Connections Spring/Summer 2016

SPRING 2016

ALUMNI

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FR IEN D S

Diversity UNITES US

STU Recognized for Inclusive Community

Dr. Christina Szurlej, Felomena Deogratsias, BA ’18, Dr. Erin Fredericks, BA ’06

Remembering Frank Cronin

S AV E T H E D A T E

ALUMNI WEEKEND SEPT. 30-OCT. 2

Brian Ouellette's LASTING LEGACY

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A FEW EVENTS INCLUDE:

Alumni WEEKEND 2016

Save the Date!

Sept. 30 - Oct. 2

View event details and register to join friends and former classmates back on campus by visiting www.stu.ca/alumniweekend or by calling 506-452-0521.

Alumni Service Award Call for Nominations!

Nominations will be accepted until July 30, 2016.

Nominate an amazing member of our alumni community today! www.stu.ca/giving

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ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

Green and Gold Day

LeRoy Washburn GOLF CLASSIC

Athletics Events

Alumni Dinner Welcome Back S OCIAL

President’s Special REUNION LUNCH

Welcome

TABLE OF CONTENTS

It’s never been easier to stay engaged with your alma mater.

CONNECTING 4 STU BUILDERS - CRONIN 8 STU BUILDERS - OUELLETTE 9 COVER STORY 10 HILLTOP 13 STU FAMILIES 14 Q & A 15 CAMPUS WATCH 16 POSTCARDS TO STU 23 NEW & NOTEWORTHY 24

The easiest way to stay engaged is to join the conversation on social media: retweet, share, like, favourite, comment. Help the university share its success stories with the world and let them share your success stories.

We welcome your comments.

A MESSAGE FROM STU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT

But engagement – real engagement – goes beyond your keyboard. Engagement means you support the university and you want to remain an active member of the community.

Frank McBrearty President, STU Alumni Association

If you live in Fredericton, that’s easy enough. Check out one of the TST productions in the Black Box theatre, attend a lecture or book launch, or come cheer on the Tommies.

If you live away, attend a regional alumni event or start an alumni chapter in your city, or check out the Tommies’ schedule to see if they’re playing in your region and come to the game decked out in your green and gold.

Be an ambassador for STU. Recommend the university to high school students in your network. But also talk about the university and the experiences you had there to your peers.

As alumni, we know it’s one of the best universities in Canada: the education is first-rate, the professors second-to-none. The more we talk about that fact, the more people will listen.

COME HOME FOR ALUMNI WEEKEND 2016 Spring is always an exciting time here at St. Thomas, our beautiful campus comes to life, students are finishing off another academic year and we welcome some new members into our alumni family.

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

Jeff Wright Vice President, Advancement and Alumni

We also just hosted our 2016 Gala Dinner.

The event is an excellent opportunity to celebrate the success of our alumni. During the Gala we awarded the Carolyn LaydenStevenson Award to Mr. Roger Clinch, BA ’68, and Dr. Stephen Ward, BA ’73. The Gala also acts as our biggest fundraising event of the year, and we raised over $80,000 for students in financial need. Thank you to everyone who attended and supported this year’s event.

Planning is now well underway for STU’s 2016 Alumni Weekend – scheduled from Sept. 29th to Oct. 2nd. We have lots of events planned and for anyone celebrating a special reunion year (any grad year ending in a 1 or a 6) you will be hearing from your grad class organizers soon!

The LeRoy Washburn Golf Classic will be part of the weekend’s festivities this year.

Registration is now open, so be sure to visit stu.ca/giving.

Acknowledgements Jeff Wright Wanda Bearresto, BA ’87 Jeffrey Carleton Sheree Fitch, BA ’87 Mark Giberson, BA ’76 Ashlen Henry, BA ’09 Kathleen Johnson, BA ’13 George MacIntyre, BA ’01 Ouellette Family Photos Keith Minchin, Kyle Albright, BA ’13 Design, Layout, Printing Kiers Marketing Group Taylor Printing Group Inc.

Alumni Association Board of Directors 2016-17 Executive Committee Frank McBrearty, BA ’06 (Saint John) Vanessa Paesani, BEd ’10 (Fredericton) At-Large Members Don Bossé, BA ’82, BEd ’83 (Fredericton) Ellen Desmond, BA ’88 (Rothesay) Dennis Livingston, BA ’73 (Riverview) Allison Muise, BA ’16 (Grafton, NB)

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

SPRING 2016 3

LUMNI GATHERING

CONNECTING Ottawa Alumni Reception - December 3, 2015 The Ottawa Alumni Social was held at Grounded Restaurant & Coffeehouse. The event was hosted by alumna Dr. Andrea (Astle) Rahim and her spouse Amir Rahim who own the restaurant.

1 Dr. Andrea (Astle) Rahim, BA ’08, Falon Milligan, BA ’09, Chantal (Carson) Howard, BA ’11, Zac DeLong, BA ’09 2 Tammy Kuchynski, BA ’85, Christine M. Kilfoil, BA ’85 and David Ewart (Spouse of Christine) 3 Jeff Wright, VP Advancement at STU; Dirk Bouwer, BA ’89, Dr. Luc Boulay, BA ’90

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Alumni Reception - Saint John - December 8 The Saint John Alumni Seasonal Social was held at Cox & Palmer. The event was hosted by alumnus Peter Forestell, Q.C., partner with Cox & Palmer.

4 Jeff Wright, Tanya Chapman, BA ’90, BEd ’91, John Woods, BA ’88, Stacey Cool, BA ’89 8 Denise Maloney, BA ’93 Chris Hagerman, BA ’89

9 John Bujold, BA ’93, Eileen (Gorman) Delaney, BA ’67, Ray Gorman Q.C., BA ’72

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ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

ALUMNI GATHERINGS

CONNECTING

Toronto Alumni Reception - December 2, 2015

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The Toronto Alumni Social was held at Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP. The event was hosted by alumnus Peter Sullivan, partner with with Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP. 5 Peter Sullivan, BA ’01, and Erin Hatfield, BAAJ ’02 6 Mary McCann, BA ’77, Peter Wilson, BA ’77, Dawn Russell, BA ’77, President and Vice-Chancellor of STU 7 Ron Planche, BA ’68, Elsa Piersig, BA ’11, Stephanie Fauquier, BA ’11

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SPRING 2016 5

LUMNI GATHERING

CONNECTING

Alumni Basketball Weekend Alumni members of the Men’s Basketball program and the current team gathered in Fredericton for Alumni Basketball Weekend on the weekend of February 13.

Front Row: Quentin DesRoches, Brady Atkinson, Mitch Claybourn, Al MacKay, BA ’07, Ritchie Wilkins, Joe Maxwell, BA ’15, Corey DeLong, BA ’14, Jacob Tozer, BA ’14, BEd ’15, Travis Valanne. Second Row: Sam Drummond, Mike Chan, Jeremy Speller, Dylan Gallant. Third Row: Dwight Dickinson, Sam Anstey, Fred Connors, BA ’00, Dave Dolan, Steve Lawrence, Lonzel Lowe, Matt Robertson, BA ’10, Andrew Holmes, BA ’09, BEd ’11, Mackenzie Washburn, Alex MacLeod, Jason Daniels, Matt Veno, Jon Wade, Ben Cripps, Tom MacLeod

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Alumni Volleyball Weekend Alumni members of the Women's Volleyball program gathered in Fredericton for Alumni Women's Volleyball Weekend on the weekend of January 9.

