Connections Summer 2012

Rediscover what’s important Make a list of the things that are important to you.

That’s the life you can live here.

Come home to New Brunswick.

www.welcomenb.ca

Redécouvrez ce qui importe vraiment Dressez la liste des choses que vous jugez importantes.

C’est ce que vous pouvez vivre ici.

Revenez chez vous au Nouveau-Brunswick.

www.bienvenuenb.ca

editor

We’re proud of our students. We’re proud of what they learn at St. Thomas and what in turn they teach us.

Every September, hundreds of new students arrive on campus, eager to learn, find their calling, and develop their passion. They get involved in campus ministry, clubs and committees, Theatre St. Thomas and the Students Union.

By fourth year, they’ve grown into talented and compassionate scholars, artists, writers, and thinkers.

We’re always sad to see our graduates leave, but we continue to be proud of them as they enter the “real world.”

Some of our graduates decide to go onto grad school. Others enter the professional world and become journalists, police officers, teachers, social workers… the list goes on and on.

This issue of Connections focuses on young alumni. We will introduce you to just a small sample of success stories of our younger alumni. Regardless of their chosen paths, these young adults share a commonality: they’re driven, passionate and should serve as an inspiration to all of us, no matter our age.

Happy reading.

From the Editor

from the

Jacqueline Cormier, BA ‘08 Mail:

Phone: E-mail: Website:

Alumni Affairs Office St. Thomas University Fredericton, NB E3B 5G3 506-452-0521 alumni@stu.ca www.stu.ca

Special Thanks to: Tom Bateman, BA ‘12 Wanda Bearresto, BA ‘87 Jeffrey Carleton Colleen Comeau, BA ‘93, BEd ‘94 Dr. Dan Gleason Ashlen Henry, BA ‘09 Debbie Hudson Keith Minchin Dave Shearer, BA ‘03 Matt Sheriko BA ‘11

inside this issue

on the cover page 8

News from STU Alumni & Friends....................................................... 4 Connecting - Alumni Gatherings............................................................. 5 On the Cover - Christy Clarke, BA ‘08................................................... 8 Profiles...................................................................................................... 10 Campus Watch........................................................................................ 14 Giving Back - The T-Club......................................................................... 21 History in Photos - Dr. Dan Gleason...................................................22 New and Noteworthy ......................................................................... 24 Tribute...................................................................................................... 26

editor

Jacqueline Cormier

design & layout Connections is a publication of The Office of University Advancement St. Thomas University Fredericton, New Brunswick Canada E3B 5G3 Connections is distributed free-of-charge to more than 8,000 St. Thomas University alumni and friends worldwide.

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we welcome your comments Phone: 506-452-0521 E-mail: alumni@stu.ca Website: www.stu.ca

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY • CONNECTIONS SUMMER 2012 3

news

Alumni & Friends

news from STU alumni & friends |

What an exciting year it has been at St. Thomas University.

As I look back on the year that has passed, I am filled with a renewed sense of energy and enthusiasm imaging the possibilities that lie ahead for our institution, our students, and our alumni and friends.

Over the past school year, STU celebrated many successes. We won two national bronze medals in basketball. We welcomed another Rhodes Scholar to our alumni ranks. And, we said farewell in style to our beloved Lady Beaverbrook Rink.

Throughout the year, in collaboration with the administration, faculty, students and staff, STU Alumni & Friends has helped shape the future for our university. As President Russell and her team continue to forge a new path for STU, we look to alumni to reflect on how you can best take part in the strategic effort to enhance the image of St. Thomas University as a leader in learning and as a welcoming community open to the world.

This edition of Connections focuses on the

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successes of our recent alumni. It is apparent that our young professionals, volunteers and academics are developing new and innovative ways in which to strengthen the social fabric of our broader community.

Young alumni are, and will continue to be, an important part of the STU family, and we endeavour to do more to keep you connected to our association.

At the same time, I want to acknowledge and thank “longer-serving” alumni, Joe Coughlan and Pat Ellsworth, as they take their leave as our representatives on the Board of Governors and Senate. Both Joe and Pat have served as wonderful role models to our burgeoning alumni board.

I would also like to recognize longtime registrar and dean of students, Larry Batt, who retires this summer. The administration’s loss will be the alumni’s gain, and we look forward to having Larry continue as an engaged and active voice for STU Alumni & Friends for years to come.

My best regards for a wonderful summer with family and friends. I look forward to connecting soon.

Kendra MacDougall and Camila Vasquez receive Rev. Tom Daley Scholarship Kendra MacDougall, BA ’12, and Camila Vasquez, BA ’12, both received the Rev. Tom Daley Scholarship. Endowed by STU Alumni & Friends, the scholarship recognizes academic achievement and leadership in student life.

Camila Vasquez, who is from Lima, Peru, completed a double honours degree in great ideas and English. She also graduated in May and was awarded the Prize for the Highest Standing for a Graduating Student in the Great Books Major.

Kendra MacDougall, who is from Rothesay, NB, completed a double major in English and psychology and graduated in May.

During her four years at STU, Vasquez was an exceptional student academically.

She was also very involved in student life. She took part in Trick or Eat, Relay for Life, was the Vice-President External for Rigby Hall, joined the Students’ Union Activities Committee, was Welcome Week chair and was a Residence Advisor. Finally, in her last year at STU, Vasquez was elected Grad Class President, which allowed her to organize many activities for the graduating class of 2012.

Helping others in her community has always been a priority for MacDougall.

Through high school and university, she volunteered for many events such as Run for the Cure, Relay for Life, Walk for MS, Trick or Eat, among many others.

She also volunteered at the Montgomery Street Elementary School.

4 ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY • CONNECTIONS SUMMER 2012

Matt DeCourcey, BA ’05

Upcoming Alumni Events New Brunswick Saturday, July 21, 2012 Annual Miramichi Alumni & Friends Reception Time: 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM Location: St. Michael’s Basilica (downstairs reception room), Miramichi, NB STU Alumni & Friends cordially invites you to join Dawn Russell, President and ViceChancellor of St. Thomas University to the annual Miramichi alumni reception. Finger foods and refreshments will be provided.

RSVP to Wanda by email alumni@stu.ca or 506-452-0521.

Saturday, September 29, 2012 STU Alumni & Friends Annual General Meeting Time: 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm Location: Holy Cross House, room 101 St. Thomas University Fredericton, NB If you want to volunteer with your alma mater by serving on the STU Alumni & Friends board, be a key contact for the university where you live, or mentor a current student, we are always looking to make connections with alumni. To express your interest and learn more about volunteer opportunities with Alumni Affairs, please contact Wanda at (506) 452-0521 or email wbearresto@stu.ca Newfoundland Thursday, November 8, 2012 St. John’s, Newfoundland Time: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Location: Bitters Pub (Field Hall, Memorial University) St. John’s Newfoundland Finger foods and a cash bar will be provided. Please RSVP by contacting Wanda by email alumni@stu.ca or 506-452-0521. Please invite other STU alumni living in the St. John’s area to join us!

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY

gatherings

alumni

Women’s Volleyball Alumni Reunion during ACAA Championships February 24-26, 2012 - Fredericton, NB Women’s volleyball alumni got together to play some volleyball during the 2012 ACAA Volleyball Championships in Fredericton.

Left to right: Kelly (Tozer) Richard, BA ’00, BEd ’01; Amy Welch, BA ’04; Kate Flanagan, BA ’07; Margo MacGregor, BA ’06; Erica Megarity, BA ’07; Sarah Maguire, BA ’08; Morgan Roherty, BA ’09; Tara Thibault, BA ’09; Stephanie McAnany, BA ’09; Evie (Arseneau) Morrison, BA ’05, BEd ’06, with baby Abigail Morrison; Elynie (Arseneau) Noseworthy with baby boy East Noseworthy. Coach Ed Welch in the front.

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY • CONNECTIONS SUMMER 2012 5

Connecting

connecting |

Connecting

Men’s Hockey Alumni Reception and Game January 14, 2012 STU Tommies Men’s Hockey Alumni gathered at a reception with the current team and to play a friendly alumni game.

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1. John McAloon, BA ’50, and Bryan Main, current player.

