Acadia Bulletin - Fall 2016 by Acadia University

FALL 2016

THE FACE OF CHANGE ACADIA ALUMNUS AND SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR JAWAD NABULSI (’06) IS ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL ARABS UNDER 40. FIND OUT WHY – PAGE 8

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SPECIAL SECTION INSIDE ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2016 1

Thanks, Alumni! Labour Day Weekend means something special at Acadia. It’s the time when most new students come to campus to move into their residence room, embarking on their Acadia journey. This year’s Move-In Day was particularly busy for Welcome Week volunteers and alumni because Acadia’s first-year student population is 25.4% larger than last year, the largest year-over-year increase of any university in Atlantic Canada. Overall, Acadia’s undergraduate student population is up 2.0%, defying an overall decline across Atlantic Canada of 1.1%. “There’s no question that Acadia’s personal touch makes a difference,” says President Ray Ivany. “I meet with every first-year student within their first 48 hours on campus, and what I hear time after time is that it was a phone call from a professor or a prompt e-mail reply from a staff member that made the difference for them in deciding to come to Acadia. They also specifically mentioned the alumni sendoffs. These have a tremendous positive impact on students and their families.” Anthony Ferguson (’85), whom you’ll read more about on page 10 in this edition of the Bulletin, supported

Acadia’s prospective student outreach in the Bahamas by making space available in his newspapers and on the air at his radio stations to raise awareness and to promote Acadia’s recruitment drive in the Islands. Former Acadia Students’ Union President Chris Van Buskirk (’89) opened his home in Gatineau in August to new students headed to Acadia and their families so they could get to know one another and bond before they arrived on campus. William Roberts (’12), Rebecca Carr (’15), and Matt Rios (’14) spoke at student information sessions – sharing their Acadia experience – in London, Halifax, and Ottawa. Acadia’s Alumni Association sponsored buses to bring loads of curious high school students to Wolfville to experience campus for themselves and fall in love with Acadia. “We could not possibly have achieved the recruitment results of this year without the support of many, many people, including our alumni,” Ivany says. “The feeling our alumni have for Acadia and how eager they are to share this with others is just one of the many things that makes Acadia magical.”

PHOTO: JESSICA BROWN

New to Acadia U students were out in force during a recruitment drive in the Bahamas last summer.

Peter Bigelow (‘83)

IN EVERY ISSUE From the Acadia President . . . . . . . . . 2 From the Assoc. Alumni President . . . 3 Alumni Profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Eye on Acadia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Associated Alumni . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Homecoming Weekend . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Alumni Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Athletics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Class Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Acadia Remembers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Final Frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

FEATURES

Big plans Peter Bigelow (’83) has had a wonderful career making big plans, but maybe the best plan of all was when he decided to attend Acadia.

14Campaigning for Canada If Canada wins a seat on the UN Security Council in 2021, Michael Bonser (’99) will certainly deserve our thanks.

22 Co-operative approach Co-op placements offer an excellent opportunity for alumni to give back and help shape the careers of Acadia students.

37 Courting history Acadia University and the Department of Athletics have announced that the Athletics Complex gymnasium court will now be called the Stu Aberdeen Court in honour of one of Acadia’s most successful and influential coaches. ON THE COVER: Acadia alumnus Jawad Nabulsi (’06). Photo: Karim Omran

ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2016

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Fall 2016

Volume 99 / Issue 2 Publisher Office of Advancement, Acadia University

PHOTO: DAN CALLIS

THE WORLD ON OUR DOORSTEP

very week I have numerous occasions to speak with groups, government officials, alumni, donors, prospective students and their parents about what makes Acadia stand out in the Canadian post-secondary landscape. One of the things I always emphasize is that Acadia draws students from every province and territory and 60 countries from around the world. In many ways, the Acadia campus acts as a microcosm of the global community in which our students will forge their futures. It’s astonishing when you think about the path some students take from their homes to tiny Wolfville, Nova Scotia – a trip they would not take if it was not for the unique Acadia academic model. But what’s even more remarkable is the journey they take after they graduate, to corners of the globe where new experiences and relationships await them. Some of these experiences are challenging, to say the least. Here in Canada and Nova Scotia, we are very fortunate. But what has always impressed me about our alumni is that this good fortune does not prompt them to choose easy paths or to expect rewards they haven’t earned. Instead, we find our graduates acting as leaders - by challenging themselves and the status quo - in some of the most remote and dangerous places on our planet. This edition of the Bulletin will provide a glimpse into how some of these individuals have taken a piece of Acadia with them as they set about trying to make our world a better place. Meanwhile, closer to home, we maintain our commitment to making Acadia a better place for our students, faculty and staff. In early September, I stood at the front of a crowded classroom in Elliott Hall alongside the Hon. Scott Brison and the Hon. Kelly Regan when they announced significant government funding for the renewal of our science facilities in Huggins and Elliott Halls – $10.5 million from the Government of Canada and $5.5 million from the Province of Nova Scotia, to which we will add another $6.25 million in private support from alumni and other friends of the University. This tremendous support will enable refurbishment of our chemistry laboratories, reduction in energy consumption and our carbon footprint and establishment of a new Innovation Pavilion – all with a view to providing our faculty and students with the environment and tools to pursue excellence. Fittingly, this announcement was made in the year that marks the 50th anniversary of the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine being awarded to Dr. Charles Huggins (’20). Throughout his illustrious career, Dr. Huggins never wavered in his love for Acadia or his belief in the power of Acadia’s unique approach to post-secondary education. The world does come to Acadia and we are a stronger institution as a result. In fact, this fall we experienced a 25% increase in the size of our incoming first-year class — proof that Acadia offers students the experience they are looking for in today’s complex world. I am buoyed by the astonishing potential of our students and the remarkable accomplishments of our alumni, and believe firmly that the world is richer because of Acadia University. In Acadia spirit, Raymond E. Ivany President and Vice-Chancellor

ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2016

Editor Fred Sgambati (’83) Vice President, Advancement Rod Morrison Executive Director, Alumni Affairs and Advancement Strategy Ian Murray (’88) Production and Events Manager Sandra Symonds Associated Alumni Board of Directors Geoff Irvine (’87) Ryan Conrod (’06) Donalda MacBeath (’75) David Hovell (’91) Paul MacIsaac (’88) Doug Jackson (’99) Matt Rios (’14) Tony Stewart (’72) Michele Gerrard (’88) Kiersten Amos (’96) Ryan McCarthy (’10) Malcolm Smith (’76) Lisa Peck (’85) Jill Wagner (’99) Barry Taylor (’80) Ian MacIsaac (’86) Nick Westcott (’08) Becca Webster (’13) Amanda Penrice (’09) David Davidson (’81) Fred Gilbert (’65) Sandy Beveridge (’70) Rebecca Carr (’15) Tammy Walker (’92) Chelsea Penney (’16 - ex-officio) Madison Cyr (’17 - ex-officio) Graphic Designer Cathy Little Printing Advocate Printing Distributor Russell House Marketing The Bulletin is published twice a year, Fall/Winter and Spring/Summer, by the Office of Advancement, Acadia University. It is distributed on the Acadia campus and by mail to more than 28,000 alumni. All material is ©2016 Acadia University, and may be reprinted with written permission. Acadia Bulletin welcomes Letters to the Editor: Fred Sgambati Office of Advancement Acadia University Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6 fred.sgambati@acadiau.ca 902.585.1725 Advertising inquiries: Production and Events Manager Alumni Affairs Acadia University, Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6 902.585.1708 sandra.symonds@acadiau.ca

ASSOCIATED ALUMNI PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

PHOTO: OONAGH PROUDFOOT

A MODEST PROPOSAL

t was great to see so many Acadia alumni return to campus for Homecoming this year to celebrate life-long friendships, cheer our varsity teams and find out what is new at Acadia. Let’s face it – just being back in Wolfville is always special. In the fall of the year, I always find myself reflecting on how much our time at Acadia influenced my success in life and how much this place means to each of us. I feel so strongly about my debt to Acadia that I dedicate my volunteer time to my alma mater and have been for many years a monthly financial donor to the University. There are many ways that each of us can give back to Acadia, including direct donations to areas of need such as student scholarships; programs that interest us; student activities; athletics; or capital projects. We can mentor students, join the alumni board, volunteer for an event or do whatever we feel will benefit Acadia, our alumni and current students. In the business of university advancement, one key way to measure engagement is the ‘alumni participation rate.’ Participation rate is defined as the percentage of active alumni who give any amount of money to their alma mater in a given year. Twenty-five years ago Acadia enjoyed a participation rate of over 15 per cent and was considered to be in the top five in Canada with McGill and Queen’s. Top American Ivy League schools often enjoy participation rates of over 50 per cent with public universities being much lower and more in line with Canadian schools. While Acadia has had some very good recent years of fundraising success and continues to enjoy dedicated and supportive alumni, one way we can all have an impact is to work together to grow our participation rate. From our lofty perch of 15 per cent in the ’90s, the participation rate at Acadia has fallen to slightly under five per cent, with the Canadian

average currently around six per cent. Let’s make a commitment to each other to grow our participation rate at Acadia. While large gifts are necessary and a key part of the fundraising pyramid, we know that they take time to cultivate and steward. I am certain that many people are like me and give a modest amount when they can, perhaps inspired by a specific issue, need or ask by a friend or professional development team. Please take some time to find out what area of need at Acadia appeals to you and give what you can as often as you can. Let’s make a concerted effort over the next few years to grow our participation rate and get us back to 15 per cent or more. I spread out my tax deductible gifts to Acadia over the year and have set up a monthly debit program with the Office of Advancement whereby Acadia receives an amount equal to a modest dinner for two every month. To make up for this, I’m happy to dine at home and enjoy a glass of wine from the Gaspereau Valley to toast my good fortune at attending Acadia. If each of us makes just one donation per year, we will lead North America in alumni participation. It’s that easy. Please take up this challenge and contact the Office of Advancement. Here’s how: General Inquiries: 902.585.1459 To make a donation: 902.585.1876 Toll-free in North America: 1.866.ACADIAU (1.866.222.3428) E-mail: advancement@acadiau.ca Thank you. Geoff Irvine (’87) President, Associated Alumni of Acadia University

ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2016

MAN WITH A PLAN PETER BIGELOW’S CAREER AS A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT DEEPLY ROOTED IN AN ACADIA EXPERIENCE RICH IN ORIGINAL THINKING By Laura Churchill Duke (’98)

Peter Bigelow (‘83)

ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2016

PHOTO: COURTESY OF PETER BIGELOW

eter Bigelow (’83) has had a wonderful career making big plans, but maybe the best plan of all was when he decided to attend Acadia University. “Acadia helps to grow your mind,” he says, attributing much of his success to his favourite professors: Dr. George Curry in plant physiology and Dr. Jim Stokesbury in history. “They really instilled the idea of looking at root causes, whether in science or history,” Bigelow says. “They encouraged original thinking.” That kind of thing quickly came in handy. Before he graduated with a BSc in biology, Bigelow had a summer job as a streetscape installer in his hometown of Truro. He loved it so much he knew he wanted to do this type of work for the rest of his life. Thus, the illustrious career of a landscape architect began. “Being a landscape architect is far more than designing parks and planting bushes,” Bigelow explains. It’s really about designing environments that take into consideration human ecology – the relationship between humans and their natural, social and built environments – and our natural ecology. “Not everything we design can be based on human rules,” he says. For the past 27 years, Bigelow has worked with the City of Halifax as a landscape architect. When he began, he was the first landscape architect to be hired so he was able to shape his own job. He started work on planning and building Halifax’s park system and moved on to regional and city planning.

ALUMNI PROFILES

Helping to make the Halifax Commons accessible to all is a career highlight. “We need to find and build attractions within a community that bring people together and create social cohesion,” Bigelow says. “The Commons does this through the free equipment rentals and use of the space.” Bigelow was also instrumental in the creation of the new Halifax library. As part of a team, he worked to find the best location and create a world-class building that would help shape the downtown and be a catalyst for further development. After a 27-year career with the city, Bigelow recently shifted gears to work with the Halifax Waterfront Development Corporation. The same principles apply, however, but with a focus on waterfronts. “Waterfronts have primarily been industrial,” Bigelow says. “Now we are making them spaces where recreation, economic development and community-building can happen.”

MANY ACADIA CONNECTIONS While working in Halifax, Bigelow had the opportunity to work with many fellow Acadia graduates, including: Gordon Laing (’71) on Southwest Properties’ Bishop’s Landing project and the Halifax Ocean Innovation Centre; Andy Fillmore, (’87) through his position as a Member of Parliament for Halifax; Peter Luke (’85), former HRM Councillor; Debbie Hum (’77), developer; Glenn Munro (’76), Crombie REIT developer; Don

PHOTO COURTESY OF HALIFAX PUBLIC LIBRARIES

Bigelow was also instrumental in the creation of the new Halifax library. As part of a team, he worked to find the best location and create a world-class building that would help shape the downtown and be a catalyst for further development.

Clow (’83), President and CEO, Crombie REIT; and Bigelow’s former roommate, Jamie Hannam (’83), director of the Atlantic Canada Water and Wastewater Association. The list goes on. The Acadia connections are everywhere. In fact, Bigelow says that his core group of friends and family have all gone to Acadia. Bigelow was the first in his family to attend university, but he started a tradition. His three younger siblings – Michelle (Bigelow) Murphy (’85), Jennifer (Bigelow) MacDougall (’95) and Andrew Bigelow (’97) – all attended Acadia. His daughter, Rachel Bigelow, is currently studying business on campus. Michelle’s husband Robert Murphy (’86) and their daughter Katie (’16) attended and their son Andrew is entering his third year with his cousin, Rachel. Bigelow looks back fondly on his days at Acadia, and appreciates the small-school experience he had. “Every fall, when the leaves start to turn, my nose turns toward Acadia, like I am somehow supposed to be heading there.”