Front row – Ed Welch, former coach. Second Row - Kelsey (McNamara) Wilson, BA ’09, Stephanie McAnany, BA ’09, Leah White, Nicole Munro, BA ’15, Nicole Armstrong, BA ’13, Gabrielle (Boutilier) Anderson, BA ’11, Lindsey Edney, BA’12. Back row - Morgan Roherty, BA ’09, Amy (Welch) MacKinnon, BA ’04, Crystal (MacFarlane) Cernivz, BA ’04, BEd ’05, Erica Megarity, BA ’07, Lauren Hale Miller, Chelsey Bringloe, BA ’14, Ashley Jordan, BA ’15, Ksenia Sehic, BA ’13, Katie Cornelius, BA ’13 ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

STU GALA RECAP

Gala Dinner Supports Students in Financial Need

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Thanks to our generous sponsors and to the alumni and friends of St. Thomas University, this year’s Gala Dinner was a success. We raised more than $80,000 and all of the proceeds will support students in financial need.

By supporting this dinner, you invested in our students – future leaders in community, business and government.

Roger Clinch, BA ’68 and Dr. Stephen Ward, BA ’73 received our Distinguished Alumni Award, named for accomplished educator, lawyer and jurist Carolyn Layden-Stevenson.

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Stephen Ward was a successful foreign correspondent who became a professor at two major universities and built two journalism programs while becoming a globally recognized scholar of journalism ethics. Roger Clinch steadily built a career in public service and business, and he has become a trusted counsel to business, labour and government leaders and has earned a reputation for integrity and fairness.

They are an inspiration for our students and for our young alumni.

Congratulations, Stephen and Roger!

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1 The Gala Dinner raised more than $80,000 for students in financial need! Shown with President Dawn Russell are (l-r) Stefen Savoy, Meghan MacEachern and Adriana Rivas.

2 Roger Clinch, BA ’68, was the co-recipient of the 2016 Carolyn LaydenStevenson Distinguished Alumni Award 3 Tom Tompkins, BA ’84, with Stephen Horsman, BA ’85, BEd ’86 4 Stephen Ward, BA ’73, was the co-recipient of the 2016 Carolyn LaydenStevenson Distinguished Alumni Award 5 Dawn Russell, BA ’77, President and Vice-Chancellor of St. Thomas with Harold DeCourcey, BA ’69, CSW ’79 6 Fredericton MP Matt DeCourcey, BA ’05, with STU Students' Union President Fernanda Damiani and Sam Titus, STU Student Union VP Education ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

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STU BUILDERS

A Philosophy Professor’s

Gift

By Sheree Fitch, BA ’87 Frank Cronin was a Professor of Life.

I was a so called "mature" student – but really, pretty much a newly divorced single mother of a mess when I first stumbled up the steps of St. Thomas University at 24 years old – and into my first philosophy class with Frank Cronin. What can I tell you about this man, Frank Cronin: except that he changed my life in so many deeply profound ways.

Motorcycle Maintenance, Heidegger, John MacMurray, Spinoza, Beatrice Bruteau, “a pioneer in the integrated study of science, mathematics, philosophy, and religion.”

Above all else, I think it was his love of his wife and family that made me admire him most – he was such a family man.

I came to know his children and grandchildren.

Frank wrote a book on Socrates called A Cock for Asclepius and in those pages you see a glimpse of his soul and his genius. He was.

I remember my first class, sitting there, trembling, and there he was, up at the front of the room – a bundle of energy, hopping around, animated, so alive, pointing to the chair in front of him asking: “so how do you know that chair is really there – maybe you only think it’s there!”

Above all else, he embodied the much overused word these days: authentic. He was the Capital B in Being and a shepherd to minds and souls.

I think it was my moment of zen: I am home. I am not crazy or someone else in the universe asks the same crazy questions I’ve asked all my life. It was a lightning bolt. I had found a place I belonged – and yes, a new friend.

I asked him once, point blank, in class – if you can imagine – if he believed in God. If he did, I thought, if Frank Cronin did, maybe I could … again. He looked at the class and said, “well Sheree, no one has ever asked me that one before in class – but I will answer: I believe in community,” he said.

“That is where I believe ‘God’ dwells.”

Frank gave THE BEST most wonderful exams. He’d put down one statement: Let’s say something like this: “Pierre Teillhard de Chardin said ‘the ills of this present world are but growing pains.’ Discuss fully.”

Discuss fully. Discuss fully. That is what he wanted us to do.

Go back to the “presuppositionless beginning” he urged us.

He also taught me how to read. I mean really read. To read, put down the book, reflect, put in my own words, repeat, read on.

He taped the pictures my children drew for him on the wall of his office – there were days they had to come to class with me and he never minded. He attended a feminist lecture on my urging, he discovered women philosophers for me to read.

He read my first stabs at nonsense poetry and GOT what nonsense and children’s literature meant to me – at its best – (philosophy in disguise but not didacticism: elephants in thimbles), he wrote letters of reference, advised and counselled, encouraged good fair debate, valued and validated.

Frank LIVED philosophy and did not just teach it. He taught Socrates, sure, but also Siddhartha, Zen and the Art of 8 SPRING 2016

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

Such a giver.

I am still understanding and living that answer. It was the best.

His words and wisdom are with me every day of my life for as any true “guru”/ teacher – he travels with the student forever.

And after.

I loved him. Perhaps I might have found my voice eventually, but this man taught me that I could think and agree or disagree and voice my truth and opinion. That I could spend my life in word play joy and that I could even edit what ancient Socrates said: The unexamined life is not worth living for a man. “How about (Wo)Man,” I said. “Human,” I said. “Yes,” he said.

Professor Cronin, I need to say – I am so grateful for meeting you who greeted me and made me feel less solitary in the universe – so grateful I sat down in Philosophy 101 and met you and knew it was okay to think like I thought because just maybe the chair that was there was not actually there.

Merrily merrily, merrily, I’m still rowing in the real dream we call life.

STU BUILDERS It was 10 years in December that St. Thomas University lost one of its most vibrant members.

Brian Ouellette was a well-loved St. Thomas University Social Work professor, devoted father, husband, friend and community volunteer. This update is not intended to remind you of our loss, but instead, to celebrate Brian’s life and his ongoing legacy.

Brian was a passionate teacher and mentor and a devoted STU Tommies fan. He loved meeting new students and thrived on their ambition and excitement. Brian lived the quintessential qualities of a lifelong liberal arts student, including intellectual curiosity, social justice and academic excellence. Brian left his mark on the broader social work community with his research on spirituality and social work as well as his efforts to enhance AIDS education and awareness.

Brian was selfless and generous, so our family’s decision to donate his organs was the easiest part of our worst days.

Although that was a difficult Christmas for our family, we took comfort in discovering that he was able to give the

Leaving a Lasting Legacy Brian was a passionate teacher and mentor and a devoted STU Tommies fan. He loved meeting new students and thrived on their ambition and excitement.

REMEMBERING BRIAN OUELLETTE Written by the Ouellette Family ultimate gift of life to several families.

We were informed that a 40-year-old woman received his lungs, a 19-year-old woman and a 49-year-old man received his kidneys. A 29-year-old man received his liver and a 59-year-old man received his heart. In addition, his corneas restored sight in two people with visual impairment. His skin tissue assisted in life saving treatment of victims of severe burns and disfigurement. Brian’s story is proof that organ and tissue donation saves lives.

The story of Brian’s organ donation has continued to evolve with our family. Our mother, Anne Ouellette, has been asked

on several occasions to speak at conferences, support groups and seminars on organ donation from the perspective of the donor family.