2. Kurt Allen, BA ’86, BEd ’87; Matt Eagles, current player; Ron Vaive, BA ’91; Scott MacKenzie.

3. Peter Pacey, BEd ’75, Chris Morehouse, current player.

4. Front Row (L-R): Aaron Molnar, BA ’07; Ben MacFarlane, BA ’11; Ron Vaive, BA ’91; Gary Smith, BEd ’89; Scott MacKenzie, Bob Brown, BA ’87, BEd ’89; Peter Clark, BA ’78, BEd ‘83; Mel MacKenzie, BA ’72; Blake Kennedy, BA ’74, BEd ’75; George Willett, BA ’74, BEd ‘75.

2nd Row (L-R): Callum MacPhee, BA ’70, BEd 72; Andrew Sim, BA ’06; Craig Miller, BA ’03; Edan Welch, BA ’02; Scott Judson, BA ’11; Tony Oreto, BA ’72; Kevin Barry, BA ’02; Roger MacInnis, BA ’89, BEd ’95; 3 Tony Grant, BA ’99; Matt Seymour, BA ’08, BEd ’09; Chris Burns, BA ’94, BEd ’95; Kyle McAllister, BA ’06; Mike Eagles. 3rd Row (L-R): Ron Hatfield, Andy MacTavish, BA ’82, BEd ’83; Kurt Allen, BA ’86, BEd ’87; Eric Bissonnette, BA ’96, BEd ’97; Dave Reynolds, BA ’01; Seth Bowen, BA ’99; Phil Huckins, BA ’89, BEd ’91; Thatcher Bell, BA ’07; Harold DeCourcey, BA ’69; CSW ’79. 4th Row (L-R): Peter Pacey, BEd ’75; Bob Mabie, Fred Savoy, BA ’72, BEd ’73; Paul Delong, BA ’75; Fred Brennan, BA ’73, BEd ’75; Mike Graham, BA ’71, BEd ’74; Gordon Wheaton, BA ’72; Scott Harvey, BA ’72; Ed Lester, BA ’66, BEd ’69. 5th Row (L-R): Future Tommies.

6 ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY • CONNECTIONS SUMMER 2012

Rev. Douglas McNeill BA ’77, and STU Alumni & Friends hosted a celebration for the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas in Saint John, NB. During the reception, alumni had the opportunity to meet Dawn Russell, President and Vice-Chancellor of St. Thomas University.

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1. (L-R): Jeanne Smith, BA ’76; Hugh Fitzpatrick; Patricia Donihee, CSW ’77; Bruce Holder 2. (L-R): Mike Campbell, BA ’70, BEd ’72; D.S. Mack MacKenzie, BSW ’09 3. (L-R): Bruce Hanson, BA ’97; Sandy Campbell, BT ’75; Malcolm Barry, BA ’53 4. (L-R): Richard Arseneault, BA ’66; President Dawn Russell, BA ’77

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY • CONNECTIONS SUMMER 2012 7

Connecting

Saint John Alumni Reception Celebration of the Feast of St.Thomas Aquinas February 4, 2012

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Cover Story

cover story |

How horse wisdom can help humans Christy Clarke knows wisdom can sometimes come from unusual places – like horse pastures.

She is the owner and CEO of Gratitude Works Personal & Professional Development – Horse Wisdom. There, she collaborates with horses to help humans foster a sense of empowerment, leadership, and consciousness.

Horse wisdom teaches people the basic survival and evolutionary processes of a horse and then teaches them how to use these skills in their everyday lives.

“Horses completely live in the moment,” Clarke explains. “It’s dangerous on a biological level to dwell on the past or to worry about the future, because if they’re doing this out in the wild, they’re going to be much more easily victim to a predator who can sneak up on them and attack them. They’re completely focused on the 8 ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY • CONNECTIONS SPRING 2012

now, and when we interact with them, they expect the same from us.

“So the way the horses work is that they just meet people wherever they are - in the moment. Even the same clients have come back to my workshops repeatedly and get a completely different experience or lesson every time because they’re at a different time in their life.”

Clarke offers workshops for personal or corporate development, for youth empowerment and leadership, and for counseling and therapy.

“Imagine having such proficient leadership and communication skills that you could empower a horse to act against all instinct

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From the mouth of the horse

By Jacqueline Cormier BA ‘08

and willingly choose you, its natural predator, as its leader. This is what our Horse Wisdom programmes teach,” she says.

“Leadership and team assessment is instinctive for horses. They negotiate and determine leadership and teamwork roles constantly within their own herds, and they interact with people exactly the same way.

That means through a series of experiential learning activities, the horses will show you immediately what kind of leadership style you currently rely on, or how effective your relationship skills are. Then they work with you to cultivate new skills and tools that will transform areas of struggle to strength.”

For example, individuals may be invited to direct a horse’s speed and movement in a pen, or a group might work together to move a herd of horses through perceived obstacles and towards a common goal. In a typical workshop, people discover the art

Although Clarke is present and will interpret what the horse is trying to communicate, it is the horse that is the true teacher during the session.

“It’s not magical or mysterious, although it may look that way to those who don’t understand it. But they’re just interacting with us like they would with one another.

What that means is they’re not dwelling on the past or the future. They’re dealing with what’s right now,” she says.

Clarke says humans are often stalled by past regrets or worries about the future. Horses can teach us to focus on what’s important now.

“They don’t communicate with words. They communicate with emotional transference.

This is why they live in a herd. They feel what other horses are feeling. Evolutionary, that’s how they’ve come to survive.

They interact with us in the same way. That means they offer us permission to start to feel authentically. Then I relay in words what the horses are teaching. I explain what the message is behind all of the emotions.”

Horses can sense small cues on how humans are feeling by detecting breathing rhythm, heart rate, and body language.

They will then mirror those emotions. If the human is feeling angry or stressed, the horse will mirror that, until the human has acknowledged the emotion and accessed the message within it.

“Horses don’t like when humans wear a false face,” Clarke says. “The horse will act out whatever the emotion the person is feeling until they acknowledge it. You don’t have to change your emotion for the horse to relax; you just need to own it.”

Horses are prey animals and want to feel safe. They will be wary of humans who are aggressive, manipulative, or too controlling.

But they are nevertheless looking for a leader.

Participants will learn that horses are more prone to cooperate with a leader who respects them and who makes requests instead of demands. This definitely applies to the real world where staff members may

“When we’re working with them, we can cultivate all of these skills. I get really excited watching people then take those skills and put them into action in their own lives. When working with horses, I get to teach people to tap into their inner leader in a way that is more powerful and more profound than any other leadership training.”

A horse lover from an early age, Clarke’s stumble into equine facilitated therapy was a long-time coming.

She started taking riding lessons when she was eight years old. Coming from a single parent household, money was tight and lessons were sometimes more difficult to afford.

“When I got old enough, I started lugging water buckets and shoveling manure in exchange for lessons so we could afford it. My love for horses has been nonstop ever since.

I’ve always tried to find ways to incorporate horses into my life.”

ronto to become a Facilitator of Equine Experiential Learning. She did the programme concurrently with her master’s degree at UNB. She opened Gratitude Works in 2009.

She currently runs her programmes from a rented facility in Saint John with her two horses, KC and Autumn. She has recently purchased land in Sussex and will soon open the centre there as it will be central for Moncton, Saint John and Fredericton.

When she’s not fundraising for Earth Spirit Horse Rescue or leading workshops in horse pastures, Clarke is studying to get her PhD at UNB. She is studying the historical relationship between horses and humans connected to education and therapy.

“I’m going to be comparing and contrasting horse whispering, or the gentle horse training, and the evolution of the professional field of horse therapy, which has been, in many cases, born out of therapeutic riding.”

She did her undergraduate degree at St. Thomas University where she honoured in science and technology studies and majored in history. She recalls finding ways to incorporate horses in all of her courses.

Her master’s thesis at UNB focused on the history of the New Brunswick SPCA and inspired her to open Earth Spirit Horse Rescue, a non-profit organization dedicated to saving horses from abuse, neglect, and slaughter in New Brunswick. SPCAs are not equipped to foster horses, and they’re the third most neglected animal in the province, next to dogs and cats.

