Bulletin FALL 2011
Spotlight on Research Acadia’s researchers take centre stage. See the stars come out on pages 14-21!
An apple a day... That’s how little it costs to support Acadia students. By donating a little to Acadia each month, you help students achieve excellence by encouraging knowledge and supporting teaching and learning. Monthly giving is easy to budget, too, and has tremendous impact over time. From financial aid to academic resources, your support enriches the experiences of our students, and through them, our local and global community.
giving.acadiau.ca
In Every Issue From the Acadia President .......... 2 From the AAAU President ........... 3 Eye on Acadia .............................. 6 Research...................................... 14 Development............................... 24
Features Page 6
Best of the best
Three Acadia alumni and Acadia’s President are named among the Top 50 CEOs in Atlantic Canada by Atlantic Business magazine.
Acadia Family.............................. 28 Alumni Profiles........................... 30 Athletics....................................... 36 Class Notes.................................. 40 Acadia Remembers.................... 44 Final Frame.................................. 45
Page 18
Virtual lessons
Dr. Heather Stephens and innovative M2T technology make managing classrooms virtually easy for the teachers of tomorrow.
Page 28
All in the family
When Hannah Bridgham picked a university, Acadia was her first choice. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree, either; she’s the 18th member of her family to attend.
Page 36
To the Hall!
Soccer stars, hardcourt wizards and outstanding builders: a diverse group of inductees is applauded and welcomed into the Acadia Sports Hall of Fame.
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
1
One community That’s right - as our first-year students leave high school and move away from home for the first time, they place us at the top of their list because they see the ‘community’ that Acadia represents as both a distinguishing feature and a desirable component of their university life. While we do not know what each student may mean when they use the term, it is clear they are describing something that both includes the town of Wolfville, but, at the same time, extends beyond that geographic definition to include relationships with professors, staff and fellow students. Some define it by the lifelong friends they expect to make and the networks they establish in their chosen field of study. For others, it’s the chance to get involved beyond the classroom and become part of the social and cultural fabric of the Annapolis Valley. Regardless of how it’s defined, it’s important for us and our community partners to know that, however much the student marketplace has changed, the intensely human connections that have always defined the Acadia experience remain relevant to today’s students. This edition of your Bulletin looks a little further into how Acadia and its community are coming together to improve our quality of life, our health and our prosperity both locally and around the world. You’ll learn about groundbreaking cancer research being done at Acadia that is one example of how our faculty are involving Acadia undergraduates in scientific work that many students wouldn’t typically be exposed to until well into their post-graduate careers. You’ll also learn about a young woman, Hannah Bridgham, from Maine, who is the eighteenth member of her family to attend Acadia. The Canning-Bridgham family is an example of the many Acadia families that embrace the benefits our community offers young people beginning their university studies. Our recent Sports Hall of Fame and Homecoming events have been perfect opportunities to showcase how Acadia is building momentum today by drawing on the strength of our past. This strength comes from our alumni who play visible roles on campus and in their communities while providing support and guidance to Acadia. The Associated Alumni of Acadia University (AAAU) is an invaluable resource to Acadia decision-makers, and all alumni play a similar role with students who are considering Acadia. I’m proud every time I get to tell an audience of one or hundreds how I can feel this wave of support pushing us forward as an institution. On a final and sad note, the Acadia family suffered the tragic and heartbreaking loss of two students during the first few weeks of the fall term. We have extended our sincerest sympathies to their families and continue to provide support to their many friends here at Acadia. We have all been reminded through these tragedies of how suddenly lives full of promise can be taken from us. I want to express my gratitude for the many expressions of support and sympathy from our alumni community and the genuine concern shown for our students’ families and everyone at Acadia. In Acadia Spirit, 2
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
Volume 94 Issue 2 Publisher Office of Advancement, Acadia University Editor Fred Sgambati (’83) Photo: Light and Lens Photography
Determining what leads a student to choose Acadia over all other universities could be very complicated given the highly competitive nature of Canada’s post-secondary education sector. Interestingly, recent research indicates that there is one factor that dominates all others – a sense of community.
Fall 2011
Executive Director, Alumni Affairs and Advancement Strategy Ian Murray (’88) Advertising and Production Manager Sandra Symonds AAAU Board of Directors Kiersten Amos (’96) Clive Anderson (’89) Hugh Bray (’75) Charles Coll (’84) Michele Gerrard (’88) Sandra Greer (’85) Angela Harris (’10) Ed Hemphill (’89) Geoff Irvine (’87) Doug Jackson (’99) Chris Kavanagh (’75) Mike Kennedy (’05) Gillian Latham (’92) Tracy Lightfoot (’96) Darren MacLeod (’84) Bruce Phinney (’81) Maura Ryan (’88) Meaghan Sim (’01) Malcolm Smith (’76) Martin Suter (’88) Jeffrey Wright (’95) Christine White (’97) Troy Yeo (’96) Graphic Designer Cathy Little Printing Transcontinental 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 26,000 alumni. All material is copyright ©2011 Acadia University, and may be reprinted with written permission. Acadia Bulletin welcomes letters to the Editor: Acadia Bulletin Editor Office of Advancement Acadia University, Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6 alumni.office@acadiau.ca Advertising inquiries: Advertising and Production Manager Communications and Marketing Acadia University, Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6 902.585.1708 sandra.symonds@acadiau.ca
Special place, impressive people Welcome to the fall 2011 edition of the Bulletin. Members of the Associated Alumni of Acadia University (AAAU) and staff in the Alumni office have been busy since our last Bulletin and alumni were engaged on a number of fronts: Summer Reunions; the 30th Anniversary of the Alumni Golf Tournament; Halifax Harbour Cruise; Frosh Move-In Weekend; the induction of seven individuals and teams into Acadia’s Sports Hall of Fame; and our fantastic Homecoming Weekend, highlighted by three different eras of Acadia football players returning to Wolfville. We also launched our monthly e-newsletter in August and the response has been outstanding. The AAAU has a mandate to stay in touch with its constituents and there is no better way to do this than through our Bulletin and a monthly dialogue to let alumni know what’s going on at Acadia. This edition of the Bulletin explores the University’s wide-ranging research capabilities, which combine high-tech with high touch. Acadia’s faculty is engaged in research activities that span a wide spectrum and offer many opportunities to both graduate and undergraduate students. We profile the work of Chemistry professor Dr. Amitabh Jha; Acadia’s Beaubassin research facility; the partnership between Acadia and the Nova Scotia Nature Trust at Bon Portage; and cutting-edge technology that creates virtual classrooms to teach new teachers. We also feature University President Ray Ivany’s induction into the Atlantic Business 2011 Hall of Fame and profile three alumni, Scott Ferguson, Bert Frizzell and Gordon Laing, named as top CEOs in Atlantic Canada. You want more? How about a story on the newlyestablished Norman Atkins Memorial Award; a look at our new fitness facility; and the 40th anniversary
Reunion in 2012 of members of the Recreation Management Program at Acadia. It’s a lineup that should make all of us proud of this institution, its faculty and staff, and of our Alumni Association, as well. In this issue you will find an article that captures just a bit of the past, present and future of our Association. Your Board of Directors and staff at the Alumni Office are currently examining ways to better represent and serve our alumni population, and all of us share an understanding of the important role that we as alumni play in supporting and sustaining this amazing institution. The story on the new integrated information management system outlines an excellent example of our many contributions and the support that we provide. This will be my last Bulletin message as President of the Associated Alumni and I want to take this opportunity to say what a privilege and honour it is to have served on your behalf. As alumni, we truly understand not only the value of our time at Acadia as students, but of the lasting and lifelong impact it has on each of us as a person. It is important that we remember what this place means to us, and that we continue to celebrate and support it. Working together we can add many more chapters to this amazing story. On a closing note, I join Ray in expressing our profound sympathies to the families of the young students who tragically lost their lives at the beginning of this school year. Our thoughts remain with them.
Charles Coll (’84) President Associated Alumni of Acadia University
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
3
FEATURE
‘Town and gown’ make good partners at Farmers’ Market Walls between Wolfville and Acadia crumble as the university and community find creative ways to achieve shared priorities
By Rachel Cooper (’89)
R
ed, orange and purple tomatoes are piled high in their wooden baskets at Wolfville’s bustling farmers’ market on a sunny Saturday morning. Throngs of customers buy tomatoes and a cornucopia of other local produce direct from the growers. Fresh baking and crafts are for sale, as are local meats, poultry and fish. Rows of colourful preserves sit next to prize-winning local wines and spirits. It’s market day in Wolfville at the DeWolfe Building on Elm Street. More than 60 vendors make up the Wolfville Farmers’ Market in its new permanent home, a far cry from the day in 1992 when three vendors bravely set up an outdoor market. That fledgling market grew, and in 2006 became a year-round event with winter quarters in Acadia’s Students’ Union Building. Early this summer, the renovated DeWolfe Building opened, made possible by a 20-year, dollar-a-year lease from Acadia.
Fascinating genesis “The genesis of the project is fascinating,” says Acadia president Ray Ivany, “and illustrative of something that’s quite important to the university.” Shortly after arriving at Acadia, Ivany met with Mayor Bob Stead to look for ways to transcend the ‘town and gown’ model. “We were talking about how we would do things differently if we were operating within the model of a single totality rather than two disparate entities,” Ivany says. They began looking at how they might share priorities. Highest on town council’s agenda was finding a permanent home for the farmers’ market. The centuryold DeWolfe Building, used originally for storing
4
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
apples, was a prime candidate. Since Acadia was using the building for storage, the university would need to make some changes before releasing it. “We knew we would have to make accommodations,” Ivany says. Acadia looked at the project in the spirit of it being the highest priority for the town and fitting the university’s priorities in terms of its Nutrition program and commitment to sustainability, food security and the community. “We don’t even know everything the building means to the market at this point, it’s so fresh,” says Kelly Marie Redcliffe, the market’s manager. Numbers are already up 25 per cent. Even in this summer’s rainy weather, the market did well. “A lot of people think sunshine is great for the market, but products can be damaged by sun, rain and wind. Because we have protection, we’re able to deliver a consistent quality product and service to the community.” Having an office where people can drop in has given the market more solidity in the community, she adds. The market co-op raised $825,000 and managed the renovation project; no small feat, Redcliffe says. Important as the DeWolfe Building is, it is not the market’s only partnership with Acadia. Ongoing partnerships with the School of Nutrition and Dietetics benefit both visitors and students. “We offer food demonstrations, where students in a particular class determine the recipe using in-season local products and market vendor products,” Redcliffe says. “They create a handout then come to the market and offer samples to around 200 people as part of their class work.” The students get a learning opportunity in the community, see the impact of their effort and why it’s important.
Photo: Deborah Nicholson
FEATURE
Kelly Marie Redcliffe, Manager of the Wolfville Farmers’ Market
The market is also developing a large volunteer program that involves two Acadia students now and will seek to involve more when the program is ready in the New Year. And two class projects are in the works, including one on sustainability by John Colton, associate professor in the School of Recreation Management and Community Development. “The market’s a willing partner in that,” Redcliffe says. “More than willing – we love that. Because again, we get service and we offer a real-time educational opportunity that can have impact.” For students and the community at large, the market hosts community suppers every Wednesday. For $10, a
customer receives a plate, five $2 coupons to spend at various vendors, and complimentary salad and bread. “I highly value that the market is a community place that is intergenerational, where everybody matters and everybody is welcome,” Redcliffe says. For its part, Acadia has a long history of involvement in issues that matter to the community it serves, Ivany says. “Every Saturday or Wednesday, when I’ve been at the market and seen the level of activity there, it brings a smile to my face,” he adds. “It is also a helpful reminder that we’re the kind of university that sees ourselves as being activist and being a part of the community that we have lived in for 172 years.”
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
5
Eye on Acadia
Acadia cultivates
TOP CEOs Ray Ivany
Gordon Laing
Bert Frizzell
Scott Ferguson
By Laura Churchill Duke (’98)
“
I do not believe that I won the award, but rather was there to accept it on behalf of Acadia,” says President and Vice-Chancellor Ray Ivany on receiving Atlantic Business Magazine’s award for being one of the top 50 CEOs in Atlantic Canada. This was Ivany’s fifth time winning the award (the previous four were in recognition of his achievements as President and CEO of the Nova Scotia Community College) and he was inducted into the magazine’s Top 50 CEO Hall of Fame. Three Acadia graduates were recognized also for their success as business leaders: Scott Ferguson (’79) from Trade Centre Limited; Gordon Laing (’82) from Southwest Properties; and Bert Frizzell (’72) from the Shaw Group Limited. These alumni credit Acadia for having provided them with a solid foundation upon which they have built highly successful careers. For Ferguson, Acadia’s key was its small campus, which gave him easy access to professors. It’s something upon which he capitalized frequently, he says. According to Dr. Maurice Tugwell, one of Ferguson’s economics professors, “like so many Acadia students
6
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
I have known, Scott appreciated the opportunity afforded him by the instructor of a fairly large class taking the time to become acquainted on a one-onone basis. Acadia is like that.” Laing agrees, and adds that Acadia provides a foundation for developing independence, responsibility and accountability. “Support systems are available when needed, however, the student learns to take initiative. The life lessons learned outside of the classroom are an important part of the Acadia experience and preparation for life after school.”