In the midst of our family’s initial grieving, we made another decision which seemed miniscule at the time, but has since demonstrated immense meaning to our family and contributed to another chapter of Brian’s spirit of giving. Along with the help of the St. Thomas Advancement Office, our family decided to create a bursary in Brian’s honour to support students in his beloved field of Social Work.

While we thought the Brian Ouellette Memorial Bursary was an outlet for our family to memorialize Brian into the campus that he loved so much all while giving to future students, it also provided an outlet to countless annual contributors to the bursary fund. We are pleased and honoured to discover that the bursary attracts ongoing financial contributions from a variety of people every year. It is an amazing feeling to know that Brian remains in the hearts and minds of others.

For those who do give to Brian’s bursary or to any bursary program at St. Thomas, we can certainly attest to the merit and quality of the recipients. There are countless stories of students who have overcome incredible odds to pursue and excel in their studies, and the bursaries they receive are always so graciously accepted and appreciated. Our family looks forward to hearing about the award recipients every year, and especially appreciate when they reach out to thank us personally.

Brian’s legacy may be most pronounced through his family: wife Anne; brother Don; children Denis, Rachel, Phillippe and Eric. And although he never met his two grandchildren (and counting), they will be raised with the same enthusiasm and warmth with which Brian raised his family.

Brian is greatly missed by his family, friends and community. He impacted so many without even knowing it. His family would love to get updated by those he influenced most. Please send your stories and memories to brianouellette.memories@yahoo.com.

Finally, we hope that Brian’s life story of ultimate generosity will bring awareness to Organ & Tissue Donation and St. Thomas's student bursary program.

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COVER STORY

Diversity Unites Us

STU RECOGNIZED FOR INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY STU student Felomena Deogratsias, BA ’18, is no stranger to racism and discrimination.

There was the time she was told to leave the swimming pool during a school field trip because they thought her dark skin would “dirty the water.” Or the time a stranger yelled at her because she didn’t look “Canadian” enough. Or the time she was told that it was a “historical fact” that black people were more dangerous than white people.

Today, Deogratsias chooses to use her voice to raise awareness and help others understand the danger of discrimination.

Deogratsias and STU Human Rights professor Dr. Christina Szurlej recently presented at Anglophone School District East’s Respect and Diversity Conference. They spoke about recognizing stereotypes, prejudices, and racism in the context of preventing and addressing intercultural conflict.

She shared her personal experiences with more than 200 middle school and high school students, their educators, school administrators and community members at the event, which was organized by the school district in partnership with St. Thomas University.

“Being part of this conference was a healing process for me,” Deogratsias said. “It was therapeutic because I got to tell people about how they can do things differently so tomorrow isn’t a repeat of the past.”

Felomena Deogratsias, BA’18 and Dr. Christina Szurlej 10 SPRING 2016

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

By Jacqueline Cormier, BA ’08 Szurlej told the participants that they shouldn’t be afraid of differences. Instead, she said, we should acknowledge that the commonalities linking us through our humanity far outweigh subtle differences.

“We all want to be understood, maintain a sense of belonging, and contribute to a greater purpose. Judging others based on perceived group membership, rather than individual merit, replaces facts and knowledge with unsubstantiated, inaccurate assumptions harmful to the targeted group,” Szurlej said.

“I think about what an awful place our world would be if we were all the same.

Diversity should be embraced and celebrated as a source of enrichment and beauty in our everyday lives.”

Deogratsias, Szurlej, and other members of the STU community presented on issues ranging from mental health, the importance of safer spaces in schools for the LGBTQ community, and intercultural conflict resolution.

“St. Thomas is a close-knit community,” Deogratsias said. “It’s a very liberal

COVER STORY environment. And so we are the best people to really engage in this type of thing and also give a perspective on how things can be different. It’s a school that embraces diversity, embraces differences.”

John Tingley, BA ’88, the subject coordinator for positive learning and working environment for Anglophone School District East, organized the Respect and Diversity Conference. He said the conference opened up an important dialogue between the presenters, students, and educators.

“Our communities are always changing and social conversations are evolving. Our schools reflect that change,” he explained.

“High school students in 2016 are experiencing the world differently than high school students five years ago. The easy access to 24-hour live streaming of the world and all that it offers places us – as educators – in a unique position. Our students are leaders and have a 21st century perspective on these topics. This conference recognized that perspective and gave voice to topics that need to be discussed in the wider community context.”

He said the school district invited St. Thomas to participate because the university has a reputation for being an inclusive community that embraces diversity.

“When we scanned professional literature and researched best practices, many times faculty members at STU were cited or referenced. Especially Dr. Erin Fredericks with regards to safer spaces and LGBTQ issues and Dr. Christina Szurlej with human rights.

So, we did not have to seek out expertise beyond our country or province; we found that expertise at STU.”

CREATING SAFER SPACES To create safe spaces in schools, allies need to understand and empathize with what LGBTQ youth are facing – and usually that means having to come to terms with your own privilege, said Dr. Erin Fredericks, BA ’06.

The Sociology professor and the university’s LGBTQIA+ Resource Advisor spoke to the conference participants about how to become an ally and how to create a safe space in their schools.

“Sometimes when we talk about diversity, we talk about loving each other. But when we talk about being an ally it’s not just about love. It’s about power,” she explained.

Dr. Erin Fredericks, BA’06, and Al Cusack, BA’18

STU offers LGBTQIA+ students the service of a resource advisor who can help by: Connecting them with LGBTQIA+ appropriate services on- and off-campus

Representing their needs in discussions with faculty, staff, and administration

Advocating for them or supporting their advocacy efforts

Supporting LGBTQIA+ societies, events, and activities on campus

“The most important thing you can do as an ally is not spend a ton of time memorizing facts about the queer community but recognize who you are and what your privileges are in society.

said. “They know they are accepted. They know there is a place to go if they need to be advocated for and if they need a community that understands where they are coming from.”

“Maybe you don’t have to worry about whether there will be a bathroom you can use when you are in a public space. Maybe you don’t need to worry that someone will misuse your pronoun. Maybe you don’t need to go through life worried that someone will ask you about your partner and you’ll have to make the decision about whether it’s safe to come out.”

Cusack said giving high school students advice on how to create safe spaces in their schools is important.

But these are the sorts of issues that some members of the LGBTQ community face every day.

Statistics show that a lot of LGBTQ youth are experiencing marginalization in high school, Fredericks added. So what she spoke about at the conference wasn’t new or surprising information for the students in the room, but she said it’s important that the students hear their experiences told and validated by someone with privilege to their educators.

Fredericks invited student Al Cusack, BA ’18, to present with her. Cusack is a non-binary trans student at STU and knows firsthand the importance of having a support system that includes well-informed allies on campus. That’s why Cusack spearheaded the Queer and Allied People’s Society at STU, which has quickly become one of the most active groups on campus.

“Even if people don’t participate in Q&A, they know that they are welcome,” they

“They are the ones who have the power to advocate for themselves and for people in their community. Especially with high school students, they have a collective power. They are not as used to conformity yet. They can collaborate. They are a force for good if you teach them how to build safer spaces.”

BUILDING POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH Renée Comeau, BA ’15, BEd ’16, used to spend two hours every day working out at the gym without a break.

“That’s not healthy,” the education student told the conference participants. “In my case, I later found out I had an anxiety problem that fueled this energy to work out.

I felt like my sense of control was gone and this was a way of taking control of my life.”