Acadia Reminiscence While a student at Acadia, Peter was a member of the Acadia rugby team. He remembers playing rugby on the dykes and thinking what a surreal place it was. He adds that there are many stories he could share from his rugby days, but better not. “The statute of limitations is not up yet!” he says. The Acadia fun and camaraderie continues. Every July 1st, a group of Acadia friends (mostly Chipman boys) gather at Luc Erjavec’s (’83) cottage for the ‘Luc Olympics.’ “We knew we wanted to have a reunion and use Luc’s cottage for it,” Bigelow says. “However, Luc was living in Boston at the time and the only way to get him to come was by naming the event after him!” Now in its 29th year, the Luc Olympics thrive and the Acadia friendships remain steadfast.

ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2016

NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR ASSOCIATED ALUMNI OF ACADIA UNIVERSITY AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING Nominations are now open for the Associated Alumni of Acadia University Award for Faculty Excellence in Teaching. This award recognizes a continued record of excellence in teaching students and future alumni of Acadia University with a focus on the faculty memberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s professional and teaching accomplishments. Candidates must be current full-time, part-time or contract members of the teaching faculty and have taught at Acadia University for at least three years. To nominate someone or for more information, please visit: http://www2.acadiau.ca/alumni-friends/alumni/awards.html Please send completed nomination forms to: oonagh.proudfoot@acadiau.ca. Nomination deadline: November 30, 2016.

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ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2016

ALUMNI PROFILES

ACADIA ALUMNUS SETTLES IN AS HOST OF CBC’S THE EXCHANGE

PHOTO: DUSTIN RABIN PHOTOGRAPHY (COURTESY OF PETER ARMSTRONG)

cadia alumnus Peter Armstrong (’95) began hosting The Exchange (now renamed On the Money) on CBC Television in May, and he’s still pretty excited about his new role. “We want to do a show that lives at the intersection of your pocketbook and your life,” he says. “We look at all the big issues and how they impact the economy and, more importantly, your life. It’s a long way from Crowell Tower to Studio 50, with lots of fascinating stops in-between.” Peter brings a wealth of reporting experience and an energy and enthusiasm that is infectious. He has a strong interest in business and economics and has excelled in his role as economics reporter. Prior to his economic beat assignment, Peter covered sports and was the host of World Report. He also covered the Middle East for four years as CBC’s foreign correspondent in the area and before that was a Parliamentary reporter in Ottawa. An award-winning journalist, he has covered three wars and reported in French and English from four continents. Peter has reported from the front lines in Afghanistan, embedded with Canadian, U.S. and British troops. He has covered the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, traveling throughout Israel, The West Bank and the Gaza Strip. He also reported live from Barack Obama’s ancestral village in Kenya the night of the American presidential election in 2008. Peter has worked in CBC locations across Canada, beginning in Quebec City with stops in Saint John, Toronto, Ottawa’s Parliamentary Bureau and Vancouver. His coverage of news stories in Canada and the United States includes the SARS outbreak, three federal elections, and the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. Originally from Oakville, Ont., Peter is bilingual in French and English, and is now studying Arabic. He is married to Canadian journalist Piya Chattopadhyay.

Peter Armstrong (’95)

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JAWAD NABULSI: THE POWER OF HUMANITARIANISM

By Rachel Cooper (’89)

CULTURE SHOCK Nabulsi’s journey began with a decision to make a fresh start at a university far from home. A supportive uncle in Montreal, a top university ranking in Maclean’s magazine, and the promise of small classes brought him to Acadia at age 17. “Acadia changed my life,” says the BBA grad. Initial culture shocks included the move from Cairo to a small town in Nova Scotia. “And I had never lived in a dorm, let alone a mixed dorm with a mixed bathroom. That was a big culture shock.” Soon after Nabulsi’s arrival at Acadia, world events triggered a turning point in his life. “September 11th happened when I was at Acadia,” he says. “I would go from one class to another because the topic was open, and I was speaking to represent the Muslim perspective. The overwhelming majority of the people who die from this radical ideology are Muslims, and the radicalism doesn’t represent who we are and what our religion stands for. I gave a lecture almost every Friday, and I kept doing that until I graduated.” The experience changed his sense of responsibility, from just career and family to a wider area of influence for change. Being the first Arab Muslim to run for president of the Acadia Students’ Union expanded his world view even further. He came second by about 100 votes. Besides learning how to campaign for himself, he mingled with politicians campaigning in Canadian elections that were happening at the time. “That was a great experience to see how democracy actually works,” he says. 8

ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2016

“Seeing how they campaigned and organized had a big impact on me.”

RETURN TO EGYPT At Acadia, Nabulsi’s experience with democracy and exposure to other cultures may have influenced his decision to return to Egypt, he says. But what really clinched it was knowing he could make a greater difference there than in Canada. He could foresee the huge impact of starting a social enterprise back in Egypt. When he was shot in 2011, he bled for five hours while seeking medical aid, because hospitals and doctors were afraid to treat injured protesters. That experience sparked the Nebny Foundation, which began as a website and call centre to connect medical volunteers with people who were injured. The site facilitated the medical treatment of more than 2,200 revolutionaries.

NEBNY EXPANDS Following the revolution, Nabulsi took an apartment in Cairo’s Manshiyat Naser, one of the poorest areas in the world, and consulted local people on what they needed. He discovered that 70 per cent of schoolchildren could not read or write their names. “Most of these families spend over 60 per cent of their income on their children’s education – they want their kids to learn,” he says. The children, too, wanted to learn, but the teaching was non-existent. Using a scalable model that could be expanded nationwide, the Nebny Foundation was recognized as a social enterprise and received authorization to give school children an extra two hours of teaching, using specially trained teachers, every day for three-and-a-half months. “We provide them with a meal and have clear benchmarks that test the students on how much they gain,” Nabulsi says. Although their main focus is education, Nebny supports health care and is involved in job creation, because even children who do well in school will leave to go to work if their parents are unemployed.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JAWAD NABULSI

s a boy in Egypt, Jawad Nabulsi (’06) was expelled from three schools. As an activist/social entrepreneur, he was shot by a police officer in the 2011 Egyptian revolution that ousted Hosni Mubarak. In 2015, he topped Arabian Business magazine’s list of the 100 most powerful Arabs under 40. His non-governmental organization, the Nebny Foundation (Nebny means “we build”), has touched over 100,000 lives, providing education, health care and employment in Cairo’s poorest neighbourhoods. How did that schoolboy become such a man of influence?

PLANNING THE FUTURE After Jawad Nabulsi earned his MPA from Harvard Kennedy School, he returned to Egypt for a visit with his Harvard professor, Lant Pritchett, and Pritchett’s wife, Diane Tueller Pritchett. The purple T-shirts were a present for the children and a motivation for them to dream big and attend Harvard University one day. Since the children look up to Nabulsi, that’s what they’re hoping for and working toward.

Nabulsi, now in California and married, graduated in June 2016 with a Master of Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School and a Master’s in Management from Stanford Business School. “Since the revolution, it has been a rollercoaster,” he says. “Now I’m taking stock to see how to invest my time and energy in a way that will impact the most people’s lives.” Nabulsi would like to see a strong international presence among Acadia students and faculty. “There’s value for people coming from abroad to live in such a small town, but there’s also value for Canadian students to interact with international students,” he says. “We both benefit from each other and the cultural interaction.” Even though Nabulsi is part of both Harvard and Stanford alumni, meeting Acadia alumni is different, he says. “I feel lucky to have been part of Acadia. When you go to a small school, and it’s a good school, you feel special. You feel a close bond.”

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FRIENDLY ATMOSPHERE, QUALITY EDUCATION PERFECT RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

PHOTO: COURTESY OF ANTHONY FERGUSON

BAHAMIAN ANTHONY FERGUSON (’85) CREDITS ACADIA FOR REMARKABLE CAREER AS FINANCIAL ANALYST, INVESTOR ADVISOR

Anthony Ferguson (’85)

By Jim Prime (’69)

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here has to be a very good reason to leave a tropical paradise boasting 340 days of sunshine – and temperatures ranging from 26 to 33 degrees Celsius – to move 2,500 kilometers northeast to Nova Scotia. For Anthony Ferguson (’85), that compelling reason was Acadia.

ACADIA BULLETIN Fall Spring 2016 2016

Ferguson was born on Crooked Island (pop. 337), one of 700 islands and cays that comprise the coral-based Caribbean nation of The Bahamas. His father was a carpenter and his mother a domestic servant. “I really came from very, very humble beginnings,” he says. “I’ve been blessed and I’m thankful every day for the opportunities that have been presented to me, and quite frankly Acadia was a big part of my development professionally.” After earning his BBA from Acadia, Ferguson returned home to become a highly successful financial analyst and investment advisor. He is a partner of AF Holdings Ltd., a family office holding company; president of CFAL, a leading independent investment and advisory firm based in The Bahamas; Executive Vice-Chairman of Ansbacher Bahamas Limited, a leading international private bank in The Bahamas; and a director of Colina Insurance Limited, The Bahamas’ oldest life and health insurer, and the Nassau Guardian (1844) Ltd., the country’s oldest newspaper. Among his many achievements, he is the former Director of the National Insurance Board and Past President of the Bahamas Society of Financial Analysts. He is a member of the Association for Investment Management and Research, and the Chartered Market Technicians Association. He credits Acadia with laying the foundation and providing the tools necessary to build a multi-faceted financial career. “I made relationships with professors that I can still call upon today,” he says. “It has helped me to get where I am.”

FELT COMFORTABLE In high school, Ferguson was looking for a small university that focused on academics. A friend recommended Acadia. “Acadia had a really good reputation in the financial and accounting world,” he says. “When I arrived on campus, it actually seemed big to me because I attended a high school with fewer than 10 graduates, but Acadia wasn’t intimidating. People were

ALUMNI PROFILES

extremely friendly and very helpful. Everything was done with a view to helping you and making you feel comfortable.” Canada and The Bahamas have always enjoyed a warm and vital relationship, a fact not lost on Ferguson. “That was part of my decision to go to school in Canada,” he says. “Because of their traditions and culture and those historic ties. The people are known to be friendly, warm and welcoming and that’s what I experienced when I first went to Acadia. I immediately felt at home.” Even the inevitable arrival of winter failed to chill Ferguson’s enthusiasm. He discovered that the frigid temperatures were no match for the warmth of the people. He singles out Dr. John Churchill (’67) and Mark Webb as examples of professors who went the extra mile for students. “They were all very interested in you as a person. If you didn’t understand something, you could go by their office and they’d explain it. They really took a personal interest in your development. You could ask questions about careers or opportunities. They were not guidance counsellors, but they really tried to guide you in what they thought was best for you as a student. They worked closely with you to help you to understand a particular topic or approach to a problem.”

LOYAL TO HIS ALMA MATER The Bahamian presence at Acadia will continue to grow and flourish if Ferguson has anything to say about it. The Bahamian Acadia community stays in close contact and alumni go out of their way to support newer graduates. “We try to help one another with jobs,” Ferguson says. “If I have job interviews with three candidates and one went to Acadia, of course you know who gets hired.” Ferguson’s loyalty to his alma mater also extends to recruitment. “I do encourage students who attend the College of the Bahamas or high schools that are looking for universities to consider Acadia,” he says. “I tell them that it’s a small, intimate university with an excellent reputation in the financial world and that the level and quality of education you get is second to none. “You get to interact with professors who take a personal interest in you and, once you finish, the Bahamian Alumni Association is strongly behind you. We all try to recruit or place Acadia graduates. Acadia is absolutely well-known and respected throughout The Bahamas and, as employers, we know the level of basic education they would have attained and that they will be able to add value on the job.”

Acadia Reminiscence Anthony Ferguson’s time at Acadia was full of new experiences and he embraced the opportunities that came his way. The football Axemen were a force to be reckoned with at the time and he “enjoyed going to games; the camaraderie and fellowship was pretty exciting. It was like a big family. One thing that stood out also was the time we got snowed in that winter when I first arrived. We couldn’t get out of Horton. It wasn’t a shock, but it was still shocking. An interesting highlight.” He also took part in another Acadia rite of passage: sliding down the U-Hall hill on dinner trays. “I wasn’t sure if I should say that,” he added, fearing that the statute of limitations on such activity may not be up. ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2016

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POLITICAL SCIENCE: AN INTERNATIONAL LAUNCHING PAD

Gar Pardy (’66) with Laurel Pardy (‘63)

By Rachel Cooper (’89)

or more than 50 years, Acadia’s Politics Department has launched the careers of diplomats, policy advisors and humanitarians. When Henry Garfield “Gar” Pardy (’66) attended Acadia in 1962, the only professor teaching political science was Duncan Fraser, although Blair Williams arrived the following year. Despite its small size, the department saw four of its 1965-66 students enter the Canadian Foreign Service, including Pardy. “It’s probably unique in the annals of Foreign Affairs to have four people out of the same small university, and all of us ending up in the Foreign Service,” he says. After high school in Gander, NL, Pardy worked for the weather service in Goose Bay and Frobisher Bay. When he was offered jobs farther north, he decided there were easier ways to get to Moscow than over the North Pole. He applied to several universities and came to Acadia in the fall of 1962. “I arrived in Wolfville to the smell of the vinegar factory up the road,” he says. “That started four wonderful years.” Pardy and his wife, Laurel (’63), moved to Ottawa after he earned an MA at McMaster. His diplomatic postings included India, Kenya, Washington DC, and Central America. When he retired in 2003, he had been director general of the Consular Affairs Bureau in Ottawa for 11 years. Previous policy decisions had reduced the bureau to nearly nothing, and his job was to create it anew. “This is the bureau that provides services to Canadians overseas who are in difficulty,” he says. “Trying to get them home alive is what we were doing.” Pardy now writes for the Hill Times, a politics and foreign policy newspaper in Ottawa. He has also published Afterwords: From a Foreign Service Odyssey, a collection of commentaries, speeches and reviews. Laurel is also a writer, having published A Lady of Lunenburg, a novel about an ancestor in 1752, and Life on a Carousel, a book of essays and stories about life in

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the Foreign Service. “The Acadia community was small enough that you were never out of sight of somebody you knew,” he says. “That kind of pleasant interlude in life is rare. It was almost like, for want of a better word, a Camelot – a place out of time for many of us.”