She says the idea to blend horses and therapy came to her from watching television.

She grew up watching the show Neon Rider, which featured a counselor who ran a group home for at-risk youth on his horse ranch.

“So the idea was always in the back of my mind. But one summer during my undergrad, I finally got a chance to read for pleasure. So I was standing in front of my bookshelf trying to decide which book I wanted to read and this one book sort of jumped off the shelf at me. It was about Linda Kohanov who was doing exactly the kind of work I wanted to do in Arizona.

I consider her to be one of the founders of the industry,” she says.

“As I’m reading the book and I’m reading page after page, every cell in my body is screaming, ‘pay attention. This is it!’”

Soon enough, Clarke was training in To-

For several decades, scientists have understood that physically riding a horse has the capacity to help us with different body movements. But, she says, more recently, they’re also recognizing that riding a horse can be therapeutic on emotional and psychological levels as well.

“What one researcher discovered is that when you’re in the presence of a horse, it stimulates activity in the same part of our brain as when we’re in a state of meditation or prayer. So, it’s actually a spiritual experience to be with a horse.”

Christy Clarke’s main message to society is to be open to what other species can teach us.

“If we can learn so much from horses, just think of the potential if this were true for all species.”

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY • CONNECTIONS SUMMER 2012 9

Cover Story

“Our horses teach clients how to encourage without dominating or micromanaging, create mutually respectful partnerships, and develop emotional agility and flexibility for changes, large and small, that life presents.”

be more prone to work well under an employer who is fair and less controlling.

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of emotional intelligence through mindbody connection techniques. They practice effective boundary-setting after learning to identify conscious or unconscious bullying and manipulative behaviour from themselves and others.

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY

Reconstructing collisions

By Jacqueline Cormier, BA ‘08

By Jacqueline Cormier, BA ‘08

Erin Fredericks knows pink ribbons represent more than breast cancer awareness. They symbolize a whole social movement that has put breast cancer – and breast cancer patients – in the forefront.

Dustin Thornton can tell a lot about a car accident by analyzing clues left behind.

The PhD candidate is researching how the emergence of the breast cancer social movement has affected women’s treatment decisions.

Erin Fredericks BA ‘06 Years ago, women were not consulted on their treatment options. They would often get surgery without understanding what was going to happen. Patients had no control.

“The social movement came about because it was protesting against medical control of women’s bodies,” she says. “Initially, this movement of survivorship and positivity, which is now associated with pink, was rebellious in a lot of ways. It’s changed to become more mainstream. I’m looking at how the movement changes a woman’s idea of what a woman with breast cancer should do or can do and how that affects her decision making.”

This means examining the ways in which the breast cancer social movement sets a standard for women with breast cancer to live up to. For example, women pictured in ads for the movement are always smiling. Many participants in Fredericks’s study felt pressure to be positive all the time. In some ways, this can help them to cope. At the same time, it requires them to ignore the sadness and anger they feel and may affect their ability to talk honestly about treatments with their physicians and support people.

He’s a forensic collision analyst with the RCMP and is called to accident scenes when a collision is severe – usually involving a fatality.

His goal is to identify the cause of the accident by discovering what actually occurred.

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The effects of thinking pink

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Section Profiles Title

Profiles |

Dustin Thornton BA ‘08 “When there is a death, and a driver is to blame, there are most likely going to be serious legal consequences and criminal charges laid against the individual,” he explains.

“Our reports are not geared to either assist in a conviction, or to absolve an accused person. The reports are objective and they outline what the evidence says occurred. We then make an expert opinion which is used in court to either support or clear pending charges.”

With the use of laser surveying equipment, Thornton can measure distances and positions of vehicles. This data is then entered into a special computer programme to build a two or three dimensional map of the scene of the accident.

He also documents the scene with photographs, inspects the vehicles involved for faults that might have contributed to the collision, looks for evidence of the use of seatbelts, and determines the speed of the vehicles by the length of skid marks or the distance a vehicle had vaulted.

“The point of medicine is to cure disease. It’s not to talk about how people are feeling and how they’re coping with it. And sometimes, the reasons that people are making treatment decisions aren’t understood. People make treatment decisions for all kinds of reasons that fall outside our rational perspective on what decision making should be in medicine.”

“There are dozens of mathematical formulae that can be applied depending on the situation — even ones for getting the speed of a vehicle by how far a struck pedestrian traveled, or how far away a driver could have perceived and reacted to a hazard had they been paying attention,” he says. “Even remote controlled camera-helicopters are used to get overhead shots of serious collisions.”

For instance, the thought of losing her breasts might make a woman choose a different type of treatment or surgery, simply because she identifies her femininity with her breasts.

When he’s not reconstructing car accidents or mapping homicides, Thornton is a general duty police officer in Saskatchewan, dealing with everything from traffic tickets to domestic disturbances.

Fredericks says it’s important for health professionals to consider that gender plays an important role in a woman’s decision making.

He says his background in criminology, although not required to be an RCMP officer, is definitely an asset.

“We have ideas about what it means to be a woman and part of that relates to our bodies. So that’s important in terms of illness.

For example, when you do a study with breast cancer patients, there’s a lot of discussion about how women should look. They need to do their makeup the right way after their eyebrows fall out after chemo. Or wearing the right type of wig or prosthetics, or getting reconstruction surgery. Our norms around that are gendered and that’s an important way to understand that.”

“I can often reflect back on things I learned during my time at St. Thomas, especially when trying to understand someone’s motive for committing a crime or understanding mental health issues that might predispose someone to criminality,” he says.

10 ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY • CONNECTIONS SUMMER 2012

“By understanding why a crime is being committed, it can help us find solutions to attempt to deter its repetition.”

Angela Gilbert knows you need to look beyond the surface to get to the root of a story. She’s a journalist in CBC’s Investigative Unit and that means doing more interviews and research to understand the whole truth.

Diego Ponce knows a lot about the human body.

He sells medical supplies to surgeons and nurses, and in order to really understand his products, he needs to know the inner-workings of an operating room.

Although her unit normally works on stories for CBC’s The National, sometimes a story needs a full hour to be told.

Angela Gilbert BA ‘08 Already, two stories Gilbert worked on as an associate producer were developed into longer documentaries for CBC’s the fifth estate: Above Suspicion: the case of Colonel Russell Williams, and Scout’s Honour: an investigation into sexual abuse at Scouts Canada.

“In the Investigative Unit you go beyond just casually questioning things – you ask ‘how is it that things came to happen at all?’

When you read a news story, you don’t just see an event and a reaction. You dig and uncover what preceded the event, or preceded the decision – and sometimes a whole new truth is revealed.”

Although discovering leads along the way can be exciting, Gilbert says human dynamics play a big role in investigative journalism too.

“You need to maintain your journalistic integrity, but you don’t want to be inhuman either,” she says.

“You have these awesome moments where you jump up at your desk and say ‘you’ve got to see this’ or ‘you’ve got to hear this’, or ‘you’re never going to believe who I just talked to.’ So that’s exciting. But there are also times that are the opposite. Listening to and understanding the experiences of a survivor of sexual assault or someone who has lost a loved one to murder isn’t easy for anyone involved. Those conversations are often the toughest and most important.”

After graduating from STU’s journalism programme in 2008, she was awarded the Joan Donaldson CBC News Scholarship, which gave her an intensive four-month paid internship with the CBC. She has been working there in one capacity or another ever since.

Stories she has worked on with the Investigative Unit have won two Canadian Association of Journalists Awards, a Canadian Medical Association Award. Recently, Scout’s Honour won the Canadian Hillman Prize, which celebrates “journalists who pursue investigative reporting and deep storytelling in service of the common good.”

“We become sort of like medical students, so we need to know a lot about human anatomy and surgical procedures,” he says.

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By Jacqueline Cormier, BA ‘08

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By Jacqueline Cormier, BA ‘08

Profiles

Digging for the truth Selling tools that heal

Diego Ponce BA ‘08

Ponce works as a product manager for the medical supplies company B. Braun’s Aesculap Division in Ecuador. Although part of his job is spent in an office doing research, filling out orders, and running tenders, he also visits hospitals every day to discuss the needs of the medical professionals.