Comeau had been dealing with occasional depression and anxiety since she was in high school, but she didn’t know it was a problem until she had a severe panic attack one day. She made an appointment with a psychologist who diagnosed her with an anxiety disorder and helped her recover ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

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COVER STORY with the help of natural coping methods and medication.

“There is a stigma around medication. ‘You’re not strong enough to do this on your own.’ Well no, I’m not. I need the help of something. And that’s ok… with the medication and self-care every day, I feel mentally balanced and mentally well.”

Renée Comeau, BA’15, BEd’16

Today, Comeau speaks about her struggles and her eventual recovery to help others recognize warning signs in their own lives and to normalize mental illness.

She started a blog (http://rockland92.blogspot.ca/) so others struggling with mental illness know that they’re not alone. She also became a mental health advocate and speaks at conferences and events to help educate others.

She said she’s not surprised members of the STU community were invited to speak about mental health support, adding that the Student Services department does a great job supporting mental health on campus.

The university provides counselling services. It also regularly hosts self-care events, workshops and engages students through social media around mental health topics. It plans de-stress events during hectic times of the academic year, and supports students in managing the stress they may be facing as a result of pressures in their lives (whether those are academic, personal, financial or otherwise).

It also equips student leaders (like peer mentors and residence advisors), faculty and staff with resources on how to support students in distress or in crisis.

Comeau hopes that talking about mental illness and removing stigma surrounding it will help students she spoke to understand when they need help.

If the participants will remember one message from her talk, it’s that it’s OK to not be OK. But that there are resources available to help them recover.

“Be a glow stick,” she told them. “Sometimes you need to break before you glow.”

MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT AT STU On-site counselling Access to UNB Counselling and health services. Staff in these areas can provide immediate crisis support, but more importantly can help students develop coping strategies.

Accessibility services offers assistance should a student with a mental health disability require extra support to access classroom learning on an equal playing ground as others who don’t have a disability.

Self-care events series (movies, board game night, art classes, etc) -Building Positive Mental Health Workshops Series De-stress events during hectic times of the academic year.

One-on-one counselling and support for students to help manage the stress they may be facing as a result of pressures in their lives (academic, personal, financial, etc).

Church, Politics, and STU In Church, Politics, and STU: The Relocation of St. Thomas University from Chatham to Fredericton, Drs. Spray and Rhinelander paint a nuanced historical picture of St. Thomas’s evolution from a small Roman Catholic college founded in 1860 on the Miramichi to the nationally recognized liberal arts university it had become by 1990 and remains today.

This book deals primarily with the 1950s and 1960s and the political and religious circumstances in which the relocation of the university from Chatham to Fredericton was first discussed and eventually carried out.

To order your copy of Church, Politics, and STU, please contact the office of advancement and alumni relations at 506-452-0521 or email alumni@stu.ca. Copies are available for $19.95. Copies can be shipped to your home for an additional $4.

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HILLTOP

Adding a Local Voice to the Canadian Conversation

By Jacqueline Cormier, BA ’08

“At a local level, I am a member of parliament who wants to be consultative and receive advice from them. At a much larger scale, we have a government led by a prime minister who has a tremendous amount of respect in the energy and wisdom that young people bring to decision making.”

During the election campaign, DeCourcey visited STU alongside Liberal party leader Justin Trudeau.

While most kids his age were watching cartoons, Matt DeCourcey, BA ’05, was glued to the 1993 election coverage.

“I grew up in a family that was inclined towards civic affairs and public involvement. I still remember being a tenyear-old and following the election. I was captivated by the personalities involved, and that was certainly a big change election for Canada,” he says.

“In the last few months, I have enjoyed hearing parents tell me how their kids were engaged in the last election. It brings back memories of how I took an interest in public figures and public affairs at a very young age.”

DeCourcey was elected member of parliament for Fredericton in November – a longtime goal that started burgeoning during his first year at St. Thomas.

Andy Scott, the then MP for Fredericton, encouraged him to join the Young Liberals Association and then later to get involved in the Paul Martin leadership campaign.

These experiences fueled his passion for public affairs and made him want to eventually run for office himself.

He also says he owes a lot of his success to St. Thomas and the liberal arts education he received here.

“I grew a lot as a person over my time at STU. I think it gave me the impetus to want to branch out and explore other parts of the world that I had never understood well before. The liberal arts really provided me a good basis from which to explore the world and bring further experiences back to Fredericton which I think helped me in the way I approach some of the heavy decisions I have to make as a member of parliament.”

Now representing his hometown in Ottawa, DeCourcey says his goal is to ensure his constituents’ voices are heard.

“We have a tremendous amount to offer the Canadian conversation. But sometimes our voice is lost in the conversations taking place in Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, and to a different extent, out on the West Coast,” he says.

“But I believe we have an entrepreneurial breed of people here. I think we’re compassionate and caring. I think we’re industrious. I want to represent those values and those voices in Ottawa. I do my best every day to talk about the strengths that we have in Fredericton.”

During the election campaign, DeCourcey visited STU alongside Liberal party leader Justin Trudeau. Connecting with young voters was an important part of their campaign and continues to be important now.

Although DeCourcey may be clad in Liberal red in Ottawa, he says his heart is still green and gold. He remembers his time at STU fondly – his four years as a varsity athlete on the soccer team, the classes he took with professors like Patrick Malcolmson who made him consider ideas with fresh eyes, and the countless friendships he made.

He continues to be engaged as an alumnus.

He served as the president of the Alumni Association and has always been eager to volunteer his time to help the university, whether it’s welcoming new students as they move into residence or participating in the university’s Remembrance Day ceremony.

He chooses to stay engaged because he believes in the university’s mission.

“I grew up around this small communitycentred university, having had a father (Harold DeCourcey, BA ’69, CSW ’79), who is an engaged alum as well,” he says.

“I understand the value of a small institution that provides educational opportunities for people within our community and an institution that helps welcome and invite people from other parts of the world to our community. There is an expertise that has been developed through the university in helping build a more inclusive community and I think that bodes well particularly when government is focused in enhancing immigration in a region with a declining population. I think the university can serve as a leader in that sphere.”

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

SPRING 2016 13

STU FAMILIES

Personal Touch THE HENHEFFER FAMILY AT STU

By Jacqueline Cormier, BA ’08

When it came time for her children to choose a university, Maria Henheffer did not stay on the sidelines. She’s one of STU’s biggest fans and wasn’t afraid to root for her alma mater to help them choose a school.

She believes her life changed because of personal connections she made at St. Thomas.

She had initially enrolled at STU because of a conversation she had with then Vice-President, Msgr. George Martin. She was at a crossroads and couldn’t choose between doing a Bachelor of Arts at STU (with the intention or pursuing an education degree afterwards) or a four-year concurrent education degree at the University of New Brunswick.

“Father Martin told me a BA opened more doors, and that I might change my mind as I went along about wanting to become a teacher.

As a result, I went to St. Thomas and actually became a lawyer. I have really enjoyed the practice of law. I thank Father Martin every day.”

Today, Maria is a partner with Brenton Kean Lawyers in Saint John.

Although she now realizes a career in law fits her personality – she’s the type of person who speaks up to defend others – she never considered it until she arrived at STU. “I come from a very modest background. There were no lawyers in my family. It was unheard of. But at STU, I realized it was a possibility for me,” she recalls. “I met a lot of law students on campus because a lot of them ate in our cafeteria and I remember thinking, ‘If those guys can do it, I can do it too!’ There is really no doubt in my mind that the reason I became a lawyer was because I did my degree at St Thomas.”

That initial meeting with Father Martin more than 40 years ago set the tone for what St. Thomas would mean to Maria and her family.

