J U N E 2013
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the Legend
UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE
CASA WELCOMES THE PUBLIC
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ongratulations to the students honoured with individual awards of merit at Spring 2013 Convocation.
Governor General’s Gold Medal – Lori-Ann Rosalind Sacrey
Lori was funded by several prestigious funding agencies throughout her program. For a recent graduate, she already has an outstanding publication record, most of which are in first class journals. Lori’s great leadership skills were evident by her engagement in various collaborations, teaching and extracurricular activities on campus and throughout the community. We wish her all the best in her post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Alberta.
School of Graduate Studies Medal of Merit (Doctor of Philosophy) – Chad Robert Laing
Chad is an exceptional student, making great impacts in the field of bioinformatics, as evidenced by his extensive publication record. His work promises to be valuable in the diagnosis of disease outbreak and will contribute to decisions on water and food contamination issues. Chad is also a leader in his community, sitting on the board of directors of the Canadian Hands 2 Heart Foundation.
School of Graduate Studies Medal of Merit (Master of Arts) – Rachel Holly Shields
Rachel’s work offers a critical look at the history of colonial feminism and the role it played in the institution of a racist culture. She is an outstanding student who seeks out alternative perspectives, and encourages thoughtful conversation and work across disciplines. We wish her luck in her PhD program at Florida State University.
School of Graduate Studies Medal of Merit (Master of Science) – Samantha Jane Dawson
Samantha’s research on women’s sexuality and sexual arousal was innovative and well developed resulting in multiple publications. Aside from her high academic accolades, Samantha was busy volunteering both on and off campus with the Graduate Students’ Association
as well as with multiple community groups. We wish her luck in her PhD program at Queens’ University.
School of Graduate Studies Medal of Merit (Master of Counselling) – Erika Pauline Kewley
Erika undertook a complex critical analysis of a topic that is infrequently addressed in the field of ethics and assessment, contributing much to the field of psychology, educational psychology and assessment fields. Erika created a manuscript proposal that captured the themes of her project, which she plans to publish in a peer-reviewed journal. Her goal is to become a registered psychologist who works with adolescents and families.
School of Graduate Studies Medal of Merit (Master of Education) – Leslie Anne Waite
Leslie was regarded as an exemplary student and her graduate work examined the ways in which mathematics education can engender a sense of wonder and creativity in school childrens’ understanding of mathematics. Leslie’s thesis work has already received attention from her school division and the province, as she will be presenting her findings at an upcoming French Immersion conference in Alberta.
School of Graduate Studies Medal of Merit (Master of Science, Management) – Olufemi Oladimeji Aiyegbusi
Olufemi’s (Femi) graduate work attempts to build a framework examining scenarios and recommending solutions for economic growth with low carbon emissions. Femi has been accepted to present a paper, based on his thesis, at the 2013 meeting of the Administrative Sciences Association of Canada. Femi received a full scholarship and attended Global Sustainability Summer School at Potsdam Institute for Climate Change Research in 2012. We wish Femi every success in his PhD program in Management at Bocconi University, Milan.
Faculty of Arts and Science Gold Medal (Arts) – Joanna Waszkiewicz Joanna came to the University of Lethbridge from her
native France and embraced all that campus had to offer. Academically, her professors, across multiple departments, describe her as “unusually advanced” and “remarkable.” Joanna is currently employed at the Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association, where she is admirably using her anthropological and linguistic skills to assist immigrant women in Alberta.
Governor General’s Silver Medal – Fern Megan Violet Leavens
Upon admission to the University of Lethbridge, Fern received the Chinook Scholarship, the top entrance award. She has now completed her bachelor of science, with a major in mathematics. Within her program, she studied at a 100 per cent course load each semester and completed an Undergraduate Honours Thesis.
Faculty of Arts and Science Gold Medal (Science) – Ashlee Eleanor Matkin
Ashlee’s professors note that she is “highly innovative” and “extremely motivated” and this has been rewarded through NSERC and AIHS summer student research awards, as well as laboratory experiences across neuroscience, chemistry and biology. Ashlee plans to pursue a career in medicine and a lifetime of continued learning and volunteering.