“My division of the company takes care of everything the surgeons need in the operating room: all of the instruments, forceps, scissors, scalpels, and other equipment… Basically, all of the things you would see in an episode of Grey’s Anatomy,” he says.

“We talk to nurses and surgeons about their needs, and the only way that we can sell this type of product is if we’re in the operating room with them. So we dress up in scrubs and go into the operating room.”

Although Ponce isn’t part of the sterile team and stays away from the operating table, he witnesses procedures and guides surgeons as they test out his products.

If the surgeons liked what they tried, they’ll go ahead and place an order the next day.

Ponce says he blends skills he learned at St. Thomas during his economics degree with his newly acquired knowledge in anatomy to sell his products. But at the end of the day, Ponce says his job is about more than a bottom line.

“For us, it’s not about selling a product; it’s about helping a patient. It’s not about money; it’s about helping save lives.”

“For me, journalism is all about the potential for change; you present the facts, they incite some sort of emotional reaction which turns into thought, which turns into discussion, which may or may not turn into action or change. You look at and you observe things around you. You realize that people should know about it. So you do a story on it and you see what happens.”

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY • CONNECTIONS SUMMER 2012 11

By Matthew Sheriko, BA ‘11

By Matthew Sheriko, BA ‘11

Jakob Pizzera BA ‘09 Jakob Pizzera has found his niche in the fast-paced world of international finance and economics.

Pizzera is an FX forwards trader for TD Securities, the investment banking division of TD Bank. He’s based out of Bay Street in Toronto, but the job has taken him around the world.

Following graduation in 2009, he went to work for the trade and investment section of the Canadian Embassy in Berlin. He returned to Canada in the fall of 2009 to begin a Master of Financial Economics at the University of Toronto.

A summer internship through the programme turned into a job offer which he decided to postpone until January of 2010 in order to complete his masters.

Since starting with TD Securities, Pizzera has been exposed to different areas of what they do like trading currencies, mortgagebacked securities, swaps, and bonds, among others. But his main focus is FX forwards - contracts that allow the purchaser to buy a certain quantity of another currency, used to speculate on currency movements and to lock in exchange rates to, for example, transfer profits from another country back to Canada.

Outside of Bay Street, he’s spent four months working in Singapore and will soon be moved for a stint in either London or New York City.

“A lot has changed in finance, both on Bay Street and Wall Street,” says Pizzera. “With greater market uncertainty and tougher regulations coming from governing bodies, this business is going through a significant transformation. Many firms have put on hiring freezes on new talent as well.”

The financial world challenges Pizzera, but that’s part of why he enjoys it. When more recent graduates are struggling to find a job in a market with fewer and fewer options available, he’s glad to have found his with the help of knowledge and the skills he’s developed that has made him more desirable than other candidates.

“Working on a trading floor can be a very stressful experience especially when markets move in response to global events,” he adds. “I love the work because it is constantly changing, highly competitive and a person is rewarded based on performance. This job is exactly what I need.”

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photo by tom bateman

Helping children cope with illness

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Profiles

Taking stocks in the stock market

Crystal Cole BA ‘09 Visiting the hospital can be a scary experience for a child.

Whether they’re accompanying a sick family member, receiving a treatment themselves, or even just getting their annual flu shot, children often feel stressed and anxious in a hospital setting.

That’s where Crystal Cole comes in. She’s a child life specialist – a professional who helps children cope with the stress and uncertainty of illness, injury, disability, and hospitalization.

And although the hospital may still be a scary place for her young patients, Cole says many of them tell her they can’t wait to come back for their next visit.

Cole discovered her passion for health care while she was still a student at St. Thomas University and volunteered at the hospital between classes. She eventually completed 480 clinical hours and wrote the exam to certify her as a child life specialist.

“What I love the most about my work is providing comfort and support to children through some of the hardest challenges they may have to face,” she says.

Today, Cole is the assistant director of child life at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital in Fredericton. She is certainly ambitious in her position, continually taking on new projects and programmes to broaden her reach and help as many children as possible.

She’s involved in play programmes, individual consults, school re-entry programmes, among many others for paediatric patients.

She’s also in the process of developing a programme for the oncology department where she’d be able to support and counsel the families of cancer patients, as well as answer their questions.

Sharing a tiny office in the paediatrics ward at the Chalmers seems to be okay; a lot of the time she’s not in it. She’s with the patients and their siblings helping to make their visit a little easier.

Made for the stage

By David Shearer, BA ‘03

By Jacqueline Cormier, BA ‘08

Profiles

Fredericton to Faust

Ruthie Luff’s passion for theatre took her all the way across the Atlantic Ocean. The 2010 STU grad is currently working as an actress in London, England.

Marlo Burks BA ‘08 Marlo Burks had two objectives when she graduated from high school in Dallas, Texas. She wanted to read Faust as written in German, and she wanted to explore the world. Unlike the protagonist in the classic legend, Burks didn’t make a deal with the devil to achieve her ends. Instead, her intelligence, wanderlust, and ambition served her well.

Studying abroad offered potential for growth and adventure.

Embracing reflection on the works of prominent essayists and literary figures, STU’s great ideas programme appealed to her.

“Being awarded a Chancellor’s scholarship certainly helped with my decision,” she said.

Academic excellence is Burks’ hallmark. Completing a double honours in great ideas and English, she earned the Governor General’s Medal for highest academic standing.

“My professors at STU were amazing! They tried to foster a dialogue with students that encouraged them to think independently, rather than simply telling them what to think.”

A desire to undertake graduate work quickly evolved.

“I was thinking ‘I’m really enjoying this,’ and there was a sense of unfinished business. The programme gave me a lot to draw on.”

She chose to explore aesthetic theories expressed in literature and philosophy while pursuing master’s degrees in medieval studies (Leeds, 2009) and German (Dalhousie, 2011). Burks is currently enrolled in a doctoral programme in German at the University of Toronto.

Life after graduation in 2016 remains inconclusive.

“It would be fantastic to get a position coming right out of this programme, but the university job market is tough.”

“A lot of performers have it backwards when they think being on stage is about ‘me, me, me.’

More than anything, theatre is about community. You work with a cast, a director, a costume designer, a lighting designer, stage hands, etc. When you’re lucky enough to come together with all these different people to tell the story, that’s when it becomes very exciting,” she says.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Although she loves being in the spotlight, she says theatre isn’t about glitz and glam. It’s about hard work and community.

Ruthie Luff BA ‘10

“What I like most about theatre is creating something with people.

To be honest, that happens in the rehearsal room, well before we hit the stage.”

After finishing her English honours and great ideas major at St. Thomas, Luff did her master’s degree in performance at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. There, she worked with teachers and tutors who pushed her and inspired her to be a better performer. She practiced her singing, dancing, acting, and even polished a repertoire of accents.

At the end of her programme, she performed in two shows at the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh and was picked up by Olivia Bell, a talent agency based in London, England. It didn’t take long for Luff to get auditions, and she has already landed a role in a show at London’s famous Sadler’s Wells Theatre with the company Lost Musicals.

Although Luff is enjoying her time abroad, she plans to eventually come back to Atlantic Canada to work with young people in the theatre.

But for now, she is concentrating on getting as many acting gigs as possible.

“I want to get my feet on a stage here and have the experience of performing to audiences over here. Where that will take me, I don’t know. But as long as there is a show to do and someone to watch it, I will be happy.”

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY • CONNECTIONS SUMMER 2012 13

Campus Watch

Campus Watch P r e s i d e n t ’ s

M e s s a g e

With the end of the academic year, the past few weeks were a flurry of activities with the Graduates’ Dinner, Athletics Banquet and Convocation Dinner. These special events were reminders of another spectacular year at STU. From Rhodes Scholar Mary-Dan Johnston to numerous faculty book publications to our four championship sports teams, we’ve had a very exciting year.

The culmination was Spring Convocation, which saw 400 students graduate and honorary degrees bestowed on alumnus Judge Michael McKee and Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner Marie Wilson. Convocation marked a new beginning for each of our graduates and I advised them to be bold. They should be ready to seize an opportunity when it arises because it may lead to a future even better than they had imagined.

