Tidings Summer 2005

T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F K I N G ’ S CO L L E G E A LU M N I M AG A Z I N E | S U M M E R 2 0 0 5

TIDI NGS

Traditions at King’s WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE?

KING’S AND WRITERS | UP NORTH BUT NOT LEFT OUT IN THE COLD

TIDINGS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Summer 2005

Letter from President, Alumni Association

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Letter from Director, Development, Alumni & Public Relations

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Events and Activities

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Alumni Survey Let us know how we’re doing!

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Alumni Profile: Ilenka Jelowicki From the King’s Theatrical Society to Mad Dog Casting, this entrepreneurial alumna has the spirit

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FYP Texts Column Egypt’s Sweet Hereafter

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Writers at King’s Some great writer’s have come out of this community—is it any wonder?

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EDI TO R

Katie Rock (BAH ’99) EDITORIAL CO M M I T T E E

Sherri Aikenhead (BJH ’85) Tim Currie (BJ ’92) Kyle Shaw (BSc ’91, BJ ’92) Kara Holm DES I G N

Morgan Rogers Kate Sinclair www.coandco.ca POSTAL A D D R E SS

Tidings c/o Alumni Association University of King’s College 6350 Coburg Road Halifax, NS B3H 2A1 (902) 422-1271

Books I’m Reading This issue: Dr. Angus Johnston

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Congratulations!

Alumni accomplishments

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Cover Story: Traditions at King’s A foundation of this University, long ago and today

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Honorary Degree Recipients

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Alumni Profile: Shauntay Grant She really is All the Best

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Encaenia 2005

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Journalism School Graduates in the Northwest Territories Booming in the North

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AlumNotes/In Memoriam

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KING’S W E B S I T E S

www.ukings.ns.ca and www.ukcalumni.com EM A I L

katie.rock@ukings.ns.ca * * * * Stories in this issue of Tidings were written by recent alumni of the School of Journalism.

Tidings is produced on behalf of the University of King’s College Alumni Association.

The views expressed in Tidings are those of the individual contributors or sources.

Mailed under Publications Mail Sales Agreement # 40062749

President’s Dinner, 1985

photo: University of King’s College

We welcome and encourage your feedback on each issue. Letters to the Editor should be signed and typed.

We reserve the right to edit all submissions.

THIS ISSUE’S COVER:

Can you identify the people on the cover?

If so, please email us at alumni@ukcalumni.com

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Fellow Alumni and Friends of King’s: I am pleased to be addressing you in what will become the first of twice yearly messages from the Alumni Association President. We’re launching a new chapter in the history of our Alumni Association and we hope you’ll join with us as we re-energize our community—an important part of that is the way in which we communicate with one another.

You’ve probably noticed that Tidings has a new face. The magazine has been re-designed to reflect the sense of tradition and thoughtful scholarship that defines the University and its alumni community.

Like King’s, the Alumni Association is a proud organization with a long history. As many of you will know, we are members of the oldest alumni association in Canada. Whether you are a recent graduate or a long-standing member of the Alumni Association, I hope you will enjoy this issue of Tidings which features a story on King’s and its traditions.

I believe King’s longevity can be credited in part to its willingness to adapt and evolve. Through all the changes there has been a sense of tradition and continuity. These traditions were passed—and sometimes adapted—from one class of King’s students to the next and have been instrumental in forming a common identity for the members of our Alumni Association.

The membership and size of the Alumni Association has changed dramatically in the last 20 years. When I became President of the Alumni Association in 2004 I knew it was going to be a challenge. How do we connect someone who graduated in 2005 in a class of 223 with a person who graduated in 1965 when the entire student body was not this large? Speaking with members of the Alumni Executive and other alumni I have come to appreciate how our many traditions bring us together and forge a collective bond.

Our task in the coming years is to help transform the Alumni Association to reflect the modern reality of its population while retaining the core values that are uniquely King’s. I hope you will join me and the members of the Executive and Chapter Leaders as we take on this challenge. The Association really only exists if its members are engaged and active.

It is our hope that by updating alumni favourites like Tidings, introducing new streams of communication and organizing more events both on campus and in the broader community, King’s alumni will come together in greater numbers. We can support each other in our interests and careers.

We can support King’s by becoming its best advocates and leaders. Let us know how you would like to be engaged by completing the survey in this publication or on our website, www.ukcalumni.com.

Thank you in advance for your continued interest in King’s!

Deo Legi Regi Gregi!

Doug Hadley (BA ’92)

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L E T T E R F R O M T H E D I R E C TO R

Hello Friends of King’s!

It has been a very busy spring for our office and the pace has not changed with the arrival of summer. Paula Johnson came back from Maternity Leave in March and we hired a new Alumni Officer, Katie Rock (BAH ’99), who started in May. With a full time team of three, we’re working harder than ever to improve communications with our alumni and friends, and offer more opportunities for members of our community to engage with one another and King’s.

Our office’s mission is to help people maintain their involvement with King’s after graduation and to support the interests of other members of the King’s community. This involvement is very important for several reasons: • Engagement from our alumni helps maintain a sense of continuity and tradition appropriate to English Canada’s oldest Chartered University.

• Participation among our core communities makes our efforts to engage other parties more credible.

• The people closest to King’s are its best ambassadors. Building recognition for King’s outside our core communities provides our graduates and alumni with better opportunities, whether it’s job placements or graduate school admissions or a letter of introduction to a new city in Canada or abroad.

We’re very appreciative of the leadership and support of the Alumni Association Executive and our Chapter Leaders. They have been instrumental in helping us set goals for the Association and its members.

So now it’s over to you! How would you like to be engaged with King’s and the Alumni Association?

What events and activities would be of interest? How can you help King’s maintain its position as Canada’s liberal arts leader and Atlantic Canada’s top School of Journalism? Alumni and friends have an important role to play in the future success of King’s but you need to let us know how to make that a positive, worthwhile experience for you.

To that end, we’re publishing a survey in this issue of Tidings and on our website, www.ukcalumni. com. We hope to hear from many of you by the end of August. The King’s experience is special because of the people. Everyone who becomes a part of our community has self-selected in some way. Help us understand how to keep you interested and active.

King’s is the best undergraduate university in Canada, of that we have no doubt, but we cannot rest on our laurels. A strong alumni body will support the interests of the College in the broader community, which in turn supports individual alumni. We look forward to your continued participation and engagement.

I hope to hear from many of you soon. Your ideas and insights are always welcome.

Kara Holm

TIDINGS | SUMMER 2005

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EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

Get involved with your Alumni Association!

The University of King’s College Alumni Association invites you to its Annual Golf Tournament Thursday, August 18, 2005 Ken-Wo Golf and Country Club, Wolfville A fun event for golfers of all levels with great prizes and food. Plus an exciting opportunity to get together with King’s alumni.

Your ticket includes: 18 holes of golf, dinner, a raffle, prizes, and more!

ITINERARY 11:30a.m: Registration 1:00p.m: Shotgun Start 6:00p.m: Dinner Funds raised support the Alumni Journalism Scholarship and other activities of the Alumni Association.

Tickets are also available for dinner only.

For more information, or to register, please contact paula.johnson@ukings.ns.ca or toll-free (800) 565-0311.

More Events…

CAMPUS EVENTS • September 24, 2005—Joseph Howe Symposium.

• October 26, 2005—Massey Lecture, presenter Stephen Lewis, held at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium, Dalhousie University, hosted by the University of King’s College.

IMPORTANT ALUMNI DATES • January 23, 2006—Deadline for Honorary Degree submissions.

• January 26, 2006—Convocation meets at 5:30p.m. in the Boardroom.

CHRISTMAS IN AUGUST? President Barker is looking for an extraspecial Christmas card for 2005—a greeting that will appropriately represent King’s to the rest of Canada. The illustrious King’s Christmas card list includes alumni, university presidents, generous supporters of the College, public officials and more.

Our Christmas card is an opportunity to reach a wide audience with a strong impression of King’s.

Have a fantastic Christmas Card design idea? Please submit a proof, no later than September 2, 2005, to:

Development, Alumni & Public Relations Office University of King’s College The Link 6350 Coburg Road Halifax, NS B3H 2A1 Or by email to katie.rock@ukings.ns.ca For more information please contact Katie Rock at (902) 422-1271, ext. 136 or toll-free in Canada at (800) 565-0311.

The selected entry wins a gift certificate for two to a fantastic restaurant!

Stay up to date using our website: www.ukcalumni.com 4

TIDINGS | SUMMER 2005

COMING SOON • September 2005—King’s Alumni and the Atlantic Film Festival in Halifax.

• September 2005—New Brunswick Alumni Event in Fredericton.

• Fall events in Montréal and Toronto.

• Alumni Christmas Party in the Lodge, and Chapter Christmas parties.