Throughout her four years, she recalls moments where professors and administrators connected with her personally to ensure her success.

There was the time she missed three weeks of school because she had mononucleosis and her math professor, Dr. Wyn Poole, drove to her home in Saint John on a Sunday afternoon to tutor her so she wouldn’t fall behind.

Or the time President Donald Duffie met with her personally to award her a bursary to attend law school because he knew she worked hard and came from a modest home.

Maria’s two children – Tom and Trish – both attended St. Thomas.

Although the campus has grown a lot since the 1970s, she says the spirit of St. Thomas has remained the same.

“I still see that very personal touch: its small size and an ability to talk to your professors and really get to know them.”

Maria’s son Tom studied journalism and human rights at STU. 14 SPRING 2016

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

Trish Henheffer, BA ’14; Tom Henheffer, BA ’09; and Maria Henheffer, BA ’77 “The campus culture at STU is amazing,” he says. “Everybody knows each other. The professors know you and they give you individual attention. They make time for you. It’s a wonderful university and I had a great student experience… I would say the quality of the education there is the best in Canada.”

In fact, Tom credits STU for kick-starting his career in journalism.

“I got an internship at Maclean’s because Ken Whyte, who was the editor at that time, was giving the Dalton Camp Lecture on campus.

He came out for drinks with our journalism class afterwards and I guess I impressed him and I got an internship out of it. That’s how I launched my whole career.”

Tom is now the executive director of Canadian Journalists for Free Expression, a non-profit located in Toronto that promotes universal respect for the freedom of expression and greater access to information.

Tom’s sister Trish says St. Thomas was always top of mind for her. In fact, she didn’t even apply anywhere else.

The psychology grad is now at UNB Law School and says her background in psychology blends itself well with law. She adds that a liberal arts degree is an ideal foundation for a myriad of career options and she highly recommends STU to prospective students.

“STU is one of the best schools to test the waters in a lot of different subject matters,” she says. “No matter what you end up doing afterwards, a liberal arts education is worth so much more than other degrees in my opinion. It really opens up your mind to thinking critically. This has been a great help for me in law school.”

Q&A

Liberal Arts, Law, and the Importance of Mentorship Q&A WITH LAWYER CLARENCE BENNETT, BA ’01, PARTNER AT STEWART McKELVEY What are the duties and responsibilities of your work?

I practice management-side labour and employment law. I work with the owners and managers of employers, both large and small in the private and public sectors, to fully understand their businesses and the challenges they face. I develop strategies to avoid human resource issues while fully asserting their right to manage the workplace effectively and efficiently. I assist in the management of all aspects of labour and employment law, some of which include collective bargaining, collective agreement administration, labour arbitrations, labour board proceedings, wrongful dismissal litigation, occupational health and safety issues and prosecutions, human rights concerns, pay equity, and workers compensation. My clients include employers in the retail trade, the service sector, healthcare, post-secondary education, all of the traditional resource-based industries, as well as emerging areas such as oil and gas and information technology.

How has STU helped you get ready for your career?

STU helped me in a number of ways, but most importantly it made me a more rounded individual. When I was at STU, I was involved in everything – Harrington House Committee, Senate, Student Union, etc. – which gave me increased confidence and better people and problem-solving skills. The relationships built at STU have also been invaluable.

Why is a liberal arts education a good foundation for a career in law?

Liberal arts encourages curiosity and exposes students to a broad range of knowledge, cultivating critical thinking.

When I am involved in recruiting for our firm, I am attracted to candidates who think analytically, are well rounded, curious, interesting and effective communicators. That’s the essence of a good liberal arts education.

What is the role of mentorship in law? Did you have a mentor when you started your career? How did they help shape you as a lawyer?

I did have a mentor when I started practicing law – a mentor that fundamentally shaped my life, professionally and personally. Mentors are invaluable not only for the mechanics they teach but for the encouragement, experience they impart and the confidence they instill in you when you do not have confidence in yourself. My development as a lawyer would have stalled without a mentor who cared about my progress and advancement.

How is the partnership between Stewart McKelvey and St. Thomas mutually beneficial for both the firm and our Moot Court students?

The partnership is beneficial for us in allowing us to meet students who have ambitions to go to law school and become leading practitioners in Atlantic Canada. For students, it provides exposure to a wide range of individuals, experience and practice areas and ready access to information that will help them guide their legal studies and professional ambitions. It avoids an “if I’d known then, what I know now...” discussion at the end of a student’s legal studies.

STEWART McKELVEY SUPPORTS STU’S MOOT COURT PROGRAM STU offers the only moot court program in Maritime Canada.

Our students get real court-room experience and have competed in national competitions in the United States.

Moot Court is made possible by a generous donation by Stewart McKelvey Lawyers • Avocats.

“The partnership between Stewart McKelvey and St. Thomas University’s Moot Court team has been instrumental in building our success,” said Dr. Amanda DiPaolo, the faculty member in charge of the Moot Court program.

“We also achieved great success winning speaker awards and qualifying for the American national championships. This would not have been possible without the team being able to participate in valuable invitational tournaments which would have been impossible without the generous support from Stewart McKelvey.”

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SPRING 2016 15

CAMPUS WATCH PROVEN VALUE OF LIBERAL ARTS Liberal arts degrees are a very good investment and new research on the success of social sciences and humanities graduates proves that point.

Universities Canada, which represents 97 Canadian universities, recently released a fact sheet on the value of a liberal arts education.

An abundance of career options Almost 40,000 employed Canadians have a bachelor’s degree in history – 18% work in management and 23% in business, finance, and administrative positions.

Significant income growth over time Average earnings of social sciences bachelor’s graduates start around $40,000 but within 13 years almost double to just under $80,000 – similar to average earnings for math and natural science graduates at the same career point.

55% of the world’s professional leaders hold a BA Social sciences and humanities make up more than half of bachelor’s degrees among current professional leaders with higher education qualifications in 30 countries and all sectors.

Younger leaders under 45 years are more likely to hold a degree in social sciences or humanities.

Skills for success When evaluating entry-level hires, employers value soft skills – relationship-building, communication and problem-solving skills, analytical and leadership abilities – over technical knowledge.

Balanced workforce means a prosperous economy A recent expert panel concluded that future innovation and productivity growth will require a workforce with a balance of both STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and non-STEM skills. Leadership, creativity, adaptability and entrepreneurial ability can help maximize STEM skills and allow Canadians to effectively compete within the ever-changing global marketplace.

That is what a liberal arts education can provide. It is an education well worth the private and public investment. Career opportunities, income growth, in-demand skills all make for personal success and a strong society.

Dawn Russell President and Vice-Chancellor 16 SPRING 2016

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

STU Celebrates Class of 2016 at Spring Convocation St. Thomas University celebrated the achievements of nearly 400 students from the Bachelor of Applied Arts, Bachelor of Social Work and Bachelor of Arts programs at Spring Convocation.

St. Thomas President Dawn Russell welcomed graduates, faculty members, honorary degree recipients, and family members and supporters to the ceremony, noting how their education in liberal arts will benefit society.

“St. Thomas has long been known for creating informed, engaged citizens who actively involve themselves in their communities and in their province,” she said.

“The liberal arts help us to understand and interpret the human experience, from individuals to entire cultures. It enables us to rediscover the past and connect it to the present to enable a deeper understanding of contemporary society… And without the liberal arts, democracy will not flourish.”

Lessons from the Past Entrepreneur and philanthropist John Bragg and award-winning writer Raymond Fraser received honorary degrees for their achievements in their respective careers.

high school, in which he had to explain why studying history was important.