Secrets to success? When asked about their secrets to success and the advice they would pass on to future CEOs, the answers are surprisingly straightforward. Frizzell says, “surround yourself with talented people and provide winning conditions so they can be exceptional.” Likewise, Laing says the key is to hire great people, establish a vision for the organization and set clear
In terms of Acadia, Ivany says that a high bar needs to be set for students, but we shouldn’t expect them to clear it by themselves. Students need to be challenged and supported to do their best work so they can go and make the world a better place and do something with what they learned at Acadia. “My role as President,” Ivany says, “is to create conditions and reduce any obstacles so that the faculty and staff can continue doing their important work.” When the judges examine the nominees for the Top 50 CEO awards, they look at the individual’s corporate and industry involvement and their commitment to the community. It is no wonder, then, that all of our top CEOs stress the importance of giving back to the community. Ferguson says, “we should be on the lookout for individuals and organizations who are trying to make a difference and find even small ways to help them.”
Laing suggests that the most valuable gift a person can give is the donation of time. “There are so many groups doing great work in the community that need help at all levels. Your expertise may be anything from fundraising, governance, marketing to accounting. Find a group whose interests are aligned with your own, something you can be passionate about, and offer to help. There will be a role for you.”
Eye on Acadia
objectives, then let people do their job. “Your role as CEO is to mentor and remove obstacles.”
More specifically, Acadia alumni should be looking for ways to support and give back to Acadia. “If we are able,” Frizzell says, “we should support projects in which Acadia is involved. We can help Acadia reach that additional success with just a little extra funding.” Considering the traits and attitudes of these remarkable business leaders, it is easy to see why they are worthy of the recognition they have received. Energy, vision and commitment - all hallmarks of the Acadia experience - have provided them the means to reach the pinnacle of their respective fields and they continue to serve as fine corporate and community examples for Acadia graduates now and in the future.
Members of the Associated Alumni of Acadia University (AAAU) were prominent May 18 when Acadia President Ray Ivany was honoured for the fifth time as a Top 50 CEO in Atlantic Canada by the Atlantic Business Magazine at a Halifax Gala. Ivany was subsequently inducted into the Atlantic Business 2011 Hall of Fame. Several Acadia alumni were honoured also as Top 50 CEOs for 2011, including: Bert Frizzell, President and CEO of the Shaw Group; Scott Ferguson, CEO of the WTCC; and Gordon Laing, President and COO of Southwest Properties. Sharing in the celebration are (left to right): Gordon Laing (‘82); George Bishop (‘65); David Hastings (‘74); John Carter (‘71); Ray Ivany; Bert Frizzell (‘72); Stan Thomas (‘81); Hugh Bray (’75); AAAU President Charles Coll (’84); and Scott Ferguson (‘79).
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
7
EYE on ACADIA
Rec Reunion 2012 Creating community through connection, collaboration and celebration By Oonagh Proudfoot (’93)
T
he year was 1972. The Watergate scandal started, Bloody Sunday happened in Northern Ireland, the equal rights amendment was passed in the U.S., The Godfather was released, Don McLean’s American Pie hit #1 for four weeks, Gwyneth Paltrow and Ben Affleck were born, and Pierre Elliot Trudeau was Prime Minister of Canada. Closer to home, the Acadia Students’ Union Building opened and Dr. Charles Huggins was installed as Chancellor of Acadia University. But to approximately 1,000 graduates of our alma mater, the most important milestone that year was the beginning of the Recreation Management program at Acadia University. A group of graduates from the program decided recently it was time to celebrate this milestone. From May 2327, 2012, Acadia University invites all graduates from the Recreation Management program back to campus for a reunion. The theme is Creating Community: Connection, Collaboration and Celebration. It all begins Wednesday, May 23 with two-and-a-half days of professional development, networking and conference-like sessions. The next two-and-a-half days will be filled with social events and entertainment.
Well-trained, world-class
8
the top! I will look forward to greeting old friends and classmates and making a whole bunch of new friends as well!” Over 40 years, the program has seen many changes, including a change in the name of the degree program. It was once called a B.A. or B.Sc. in Recreation before becoming part of its own school, the School of Recreation Management and Physical Education. The program is now called a Bachelor of Recreation Management from the School of Recreation Management and Kinesiology. The reunion will have a ‘then and now’ flavour with a focus on four decades of graduates: what it was like during their time at Acadia while celebrating and sharing successes and great stories of what they are doing now. Take David Greene (’08) for example. “Since graduating from Recreation Management in 2008, I have been fortunate enough to have traveled a large portion of our country by canoe and other forms of human-powered transportation. Graduating with a degree in Recreation Management has helped me explore and understand how communities and culture are essential in creating an identity for me and for Canada as a nation.
The Associated Alumni of Acadia University (AAAU) is thrilled by the energy and initiative of the Reunion organizers. Hugh Bray, 1st Vice President of the AAAU and proud Class of ‘75 Recreation grad says, “what else could you expect from a dynamic group of professional Recreation graduates from Acadia? They are all welltrained, world-class organizers and facilitators. The AAAU and Alumni Office staff are excited to assist in any way possible to support communications and logistics for the event.
“Recently, Adrien Rawley (B.Sc. ‘08) and I completed a 2,700 kilometre human-powered expedition from Georgian Bay, Ontario to Happy Valley/Goose Bay, Labrador via rowboat, bicycle and canoe. We traveled from Georgian Bay, Ontario to Quebec City, Quebec in a rowboat; Quebec City to Churchill Falls, Labrador on our bicycles; and finally canoed down the Churchill River of Labrador to Happy Valley. With the help of Dr. John Colton and a lot of hard work, I was fortunate enough to receive a junior guide position on an expedition rafting trip down the Tatshenshini River. This was a great highlight of my paddling career.”
“There have been some tremendous initiatives led by different alumni groups and class years over the last 18-24 months, each one showing a huge uptick in Acadia Alumni pride and engagement,” Bray says. “Summer Reunion 2011 showed us how it’s done, and the All-Decades Football Celebration at this fall’s Homecoming and the annual Gala are proof positive. Things are rocking! It will be fun to watch the Rec grads at least match the energy and vibe of the Class reunions and football events. They may just put it over
Dr. Brenda Robertson, organizing committee member, cites Spring Camp as a great piece of the BRM history. “One highlight of their Acadia experience that is always mentioned when alumni from the late 1970s and 1980s are asked is spring camp. All first-year students, in April of their Frosh year, would participate in a one-week camp held at Sherbrooke Lake camp. For many, capping off their first-year experience at camp solidified their belief that they had indeed enrolled in the perfect university program.
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
EYE on ACADIA
“The camp consisted of a myriad of challenging and adventuresome pursuits designed by camp director professor Jude Hirsch (deGuerre) and delivered by student leaders earning credit for upper level courses. There was always a large resource team of alumni so anxious to return to the camp that many took vacation time away from their jobs for the opportunity, even to serve in such capacities as kitchen staff.” Reunion 2012 organizing committee members represent 40 years of graduates, from a crosssection of professional appointments and geographic locations, and they are excited to put this reunion together. Join the Facebook group “Acadia Recreation Management Alumni – Reunion” and check out the reunion website: http://recreationreunion2012.acadiau.ca/Home. html . See you in 2012!
Lisa Hill (Clouter) (’93) at Spring Camp 1989. Inset: David Greene (’08) with two colleagues as guides on a Tatshenshini River rafting trip. ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
9
Eye on Acadia
Residences through the years More than just accommodations, residences enable students to flourish right where they live By Laura Churchill Duke (’98)
O
ver the years, Acadia has had to come up with innovative strategies to accommodate increasing numbers of students. Today, there are 11 residences in use on campus, but the University’s living quarters had modest beginnings.
men and Tully (Whitman House) for women. Both residences still stand. After World War II, The federal government agreed to pay the educational costs of returning servicemen. The resulting influx of students necessitated further residence construction.
Horton Academy students (a classical high school founded on Acadia’s site in 1829) were housed in a one-storey, yellow farmhouse situated on presentday Main Street in front of what is now University Hall. According to Tom Sheppard’s (‘66) Historic Wolfville, the Academy Boarding House was built to accommodate 50 students, the principal, his family, and other administrators. When the first College (University) Hall was built in 1843, it had residence rooms on the upper floors. With no central heating, students had to use stoves to keep warm.
“New residence space was obviously urgently required,” writes Roger Prentice (’69) in his book, A Child of Providence, so War Memorial - affectionately called “Barrax” - was built. Buildings at Camp Aldershot were rented to house married students. The Evangeline Inn, located where the new Clock Park is being developed on Wolfville’s Main Street, was leased for three years to serve as a men’s residence. The inn was torn down in the 1960s and replaced by a service station.
In 1875, the first residence, Chipman Hall, opened on the site of present-day Chipman House. Seminary House followed in 1878 and a newer Academy Boarding House in 1887 (near the current War Memorial Gymnasium). Seminary House was built to support growing interest among the Baptist founders in women’s education.
Strong community
Commitment to remain a residential university Throughout student expansion, Acadia has retained its commitment to be a residential university. According to Barry Moody’s (’67) history of Acadia, Give us an A, up until 1902 College women shared accommodations with women in Seminary or had to board in town. Acadia College women wanted to be distinguished from Seminary women, so in 1902 the College women sent a petition to the Board requesting a separate residence. In 1909, the former president’s residence, Trotter House, became the first women’s college residence. Affectionately called the “Crow’s Nest”, it was located where Manning Memorial Chapel stands today. Major fires in 1914 and 1915 destroyed the Academy Boarding House and Chipman Hall, and necessitated replacements. In 1915, Willett House was built for 10
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
The Baby Boom generation of the 1960s and ‘70s again caused Acadia to study its educational and residence capacity. Quick fixes were needed while permanent residences were being built. Blomidon Inn was purchased as an auxiliary off-campus residence in 1960 and in 1962 “Blomidon House” became a men’s residence. Between 1965 and 1969 it was a women’s residence. Lynn (Pelton) Whyte (’68) and Sonja (Crowley) Fourdraine (’69) were residents of Blomidon House. Because of its distance from campus, a shuttle bus ferried the girls to and from classes, often with little time to spare. “It would honk its horn and leave in three minutes,” says Whyte. “The honk often woke me up and, in winter, I’d throw a coat on over my nightgown and go to my first class. I took my rollers out on the way!” The ride also gave students lots of time to catch up on everyone’s doings. “One day, en route, two of us found out one guy was trying to date us both!” says Whyte. Although female students often felt isolated living away from campus, they developed a strong community. “Sharing clothes; making Kraft dinner
Lynn Whyte (’68), from Upper Tantallon, poses on the front steps of the Blomidon Inn in Wolfville, where she lived in residence during the 1965-66 academic year.
Photo: Fred Sgambati
Eye on Acadia
in the kitchen; staying up late and talking in each other’s rooms; stretching those good-nights with our dates on the front veranda as long as possible; turning the sofas around in the reception room for smooching privacy; pouring a wastebasket of water out the window on the head of some fellow trying to climb into his girlfriend’s window; panty raids. It goes on and on once one starts to think of it,” reminisces Fourdraine. Since then, more residences have popped up and are still being used today, including: Dennis House, the second Chipman House, Chase Court, Eaton House, and Crowell Tower. Cutten House, Roy Jodrey Hall and Christofor Hall were the last residences to be built.
Specialty residences, too There are also two “specialty” residences. The French House was formerly in Hayward House, but now operates in Raymond House (above the print shop).
Matthew Guy, Assignments Coordinator for Residence Life, says there are “10 students who speak French and cook and prepare a weekly meal together.” New to campus is the Eco-House. Located on Westwood Avenue, it accommodates five students who work with the campus Sustainability Coordinator, the Acadia Students’ Union and Residence Life on environmental issues. “They aim,” says Guy, “to live in the most sustainable manner possible in the house, eating local and using sustainable cleaning products.” Acadia continues to provide up-to-date housing through an ongoing maintenance and upgrade plan. Cutten House, for example, built in 1975 is now being renovated to repair severe water damage. It is scheduled to reopen in 2012. Through a blend of well-maintained residences and additions, Acadia continues to meet the needs of a growing student population and remains faithful to its original purpose of being a residential university. ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
11
Alumni News
Summer Reunion excitement! On July 8-10, 2011, Acadia’s Office of Alumni Affairs hosted Summer Reunion 2011, celebrating the Class of 1961’s 50th Reunion and welcoming the Classes of 1941, 1946, 1951, 1956, 1961 and 1971 to the Town of Wolfville and the Acadia University campus.