As these new alumni begin to chart their futures, we are seeing changes that will create new opportunities for STU. Vice President (Advancement) We have begun a national search for a vice president (advancement), a new position for STU. Advancement means building relations with external constituents who can assist our growth, development and maturation—it is about ‘friend raising,’ alumni engagement and fund raising.

I expect to have the position filled by November with immediate priority on creating annual and capital fund development plans and building an advancement/alumni affairs team.

Strategic Plan Update Progress on developing a new strategic plan has been exceptional. The quality of input from groups and individuals and the facilitated consultations with academic, administrative and student leaders has been constructive. Our consultations have pointed us in a clear direction with priority on education, student experience, research and societal engagement, community, campus and financial sustainability. There are many positive features in the plan that will enhance our distinctiveness. The plan will be presented to the Board of Governors in the fall and I look forward to then sharing it with our wider community.

Please have a safe and enjoyable summer.

Dawn Russell President and Vice-Chancellor 14 ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY • CONNECTIONS SUMMER 2012

Tony Tremblay Shortlisted for Canada Prize The Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences shortlisted Dr. Tony Tremblay’s David Adams Richards of the Miramichi, a biography and literary study, for a Canada Prize in the Humanities, for outstanding scholarly work in the humanities and social sciences. Tremblay is a Canada Research Chair in New Brunswick Studies and professor of English language and literature.

“Oh What a Lovely War.” The Black Box Theatre transformed into a circus of song, dance and history for the production of “Oh What a Lovely War,” from January 25 to 28. The play tells the story of the “war to end all wars” with live music, songs and text from a devastating time in our history.

Social Work Week STU’s School of Social Work joined the Canadian Association of Social Workers and the Canadian Association of Social Work Education to acknowledge the contributions of social workers to society during National Social Work Week, March 18-25. This year’s theme was “Social Workers: Building Relationships, Strengthening Communities, Partnering for Change.”

St. Thomas University celebrated Spring Convocation May 13, 2012 by conferring degrees in arts, applied arts, and social work on more than 400 graduates.

President and Vice-Chancellor Dawn Russell welcomed the graduates and their families, calling the day a true celebration of accomplishments and new beginnings. She noted it has been 35 years since she became a STU graduate herself.

“Today may mark the end of your formal education here,” she said. “But it won’t be the end of your learning. Your education here at STU has encouraged you to think critically, creatively, and constructively so you will be able to tackle new knowledge.

“Be bold. Be courageous. Be willing to take risks. There is a lot of serendipity in life. Grab the opportunities when they come your way, even when it isn’t quite what you imagined it would be because it might lead to a future that is better than you ever imagined.”

Russell encouraged the newest members of the STU alumni to keep in touch and approach the future with hope.

“Pack your hiking boots” In her valedictory, Elizabeth Fraser, from Pine Falls, MB, asked her fellow graduates to reflect on the diverse geographical, emotional, and personal paths that brought them to this shared day of great celebration.

“Somehow our journeys intertwined and we all made it here, right now,” she said.

“Thank you to our professors who took the time to work with us, who helped stimulate and develop our passions, provided us with constructive criticism, and went above and beyond their call of duty as educators. Thank you to all the staff here at St. Thomas, who brought sunshine to our days, when we couldn’t see the silver lining behind the leaning tower of essays.”

Fraser also relayed a special thanks to Mr. Larry Batt, dean of students, who will be retiring this summer after 41 years of compassionate and dedicated service to STU students.

Campus Watch

St. Thomas University celebrates Spring Convocation

St.Thomas University Chancellor, Most Rev. Robert Harris; honorary degree recipient Michael McKee; honorary degree recipient Marie Wilson; and St.Thomas University President and Vice-Chancellor Dawn Russell.

Her parting advice was simple: “Pack your hiking boots,” she said. “It’s going to be hard, you’re going to be tired, and you’re bound to get lost along the way.”

Fraser ensured her classmates they have the ability to control the bright direction toward their meaningful futures. “Congratulations Class of 2012! Go ahead, put on your hiking boots.”

Academic Awards for Moss, FitzGerald, Brideau During the ceremony, the Governor General’s Silver Medal for Highest Standing in the Graduating Class was awarded to Christina Moss, from Tracy, NB. She graduated with honours (distinction) in history.

Maggie FitzGerald, from St. John’s, NFLD, received the University Medal for Outstanding Arts graduate. FitzGerald graduated with an honours (distinction) in economics and received the Prize for Economics. Chantal Brideau, from Miramichi, NB, earned the University Medal in Social Work.

Christina Moss, of Tracy, NB received the medal for Highest Standing in the Graduating Class.

Honorary Degrees and Faculty Awards An honorary doctor of laws was awarded to Michael McKee, whose commitment to public service and social issues has come through his roles as a priest, an elected representative, a jurist and a public policy commissioner. Marie Wilson, currently one of three commissioners for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and longstanding advocate for public service and social justice was also awarded a honorary doctor of laws.

History professor Brad Cross received the John McKendy Memorial Teaching Award for Full-time Faculty and romance languages professor Haydée Sainz received the Teaching Award for Part-time Faculty. Dr. Michael Boudreau, Dr. John Coates, and Dr. Michael Dawson were also recognized.

Valedictorian Elizabeth Fraser delivers her speech at Spring Convocation.

Kassandra McKenzie from Pickering, Ontario, received her Bachelor of Arts.

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY • CONNECTIONS SUMMER 2012 15

Campus Watch

Emotion, excitement and pride on display at annual graduates’ dinner With just a few weeks until they officially completed their degrees, the St. Thomas University “Class of 2012” gathered together to celebrate at the Graduates’ Dinner.

Grad Class President Camila Vasquez, from Peru, encouraged her fellow classmates to enjoy the remainder of their time at STU. “Let’s enjoy the time we have left together as a grad class, good luck on exams, work hard and don’t lose sight of the end, which is coming — we all have new and exciting things coming up.”

The Tom McCann Memorial Trophy is awarded to a graduating student who best portrays the spirit of STU. This year’s award went to journalism student Alexander Vietinghoff from Fredericton.

Since starting at STU in 2008, Vietinghoff has been involved in athletics, theatre, Students’ Union, Welcome Week, fundraising, and student leadership.

“Winning the trophy is a huge honour for me. It feels so good to know that the work I’ve done is appreciated,” Vietinghoff said.

emotions. I’m nervous about what my future will hold and I’m nostalgic about all the people who are branching off down different paths. But I’m also excited. I’m proud of everything I’ve learned at STU, and I can’t wait to bring my experiences into a new part of my life.”

Great Debates Lectures The use of comedy by two of literary history’s most influential writers, capitalism and Catholic social teaching for the 21st century, and the concept of human rights in our future were among the main topics of the Great Debates Lecture Series that examined classic texts and debates in the western tradition.

The guest speaker of the evening was dean of students Larry Batt, who graduated from St. Thomas in 1969, has worked for the university 41 years and will be retiring this summer.

“I’m graduating now with a mixed bag of

Conferences & books A new research initiative at St. Thomas University aims to bring together scholars from different academic disciplines who share an interest in global and international issues. The Global and International Studies Initiative began this year and is funded by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. It was established by the dean of research Dr. Gayle MacDonald, acting director Dr. Shaun Narine (political science), Dr. Robin Vose (history), Dr. Dev Gupta (economics) and Dr. Mikhail Molchanov (political science).

Dr. Shaun Narine

Canadian and American experts on international law and torture — including litigators, scholars and advocates — took part in a human rights and social justice symposium at St. Thomas University from March 21-22. Topics explored by scholars and experts over the two days included, incarceration rates in Saskatchewan, slave trade and colonialism, how Canada aids and abets the U.S. torture culture.

The reliability of eyewitness testimony came into question when DNA evidence became common in criminal proceedings, but it was not a surprise to psychologists who had studied witnesses in the judicial process. Psychology professors Ian Fraser, Michael Houlihan, Kimberley Fenwick and Dave Korotkov, along with English professor Louise Bond-Fraser and Barry Morrison, a lawyer from Saint John, collaborated on their new book Witnesses and the Law. Dr. Stewart Donovan launched a new collection of his poetry in From Ingonish Out: New and Selected Poetry. The motivation for it came through encouragement from his publisher Ron Caplan. Donovan founded the Irish studies programme and the film and media studies majors.