“I was so confident I could get up in front of an audience and dazzle them spontaneously, that I didn’t do even a minute of preparation. I didn’t see the point of writing something down. We weren't allowed to read our speeches, and I wasn’t good at memorization. So I figured I'd just speak off the cuff and wing it. Open my mouth and let the words flow out.”

The day of the competition he froze because he realized he couldn’t answer the question. He didn’t know why one should study history.

But as he stood in front of the graduates at convocation, he told them he now knows the importance of studying history: it’s a way to learn to move forward as a society.

"Quite simply, it’s instructive. You can learn a lot about human nature, human behaviour, human institutions, from studying history. What to avoid, what to embrace, what to resist.

Fraser said he took several history courses while he was a student at STU in the 1960s and they have developed him into a lifelong learner.

“I’ve read history books for those courses and many more on my own.

Then and ever since.”

Fraser, who authored 22 books, including 12 books of fiction, seven poetry collections, two biographies, and a collection of memoirs, told the graduates about the importance of learning liberal arts subjects like history.

He told the students about an oratory competition he entered when he was in

Clara Santacruz, from Quito, Ecuador, delivered the valedictory address.

CAMPUS WATCH Medal Winners Governor General’s Medal Alexander Loggie, Miramichi, NB BA (Honours in Philosophy and Honours in Spanish) University Medal for Arts Kasey Lohnes, Pleasantville, NS BA (Honours in Psychology) University Medal for Social Work Edward Stansfield, Sussex, NB Bachelor of Social Work

Teaching and Service Awards History professor Dr. Karen Robert was given the John McKendy Memorial Teaching Award.

Left to Right: President Dawn Russell, Meghan MacEachern, Marc Blinn, Kelty Apperson, Stefen Savoy, Athletics Director Mike Eagles Dr. Michelle LaFrance, Department of Psychology, was recognized for her excellence in research with the University Scholar Award.

Criminology and Criminal Justice professor Dr. Susan Reid was given the service award for her contributions to St. Thomas and the wider community.

TOP TOMMIES

THE ATHLETIC IDEAL

Kelty Apperson and Marc Blinn took home top honours at the 2015-16 athletics banquet as male and female athletes of the year. Apperson, a fourth-year forward for the women’s hockey team, and Blinn, a third-year setter for the men’s volleyball team, were also named their teams’ most valuable players.

Stefen Savoy, men’s cross-country and track and field, received the John Frederick Walls Award, and Meghan MacEachern, women’s rugby, was given the Cathy Wadden Commitment award. The awards are presented to student-athletes of good character who have actively participated in university athletics, maintained good academic standing, and represented the athletic ideal.

STU CANCELS MEN’S HOCKEY PROGRAM St. Thomas University has cancelled the varsity men’s hockey program. The decision, made by senior administration and supported by the Board of Governors, is part of a wider initiative to address a budget deficit.

Bishop Robert Harris, St. Thomas University Chancellor; Raymond Fraser, BA '64, honorary degree recipient; Dawn Russell, President of St. Thomas University, John Bragg, honorary degree recipient, Brian Gallant, Premier of New Brunswick

The costs of operating the men’s hockey program were unsustainable in light of the university’s other financial priorities, especially in academic and student areas. The university will save $245,000 annually from operating costs, athletic financial awards, and staffing related to the program.

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SPRING 2016 17

CAMPUS WATCH

Tom McCann Award Meghan MacEachern joined an elite group of St. Thomas students as the 2016 recipient of the Tom McCann Award.

The award is presented to a senior student who best portrays the spirit of St. Thomas University with their contributions to university and student affairs, and who demonstrates outstanding leadership, character, and personality.

MacEachern was the President of the St. Thomas University Student Athletic Committee, worked on the New Grace House women’s shelter renovation project, acted as a student mentor at Park Street Elementary School, taught fitness classes at the NOVA Institution for Women, and coached youth rugby.

As a student, MacEachern had been on the Dean’s List since her first year.

During her time at St. Thomas, MacEachern competed with the women’s rugby team, captaining her last two seasons. She’s a former team MVP and Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association conference all-star.

18 SPRING 2016

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

Enhancing Student Experience St. Thomas University and NB Power are collaborating on a series of experiential learning opportunities for students and community engagement events.

The collaboration agreement provides workplace opportunities for students and explores the connection between public policy and public engagement through joint events and workshops.

“This will be a unique and beneficial relationship because we each bring something to the table from our areas of expertise,” said St. Thomas President and Vice-Chancellor Dawn Russell. “Generating discussions in the public arena through a social, civic and public policy lens is a capability that we have, both through our programs and the McKenna Centre for Communications and Public Policy.”

The collaboration includes a new internship program and scholarships for students, and will assist St. Thomas in launching an Office of Experiential and Community Based Learning. This office will develop partnerships with other external organizations and place students in experiential learning settings that will enhance their education.

St. Thomas University’s Criminology and Criminal Justice Program and the Fredericton Police Force established a new partnership that will provide insight on the issues facing youth today, particularly mental health challenges.

The partnership is centered on a course – Advanced Studies in Youth Justice Policy – taught by Professor Susan Reid. Under the new partnership, students are enhancing their research skills, putting their classroom knowledge into practice, and gaining first-hand insight into daily police operations concerning youth.

“This initial project, which focuses on youth mental health and police response, fits well with our philosophy of contemporary community policing. It will help inform better police interaction, and intervention with youth requiring our assistance and support,” said Fredericton police Chief Leanne Fitch.

The Fredericton Police Department will benefit by working with young people interested in youth justice, and will learn from the youth – who offer different perspectives on issues facing young people – and obtain information which could impact police policies, programs, and intervention efforts.

CAMPUS WATCH The women’s rugby team took their work ethic on the field and put it towards a volunteer project that will benefit hundreds of women in the Fredericton region.

The Tommies partnered with the Fredericton Homeless Shelter to help renovate their newest facility, which includes an education centre and will house up to 13 women.

Even those closest to the team wanted to help – parents, roommates, and friends of the Tommies pitched in over the first two weekends that saw the team put in over 240 hours of work.

Jenna Betts, a fourth-year student from Rexton, NB, said every player put in at least one three-hour shift.

“The first time we were there we started doing crack-filling, sanding, painting, and ripping up carpet,” she said. “To pay someone for those hours would be a lot of money. In a 40-hour work week it would have taken multiple weeks to complete what we did in two weekends.”

Warren Maddox, the Executive Director of the Fredericton Homeless Shelters, said the work done by the team was incredibly helpful.

“To have volunteers who are willing to roll up their sleeves and get at it means the world to us. It’s hard work and work that has an incredible impact on the project, saving the Shelters thousands of dollars we can use elsewhere,” he said. “They are doing something that is going to have a positive impact on the lives of hundreds of women in our region.”

Women’s Rugby Partners with Fredericton Homeless Shelter ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY RECEIVED THE UNITED WAY’S COMMUNITY BUILDER AWARD FOR ORGANIZING ITS STU CARES DAY OF ACTION. The university partnered with the United Way to organize two days of action events – one in September and another in March – which involved volunteering with a United Way member organization.

STU Cares Earns United Way Community Award

In September, students spent the day sorting clothes at the Fredericton Homeless Shelter, serving food and organizing shelves at the Community Kitchen, painting walls at Family Enrichment and Counselling Services, painting and gardening at the Marysville Community Centre (The Ville), and undertaking a mini-awareness campaign for Hospice Fredericton. In March, the students did a community tour at the Victoria Health Centre where they got to visit with organizations such as Capital Region Mental Health and Addictions, Laubach Literacy, Meals on Wheels, and Easter Seals. They then headed to The Ville to help them clean, sand, and paint.