1 Members of the Class of 1951 Jean (Daniels) Sutherland, Isabel Palmeter and Joan Andrews Bennett had a ball while touring Grand-Pre Winery at Summer Reunion 2011. 2 Violin virtuoso Warwick Lister (’61) was one of the weekend’s special guests. He gave a concert/lecture in the K.C. Irving Garden Room for all returning class members. 3 Helena (Martin) Vaughan (’41) and her husband Avery Vaughan (’43, ‘94) enjoyed the sweet sounds of Warwick Lister’s presentation. 4 Acadia Chancellor Libby Burnham (’60) is flanked by Class of ’61 members Margaret Archibald and Dan MacIntosh at a reception following Dr. Bob Sutherland’s keynote speech, “My Fifty-Year Journey Since Acadia: Changing Perspectives.” 5 Cheerleaders from the Class of 1961 spurred Acadia spirit to open the Fred G. Kelly Memorial event. They are: Susie Golding Langley; Mary Lou (Dewar) Muttart; Dawn Short Gilchrist; Margaret Archibald; and Joan (Allen) Hicks. 6 Dr. Bob Sutherland shares some conversation after his keynote address.
The Class of 1961 Reunion Planning Committee organized several special activities for the Class and the reunion, including: a visit to the Wolfville Farmers’ Market; a tour of Grand-Pre Winery; a public presentation by Class member Warwick Lister, who gave an informal lecture-concert in the K. C. Irving Garden Room on the life and music of Giovanni Battista Viotti; a permanent display of memorabilia in honour of Major Fred G. Kelly’s 40 years of service to Acadia; a public presentation by Class member and renowned cancer researcher, Dr. Bob Sutherland; a gala dinner; and expanding the Charlotte Burditt Sutherland Memorial Scholarship to $61,000.
for all. Online Learning
Don’t just think “degree” — university education takes on many styles, shapes, and sizes. At Open Acadia, we offer something for everyone.
Teacher Training Advance as an educator with a course, certificate, or Masters degree offered through flexible local or online options, and explore TESOL and other specialized areas.
Open Acadia = ½ page
Get a quality Acadia education, no matter where you are. Study anywhere, anytime by choosing from over 100 open-entry courses and certificates.
Community Learning Customized Programming Tailor a program to create the perfect fit for your organization. Whether you’re thinking big or starting small, we can help.
A variety of programs are available to match the interests of both pre- and post-university learners, from high school students to adults age 50+.
www.openacadia.ca 12
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
1 2
Alumni News
3
5
Photos: Fred Sgambati
4
6
Above: The Class of ’51 had the highest percentage of returning alumni at the 2011 Summer Reunion and was awarded the Reunion Cup. (Photo: Aislinn Robinson) ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
13
RESEARCH
World-class breast cancer research being done at Acadia By Fred Sgambati (’83)
H
is research into compounds to battle breast cancer could very well have world-wide impact, but Acadia University Chemistry professor Dr. Amitabh Jha is humble when he speaks about his work. Jha has been teaching at Acadia for nine years and is involved in a project to develop a number of Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERMs) that could block the effects of estrogen in breast tissue and control breast cancer growth. Results so far have been encouraging and impressive. He says he has a compound that kills breast cancer cells in the lab. However, he adds, “at any point, we might have a test in which the drug won’t perform and it’s back to the drawing board. So far, though, everything is looking very positive and we are about two years away from clinical trials, if we get there.” The development of the compound was a combination of hard work and serendipity. After obtaining his Ph.D. from the University of Delhi in India in 1997, he worked in research labs in New Delhi and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. “I learned what goes on every step of the game,” he says, “working on anti-bacterial and anti-infective agents.”
When he arrived at Acadia, Jha wanted to explore unique avenues of inquiry that were different from his previous research and thought the pursuit of a compound to fight breast cancer would be a good area to investigate. He developed a model that had a very versatile building block he could use to make any kind of molecule. “I started looking at this building block and wondered what it could give me. I started designing compounds – SERMs – that could be beneficial and commercially relevant.”
Antagonizes estrogen production The goal was to produce something that antagonizes the production of estrogen in post-menopausal women and thereby stop the growth of tumors. Estrogen, he says, “is an important hormone for various functions in the human body, but it has more functions in the female body. In post-menopausal women, if there’s an onset of breast cancer, the presence of estrogen will increase cell multiplication and increase the tumor. If there’s any way we can antagonize the production of estrogen, we can stop the tumor growth.” 14
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
Estrogen has an effect also on bone maturation and blood lipid profile. “The problem,” he notes, “is if you have a compound that mimics estrogen it may block some of the (positive) effects of estrogen. So we have a challenge and an opportunity. Can we design a drug that stops all the bad effects of estrogen and maintains the good effects?” The answer so far is yes. Jha has developed a compound “that binds strongly to estrogen receptors and has an antagonistic effect on estrogen in breast cancer cells.” This specificity is precisely what he wants. He says a non-specific drug is likely to do more damage to the body than a specific one and the long-term objective of his research is to develop a compound that’s safe, effective and ultimately improves a patient’s chances for survival and quality of life.
Exploring patent process After extensive literature searches and a comprehensive data survey, Jha discovered the compound he designed was completely novel and eligible for patent. He is currently exploring the patent process through Acadia’s Office of Industry and Community Engagement (ICE) with the assistance of Director Leigh Huestis. “It’s very important that we have an office like that at the University,” he says. “Basically, when I approach the Office of Industry and Community Engagement, they tell me how they can help. There are two ways: one, are there any funds that can be accessed to obtain a patent or get data on a patent? This is definitely something Leigh has helped me with.” Jha has received funding support as well from the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation ($118,680 over the next two years), a Breast Cancer Society of Canada/QEII Foundation Award for Breast Cancer Research of $50,757 over two years, and $15,000 from Springboard Atlantic. “Two, Leigh thought it appropriate to have Dalhousie - being a bigger player and more experienced with drug development work - onboard to contribute their expertise to move the technology forward. She has connections with the people in their technology transfer office and I have had good meetings with them. They’re very interested in moving ahead with this technology.” Dalhousie, Jha says, “are definitely formidable in terms of what they can do: more resources, more experience and connections. Together, it gives a better chance to my technology.”
Photo: Fred Sgambati
RESEARCH
Acadia University Chemistry professor Amitabh Jha in his Elliott Hall lab on the Wolfville campus. ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
15
RESEARCH
Beaubassin – A research gem for Acadia Dr. Step hen Hen derson By Laura Churchill Duke (’98)
“
The Beaubassin region is an extremely important site,” says David MacKinnon (’74), Acadia’s Dean of Research and Graduate Studies. “The research opportunities are immense” and Acadia alumni are reaping the rewards.
there in biology, environmental science, geology and history,” he adds.
The Beaubassin Field Station is a research gem tucked away in the Tantramar Marshes on the Nova Scotia/New Brunswick border. The project began in 1985 when Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) began to acquire and develop freshwater wetlands in the region. In 1996, Irving Oil Limited (IOL) joined the project and since then 1,000 acres of land, including an 1862 farmhouse, have been acquired.
Dr. Ian Spooner from the Department of Earth and Environmental Science is studying lakes in the region to understand how natural changes, shortterm climate change and human activity affect the lakes. Dr. Phil Taylor of the Biology Department is conducting radar studies of bird migration since the region is part of a major migratory pathway for ducks, songbirds and shorebirds.
In 2008, Acadia signed a 10-year research agreement to study wetlands and waterfowl in the area. The following year, IOL, Acadia and DUC signed a Funding Partners Agreement that outlined areas of common interest and agreed to explore the development of an overall Acadian Ecosystem Research Strategy. The first of these milestones was the establishment of the Beaubassin Field Station.
Drs. David Duke, Barry Moody (’67) and Stephen Henderson (‘89) from the Department of History and Classics are examining the historical significance of the site. The land was first inhabited by the Mi’kmaq and then became one of the largest Acadian settlements. The area played a crucial role in the course of the Seven Years’ War and the subsequent Acadian expulsion. The Battle of Fort Cumberland in 1776 was also an early skirmish in the American Revolution. “Beaubassin is one of the most historically dense and important regions in North America,” says Duke. “It is also one of the most overlooked.”
“This research opportunity,” says MacKinnon “has really come to Acadia because of the efforts of Arthur and Sandra Irving.” When the agreement was signed, Arthur Irving was Chancellor of Acadia and past president of DUC. Geoff Harding, Manager of Major Projects for DUC, says,“the Irvings felt that the old farmhouse could be upgraded to support researchers from Acadia to do meaningful research on issues of interest to DUC, Acadia and IOL.” By July 2009 the farmhouse had been completely renovated into a field laboratory facility (incorporating equipment from Acadia’s former Biology building, Patterson Hall), with sleeping quarters for at least 15 guests and a boardroom for 20 people. “Not only is the Beaubassin region an ideal wetland region,” says MacKinnon, “it is also a place of historical significance.” Research at the Field Station is trans-disciplinary. “We have research happening 16
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
Historically important
The history team’s research is supported by a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Aid to Small Universities (ASU) grant. Duke is examining resiliency and sustainability in the Beaubassin area: historically, how do people recover from natural disasters? How do different groups of people, over time, construct their lives around the land, and how does the land change people? Henderson is researching transportation across and through the Isthmus of Chignecto since the mid-nineteenth century and the cultural idea of the Tantramar Marshes in the twentieth century. Moody’s area of interest rests on agricultural patterns,
especially in marshland agriculture, and social and cultural development in the Chignecto Isthmus.
Valuable, hands-on experience
While working at the Beaubassin Field Station, for example, history graduate Sarah Story (’11) says that in one week, “I shared information with Environmental Science, Biology and Chemical Engineering students from Acadia, and learned more about marshland rehabilitation in the Maritimes from Ducks Unlimited staff.” Recent history graduate Ben Palmer (’11) says he feels fortunate to be a part of this research project. “I’ve had the chance, both during and immediately after completing my degree, to apply what I’ve learned to a real world situation. There are few people in
As an alumnus, Henderson says it was his undergraduate experience at Acadia and work on projects such as those at Beaubassin that showed him the benefits of thinking about questions from a variety of disciplines. “It was only when I moved on from Acadia that I discovered this approach was not common.”
RESEARCH
Working alongside these professors are many current and recently graduated students who are gaining valuable, hands-on experience. More importantly, these students are learning to work across disciplines and apply their education. Bethany Thurber (’08), who worked with Taylor studying bird migration, says that through this project she has been able to communicate and share ideas with people from departments to which she wasn’t necessarily linked during her time at Acadia as a student.
my position who will have this kind of opportunity.” As an aside, while conducting this research, Palmer discovered that his ancestors were linked directly to the area and the project!
The Beaubassin example demonstrates the opportunities presented by trans-disciplinary research involving the humanities and applied sciences. Partnerships such as those with the Irving family and Ducks Unlimited place Acadia at the forefront of research that works to understand and explain our world.
Photos: Stephen Henderson
Dr. Barry Moody
From left to right: Brad Woodworth, who is doing an MSc in Biology, from Middleton. His grandfather (Bill Woodworth) attended Acadia; Holly Lightfoot, doing an MSc in Biology, from Middleton; Sarah Story – History; Rachel Bood, currently a Biology student in fourth year, she was a DUC intern at Beaubassin this summer; and Ben Palmer – History. ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
17
RESEARCH
Classroom management: virtually easy! By Laura Churchill Duke (’98)
I
magine a technology that gives fledgling teachers the opportunity to gain valuable experience in a virtual classroom long before they ever encounter the real thing. That’s the premise behind Managing to Teach (M2T), an interactive multimedia learning tool designed to give beginning teachers an opportunity to explore classroom management decision-making in a safe, virtual environment. “Managing to Teach consistently focuses on authentic situations, giving the teacher ready-to-use tools and techniques. It is incredibly valuable,” says Julie Crocker (2010) about the School of Education’s innovative M2T program. In this virtual learning environment, students are shown a series of videos of “struggling” and “proficient” classroom management situations involving real public school students. Beginner teachers are then asked to complete interactive assignments and are provided with immediate feedback by the program’s guides. “The program includes all manner of real material and strategies to help beginner students and/or struggling teachers learn to be effective classroom managers,” says Dr. Robert Harris (’69), one of the program’s creators. Designed for flexibility in delivery, the virtual learning environment can be accessed via Internet or CD-ROM. The idea for M2T originated with Dr. Heather Stephens (’77) in Acadia’s School of Education. Stephens then approached Dr. Scott Follows from Acadia’s School of Business since he had designed other virtual learning environments. Harris was invited to join the project because he brought 20 years of experience as a school administrator to the table and had taught education. The team brought M2T to fruition with the help of development funding provided by Acadia University, the Nova Scotia Department of Economic
Development, and InNOVAcorp through the Early Stage Commercialization Fund (ESCF).