INTERNATIONAL INFLUENCE Following the 1960s, the Political Science Department expanded. A key faculty member was Dr. Marshall “Marsh” Conley, who taught from 1971 until he took early retirement in 2000. Like Pardy, Conley had intended to enter the Foreign Service. They did their Master’s together at McMaster, sharing an office, and over the years worked on a variety of projects. Conley’s life turned to academia in 1969, when he was involved in the negotiations to merge Prince of Wales College and St. Dunstan’s University into UPEI. “Fresh out of a Master’s degree, I was able to become a head of a department and the constitutional advisor to Premier Campbell during the constitutional meetings,” he says. “I had written my Foreign Service exams, but life took me in a different direction.” Although not in the Foreign Service, Conley has administered and run projects in more than 50 countries on behalf of the Canadian government and international organizations such as UNESCO, UNICEF, and the Council of Europe. He now works full-time as president of Conley-International, an educational consulting company. In 1998, he started Acadia’s International Internship Program, the first of its kind in Atlantic Canada, and was its coordinator until the program stopped in 2013–14. He had been working with Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs as a consultant and advisor, and they urged him to take advantage of the new program. That year, Acadia sent 15 interns abroad to work in human-rights organizations.

ALUMNI PROFILES

Left: Dr. Marshall Conley Right: Joy Newbold (‘06)

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF JON MANN AND ROB RAMSAY

Acadia Reminiscence From 1998 to 2013, the International Internship Program sent 168 Acadia students overseas. One was Michael Bonser, the minister counsellor and political coordinator at Canada’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York (see article, page 14). “Michael is a close friend,” Conley says. “I supervised his master’s thesis, and I know him well. I keep in touch with all the people on the intern list, so I know what they’re doing. Acadia has produced some really outstanding public people. “When you look at the number of people who came out of the internship program,” he says, “and how many stayed in international development and human rights development as a consequence of having those experiences through the program or through Acadia, I’m really pleased.” Rob Ramsay (above) in the film Blue Mountain State. AT THE UNITED NATIONS

Joy Newbold (’06) is one of those whose Acadia experience Jon Mann delivering TEDxas talkain diplomat. Moncton, N.B. prepared her fora life Now the consul/second secretary of the Permanent Mission of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to the United Nations in New York, Newbold arrived at Acadia knowing what career path she wanted, she says, but Acadia helped her to develop into the diplomat she is today. “A lot of the exercises we did in class – the quick thinking, the deep thinking, the group work – are vital in today’s environment, especially at the UN,” she says. “I think Acadia grounds you in what you need to know for the real world. You have to get actively involved to accomplish a lot.” Newbold works a busy day that can start at 7 a.m. and keep going until 7 p.m. “I’m a 10-year Foreign Service officer,” she says. “Now, at the end of every day, I want to know that I’ve accomplished something for my country and my people and the international community the best that I can.”

“Being part of Acadia’s Caribbean community was fun – it was very active. I remember performing during one of the half-time games with our Caricom (Caribbean Community) group and putting on a half-time show. That was electric. I’ll never forget that, because I was so nervous, but it was fun. I think the campus is one of the most beautiful in the world. Acadia draws you in, and I like that the school ensures that you’re welcomed. I find all Canadians are like that, and that’s why I love Acadia and love Canada. You get that feeling in Wolfville – everybody knows your name, and it’s amazing. One of my favourite memories is that you can go anywhere in Wolfville and people tend to know who you are. It’s magic.” – Joy Newbold

“Laurel and I met in my first year, in the fall of ’62. We had both been elected to the student council and that’s where we met. Although I’m older, she was in her senior year. We married a year later, in 1963, while we were still at university, and lived in an apartment in an old house on Prospect Street. Laurel graduated in the spring of ’63 with a science degree. She got an education degree in ’64 and taught for two years at Kings County Academy. Fifty-odd years later, we’re still together.” – Gar Pardy

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from Michael Bonser standing in front of the “Canada Doors,” a gift from Canada to the UN in 1952. to t

CAMPAIGNING FOR CANADA UNITED NATIONS at the

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ALUMNI PROFILES

By Rachel Cooper (’89)

f Canada wins a seat on the UN Security Council in 2021, Michael Bonser (’99 MA POLS) will deserve our thanks. Bonser, the minister counsellor and political coordinator at Canada’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, is part of a small team running the day-to-day election campaign under the leadership of the ambassador and the deputy permanent representative. Canada is competing with Norway and Ireland for one of two seats, and winning will require a two-thirds majority of the 193 member states. Bonser is running a positive campaign that reflects the government’s approach to welcoming refugees, to peaceful pluralism, and to re-engagement on peacekeeping and building and sustaining peace. He and his team also provide advice to Ottawa on what kinds of commitments will help raise Canada’s UN profile. As the number three person in the Canadian embassy, Bonser heads a team of diplomats who provide daily reports and analysis on what the UN’s Security Council and member states are thinking and doing on international security issues. These include counter-terrorism, the prevention of mass atrocities, and the situations in Syria, Libya and Iraq.

START OF A CAREER Bonser’s interest in politics and international affairs began years ago. After completing an Honours degree in History and Political Studies at Queen’s in 1990, he worked a variety of jobs to finance a backpacking trip through eastern Africa in 1991-92. Once home, he looked for a job in Ottawa. “I didn’t have a laptop, so I typed 295 letters and resumés on a typewriter and sent them to each Member of Parliament,” he says. “I got 294 rejection letters and one letter offering an opportunity to be an unpaid volunteer.” That unpaid post eventually turned into a job on Parliament Hill as a legislative assistant for John Murphy, then MP for Annapolis Valley–Hants. Working with Murphy, he came to know Wolfville and Acadia. He continued in the post until the elections in June 1997, by which time his application to Acadia had been accepted.

DOORS OPENING In Acadia’s MA program, Bonser worked with professors Marsh Conley, Agar Adamson, Cynthia Alexander, and Ian Stewart. “All of them played a key role for me, Marsh in particular,” he says. “He was my thesis advisor as I was doing an MA on human rights in Canadian foreign policy. Marsh’s passion was to look beyond your neighbourhood and to consider the contribution you could make if you were confident, creative, hard-working and determined. He was motivating in terms of how to turn a passion into a career path, and in opening doors and providing contacts and opportunities. I am forever grateful for what he offered me.” Adamson and Stewart taught him how to be a stronger analytical thinker and a better writer. “I credit them both for the rigour and analysis I bring to my job now,” he says. Alexander pushed him to think and work differently. “She used lateral mapping, and I was very linear in some ways in how I thought about issues,” he says. “But I realize more and more that there is no linear approach to international affairs. She showed us how issues are linked, perhaps in a non-linear but interesting fashion. The kinds of critical thinking she helped bring to me were really, really important.”

CANADA AS BEACON Despite the UN’s shortcomings and slow pace of change, its principles never stop being important, Bonser says. These are to promote human rights and to make sure that basic human needs and dignity are met, and, where possible, to bring security to places where there is none. The previous head of the UN High Commission for Refugees, António Guterres, spoke of Canada as the beacon for the world on issues around multiculturalism, refugee protection, and welcoming people from around the world, Bonser says. “He always used Canada as his example. You felt you had a lot to live up to. I’ve never lost that feeling that we have to keep working our hardest to make sure the world is justified to see us so positively and as something to aspire to – no matter how much of a work in progress we really are.”

PHOTO: COURTESY OF MICHAEL BONSER

Acadia Reminiscence “My favourite memory of Acadia was Friday nights, when there was a home game and two or three thousand people from Wolfville and Acadia cheered on the Acadia hockey team. You felt like you were part of a community. The other favourite memory is from one of the first days I was on campus. I was walking across campus on a beautiful September day, seeing students sitting under trees reading books and talking in small groups or going for coffee, and feeling that sense of being part of something bigger in a place where people were anxious to learn and explore and challenge their conventional wisdom.”

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DIPLOMATIC RESPONSE FORMATIVE YEARS UNDER DUNCAN FRASER’S TUTELAGE FORGE ROADMAP TO LIFE IN POLITICS FOR ALUMNUS JOHN NOBLE (’65) By Jim Prime (’69)

he road to a diplomatic career is long, with precious few signposts to guide you along the way. Nevertheless, in the mid-sixties you might reasonably have concluded that this road passes through Wolfville and Acadia. Indeed, being a student in Duncan Fraser’s honours political science class in 1966 seems to have been an excellent shortcut for many, including John J. Noble (’65). Noble joined External Affairs in June 1966 and spent more than 35 years serving our nation’s interests at home and abroad, including 18 years in Senegal, Turkey, England, Switzerland and as Ambassador to Greece. He was Minister plenipotentiary to France and concurrently Consul General to Monaco. He has been Canadian Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein and Permanent Observer to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France. Back in Ottawa, he served as Official Spokesman for the Foreign Minister and the Department and Director of the Press Office; Director of U.S. Relations; Director General of the U.S.

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Bureau, the International Security and Arms Control Bureau, and the International Organizations Bureau. Noble was a Fellow at Harvard’s Centre for International Affairs in 1990-91. The eldest of six children of Baptist minister Rev. Dr. Ronald Harding Noble (’40), and Marian (Cope Smith) Noble (’42), John attended schools throughout the Maritimes and Massachusetts before graduating from Bridgewater (NS) High School. Since both of his parents were Acadia alumni, when it came time to decide on a university, Acadia was all but preordained. “I don’t think I had much choice,” he says. “I was always going to Acadia, although I didn’t have the foggiest notion of what I wanted to do.” A four-year entrance scholarship helped to ease the financial burden on the young family and his sister, Nancy Noble (’68), soon followed him to the Wolfville campus. When he began his BA (History) studies, one class made an immediate impact. “Duncan Fraser (’48) was the head of the political science department and he put the fear of God into

PHOTO: COURTESY OF JOHN NOBLE

ALUMNI PROFILES

John Noble (‘65)

everybody the very first day. He was absolutely not a diplomatic guy. You didn’t BS Duncan Fraser.”

ELECTED ASU PRESIDENT Perhaps inadvertently, Noble began to add to his diplomatic ‘resume’. He signed up for the COTC (Canadian Officer Training Corps) in order to pay his second-year tuition. He also sat as a PC in model parliament until the contentious Canadian flag debate prompted him to become Clerk of the House. “I guess I tried to become apolitical at that point,” he says. He worked in the dining hall as a tray cleaner, checker and finally as a teller. “I could remember all the girls’ meal card numbers even if I didn’t know their names,” he recalls. Gradually, Noble became aware that his personal meal ticket lay in the realm of political science. In 1965 he was elected President of the Acadia Students’ Union and learned that there were various ways to effect change. Under his leadership the

student union made the decision to incorporate itself, giving it more independence from University administration. As ASU president, Noble also faced one of the most crucial issues in Acadia’s history, when the United Baptist Convention resolved that the University faculty should become exclusively Christian. “There were all kinds of pressures. I was being pressured by some people to come out in favour of it and others against it.” Academic freedom won out and in 1966 Acadia was no longer subject to Convention control. After graduating in ’65 with a BA in History, Noble returned the following year to take honours in political science, the first year such a course had been offered. Others in Fraser’s class included Gar Pardy (’66), Arydn Todd (’65), Tom Sheppard (’66) and Rupert Haley (’66). Of the five in that initial honours course, three were accepted into External Affairs. “Duncan was bombastic and opinionated,” Noble says, “but he enlarged my horizons of thinking. He was very proud of the fact that three of his class were accepted at External Affairs.” When asked why so many members of that small group became diplomats, Noble chuckles. “Obviously it was the quality of the student,” he says before providing the more diplomatic response, “also, External Affairs was recruiting heavily that year.” Retired and living in Ottawa, Noble attributes his success on the international stage to a diversity of experiences, many of them garnered at Acadia. “The key is to keep as many doors open as possible. You never know where the opportunities are going to come from.”

Acadia Reminiscence When rising student fees brought protests and picket signs to the idyllic Acadia campus in 1965, it was an issue that struck close to home for Noble. “I was convinced that given my own circumstances there were an awful lot of other Nova Scotians who weren’t able to afford to go to university. We actually had the first strike at the University – a one-day protest against tuition fee hikes. In the fall of ’65 there was a national student day where all of the student presidents descended on Halifax where we met with (Premier) Bob Stanfield. My last year of university was the first year of the Canada student loan plan.”