16 ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY • CONNECTIONS SUMMER 2012

Relay for Life Students took time out of studying and completing end of the year assignments to come together, raise money, and participate in the sixth annual STU Relay for Life. The event brought in $5,500 for the Canadian Cancer Society, which puts the money toward research, advocacy, cancer prevention initiatives, and support programmes.

Journalism Awards Fourth-year student Hilary Paige Smith, alumna Stephanie van Kampen and CBC Radio reporter and journalism professor Jacques Poitras have each been nominated for an Atlantic Journalism Award in 2012. Smith, in the category of Print Journalism Feature Writing, van Kampen – now with CBC Charlottetown – for the Jim MacNeill New Journalist Award, and Poitras under the Arts & Entertainment Reporting category.

Campus SectionWatch Title

Guest lectures and exhibits President Barack Obama’s divergent words and actions surrounding nuclear weapons was the subject of this year’s Dr. Abdul Q. Lodhi Lecture in Human Rights. Dr. Shreesh Juyal, dean of faculty of international studies and distinguished professor of international law and political science at Himgiri Zee University, India, presented “Nuclear Disarmament: A Conundrum For Obama.”

Mathew Reichertz

The attempt to control sexuality as a Dr. Shreesh Juyal means of maintaining apartheid culture in South Africa was explored by Dr. Susanne Klausen, an associate professor of history at Carleton University, in her lecture entitled “Sex, Shame and Suicide: The Criminalization of Trans-Racial Sex and the Disciplining of White Male Heterosexuality in South Africa during Apartheid, 1948-1990.”

The Yellow Box Gallery and the fine arts department presented the work of Halifax-based artist Mathew Reichertz in the exhibition “Romanian Redux.” Reichertz has established a national reputation as an innovative figurative painter exploring the nuances of narrative painting across a range of painterly explorations. He’s exhibited his work in numerous galleries across Canada.

Dr. Susanne Klausen

What should be the place of religious belief in the academic life of students on today’s university campus? Should religious beliefs be set aside from the classroom? These questions and more were addressed by Dr. Eli Diamond, assistant professor of ancient philosophy at Dalhousie University when he spoke at a lecture entitled, “Is Faith Important on Today’s University Campus?”

School of Social Work welcomes professor Aamir Jamal Aamir Jamal brings a background in international social work, social administration and years of experience bringing change in the community to the School of Social Work.

A winner of numerous awards in teaching and research, he’s the newest full-time professor in the department specializing in global policy and community organizing.

“It’s a very open and accepting academic culture here at STU. It embraces diverse views, innovative ideas and openness,” says Jamal.

“The liberal arts tie into social work. It’s a profession where there’s a need for social entrepreneurship. Resolving social issues needs an open mind, ideas and diversity. The liberal arts encourage students to come up with many responses to social issues and ideas that can be incorporated.”

Born in Pakistan in the area bordering Afghanistan, he started his journey to social work during his college days there in the 1980s.

The Soviet Union occupied Afghanistan which forced many refugees into Pakistan.

Jamal and some friends found places for the children to learn, sometimes in a single room within a house. Professors and teachers would donate their time to teach these children, many of whom lost their fathers in the war.

He’s nearing completion of his PhD dissertation on the role of non-government organizations in gender equality and female education issues in the Pashtun regions of Afghanistan and northern Pakistan. In the dissertation, he poses the question of how can men be effectively engaged in gender justice in that part of the world, something he considers a life goal.

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY • CONNECTIONS SUMMER 2012 17

Campus SectionWatch Title

Nathan Mazurkiewicz and Ashley Bawn Athletes of the Year Nathan Mazurkiewicz and Ashley Bawn of the men’s and women’s basketball Tommies helped to make it a “year of basketball” at STU. After being named an all-conference player in the regular season, Nathan Mazurkiewicz elevated his play to an even higher level in the post season and is this year’s male athlete of the year.

The second-year guard from Fredericton, averaged 19 points in six playoff games, helping the Tommies capture the ACAA conference title and a bronze medal at the national tournament.

“It’s an honour for sure, but most of my thanks go out to my teammates and coaches, they’re the people that helped me get there,” said Mazurkiewicz.

“It’s not a personal award at all, being athlete of the year. It means your team was great and are recognized for that.”

Playing on a very deep team, Ashley Bawn stood out as a leader in all aspects for the women’s basketball Tommies and was named female athlete of the year for her accomplishments.

The third-year guard from Quispamsis, NB was a first team all-conference player in the ACAA and top three in all statistical categories on her 26-1 team.

She brought a calm, yet intense focus to every game she played this season.

She leads a young team both vocally and by example, logging the most minutes on a team that uses its entire bench in almost every game.

“The banner and the bronze medal at nationals definitely surpasses all the individual awards,” said Bawn. “It’s great to be recognized but I wouldn’t have got these without my teammates.”

Major Winners - Left to Right: Nathan Paton, Ashley Bawn, Kayla Blackmore, Nathan Mazurkiewicz

Kayla Blackmore and Nathan Paton achieve “athletic ideal” Nathan Paton of cross country was named this year’s recipient of the John Frederick Walls Memorial Award while Kayla Blackmore of women’s hockey won the Cathy Wadden Commitment Award, both for combining athletics, academics, and community involvement.

Blackmore, the fourth-year captain earned team MVP and conference all-star honours, she also received the AUS’s Student-Athlete Community Service Award and was a nominee for the James Bayer Award.

“The most important thing that I strive for is to be a well-rounded athlete, a good student, someone who’s involved in the community,” said Blackmore. “To me it means more than any MVP award, or one that recognizes athletics alone. It encompasses everything I want to have in my life.”

Blackmore’s impressive resume includes three CIS Academic All-Canadian awards and maintaining a 3.94 GPA. She is a recipient of the Dr. Tony Rhinelander Nature of History Prize. She also coaches in youth female hockey programmes.

Paton, the second year athlete from Souris, PEI, was also named most valuable athlete for the second time in as many years.

“I wasn’t expecting it at all. I’m really excited to be honoured,” said Paton. “It’s really about dedication. You have to love what you’re doing if you’re going to succeed and take on so much.”

He took over the organizing of STU’s annual Relay for Life this year, was involved with the Trick or Eat food bank drive, participated in UNB and STU’s joint “Right to Play” movement. Off campus, Paton volunteered at numerous running fundraising events, coached high school track, and has been involved with the “Read to Succeed” programme at Liverpool Elementary.

18 ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY • CONNECTIONS SUMMER 2012

Campus SectionWatch Title

Tommies enjoy remarkable year The play of both basketball teams, a story of redemption, and continued dominance defined what was an incredible year for the Tommies. In 2011-2012, each STU athletics programme took steps in the right direction and together captured four conference banners and two national medals.

After the men’s volleyball programme was suspended for all of last season, a group of rookies and one veteran took down an 11-1 Holland College team to capture the ACAA conference championship on home court.

The women’s rugby programme ended their final season in the ACAA in style with a second straight conference championship.

Next season they move up and begin play in the AUS conference.

The cross country and track and field teams got their first taste of competition in the CIS as they continue to grow.

Women’s volleyball won 10 out of their final 11 games to finish as ACAA silver medalists.

The cross country team was awarded the LeRoy Washburn Community Service Award.

Left to Right: Nathan Paton, Sarah Peel, LeRoy Washburn, Scott Davis.

With a base of young players, the women’s hockey team had a solid year, making it to the AUS playoffs and defeating number one ranked St. FX once, and number two ranked UdeM on two different occasions.

The men’s hockey Tommies underwent significant changes with a new coach and eight rookies, the team competed with every team in the tough AUS conference.

The men’s and women’s programme look forward to their new home in the Grant Harvey Centre and are confident about their direction.

The men’s volleyball team captured the ACAA conference championship.

The women’s rugby team captured their second straight ACAA conference title.

Farewell to the LBR In front of a packed house, the men’s hockey Tommies bid farewell to the Lady Beaverbrook Rink, their home since 1964.

Their comeback fell short as they lost 4-3 in overtime to les Aigles Bleus.