Solved a significant problem “The program was developed,” Follows says, “to try to solve a significant problem in the field of education. Many new teachers leave the profession within the first five years of becoming teachers often because they were not able to properly manage a classroom.” Follows says classroom management is unfortunately a training area often addressed inconsistently in teacher preparation programs. This could be because of a lack of tools, a lack of knowledge about how to address the subject or a lack of comfort with the subject matter. M2T is designed to eliminate these problems. The M2T program is now part of the My Education Lab collection of web resources that are included as course-enrichment extras with a variety of educationbased textbooks published by Pearson Canada. In addition, it is now a central resource connected to the textbook Becoming a Teacher, co-authored by Stephens and also published by Pearson Education. Now in its fourth edition, it has been adopted by over 15 schools of education in Canada. “The 2012 edition,” says Stephens, “features Managing to Teach with a coloured insert that promotes the resource.” Crocker, who is now a full-time English teacher with Open Acadia, says she frequently applies the M2T program principles. “I often adapt its methods and materials for my adult learners. M2T is applicable for teachers at any level, whether elementary, secondary or post-secondary.” The M2T project is a huge success not only for the School of Education, but for Acadia, Follows says. “It reinforces Acadia University’s leadership in the area of education and the use of technology to enhance the educational experience.”
For more information on the Managing to Teach program, visit http://m2t.acadiau.ca/ . 18
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
Photo: Fred Sgambati
RESEARCH
Dr. Heather Stephens displays both text and virtual learning tools for the M2T project.
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
19
RESEARCH
Acadia creates partnership with Nova Scotia Nature Trust
A
cadia University and the Nova Scotia Nature Trust have announced a groundbreaking conservation partnership. New protected areas arising from the partnership will advance coastal conservation in the province and set a new standard for land stewardship by academic institutions across the country. The announcement was made at the Museum of Natural History in Halifax Sept. 8, where Acadia University and the Nature Trust signed a Memorandum of Understanding committing the organizations to work together to permanently protect a series of ecologically important coastal lands owned by the university. The land will remain in Acadia ownership, but the natural values will be protected permanently by a conservation easement agreement. “Acadia is delighted to be putting our long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship into tangible, measurable action,” says Ray Ivany, President and Vice-Chancellor of Acadia University. “Thanks to our partnership with the Nature Trust, we can ensure that important natural areas entrusted to our care are protected in perpetuity. The partnership also gives the university, our faculty and students the opportunity to participate directly in protecting Nova Scotia’s increasingly threatened coastal legacy.”
Step forward in land conservation The conservation easement between the Nature Trust and Acadia marks a significant step forward in land conservation in Canada. It is the first time in Canadian history that university land has been protected through a conservation easement. Nature Trust Executive Director Bonnie Sutherland applauded Acadia for being an environmental pioneer among academic institutions in Canada, and noted, “we hope this landmark conservation easement, the first of its kind in Canada, inspires other academic institutions across the country to follow Acadia’s lead by taking action to protect significant natural areas in their own care.”
20
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
The first Acadia property slated for protection is Bon Portage Island, located in Shag Harbour off Nova Scotia’s southern coast. Bon Portage, at 300 acres, is one of Nova Scotia’s last remaining large, unspoiled coastal islands, and one of the most ecologically important islands. Part of an internationally designated “Important Bird Area,” Bon Portage provides a critical stopover for many migrating songbirds, shorebirds, waterfowl and raptors. It is also home to over 50 species of breeding birds, including one of only two surviving breeding colonies of Leach’s storm-petrels in the province. A conservation easement will permanently protect the outstanding wildlife and habitats of Bon Portage. For Acadia, the easement preserves another irreplaceable asset. The island is one of the province’s leading ecological research and field education sites. It supports a field school and unique learning and research opportunities, treasured by generations of Acadia students and by other scientists and researchers. By ensuring the island remains undisturbed and unspoiled, the conservation easement protects these irreplaceable learning and research opportunities, as well as the scenic values enjoyed by generations of local residents. “For years, Bon Portage has provided researchers with unique opportunities to observe and study wildlife and it makes sense that we make every effort to preserve it for the benefit of future generations of scientists,” Ivany said. Sutherland announced that the Nature Trust has launched a fundraising drive to make the long-term protection of Bon Portage Island possible. “Nova Scotians cherish our coastal legacy and lament its degradation. Here is a chance to make a difference, to be part of protecting that legacy—by making a taxdeductible gift to the Bon Portage Island campaign.” For more information and to support the campaign, visit nsnt.ca/bonportage. Or watch the video on AcadiaTV http://acadiatv.acadiau.ca/
Photos: Len Wagg
RESEARCH
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
21
AlumnI NEWS
Homecoming Weekend
1
3
6 22
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
2
4
5
7
It was a fantastic Homecoming Weekend at Acadia Oct. 14-16 as alumni and friends renewed old acquaintances, met new friends and shared the indomitable Acadia Spirit! Here is a pictorial representation of some of the people, places and events that made Homecoming 2011 such a success!
AlumnI NEWS
2011
1 Approximately 65 football players from coach Bob Vespaziani’s era at Acadia (1970s) gathered during Homecoming Weekend to share stories and celebrate the contributions of Coach Ves to the football program and their personal development. Organizing committee member George Crookshank (’75,) presented Vespaziani with a framed Inspiration print that depicts an aerial view of the Acadia campus during a reception for the legendary coach at the K.C. Irving Centre. 2 Acadia running back and player of the game Zack Skibin (33) breaks a tackle during the Axemen’s 40-10 Homecoming Game victory over Mt. A. More than 2,700 enthusiastic fans and alumni packed Raymond Field to celebrate the win. 3 Ian Murray (’88), Executive Director of Alumni Affairs and Advancement Strategy at Acadia, took a moment to pose with some members of the AAAU Board of Directors: from left, Kiersten Amos (’96), Christine White (‘97) and Gillian Latham (’92).
8
4 Major Troy Kennedy (’84), Officer Commanding, Land Force Atlantic Area Training Centre at Camp Aldershot, and his wife Beverly (Amey) Kennedy (’86), share a moment with Acadia Chancellor Libby Burnham (’60) at the Class of 1986 Reunion reception and dinner at Clark Commons Oct. 15. 5 Acadia University President Ray Ivany and his wife, Laurie Graham, were on hand to share in the fun and excitement at the AAAU backyard barbecue. 6 From left, the organizing committee that helped to bring together the Class of 1986 during Homecoming Weekend 2011: Kathleen (Lang) Curry; Cheryl Ann Beals; Mary Bignell; Angie (Marsters) Sawler; Miles Stephen; and Shelley (Worr) King.
9
7 Derek Smith (’05, left) stands with his parents Shirley and Steve Smith from Moncton, NB in front of the banner representing the 2011 Southwire and Munden Enterprises Kristin Pipe Memorial Golf Tournament at Ken-Wo Golf Club Oct. 14. Proceeds benefit the Kristin Pipe Memorial Award and Acadia Axemen Varsity Football. Pipe was an outstanding quarterback for Acadia from 1999-2004 who fought a private battle with leukemia and passed away in 2005 at the age of 26. The tournament ensures an annual award is made to an Acadia varsity football player on the basis of leadership, athletic skill and academic excellence. 8 Eight teams and 35 competitors combined fun and fitness Oct. 14 for the 99th Annual Bulmer Relay Race. An eclectic collection of runners toed the start line (pictured here), but the Dennis House Dinos were dominant, winning the coveted trophy handily.
Photos: Fred Sgambati
9 Members representing Football Rally 2011 – from left to right: Craig Holub (89‘); Mike Kingston (‘91), event organizer; Paul O’Leary (‘90); and Greg Bakeeff (’89), also an organizer – participated in the Kristin Pipe tourney, but were involved also in contacting and inviting as many former football Axemen as possible to Homecoming 2011 in an effort to rally fundraising support for the program.
10
10 Two former Hockey Axemen and their families enjoyed fine weather and good food at the Associated Alumni of Acadia University’s Annual Backyard Barbecue Saturday, Oct. 15. Pictured in front of a decorative hay bale are Meaghan (’01) and Mike Sim (2000) and their children Avery (two-and-a-half) and Rhys (six months); and Barkley (’01) and Julia Sauter with their children, Max (7) and Kingston (2). All decorations onsite at Alumni Hall during Homecoming were provided by alumni-owned Hennigar’s Farm Market in Greenwich. ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
23
development
Alumni Association supports Information Management upgrade By Fred Sgambati (’83)
A
new Alumni Management initiative is on schedule and will provide Acadia University and the Associated Alumni of Acadia University (AAAU) the opportunity to manage information more effectively and optimize its communications capability with all alumni.
Ian Murray is Executive Director, Alumni Affairs and Advancement Strategy at Acadia. He suggests the new system is essentially an upgraded business management tool that will allow his office to customize communications to alumni, donors and others.
The project, dubbed the Acadia Alumni Information Management System (AIMS), has been a collaborative, multi-year effort that has included many stakeholders, specifically the AAAU and University administration, both building on and replacing disparate technologies already in place at the school. Its genesis lay in the need for Acadia to better track and communicate with alumni, donors and other constituents and do more with fewer resources, creating operational efficiencies.
“It’s truly a ‘dollars at work’ effort,” Murray says, that will result “in a real and tangible example of alumni support. The project is creating an environment for the University to improve itself and to address priorities for today and tomorrow.
Once implemented, AIMS will create a highly functional central data repository and method of information management for all activities related to alumni affairs and fundraising. Longer term, it will be a central database for activity and information that better connects the total student-to-alumni journey. This acute need was identified originally following presentations by the University administration to the AAAU, at which point a Technology Committee was struck, comprised of AAAU Directors with backgrounds in IT and technology. This collaborative effort resulted in recommendations being presented to both the AAAU and the Board of Governors, including the AAAU funding commitment, for this strategic University project.
In fact, many current and past AAAU members have participated in the Technology Committee, including Charles Coll, Ian Cavanagh, Martin Suter, Hugh Bray, Jeff Wright and Geoff Irvine.
‘Dollars at work’ effort The AAAU approved funding for the project in two streams: the first was a feasibility study and needs analysis that was cost-shared with the University; the second was the AIMS implementation. The AAAU has committed approximately half of the expected $1 million project cost, largely through funds made available from the estate of Constance Hayward, with a private, anonymous donor funding the other half. Acadia will absorb so-called ‘soft costs’ that are outside of the operational budget.
24
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
“In practical terms, the impact of this project will be felt for decades and it was made possible through the partnership and dedication of the AAAU and the volunteer support they were willing to put behind it.”
“AAAU Board members,” Murray adds, “continue to provide advice on the functionality of the database to the project team comprised of staff, a third party contractor and project management group on the software provider end.” When asked what implementation will do, Murray says, “there are two ways the system will provide improvement: it will improve communication between the University and stakeholders; and it’s going to be able to collect more data - both anecdotal and empirical – and store it. We will have much better information on the preferences of our alumni and donors that should enable us to customize our communications.” In other words, the system will capture Acadia’s alumni audience in a whole new way and enable the Alumni Affairs Office to refine its ability to communicate with it. As valuable a tool as the project represents, Murray says the process to bring it forward is equally as important. “It underlines for me how exceptionally well attuned the AAAU is to the business requirements of the University. This project represents
Photo: Fred Sgambati
development
Ian Murray, Executive Director of Alumni Affairs and Advancement Strategy at Acadia, reviews the Constance Hayward file. At left is a photo of Hayward (’27), who was a member of Acadia’s Board of Governors from 1969-1982. a great deal of cooperation and integrated vision between the two entities and it really demonstrates an understanding not only of the operation of the University, but exemplary leadership from the AAAU Board to undertake a project of this scope and support the University to implement it successfully.” This effort will further the AAAU’s ability to deepen its relationships with alumni stakeholders
and, “it’s a good news story. It makes us more current, more efficient, and spreads functionality over a greater number of staff users, which will increase and enhance the integrity of the data.” Sounds like a win-win-win, for sure: for Acadia, the Associated Alumni of Acadia University and Acadia alumni everywhere.
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
25
develoPment
Atkins Award creates lasting legacy By Fred Sgambati (’83)
S
enator Norman Atkins (’57) cast a long shadow during his life, as a staunch supporter of Acadia University and a proud Canadian with a passion for politics and volunteer activism.
being recommended to the Senate in 1986 by then Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. He served in the Red Chamber until his retirement in 2009. He died in Fredericton, NB on Sept. 28, 2010.
Accordingly, his friends, colleagues and family have come together to honour his memory through an Endowment Fund, the Norman K. Atkins Memorial Award, to acknowledge his achievements and create a lasting legacy for a true friend of Acadia University.
His energies as a volunteer on behalf of charitable causes were remarkable. He was a co-founder of Diabetes Canada; played a key role in the fundraising effort for Camp Trillium, a childhood cancer support centre; and, to honour his close friend, raised over a million dollars for the Dalton K. Camp Endowment Fund.