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PHOTO: NANCY HANDRIGAN

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FROM CO-OP INTERN TO NEW YORK BRIGHT LIGHT By Rachel Cooper (’89)

n any given morning, Peter Burka (BCS ’12) makes the short bike ride from his loft apartment in New York City’s financial district to his office in SoHo. Burka and his wife, Kristin, moved to New York in 2011 when he accepted a senior engineering position with Two Sigma. This international finance company uses artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies to create investment strategies for its clients, which include public pension plans, international research institutions, and educational endowments.

CO-OPERATIVE APPEAL “We fell in love with New York before we moved here,” he says. “It’s one of the world’s great cities, and people walk everywhere.” Now a vice-president with Two Sigma, Burka started his

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technology career in Acadia’s Co-operative Education program in the 1990s. He had transferred to Acadia after two years at the University of Prince Edward Island, which didn’t have a full computer science program at the time. “My father was a professor at UPEI, so that was the easy choice,” he says. “In some ways I regret a little bit that I wasn’t more adventurous. I could have applied to Acadia right away; I could have applied to MIT. But I went for the easy choice.” During his two years at Acadia, his computer science class was small and tightly knit. “It was a great experience to meet other enthusiastic and smart students and work with them,” he says. “Everyone was very cooperative. We worked on projects together, we all helped each other, and it was a really positive environment that way. Working with the other students was a lot of fun. I made good friends and got along well with the professors.”

ALUMNI PROFILES

...It was a great experience to meet other enthusiastic and smart students and work with them. Everyone was very cooperative. We worked on projects together, we all helped each other, and it was a really positive environment that way...

He particularly liked working with Dr. Ivan Tomak. “He introduced me to Smalltalk, a programming language from the late 1970s. It’s a remarkably elegant and simple language, and it spoke to me. Learning it set my career path.” The strong co-op program had attracted him to Acadia, and his first job was a 16-month internship with Object Technology International (OTI), a Smalltalk vendor based in Ottawa. “That was a fantastic time,” he says now. “I was essentially treated like a full-time employee and had architectural responsibility. Although I was expecting to work at a Smalltalk company, Java had just come out. OTI transitioned into being a Java company, and my first job was producing a development environment for Java. We went from building a beta product to shipping the first version before I went back to school. It was an incredible experience.” With only his honours thesis to complete, Burka left Acadia to accept a job offer from OTI. “It was a great offer, and I was really excited about it,” he says. “I intended to finish my thesis over the next couple of months, but it just never happened.” Burka’s new job turned into a career at OTI that spanned nearly 15 years.

A CALL FROM NEW YORK Change beckoned when a recruiter invited him to an interview with Two Sigma in New York. Although Burka had no interest in working for a finance company, he liked the idea of a free trip to New York and some interview practice. The interviewers persuaded him that Two Sigma was actually a technology company that operated in the domain of finance, so he took the job. When Burka realized that a degree would make the immigration process easier, he contacted Sharon Watson, Acadia’s Computer Science Department secretary. “She was always very helpful,” he says. She connected him with Dr. Danny Silver (’79), the department chair at the time (now acting director), who devised a program that would allow Burka to finish the degree. “I very much appreciate the flexibility they showed me,” he says.

INVITATION TO ACADIA GRADS Burka works as a senior engineer in Two Sigma’s research lab. “We engage with academics, we research new ideas and we foster open communication across the company, keeping us on the leading edge of technology,” he says. He would love to hear from Acadia graduates who are interested in coming to interview at Two Sigma. “I would also love to get some interns through Acadia’s Co-operative Education program,” he says. Shelley McMullin, Acadia’s Coop Coordinator, confirmed that Acadia does some international placements, although the work permit and visa requirements can take time to put in place. “I’ve been lucky and have had lots of opportunities,” Burka says, “but I think if I had put some effort in I could have found some opportunities earlier. My one piece of advice for prospective students would be to be ambitious. Apply somewhere you don’t think you can get in. Challenge yourself. Try things that are a bit harder than you think you can do.”

Acadia Reminiscence Competing in the ACM Programming Competition was fun for Peter Burka and his classmates. Sometimes called the Olympics of programming competitions, the Association for Computing Machinery event is the oldest and largest programming contest in the world. “We put together a team of three students and worked with a couple of professors to practise solving programming problems,” he says. “We did well in the local qualifying round in Cape Breton, and the next level was at the UMass Center at Springfield, Massachusetts. A bunch of us flew down to Boston, rented a car and drove through the pouring rain to Springfield, where we attended a conference and competed in the programming competition. We didn’t move on to the national from there, but we did beat MIT on at least one of the questions. We were pleased with that!” ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2016

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CHANGE THROUGH LEADERSHIP ALUMNA PHOEBE BARNARD (’83) STANDS AS A STAUNCH CHAMPION OF AFRICAN BIODIVERSITY, GLOBAL CONSERVATION By Laura Churchill Duke (’98)

cientist Dr. Phoebe Barnard (’83) has done a lot to change and improve the world since her days as a biology student at Acadia. Throughout a 30-year career, Barnard has tried to find answers to the following questions: How can we help species and ecosystems get through the gauntlet of the next 200 years of tough environmental change? How can we achieve tipping points to a more sustainable and just society? Barnard came to Acadia after she and her sister took a road trip from their hometown in Massachusetts in a little car packed full with a guitar, sleeping bags, rucksacks and a picnic basket. “We went looking in Nova Scotia and fell in love with Wolfville

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and Acadia,” Barnard says. “They were absolutely full of magic, especially in autumn colours.” After earning a BSc (Hon) in biology with a focus on the behavioural and evolutionary ecology of birds, Barnard followed her passion and completed a Master’s in zoology at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg in 1990. Not wanting to live under the apartheid system, Barnard and her family moved to Namibia, where she taught evolution, ecology, and behaviour at the University of Namibia. From there she started work on her PhD at Uppsala University in Sweden, received a Fulbright Fellowship and moved there for a year to finish her thesis. Since then, Barnard has had a varied career, primarily in Africa, focusing on biodiversity and climate

ALUMNI PROFILES Phoebe Barnard at the Rooi Els ringing station, Western Cape, South Africa.

change. In 2002, she received a Distinguished Service Award from the Society for Conservation Biology. “This was the same year Sir David Attenborough (hero to virtually all environmentalists) and Professor Georgina Mace (who reformed the way we prioritize endangered species in different categories) received the same award,” Barnard says. “That was a treat.”

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF PHOEBE BARNARD

POISE AND SENSE OF PURPOSE Former Vice-President Academic and retired Acadia University professor Dr. Tom Herman, one of Barnard’s teachers at Acadia, was not surprised by her success. “When Phoebe arrived at Acadia as a young undergraduate, I was immediately struck by her poise and sense of purpose,” Herman says. “She was clearly committed to making a difference, and it was obvious that she would deliver.” Herman said that when Barnard went to Africa, she entered a world with the greatest conservation challenges on the planet. “She has emerged as a champion for African biodiversity, a leader in conservation biology, and a mentor and role model for young women and men in the field. She has done Acadia proud!” Currently living in South Africa, Barnard has three jobs. She is lead scientist for climate change bioadaptation at the South African National Biodiversity Institute, focusing on the vulnerability and adaptation of species and ecosystems in southern Africa to climate change, land use change, invasive species and other related environmental pressures. She is also head of a new program she initiated on biodiversity futures in South Africa. Barnard’s third job is to run a detailed research program (with postdocs, PhD and Master’s students) on endemic birds of the fynbos biome, one of the world’s richest and most beautiful biodiversity hotspots in the Cape Floristic region. She is also an associate researcher with the University of Cape Town’s Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, which is a national centre of excellence; the African Climate and Development Initiative; and with the University of Stellenbosch’s

Business School, through its Institute for Futures Research. A career highlight for the coming year is her participation in a women’s leadership expedition to Antarctica. “I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining a worldwide select group of 77 women leaders in global change science,” Barnard says. “Improving women’s leadership skills and clarity is surely a powerful way to help change society for the better. “Science is a crucial part of the way the world works, but only a tiny part of the solution to our sustainability crisis,” she says. She believes more important factors are emotion, perception, want, need, politics, and especially the economy, all of which undermine scientists’ best efforts. Barnard says we can’t solve our sustainability crisis with more facts. We need to change behaviours and the economy. “Don’t underestimate your arts electives,” she adds. “They are the key to the solution!”

Acadia Reminiscence “Acadia was a pivotal time in my own independence,” says Phoebe. She remembers fondly the times she escaped her workload at Acadia by biking with a bedroll, a flashlight and some fruit and cheese, heading out to North Island near Grand-Pre to sleep in the woods over a weekend. These were soul nights under the stars that rejuvenated her, time and again. While at Acadia, Barnard trained as a biologist, geologist and educator, but also developed as an artist. She apprenticed in the summer as a weaver, a stained-glass artist and goldsmith. “Jack Sheriff of the Kipawo Showboat Company generously bought a whole bunch of my completely mediocre paintings, which really helped my self-esteem,” Barnard says. “Wolfville and Grand-Pre offered me beautiful surroundings that allowed me to become the passionate mix of science, art and society that I am today.” ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2016

Shelley McMullin (left) and Michelle Larsen: “Alumni play an important role.”

CO-OP PLACEMENTS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALUMNI TO GIVE BACK, SHAPE CAREERS OF ACADIA STUDENTS

By Fred Sgambati (’83)

xperiential learning is coveted by more and more students in the post-secondary mosaic and it should come as no surprise that co-op education programs are attracting greater interest and seeing higher enrolment numbers across Canada. Acadia has one of the best co-op programs in the country, with more than 350 students expected to participate this year. It offers an extraordinary learning opportunity, and alumni are uniquely positioned to play a role in shaping the personal and professional development of Acadia’s students and to give back to the University in a positive, meaningful way. Simply put, co-op enables students to gain hands-on experience in work environments related to their field of study, providing tangible skills, valuable experience, contacts in industry, a solid idea of what they want to do, and job offers by the time they graduate. “Alumni play an important role,” says Michelle Larsen (’99), Manager of Co-operative Education at Acadia. “They are some of our best employers who know the quality of the students we graduate. You always remember the person who gave you that one big break, and how wonderful to be in the position to give someone a start. It’s a great way to give back because it’s so tangible and you can immediately see the impact on a generation to come.” As satisfying as it is, she adds, employers also benefit on

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other levels. “Co-op students have new ideas, energy, and a lot to offer. They have a vested interest in learning, contributing and performing at a high level.” The process requires a huge commitment from those enrolled in the program and those who coordinate it. Larsen, who handles the Biology and Environmental Science Co-op program, works with a small team that includes Business Coop Coordinator Shelley McMullin, Arts and Computer Science program Coordinator Cristina McRae, and Chemistry, Geology, Environmental Geoscience, Math and Statistics Coordinator Beth MacKenzie-Acuna. “We are trying to make a connection with three stakeholders: students, the academic environment, and the community,” McMullin says. “We cover three faculties – Arts, Science and Professional Studies – and offer co-op options for over 80 per cent of our programs. Students are looking for experiential learning and there’s an expectation that you will go directly into the workforce after successfully completing the degree.”

ENROLMENT UP BY 75 PER CENT Co-op started at Acadia in Computer Science in 1982 and spread quickly afterward to the Business school. Arts came on stream in 2001, Sciences in 2005 and other programs have been added over time to complement an expanding portfolio. Over the past five years, co-op student enrolment at Acadia

EYE ON ACADIA

CONFIDENT AND READY

PHOTOS: FRED SGAMBATI

Beth MacKenzie-Acuna

Cristina McRae

has grown by 75 per cent and international students comprise 14.8 per cent of the co-op student population. Its success is predicated largely on an ongoing commitment by staff to a personalized educational experience. “We meet with students one-on-one,” Larsen says, “and we have a 24-hour response mandate. We do onsite visits with students and employers because we think it’s incredibly important to see how a student is doing in that environment and for them to see a friendly face, too.” It’s an opportunity also to share some face-time with employers and make connections that will pay dividends for successive generations of students interested in co-op. “It’s not a typical 8:30 to 4:30 position,” McMullin says. “We all embody the same vision of co-op and employers are blown away by the fact that we would go out and meet with them and our students, putting faces to names and making a lasting impression.” Staff help students by providing essential professional development tools – cover letter, resume, networking tips, LinkedIn profile and job search techniques to name a few – that enable them to be successful. “It’s not us that gets the student the work term,” Larsen says. “It’s more, ‘I provided the opportunity and you’re the one that seized it.’”

ONE-STOP SHOP Acadia’s co-op program is a one-stop shop that offers training, support and guidance that facilitates an intense educational experience and the possibility of a successful entry into the market. Each semester, students go out for work terms of four, eight, 12 or 16 months in duration. No student is allowed to engage in a work term before completing two full years in an academic program, ensuring they have a strong knowledge base and are prepared to contribute in a work environment. “It’s a hiring process,” Larsen says frankly, “and we want employers to make a conscious decision about who they are bringing into their organization. We call it a four-month interview with no strings attached.” How can alumni get involved? “Just pick up the phone and call,” McMullin says. “Give us a call or send us an e-mail and we’ll reply. It’s as simple as that. All we need from an employer is a job description and a deadline date.” For more on Acadia’s Co-op Education program, please visit: http://co-op.acadiau.ca.

