Southern Alberta Institute of Technology Link Fall 2016 by CASE District VIII

FA L L 2016

 H I S T O RY. I N T H E M A K I N G . 

A LOOK TO THE FUTURE; A LINK TO THE PAST Celebrating the centennial of the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) S A I T. C A /A L U M N I

T H R O U G H E V O C AT I V E P R O F I L E S A N D P O R T R A I T S of recent SAIT graduates — one from each school — LINK explores some of the ways world history and technological change have shaped this Institute over 100 years, celebrates the unique stamp SAIT has placed on history, and introduces you to eight fellow alumni poised to shape the future.

SCHOOL OF M A N U FA C T U R I N G A N D A U T O M AT I O N

written by Todd Kimberley

“There are so many different categories of work, so many industries where this work applies.”

“I’ve always been interested in the built world and was intrigued by the idea of learning both the science and management aspects of construction projects.”

SCHOOL OF T R A N S P O R TAT I O N

written by Todd Kimberley

“Once I reached driving age, car culture was all I read about, all I knew.”

ON THE COVER The Bruker D2 PHASER X-ray Diffractometer is housed in the Chemical Analysis Lab in SAIT’s Applied Research and Innovation Services (ARIS) department. Funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the technology identifies the crystal structure of a sample by measuring the position and intensity of diffracted x-rays. Built in May 2016 by Bruker AXS in Karlsrute, Germany, the instrument was installed on campus in June. Since its arrival, SAIT has been able to analyze samples right on campus, a job previously done by third-party labs.

FA L L 2016

G. THE MAKIN H I S T O RY. I N

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SCHOOL OF H O S P I TA L I T Y AND TOURISM

written by Harry Sanders

“I really am passionate about food. I want… to teach people how to cook their own…”

SCHOOL OF CONSTRUCTION

written by Harry Sanders

“Our intention is to use it, on behalf of our research clients, to identify scale in boiler feed water and characterize other unknown solids,” says James Ravenhill, an energy technologist with ARIS’s Environmental Technologies (ET) research group. By identifying the components of buildup in boiler feed water, researchers can determine how to treat and prevent scale development within the equipment. Starting in September, this instrument will be especially useful to the Chemical Laboratory Technology students who undertake a capstone project with SAIT’s ET researchers. The sample tests they perform will inform the research of engineers and geologists in Calgary and beyond. About the photography Photographed June 23, 2016 by Jack Germsheid using a 1930s-era, 5" x 7" Eastman 33A view camera. A contact positive was then made using a vintage Eastman Kodak Seed Dry Plate. See page 9 for more on Germsheid’s intriguing photographs.

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SO MUCH TO CELEBRATE

recipients are exceptional for their individual creativity, their outstanding accomplishments and their contributions to their communities. S A I T ’ S 2 0 1 6 A L U M N I AWA R D S

written by Michelle Woodard and Giselle Wedemire

— S tudents and staff of the Provincial Institute of Technology and Art photographed Feb. 6, 1929.

SCHOOL OF I N F O R M AT I O N A N D C O M M U N I C AT I O N S TECHNOLOGIES written by Eric Rosenbaum

“I was where I belonged; I thrived; I graduated with honours.”

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

written by Richard White

“The focus on group work... also reflects the current business trend of working in teams.”

PRESIDENT’S CENTENNIAL MESSAGE 3 SAIT President and CEO, Dr. David Ross, reflects on the pioneering vision at the heart of our first 100 years — and its lasting relevance as we embark on our second century.

AROUND THE WORLD IN 100 YEARS 4 Travel through our first century and explore some of the people and partnerships that have built SAIT’s one-of-a-kind history.

IN MEMORIAM 63 Remembering SAIT Principal and President Fred Jorgenson.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS 65 CLASS NOTES 67 Centennial edition.

FIRST PERSON 72 For the first time in SAIT history, the Government of Alberta appoints a SAIT graduate as chair of the Institute Board of Governors.

“My favourite part of the program was all the hands-on work, all the lab work, and then interacting with patients.”

46 MACPHAIL SCHOOL O F E N E R GY written by Julie Sengl

“I wanted a job where I could be self-sufficient. Something hands-on that paid decent money and had good job security.”