“Our students and staff showed everyone that a small community like STU can still have an important impact,” said Scott Duguay, Associate Vice-President, Enrolment Management at St. Thomas.

Excellence in Scholarship Psychology professor Dr. Ian Fraser was acknowledged for his excellence in scholarship by the American Association of Behavioral and Social Sciences as a recipient of the 2016 McGraw Hill Distinguished Scholar Award.

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

SPRING 2016 19

CAMPUS WATCH

ARGUING THEIR WAY TO CALIFORNIA – MOOT COURT AT AMERICAN NATIONAL COMPETITION In just its second year, St. Thomas University’s moot court team earned a place in the National Moot Court Collegiate Championships in Long Beach, California.

STU placed two teams in the top eight of the regional competition at Fitchburg, MA, with Stefen Savoy, Marlee Charlton, Madison Makepeace and Lauran Haas earning the opportunity to represent St. Thomas in California.

Charlton, from Lawrencetown, NS, is a Human Rights and History major.

She was also recognized with a speaker award – placing 18th out of 108.

“It’s been one of the most rewarding classes I’ve

had at St. Thomas. I was hoping it would help solidify the decision that I wanted to go to law school and it definitely has,” she said.

To earn a spot at nationals, the teams must rank in the top eight of 52 teams.

Regionals consisted of two days of intense competition. Students prepare to argue both sides of a case and are expected to argue whichever is handed to them in a given round. Each team argued three rounds on the first day. Depending on how they did, they advanced to the second day.

Charlton and Savoy – a Human Rights and Great Books major from Moncton, NB – won all three of their rounds. Makepeace – a Criminology major from Gagetown, NB – and Haas – from Kentville, NS, majoring in Human Rights and Criminology – won two rounds, and tied the third to advance.

“I felt I was getting more confident as we went through the rounds,” said Charlton. “I started seeing nationals were attainable, so I said to Stefen, “We’re doing it. We’re going to nationals!’”

A large donation supporting moot court at St. Thomas by Stewart McKelvey law firm meant the students were able to travel to an invitational in Orlando, FL; a regional competition in Long Island, NY; regionals in Fitchburg, MA, and now California for nationals.

Barry Craig Appointed Principal of Huron University College Barry Craig, vice-president (academic and research), was appointed principal of Huron University College effective July 1, 2016. Huron University College is a liberal arts university affiliated with Western University and has an enrolment of 1,300 students.

20 SPRING 2016

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

CAMPUS WATCH

Roméo Dallaire Delivers Lodhi Lecture Former Canadian Army LieutenantGeneral and devoted humanitarian Roméo Dallaire visited campus to deliver the Lodhi Memorial Lecture in Human Rights. His presentation, entitled “R2P and the Syrian Conflict: Lessons Learned from Rwanda,” drew parallels between the crisis in Syria and the genocide in Rwanda. He spoke about lessons learned during the Rwandan genocide and explained how the international community has a role in providing assistance in the Syrian refugee crisis.

SEAN MCCULLUM WINS JOURNALISM AWARD Journalism student Sean McCullum took home the John H. MacDonald student journalism award for social media for his work with The Brunswickan. As multimedia and online editor, McCullum was responsible for social media management, creating videos, reader relations, analytic analysis, and updating the website. A large portion of his time was spent re-designing the paper’s website.

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

SPRING 2016 21

.

POSTCARD

TO STU

POSTCARDS TO STU

STU bons vivants eat their way through Europe STU alumni Ivan Corbett, BA ’93, Juanita (Hachey) Corbett, BA ’92, and Mark Giberson, BA ’76, travel well together. They do so fairly frequently – with food and drink figuring prominently in their choice of destinations.

Ivan and Juanita live in Fredericton; Mark, in Ottawa.

They’ve rendez-voused in Montréal, and countless times in Québec City. A few years ago, it was Paris. And, last November, it was Malta and Sicily.

“At first, we were thinking about the Costa del Sol, in the south of Spain,” recalls Mark. “But then, I suggested Malta. I’d had been there a couple of years earlier for

just a day – during a Mediterranean cruise – and was really taken with the place.

It left me wanting more.”

“When Mark mentioned Malta, we weren’t quite sure where it was,” says Ivan. “Then, we did a bit of online research, and we were hooked.”

“And, when I saw how close we were going to be to Sicily, I thought, “Great! We’ll be able to visit two really interesting places on the same trip,’” says Juanita.

“Let’s do it.”

The trio spent a couple of weeks touring Malta, with a three-day side trip to Sicily and a day on the Maltese island of Gozo.

“It was magical,” says Juanita.

“There was so much history. The architecture was breathtakingly beautiful.”

“And the food,” Ivan chimes in. “Fresh squid, octopus and barracuda – and rabbit, a Maltese specialty. The Sicilian and Maltese wines were a delight. My mouth waters just thinking about the meals we had.”

This spring, the trio is off on another adventure – to Barcelona, and Canet-enRoussillon, in southwest France.

“When we’re in France, we’ll be in one of the country’s most famous wine-producing regions.

How do you suppose that happened?” asks Mark. “Somehow, I can see us taking a little road trip to Châteauneuf du Pape.”

“And still, the party continues,” laughs Ivan.

Top, left to right: Ivan Corbett, Mark Giberson, and Juanita (Hachey) Corbett holidayed in Malta and Sicily last fall. Here, the trio are on the Maltese island of Gozo. Bottom, left: In this photo, the Corbetts and Giberson are at the entrance of the Church of the Assumption of Our Lady in Mosta, Malta. The church has the third largest unsupported dome in the world – after St. Peter’s in Rome and St. Paul’s in London. In 1942, a 1,000 kg shell from a German bomber crashed through the rotunda and landed on the floor of the church without exploding. None in the assembled congregation of 300 were injured.

Postcards feature alumni and student travels and adventures.

To suggest a profile, e-mail alumni@stu.ca.

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

SPRING 2016 23

NEW & NOTEWORTHY

New&Noteworthy News from classmates & friends around the world

1960s

1970s

1 The 1960-1961 Men’s Hockey Team was recently inducted into the Miramichi Sports Wall of Fame!

Bryan Murphy, BA ’71, recently retired after teaching in the Human Services Program at NBCC Saint John for 40 years.

He says one of the highlights of his time at NBCC was participating in the organization of the Bachelor of Applied Arts in Gerontology program at STU. Robert Coakley, BA ’79, has been busy following up on research he had done at STU in the 1970s about Grand Lake coal mining. He wants to promote the area’s coal mining history in an effort to attract new people to the Grand Lake area and to honour the local miners and those who supported miners from 1639 until 2009. Coakley’s research found that Grand Lake had the first coal mine in North America and the area was the first to export coal internationally.

0 7 9 1 1 0 0 5 6 9 1 19 1

Art Loggie, BA ’79, BEd ’80, has retired from Loblaw companies as of September 30, 2015, after nearly 35 years of full time service, 40 years including part time during university.

2 Farrell McCarthy, BA ’64, BEd ’70, recently received the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers at Rideau Hall in Ottawa. As an official Canadian honour, the Medal for Volunteers incorporates and replaces the Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award and was presented to 55 Canadians to recognize exceptional volunteer achievements in a wide range of fields.