While I obtained my business degree from Acadia in the early 2000s, I worked part-time for a local Chartered Accounting firm. This opportunity allowed me to apply the technical material learned in my classes and seminars directly to my employment. As a result, I felt confident and ready for my full-time placement with a big five firm upon graduation. As an employer hiring university graduates, I have always put a higher emphasis on experience over classroom capabilities. Demonstrating you are comfortable in a fast-paced environment, can take direction from multiple people, and are willing to think creatively to complete the task are skills not easily taught in textbooks. As our firm grew, we turned to the Acadia University Co-op program to find energetic, hard-working students looking to pursue their CPA to fill out staffing needs. This gives us an opportunity to not only work closely with Acadia’s F.C. Manning School of Business, but to have advanced opportunities to find the right individuals interested in making a career after graduation with our firm, IFTL Chartered Accountants Inc. Together we can provide a local employment opportunity for Acadia’s co-op students to gain valuable onthe-job training while working with small businesses and individuals in an environment focused on training the next group of CPAs. Tracey Lawrence (’03), CPA, CA Partner, IFTL Chartered Accountants Inc.

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ACADIA ALUMNI, COMMUNITY RALLIES TO SUPPORT ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROGRAM FOR NEWCOMERS By Laura Churchill Duke (’98)

GREAT OPPORTUNITY Alumnus Jan (Zwicker) Zettler (’97) volunteered this summer with her children Claire (12) and Drew (nine). Currently a teacher in the Annapolis Valley, Zettler wanted to volunteer both to have this shared experience with her children and to help others. “I teach English and French, so this experience will help me be a better teacher by focusing on how to build language and become creative in my teaching style because I didn’t speak the languages of the children who attended the class,” Zettler says. She also hoped her children would see how the gift of time could have a big impact. “In a world where we seem to spend so much time racing around, this will be a great chance for my children to stop and see how lucky they are,” Zettler adds. 24

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Susan Aurelio (’02), Junior Class Teacher, works with Kosar Abdi from Somalia (left) and Abdu Gass from Eritrea (right), both aged 9. Susan was hired by Acadia to teach this class for the seven weeks of the program.

Current Nutrition and Dietetics student Alah Shakshuki (‘18) was another volunteer with the English program who helped with the preschool and children’s classes. She got involved because she wanted to help the families adjust as quickly as possible to the local environment. “It’s important to me to help the members of our community,” Shakshuki says. “I always enjoy working with children, so this was a great opportunity.” “What better way to let our new friends know that we are thrilled to have them become part of our community?” Banks says. The ESL program wrapped up in August. Churchill Roe says, “we were thrilled to have such support for our program from the University at the closing ceremony to recognize the achievements of our learners and the contributions of our volunteers.” At the ceremony, Acadia’s Vice-President, Advancement, Dr. Rod Morrison, congratulated the participants for all their hard work and success, stressing the importance of developing a strong community in which Acadia is proud to play a role. “This ESL program was a special, one-time opportunity to meet the immediate needs of our newcomers,” Churchill Roe says. “By next summer the kids will have had a whole year of school and will not likely need extra support, and the parents will probably want to enjoy summer holidays with their children.” “Open Acadia believes this language program was positive for both sides,” Banks concluded. “If it can make new community members feel welcome, perhaps they will then share their life experiences through Open Acadia in one of the Acadia Lifelong Learning programs.”

PHOTO: GRANT LOHNES

his summer, more than 30 volunteers, including many Acadia alumni, gathered on the University’s campus to help newcomer families adjust to their new community. “The aim was to work with local sponsoring groups and community volunteers to provide language-learning and lifeskills programs to assist newcomers of all ages adjust to Canadian life,” says Sharon Churchill Roe (’99), manager of the English Language Programs offered by Open Acadia. Over the summer, the Annapolis Valley became home to several refugee families from Africa and the Middle East. Churchill Roe says that sponsoring groups worked hard to prepare for their arrival and to help them settle in. Some early-arriving families received language instruction through community-funded programs, but this language instruction was not available during the summer. “When I learned of this break in instruction,” Churchill Roe says, “I wondered if Acadia could fill this vital need.” She approached Jeff Banks, director of Open Acadia and Acting Registrar, with a proposal for a summer program for adults and children. He encouraged the idea from the beginning and quickly garnered the support of University President Ray Ivany. The rest fell into place, with Acadia not only providing the classroom space, but also trained language teachers for the adult and high school English classes. “We had dozens of volunteers lined up to drive participants to and from classes, current and retired school teachers volunteering to teach the children for a week at a time, community members helping out with youth and adult programming, and countless donations of supplies, toys and books,” says Churchill Roe.

CANADA, NOVA SCOTIA INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE AT ACADIA

EYE ON ACADIA

NEW SPACE FOR STUDENTS AND FACULTY University President Ray Ivany said, “this investment in Acadia by the governments of Canada and Nova Scotia addresses a critically important infrastructure need at Acadia. Renovating Huggins Science Hall and Elliott Hall will modernize laboratories that are more than 50 years old while also significantly reducing our environmental footprint. Acadia has experienced strong enrolment growth in the Faculty of Pure and Applied Science, and the renovated facilities will serve over 2,000 students each year. “The project also includes an Innovation Pavilion that will provide new space for students and faculty who are actively engaged in pure and applied research that is directly beneficial to Annapolis Valley business sectors such as agriculture,

Celebrating the funding announcement on Sept. 14: (left to right) Chancellor Libby Burnham (’60); ASU President Samantha Sproule; West Nova MP Colin Fraser; Kings South MLA Keith Irving; Nova Scotia Minister of Labour and Advanced Education Kelly Regan; President Ray Ivany; President of the Treasury Board Scott Brison; Board of Governors First Vice-Chairman Bert Frizzell (’72); and Acting VP Academic Heather Hemming (’78).

green energy and information technology. We are grateful for the commitments we’ve received from both governments, which will allow us to proceed immediately with a project that will strengthen one of the foundational elements of Acadia’s academic programming and increase our capacity to support the Nova Scotia knowledge economy. Treasury Board President Scott Brison said, “investments like these in Atlantic Canada will support our world-class researchers and position Canada as a global leader in research excellence and innovation. Through the Strategic Investment Fund, we are providing Canada’s students with the education and training they need to join a strong, healthy middle class.” Minister Regan added, “innovation, R&D and entrepreneurship are key to moving Nova Scotia forward. The Valley region has a long history and successful record when it comes to innovation. This project will give Acadia students access to modern, high-quality facilities that will prepare them for successful careers and help build the skilled workforce we need to support good jobs and economic growth today and tomorrow.” Acadia has recently launched a fundraising campaign and generated commitments totalling approximately $3.3 million. The University needs to raise an additional $3 million, pledged over three years, and every gift is welcome. If you’d like more information on the project or are interested in making a gift , please call Nancy Handrigan, Executive Director, Philanthropy (902-585-1042). For more on the project and to donate, please visit: https://goo.gl/09kuli.

ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2016

PHOTO: MEGAN MAHON

he Government of Canada, the Province of Nova Scotia, Acadia University and its donors will invest a total of $22.25 million in infrastructure renewal to upgrade and ‘green’ Elliott Hall and Huggins Science Hall and create an Innovation Pavilion on campus. The funding was announced Wednesday, September 14, 2016 by the Honourable Scott Brison, President of the Treasury Board, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, and by the Honourable Kelly Regan, Nova Scotia Minister of Labour and Advanced Education. A total of $10.48 million will come from the Government of Canada and $5.5 million from the Province of Nova Scotia. Acadia University, through private donors, will contribute an additional $6.27 million for a total investment of $22.25 million. The upgrades will promote intensified research and commercialization activities at the science complex, while also improving the buildings’ energy use and efficiency. The project will also see a small structure adjoining the buildings converted into the Innovation Pavilion, with space for laboratories and support services for industrial liaison, commercialization and co-op education. As a result of these investments, students, professors and researchers will work in state-of-the-art facilities that advance the country’s best research. They will collaborate in specially designed spaces that support lifelong learning and skills training. They will work in close proximity with partners to turn discoveries into products or services. In the process, they will train for – and create – high-value jobs and their discoveries will plant the seeds for the next generation of innovators.

By Wendy Elliott (’75)

reg Harrison (BMus ‘08) is a busy freelance percussionist in Toronto who is always happy to return to his alma mater. His marimba group Taktus performed at Acadia on September 28 as part of an East Coast tour and Harrison himself had a lot of fun in July teaching young students at Acadia’s Summer Music Academy. His former percussion professor, Mark Adam, notes, “Greg was a fantastic student who has been coming back for a few years now to teach at our summer band camps.” Harrison is also making waves in many different parts of the music industry, Adam noted. Last year Taktus was honoured by the CBC. Their debut CD, Glass Houses for Marimba, celebrating the music of composer Ann Southam, was chosen as one of the top 10 Canadian classical recordings for the year. Originally from Fredericton, N.B., Greg completed a Master’s in percussion performance at the University of Toronto. From his base in Toronto, he acknowledges that his career spans a wide musical spectrum. He performs with Taktus and has been touring with the Canadian indie band, Reuben and the Dark.

ACTIVE COMPOSER An active composer for dance, percussion and theatre, he has a deep interest in live electronic music. As an accompanist, Greg plays regularly for the dance studios of the National Ballet of Canada, Toronto Dance Theatre, and others. “That was a world I didn’t know existed,” the 30-year-old says about playing for dancers. He also likes being commissioned to compose works for dance companies. His debut marimba work, “Echoes No.1 for marimba and delay”, was released last year under Keyboard Percussion Publications (U.S.). Greg currently plays drum kit with three electronic groups. Earlier this year, he headed out on a national tour with Vance Joy, including two sold-out nights at Massey Hall. Greg has performed with such diverse artists and groups as Cirque du Soleil, Video Games Live, R. Murray Schaffer, Fred

ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2016

Greg Harrison had a great time working with young students this summer during Open Acadia’s Summer Music Academy.

Penner, Mark Duggan and the Rose Orchestra. Not as active recently as an educator due to touring, Greg likes to schedule some private instruction at his home studio. He has also given lectures at various high schools on effective and efficient practicing, among other music-related topics. “I like variety,” he says. “I’m happy when I can have all those (musical) worlds and see what direction I’m pulled in and where.” Returning to Fredericton often, Greg is the co-creator of FUZE Fest, which is focused on the influence of classical music on the contemporary electric genre. It is held every August.

TOOLBOX OF SKILLS Greg says his years at Acadia as Adam’s first percussion major allowed him to build a toolbox full of musical skills and benefit from a ‘new wave’ of music professors. “It was a spectacular time for me,” he says, where the small campus and warm community allowed him to develop personally and as a percussionist. Looking back, Greg appreciates that Acadia’s size allowed him to forge relationships with his instructors. Mentioning Derek Charke, Mark Hopkins and Adam, he says, “we got along inside and outside the classroom. That was a huge advantage and we keep in touch, which is pretty great.” For more, please visit: http://www.gregpercussion.com.

PHOTO: GRANT LOHNES

PERCUSSIONIST MAKING MUSICAL WAVES IN NOVA SCOTIA AND TORONTO

DEVELOPMENT

ICONIC AL WHITTLE MAKES COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT PERFORMING ARTS AT ACADIA By Fred Sgambati (’83)

nyone who knows Al Whittle (’60) knows that his heart is as big as all outdoors, and it’s Acadia Red and Blue through and through. Small wonder then that the humble and affable former Acadia Cinema manager and University employee has created a fund through his estate to support one of the great loves of his life, the performing arts at Acadia at the Festival Theatre. He wants to give back to the performing arts because, in his youth, Al used to do Summer Theatre under the direction of renowned professor Jack Sheriff while running the Cinema. The many musicals and live performances he participated in helped the Valley region to thrive and he believes it’s an opportunity for students today to enjoy a similar transformative experience. Al arrived in Wolfville in 1953. He was hired by the Spencer family in Saint John, NB to manage the rebuilt Orpheum Theatre in Wolfville (1923) that later become the Acadia Cinema (in 1947). Wolfville was a boom town at the time, with four gas stations and four grocery stores. There were no bars or lounges – the Cinema was the region’s entertainment hot spot and Al Whittle was the man in charge. He was theatre manager for 47 years, and hired many Acadia students along the way. His connection to Acadia’s student population didn’t end there, either. He worked in the dining hall for 55 years, punching meal cards for generations of students. “I’d get to know them by their student IDs and grades,” Al says, “and they were like, ‘Hi, Al’; ‘Hi, Al’; Hi, Al,’ as they came in. The students were like family to me,” he adds fondly. Many people have said that Al is an

Acadia icon, but he deflects the compliment, saying simply, “I don’t know about that. I’m just normal me.” His friend, Greg Williamson (’82), says, “you couldn’t meet a nicer, more grounded person. Al is so giving and caring – he’s a pretty special guy.” Chancellor Libby Burnham (’60) knows Al well and says, “Al Whittle has a unique and special gift to connect with people of all ages. The students of my era loved Al – greeting us in the dining hall and at the movie theatre. And years later, when my eldest started, it was, ‘Hi, John,’ and ‘Hi, Al’ back. He made everyone feel special! He knows more students and alumni than anyone else.” A retirement party to celebrate Al’s many years of service to Acadia and its students was held on June 5, 2015 and countless people packed Wheelock dining hall to wish him well. His advice then is the same he offers to students today: “Be proud of Acadia. Be proud of yourselves.” If members of Acadia’s alumni community would like to support Al’s legacy, making a gift in his honour, please contact Nancy Handrigan (’92), Executive Director of Philanthropy at Acadia. “Al is a unique member of the Acadia family,” Handrigan says. “We are so grateful for his interest in improving a space on campus that is like home to him, and we would love for his many Acadia friends to share in this project. For more information, please contact me at nancy.handrigan@acadiau.ca or call 902-585-1042.”

ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2016

SAVE THE DATE! Summer Reunion 2017 July 7-9 at Acadia! Classes invited back include: Class of 1977 – 40th Reunion Class of 1972 – 45th Reunion Class of 1967 – 50th Reunion Class of 1962 – 55th Reunion Class of 1957 – 60th Reunion Class of 1952 – 65th Reunion Class of 1947 – 70th Reunion Class of 1942 – 75th Reunion FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT SANDRA SYMONDS AT 902-585-1708 OR E-MAIL sandra.symonds@acadiau.ca

MARK YOUR CALENDAR Upcoming Acadia Alumni Events – FEBRUARY 2017 Receptions in New York; Bahamas; Bermuda; Vancouver; Calgary – MARCH 2017 Florida Luncheon; Boston Reception – APRIL 2017 Receptions in Fredericton; Saint John; Moncton – MAY 13, 2017 AAAU Annual General Meeting – MAY 14-15, 2017 Convocation – MAY 26, 2017 President’s Gala – JULY 7-9, 2017 Summer Reunion – JULY 28, 2017 Alumni Golf Tournament – OCTOBER 12-15, 2017 Homecoming Weekend MORE INFORMATION ON THESE EVENTS CAN BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE http://alumni.acadiau.ca 28

ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2016

ASSOCIATED ALUMNI OF ACADIA UNIVERSITY BALANCE SHEET AS AT MARCH 31 Restated Unaudited 2016 Unaudited 2015

Assets AAAU/Acadia Joint Account $ 224,578 $ 244,727 Affinity Fund 446,940 343,324 Allan Fulton Fund 13,147 13,020 Constance Hayward Fund 277,081 274,397 Carr Fund 43,024 42,607 General Fund (Alumni Hall) 59,329 58,754 Graham Fund 16,474 16,314 Toronto Fund 14,662 5,537 Vesta Magee Fund 29,614 29,328 Total Assets $ 1,124,849 $ 1,028,008

Committed Funds Athletics Proposal All Canadian Awards Banquets $ Axeman Celebrity Hockey Dinner Female Athlete Awards ‐ Hockey Honour Roll Signage Women in Sport Gala/ Homecoming Football Coaches Roast ‐ Varsity Sport Special Initiatives‐ $

– $ 1,000 – – –

2,000 2,000 10,000 2,000 2,500

– – 1,000 $

3,500 7,000 29,000

175th Anniversary Proposal (2014-2016) Branch Events $ Homecoming Weekend Sunday Music in the Garden $

11,750 $ – – 11,750 $

23,500 5,000 8,000 36,500

Other Graduation Class Parents’ Night $ President’s Fund Rev. White Symposium $

– $ 10,000 – 10,000 $

1,500 10,000 500 12,000

Total Committed Funds Uncommitted Funds

$ 22,750 $ 1,102,099

$ $

77,500 950,508

ASSOCIATED ALUMNI PROFILES

DAVID DAVIDSON (‘81) David grew up in Truro, Nova Scotia. He graduated from Acadia University in 1981 with a BSc and serves as Class President. David went on to complete his Bachelor of Engineering at TUNS (now Dalhousie University) in 1983. In 1996, he received an Executive MBA from Queen’s University. David is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Interuniversity Services Inc., a not-for-profit organization, member-funded by postsecondary educational institutions in Atlantic Canada and dedicated to delivering value through multi-institutional collaboration and cooperation. David’s business career journey includes Vice-President of Medbuy Corporation, founding CEO of Canadian Healthcare Marketplace, as well as National Director of Sales and Director of Business Development at Trudell Medical Marketing Limited. Earlier in his career David was the Director of Materials Management at Southeast Healthcare Corporation (Moncton, NB). In the past, he has served Swimming Canada in numerous roles, including a member of the Board of Directors, international (FINA) designated official, a member of the Officials, Competition and Rules committee, chair of the Officials Education Committee, and competition coordinator or technical delegate at numerous national competitions. Following 20 years of service, David stepped down from his various volunteer roles at Swimming Canada in the summer of 2015. David and his wife Alison live in Halifax and they have two grown children, a son Bryan and a daughter Leah (’14).

AMANDA PENRICE (‘09) Amanda is passionate about communities and the individual stories of justice, ambition, and innovation that shape them. Amanda moved to Wolfville for a new adventure to study Community Development in the School of Recreation Management and Kinesiology. During her time at Acadia, she was the Chair of the Recreation Management Society, was a member of the ultimate Frisbee team, worked for Alumni Relations, and received awards including Live and Learn, Valedictorian, and a Golden ‘A’. Since graduating in 2009, Amanda has become a civic leader and community advocate serving many sectors, including not-for-profit, children and youth, health care, technology, social innovation, and government. She became a Motivational Speaker for Free The Children and Me To We, served as a social media expert to a series of tech start-ups, and was the Project Manager for the Middle Childhood Matters Coalition of Toronto doing government relations and public policy. Amanda also served for four years as a Board Member of the National Alliance for Children and Youth. Amanda currently works at the City of Toronto for Josh Colle, Councillor for Eglinton-Lawrence and Chair of the Toronto Transit Commission. Amanda is a 2015-2016 DiverseCity Fellow, one of North America’s top leadership programs for GTHA’s rising leaders and city-builders, and is a Commissioner and founder of the Public Accessory Commission, a project working to animate public and private spaces with neighbourhood-designed and apprenticeship-made public accessories. Amanda is looking forward to the opportunity to reconnect with her alma mater and is honoured to serve and ‘rep the six’ (Toronto).

Interested in serving the Acadia alumni community as a member of the Associated Alumni Board? For more information, please contact Senior Alumni Officer Oonagh Proudfoot at oonagh.proudfoot@acadiau.ca or call: 902-585-1445. ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2016

WEEKEND

ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2016

Huge celebration for Homecoming 2016!

Photos: Fred Sgambati and Peter Oleskevich

Acadia alumni and friends returned to their alma mater October 13-16 to celebrate Homecoming 2016. There was plenty of excitement and no shortage of things to do on the Wolfville campus! A very full schedule of events included varsity football, hockey, soccer and swimming. Other highlights included the Annual Bulmer Relay; Hockey Honour Roll Induction Ceremony; Women in Sport Celebration; free Backyard BBQ hosted by the Associated Alumni of Acadia University; 1956 Football Reunion; a Sunday classical music concert in the Garden Room by Stan (’11) and Nelly Chen (’13); and Sunday evening chapel service to name a few of the many wonderful events. There was an Exit 10 in the MacKeen Room, Sydstock in the Axe Lounge, campus tours, and a variety of community events to boot. 1 Andrea Burk (’06) was a special guest at the Women in Sport Celebration, taking a selfie with Acadia Sport Hall of Famer Wendy Bedingfield. 2 Tim Prescott (’88), Mr. Acadia Bill Parker (’56) and Peter MacKay (’87). 3 ASU President Sam Sproule makes everyone jump at the start of the Bulmer. 4 Clockwise: Ian Murray (’88), Tim McFarland (‘92), Kat Powell, Chancellor Libby Burnham (’60) and Sandra Symonds. 5 Axemen football players, Class of ’56: front row: Don MacVicar, Don MacLean, Wendell Kerr, Cal Annis; back row: Ray Tonge, Brian Purdy, Lou Delaney, Don MacPherson, Gordon Lummis, and Ralph Taylor. 6 Hockey Honour Roll 2016 Inductees: Neil Fewster (’99), Kevin Tucker (’98), Trevor Amundrud (’99), Mike Dawson (’97), and Jason Weaver (’97). 7 Stan (’11) and Nelly Chen (’13) in concert Sunday in the Garden Room.

ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2016

lA umni s t n e v E

VANCOUVER RECEPTION

Acadia University alumni gathered on Tuesday, May 3, 2016 at the Terminal City Club in Vancouver, BC for a reception to celebrate the University and our shared Acadia experience. Executive Director of Alumni Affairs Ian Murray (’88) and Executive Director of Philanthropy Nancy Handrigan (’92) hosted the event, and alumnus Dr. Allen Eaves (’62, DSC ’12) presented a short review of the work he is doing at STEMCELL Technologies Inc., one of Canada’s largest biotechnology companies. Approximately 40 people were on hand for the occasion. Pictured are: Jennifer Prive (’91), Floyd Murphy (’69) and Eileen Au (’87).

CALGARY RECEPTION

A tremendous crowd of more than 60 Acadia alumni and friends converged for a reception at the Escoba Bistro and Wine Bar in Calgary on Thursday, May 5, 2016. It was a wonderful opportunity for old friends to reconnect and Calgary alumni didn’t disappoint! Alumni Association Secretary Donalda MacBeath (’75) and Athletics Development Officer Len Hawley were on hand to bring greetings and update attendees on what’s happening at their alma mater. Pictured enjoying the reception are: Yvette Belliveau (’12) and Randal Evans (’12).

ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2016

VICTORIA RECEPTION

Acadia alumni were encouraged to take a break and reconnect with old friends on Wednesday, May 4, 2016 and that’s exactly what happened at a reception in Victoria, BC. It had been a while since representatives from the University had visited Victoria, but the 20 guests who gathered at the Bard and Banker Public House were enthusiastic and engaged, sharing Acadia stories and enjoying a lovely evening. Special guest for the evening was the Associated Alumni’s most recent recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award, Brigadier General (Ret’d) Hilary Jaeger (’79), seen here with Charles MacLean (’51).

ALUMNI EVENTS

ACADIA CELEBRATED AT LOBSTER PICNIC

Alumni and friends came together on June 4, 2016 at the historic Ottawa Tennis and Lawn Bowling Club in Ottawa to celebrate Acadia the good ol’ East Coast way at the Annual Maritime Lobster Picnic in the City. Guests enjoyed live music from a fiddler and guitarist, and a silent auction and donations helped to raise over $2,000 for the Ottawa Alumni Scholar-Bursary fund to enable local Ottawa students to attend Acadia. Last year’s recipient Chelsea Renaud was on hand to share her story and express her gratitude. Special thanks also to the volunteer committee for the event, including: Suzanne Seaman (’97), Ed (’89) and Heather (’87) Hemphill, Courtenay Beauregard (’04), Russ Francis (’90) and Keelan Green (’98). Seaman said, “the Acadia spirit was in full force as we heard over 70 alumni representing the past seven decades sing ‘Stand Up and Cheer,’ recount stories new and old and dive into an unforgettable lobster dinner.” Pictured enjoying some fun and fellowship are (left to right): Ron Elliott (’51), Asia Reid (’16) and Mitch Mitchell (’51).

COFFEE AND CONVERSATION IN TO

Nearly 25 Acadia alumni and friends came together on Wednesday, June 15, 2016 for coffee and thought-provoking conversation at the Timothy Eaton Memorial United Church in Toronto, Ontario. Host and special guest was Acadia alumnus Rev. Dr. Andrew Stirling (’10), Senior Minister at Timothy Eaton Memorial United, who shared his thoughts on the importance of a liberal arts education in the theological context. Other special guests included University Chancellor Dr. Libby Burnham (’60), Executive Director of Alumni Affairs Ian Murray (’88), and Executive Director of Philanthropy Nancy Handrigan (’92).

“PROUD TO REPRESENT ACADIA UNIVERSITY”

T MC

Taylor Maclellan Cochr ane L A W Y E R S

Making Service A Matter of Practice Since 1835

Tel: (902) 678-6156 | www.tmclaw.com

ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2016

Super r e m Sum ! n o i n Reu

Acadia University welcomed back the Classes of 1941, 1946, 1951, 1956, 1961, 1966 and 1976 during Summer Reunion July 8-10 on the Wolfville campus. A total of 152 attendees enjoyed plenty of reminiscing, laughter and fun while engaging in a very full schedule that included a Meet and Greet in the Sheldon L. Fountain Learning Commons Friday evening; Class meetings; a 50th Anniversary Pinning Ceremony for the Class of ’66; then a Q & A session with Chancellor Libby Burnham (’60) and President Ray Ivany on Saturday; a special concert in the Garden Room at the K.C. Irving Environmental Science Centre featuring David Parker (‘84) and Jennifer King (‘91); a guided tour by Peter Romkey of the Harriet Irving Botanical Gardens at the K.C. Irving Environmental Science Centre; the Alumni Banquet Saturday night; Memorial Service Sunday morning, followed by a farewell luncheon in the Students’ Union Building. The Class of 1956 captured the Reunion Cup for having the highest percentage of people in attendance and Dr. Bob Sutherland (’61) of California earned the award for coming from farthest away. The Class of 1941 was represented by Helena (Martin) Vaughan and Shirley (Lavers) Johnson, and Jean Caldwell represented the Class of ’46. Halifax lawyer Joel Pink (’66) was guest speaker at the Banquet.