SCHOOL OF H E A LT H A N D PUBLIC SAFETY

written by Suzanne Bowness

ALUMNI IN THIS ISSUE:

M A R I E A LVA R E Z ( ’06 ) , K R I S T I N B E N O I T ( ’ 08 ) , N A N C Y B E R G M A N N ( ’ 00 ) , T O M B O R N H O R S T ( ’ 86 ) , D E A N N A B U R G A R T ( ’00 ) , PAT R I C I A C A M E R O N -S K I P P E N ( ’ 83 ) , J E N N I F E R C A R L S O N ( ’ 98, D A ’ 16 ) , C L AY T O N C A R R O L L ( ’ 40, D A ’ 05, H O N D ’ 0 8 ) , A L E X C H U ( ’99 ) , L I Z C O D E R R E ( ’ 11 ) , FA I T H C O U R T E R E I L L E ( ’ 16 ) , H U G H C R A I G ( ’ 30, D A ’ 90 ) , H E AT H E R C U L B E R T ( ’ 7 9 , DA ’03, H O N D ’14 ) , A R L I E C U N N I N G H A M ( ’ 13 ) , J O D I C U R R I E ( ’ 12 ) , D E V I N D E L O N G ( ’ 16 ) , N AT H A N D E N E T T E ( ’ 0 3 ) , J O E L D E S J A R D I N E ( ’11, ’13 ) , C H E L S E A D I N E L ( ’ 15 ) , L O R E N Z O D O N A D E O ( ’ 77, D A ’16 ) , DA N I E L L E D U G U AY ( ’ 1 5, ’1 6 ) , L O R R A I N E E G E R ( ’03 ) , L I N D S AY E L E Y ( ’ 08 ) , R E AG H A N E M B E R T S O N ( ’ 15, ’ 16 ) , I F R A N E S M A I L ( ’ 04, ’ 11 ) , A U D R E Y FA R C H ( ’05 ) , J AYS O N G A U D R E A U ( ’ 10, ’ 14 ) , A I X A G A U LT ( ’ 05 ) , G A I L G A U T R E A U ( ’ 94 ) , LY N N G E E ( ’ 06, ’ 08 ) , J A C K G E R M S H E I D ( ’88 ) , C H A D G I B S O N ( ’16 ) , H E AT H E R G O U G H ( ’ 11 ) , P R I YA G U H A ( ’ 11 ) , M E L A N I E G U K E R T ( ’ 00, ’ 04 ) , B OY D H A L L M A N ( ’71 ) , L E A H H A L L M A N ( ’16 ) , D R A K E H A N K I N S O N ( ’ 14 ) , A DA M H A R D E R ( ’ 15 ) , C A R L A H I C K ( ’ 11 ) , B E N H I L D E B R A N D T ( ’08 ) , W E N DY H O B B S ( ’95, ’ 04 ) , S T E P H A N I E H O G E W O N I N G ( ’ 06 ) , G E O R G E M A N S F I E L D H O L M E S ( ’ 26 ) , S AG E H O L M E S ( ’16 ) , B U S H R A I H TA S H A M ( ’ 06 ) , S T E P H E N I P ( ’ 16 ) , K AT I E I S A A K ( ’ 15 ) , M O N A J A M E S ( ’ 91 ) , B E N I J O H N S O N ( ’ 0 8 ) , C H E RY L J O H N S O N ( ’88 ) , K I M B E R LY J O N E S ( ’ 99 ) , R OY K I YO O K A ( ’ 4 9 ) , L E V I K U TA ( ’ 12, OYA ’ 16 ) , A L E X A N D R A L A C K ( ’ 1 4 ) , N I C O L E L A I T R E ( ’12 ) , B A R RY L A M M L E ( ’ 66 ) , D A X L A R S E N ( ’ 12, ’ 16 ) , J A C Y L E T E N D R E ( ’ 16 ) , J I E L I N ( ’ 14 ) , R A L P H L O G U L L O ( ’03 ) , A R I A N N E L O W E ( ’ 05, ’ 11 ) , H A R B I N D E R L U D D U ( ’ 81 ) , G E N E L U K O M S K I ( ’ 78 ) , S A M A N T H A LY N N ( ’ 1 5 ) , K AT H Y M A ( ’81 ) , D E R E K M A C B E T H ( ’ 02 ) , K E I T H M A C P H A I L ( ’ 81, D A ’ 07, H O N D ’ 12 ) , T O RY M A R T I N ( ’ 14 ) , K AT H E R I N E M AT I K O ( ’79, ’04 ) , G I U L I A N A M E L O ( ’ 83 ) , S T E P H E N M I L E S ( ’94 ) , R O B M I L M A N ( ’ 92 ) , K E L L I M O R N I N G B U L L ( ’ 0 9 ) , L I S A M U E L L E R ( ’89 ) , B R I A N N E M U T O ( ’ 08 ) , B E R N A R D N E M E T H ( ’ 58 ) , C A R O LY N N N G U Y E N ( ’ 12 ) , T H AO N G U Y E N ( ’ 1 4 ) , S H AW N N O R R I S ( ’14 ) , N I C O L A O P S A L ( ’ 03 ) , J E F F O R R ( ’ 03 ) , J O H N O S I ( ’ 16 ) , M I A O S T E R E ( ’ 15 ) , J O S E P H P E R K S ( ’09, ’13 ) , J E N N I F E R P E T E R S ( ’ 97, ’ 11 ) , C A R M E N P I N E D A -S E LVA ( ’ 03 ) , A S H L E E- LY N N P O T T E R ( ’ 14 ) , C H R I S R AG H U B A R ( ’16 ) , J A N I S R A P C H U K ( ’95 ) , J A C LY N R E I D ( ’ 12 ) , C A L L I E R E I D U L F F ( ’ 16 ) , TA N YA R I D L E Y ( ’ 15 ) , M E L I S S A R O S S ( ’ 0 2 ) , S T E V E R WA S A ( ’13 ) , B E C K Y S A L M O N D ( ’ 16 ) , S A L E M S C A M M E L L ( ’ 12, ’ 14 ) , K E L S E Y S C H E I F E L E ( ’ 11 ) , RYA N S C H R I M L ( ’05 ) , M O N I C A S C H U H ( ’16 ) , C A R M E N S H E R I D A N ( ’ 95 ) , K E N S H O R T ( ’ 74 ) , F R A N K S H U F L E T O S K I ( ’ 74 ) , J A N I S S I M M O N S ( ’02, ’07 ) , D I A N E S K E N E ( ’7 9 ) , R O N (GYO -Z O) S P I C K E T T ( ’ 49 ) , A B D I A Z I Z TA H A AY E ( ’ 11 ) , R O N TA R R A N T ( ’ 08, OYA ’ 1 6 ) , L O R I E T R A N ( ’16 ) , J O S H T R A P T O W ( ’ 11, OYA ’ 16 ) , J O H N WAY ( ’ 12 ) , C AT H E R I N E W I G H T ( ’ 14 ) , Y I M I N G W U ( ’ 07 ) , K E L S E Y YAT E S ( ’16 ) , J U DY Z H U ( ’9 6 )

