Florenceville, NB. carriercourtney@hotmail.com
and sense of belonging STU gave me, I am proud to say that I have earned my colleagues’ respect and a place on their permanent team to help out families in need. Thank you, STU! I love you!” as_351@hotmail.com
Have an update to share? Let us know!
alumni @stu.ca
Julia Bremner, BA ’12, volunteered for three months at a women’s school in Kathmandu, Nepal, teaching English. “It was an amazing experience; I was working with older women who hadn’t had the opportunity to go to school when they were young. I finished there in December, and since then I’ve been backpacking through South East Asia, with Thailand, the Philippines, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam on the itinerary.”
While he attended university, Daniel Smith, BA ’12, served in the military, often taking time off from school to go on training exercises and even a deployment in Afghanistan. Each time, he has always come back to STU because he knew no matter how long it took, he needed his degree to get him to where he wanted to go. After vigorous medical testing, appointments with specialized doctors in New Brunswick and Ontario and a battery of aptitude tests, he has finally been accepted to the Royal Canadian Air Force as a pilot. He said the other applicants had backgrounds in engineering, computer science or had various master’s degrees. “I credit the real-world applicability and genuine experiences that I enjoyed at STU to get me to where I am now. I’ll be sure to buzz the chapel once I get my wings.” daniel.wesley@gmail.com
For the past year, Samuel C. Farley BA ’11 has been working for Child Protective Services in his town of Sept-Îles, Quebec. He writes, “thanks to the amazing education, wonderful pride
ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS
SPRING 2014 23
NEW & NOTEWORTHY
Comings Goings
&
Don McKay, BA ’74, was recently named STU Women’s Volleyball head coach. Dj.mckay@live.com Michele (Barwise) Morris, BA ’83, is an associate broker with Noreen Barwise Realty Ltd in Fredericton. Michele.morris@bellaliant.net. Derek Perry, BA ’94, is working in the Foreign Service at the Canadian Embassy in Berlin, Germany. Martin C. Paul, BA ’99, is attending his first year of law at Dalhousie Schulich School of Law. martincpaul.mncc@gmail.com Amanda Matthews, BA ’02, completed a Bachelor of Social Work. amanda.matthews@live.ca Jennifer Hutton, BA ’08, is currently pursuing her PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies at UNB.
Women’s hockey alumni gathered during the 2014 CIS Women’s Hockey Championship. St. Thomas University hosted the tournament at the Grant Harvey Centre from March 13-16, 2014. Back row, left to right: Amanda Boies MacKenzie, BA ’05; Catherine Boudreau, BA ’08 BEd ’10; Michelle Goguen, BA ’10; Marianne Waite, BA ’07; Marie-Paule (Deveau) Doucette, BA ’07, BSW ’10; Kelly Hogg, BA ’06. Middle row, Left to right: Kathleen Boyle, BA ’11, BEd ’12; Amy (MacLennan)Nelson, BA ’08; Nicole Ernst, BA ’08; Rebekah (Thompson) Connors, BA ’08; Julia Sharun, BA ’12, BEd ’13. Front row, left to right: Andrea Fischer (STU ’09-’11); Liette Arsenault, BA ’08; Emily (Hobbs) Black, BA ’07
Leah Larocque, BA ’08, is the CEO of The Homework, an organization for personal education Leahelarocque@gmail.com Christina Cail, BA ’10, recently accepted a position as a legislative assistant to the Speaker of the Senate, Senator Noël Kinsella. She began her new position in the fall.