ALUMNI SURVEY QUESTIONS

The University and the Alumni Association are working to serve you better.

Please complete the short survey below to help us understand how to most effectively engage you with King’s.

1.

Have you attended a King’s alumni event? YES/NO If yes, how recently? (Select one)

®Within the last year ®1 – 5 years

®More than 5 years

2.

How often would you like to have the opportunity to get together with your fellow alumni?

3.

Rank the following concepts on a scale of 1 to 5 where 5 is very likely to participate and 1 is not likely to participate: Mentorship program Lectures by King’s faculty or other scholars Online FYP Book Club Pub nights Wine tours Theatre nights Special access to concerts/festivals Travel getaways

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

4.

We are always looking for ways to improve and expand upon our alumni gatherings.

Do you have any suggestions for us?

5.

Would you be willing to pay a small fee to attend a King’s alumni event?

6.

Our planned future communication schedule is as follows:

4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

YES/NO

1. Tidings—twice/year, 2. President’s Newsletter—twice/year, 3. Email bulletins—monthly or more frequently Are you satisfied with this amount and level of contact? YES/NO Do you have any suggestions as to how can we communicate with you better?

7.

Do you have any other comments you would like to share with us? We’d always like to hear from you!

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Thank you for your time!

Please return completed surveys to: Development, Alumni & Public Relations, 6350 Coburg Road, Halifax, NS B3H 2A1 or go to www.ukcalumni.com to complete the survey online.

TIDINGS | SUMMER 2005

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TIDINGS | SUMMER 2005

ALUMNI PROFILE

Ilenka Jelowicki: Casting for Success in London

by Lesley-Anne Noseworthy (BJ ’02)

Photo: Ilenka Jelowicki/Mad Dog Casting

“It was an invaluable lesson—if you worked hard enough you could do it for yourself rather than for someone else.” he’s not spending countless hours in The Pit anymore. In fact, ∑uebec native Ilenka Jelowicki (BA ’96) has come a long way since her days with the King’s Theatrical Society (KTS).

She is currently the owner of Mad Dog Casting, a company in London, England.

Her job is about as far away from The Pit as you can get too, casting actors to be extras and leads in commercials and major films, including Shakespeare in Love and the recently released summer blockbuster, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Mad Dog Casting is an impressive organization. They have 2,500 people registered as extras and last year they managed to have 18,000 “man days” on set. Ilenka has been preparing to begin casting extras for the upcoming film, The DaVinci Code.

The company has also recently started to cast principals in commercials and films, including one third of all the main parts in Stephen Woolly’s film, Stoned, about the Rolling Stones, due to be released this summer. “The work we do is quite diverse but constantly changing so it keeps us on our toes,” says Ilenka.

But how did she get to London from King’s and the KTS? “The idea of going to class with 300 people didn’t really interest me,” explains Ilenka about her choice to go to King’s, “the fact that it was small was really attractive to me.”

Ilenka came to King’s in 1992 looking for a small school that was far from ∑uebec and different from what many of her friends were doing—going to schools in Ontario. Hearing about the Foundation Year Programme from her friend Nick Scheib (BAH ’95), who started at King’s the year before her, Ilenka decided that it would be the perfect fit.

While at King’s Ilenka did an advanced major in Theatre Studies and threw herself into the KTS. “I was in a play every term and really spent hours in The Pit. I adored it,” says Ilenka. She also served as vice president of the Society in her third year and secretary in her last. Except for the musicals, Ilenka was involved with every major production during her four years at King’s.

“THE IDEA OF GOING TO CLASS WITH 300 PEOPLE DIDN’T REALLY INTEREST ME.” Theatre wasn’t her only passion during her years at King’s though. The daughter of a business owner and an engineer, Ilenka always had an entrepreneurial spirit too. Her first go at running her own business was at 12 when she opened a pet sitting business in her parent’s basement in order to save enough money to visit her godparents in Florida. That same spirit was what helped her start her own gift basket business while studying at King’s.

“I had some odd jobs while at King’s— horrible things like making muffins at 5:00 every morning” she says, “So in my last year I decided enough was enough and set up a gift basket company.” She contacted out-of-province parents by mailing flyers to them, offering baskets of cookies or fruit and birthday cakes for their children who were slogging away at their degrees in Halifax. The idea was a success and one Easter she had as many as 27 orders. She may have driven her flat-mates crazy by baking 400 cookies at a time or buying all the fruit from local grocery stores, but, says

Ilenka, “It was an invaluable lesson—if you worked hard enough you could do it for yourself rather than for someone else.”

And that she certainly did.

Hoping to turn her love of the theatre that had developed at King’s into a career, Ilenka moved to England after graduation with the hopes of becoming an actress.

“I thought London was perfect for me.

Big, loud, glamorous, exciting and a bit dangerous! I also loved being so close to the theatre.”

She did become involved with a small troupe and worked on a production for a fringe theatre in South London. “It was fun but I quickly realized how hard it was to try and find an agent in London, let alone a paying job!” In order to make ends meet, Ilenka took on some work as a temp and a friend introduced her to the world of working with extras. She managed to find work as an extra on productions of Tomorrow Never Dies and The Saint.

If you look closely, you can see her as an American army sergeant passing Val Kilmer in the hallway in The Saint.

After six months with the agency, they offered her a job. They knew her degree background and thought she might be interested. Ilenka grabbed the chance and started working there immediately, initially as a part-time employee, but within a week she had taken over managing Tomorrow Never Dies. “I worked there for two years and my most amazing moment was casting all of the extras for Shakespeare in Love,” she says,(continued on 24) TIDINGS | SUMMER 2005

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FYP TEXTS COLUMN

Egypt’s Sweet Hereafter

by Tom Curran, Ph.D., Senior Fellow, Foundation Year Programme

omeone has suggested that human culture is really little more than an attempt to come to terms with the fact that human life has an end. The 31 dynasties of ancient Egypt have demonstrated the profound stability that can be achieved in a society which appears to have poured all its energies into the “hereafter”.

The Egypt we know began when Menes united the Upper and Lower Kingdoms around the year 3,000—which is also roughly contemporaneous with the invention of writing in both Egypt and Mesopotamia.

The staggering longevity of Pharaonic civilization can claim to have been the most stable and successful in the whole history of our world, since it maintained itself for a staggering three millennia.

The titanic physical remnants are essentially mausolea, viz. the great pyramids and the Valley of the Kings, but the massive Egyptian written legacy is more ambiguous. The hieroglyphics had to be deciphered (by way of the Rosetta stone discovered by Napoleon’s troops in 1799); this meant the voices of ancient Egypt remained silent for a full two millennia until the code could be broken. Many of these writings are now well known, e.g., the Book of the Dead and the Pyramid texts, but the most remarkable is the one designated as “a dispute concerning suicide” or “a dialogue between a man and his ba (or soul)”. This poem from the beginning of the second millennium BC is not so very far removed from The Epic of Gilgamesh, either in composition or subject matter.

The Egyptians had a complex anthropology. The human person consisted of six fundamental components: the heart, the body, the name, the shadow, the ba and the ka (one’s double or twin, the ka is mostly associated with the ability to reproduce). But the ba is what fundamentally concerns us here: the easy translation “soul” does not capture the complex distinctions that the Egyptians wanted to make. Remember, it is the human heart that is weighed after death in the presence of the ibis-headed Thoth, and this weighing reveals the integrity of a human life, whether that life was lived out 8

TIDINGS | SUMMER 2005

in justice or in depravity.

All six components of Egyptian anthropology had to be held together synthetically, if the individual was to make his way to the West, to the land of the setting sun; even the shadow plays its part. Famously, Dracula has no shadow, since he is neither properly living nor dead.

The human ba was represented as a bird (often with a human head) perching on or near the mummified corpse. The afterlife depended upon the successful reunification of all elements of the former personality, so that the ba could never stray too far from the corpse which originally allowed it to be embodied.

In the so-called dispute concerning suicide, the dialogue between the individual and his ba, there is the usual element of despair, but only because the afterlife is so attractive and appealing. This man is weary

bear in mind, the ba says, that your name might disappear from the face of the earth, that life can still be full of pleasures, and that death itself is no pretty sight: have you thought about those rotting corpses on the banks of the Nile? A triumphant journey to the West requires all the elements to make the voyage together: your embalmed corpse, your heart, your name… And then, don’t forget that death is really “heartbreak”; think always of those left behind: your wife and children.

But, now the man appears to gain the upper hand; he explains that death is really to be understood like coming up for air, or like recovering from a prolonged illness; death is like sitting on your porch enjoying a summer breeze, death is like “a clearing sky” after inclement weather, and finally death is like traversing a well-trodden path; death can only be compared to a homecoming

of everyday life and wishes to hasten his journey to the land of the setting sun, in order that much more quickly to take up his allotted place in the presence of the everlasting gods.