The Tommie women said goodbye to their home in style with a 2-1 overtime victory over cross-provincial rival les Aigles Bleues.

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY • CONNECTIONS SUMMER 2012 19

Men’s and Women’s basketball take home bronze at nationals Campus Watch

Faculty Research Awards Topics such as Ford Motors’ operations in Argentina and inter-regionalism in Europe and Asia Research are among the faculty research that received funding from St. Thomas University. Grants totalling $26,000 were awarded to 12 faculty members across many to help encourage the spread of scholarly work within the humanities and social sciences.

Following up a double ACAA championship performance by the men’s and women’s basketball Tommies, both teams made a splash on the national scene winning bronze medals at their respective 2012 CCAA National Championships.

The Tommie men overcame a mid-second half break down to turn a 12-point fourth quarter deficit back into an eight-point lead and the eventual national bronze medal victory.

“Getting a bronze is very special to the team and to the university,” said men’s team head coach Dwight Dickinson. “It feels really good to have your programme come in and beat the number one and two in the nation in the process.”

The women defeated the Grant MacEwan

Atlantic Undergraduate English Conference This three-day conference coincided with the Research and Ideas Fair and featured 60 presentations by students from Dalhousie, UNB Fredericton, UNB Saint John, University of Prince Edward Island, Acadia, Crandall, St. Francis Xavier, Cape Breton University, Mount Allison, Mount Saint Vincent, Memorial and St. Mary’s. Accomplished author, educator, and alumna, Sheree Fitch was the keynote speaker.

Griffins comfortably 73-56 to claim the bronze medal in Lethbridge, Alberta on the strength of their depth and defence.

“I have no idea how to put this into words,” said women’s team head coach Fred Connors following the victory.

“When that buzzer went off I was fighting tears until I got in the locker room and it all poured out. I cannot be more proud of a group of girls who battled and fought for something they knew they deserved.”

The Tommies on both sides of the country got clutch performances out of their veteran players Kelly Debow, co-captains Ashley Bawn and Jillian Lamoreau and Nathan Mazurkiewicz, Corey Delong, MacKenzie Washburn all led the way for their teams.

Sheree Fitch

Casto Poetry Prize The Clothes He Never Wore 1. His pallmen twisted their gloves around the rail

2. That night we ransacked his closet, mined

and down he crossed the bar.

three-piece suit, sans mourner, the shoes

We waited, sole in gravel,

Patrick O’Reilly, a 4th year English and creative writing student from Renews, Newfoundland, is the recipient of the Casto Prize in Poetry for his poem “The Clothes He Never Wore.”

20 ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY • CONNECTIONS SUMMER 2012

a trashbag’s worth of oily sweaters

until the drizzle dried into our coats,

from last Xmas, laces still tucked beneath the tongue.

until the paper bouquets bloomed,

But no secret will, no treasure map, no

until we admitted he wouldn’t

letter from a bastard brother.

come roaring from the dirt.

Nothing but the clothes he never wore.

Just the same, we backed to the truck.

Just the same, we left.

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY

The T-Club supports student athletes

Campus Watch Giving Back

giving back |

Our student athletes are an important part of the St. Thomas community.

They teach us loyalty, team spirit, camaraderie, and sacrifice.

They inspire younger generations to play, practice, and perfect their athletic skills. And most of all, they remind us to work hard and follow our passions.

When they don the green and gold, our Tommies represent the university on a national level. And they do it well. Whether they win or lose, they play fair and exude a love for the game that should inspire us all.

“Sports are an important aspect of university life for our student athletes,” said Mike Eagles, director of athletics at St. Thomas University. “Supporting STU athletics helps our student athletes get the most out of their university years.”

Although Eagles said the community can support the athletes by attending Tommies games, he said donating to the STU Tommies T-Club is also a good way to encourage the athletes.

“The T-Club helps provide an even greater experience for student athletes. Donations will go towards things like scholarships, increased non-conference travel, exhibition games and team apparel,” Eagles said.

Your support can also go into the Millennium Bursary Fund where money is allotted to help student athletes in financial need and can be matched 50 per cent by government support. This means your dollars can go even farther.

The STU Tommies participate in competitive and high-quality leagues. Our men’s hockey, women’s hockey, women’s rugby, cross country and track and field teams compete in Atlantic University Sport (AUS) and the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS).

21 ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY • CONNECTIONS FALL 2011

Our basketball, soccer, golf, and volleyball teams compete in the Atlantic Colleges Athletic Association (ACAA) and the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA).

You can support the T-Club for as little as $100, but there is no maximum donation.

Your generous donation will help the new generation of student athletes succeed and maximize their experience as a STU Tommie. After all, our athletes are all sport heroes in the making. They just need a little support.

Supporting the T-Club is easy. You can either donate online by visiting the STU athletics website at www.gotommies.ca, or contact the athletics office at 506.452.0539 or email gotommies@stu.ca .

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY • CONNECTIONS SUMMER 2012 21

History in Photos

History in Photos |

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY

Photos that tell a story Photos by Dr. Dan Gleason

Rick Costello, anthropology department.

Rick was a much loved professor. At his memorial service, his students spoke very warmly of him as both a teacher and a person.

Leo Ferrari, philosophy: He was a positive, helpful, energetic, and witty prof. He believed in the flat surface of the photocopier screen and the earth.

22 ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY • CONNECTIONS SUMMER 2012

History in Photos

Jonathan Rahn, romance languages: He is currently vying for the title of the longest serving prof at STU. I knew him to be the person to seek out regarding all STU matters.

Tony Rhinelander, history: A colleague in my department.

We both arrived at STU in 1970. Tony was a leader in establishing the historiography course and in his office door decor.

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY • CONNECTIONS SUMMER 2012 23

New & Noteworthy

new & noteworthy |

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY

classmates

news from

& friends around the world

1950s

1970s

Al Kavanaugh, BA ’59, has received a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his efforts in raising awareness about ALS.

Walter Hughes, BA ’71, retired on May 27, 2011.

Michael O. Nowlan, BA ’59, Litt. D. ’10, has been appointed by Canada Post to a three year term on Canada’s Stamp Advisory Committee effective April 1, 2012.

Mary Traversy, senior vice-president, mail, at Canada Post said the Advisory Committee “is a volunteer board with participants drawn from across Canada who bring their specialized knowledge, opinions and cultural backgrounds to make recommendations that will shape Canada’s stamp programme to help us ensure it is both relevant to and representative of all Canadians.”

1960s Bill Lonergan, STU ’64-66, worked in healthcare from 1974-2009 as executive director. He is currently teaching High School for the Algonquin Lakeshore Catholic District School Board in Trenton, Ont. walonergan@yahoo.ca Robert Smyth, BA ’65, was part of the first class to graduate in Fredericton. He is curious to know how his former classmates are.

Gordon Dalzell, BA ’69, CSW ’78, worked for 32 years as a social worker. He retired in 2001 and after three years, he couldn’t help but return to work. In 2004, the opportunity arose, and he took a job as a case manager for Veterans Affairs, where he still works today.

24 ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY • CONNECTIONS SUMMER 2012

Richard Walsh, BA ’74, BEd ’76, was the director of education for School District 16.

He retired in June 2011.

Philip Hartford, BA ’77, is now retired after 33-and-a-half years with Service Canada.

Margaret Shannon, BA ’79, was appointed as a full-time member of the Canadian Public Service Labour Relations Board on April 16, 2012.

Robert (Bob) Edgett, BA ’84, has been appointed the executive director of development and alumni affairs for the University of St. Michael’s College. Prior to his new appointment, he worked at SickKids Foundation where he was director, major gifts.

His prior experience includes Ketchum Canada, vice-president, Atlantic region and director of university advancement for St. Thomas University. He is experienced in capital campaign, major gift and corporate fundraising programmes, donor relations and stewardship.

Larry Depow, BSW ’86, is teaching social work at the University of the Fraser Valley.

He recently retired from Fraser Health.

1980s

Linda Liston-Rivett, BA ’88, married Alastair Lamont in August 2006. Between them, they have four children, two grandchildren and a third on the way!