Ottawa alumni gathered for a skating party and social on February 23. Although the ice wasn’t fit for skating, the group had a great time. They have started an alumni chapter for the Ottawa region. Any alumni interested in joining should contact Brendan Marshall at Brendan.marshall@gmail.com or Wanda Bearresto at alumni@stu.ca. Back row, left to right: Brad McKay, BA ’09; Taylor Johnson, BA ’11; Matt Sheriko, BA ’11; Andrew Lockhart, BA ’10; Brendan Marshall, BA ’06. Front row, left to right: Sabrina Sotiriu, BA ’10; Laura Robinson, BA ’10; Christina Cail, BA ’10; Andrea Astle, BA ’08. 24 SPRING 2014
ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS
NEW & NOTEWORTHY
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 and faculty who passed away recently:
Vincent Joseph Kuska, BA ’69 November 7, 2012
Nan Luke, CSW ’78 BA ’79 October 31, 2013
Dr. Virgil Duff, LLD (2011) December 9, 2013
Dr. Molly Bobak, LLD ’94 March 1, 2014
Robert (Bob) Connell, BA ’54 December 20, 2012
Joseph “Joey” George, BA ’54 November 1, 2013
Fred Savoy, BA ’72 BEd ’73 December 13, 2013
Léo Cyr, BA ’50 March 1, 2014
Tammy Walsh, STU ’03-’04 January 31, 2013
Brian Mulherin, BA ’52 November 14, 2013
Kolin James McCloskey, BA ’90 January 2, 2014
Kathleen Gallagher, BA ’91 March 9, 2014
Thomas Biggs, BA ’75 September 20, 2013
Shirley Williams former STU staff November 26, 2013
Felix “Win” Hackett, LLD ’84 September 30, 2013
Daniel Atkins, BA ’73, BEd ’74 December 2, 2013
William Kearney, BA ’54 February 11, 2012
Rev Keith Nielsen former university chaplain March 12, 2014
Rev. Peter Bagley, BA ’63 October 20, 2013
George Barry, BA ’60 BEd ’62 December 2, 2013
Marie Deborah Johnson, BSW ’11 February 22, 2014
Peter Hurley Chatham High School March 24, 2014
Daniel Hatfield, CIM® Investment Advisor
77 Westmorland Street, Suite 770, Fredericton 506 451-8831 • daniel.hatfield@cibc.ca www.danielhatfield.com Proud graduate of STU (B.Ed., Class of 2003) CIBC Wood Gundy is a division of CIBC World Markets Inc., a subsidiary of CIBC and a Member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada.
Janice Moore former faculty January 7, 2014
John W. Reilly, BA ’73, BEd ’74 March 11, 2014
TOTAL RECALL Can you identify people in this photo? Email your answers to alumni@stu.ca by July 15th to win a STU hoodie or golf shirt.
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St. Thomas University
Business, celebration, accommodation.
CONFERENCE SERV ICE S
Save the Date: October 4
Help support students in financial need, honour distinguished alumni, and enjoy an elegant evening of dining and entertainment. Please join us at the 2014 St. Thomas University Gala Dinner on Saturday, October 4, 2014 at the Fredericton Convention Centre.
For more information, please contact alumni@stu.ca
St. Thomas University alumni and friends will gather to celebrate the university’s 50 years in Fredericton and recognize the recipients of the inaugural Carolyn Layden-Stevenson Distinguished Alumni Award and the Alumni Association Award for Service. All proceeds of the evening will go towards offering bursaries to students in financial need.
Meeting rooms for groups as large as 650 Four Ballrooms 400+ plush seat theatre 3 beautiful courtyards In-house catering by Executive Chef Michael Greer Seasonal guest accommodations for individuals & groups
To book your event or for more information:
506.452.0578 | www.stu.ca/conferenceservices
AS M
UNIV ER TY SI
ST . T HO
Call for Nominations for
Alumni ASSOCIATION
STU Alumni Association Board of Directors
The St. Thomas University Alumni Association is looking for new members to join the Board in October. The Board is looking for like-minded alumni who place a high value on the reputation of their alma mater and who maintain and bridge connections within the alumni community. To nominate yourself or someone you know, please contact STUAA President-Elect, Bruce Hanson at rbrucehanson@hotmail.com.
Dick Russell, BA ‘06 Sales Representative Bus: 506.455.3948 Cell: 506.261.0846 rrussell@exitadvantage.ca
independent member broker
STU is proud t0 HOSt The
2014-2015
ACAA Soccer
Championships
October 25-26 BMO Field – UNB Campus
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