But the man’s soul, his ba, urges caution;

after many years of wandering, or the joy of release after long years incarcerated in a dungeon. The ba (soul) seems now to be left speechless in the face of these similes, which for me remain unsurpassed in the whole history of our literature. ∂

WRITERS AT KING’S The Foundation for a Great Career

by Clare O’Hara (BJ ’05)

photo: Zachary Wells

photo: University of King’s College

hile the class readings may have been endless and al. provided by FYP is a tremendous starting point for anyone the essays hard to endure at times, many King’s interested in pursuing the art form.”

Wells now enjoys writing about his life experiences. To students have traded places, by putting their names on reading lists everywhere. Over the years King’s has seen its help pay his way through King’s, Wells spent his summers graduates flourish. They have become writers in all sorts of loading aircraft in Iqaluit, and he returned there after graduation. It was there that his writing became more genres, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry and screenplays. focused on the “nitty gritty details of lived experience”. After he published his book, Wells For Laura Penny (BAH ’96)—currently a Senior Fellow at King’s and a Tutor in the left the North and no longer writes about it.

Foundation Year Programme (FYP)—writing His writing now centres around animals and his home province of PEI, both of which he certainly did not end after graduation. Her work has appeared in the Globe and Mail, the Nasays are just old obsessions. tional Post, Saturday Night, and Toronto Life.

With all students, reading is an integral part She has recently published her first book, Your of learning. At King’s College, students explore Call is Important to us: The Truth About Bullshit the readings of Plato, Homer, Descartes, Dante (McClelland & Stewart, 2005). Look for a feature and Darwin. Smaller classrooms and a closeknit atmosphere allow students to discuss and on Laura in the next issue of Tidings.

She originally enrolled at King’s as a debate all angles of these authors.

“In my view, good writing derives from and Journalism student but found that the philosophy aspect of the Foundation Year Pro- ABOVE Laura Penny (BAH ’96) feeds on good reading,” says Dr. Ian G. Stewart, a gramme is really what grabbed her attention. found inspiration in the phiSenior Fellow in the Foundation Year Programme losophy aspect of the King’s “I loved how the FYP programme began to and History of Science and Technology. “As far as Foundation Year Programme.

I know, this has always been the view of the best connect everything together. The Journalism School was good, but I realized I didn’t want BELOW Zach Wells (BAH ’99) authors. King’s students are fortunate in their to be a journalist. I wanted to be a writer. I feels that the Foundation Year first year to read some of the most important Programme’s focus on the and greatest texts ever written, and to develop a think there is a difference between the two: classics has informed his work journalists have to interview people and leave as a poet. habit of thought that is open to worlds, authors, their homes in search of stories…writers can sit ideas and language different from theirs, and to gain confidence in their own thinking and at home in pyjamas poring over other books. I liked the latter much better.” language thereby.”

Dr. Angus Johnston, Director of the FounDr. Johnston, who has traveled to many high dation Year Programme, says it takes a certain schools to promote FYP, knows that there are various ways to instill writing skills in students. kind of individual to take on the FYP way of learning. “There is quite a tension here with Some schools encourage the students’ ability to begin conceptually and work from their own early thought phenomena. Students come to King’s who already want to write directly and ideas while other schools require students to grasp early works and teachings before working we have to tell them to put those ideas on hold independently. and listen first to the voices of Homer and Plato.

“I think King’s falls into the latter. We recruit Listening to these voices will then give them people who want to listen and then explore. If a a sense to stimulate their own voices.” student writes his/her first FYP essay with their Zach Wells (BAH ’99) found this way of teaching beneficial for his writing. Wells’ most own fiery ideas on war, and hasn’t listened to recent book, Unsettled (Insomniac Press, 2004), is a collection of Homer’s ideas on war, they will soon realize they need to change that attitude to succeed,” says Johnston. “It’s not for everyone poems centred on his time spent in Nunavut from 1996 to 2003.

“I’m a firm believer that any poet is adrift on the wine-dark and sometimes I kick myself when I see a student who comes sea without a good foundation in the classics, so the steady to King’s with writing awards and then decides the process isn’t dose of Homer, Sophocles, Virgil, Dante, Shakespeare, Eliot et for them and they aren’t succeeding.” (continued next page) TIDINGS | SUMMER 2005

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WRITERS AT KINGS (Cont’d from page 9) The list of programmes offered at King’s College depicts a central theme on campus. History of Science and Technology, Early Modern Studies, Contemporary Studies and Journalism all require writing skills.

Some King’s Writers of Note STEPHEN MARCHE (BAH ’97) wrote Raymond and Hannah (Doubleday Canada, 2005)

STUDENTS COME TO KING’S WHO ALREADY WANT TO WRITE DIRECTLY AND WE HAVE TO TELL THEM TO PUT THOSE IDEAS ON HOLD AND LISTEN FIRST TO THE VOICES OF HOMER AND PLATO.

STEPHANIE NOLEN (BJH ’93) wrote Promised the Moon (Penguin Canada, 2003) LAURA PENNY (BAH ’96) wrote Your Call is Important to Us: The Truth About Bullshit (McClelland & Stewart, 2005). Watch for an upcoming feature on Laura Penny in the Winter 2005/2006 issue of Tidings!

“Students feed off each other in the classroom,” says Dr. Johnston. “I taught a course on Time for the History of Science one year and found how fascinating the writing background was. I had some students who were writing about the physics of time and then others who wrote about the meter of time in Shakespearean Sonnets.”

The University’s success in producing published writers may be a result of a number of factors. Some are convinced that it is the extensive study of classical works throughout their stay at King’s while others attest that the students who come to King’s are already creatively intrigued and eager to write. Whatever the rationale, one undisputed fact remains: King’s College, the small community lodged inside the ∑uad, holds and produces a tremendous amount of talent. ∂

MIRIAM TOEWS (BJH ’91) latest novel is A Complicated Kindness (Vintage Canada, 2005), winner of the Governor General’s Medal for Fiction. Please see the Winter 2004/2005 issue of Tidings for a feature on Miriam Toews ZACH WELLS (BAH ’99) wrote Unsettled (Insomniac Press, 2004) Tell us about your favourite King’s writers at alumni@ukcalumni.com.

BOOKS I’M READING

Dr. Angus Johnston, Director, Foundation Year Programme

Each issue we will focus on a different distinguished faculty member or alumnus/alumna, and find out what they’re reading! In this issue, we spoke to Dr. Angus Johnston, Director, Foundation Year Programme:

P.D. James, The Murder Room “If you work in a small college, murder and intrigue are simply a part of life.”

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Laura Penny, Your Call is Important to Us: The Truth About Bullshit “I saw this mad woman on American television and just had to get the book.”

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Lewis Lockwood, Beethoven, His Life and Music “In a letter in 1812 Beethoven says that art is limitless and he is just realizing how far he is from his goals. That such a one can say this after creating so much has already affected my reading of everything.”

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TIDINGS | SUMMER 2005

photo: University of King’s College

A new feature for Tidings!

AWA R D W I N N E R S

Congratulations!

The University of King’s College and the Alumni Association would like to express its sincere congratulations to the following alumni:

Mark Brennan (’85) has been appointed to the position of President, CEO and Member of the Board of Directors of Largo Resources Ltd. Mr. Brennan was a founding member of the management team of Desert Sun Mining Corp. and was instrumental in the development of Admiral Bay Resources.

Mr. Brennan is currently the Chairman of Admiral Bay Resources Inc. and is also a founding partner of Linear Capital Corp.

Mr. Brennan has been an active participant in the financial community in North America and Europe for over 15 years. He has extensive experience in the areas of institutional sales, trading, corporate finance, corporate advisory and marketing services. Previously, Mr. Brennan had acted as a director and a business development consultant to a number of private and publicly-traded companies and held institutional sales positions at First Marathon UK Ltd. and Richardson Greenshields.

Roselle Green (’65) has been inducted as an honorary fellow by the Canadian Public Relations Society’s College of Fellows. The award is in recognition of

exceptional professional capability, professional experience, contributions to the advancement of the profession and significant leadership in public relations.

Lisa Merrithew (BA ’95) has been promoted to Managing Director, Public Relations, The Bristol Group (New Brunswick).

Stephanie Nolen (BJH ’93) received a National Newspaper Award presented by the Canadian Newspaper Association.

Stephanie won in the international reporting category for her stories about Rwanda 10 years after the country was ripped apart by genocidal warfare.

Jennifer Paterson (BJ ’05) was awarded the Student Science Award 2005 by the Nova Scotia Institute of Science. Jennifer wrote an article on the activities of scientists in the area of drug discovery. The judges were impressed with how Jennifer conveyed the personalities of the investigators, and produced a readable story with strong local interest.