McCarthy has devoted over 30 years of volunteer work to promoting Irish culture. He has helped establish many of the existing Irish cultural organizations, events and communications that have given rise to renewed interest in Irish traditions and lore.

Ron Wallace, BA ’68, BEd ’70 continues to live in Rwanda where he is superintendent of a school system in the capital city, Kigali. He lives there with his wife, Shamira, and youngest daughter, Chiara. He has four grown children and two grandchildren in Calgary. He retired as an Alberta School Superintendent in 2002.

24 SPRING 2016

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

1980s

Don Bossé, BA ’82, BEd ’83, received the MusicCounts Teacher of the Year Award. The award recognizes teachers with outstanding dedication to inspiring and nurturing the musical growth of Canadian youth. Bossé has been a music teacher at Fredericton High School for 22 years.

3 Thanks to a very generous donation by Mike

Humes, BA ’84, Tom Murray of Halifax and three of his friends enjoyed a sport-filled vacation in Arizona after winning the STU Tommies Athletics Raffle. Humes, who is the Executive Vice President for the Arizona Coyotes, donated tickets to two NHL hockey games, five nights accommodations in Phoenix, tickets to MLB Spring Training games and two rounds of golf.

Mike Jones, BA ’88, has just completed his second book, Dead Reckoning: The Six Phases of a Funeral. It’s published by Vogelstein Press (2015).

2

Patrick Laskey, BEd ’88, has been named one of Canada’s Outstanding Principals by the Learning Partnership. Now celebrating its twelfth year, The Learning Partnership’s Canada’s Outstanding Principals program recognizes the unique and vital contribution of principals in publicly funded schools. The 40 principals are being celebrated for demonstrating innovation, having an entrepreneurial spirit and for employing creativity in finding solutions and opportunities.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY

3

2010s Amanda (Greer) Zhang, BA ’11, BEd ’12, is teaching in China.

Musician Cedric Noel, BA ’14, was named Artist of the Year

by Grid City Magazine.

Ashley Rerrie, BA ’14, was named a 2016 Ontario Council for International Cooperation Global Changemaker Youth Ambassador. She has spent a great deal of time working with various organizations to achieve social change in Nicaragua – including three months spent working to prevent domestic violence and promote education about reproductive rights and healthy relationships.

0 9 0 9 0 1 0 0 80 2 1990s

Marcel St. Pierre, BA ’90, BEd ’91, brings his years writing sketch comedy and advertising copy – where brevity is key – to bear in this, his first book of short stories, Vengeful Hank And Other Shortweird Stories. St. Pierre’s playfully accessible writing style complements an ability to conjure unique characters and situations as universally ridiculous as a Gary Larson ’Far Side’ cartoon. The book is available on Amazon.ca!

2000s

9 1

Have an update to share?

Let us know!

Vanessa (Playfair) Moore BA ’01, BEd ’02, and her husband Ben Moore are proud to announce the birth of their sweet, happy baby boy, Clark Benjamin Moore on June 25th, 2015. Mom, Dad, sister Evelyn and Clark are thoroughly enjoying special moments together as a family of four, residing in Fredericton, NB. After graduating from STU, Moore earned a Masters in Education at UNB in 2009. Following maternity leave, Vanessa is looking forward to returning to her teaching position in the fall.

alumni @stu.ca

Dr. Rick Myers has been appointed Principal at St. Paul's University College in Waterloo, ON.

Peter Sullivan, BA ’01, has recently been made partner at Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP in Toronto.

After losing his T-Ring in a house fire in 2010, Kurt Goddard, BA ’07, says it was always a difficult conversation explaining where his ring went when he met other STU grads. Some of his thoughtful friends pooled their money together and bought him a replacement ring as surprise and presented it to him in April!

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:

Christy Gayle Shaw, BA ’95 April 12, 2016

Frederick “Rick” Richard Goodine, BA ’94 November 29, 2015

Dr. Frank Cronin, Former Faculty Member March 28, 2016

Mary Jane (Slocum) Kelly, BSc ’53 November 5, 2015

David Alan Phillips, BA ’76 March 27, 2016

Ann Marie Flanagan, BA ’87, BEd ’90 November 4, 2015

Anne Williston, BT ’77 March 22, 2016

Hugh Francis Peters, BA ’67 September 19, 2015

Peter Gick, BA ’72 March 19, 2016 Archbishop Daniel J. Boham, BA ’63, LLD ’06 January 15, 2016 Leo B. Pye, BA ’63, BEd ’66 December 26, 2015

Hugh LeDrew, BA ’66 April 28, 2015 Douglas Frederick Shute, BA ’73 April 19, 2015

Matthew Carter, BA ’08, completed a Masters of Education in School Leadership at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts in May and was recruited to be the principal of a school outside of Boston that is a leading educational institution in the charter movement. He and his wife Kate Carter, BA ’08, currently live in the Boston area. Kate writes, “We are proud graduates of the school, having met one another our first year during frosh week and later married in 2012. We still credit our success to the valuable education that we received at St. Thomas.”

Sue King, BSW ’08 received the City of Fredericton's Unsung Hero Award in April for her work with Partners for Youth's Outreach Program as well as her many volunteer commitments.

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

SPRING 2016 25

Thank you to Stewart McKelvey Lawyers • Avocats for supporting St. Thomas University's Moot Court program!

“ To Stewart McKelvey, who sponsored us, we can’t extend our gratitude enough. As students, we don’t have the financial means to do this kind of thing on our own. To know someone is investing, not only in my interest, but in my future is incredible.”

- Marlee Charlton, Member of STU Moot Court Team

You are invited to join us in

celebrating the outstanding achievements

and

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

DEADLINE JULY 30 TH 26 SPRING 2016

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

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UNIV ER

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We are accepting nominations for the Alumni Association Service Award which will be presented at Alumni Weekend.

ST . T HO

contributions of our alumni!

Alumni WEEKEND 2016

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:

• Assisted in the launching of the St. Thomas University Moot Court program, the first of its kind in Maritime Canada!

• Has provided support for dozens of additional scholarships for STU students.

• Helped send three STU students to Galway, Ireland to attend an Irish Language Program.

• Funded an Artists-in-Residence Program that brought a series of artists and performers to campus that students and the community at-large enjoyed.

• Sent students to the Carnegie Mellon University Venture Competition in Pittsburgh, PA.

Did you know?

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

• Helped fund the STU Musical Theatre performance of Heathers.

This year we hope the STU Fund can support all of the above plus help support new experiential learning opportunities such as Model UN and new travel study programs.

Supporting students has never been more important.

In the Maclean's “Student Speak Out” survey, STU ranked #1 on the writing ability indicator, #2 for helping develop strong critical thinking, and #5 for professors “who know your name”.

In 2015-16 STU received over 1100 donations from alumni and friends, but our students still need your help!

• Continues to provide funds to further the university’s global and international opportunities.

"I came to STU because I believed its small university set up and liberal arts approach would allow me the chance to maintain my interests, both inside and outside the classroom. I’m of the opinion that if I went anywhere other than STU, both my character and my resume would not be nearly as developed as they are... Financial aid equals time, and when used effectively it’s this time that allows students to realize their potential, in the space university provides. Without these kinds of supports, I simply would not have the time to work as hard as I do at STU."

WORN WITH PRIDE

WORLD-WIDE

- Stefen Savoy, BA '17

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

Interested in establishing a new student award or including St. Thomas University in your estate plans? Contact the office of Advancement and Alumni Relations at 506-452-0645 or alumni@stu.ca.

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY CONNECTIONS

SPRING 2016 27

HERE’S SOMETHING JUST FOR