Class of 1976

ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2016

Class of 1951

ALUMNI EVENTS

Class of 1956

PHOTOS: FRED SGAMBATI, PETER OLESKEVICH, BRANDON DURKEE

Class of 1966, 50th Reunion

ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2016

Great Day at Alumni Golf Tournament 2016 A total of 27 teams and 125 golfers gathered on Friday, July 22, 2016 at Ken-Wo Golf Club in New Minas for the 35th Annual Acadia Alumni Golf Tournament. The sun was hot but tempered by a nice breeze as participants enjoyed 18 holes of golf, a chicken dinner, and various draws and prizes to end the day. Proceeds from the tournament help to support awards for incoming students from local high schools, in recognition of the need to assist Annapolis Valley students and to support enrolment efforts at Acadia. The team of (pictured top, left to right) Chris Prescott (’84), Tom Prescott (’58), Ward Carlson (’90), Tim Prescott (’88) and Bill Parker (’56) represented their alma mater in fine style, wearing their unique Acadiabranded attire and earning the Team Spirit Award. Best score went to Scott Roberts, Kevin Colborne, Matt Collins (’85) and Kyle Davison; and the team of Andrew Cameron (’70), Sheila Manthorne (’71), Shirley Mosher (’71) and Paul Goulden (’71) was Best Dressed.

ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2016

ATHLETICS

PHOTO: PETER OLESKEVICH

Attending the renaming ceremony on Sept. 30: Suzie Aberdeen Waits (Stu Aberdeen’s daughter); Lynn Aberdeen (Stu’s wife); Mike Aberdeen (Stu’s son); Brek Waits (Stu’s grandson); Frank Waits (Suzie’s husband); Miles Waits (Stu’s grandson); and Linda Aberdeen (Stu’s daughter).

Acadia announces Stu Aberdeen Court

t’s a fitting tribute to a man who could virtually walk on water when it came to boosting the basketball cause in Atlantic Canada. Acadia University paid tribute to a late former coaching great in renaming its War Memorial Gymnasium’s hardwood Stu Aberdeen Court after the charismatic legend. The official ceremony took place Friday, September 30, 2016 during the return of the Stu Aberdeen Challenge in Wolfville. Members of the Aberdeen family traveled from the United States to Wolfville for the ceremony, including his wife Lynn. Aberdeen himself died of a heart attack in June 1979. “Words cannot say what naming of the court in Stu’s honour has meant to my family and me,” Lynn said “It is also in honour of his players who played the games and their accomplishments. The camaraderie of players coming together with one another and sharing their stories made the last 50 years disappear.” She added that they loved their eight years in Wolfville and at Acadia. “It was safe, smelled like apple pie because of the orchard that came down the hill stopping near the hospital. We never locked our doors, walked everywhere, knew our neighbors like family, and players came over often just to play with our children or relax.”

STORIED CAREER Aberdeen turned a struggling program into a consistent conference champion and a national champion during his storied eight-year run. “Coach Aberdeen commanded a lot of respect and created a basketball culture that holds true 50 years later,” said Kevin Duffie (’09), current coach of the Acadia men’s basketball team. “He made it a basketball school and established a winning tradition. He elevated the game and was a legendary recruiter. It’s a rich history and culture we are proud to be a part of and carry on.” Aberdeen took his Axemen to six conference championships, five Maritime titles and a national championship in 1964-65, compiling an overall record of 122-50 between 1958 and 1966. Traces of his legacy remain in the region. Steve Konchalski (’66), long-time coach of the St. Francis Xavier men’s basketball squad, was a prized Aberdeen recruit.

“Friday night (Sept. 30) was one of the special nights of my coaching career,” Konchalski said. “To be playing my alma mater in the game when Acadia’s court was named in honour of my coach, 50 years after we both left Acadia, meant a lot and stirred up some great memories — and to have Lynn Aberdeen and the whole family there was very emotional. Coach Aberdeen changed the direction of my life when he recruited me to come to Canada as a 17-year-old, and for that I will be forever grateful.” Konchalski was one of a number of Aberdeen’s hoop disciples who went on to preach Aberdeen style-basketball as coaches. Others who went on to coach after playing for Aberdeen include Andy Kranack (’65), Richie Spears (’64), Ian MacMillan (’69) and Brian Heaney (’69).

HUGE IMPACT Heaney was another Aberdeen recruit out of Rockaway Beach, New York. “Coach Aberdeen had a huge impact on those who played for him, as a person and an athlete,” said Heaney, who, along with Konchalski, were part of the national championship Acadia team. Heaney also went on to coach, capturing a national championship at the helm of the men’s program at Saint Mary’s. “As a person, Stu Aberdeen could inspire people to recognize how much potential they have in life and how, as an athlete, through the application of fundamental execution, physical conditioning, discipline, teamwork and talent, that competing at the national championship level and winning that championship for Acadia was attainable.” Aberdeen, a native of Lewiston, N.Y., near Niagara Falls, left Acadia for an assistant coaching position at the University of Tennessee. He was head coach at Marshall University when he died suddenly of a heart attack while on a family vacation. He was in his early forties. Frank Davis (’59), a Yarmouth native now living in Halifax, was centre and captain of the Axemen the year Aberdeen arrived. Aberdeen left a strong impression on the rugged post player. “He really broke open basketball in the Atlantic Provinces,” Davis said. “It was his level of intensity and he was always positive.” Reprinted courtesy of The Chronicle Herald

ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2016

CLASS NOTES

1950s Renowned Alzheimer researcher and policy writer DR. KATHERINE BICK (’51) received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Prince Edward Island on May 7, 2016. Dr. Bick graduated from Prince of Wales College in 1949, received her Bachelor of Science (Honours) in biology from Acadia University in 1951, Master’s in 1952, and earned her PhD from Brown University in 1957. She has held research positions at the University of Western Ontario and UCLA School of Medicine, and academic positions at California State University (Northridge) and Georgetown University. In 1976, she joined the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke in Washington, DC and later served as Deputy Director for Extramural Research at the National Institutes of Health until 1990. Dr. Bick also received an honorary degree in science from Acadia in 1990.

Thanks to GINNY (HUBLEY) MURRAY (’58) for taking and sharing with us a photo of a mini-reunion in Dartmouth, NS. She says these girls all started at Acadia together in 1955: (from the left, in green)

ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2016

VIRGINNIA (HUBLEY) MURRAY (’58 BA SEC. SCIENCE); ELEANOR HOWARD, LOIS JOHNSTONE STEWART, ANGELA NICHOLSON HINCHLIFFE (‘58 DIPLOMA SS); SHARON SINNOT, ELEANOR McIVER MACASKILL, ANN DOBSON HANSON (’57 DIPLOMA SS); and ROSAMOND (SABINE) HOPE (’58, BA SEC. SCIENCE).

1960s MABEL YOUNG (’63) of Hamilton, ON received an Ontario Volunteer Service Award on March 29, 2016. The Ontario Volunteer Service Awards recognize individual volunteers for continuous years of commitment and dedicated service to an organization. The Women’s Art Association of Hamilton (chapter of Women’s Art Association of Canada) nominated her for 10 years of volunteer work and thanked Mabel for her commitment and dedication.

Keith Wilson, on behalf of his father, Acadia alumnus EDGAR E. WILSON (’64), presented a copy of his father’s work on Hamlet to the University during Summer

Reunion in July. His father’s untimely death in 1984 resulted in the text remaining incomplete and unpublished. In filial reverence to his father’s memory, Keith published a revised and updated version of Hamlet: A Portrait of the Reformation and was thrilled to share it with the Acadia community this summer. KAREN (MACDONALD) NEAL (‘65) recently graduated with a Master of Science in Gerontology from UMass Boston. Karen now hopes to encourage a conversation around older adults’ vision of the programming and services they want as they look ahead to aging at home or in residential care communities. These aspirations are about investing in a lifestyle of meaning and purpose, shaking up the status quo and imagining the possibilities. The ’60s generation transformed the cultural, social and economic landscape. We can do it again! It’s up to us to contribute to shaping a new reality because we are next in line. Please e-mail Karen at kneal@eastlink.ca if you want to have a say and would be interested in Acadia alumni showing leadership with an initiative like this. Imagine the talent, intergenerational access and resources we have in our numbers. Let’s redefine what it means to be aging.

JUDY ADAMS (’67) was at Buckingham Palace with husband Peter in May 2016, when Peter was honoured with an MBE (Member of the British Empire) for his voluntary services to nature conservation, including as Verderer of Epping Forest. Judy shares the tie to Epping Forest, having served as volunteer chair of the Friends of Epping Forest and Deputy Warden of the Epping Forest Conservation

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Centre, and to the cause of conservation more broadly in her former roles as CEO of the Hertfordshire and Middlesex Wildlife Trust and Deputy CEO of the Lee Valley Regional Park.

1970s

was 63 kilometres long and my crew did it in six hours, 40 minutes. We were paddling in the tail end of a hurricane, so the water conditions were pretty exciting. Each boat had a crew of six men and another crew of six women. They would spell each other off every half-hour, but the changes had to be made from within the water, and climbing on board in the middle of wild waves was sometimes a challenge. We race these boats on the west coast of Canada and there is quite a large community of paddlers and a few large races. We train on the ocean yearround. It’s a great way to keep in shape and we have a lot of fun doing it!’ BLYE FRANK (BA ’75, BED ’76, MED ’81) recently completed a five-year term as Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of British Columbia. On June 14, 2016, Dr. Frank was reappointed for a second five-year term.

SUELLEN SMOFSKY (’72, LEFT) and PAULA EICHNER (’73) visited Wolfville for a mini-reunion earlier this year. Paula was presented with the proverbial key to the town by Mayor Jeff Cantwell (centre) to use during her visit, which was her first one back to the area since graduation.

BILL BUCKINGHAM (’73) is a teacher, piper, swimmer, kayaker, dragonboater, outrigger canoeist and kyudoka in North Saanich, BC. Last summer, he enjoyed an outrigger canoe adventure in Hawaii and sent us this report. ‘The event was called the Na Pali Challenge. It was an outrigger canoe race from Hanalei Bay on Waimea on the south shore. The boats were six-person outrigger canoes 19 inches wide and 45 feet long. The race

VALERIE BELL (’75) was in touch recently and provided this update: “In 2010, after losing my husband, I decided to return to University. I took an MSc in International Business and Emerging Markets at the University of Edinburgh and graduated with Distinction in 2011. I was invited to remain for a PhD in Management there. I graduated last summer and will begin a new career later this year as Assistant Professor, Management at Merrimack College in North Andover (near Boston), where I will be teaching International Management and Strategy courses in the Girard School of Business and continuing my research on the internationalization of natural health companies.” Great to hear from you, Valerie, and all the best!

CHRISTOPHER CALLBECK (’78), CPA was named Acadia’s new Vice-President Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer, effective August 8, 2016. Callbeck earned his BBA from Acadia and after graduation joined Coopers and Lybrand, where he earned his Chartered Accountant designation. In 1985, he joined the University of New Brunswick Saint John (UNBSJ) where he was Assistant Vice-President Financial and Administrative Services responsible for overall financial results, human resources, safety and security, infrastructure, and ancillary services. In addition to his responsibilities at UNBSJ, Callbeck is a member of the Board and Treasurer of the Canadian Research Knowledge Network, Board member of the Canadian Association of University Business Officers and member of the Complaints Committee for the Chartered Professional Accountants, New Brunswick. An active volunteer, Callbeck was previously named Community Person of the Year for Hampton, NB.

DR. HEATHER HEMMING (’78), Acadia’s Dean of Professional Studies and Professor of Education, was appointed VicePresident Academic (Acting) effective July 1, 2016. Dr. Hemming is the first woman to hold the position of Vice-President Academic at Acadia, which follows a

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distinguished career at Acadia as a scholar, teacher and academic leader. A two-time Acadia graduate, Dr. Hemming’s faculty career began in 1986 in the University’s School of Education. In 2000, she was appointed Director of the School of Education and in July 2007 was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Professional Studies comprising Acadia’s Schools of Education, Business, Kinesiology, and Community Development.

A quick note from SEELOCHAN BEHARRY (’79), who is currently living in Vancouver, BC. He did an MSc in chemistry at Acadia then went to SFU (PhD) and UBC as a Postdoctoral and Research Associate. In March 2016, his book, The Prehistories of Baseball, was published by McFarland Books (North Carolina, USA). He adds that this work is of interest to all serious fans and students of sports. It supports the idea that baseball came from Britain and Europe. The foundations, philosophies, and cultural trappings show British and European origins, and he says that baseball fans everywhere would find the ideas in this work fascinating.

held varying executive roles including: President of Swiss Chalet North America for the Cara Group of Companies; CEO of Creemore Springs Brewery Ltd.; Senior Vice-President of Molson Coors Canada; Managing Director of Sleeman Brewing Ltd.; along with senior roles at Nestle Canada and The Premium Beer Company of Toronto. Peter holds a BBA from Acadia and an MBA from The Schulich School of Business. Peter’s previous board experience and roles at senior management levels will bring a wealth of knowledge to the corporate director team at Organigram.