King’s alumni were well represented at the 2004 Atlantic Journalism Awards. Award winners are: Patricia Brooks (BJH ’97); Eva Hoare (BJ ’84); Jeffrey Simpson (BJ ’96); Sally Pitt (BJH ’84); Chris Lambie (BJ ’92); Stephanie Porter (BJH ’97); John DeMont (BJ ’81); Monty Mosher (BJ ’84); Chantelle Jones (BJ ’03); and Derek Hill (BJ ’05).

Megan Wennberg (BJ ’04), was awarded the 2005 Dalton Camp Award presented by Friends of Canadian Broadcasting. Megan’s winning essay chronicles the rise and fall of an independent Saint John newspaper which was bought in October 2004 by Brunswick News, part of a media empire which owns every English-language daily newspaper in New Brunswick.

We Wish You All The Best!

Did we miss you? Make sure you let us know of your achievements. Write alumni@ukcalumni. com with your personal and professional accomplishments. Or add an AlumnNote at www.ukcalumni.com. ∂

The College is undertaking a planning exercise to provide direction to the Office of Development, Alumni & Public Relations. Through this activity we will: • Articulate the vision of the University and goals for the future; • Explore how we can communicate this to internal and external communities; • Identify ways to engage people with King’s.

President William Barker feels this is an important activity for the College. “When I arrived it was clear to me that there is a strong sense of purpose at King’s.

Through this Advancement Planning process we do not expect to reinvent the College, rather we hope to articulate the best vision of King’s and mobilize people around that vision.”

A committee with representation from Faculty, Administration, Staff, Students and Alumni is now working on the plan. It has identified key discussion areas which can be found on our website at www.ukings.ns.ca/kings_3643.html.

Alumni in particular have a special interest in this process. If you have ideas you would like to submit for consideration please write to planning@ukings.ns.ca. ∂

photo: University of King’s College

ADVANCEMENT PLANNING AT KING’S

University President Dr. William Barker TIDINGS | SUMMER 2005

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Traditions at K photo: University of King’s College

COVER STORY

s a graduate of King’s you have many memories of your days as an undergraduate—many related to the University’s traditions. Over the years, the College’s traditions have done more than make undergraduates feel like they are in a unique place to learn, they’ve become an essential way the College presents itself to future students and the broader community.

So where do these traditions come from?

Most of them evolved out of the residential collegiate life that characterized Oxford, upon which King’s was modeled.

Professors lived amongst the students, and dons were members of the Faculty. The close proximity between faculty and students had a profound impact on the culture of King’s. Formal meal is an example of how this living arrangement impacted everyday life (see page 14 for details).

The historic relationship with the Anglican Church was essential to this model and shaped many traditions at King’s. The Baccalaureate Service, for example, has continued in part because of the University’s continued connection to the Anglican Church.

Other traditions, like Matriculation, are invented in the style of older activities for the sake of new needs and have become part of the College’s mythology. Dr. Wayne Hankey (BAH 12

TIDINGS | SUMMER 2005

’65) was involved with the creation of Matriculation in the early 1980s. “Matriculation was cobbled together from traditions borrowed from other universities. It was designed to bridge the gap between day students and residential students and really teach people about the traditions at King’s,” says Dr. Hankey.

Still other traditions are invented by the students but have been strongly influenced by the culture of King’s. These traditions include Bay Parties, the Three-Legged Race, snowball and water fights, practical jokes, active student societies (including The Haliburton Society and the King’s Theatrical Society) and more. While not part of the “formal” culture of King’s, they root undergraduates in a larger history of rituals and shared experiences.

MOST OF THESE TRADITIONS EVOLVED OUT OF THE RESIDENTIAL COLLEGIATE LIFE THAT CHARACTERIZED OXFORD. Our alumni have a strong attachment to the traditions that shaped their experience at King’s. David Jones (BA ’68) is a passionate alumnus who has maintained a strong connection to the school since his graduation. “The King’s graduation is an

by Gregory Hughes (BJ ’05)

photo: University of King’s College

King’s

The Evolution of An Idea

important tradition—I would say a critical institution that must be maintained. Bay parties are a close second. I am a firm advocate of Formal Meal—and I don’t mean once a month. Also, I think the wearing of gowns to chapel, President’s Lodge and other similar events is important. We used to wear our gowns—on our own volition—to Dal classes from time to time,” Mr. Jones says.

Mary Barker (BA ’67), the first female President of the King’s Students Union, also has warm memories of her time at King’s which explains her continued involvement in the life of the College. “There are so many traditions that I remember from my time at King’s—wearing gowns, daily chapel services, Sunday tea in The Lodge, sherry in The Lodge after chapel and before formal meal, curfew sign-ins in Alex Hall, panty raids, Day students partnering with those of us in residence, special tutoring from fellow Kingsmen, impromptu debates run by the ∑uintilian Society in The Haliburton Room, theatre productions, Fall and Spring Formal Balls, Bay parties, ice sculptures during Winter Carnival, weekly sock hops in the gym.”

While many traditions at King’s spark positive memories for alumni, there are other, sometimes not-so-pleasant traditions that have been discarded in order to be more sensitive to

present-day concerns.

Bill Bryant (BA ’67), former President of the King’s Students Union, says that one dropped tradition comes to mind for him: Initiation.

“Initiation was a nasty week of sometimes sadistic, often mindless hazing and indoctrination that immersed freshmen in King’s history and quickly introduced them to their classmates,” he says. “To its credit, initiation did help to break down class barriers. Unfortunately, initiation also led to excesses when individual upper classmen took it upon themselves to abuse and scare the more innocent of the freshmen. In my sophomore year I ran it with an emphasis on humour with strictly enforced limits on hazing.” This approach can be seen in the present-day approach to Orientation.

More recent alumni also feel a strong connection to the traditions. Colin Burn (BAH ’05) and last year’s President of the King’s Students Union, thinks traditions at King’s are very important to the school’s character.

“You know, students and alums of King’s always talk about the traditions. And unlike most places where the chatter verges on dogma, it is really true. King’s has some phenomenal traditions,” he says. (continued next page) TIDINGS | SUMMER 2005

13

photo: University of King’s College

TRADITIONS (Cont’d from page 13) “I think if you ask just about anyone, they’d have to say that their favourite traditions were the Bay Parties. Another one of my favourite traditions is Frivols at College Christmas. There was just something special about students reading their favourite Christmas stories together. I’m a sucker for Christmas so that is a tradition that will stick with me for awhile.”

But some alumni think King’s traditions are more than just about forging historic links to the school. “It’s about self-determination,” says Mr. Bryant. The traditions are what makes King’s unique, and keep it (and its students) from becoming anonymous.

With the importance of traditions at King’s, alumni have strong opinions about what role they should play in the future of the university. Alumni are sad to learn that Formal Meal has changed, or that Bay Parties have been phased out. According to Dr. Hankey, “The question is not whether the traditions can or should evolve. They have evolved. The question is really how effectively the changes find a balance between the original vision of the University and the modern reality.”

This can be seen in the development of some academic programmes. The Foundation Year Programme (FYP), for example, 14

TIDINGS | SUMMER 2005

neatly fits into the residential learning model where the intellectual and social are intrinsically linked. Since the 1990s the dons and deans are no longer faculty members. While the structure of FYP with its tutorials encourages students to maintain close and familiar ties to the faculty, some have noted a change in the experience.

Another significant shift has been the growth of the student body. Most residential spots are used by first year students so there is no longer the “mentoring” provided by upper-year students who live off campus. The predominance of freshman in residence has created a new phenomenon with about 250 people sharing a common living and academic experience. This is a significant factor shaping residence and social life at King’s now.

As King’s and the world in which it operates changes so too does its traditions. The class of 2005 will have memories distinct from those of alumni from the class of 1965. Still, the class of 2005’s remembrance of King’s will be flavoured by the experiences of those who went before them and the richness of the traditions they inherited. The challenge for the administration, the alumni community and students is to maintain interest in the ideas behind the traditions that differentiate King’s from other undergraduate institutions. ∂

A BRIEF HISTORY OF FORMAL MEAL hat’s now known as “formal meal” harkens back to what used to be the everyday dining experience for students at King’s. Into the 1960s when meals moved from the Wardroom to Prince Hall, gowns were required for three meals per day. The evening meal was the most structured with a fixed time and began and ended with Latin grace.

Many alumni can still recite the Latin graces to this day.

At the start of the meal the faculty and their wives entered along with the male students. The men processed in order of their class. With everyone standing the female students would come in. People were served in order, women and faculty first, then the men in order of the class.

Women sat separately from men at one big table, over which the Dean of Women presided. Women moved over the course of the year so everyone would have a chance to sit next to the Dean of Women. This

was an opportunity for the Dean to have some personal contact with the girls and help with their manners. The men were organized by class and therefore sat with the same people for four or more years.