Norm Seely, BA ’83, taught fellow alumnus Angélique Wojcik Simpson, BA ’04, how to carve up the black diamond trails at Sugarloaf/USA, while enjoying the view from 4,200 feet.

1990s Mary Gabriel-Boone, BA ’90, is retired and has been travelling across Canada.

Paul Beeswanger, BA ’96, had a beautiful daughter, Grace, born in 2003 and is now working for Pumphouse Breweries in Moncton, NB. He would love to hear from any lost friends especially from rugby and hockey. paulbeeswanger@yahoo.ca Peggy Johnson, BA ’95, is currently writing a book called “After the Accident” which explains what life has been like since an accident has left her disabled.

Jason Beggs, BA ’96, BEd ’97, has become the new department head of English at Donald A. Wilson Secondary School. He

Sandralee Dionne, BA ’98 recently graduated from a nursing programme at the University of Fort Kent.

2000s

Jennifer (Davis) Dykstra, BA ’08, graduated from the University of Maine School of Law in Portland, Maine in May of 2011. She passed the Maine Bar Exam and was admitted to the Maine Bar in October of 2011.

She is currently a transactional attorney at Vafiades, Brountas & Kominsky, LLP in Bangor, Maine. As well, she got married on April 28, 2012.

2010s Margaret Campbell, BA ’10, successfully defended her MA thesis in sociology at Concordia University and has been recommended for doctoral studies. Her thesis title is “Perspectives on Pornography: Nudes, Prudes and Attitudes”.

future alumni

After graduating from STU, Dr. Lisa Welling, BA ’05 attended the University of Aberdeen (Scotland). She graduated with her PhD in evolutionary & biological psychology.

Lisa worked for a year after graduation in research at the University of Aberdeen. She has been working at Penn State University in the anthropology department for the past three years. She recently accepted a position with Oakland University in Michigan as an assistant professor (tenure track). She has continued to publish and was recently interviewed by Scientific American because they intend to use her research as part of an article in an upcoming issue.

Llora (Brown) McTeer, BA ’05, was married July 23, 2011 in Patterson, BC, to Michael McTeer of Rossland, BC. llora.mcteer@gmail.com Matthew Dinan, BA ’06, has completed his PhD at Baylor University. He is now a postdoctoral fellow at the College of the Holy Cross in Western Massachusetts.

Candice MacLean, BA ’06, is the city editor at the Telegraph Journal in Saint John.

Jeremy Ames, BA ’07, recently graduated from a master’s programme in psychology and is now working full-time as a counsellor for Health Canada.

In Memoriam

Kimberlee (Wentzell) Jay, BA ’06, BEd ’07, and Adam Jay welcomed a precious little boy into their family on July 17, 2011. Caleb Nathan Jay weighed 8lbs and was 22 inches long.

He underwent emergency surgery at the IWK 12 days after he was born and is now a healthy and happy little boy. Big sister Anna just loves him. Kimberlee is enjoying her time as a stay at home mom and Adam is loving his job as an engineer at APM. The Jay family lives in PEI and would love to hear from any of their old classmates. kimberleejay@hotmail.com Susan Ross, BA ’00, BEd ’01, married Scott Morkin, BA ’98, on August 18, 2007.

They now currently live together in Chatham, Ontario with their two daughters, Rebecca and Anna. Scott now teaches English at Ursuline College and Susan teaches Grade 7 and 8 at Victor Lauriston Elementary.

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

Dr. Rosemary Arrowsmith Clews Former Faculty Member - April 18, 2012 (Longer tribute piece will appear in the fall issue of Connections.)

Andrew L. MacPhail, BA ’94 April 16, 2012

Bonita Grant, Honorary Fellow ’05 April 8, 2012

Thomas McBrearty, BA ’73 former chair of the St. Thomas Board of Governors April 9, 2012

Mona (Hayes) Philpott, BSc ‘49 January 12, 2012

Doris (Dyer) Ogilvie, LLD ’79 April 9, 2012

Ruby Pearl Fletcher, BA ’00 January 15, 2011

Margaret King, BA ’84 December 17, 2011

ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY • CONNECTIONS SUMMER 2012 25

New & Noteworthy

worked briefly at The Grove School in Madison, CT and in Grand Manan Community School in Grand Harbour, NB before leaving for a permanent teaching position in Ontario in 2000. After four years of working as an English teacher and librarian at Pine Ridge Secondary School in Pickering, ON in 2004, he was hired as part of the staff at a new high school, Donald A. Wilson Secondary School in Whitby, ON. He takes over the English headship in July 2012.

Tribute Tom McBrearty 1950-2012 Written by Tom’s colleagues and friends Tom McBrearty lived his life with a devotion that was unparalleled.

It was evident in his relationships with everyone and everything.

Whether with his wife and son, law clients, community, Church or university, Tom’s devotion was unwavering and full of love.

Tom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on March 8, 2012, and during the month-long illness that would take his life, he remained strong and lived with a determination to enjoy every day. Even in the face of death, he remained positive and always made a point of saying to those who would ask how he was feeling that he had “no complaints;” that “life is good.” His unwavering faith in God made him unafraid of what was to come.

A devout Catholic, Tom accomplished much for his parish in Campbellton named for the patron of his university, St. Thomas Aquinas. His parish priest described him as someone who was committed to the church; generous with his time and his money, but also with his opinions whether or not they were being sought.

That was Tom. Intelligent and passionate, he was a vocal champion for many organizations and causes: Restigouche District Planning Commission, Charlo Airport Commission, Public Utilities Board, RCVAA Food Bank, Campbellton CAMR, Curling Club, Liberal Party Association, Campbellton Minor Hockey Association, Campbellton Chamber of Commerce, Bay Chaleur Air, Knights of Columbus, United Commercial Travellers - and among those that were most important to him was St. Thomas University.

Tom received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1973 and completed his law degree at UNB two years later. He stayed in STU residences throughout his student career. It was there he met his wife, Shelley, a UNB student residing in McLeod House who took study refuge in the Holy Cross House lounge.

Tom loved his years at STU and regaled at describing his experiences during that period. His positive student experience and the pride that emerged from developments at STU instilled within Tom a desire to give back to the University through service and generous financial contributions. This also undoubtedly had an influence on the decision of his son Frank (BA ’06) to pursue studies at STU. Tom’s service with the University began in 2000 with his appointment to the Board of Governors.

In 2006, after Premier Shawn Graham announced the postsecondary education commission, Tom attended a meeting of the Liberal Party caucus in the Campbellton area to make sure the Premier knew that if there was going to be talk of amalgamating St. Thomas with UNB, he was going to have a difficult fight. As chair of the Board of Governors, Tom was tireless in his direction to senior management in this struggle for survival. With its commitment to accessibility, both financial and academic, its mission with roots in the Roman Catholic Church, the high quality of education, and its solid track record of financial management, Tom believed that 26 ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY • CONNECTIONS SUMMER 2012

STU should be allowed to continue to thrive as an independent institution. And Tom made sure everyone knew how he felt.

The post-secondary education commission was the first of many challenges for Tom in his tenure as chair. Two years later, the university experienced a serious labour disruption. As with the dispute with the Provincial Government over the independence, Tom managed this difficult period striving to protect the best interests of the university and with a determination to preserve the university’s financial integrity and its mission of accessible tuition.

As chair of the Board, he wanted to do everything he could to preserve and nurture the development of the university and his contributions did not go unnoticed.

Dr. Patrick Malcolmson, the former vice-president academic, commented that, “Tom was as passionate and supportive a Board chair as one could have wished for. I remember how often he would say to members of the senior administration: “Well, you fellas tell us what you need and we’ll try to get it for you.”

Mr. Laurie Boucher (BA ’60) who served on the Board as finance committee chair, vice-chair and acting chair stated, “His greatest contribution to St. Thomas was his work on the Board - his sharp mind, legal training and experience allowed him to understand an issue quickly, no matter how complicated the subject, and he met the issues directly with no procrastination.” Boucher went on to say that he and the University had lost a great friend whose dedication to the University was beyond reproach.

Tom lived a full life. His generosity to family, friends, and his community was evident at his funeral which was attended by hundreds of people all with stories to tell about a man who never shied away from a fight...right up until the very end.

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