EVELYN (NEWELL) FIDLER (’88) is now Collections Manager and Curator for Kings Landing Corporation in Prince William, NB.

the University of Regina has made great progress. After several years of declining enrolment, student numbers have increased to more than 14,000 – the highest total in the University’s history – at the University and its federated colleges. Faculty members and students are receiving national and international recognition for their work, and the University is attracting more external research funding than ever before. Just as importantly, the University of Regina is becoming increasingly diverse, with approximately 14 per cent of its students from other countries and another 12 per cent who have self-declared that they are of Aboriginal descent. As President and Vice-Chancellor, Vianne maintains a wideranging research program, with particular emphasis on family literacy and inclusive education. She is active in the academic community regionally, nationally and internationally, currently serving as President of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Chair of Universities Canada’s Standing Committee on International Relations, and a member of the Canada Foundation for Innovation. She has been recognized with numerous awards throughout her career, including being named one of Canada’s “Top 100 Most Powerful Women” in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. Vianne is a member of the Bras d’Or Mi’kmaq First Nation in Nova Scotia.

Executive Director for Alumni Affairs at Acadia, IAN MURRAY (’88), recently had a chance meeting with DR. VIANNE TIMMONS (BED, SPECIAL EDUCATION ’83), the seventh President and ViceChancellor of the University of Regina since 2008. Under Vianne’s leadership,

CATHARINE FARROW (’89) is Chief Executive Officer and Director of TMAC Resources Inc. headquartered in Toronto. Farrow is a professional geoscientist with more than 20 years of mining industry experience who joined the company in January 2013 as Chief Executive Officer and became a director on March 12, 2013. Until joining the company, she was Chief Operating Officer of KGHM, formerly Quadra FNX Mining, the international subsidiary of Polish CuAg miner KGHM Polska Mied SA after the acquisition of QUX. Farrow was Chief Technology Officer at QUX until early 2012, and before that held roles of increasing responsibility at FNX and, after

Congratulations to #AcadiaU alumna DR. MICHELLE DOW (’83) on being named as the new President of Doctors Nova Scotia. Learn more at: http://goo.gl/O6eAOn.

1980s OrganiGram Holdings Inc. announced in June, 2016 that PETER AMIRAULT (’82) has joined the Company’s Board of Directors. Peter is currently the President of BML Group Limited in Toronto, a holding company with interests in real estate development and private investments. Prior to joining BML Group, Peter

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the merger between FNX and Quadra in 2010, including senior executive roles in exploration, project evaluation, technical services and corporate development. Prior to joining FNX in 2003, she was with Inco Ltd. from 1996 to 2003 and the Ontario Geological Survey from 1993 to 1996. She is a member of the board of directors of Franco-Nevada Corporation, the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada and the Canadian Breast Cancer Society – Ontario Region. Farrow is also an adjunct professor at Laurentian University and a member of several professional organizations. She obtained her Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Geology from Mount Allison University, her Master of Science in Geology from Acadia, and her Doctor of Philosophy in Earth Sciences from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada.

KAREN (CASEY) HUTT (’89) was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Nova Scotia Power Inc., effective August 2016. Karen first joined Nova Scotia Power in 2001 to help implement the company’s customerfocused strategy. Since then, through progressively senior roles, she has led a range of customer, business growth and regulatory initiatives in Canada, New England, New Mexico and Florida. Karen

has served as Emera’s Vice-President, Mergers and Acquisitions and, prior to that, she was Emera Energy’s Executive Vice-President, Commercial, and, President, Northeast Wind. In all of her roles, Karen has demonstrated a strong focus on building and leveraging strategic relationships, advancing business goals, creating growth, and applying innovative thinking to meet customer needs. An active supporter of the local community, Karen currently serves as Vice-Chair of the IWK Health Centre in Halifax. She is a past trustee on the IWK Foundation Board, past-chair of the Junior Achievement of Nova Scotia Board of Directors and a past Board Member of the Nova Scotia Arthritis Society. Karen recently completed the Directors Education Program through the Institute of Corporate Directors and the Rotman School of Management.

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1990s

Calgary Public Teachers’ Local of the Alberta Te a c h e r s ’ Association. With over 6,000 teachers, this is the largest teachers’ local west of Ontario. Stephani takes on this position while teaching Special Education full-time, and proudly displays an Acadia sticker on her vehicle!

A quick update on BETH HAMILTONKEEN (’90), CFA, who is a Director of Investment Counseling at Mawer Investment Management Ltd. in Calgary. She sits on the firm’s Management Committee. On September 1, 2015, Beth was elected Chair of the Board of Governors of CFA Institute, the global association of investment professionals that promotes the highest standards of ethics, education, and professional excellence. Hamilton-Keen is an active member of her local community and in 2015 was recognized as one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women: WXN Top 100. She has been a guest lecturer at the University of Calgary, a guest commentator on CBC Radio, and a regular commentator on investment issues for CBC NewsWorld and BNN. STEPHANI CLEMENTS (BA ‘99, BED ‘01) was elected as Vice-President of the

2000s ELIZABETH TIPPING (’00), a partner at Neal & Harwell, PLC, has been named one of Nashville’s “40 Under 40” by the Nashville Business Journal. Tipping, who joined Neal & Harwell in 2003, practices in the area of civil litigation. A native of Ontario, Canada, Tipping received her undergraduate degree in music from Acadia in 2000. In 2003, she received her J.D. from Vanderbilt University School of Law, where she was named to the Order of the Coif and was a member of the

Vanderbilt Law Review. She is a member of the American Bar Association, the Tennessee Bar Association, the Nashville Bar Association, Lawyers Association for Women, the Tennessee Association for Justice and the American Association for Justice. Tipping is a member of the board of Linden Waldorf School. ALICE WALSH (’01) writes fiction and non-fiction for adults and children, and her published work includes nine books for children and four books for adults. A number of her books have been shortlisted for or won awards such as the Hackmatack and the Canadian Children’s Book Centre Choice award. Her juvenile novel, Pomiuk: Prince of the North (Beach Holme) won the prestigious 2005 Ann Connor Brimer award. Another YA novel, A Sky Black with Crows (Red Deer), was nominated for the same award. A recent novel, A Long Way From Home, is a finalist for the 2013-14 Hackmatack award. Her mystery novel, Last Lullaby, will be released in 2017 by Nimbus Publishing. Alice graduated from Acadia University in 2001 with a Masters in English with a focus in children’s literature. One of nature photographer ADAM HILL’S (’03) images will be forever linked to Canada when it is turned into a coin for Canada’s

Acadia Branded Merchandise

cadiaGear.com 42

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150th birthday. He says on Facebook that “this is something I never considered could even happen to my work, but I feel incredibly flattered to represent the Northwest Territories, a land that has been so incredible to me and my family over the past seven years or so.” The coin depicts Simpson Air’s Float Planes docked on the MacKenzie River while the aurora drifts overhead. Adam adds that he is honoured to have worked with Canadian Geographic and the Royal Canadian Mint, and says the coin will be pressed and distributed in December 2016. For more, please visit: http://goo.gl/teqcMU. To learn more about Adam’s photography, visit: http://www.adamhillstudios.ca/index

CRYSTAL FRENCH (’05) is pleased to announce that she is engaged to Brian Hood. A wedding is planned for June 2017. Awesome news, Crystal, and thanks for sharing! J E S S I C A ZIMMERING (’07) and DAVID EMMETT (’08) are excited to announce that they welcomed Isaac to their family on June 14, 2016. Jessica says, “We are enjoying every moment of getting to know this little guy!” Congratulations! CHRISTOPHER MARTELL (‘08) and his wife Jenna recently welcomed their first child, Hannah Mary Agnes, born on August 18, 2015.

CARMEN

BRADEN (’09) was born in Whitehorse, Yukon, earned a Bachelor of Music from Acadia, and has lived most of her life in Yellowknife. Many of her works incorporate environmental elements that reflect the sub-Arctic environment. Her music has been performed at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, the National Arts Centre 2013 Northern Scene Festival, The Global Composition in Germany, the Shattering the Silence New Music Festival, and the Land’s End Emerging Composer Competition. Carmen works out of her Yellowknife-based business Black Ice Sound in composition, education and performance as well as community outreach. She composes for film, dance and live media productions. Carmen earned a Masters of Music from the University of Calgary (2015), her Bachelor of Music from Acadia (2009), and an International Baccalaureate Diploma from Lester B. Pearson United World College of the Pacific (2004). She has a new album in the works that is scheduled for release early in 2017. (Photo credit: Hannah Eden)

2010s A wonderful letter from alumnus VANESSA HAWKINS (’10) to the Acadia community: “Dear Acadia University, Associated Alumni, the Acadia English Department and whoever happens to read this email: My name is Vanessa Hawkins and I am a graduate of Acadia University. I graduated with a BA in English as Vanessa Brown in the spring of 2010 and have since become a published author of Gloryhill. My novel is a 270-page paranormal fantasy that just hit online stores (in February

2016). I wanted to write to thank you for all the support this University has given to allow me to accomplish my goal of being an author. I began the process of self-publishing seven months ago with Friesen Press and have since sold copies internationally in Korea, Singapore, United States, the United Kingdom and, of course, Canada. I hope Acadia will accept my sincere thanks as I further embark on my writing career. I know Acadia prides itself not only on its arts community, but on keeping in contact with its alumni, and I hope that I can find myself at this wonderful University again soon.” Thanks, Vanessa! Continued success! Playwright and actor JACOB SAMPSON (’11) wrote and starred as the title character this summerin Chasing Champions: The Sam Langford Story, at the Ship’s Company Theatre in Parrsboro. Langford was from Weymouth Falls and, in the words of the play’s program: Sam Langford is considered one of the greatest fighters ever, yet he never claimed a world boxing championship. The reason is simple: Langford was the most avoided fighter in the history of boxing. As sport and race were colliding head-on, Langford relentlessly travelled the world, chasing dreams and titles. The play brings to life the boxing world of the 1910s and ’20s, exploring the legacy of this trailblazing Nova Scotian - a world class athlete who transcended racism, poverty and injury, before ultimately finding his redemption. Chasing Champions is Sampson’s first play although he’s no stranger to the theatre. After graduation from Acadia, he performed for four seasons with Shakespeare by the Sea and has also served as artist-in-residence at Nova Scotia’s Maritime Museum in 2013. Jacob teaches full-time at Bedford Academy. (Photo: courtesy of Ship’s Company Theatre)

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Acadia Remembers We are saddened to report the following deaths in the Acadia community:

Catherine Borden McLellan, (’39) Wolfville, NS — Agatha (Palmer) Ganong (’42) Quispamsis, NB — Aubrey L. Murphy (’46) East Granby, CT — George P. Miller (’46) Halifax, NS — Ruth E. (Clarke) Stalker (’46) — Fay (Tregunno) Johnson (’46) Bedford, NS — Stanley S. Carnegy (’47) — Eleanor K. (MacDonald) Cox (’48) Truro, NS — Irene M. (Jones) Holmes (’48) Quispamsis, NB — Aubrey A. Russell (’50) Toronto, ON — R. Gordon Crandall (’50) Charlotte, NC — M. Helen (Thompson) Turner (’50) Victoria, BC — Connie (Fritz) Walkington (’51) Pointe-Claire, QC —

Leslie F. Nickerson (’51) Ballston Lake, NY — Robert S. Jermyn (’51) Waukesha, WI — Earl A. Demont (’52) Glace Bay, NS — John Bannerman (’52) Ottawa, ON — Reginald C. Turner (’52) Steam Mill, NS — Beverly Arthur Sharp (’53), Sussex, NB — Ronald V. Nickerson (’54) Calgary, AB — Malcolm M. Bruce (’54) Shelburne, NS — H. Stewart Sutherland (’56) Dartmouth, NS — Maynard F. Schurman (’56) Summerside, PEI — Robert A. Gogan (’57) Truro, NS — Avard D. Hudgins (’57) Truro, NS — Donald Rupert Nickerson (’58) St. John’s, NL —

Russell W. Matheson (’60) Markham, ON — James Kenneth Murray (’73) Amherst, NS — Charles Stewart Walker (’75) Digby, NS — Joseph Ronald Doucette (’76) — Marilyn DesRochers (’77), Dartmouth, NS — Ronald J. Martin (’80) Berryville, VA — Moira Grace (Crawford) Moore (’82) Economy, NS — Keith Duncan Sanford (’84) Hants Co., NS — Linda Darlene (Bullen) Forsyth (’87) Mahone Bay, NS — Devon Alfred Yuill (’89) Hammonds Plains, NS — Marjorie E. (Manning) Fountain (’99) Halifax, NS — Kurt D. Bowen Wolfville, NS —

Valerie Best Cambridge, NS — R. Douglas MacDonald Kentville, NS — Nick Vidito Wilmot, NS — Herbert Wyile Wolfville, NS — George C. McDougall Calgary, AB — Claudia Tugwell Wolfville, NS — Marguerite Hatt Centreville, NS — Catherine Stanley Wolfville, NS — Clarence E. James Hamilton, BM — James B. Lamb Berwick, NS — Harvey Hicks Moncton, NB — David Joos — James Ralph Winter Wolfville, NS —

We produce this list to the best of our ability with the information provided.If there is a discrepancy or error, please contact the Office of Alumni Affairs at 902.585.1459.

ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2016

FINAL FRAME In each edition of the Bulletin, we reserve space on our final pages for a fond look back at the way we were. Do you know the person in this photo? If so, send me an e-mail at fred.sgambati@acadiau.ca. First person to identify him will win an Acadia sweatshirt (valued at $70.00). Please include your name, address and phone number in your response. We will reveal the answer, the winner and have another image for you in the spring edition. Look forward to hearing from you. Have fun!

FINAL FRAME

WINNER In our last edition, Jill Lutz (’82) of Toronto, ON was the first to identify the photo of Christy Lynde (’03) and Jill Hobson (’02). Congratulations, Jill!

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