The first significant change was the shift to cafeteria-style meals for breakfast and lunch during the mid-1960s. The dinner service remained the same. By the 1970s interest in the traditional structure waned and “Formal Meal” became a weekly event in which the University President became more involved. Previously, the President would eat in the Lodge as it had a kitchen.

After moving to weekly occurrences, Formal Meal was tied to the Chapel. After High Mass, people took sherry and then went to Formal Meal. In the 1980s there was a secularist movement to separate formal meal from Chapel. At that time, it was decided that the Wings and the Bays would determine the menu and format of

the meal. This continued from the 1980s into the early part of this decade.

The tone of Formal Meal was also influenced by the fact that few faculty were participating. In the 1990s, Faculty were no longer offered dinner in Prince Hall and since most Faculty no longer lived on campus their presence at Formal Meal virtually ended.

In 2002 Formal Meal was cancelled due to a perceived lack of interest and focus. Formal meal was restarted in September 2003 by President Barker at the request of many students. Formal meal is now held once a month. The festivities start in the Senior Common Room with sherry and move to Prince Hall. A new tradition has begun, as a guest speaker addresses diners. The students embrace this new tradition, so unlike of the original event. It’s an important connection to the past that has shaped the character of this institution. ∂

S U R V E Y: What’s Your Favourite King’s Tradition?

Everyone has a favourite tradition that defined their King’s experience. Go to www.ukcalumni.com and tell us which tradition is your favourite:

Formal Meal Matriculation Baccalaureate Service Graduation/Encaenia Bay Parties

Three Legged Race Mid-night water fights Sock Hops YAS Ball Snowball fights in the ∑uad

Orientation Three-legged race College Christmas

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www.jazzeast.com tickets & info: 492-2225 TIDINGS | SUMMER 2005

15

H O N O R A RY D E G R E E S

Honorary Degree Recipients Susan M. Hunter (DCL ’05), Jay Ingram (DCL ’05), The Right Honorable Reverend Dr. Susan Moxley (DD ’05) and Honorary Fellow Stuart McPhee (BA ’69).

he University of King’s College presented honorary degrees to four remarkable citizens at its Encaenia (convocation) Ceremonies this May. Recipients include a volunteer whose single-minded dedication to jazz has developed the culture sector in the Atlantic region, a science journalist known for his ability to make complex issues accessible and relevant, a compassionate and forward-thinking educator and church leader, and a King’s alumnus who has

enriched campus life for over three decades. Current President William Barker is thrilled that King’s is able to recognize the achievements of these accomplished individuals. “King’s is committed to providing an education that encourages students to become active citizens. These people are leaders and set the standard for that ideal.” Honorary degrees were awarded at Encaenia at All Saints’ Anglican Cathedral on May 19, 2005. ∂

photo: PhotoMunn

KING’S WELCOMES NEW ALUMNI OFFICER

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TIDINGS | SUMMER 2005

On May 2, 2005 King’s welcomed Katie Rock as our new Alumni Officer. Originally from Toronto, Katie graduated from Dalhousie University in 1999 with a double honours major in Sociology and Social Anthropology. Although she graduated from Dal, Katie considers herself a King’s Alumna because of her involvement with this community while she was a student.

Katie lived in Cochran Bay 1995/1996 and was involved with the King’s Theatrical Society from 1995 – 1999.

Earlier this spring, the College conducted an exhaustive search for an alumni officer. The committee was chaired by Kara Holm, Director of Development, Alumni & Public Relations, and was comprised of four alumni (two of whom were also faculty members) and one student. The committee considered applications from over 65 people, many of

whom were alumni.

Alumni Association President, Doug Hadley (BA ’92), who was on the committee, is very pleased with the selection of Katie. “It was a strong pool of candidates but Katie’s experience in the development sector combined with her ties to King’s made her the ideal choice. We’re also very pleased that King’s has taken this step.”

After graduation Katie moved back to Toronto. She had been working in development at the Ontario Science Centre. In 2002, Katie went to The Hospital for Sick Children Foundation, where she specialized in prospect identification and research. Katie is thrilled about her move back to Halifax and the University of King’s College.

Get in touch with Katie: katie.rock@ukings.ns.ca or call (902) 422-1271, ext. 136. ∂

ALUMNI PROFILE

Shauntay Grant:

Word Iz Bond

by Stephanie McGrath (BJH ’99)

“I can honestly say everything I’m doing I t’s late afternoon on a Wednesday, but 25-year-old Shauntay Grant (BJ ’03), a native of Nova Scotia, still isn’t 100 per cent sure what she’ll be doing Thursday.

“There is no typical day, every day is different,” she says.

That’s not because she’s looking for work or padding around the globe seeking adventure. It’s because she might spend some time working on her poetry, or preparing music for her choir to perform, or maybe doing some work for her hosting gig at CBC Radio Two’s All the Best.

“It just makes life really colourful and interesting,” says the King’s 2003 journalism grad about her long list of jobs and activities. “Right now it feels like a good place to be at.”

Where she is could also mean Thursday will find her mulling over ideas for the children’s book she’s working on or searching out illustrators to bring her words to life. Then again, a small corner of her mind could also be thinking up new ways to encourage school children to discover their inner poet when the school year kicks off again and she starts conducting classroom workshops. Oh, and there’s always stories due for the handful of publications she pens articles for.

“I CAN WRITE THE WAY THAT I SPEAK AND THAT CAN STAND FOR SOMETHING.” “I look at it and it feels like a lot, but I can honestly say everything I’m doing I enjoy doing so it doesn’t feel like work,” Grant says. “As long as I can still get my enjoyment out of it, it’s fine, I’m okay.”

It doesn’t sound like Grant’s ever been a couch potato. Throughout grade school she played three instruments—piano, cello

and flute—sang in numerous choirs, played basketball and ran track and field.

Her energy seems to have climbed over the years. After graduating from Dalhousie with a Bachelor of Music, she did a documentary for CBC Radio and fell in love with the world of mics, radio scripts and hosting duties.

“From that I was like ’Yeah, I really wanted to do this and I want to learn more about radio,’” she says. “And it kind of made it easier going into King’s because I knew that’s sort of what I wanted to focus on.

“The skills I learned in the radio workshop [at the school] really helped me out, just the basic do’s and don’ts of the forms.

It was very helpful because it gave me a good grounding for what I do now.”

She has high praise for the instructors who saw her through her year of journalism training (especially for Kim Kierans) and for a university-linked mentorship program that teamed her up with professionals at CBC. After earning her journalism degree she motored ahead, never losing sight of her other passions. All Grant’s loves have since become intertwined. Her loyalty to music dances a lovely duet with her CBC job.

“It’s a music program,” she says of All the Best. “The great thing about it is I get to work and the first thing I do is listen to music. I listen to the stuff we’re going to be playing on our shows. I look forward to that, going and hearing these new sounds...and taking that in and I feel like an artist doing it.”

Naturally her flare for notes and tempo powers her work as the Nova Scotia Mass Choir’s artistic director (she also writes her own music) and her upcoming stint on a Vision Television special that challenges Canadian choir directors to put together a gospel choir in a week.

photo: CBC

enjoy doing so it doesn’t feel like work”

“I have all different interests, but they kind of meet,” she says.

It seems though, that the poet inside Grant is another key link between all her activities. She’s a founding member of the Word Iz Bond Spoken Word Artists’ Collective and a talented spoken word poet herself, who often performs her work with backing musicians.

Grant also puts on workshops for students to encourage them to find their voice and even teams up with teachers to help them figure out ways to bring poetry alive within the confines of recess bells and attendance sheets.

“The message I try to get across to kids were the two most important messages that I learned, that one, I can write the way that I speak and two, that my life is a legitimate story,” Grant explains.

For her, it’s an important lesson to teach, since learning it and expressing it has changed the course of her life.

It was, after all, her piece for CBC’s Out Front about her love of poetry that pushed her into journalism school, zeroed her interest in on radio and got the ball rolling on what is now an impressive career.

“For most of grade school I thought poetry had to be about nature and it had to rhyme,” Grant explains. “The piece that I did was kind of talking about how I get out of that and learn a lesson that I can write the way that I speak and that can stand for something, (continued on 24) TIDINGS | SUMMER 2005

17

ENCAENIA

Congratulations to the Class of 2005!