Atkins was born in Montclair, New Jersey in 1934. He was a graduate of Appleby College in Oakville, Ontario and earned a BA from Acadia in 1957. He was later awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Civil Law from Acadia in 2000. During his time at Acadia, Atkins was heavily involved in student politics and varsity sport. He remained a loyal and prominent alumnus, serving on the Acadia School of Business Advisory Board for over a decade. His many achievements were acknowledged in 2007 when he received Acadia’s Distinguished Alumni Award. He had a strong family connection to Acadia through his father, George ‘Gammy’ Atkins (’15), an Acadia Sports Hall of Fame inductee. His mother, Geraldine (Acadia Seminary) and his sister Linda Camp (’42) are also Acadia alumni. In an interview for the fall 2009 edition of The Bulletin (“A family of a different sort: Acadia alumni in the Senate”), Atkins said his time on campus “taught me loyalty. It taught me to adopt a commitment to things I was involved in over the years.” Acadia, he added, fostered in him positive values that helped to define his life and career. A former advertising executive, Atkins entered politics and helped to steer provincial and federal election campaigns for the Progressive Conservatives before 26
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
University President Ray Ivany says, “Senator Norman Atkins served as the role model for what it means to be an engaged citizen and community leader. Acadia is proud of the contribution he made to our university as a student, athlete, and alumnus and to our country through his lifetime of public service. The Norman K. Atkins Memorial Award will ensure his legacy is celebrated and young people are encouraged to follow his example.” The Award is provided annually to a third- or fourthyear full-time Acadia student pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. This individual will have demonstrated leadership and involvement in one or more extracurricular activities such as student government, varsity athletics or community volunteerism while maintaining a solid academic performance. You can honour Norman’s memory by making a generous pledge to this Endowment Fund. The process is simple and tax deductible; go to our secure online payment site onlinegifts.acadiau.ca and select “Memorial Gift” and “Norman K. Atkins Memorial Award”. For further information, contact Development Officer Donnie Ehler at 902.585.1044 or e-mail: donnie. ehler@acadiau.ca .
1
ALUMNI NEWS
30th Annual Alumni Golf Tourney a hit! Acadia alumni and friends had loads of fun Friday, July 29, 2011 when they celebrated the 30th Anniversary of the Annual Alumni Golf Tournament at Ken-Wo Golf Club in New Minas. More than 100 people played in the tournament and a total of 115 people took in the atmosphere and attended the dinner immediately following. Proceeds from the event support scholarships and bursaries for incoming students from local high schools.
2
3
1 Acadia University President Ray Ivany stands ready at the first tee to kick off the 2011 Alumni Golf Tournament. Photo: Michelle Johnson 2 From left to right: Rod McKinnon, Barry Hennigar (’87), Oonagh Proudfoot (’93), Mike White and Norm Batherson (’99) flex their muscles during the 30th anniversary of the Annual Alumni Golf Tournament. Photo: Michelle Johnson 3 ‘Mr. Acadia’ Bill Parker (’56, left) and Tom Prescott (’58, second from right) share a moment with AAAU 1st Vice-President Hugh Bray (’75) and the ASU’s VP Programming Matt Rios, who was helping to raise funds for Shinerama. Photo: Fred Sgambati 4 Barry Hennigar was Master of Ceremonies and offered some musical entertainment during the dinner and award presentations following the tournament. Photo: Fred Sgambati 5 From left to right, Darrell Youden, Vice-President, Finance and Administration, and Chief Financial Officer at Acadia, his wife Colleen, Al Hutchinson (’82) and faculty member Dr. Ian Hutchinson follow Colleen’s tee shot down the fairway. 6 Ward Carlson (‘90) and Tim Prescott (‘88) hammed it up for the camera during a break in the action. Photo: Michelle Johnson
4
6
5
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
27
What a tradition! Family
First-year student Hannah Bridgham is the 18th member of her family to attend Acadia By Fred Sgambati (’83)
E
ighteen-year-old Hannah Bridgham came to Wolfville Sept. 1 ready to move in and get settled. Her mom Sarah, dad Greg and younger sisters Payson, 16, and Leah, 11, came with her, but so did a remarkable tradition that makes Hannah the 18th member of her family to attend Acadia University.
“We all tend to come here,” Sarah says, “partly because of the tradition and the quality of the education.”
Sarah, who graduated from Acadia with a BA in 1984, says her father Philip attended prep school at Horton Academy in the 1940s. He came to Acadia largely because his father, who owned RW Canning Lumber (a lumber operation in the northeast at the time) knew the area and was well-acquainted with Acadia.
She adds that Cannings “are very linear people. We’re traceable and we tend to run in packs. We’re very close, and knowing that family was here was big for us.”
While Philip was at Horton, his two older sisters – Shirley and Ruth Canning – attended Acadia. Sarah says her father went on to study at Acadia too, but he chose to serve in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War and subsequently left Wolfville. However, his brother William – Sarah’s Uncle Billy – attended Acadia too. Later, Sarah’s Aunt Ruth’s children came to comprise the so-called Chapman branch. Hailing from Hingham, Mass., they are: Elizabeth (a Music major); Margaret (Languages); Ross (History); and William (who attended Acadia, but didn’t graduate. He transferred to U. Mass.).
Quality education Next came her father’s children; the Philip Canning branch. Sarah’s eldest sister Sandra lived in Tully for a while before transferring elsewhere, but her other sister Martha Canning graduated with a B.S. and Honours in Biology and earned a doctorate in immunology while living in the Netherlands. Sarah arrived next, completed her undergraduate degree at Acadia, and went on to earn a four-year B.Sc. in Nursing in Maine. But the story doesn’t stop there. Sarah notes that her great-uncle Frank Canning attended Acadia, as did Jane Canning, who married Peter McConnell (also an Acadia grad). Their two sons – Warren and Jay – graduated from Acadia. Hannah is the next in a long line of family members to attend. 28
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
Her family has lived in Bermuda and Maine and, “for my parents, the level of safety and trust they had in the University was huge, for my mother especially.”
She admits that she was very young and a bit homesick when she first arrived at Acadia. “I wasn’t very connected to the University as a whole and I moved off-campus after my first year, which I won’t allow my daughter to do.” She believes the oncampus experience is invaluable and wants Hannah to explore it to the fullest. However, she’s quick to add that coming to Acadia was entirely Hannah’s decision and choice. “I never pushed Acadia on my children,” she says. Hannah discovered Acadia while browsing American colleges online and ended up visiting her father’s alma mater in Texas. Sarah suggested that if Hannah was going to look at his college, she should at least check out hers. She did, and liked what she saw. “It had the programs of study I wanted,” Hannah says. “And then Leigh-Ann Murphy (Manager of Student Recruitment at Acadia) did a recruiting showcase at Waynflete School in Portland. I heard some information and we decided to visit in August (2010).” If anything, that trip was the clincher. “It was beautiful,” Hannah says. “I needed just one tour and I was sold. Sitting down at dinner later, Mom asked me what I thought and I said, ‘It’s my number one choice.’”
Lifelong friendships No surprise then that she’s excited about the possibilities and looking forward to pursuing a degree in Environmental and Sustainability Studies (http:// environment.acadiau.ca/). Only 25 students are accepted to the program each year and she’s thrilled to have the opportunity to meet new people and forge
Photo: Fred Sgambati
FAMILY
Hannah Bridgham, 18, and her mom Sarah Canning-Bridgham (’84) share a moment during Hannah’s move-in Sept. 1. Hannah is the 18th member of her family to attend Acadia. what she hopes will be lifelong friendships. Sarah says she’s very proud of her daughter, whom she describes as brave, independent, mature and wellrounded. “She has a wonderful sense of tradition and is a huge history buff. She’s very sentimental, too, and I think a University like Acadia appeals to that kind of person. She wants professors who are at the top of their game and who will dialogue with her.” Sitting back in her chair, she smiles slightly then says, “I’m sure she’ll flourish here.” Sarah may have been feeling a little nostalgic, too, noting in a Facebook post at the time that the campus
looked absolutely beautiful, even more beautiful than she remembered, and she wished for a Mulligan – a golf term that enables a do-over. “It’s every bit as welcoming and culturally diverse as I remember and I’m very excited for her,” Sarah says of Hannah’s arrival on campus. “I think she’s going to thrive here and all of our family is so proud of her.” Considering the family history, that’s a huge groundswell of support. Sarah and Greg had plans to visit Hannah during Homecoming, just to check in, of course, and perhaps to find that ever-elusive Mulligan. ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
29
ALUMNI PROFILES
Music and mentors hit all the right notes for Acadia alum By Fred Sgambati (’83)
T
he value of a Bachelor of Music wasn’t immediately apparent to Italy Cross native Wendell Eisener (’91) until a couple of years after he graduated from Acadia University. Eisener says he had a conversion experience in the summer of 1993 while studying to be ordained that led him to understand at last music’s power to affect people’s lives in a positive way. He admits he was never sure what he was going to do with a B.Mus., but that’s where his heart took him at the time and he kept an open mind on the value of his decision to pursue the degree. Part of his seminary work then was a course in Clinical Pastoral Education through the Acadia Divinity College. He would attend class in the morning and go to Valley Regional Hospital in the afternoon. On Thursdays, he would visit the Kings Regional Rehabilitation Centre in Waterville, where he was assigned to the psycho-geriatric unit.
A ward nurse approached and said, “you must be the new student chaplain.” Turns out the only reason he was assigned to the ward was because he could play the piano. Mystified and wondering what difference that made, the nurse encouraged him to go to the piano, play something and watch. “There were just bits and pieces of sheet music in the piano bench,” Eisener recalls, “but within five minutes of starting to play those folks were quiet, and within five minutes of that these folks who couldn’t remember their names were singing the right words, and in tune.” He discovered that music wasn’t just about entertainment; it was a subtle form of communication. “Through music,” he says, “a person has the ability
30
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
Photo: Fred Sgambati
“This was a whole different kind of experience for me,” he recalls. “I was 23-24 years old, standing in the middle of bedlam, green as grass, staring at all these folks.”
Wendell Eisener – Acadia alumnus, husband, father, volunteer firefighter, band leader and teacher – hams it up while holding a trombone he purchased in 1987 and continues to use to this day. to touch another person in a way words cannot. It was astounding, and all of a sudden I realized the gift I had been given.” It’s a gift he has cultivated from an early age, later refined through mentors like Acadia professor Bob McCarthy and a 28-year affiliation with the Bridgewater Fire Department Band. He has been Director since 2003.
Photo courtesy of Bob McCarthy
ALUMNI PROFILES
Retired Acadia University music professor Robert McCarthy with his 100-year-old French Bassoon.
Came to Acadia in ‘87 Eisener came to Acadia in 1987. It was his first choice. His piano teacher, David Zwicker, was an Acadia grad and Eisener knew he could get everything he needed to further his musical ambitions at the university. His four years in the School of Music “enabled me to lay a foundation I could build something on and I’ve been building and tearing down and rebuilding ever since. I had the freedom to try new things, things that weren’t strictly useful, and still participate in the community. Those days at Acadia were as much about becoming fully human as being fully employable.” McCarthy recalls his protégé fondly, suggesting that Eisener embodies Acadia’s stated mission “to provide a personalized and rigorous liberal education; promote a robust and respectful scholarly community; and inspire a diversity of students to become critical thinkers, lifelong learners, engaged citizens, and responsible global leaders.” In simple terms, McCarthy said in an e-mail interview, “Wendell has attracted my attention over the years because he seems to have embodied that mission so well. He may not be a ‘global leader’ yet, but his success in the other categories is obvious.” McCarthy says Eisener “sought to learn as much as possible from as many faculty members as possible. While university music students in general tend to narrow their sights to the specifics of performance or pedagogy, Wendell excelled in those areas, but was also interested in exploring a wide range of humanistic studies.”
Communal aspect Eisener learned from McCarthy that unless music comes down to a community level, it’s almost contradictory. What are you doing it for? He embraces the communal aspect of making music, saying, “you have to be enough of an egotist to want
to chime and then let it go and be part of something bigger.” He proved the point when he arranged to take 30 members of the Fire Department Band and six support staff to the West Yorkshire region of England in August. The trip required three years to plan and $45,000 to fund, but it was well worth it. Even better, it was decided at trip’s end that Bridgewater would host West Yorkshire in 2013 and then return to England in 2015. There are no half-measures for Eisener, in music or life. He is a family man, volunteer firefighter, teacher, priest, mentor and band leader, and sometimes there aren’t enough hours in the day. He has a Master of Arts in Theology from Acadia, a Doctor of Sacred Theology from St. Elias in Nebraska and teaches theology at St. Mary’s. He has two kids, both aspiring musicians aged 14 and 12, a wife and plays more than a hundred times a year between rehearsals and engagements with the band and various components of it (dance band, Dixieland band or brass ensemble). However, he has learned to find a balance, predicated on his association with mentors such as McCarthy, who says, “’mentor’ can mean many things. I like to think that I have been a guide for Wendell at key times in his life as a student and after graduation.” It’s a bond that began with a shared appreciation for music which has grown to encompass religion, pedagogy and lessons learned through living. Wendell Eisener has dedicated himself to every aspect and, as far as McCarthy is concerned, manages to hit all the right notes. ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
31
ALUMNI PROFILES
Top doc wins Gold-Headed Cane Award Lara Hazelton credits time at Acadia for firm professional foundation
By Laura Churchill Duke (’98)
“
I felt so honoured winning the Gold-Headed Cane Award,” says Dr. Lara (Keith) Hazelton (’90). “So many well-respected people have won this award before me!” In the spring of 2011, Hazelton received the GoldHeaded Cane Award for excellence in the field of medical humanities from the Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. The Gold-Headed Cane Award can be traced back to a goldheaded cane carried in the 17th century by a series of distinguished physicians, many of whom served royalty in London, England. Over time, it was passed from one eminent physician to another and this idea of honouring excellence has turned into a worldwide award. In 2002, the Dr. Gerald and Gale Archibald Gold-Headed Cane Award in the Medical Humanities was instituted at Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Medicine. The original cane award was restricted to the Faculty of Medicine, but the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia agreed in 2006 to participate in the Gold-Headed Cane project and established a second gold-headed cane to be awarded to a physician practicing anywhere in the province. Since its inception nine years ago, only 12 gold-headed cane awards have been granted.