Faculty of Health Sciences Gold Medal – Twyla Lyndell Doyle Twyla’s instructors have described her as caring, compassionate, enthusiastic and diligent. While completing the bachelor of nursing program she demonstrated her dedication to providing quality health care services and advocating for those in need.
Faculty of Education Gold Medal – Hailee Brianne Virostek
Hailee was an outstanding student, achieving a most exceptional final academic standing in the Faculty of Education. With respect to her practicum experiences, Hailee was commended for her commitment to students and teaching. Especially noted were her planning and preparation standards, her ability to adapt to any classroom environment, her commitment
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to professional development and extracurricular activities, and her strong rapport with students and staff. After graduation, she will be attending McGill University in Montreal for two years to complete a master’s degree in speech language pathology.
William Aberhart Gold Medal – Joanne Christine Collier
Not only was Joanne an excellent student but she was also regarded as an excellent teacher. Throughout her practicums, Joanne was commended for being deeply passionate about music education, having exceptional planning abilities, demonstrating excellence in classroom management, and embodying genuineness and warmth toward her students. Upon completion of her degree requirements in December, Joanne was fortunate to be offered a teaching position at Lethbridge’s Catholic Central High School.
Faculty of Fine Arts Gold Medal – Joelle Esther Strang
Entering the Faculty with relatively little musical experience four years ago, Joelle is leaving as one of our most accomplished musicians. Joelle exemplifies the highest quality in academics and in performance on the oboe. In addition to her participation in the University of Lethbridge Wind Orchestra, Joelle is also a member of the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra and has been a guest musician with the Lethbridge Community Gold Band. Joelle plans to continue her studies with a second degree majoring in music education. Joelle has applied to the Faculty of Education for the fall semester and hopes she can continue to share her love of music.
Faculty of Management Gold Medal – Michael Stephen Despres
Michael will be attending Law School at BYU this fall on a full scholarship. He is interested in the fields of corporate, international and taxation law. His long-term goal is to return to Canada and work for a large multi-national organization as a strategic leader.
The University of Lethbridge joined the City of Lethbridge and the Allied Arts Council of Lethbridge in officially opening CASA, a spectacular 42,000-square foot arts centre in downtown Lethbridge, on May 14. CASA is the realization of a 20-year dream, shared by many in the Lethbridge arts community, to expand or replace the Bowman Arts Centre and provide a home for the arts in one central location. “Our local arts community has been waiting for this for a long time. For decades to come, this new arts facility will be a significant cultural and economic asset for downtown Lethbridge and for the entire community,” says Mayor Rajko Dodic. Along with the Allied Arts Council, who will be overseeing the facility, the University of Lethbridge is a major partner with its Music Conservatory moving to the facility. “We are extremely proud of U of L Music Conservatory Director Peggy Mezei and her team, and their achievements as they move in to CASA’s bright and beautiful space,” says Dr. Mike Mahon, the U of L’s President and Vice-Chancellor. “Our commitment to the community takes on many forms, and being such an integral part of the CASA group is something we are very pleased to be a part of. This new facility will be of great benefit to our present and future conservatory students, and also to the many members of the arts and culture community who use the facility to express their own creativity.” Funding for the $20.69 million project includes $6 million from the Building Canada Fund – Communities Component, $14.4 million from the provincial Municipal Sustainability Initiative and $200,000 from the City of Lethbridge. “We’re pleased to support local priorities and build communities through the Municipal Sustainability Initiative,” says Greg Weadick, Associate Minister of Alberta Municipal Affairs and MLA for LethbridgeWest. “Facilities like CASA bring together families and neighbours while they enrich lives, entertain and create more vibrant economies.” CASA will allow for students of all ages to learn and explore many different mediums of art, drama, music, dance, yoga and more. It will also become home to many local groups and events.