Brian Adeba Razielle Aigen Alexander Anderson Holly Andruchuk Lindsay Appotive Elizabeth Archibald Monique Armstrong Dennis Ashe Stacey Ashley Sabine Audette-Hall Arielle Baltman-Cord Sabrina Bandali Michael Barnable Ashley Barnes Jennifer Bawden Elizabeth Baxter Emily Beaton Christopher Bell Mark Bertils Andrew Bieler Frances Black 18

Thomas Blackmore John Blanchard Joshua Bleser Stacey Blidner Stephanie Bonic Gregory Bowley Sarah Bradford Jon Paul Brooker Shelley Brown James Bryson David Burke Colin Burn Ross Burns Elizabeth Butcher Isabel Byczko Kerry Campbell Samantha Cavanagh Joseph Cescon Jocelyn Chan Ann Clifford Mitchell Cochran

TIDINGS | SUMMER 2005

Matthew Cochrane Mary Coll-Black Lisanne Comeau Mandy Cook David Coolen Andrea Cooper Ainslie Cowley Susan Cruess Katherine Cudmore Heather Davidson Meredith Davis Michael de la Mothe Louise de Mestral Bezanson Meribeth Deen Sarah Dickson Kathryn Dingle Anna Lise Domanski Colin Donegani Alexander Dumaresq Moya Dumville Karen Edwards

photo: University of King’s College

photo: University of King’s College

n May 19, 2005, as proud parents and friends looked on, 223 students graduated from the University of King’s College during Encaenia (convocation). The largest graduating class in King’s College history processed in their gowns—led by a piper—from The ∑uad to All Saints’ Cathedral on Tower Road where the ceremony began.

During the ceremony, peppered with hymns, degrees were conferred and King’s students won departmental medals in: Contemporary Studies; Early Modern Studies; History of Science and Technology; English; International Development Studies; Linguistics; Sociology; Social Anthropology; and Theatre.

University President Dr. William Barker is very pleased.

“This graduating class is exceptional. We’re extremely impressed that 55% of our students are graduating with honours or distinction. King’s encourages strong academic performance right from the students’ first experiences in the Foundation Year Programme through our high professor-to-student ratio and focus on discussion.”

Senator Michael Meighen, the University’s Chancellor, delivered the Convocation Address which called upon new graduates to become active citizens in their communities. A very humorous and inspiring Valedictory Address was given

by Michael Fleury (BJH ’05).

“The future is very bright for these graduates. I have spoken with many of them and they’re off on some very interesting adventures,” said President Barker. “I’m pleased that due to the size of King’s I’ve been able to meet so many of the graduates.”

We welcome our newest alumni! ∂

Megan Ewing Erik Fagley Talia Fanning Martha FarquharMcDonnell Olivia Faulds Douglas Feaver Matthew Fegan Craig Ferguson David Finch Stephanie Finkleman Michael Fleury Zachary Florence Victoria Foley Peter Frenken John Gaudi Simon George Sebastian Gil-Riano Austen Gilliland Robin Gillingham Elizabeth Glinz

Michael Gorman Ross Gower Brooke Gray Ian Gray Jillian Green Joanna Grossman Naomi Guscott Christopher Harbord Adam Hardiman Robin Harnden Joseph Henley David Henry Wendy Hepburn Joseph Herschorn Jenny Higgins Derek Hill Shannon Hines Jacob Hitchcock Emily Hobbs Jennifer Hoegg Nicola Hoffman

Eva Holland Kristen Howe Marc Hudon Gregory Hughes Jeremy Hull Anthony Incardona Courtney Irwin Matthew Irwin Michael Jackman Melissa Jennings Nicholas Johnson David Johnstone Sarah Jones Lauren Josselyn Elspeth Kaiser-Derrick James Keller Paula Khoury Emily Kimber Katherine King Shauna King Nathan Klaehn

photo: University of King’s College

photo: University of King’s College

photo: University of King’s College

ENCAENIA

OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP: Left to right: Stuart McPhee (BA ’69), Jay Ingram (DCL ’05), Susan Hunter ( DCL ’05), The Honourable Michael Meighen, The Right Reverend Frederick Hiltz, University President Dr. William Barker, The Right Reverend Dr. Susan Moxley (DD ’05). OPPOSITE PAGE, BOTTOM: 2005 class photo. THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE: Waiting to graduate; Left to right: Samuelle Mednick (BJH ’05), Stephanie Finkleman (BA ’05), Frances Black (BAH ’05); The Honourable Michael Meighen, Q.C., Chancellor, University of King’s College.

Carsten Knox Timothy Kunz Matthew Kutcher Courtenay Kyle Stuart Lally Margaret Langpap Emily Lannan Steven Lappano Michelle LaRose Michael Lawton Jonathan Lear Julia Lederer Pamela Lee Sara Loftson Donald Logan Karen MacAlpine Brent MacDonald Sarah MacKinnon Gregory MacVicar Andrea Markey Stephane Massinon

Craig Mazin Anne-Marie McElroy Heather McLeod Ryan McRae Jillian McTiernan Samuelle Mednick Susan Mohammad Megan Moriarty Robert Murdoch Aaron Murnaghan Bradley Murray Nina Musanovic Ariel Nasr Kelsey Nearing Duncan Neish Hadar Nestel Katharine O’Brian Clare O’Hara Anya Oberdorf Heather Ogilvie Julia Oland

Marco Oved David Pal Shane Patenaude Jennifer Paterson Stuart Pattillo Joshua Pennell Genevieve Perreault Emma Plaskacz Holly Platz Hayley Poole Kristine Power Wanda Praamsma Lisa Rae Amanda Rafuse Susan Read Helen Reddy James Reid Adrienne Richard Karen Richardson Paul Richardson Jonathan Riley

Sarah Riley Jonathan Robart Katharine Robertson Sarah Robicheau Jonathan Robson Katherine Roger David Rosenblatt Gillian Roy Pascale Salah Tor Sandberg Laura Sanschagrin Nicholas Saunders Heather Sawers Nicholas Scott Wayne Scott Maya Shapiro Emily Sharpe Chris Shepherd Alysha Shore Naomi Silver Erica Simmonds

Laurel Siteman Edison Skinner Johanna Skoreyko Adam Smith Brenda Solman Rachel Solomon Tanya St-Pierre Erin Standing Melissa Steele Isaac Stein Johanna Stein Rachel Stephenson Jennifer Stewart Sarah Stewart Trevor Stewart Julie Stinson Andra Striowski Eva Tache-Green Allyson Teed Chelsea Thorne Fiona Tingley

Nicholas Townley Dawn Tracey Myka TuckerAbramson Jason Turnbull Wesley Walsh Colin Webster Adam Wehrmann Alison Wells Noemi Westergard Anna Whitmore Adam Wiendels Melissa Winslow Benjamin Witte Avery Wolaniuk Stuart Woods Nathaniel Woolaver Samuel Worthington Jeffrey Wright Matthew Wright Alize Zorlutuna TIDINGS | SUMMER 2005

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JOURNALISM GRADUATES: Up North But Not Feeling Left Out in the Cold

by Kristine Power (BJ ’05)

ost graduates can relate to that feeling of anticipation that starts growing in the pit of your stomach when graduation draws near. It’s a mixture of toxic fear and rushing excitement. For Jasmine Budak (BJ ’02), however, there were other feelings there as well. “We were all pretty disheartened after graduation. You want to work at the big newspapers and be published,” says Budak. This leaves new graduates with two options, says Budak, either they go to small rural communities and write for local papers or they go to a place like Yellowknife and do what they’ve always dreamed of doing. Budak gets to write for a magazine full time. This is virtually unheard of in most cities down South for journalists her age.

Budak has been living in Yellowknife since graduation,

when she felt it was the right time to pack her bags and make a career move. “There’s a real neat vibe,” says Budak when describing the city.

For co-worker and fellow graduate Michael Ganley (BJ ’02) the adventure is only just beginning. He and Budak are two of many University of King’s College Journalism School graduates currently working in the Northwest Territories.

In May, Ganley and his wife packed their three children and all their belongings and headed out on the highway to Yellowknife.

Ganley was freelancing in Halifax when he got the call from fellow King’s graduate Jake Kennedy (BJH ’02) who is the Editorial Director of Up Here Publishing, a company which publishes three different magazines about Canada’s North.

Three of the six editorial staff are University of King’s College Journalism School graduates.

For fellow classmate Ganley, the move was as easy as a phone call.

“I basically just phoned him up one day and said, ’Hey, Mike, do you wanna live in Yellowknife?” Kennedy says.

Kennedy was banking on Ganley’s sense of adventure and he wasn’t disappointed. After a little research and a family chat,

photo: Up Here Publishing

“IN THE SOUTH THERE IS NO WAY I WOULD BE AN EDITORIAL DIRECTOR AT 27 YEARS OLD.”

Jacob Kennedy, BJH ’02, Jasmine Budak, BJ ’02, Michael Ganley, BJ ’02.

ABOVE, LEFT TO RIGHT:

20

TIDINGS | SUMMER 2005

it was decided. Ganley would take the Nordic plunge.

The selling point for all these young graduates is obvious.

The Northwest Territories is currently experiencing an economic boom. Oil, gas and diamonds are now invigorating an economy that has seen booms like this come and go. Yellowknife began attracting thrill seekers in the early 1930’s. Explorers came North for gold then.