Unique design Then, two years ago, Dr. Merv Shaw, a retired surgeon and alumnus of Dalhousie’s Medical School, designed and created a unique cane based on the 32
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
school’s history. Taking the crest of the Dalhousie Medical Students’ Society designed in the 1930s, Shaw incorporated a hand holding a pine cone, an ancient symbol of healing. He carved the shaft from native Nova Scotia maple, engraving on it the snake from the Rod of Asklepios, long recognized as a symbol of medicine and healing. Only 100 of these canes will be crafted and the first two were presented in 2011: to Dr. Timothy Benstead and Hazelton. Hazelton joins the ranks of many other physicians, including Dr. Ron Stewart, former provincial Minister of Health and Order of Canada recipient; Dr. Gerri Frager, a pediatrician and the Medical Director of the Pediatric Palliative Care Service at the IWK Health Centre; and Dr. T.J. “Jock” Murray, former Dean of Dalhousie Medical School and Professor of Medicine (Neurology), founding director of the Dalhousie Multiple Sclerosis Research Unit. Hazelton practices geriatric psychiatry at the Capital District Health Authority and works with Dalhousie’s Department of Psychiatry. Her research interests lie primarily in the area of education through the Program in Health and Medical Education Research (PHMER), where she is studying professionalism in postgraduate training. As part of her work at Dalhousie, Hazelton has held the position of Humanities Coordinator for the past three years. This entails liaising with the Dalhousie Medical program to bring the humanities and arts experience to medical students and psychiatry residents. “This is about incorporating music, history and visual arts into the classroom,” she says. She also coordinates a humanities speaker series, an artist-in-residence and a student writing competition.
Photos courtesy Dr. Lara Hazelton
ALUMNI PROFILES
Co-winners of the 2011 Gold-Headed Cane Award: Drs. Timothy Benstead and Lara Hazelton.
Incorporates humanities Through her own writing, Hazelton incorporates the humanities into her career. She writes everything from academic articles and book reviews to reflective essays and humorous articles for a variety of scholarly journals and publications. Hazelton’s mother, Joan (Doncaster) Keith (’61), says that her daughter has always enjoyed writing. “As a Grade 6 student she entered the Writers’ Federation Competition in the category ‘writing for children’ and placed in the top three contestants with adult writers in the community.” Hazelton credits her time at Acadia for much of her professional outlook. “I loved being in the small town of Wolfville,” she says. “Small towns show you that community is important.”
While attending Acadia, Hazelton became an active member of the community by attending church and getting to know many residents. “It was a good way to learn how people fit into a community, which helps in my current field of geriatric psychiatry.” Hazelton credits Acadia also with providing a firm foundation in the sciences. She maintains her Acadia connections in part through her current enrollment in the Masters of Education (Curriculum) program as part of a cohort of health sciences educators taking the degree through Open Acadia. “I am thrilled, of course,” says Joan Keith, “with the Gold-Headed Cane Award that acknowledges Lara’s activities and support for the medical humanities.” ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
33
Spring Reunion 2012! Welcoming back the classes of 1942, 1947, 1952, 1957, 1962, 1967, 1972 This spring, come home to Acadia and reconnect with old friends. Explore the beautiful Annapolis Valley, discover what’s new on campus and celebrate great traditions from your student days! Acadia University will welcome back the classes of 1942, 1947, 1952, 1957, 1962, 1967 and 1972 for a Spring Reunion during Convocation weekend, May 11–13, 2012. Mark the dates on your calendar and start planning your return to your alma mater! Life Officers of the Class of 1962 have begun planning already for their Golden Anniversary Reunion. The Life Officers and 50th Reunion Planning Committee invite your suggestions for ways to make this event a special time for reconnecting and celebrating. Can you, or do you know, a classmate who might give a presentation or a musical concert? Volunteer talents are most welcome. Please contact Ryan McCarthy at the Alumni Affairs Office at ryan.mccarthy@acadiau.ca. You will receive program details early in the New Year. The Class of 1962 has agreed also to raise $50,000 for scholarship purposes. In the months preceding the Spring Reunion, the Life Officers are asking for help from their classmates to reach this goal. They ask you to consider your 50 years of benefiting from your Acadia experience and to consider a 50th Reunion contribution. Please give in 2011 and in 2012. Other returning class members are encouraged to contact the Alumni Affairs office for ways in which they too can contribute to the success of the 2012 Spring Reunion.
Associated Alumni of Acadia University
2010-2011 Annual Report Associated Alumni of Acadia University Balance Sheet As of March 31 Assets
AAAU/Acadia Joint Account Affinity Fund General Fund (Alumni Hall) Constance Hayward Fund Carr Fund Graham Fund Vesta Magee Fund Allan Fulton Fund Total Assets
Committed Funds
Capital Campaign Contribution Scholarships President’s Discretionary Fund Student Calling Program Director’s Fund Total Committed Funds Uncommitted Funds
$
$ $
$ $
176,113 280,151 63,082 356,957 40,027 15,326 27,825 12,232 971,713
378,000 20,000 20,000 92,345 4,000 514,345 457,368
Mark your calendar! Upcoming Acadia Alumni Events Carol Sing – November 27, 2011, K.C. Irving Environmental Science
Centre, 6 p.m.
Florida Luncheon – March 20, 2012, Stoneybrook Golf Club
Bradenton, Fl., 12-2 p.m.
10th Anniversary Gala Dinner – April 21, 2012 World Trade and Convention Centre, Halifax 6 p.m. reception, 7 p.m. dinner and awards Annual Axemen Florida Golf Tournament – April, 2012 East Lake Woodlands Golf Course, North of St. Petersburg, FL To participate, contact: Des Killen (ph.: 727-785-3086; e-mail: KILLEN40@aol.com)
For more information, visit our website at http://alumni.acadiau.ca/ or contact us at:
Spring Reunion – May 11–13, 2012 Welcoming back the classes of 1942, 1947, 1952, 1957, 1962, 1967, 1972
1-902-585-1459 1-866-ACADIAU (1-866-222-3428) alumni.office@acadiau.ca
40th Anniversary Recreation Reunion – May 23–27
34
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
More information on these events can be found on our website
http://alumni.acadiau.ca/
Associated Alumni play key role AAAU embraces mandate to promote unity and the university’s best interests Report by Charles Coll (’84), President, Associated Alumni of Acadia University
On Dec. 20, 1859, seven dedicated Acadia College graduates joined together in the library to hold the first meeting of what would eventually become the Associated Alumni of Acadia University (AAAU). The purpose of the meeting was to consider, “the propriety of forming a society in aid of the College.”
Over 150 years later, Acadia alumni continue to gather together to celebrate their unique experiences, lifelong friendships and to support their alma mater in many different ways. Acadia alumni belong to one of the oldest constituted “societies” in Canada. The Association provides many benefits, but also comes with responsibilities. The Associated Alumni is governed by a board of directors made up of alumni representing different class years, academic programs and geographic regions. The board works very closely with university staff in the Office of Alumni Affairs, providing support and advice, and helping to coordinate activities such as events, communications, student recruitment and fundraising. The mandate of the AAAU, “to bring about the unity of graduates and former students of Acadia University and to afford them the opportunity to promote the best interests of the University,” continues to provide the cornerstone for the efforts of the Association. One of the most important roles of the AAAU is the responsibility to appoint 12 of its members to the Acadia Board of Governors. Table officers drawn from AAAU appointments today include Chairman of the Board Paul Jewer (’94), one of the youngest University board Chairs in Canada. Additionally, the President and Immediate Past-President of the Associated Alumni sit on the Board.
Dynamic group of graduates Today’s AAAU Board is a dynamic group of dedicated graduates who are honoured to represent the interests of alumni in the life of Acadia. They are your representatives. They have recently completed a strategic review of the AAAU’s objectives and initiatives to ensure that all of
us have the opportunity to continue to make significant contributions to the life of the University. Acadia provides a shining example of what a University education should be about: learning, growing and becoming the very best person you can be. Not only does the University need our help, it deserves it. Your Board believes that now is the time to take advantage of the ongoing positive spirit that makes Acadia a University of choice. We are working hard to take advantage of the positive momentum that the University is enjoying on a number of fronts. From academic and research recognition, to the many collaborations with industry and organizations, to the success of our athletes, both on the field and off, Acadia is hitting its stride.
Support promotes growth and development We must all decide where we invest our time, energy and money. As your Board, we ask you to support your alma mater in any way you can. Attend an event, call a potential student, support the Annual campaign when you are asked. It all helps. It has never been more important to become engaged, or re-engaged, with this wonderful place. As a Board, we are working to ensure that we are doing our very best to support the Alumni effort. Through the Alumni Office, and Executive Director Ian Murray and his staff, we continue to develop new ways to allow all of us to continue to contribute to the good health and growth of Acadia. So please visit our pages on the Acadia website where we continue to grow our presence and report on our activities. Read the monthly alumni e-newsletter that we send by e-mail. If someone you know has lost touch with us, forward the e-newsletter to them so they can rejoin the conversation. But most of all, please take the time to think about your connection to this special place, and what you can do to help. It is truly rewarding to see Alumni in action in and around the University, and to know how much our contributions are appreciated by students, faculty and the larger community.
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
35
ATHLETICS
Diverse group inducted into Acadia Sports Hall of Fame By Fred Sgambati (’83)
A diverse group was welcomed into the Acadia Sports Hall of Fame Sept. 17 at Festival Theatre in Wolfville. A CIAU Coach-of-the-Year, multiple All-Canadian athletes, two national finalist teams, hockey’s fastest goal scorer and Acadia’s number one fan were inducted into the university’s Sports Hall of Fame. The event featured a reception starting at 6 p.m. and then the induction ceremony. There was certainly a soccer flavour that night when Laura Sanders, CIAU Coach-of-the-Year and championship coach of Acadia Women’s Soccer, Women’s Soccer multiple CIAU All-Canadian Cindy (Montgomerie) Tye (’94) and the 1988 Acadia Women’s Soccer squad were honoured in the Builder, Individual and Team categories respectively. Members of the 1988 team included: Sanders, Bridget Anakin, Roxane Ashe, Lise Belliveau, Belinda Campbell, Janice Cossar, Jennifer Fanjoy, Kimberly Hill, Joanne Lebans, Maureen MacDonald, Kim MacQuarrie, Cathy McAuley, Dara Moore, Kirsten Pinfold, Kyran Pinfold, Jodi Silke, Heidi Stanish, Alison Tuton and Wendi Wells.
In addition, Dr. Millard Cherry, often referred to as Acadia’s number one sports fan over the past 40 years, was inducted as a Builder, joining Sanders and Connie MacNeil, (’52, ’53), a significant contributor to Acadia Axemen hockey and well known for his record three goals in six seconds as an Axemen. Joey Wells (’76), Men’s Basketball multiple CIAU AllCanadian, joined Tye in the Individual category. Adding to the roundball excitement, the 1972 Acadia Men’s Basketball contingent was honoured in the Team classification. Inductees included: George Beattie, Jon Beausang, Sean Casey, Gib Chapman, Jim Faulkner, Gary Folker, John Godden, Lawrence Kennedy, Jim Logue, John McGrattan, Roy Mercer, Steve Pound, Paul Talbot, Glenn Taylor and Joey Wells. Athletic Director Kevin Dickie applauded the inductees, saying, “as a first-year AD at Acadia, I couldn’t be more pleased with this group. We have former students, student-athletes, builders and teams. Collectively, this group exemplifies the positive qualities, rich tradition and outstanding heritage of Acadia University athletics and I look forward to sharing the evening with them, our alumni and the greater community.”
Committed to client satisfaction. Let The Miller Group at ScotiaMcLeod help you achieve peace of mind by providing trusted advice and personalized wealth management solutions to meet your financial goals.
Peter A Miller, BBA ‘89, CFP, FCSI Ch. P. Strategic Wealth Senior Wealth Advisor peter_miller@scotiamcleod.com Angela L (Forsythe) Clair, BBA ‘88 Administrative Associate angela_clair@scotiamcleod.com
1.902.679.4915 • 1.877.842.3188 Kentville, Nova Scotia ® Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used by ScotiaMcLeod under license. ScotiaMcLeod is a division of Scotia Capital Inc. Scotia Capital Inc. is a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund.
36
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
Photos: Sandra Symonds
ATHLETICS
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1 Several members of the 1972 Acadia men’s basketball team were on hand to accept their awards at the 2011 Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. From left to right (back row): Acadia Athletic Director Kevin Dickie; Joey Wells (’76); John McGratten; Gary Folker (’72); Paul Talbot (’74); Glenn Taylor (’75); Jon Beausang (’74) and Hugh Bray (’75), 1st Vice President, Associated Alumni of Acadia University. Seated in front are Gib Chapman and Steve Pound (’72). 2 Inductees from the 1988 Acadia women’s soccer team included (from left): Laura Sanders, Allison Stillwell (’90), Wendi Wells (’93); Dara Moore (’92), Roxane Ashe; Kim MacQuarrie (’88); Alison Tuton (’90); and Janice Cossar (’91). 3 Hugh Bray (left) and Kevin Dickie (right) with inductee Cindy (Montgomerie) Tye (’94). 4 Hugh Bray (left) and Acadia Athletic Director Kevin Dickie (right) welcome Laura Sanders into the Acadia Sports Hall of Fame. 5 Bill Parker (’56, left), who offered some remarks and read the Citation, congratulates Connie MacNeil (’52), inducted in the Builder category. 6 Joey Wells accepts a plaque from Hugh Bray marking his induction into the 2011 Sports Hall of Fame. 7 Inducted in the Builder category, Dr. Millard Cherry, widely recognized as Acadia’s number one fan, acknowledges applause from the crowd.
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
37
New fitness facility now open! ATHLETICS
A
cadia University’s new fitness facility opened Sept. 3, just in time for the return of students to campus.
Renovations to the Acadia Athletics Complex have doubled the size of its current strength training and general fitness facilities, include the installation of new cardio equipment acquired by the Acadia Students’ Union (ASU) and provide space for a separate facility for intense strength training. The renovations and improvement are being funded entirely through donations, a grant from the Province of Nova Scotia and a contribution from the ASU. “Canada’s leading universities have all made significant investments in their health and fitness facilities over the past few years because students are increasingly concerned about maintaining their physical fitness while they pursue their studies,” said Kevin Dickie, Acadia’s Director of Varsity Athletics. “We have also seen a dramatic change in the way varsity athletes prepare for competition through intensive strength training programs and this makes them tougher competitors. All of these factors combine to put pressure on our facility and create the need for changes that will allow us to accommodate our students as well as all of our community partners, such as S.M.I.L.E., that are so important to us. I’m confident this new facility will meet all of these needs and help our campus retain its reputation as one of the toughest places for our AUS competitors to visit and play well.”
Totally transformed The Auxiliary Gym has been transformed into Acadia’s fitness centre with new free weights, refurbished strength training machines and a significant increase in the quantity and quality of cardio equipment available. A protective cushion floor covering has been installed along with entertainment units and water fountains. The ASU is a partner through the installation of 19 pieces of ASU-owned cardio equipment. The former basement weight and cardio room will 38
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
be used to develop two unique spaces. The larger area that formerly held the majority of the cardio and strength training machines will be used primarily as a studio for the many instructor-led fitness programs Acadia offers to students, staff and the community. The space that currently houses our free weights will become a heavy lifting workout area for athletes following serious strength training programs such as Acadia’s varsity athletes. A separate entrance to this area has been constructed. “This is an excellent opportunity for the Students’ Union to partner with the University to enhance not only our opportunities for fitness, but to enable more academic, athletic and community engagement,” says Ben Jessome, ASU President. “This project will positively impact stakeholders from a number of different sectors in the Acadia and Wolfville communities and as President of the ASU it truly makes me proud to see that students are willing to embrace change and make a difference.”
Enhances S.M.I.L.E. program One of Acadia’s most successful community and student volunteer programs is S.M.I.L.E. (Sensory Motor Instructional Leadership Experience) and it has significant and specialized space requirements. Improving and enhancing this important academic program was a priority for everyone involved with this project so S.M.I.L.E. will continue to utilize many of the important spaces in the Complex weekly including classrooms, the main gym and main pool. In addition, space across from the main gym, currently used for storage, will be used to create new sensory and motor activity and lab space for the program. “We are very pleased with the cooperation of everyone involved with the work required to reach this important milestone,” said Rene Murphy, Director of Acadia’s School of Recreation Management and Kinesiology. “Our academic programming will benefit from the renovations and we look forward to better and bigger health and wellness facilities for our students, faculty, staff and community users.”
Athletics
Class of 1961 unveils Fred G. Kelly memorial display
O
n July 8 at the Acadia Athletic complex, in conjunction with its 50th anniversary reunion July 8-10, the Class of 1961 recognized Major Fred G. Kelly who, for 40 years, served Acadia students as coach, teacher and Director of Physical Education and Athletics.
Photo: Fred Sgambati
The Class provided funding to build a large display that is now mounted in a prominent place as people enter the Athletic complex. The main objective is to ensure that everyone is reminded or learns about the outstanding contribution Coach Kelly made to Acadia and Athletics for 40 years. More than 100 people attended the ceremony honouring Major Kelly, who arrived at Acadia in 1927. He retired in 1967 after a distinguished career as an educator and mentor, and died in 1978. Speakers at the event included Master of Ceremonies Ian Murray (’88), Executive Director, Alumni Affairs and Advancement Strategy at Acadia; Connie MacNeil (’52, ‘53); Dorothy Walker Robbins (Hon. Doctorate of Civil Laws, ’83); Acadia President Ray Ivany; and Richard Beazley (’61, ‘62). They recalled Kelly as a disciplinarian who never resorted to alibis or excuses. He taught solid fundamentals, emphasized teamwork and espoused principles that served many students and athletes long after the game had ended. He was an icon at Acadia for 40 years, Robbins said, “and it is most fitting that he be remembered in this way by the Class of 1961.”
On hand to share in the celebration and unveiling of a permanent memorial to honour Major Fred G. Kelly’s 40-year contribution to Acadia was Kelly’s grandson Brad Hopgood and his wife Connie (right), and granddaughter Jane Miller (left).
For more on Acadia Athletics, visit: http://sports.acadiau.ca
“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 2011
39
Share your news with us! Submit a class note to tell us about a new job, recent promotion or award, wedding or family addition. Deadlines for submissions are April 1st for the spring issue and October 1st for the fall issue. Class notes are subject to editing. Office of Advancement: 512 Main Street, Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6 Canada Email: alumni.office@acadiau.ca Phone: 902.585.1459 Toll Free: 1.866.222.3428 Fax: 902.585.1069
Chancellor’s son appears before judge
Photo by Peter Macdonald
No one likes to go before a judge, but Acadia Chancellor Libby Burnham’s son had to face the music June 29, 2011 in Toronto when he appeared before Justice James MacPherson. However, John Burnham Sedgwick (2000) wasn’t alone. He had a ‘partner in crime’ and it was, in fact, a day to celebrate. He married Leigh-Ann McGowan in a private family ceremony with MacPherson (’71), of the Ontario Court of Appeal and a member of Acadia University’s Board of Governors, performing the ceremony. Family attending on John’s side included sister Anne (2001) and brother Jamie (2002) and parents Libby Burnham (‘60), Chancellor of Acadia University, and retired Justice Gordon Sedgwick. Leigh-Ann’s parents Ralph and Breda McGowan were in attendance, as was Leigh-Ann’s sister Catherine, her husband Peter Macdonald and baby daughter Caroline. With Acadia connections in abundance, there was no question of a successful and happy outcome in the end. John and Leigh-Ann reside in Toronto, where he is employed with the NHL operation and Leigh-Ann is Assistant Director of Student Programs with the law firm of Cassels Brock and Blackwell LLP.
40
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
Four generations of Acadia graduates gathered recently. Pictured are: George U. McBay (’36); Elizabeth J. (Keddy) Harper (’83); Darlene E. (McBay) Keddy (’87); and Elisha M. Harper (2010/11).
1950s
Every spring the Amateur Winemakers of Nova Scotia hold a competition. This year the Winemaker of the Year and recipient of the Winery Association of Nova Scotia Trophy was ALAN BAKER, who lives in Wolfville. Alan is also Life President of the Class of 1954. PATRICIA (CROCKER) BECKER (’50) told us that while visiting her son and family in Austin, TX over the Christmas holidays, she contacted a classmate, CLAIRE KILLIAM RIGGS (‘50) and made arrangements to meet for lunch. Patricia says, “She and her husband have been faculty members at the University of Texas since they received their graduate degrees from Harvard in the early 1950s. Claire brought along The Axe for 1949 - she couldn’t find the one for 1950 - and my son took the picture of the two of us. We had not seen one another since the day we graduated in May 1950 and we had a grand time looking at the old pictures and talking about old friends and old times. And as you can imagine, we had no trouble filling in the time with conversation!” Calling all golfers! Des Killen (’58), Tom Prescott (’58), Bob Stoddard (’72) and Don Nickerson (’58) participated in the 1st Annual Axemen Florida Golf Tournament, held at East Lake Woodlands Golf Course just north of St. Petersburg, Florida. Any former Axemen or Axewomen wishing to take part in this fun tournament, scheduled for April 2012, should
contact Des Killen via e-mail at KILLEN40@aol.com or by phone 727-785-3086.
ANTHONY CICERONE (’68) of Plymouth, professor of economics and director of Canadian studies at Bridgewater State University, has been elected president of the New England-Canada Business Council, a position he previously held from 2000-2002. Cicerone, who is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Association for Canadian Studies in the United States, has been director of the Canadian Studies program at Bridgewater since 1989. He served as chairman of Bridgewater’s Department of Economics from 1984-2002, earned a BA from Acadia and both his Master’s and Ph.D. in economics from Northeastern University.
CLASS NOTES
1960s
Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador. Dalton received a LLB from Dalhousie Law School in 1979 and throughout the course of her career she has worked with the Governments of Nova Scotia and Papua New Guinea as well as with the Department of Economic and Social Development, United Nations, New York. Dalton has served for the past six years as Chair of the CanadaNova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board, and for two of these years she was also acting CEO. After 24 years serving as a military chaplain in the Canadian Forces, Colonel DR. LAWRENCE MACISAAC (’75), CD, retired and now lives in his hometown of Inverness, Cape Breton Island. Lawrence reports that he and his spouse Sandy are thoroughly enjoying their life by the sea! Professor JACK TREVORS (B.Sc. ’76; B.Sc.(H) ‘78; M.Sc. ‘79), University of Guelph, was admitted Aug. 12, 2011 as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and is now entitled to use designatory letters FRSC. DONNA-LEIGH GOODMAN (’77, ’78) completed a Master of Arts in Education at the University of British Columbia in July, 2011. Donna-Leigh currently teaches Chemistry and Mathematics at Okanagan College in Vernon, B.C.
This year, 2011, the REV’D. DR. DAN GIBSON (‘68) and the REV’D. ALLAN JORGENSEN (‘68) marked the 40th anniversary of their Ordination to Christian Ministry. Dan and Allan graduated together from Acadia Divinity College in 1971 in a class of eight graduates and both were ordained that year. Allan retired from active ministry in 2007 and he and DIANNE (‘68) live in Kemptville, Ont. Dan is the pastor of Arlington Baptist Church and he and SUSAN (‘69) live in Blomidon, N.S. in semi-retirement. The photos were taken in July 2011 after a lovely reunion lunch in Bedford.
1970s
DRIFFIELD CAMERON (‘71), P.Geo, was appointed to the position of Vice President, Exploration for Goldrush Resources Ltd. on a full-time basis effective July 1, 2011. Cameron will lead Goldrush’s highly experienced exploration team that includes newly appointed Burkina Faso-based Chief Geologist John Learn, four other fulltime geologists and a staff of 16 Burkina Faso-based employees. Cameron will be based at the company’s Toronto office. He graduated with a B.Sc. in Geology from Acadia and is a member of the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario, a fellow of the Society of Economic Geologists and a fellow of the Geological Association of Canada. DIANA DALTON (‘70, ’71) was appointed Sept. 6, 2011 as Deputy Minister of the Department of Natural Resources by the Honourable Kathy Dunderdale,
The Secretary General of the United Nations has appointed Seychellois JONATHAN LUCAS (‘77) as Director of the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), in Turin, Italy. Lucas started his professional career in 1982 with the International Labor Organization (ILO) in Switzerland and joined the United Nations in 1984 as Associate Social Affairs Officer in the then United Nations Division of Narcotic Drugs. He holds a diploma from the University of Lyon in France, a BA from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in England, an MA from Acadia University, and a PhD degree in International Law and Economics from the Graduate Institute for International Studies (IUHEI) in Geneva, Switzerland. After more than 30 years in transportation and pharmaceutical sales and retail pharmacy management, MICHAEL FAIRN (’78) is pleased now to be able to put his vast experience to work in a different field. He recently joined the Market Research Division of IMP Group Ltd., a Nova Scotia-based firm operating globally in various business sectors. He says, ‘’many thanks to Dr. Lionel Mitchell for kindling my interest in this discipline so many years ago!” He would like to reconnect with former classmates, who can reach him at michael.fairn@bellaliant.net or via LinkedIn.