These days they come for the mining, pipelines and diamonds. According to Statistics Canada, the gross domestic product of the Northwest Territories has increased by more than 50 per cent between 2000 and 2004. Thirty-six per cent of the population in Yellowknife is between the ages of 25 – 44.

The Northwest Territories has made Canada the third largest producer of rough diamonds in the world.

This makes it a city full of young professionals from all kinds of backgrounds who are interested in bypassing the usual drudgery of working their way up the ladder.

“If I was in the South there is no way I would be an editorial director at 27 years old. I would probably be fighting it out for a casual spot in a newspaper right now,” says Kennedy.

It is not only the availability of jobs up North that is a draw for young journalists; it is the possibilities of delving into different subject matter that is attractive.

“There isn’t such a wide range of media (continued on 24)

UNI VERSITY OF KING’S CO LLEGE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 2005—2006

Executive Position President Vice-President Treasurer Secretary Past-President Member at Large Member at Large Member at Large Member at Large Member at Large Member at Large Board of Gov. Board of Gov. Board of Gov. University President (Ex-Officio) Alumni & Public Relations Officer (Ex-Officio) Alumni Officer (Ex-Officio) Student Union President (Ex-Officio)

Name Doug Hadley (BA ’92) Steve Wilson (BA ’87) Andy Hare (BA ’70) Harry Thurlow (BA ’95) Tim Rissesco(BA ’93) Lara Morrison (BAH ’95) Elizabeth Ryan (BA ’69) Kyle Shaw (BSc ’91, BJ ’92) Des Writer (BJ ’02) Sherri Aikenhead (BJH ’85) David Jones (BA ’68) John Stone (BAH ’65) Daniel de Munnik (BScH ’02) Daniel Logan (BAH ’88) William Barker Kara Holm Katie Rock (BAH ’99) Will English

Term 2004 – 2006 2004 – 2006 2004 – 2006 2005 – 2007 2004 – 2006 2005 – 2007 2005 – 2007 2005 – 2007 2004 – 2006 2004 – 2006 2005 – 2007 2005 – 2007 2004 – 2006 2005 – 2007

Chapter Leaders Location New Brunswick Ottawa Montreal Toronto

Name Kathryn Collet (BSc ’87)—kathryn.collet@gnb.ca Wayne MacKinnon (BA ’69)—maciw@sympatico.ca Matthew Aronson (BAH ’01)—mattaronson@gmail.com We are looking for a Chapter Leader in this city.

Are you interested? Please contact Katie Rock in the Alumni Office!

George MacLean (BAH ’90)—maclean@cc.umanitboa.ca Jack Wenaus (BSc ’70)—jack.wenaus@clarica.com We are looking for a Chapter Leader in this city.

Are you interested? Please contact Katie Rock in the Alumni Office!

Trevor Greene (BJH ’88)—greene@stockhouse.com Barbara Stegemann (BA ’91)—bstegemann@shaw.ca Chris MacNeil (BA ’94)—chris@ebooster.co.uk

Winnipeg Edmonton Calgary

Vancouver Europe

BECOME A KING’S ALUMNI AMBASSADOR Do you know a student who is looking for or could benefit from an educational experience that is different from all the others?

Do you know a student who: • Wants an intellectual challenge?

• Wants to understand the “big ideas” that have played such a significant role in the

development of our culture?

• Wants to be an active participant who is fully engaged in their learning?

• Enjoys a small, personal environment with close contact and interaction with faculty and other students?

You can help King’s maintain its place as a top undergraduate university by becoming

an Alumni Ambassador. After all, who better understands what King’s has to offer than its Alumni? If you know a student who could benefit from the King’s experience, please get in touch with us!

Call Katie Rock at (902) 422-1271 or write katie.rock@ukings.ns.ca for more information on this exciting new initiative today.

TIDINGS | SUMMER 2005

21

A L U M N OT E S

THE ’60S

THE ’70S The Reveverend G. Richmond Bridge, Ph.D., D.D., former Diocesan University Chaplain and Priest in Charge of King’s College Chapel (from 1977 to 1998), has been granted the degree of Doctor of Divinity, honoris causa, by Nashotah House, the Episcopal Church’s traditional Anglo-Catholic seminary, located in Wisconsin. Father Bridge serves as Rector of Saint Paul’s Church, New Smyrna Beach, Florida, a position he has held since leaving King’s in 1998.

THE ’80S Kathryn (Galey) Collet (BSc ’87) and Roger Collet are pleased to announce the birth of their son Mathieu Owen on March 6, 2004, a little brother for Elise. They live near Fredericton, NB, where both Kathryn and Roger are employed by the Department of Natural Resources.

Michael W. Dunn (BA ’88) is a Ph.D. candidate in Special Education at Indiana University. He graduated this May; this August he will begin his first academic position at Washington State UniversityVancouver as a professor in the Master’s Special Education Certificate Degree Program.

Mark Hazen (BScH ’85), Defence R&D Canada, received The Technical Cooperation Program Achievement Award, presented by the Subcommittee on NonAtomic Military Research and Development (NAMRAD) for contributions to TTCP Collaboration in Network Centric Maritime Warfare Study for the Maritime Systems Group. The Award was presented on March 9 in Ottawa. TTCP is a group that includes Canada, USA, UK, Australia and New Zealand and the award includes people from each of those countries 22

TIDINGS | SUMMER 2005

who worked on that project. For instance there were two other Canadians who received the award for working on the same Study.

Dr. Angela Joynes (BA ’83) achieved Fellowship in the College of Physicians of Canada. The award was presented at the Ricoh Coliseum, Toronto, Canada, on November 27, 2004. Dr. Joynes is in private practice in Columbia, Tennessee.

Steve Warburton (BJ ’85) has started a new company in Halifax inspired by the idea that business communication should be as simple as possible, and no simpler.

Warburton Communications Inc. is a public relations and marketing planning company, also offering seminars and workshops like Business Grammar, Dealing with the Media and Branding. The company’s email is warburtons@eastlink.ca.

THE ’90S Angela-Jo Arseneau (92-94; BA ’02) and Corey Griffin are pleased to announce their engagement. AJ works at Innovatia and Corey is a P.Eng. at ADI in Fredericton, NB. Fellow alumni can contact Angela-Jo (AJ) at kings@angelajo.com.

Kelly Bourque (BA ’93) and John Tsiptsis (BA ’93) are pleased to announce the birth of Drew Callaghan, born July 28, 2004.

Big brother Owen is 2 1⁄₂ . Fellow alumni can contact Kelly at kellybourque@hotmail. com.

Crystal (Levy) Bueno (BJH ’96) graduated with a Masters of Science in Strategic Communications from Columbia University in May. Crystal works at The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) in New York City as a Director of Corporate Communications. Fellow alumni can contact Crystal at crystal@levy.net.

Gordon Cameron (BA ’99, BJ ’00) is now the Communications Coordinator for the Ontario Community Newspapers Association.

Kelly Foss (BJH ’98) is the communications and policy research analyst for the Minister Responsible for the Status of Women with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. She and her husband Jody have one son, Riley, and are expecting another child in November.

David Jones (BA ’92) has recently accepted the post of Customer Research Manager for the Royal Bank of Scotland. David is

photo: University of King’s College

John A. (Ian) MacKenzie (’60), retired Archdeacon of the Anglican Diocese of Caledonia, received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from the Vancouver School of Theology on May 9, 2005.

The Three Graces: Valerie Pike, BA ’73, Kathleen Soares, BA ’74, Patricia Lewis, ’72 at the Alumni Annual Dinner, May 14.

LEFT TO RIGHT:

A L U M N OT E S / I N M E M O R I A M

currently residing in Edinburgh and can be reached at daveinscotland@hotmail. com.

(BA ’98) and Fred Bruun (BA ’98). Dave and Amanda are residing at their home in Oakville.

Mary LeBlanc (BA ’94) married Feargus Breakspear on June 26, 2004 at King’s College Chapel. Allison Davis (BA ’93) performed the ceremony which was attended by Paula Dyke (BJH ’94), Jennifer Adams (BA ’95), Lia Daborn (BAH ’94) and Reaghan Fawcett (BAH ’94).

Mary has just moved ashore after working on cruise ships for the past eight years.

Feargus is working in the Netherlands while waiting for his Canadian work visa.

They have a house in Halifax and are the proud parents of two dogs and two cats.

Fellow alumni can contact Mary at leblanc_mary@hotmail.com.

Andrew Pedersen (BJH ’93) and Mary Rogal-Black were married July 2, 2005 at Oceanstone Inns & Cottages in Indian Harbour, Nova Scotia. Andrew and Mary currently live in Halifax with their dog Cocoa.

Sarah (Leefe) (BAH ’94) and Vincent Ackerman are pleased to announce the birth of their daughter Sabrina Brooke 7.54 lbs at Swedish Medical Center, Denver, Colorado on March 30, 2005. Proud grandparents are John Leefe (BA ’66) and Nancy Leefe (BA ’65).