1980s
CYRILLA SAUNDERS (’82, BBA), CSWP, FCSI, FMA, EPC, VP is a wealth manager with CIBC Wood Gundy with offices in Charlottetown, P.E.I. and Yarmouth, N.S. IAN SAUNDERS (’82, BBA) develops property and manages
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
41
their daughter’s musical theatre career and training in Toronto and Charlottetown.
CLASS NOTES
CONNIE E. DURCSAK (‘87) has been appointed president and chief executive officer of the Utilities Telecom Council (UTC), effective July 1. Durcsak will join UTC from PCIA – The Wireless Infrastructure Association - where she has served as its senior director, member and industry services and as its DAS Forum’s Executive Director. Prior to joining PCIA in 2002, Durcsak worked as a senior process engineer with RGS Associates and a principal consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, where she helped complex organizations tackle their most difficult challenges. She holds a Masters in Business from Marymount University and a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Acadia. DR. TIMOTHY MATHESON (BA ’88, MED ’98) sent a note to say he also graduated with an MD in 2006 (Saba University of Medicine) and finished a Family Medicine Residency through Dalhousie in 2008. He has been practicing family medicine in Halifax and Windsor since 2008.
1990s
FRANK DAVIS (’59) and daughter RUTH DAVIS PURDY (‘93) are shown just having completed a 5K walk in the Arizona Distance Classic wearing their Acadia shirts. Frank says, “Don’t ask how long it took me to complete the walk!” When they told the race starter about Acadia he announced excitedly that the Classic was now an international event! ANGIE R. G. CHASE (BAH ’93, MA Soc. ’95) tells us, “I have recently returned to Nova Scotia after living the past 15 years in Victoria, B.C., where I was employed in the Parks and Recreation Department with the City of Victoria. I bought a van and drove, by myself, across Canada. Now that I have landed safely back in N.S., I will re-establish my stained glass business and explore my home province with a new perspective.” STEPHANIE (ROACH) MACLENNAN (‘97), husband Chris and big sister Madeleine are happy to announce the birth of their second child, Keegan Christopher MacLennan, on Nov. 30, 2010.
42
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
TRINA BURDEN (‘99) has been appointed to the position of publisher and general manager of The Western Star newspaper. Charles Stacey, Group Publisher-Transcontinental Media for Newfoundland and Labrador, said Burden took up her duties May 30. Burden holds a Bachelor of Science from Acadia University, a Master of Science from the University of Guelph and, in 2003, was awarded a Master of Business Administration from York University. Burden becomes the first female publisher in the paper’s 111-year history.
2000s
STEVE KING (’02) has joined BMO Capital Markets in Toronto as a mining analyst. His area of focus will be junior companies. He holds a B.Sc. in geophysics from Memorial University and an M.Sc. in geology from Acadia. MARK CAIRNS (‘03) and wife Lindsay welcomed their first child, Mason Alexander Cairns, on Feb. 1, 2011. Mark is currently attending the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, scheduled to graduate as an MD in May, 2014. In May, ADAM CHURCH (’03) was appointed Chief of Staff to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons. This role is at the centre of relations between the executive and legislative branches, and focuses on coordinating and navigating the passage of the federal government’s legislative programme. Adam had worked previously as Senior Policy Advisor to the Minister of International Trade. In spring 2010 he was named by Embassy, Canada’s foreign policy newsweekly, as one of the “60 Most Influential in Canadian Foreign Policy”. KATHERINE LIONG (BAH ‘04) and DUNCAN PHILPOT (BAH ‘06, MA ‘10) are pleased to announce their marriage, which took place on April 30, 2011 at the Manning Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Dr. Roger Prentice officiating. Katherine completed and received a PhD in Classics at the University of Edinburgh earlier this year and Duncan is in the second year of a PhD in Sociology at UNB.
Congratulations to MATTHEW GRAY (06’), who married SARAH COOPER (’07) on July 30, 2011 in Oakville, Ontario. In attendance and pictured above were Mike Kennedy (’05), Kelly Fenn (’07), Mark Inman (’05), Peter Eirikson (’05), Tim Manning (’07), Meg Badun (’07), Lauren Griesbach (’07), and Melissa Milligan (’07). Grace was offered at the reception by former Acadia University Chaplain, the Reverend Roger H. Prentice (’69).
SAMANTHA (ALLEN) (‘05) and MICHAEL GILLISS (‘07) were married July 16, 2011 in Riverview, NB. The couple now live in Bedford, NS.
Letter to the Editor CLASS NOTES
BARRY BANKS (B.Sc. ’04) and JILLIAN BAMBRICK (B.Sc. ’04) were married May 21, 2011 at the Acadia Chapel. Barry works for C&C Technologies based out of Lafayette, Louisiana and Jill is enrolled in the Ph.D. program at Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
30-year friendship began at Acadia Dear Alumni Office; Had to send in this picture of the three of us. Here are three ladies who graduated 30 years ago. This is the kind of friendship that can only come out of a special place called Acadia. Pam Kinsman, Linda Johnston-Williams and Dawn Matthews-Nichols (Fanny) had the pleasure of being graduates of Acadia: Pam and Fanny (’79) and Linda (’80), who is also the Class President of ’80. Linda and I had the chance to go to Homecoming last year and reconnect with many people we haven’t seen in years. We have had this friendship for over 30 years, with many special memories from Acadia. We all met during our Musicadian days and have been friends ever since. Both Pam and Linda have honed their creative sides into producing hand-painted stemware (Pam) and Linda creates hand-painted silk scarves. I ended up teaching in Calgary. So for young people looking to have a meaningful and special time at university while getting a top-rate education, Acadia is the place for you. We are living examples of having experienced it all at Acadia. Not bad-looking for some 50-year-old ladies, eh! Sincerely,
JESSICA OLIVER (‘09) and EREK FOX (‘10) were married Aug. 21, 2011 in Orillia, Ontario. They will be residing in the island of Curacao for Erek to continue his medical school studies.
Dawn Matthews-Nichols (Fanny, ’79, ’81)
Acadia Clothing & Giftware Herbin’s Grad Rings Shop online: www.acadiagear.com
LAURIE-ANN BRITTAIN (BBA ‘08) of Bridgewater, N.S. married Adam Clarke of Kentville, N.S. on Sept. 10, 2011 in a beach ceremony on the south shore of Nova Scotia. The Maid of Honour was ALEXANDRA PETERS (‘10) and Best Man was Nancy Clarke (Faculty of Math and Statistics).
Open 10–5 Mon – Fri, 12–5 Sat Acadia Alumni always receive 10% off! Main Level, Students’ Centre 30 Highland Ave. cajuns@acadiau.ca Wolfville, NS B4P 2R5 902-585-2137
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
43
Acadia Remembers We are saddened to report the following deaths in the Acadia community:
Beck, J. Murray (’34), Lunenburg, NS Corey (Westcott), Maxine Elizabeth (’36), Berwick, NS Dewolfe (Hunter), Faith C. (’36), Annapolis Royal, NS Anningson (Collett), Dorothy A. (’37), Russell, MB Mounce, George R. (’37), Newport, NS Wheelock (Newcombe), Helen L. R. (’37), Victoria, BC Gowetz (Reid), Margaret (’39), Worcester, MA Walden (Mason), F. Helen (’39), Sidney, BC Welton, Sydney P. (’39), Yellow Springs, OH Mader, John P. (’41), Barss Corners, NS Thomas, A. Richard H. (’45), Pulborough, Sussex, England Wesley, John V. H. (’46), New Glasgow, NS Allen (MacRae), Anne M. (’47), Kingston, ON Cann (Ricker), Shirley (’48), Yarmouth, NS Thurber (Nicholls), Lillian F. (’48), Halifax, NS Jones (Hawkes), Mildred M. (’49), Saint John, NB Schryer, James R. (’50), Orillia, ON Burditt, Anna Mary (’51), Moncton, NB Gibson, Merritt A. (’51), Canning, NS McCain, G. Wallace F. (’51), Toronto, ON Walton, Winston O. P. (’51), Savannah-La-Mar, Jamaica Murray, Walter B. (’52), Kentville, NS Robertson (Wallach), Kathleen Elizabeth (’52), Cambridge, ON Denton, Leonard R. (’53), Truro, NS Crowell (Bent), Avis E. (’54), Middleton, NS Howard, Harold E. (’54), Dartmouth, NS Grover, B. Downey (’55), Avonport, NS McGill, Frank M. (’56), Bridgewater, NS Simmons, C. Gordon (’56), Glenburnie, ON Yates, Dorothy L. (’59) Cooke, Robert A. (’62), Dartmouth, NS
44
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
Currie, Arthur J. (’63), Bonshaw, PE Smith, Donald M. (’63), Halifax, NS MacKay, Donald W. (’65), New Glasgow, NS Aiton, D. Hayward (’66), Grand Bay-Westfield, NB Storrie, Wayne Graham (’68), Canning, NS Harris, Ian N. (’69), Greenwood, NS Brotz, Victor E.(’69), Wolfville, NS Murray (Hayes), Anne Virginia (’70), Lantz, NS Starzomski (Martin), Margaret Edalice (’71), Antigonish, NS Rose, Ian Charles (’72), Iqaluit, NT Cooper, Thomas Roy (’72), Halifax, NS Steeves, Susan Harlyene (’74), Lower Coverdale, NB Bowden, Janice Louise (’75), Hamilton, ON Carroll, Stephen William (’76), Merritt, BC Meyer-Porter, Bernice (’80), Kentville, NS Bennett, Manley David (’86), Hubbards, NS Perry, James Douglas (’86), Nepean, ON Aulenbach, Lawson St. Clair (’87), Cambridge Station, NS Ivey (Milley), Jodi Anne (’87), Burlington, ON MacIntyre, Clarence Ross (’91), Port Hawkesbury, NS Eagles (Todd), Margaret Evlyn (’94), Amherst, NS Pineo, Maxine, Kentville, NS Hickman, Donald E., Oxford, NS Lochhead, Douglas, Sackville, NB Wade, Charlotte, Granville Ferry, NS Allen, C. Elizabeth, Wolfville, NS MacElwain (Fownes), Ruth F. (Horton Academy) Allen (Sanford), June E. (Horton Academy), Bridgetown, NS Stewart (O’Brien), Ann Louise (Horton Academy), Truro, NS Trites, Peter Sear (Horton Academy), Pictou, NS
Final Frame In each edition of The Bulletin, we reserve space on our final page for a fond look back at the way we were. Do you know the man waving in this photo? If so, send me an e-mail at fred. sgambati@acadiau.ca. First person to identify him and the character he portrays 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!
In our last edition, Karen Bower (’87) from Middleton, N.S. was the first to identify Katrina MacFarlane (’09, BKin), whom Karen taught at Middleton Regional High School. Ian Murray (’88), Executive Director, Alumni Affairs and Advancement Strategy, presented Karen with her prize. Incidentally, Karen’s husband, Greg Bower (’87), lived in Barrax and was an RA.
ACADIA BULLETIN Fall 2011
45
“I never thought my alumni group rates could save me so much.” – Kitty Huang Satisfied client since 2009
Insurance program endorsed by
See how good your quote can be. At TD Insurance Meloche Monnex, we know how important it is to save wherever you can. As a member of Acadia University, you can enjoy preferred group rates and other exclusive privileges, thanks to our partnership with your institution. You’ll also benefit from great coverage and outstanding service. At TD Insurance, we believe in making insurance easy to understand so you can choose your coverage with confidence.
Get an online quote at
www.melochemonnex.com/acadia or call 1-866-352-6187 Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The TD Insurance Meloche Monnex home and auto insurance program is underwritten by SECURITY NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY. The program is distributed by Meloche Monnex Insurance and Financial Services Inc. in Quebec and by Meloche Monnex Financial Services Inc. in the rest of Canada. Due to provincial legislation, our auto insurance program is not offered in British Columbia, Manitoba or Saskatchewan. *No purchase required. Contest ends on January 13, 2012. Each winner may choose the prize, a 2011 MINI Cooper Classic (including applicable taxes, preparation and transportation fees) for a total value of $28,500, or a cash amount of $30,000 Canadian. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received. Skill-testing question required. Contest organized jointly with Primmum Insurance Company and open to members, employees and other eligible persons belonging to all employer groups, professional groups and alumni groups which have an agreement with and are entitled to group rates from the organizers. Complete contest rules and eligibility criteria available at www.melochemonnex.com. Actual prize may differ from picture shown. MINI Cooper is a trade-mark, used under license, of BMW AG, which is not a participant in or a sponsor of this promotion. ®/ The TD logo and other trade-marks are the property of The Toronto-Dominion Bank or a wholly-owned subsidiary, in Canada and/or other countries.
PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40065328 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO OFFICE of Advancement ACADIA UNIVERSITY WOLFVILLE, NS B4P 2R6 CANADA