Ken Lima-Coelho (BJ ’96) and his wife Tara are pleased to announce the birth of their first child Adam Grayson LimaCoelho. He was born on March 8, 2005.

Ken is a television producer for CBC Newsworld in Calgary.

Gregory MacIsaac (BAH ’92) took his MA /Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Notre Dame, IN, after graduating in Classics from King’s. Since 1998 Gregory has been Assistant Professor of Humanities, at the College of the Humanities, Carleton University, Ottawa. See www.carleton.ca/~gmacisaa.

David Patrick (BAH ’98) and Amanda Sheffield were married August 21, 2004 at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ontario.

Fellow King’s alumni in attendance were Amy Cole (BA ’98), Margaret Evans

Barb Shaw (BJH ’96) is now a certified recreational therapist working with seniors that have dementia and in her free time she runs a community newspaper. She can be reached at bjshaw@sympatico.ca.

Susan Walsh Whistler (BAH ’95, Don, 3rd Floor Alexandra Hall, ’96 – ’97) and her husband James Whistler are happy to announce the birth of their daughter, Lily Margaret, on May 1, 2005. Fellow alumni can contact Susan at susan.whistler@gmail. com.

Ian Wissler (BAH ’95) and Christina Dernier were married on October 9th, 2004. Standing with Ian were fellow alumni Walter Hannam (BAH ’94), Mark Fleming (BAH ’94), and Peter Taylor (BAH ’94), all of whom are also from the class of 1994. Ian was appointed in July 2003 as Rector of the Parish of Mahone Bay, in the Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

THE ’00S Matt Aronson (BAH ’01) is currently enrolled in the Integrated BCL/LLB program at McGill Law in Montreal.

Fiona Isaacson (BJ ’03) received two honourable mentions for best news story and best feature photo at the 2004 Ontario Community Newspaper Association Awards in February for work she did when she was at the twice-weekly Napanee Beaver. For best news story Fiona found out

that a new treasurer (from London ON) being hired by the town of Deseronto (just west of Napanee, ON) had a history of sexual harassment allegations and the town council had no idea. The feature photo was a picture of a kid fishing on the Napanee River.

Stephanie Mitchell (BJH ’00) graduated from the University of Victoria’s Faculty of Law in June 2005. She plans to use her law degree to do legal journalism for CBC Radio in Vancouver. Fellow alumni can contact Stephanie at stephanie. mitchell@mac.com.

Jennifer Vardy (BJH ’02) is engaged to marry Matthew Little in September 2006. She has been working at the New Glasgow Evening News for two years now. Fellow alumni can contact Jennifer at vardy_jennifer@hotmail.com.

Did we miss you? Please add your AlumNote by writing to alumni@ukcalumni.com or do it yourself on our website!

IN MEMORIAM James Morrison passed away on March 30, 2005 in the New Halifax Infirmary, ∑EII Health Sciences Centre.

The Very Reverend John Austin Munroe (BA ’52 DD ’80) passed away on July 3, 2005 in QEII Health Sciences Centre.

Kim Elizabeth (Henneberry) Prince (BA ’75) passed away on March 11, 2005 in Credit Valley Hospital, Mississauga, Ontario.

Reverend A. Raymond Smith (BA ’30) passed away on February 5, 2005.

Elizabeth Wainwright (BA ’34) passed away on June 14, 2005 in Melville Heights, Halifax. ∂

TIDINGS | SUMMER 2005

23

ILENKA JELOWICKI cont’d from 7

“and more exciting was seeing my name in the credits, albeit next to ‘many thanks to Fruit of the Loom’, at the end of the credits.”

Understandably working for someone else wasn’t enough for Ilenka, and after two years with the agency, she decided it was time to move on to something else. “I really felt I had found a career that I slotted into—I loved the film industry,” she says. But she wanted the opportunity to cast principles in film or work on the production side of the films. She did have the opportunity to work on the production of films directly, but found that the process was too orderly and not what she was looking for in her work.

In 1999, Ilenka had a chance meeting with Sumie Macalpine-Downie, a lawyer at the time, and decided that they were both looking for something different. During a meeting at a pub, Sumie asked Ilenka if she was interested in starting a casting agency with her. “It was so surreal,” says Ilenka, “I had met her once at a party and here she was asking me to go 50/50 in opening a casting agency. I took 24 hours and thought, ok I’m 25, what can really go wrong, I have nothing to lose, let’s go for it.”

Sumie kept her job as a solicitor and the two women rented a small, grungy office in Camden in north London—maxed out their credit cards, bought a camera and some computers, and Mad Dog Casting opened for business in November of 1999. Their first employee was Ilenka’s sister Lara Jelowicki (BA ’00), also a King’s graduate, who worked with them for a year.

Hard work and ambition kept them busy and they were able to move to Soho after two years, which was the place to be in if you were in the media. They quickly outgrew that office too and moved to a converted piano factory just north of London. Their successful business has allowed them to recently expand once again to an office in Bath, covering the west country of England, which brings them to a staff of nine, with possible expansions planned for the future. These days are certainly different for her than those spent under the Chapel.

Ilenka’s success in the entertainment industry can certainly be attributed to her years at King’s, particularly her involvement with the KTS. “Being a member of the KTS was a huge influence,” says Ilenka. “During my third and fourth years, I think we did something in the region of 20 plays. It was run as a business and I always thought the casting side was interesting as well.” While her casting experiences were mainly as the person who auditions for a role, Ilenka says, “I did learn quickly who was good 24

TIDINGS | SUMMER 2005

or bad and what makes a good actor.”

Who knows what glamorous movies Ilenka will be working on in the years ahead. Keep watching… ∂

“Go after what you want, find out what your interests are and go after it, make yourself visible,” she says.

Why not? It’s certainly worked in her case. ∂

SHAUNTAY GRANT cont’d from 17

that I can write about the things that I know about and that’s equally important.”

Grant agrees to send along a sample of her own poetry, after a promise that no punctuation will be touched, formats disrupted or lower cases capitalized. It too underlines her feeling that her own unique path is the one worth traveling and the discovery of her true self powers her life: I spoke yet I did not recognize the speaker seemingly versed unfamiliar ideals only to satisfy my teacher taught me how to write in forms but I am not the seeker of forms I am the bearer of fruit and word/bond truth mahogany tree rooted deeply in the voice of experience a voice I had to learn to trust when out of mire and dust rose a sleeping child whose fortitude had been newly renewed she/me now rejecting foreign schisms and isms versed thoughts in vernacularisms releasing a voice born out of necessity was suppressed to please centuries of age old methodical prose but she who composes exposes the innermost corners of her real and so slowly she/I begin to reveal the sacred beauties of my mother tonguin word in the guise of she pourin libation in the form of free verse Grant’s future will play out in free verse too.

She’s unsure where she sees herself in five or 10 years, most likely because the road is currently littered with enticing options. She’s unlikely, though, to stall or withdraw from the pursuits that make every day fresh and different.

The journalist/musician/poet/educator/ writer is also willing to hand out a little guide map for those journalism grads who dream of following her example.

UP NORTH cont’d from 20

across the North, but at the same time there is a lot happening so there is a real opportunity to explore issues that people aren’t [exploring],” says Kennedy.

Budak says in the North you can be a young journalist and still get to cover something like a prime minister’s visit. In the South this would likely not happen because those assignments are for seasoned journalists only.

And there are important issues occurring in the North right now which the rest of Canada should know about. Ganley believes his journalism is an important witness to the rapid industrial growth in the Northwest Territories.

“The issues that interest me most personally are the aboriginal issues and how native people of the North have benefited from these developments,” Ganley says. “I mean, it’s been terrible in the past. They haven’t [benefited].”

There is work to be done in the North and there are opportunities for people willing to make the trek. King’s Journalism School graduates are definitely leading the way. There is quite a community of graduates living in the North. It is a snowball effect—literally. One graduate gets another a job. And they are quick to point out the misconceptions about living up North and sing its praises.

“There is certain romanticism about living up north that affects pretty much every Canadian,” says Kennedy. “A lot of people have an interest in working in Yellowknife right away but after they start looking into it, after a couple of weeks of thinking about it, that interest really starts dying down.”

Budack agrees. “[People believe] the North is not an exciting place. There is no sex appeal.

That is until people get here,” she says.

It is definitely not for the faint of heart.

“The ones that end up in Yellowknife are the ones with a sense of adventure,” says Kennedy.

Ganley took a chance and he is not disappointed. He acknowledges the isolation, but he believes it adds to the community spirit, and the journalism opportunities that are now open to him make it all worthwhile. He says it’s about as “culturally unique and different as you can get without leaving Canada.”

And for a young journalist that is fodder for great stories. ∂