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JACK GERMSHEID PHOTO

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; F or this dreamlike image, Jack Germsheid photographed Aldred Centre using an Eastman 33A view camera and a 240mm Schneider lens. Copies of the image were then sandwiched together and scanned with an Epson V700.

A LOOK TO THE FUTURE; A LINK TO THE PAST Celebrating SAIT’s centennial

When you’re an original like SAIT, you need an original way to share your story. I T ’ S I M P O R TA N T T O TA L K A B O U T T H E V I S I O N A R I E S who were your founders, and SAIT had several: more than 100 years ago, the citizens of Calgary recognized the need for people skilled in trades, technology and business — so they launched a spirited grassroots campaign culminating in the opening of the Provincial Institute of Technology and Art (PITA) on Oct. 16, 1916. It’s instrumental to acknowledge the administrators, the instructors and the employees whose passion for student success spurred bold solutions to the challenges posed by two world wars, the Great Depression, boom times and bust cycles, and decades of accelerating social and technological change. It’s intriguing to recognize the community partners in educational enterprises and research which began when we were PITA, continued once we became the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in 1960, and flourish today.

Finally, it’s inspiring to profile graduates — but how to choose from more than 227,000 PITA and SAIT alumni who make a difference in 74 countries around the world? How to choose which milestones to mark, and which innovations to salute? How to use visuals to convey the impact of the past on the present? And whose stories to tell, since so many people’s lives are shaped by their history at SAIT? In asking those questions, the LINK team discovered the key: history, and how it shapes us. We can take an original look at SAIT history by tracing world history, local events, shifts in society, technological innovations — and then exploring how they impacted the Institute and how we responded. So join LINK as we travel through SAIT’s first 100 years to explore some of the historical forces that shaped our past, to celebrate how SAIT shapes history, and to introduce eight recent SAIT graduates — each photographed using vintage cameras and antique techniques; each poised to shape the future.

Look for this symbol to read a series of Intersections — short stories about events or people that offer snapshots of SAIT at specific points in time. There’s more to discover online. Explore interactive timelines, watch exclusive behind-the-scenes video and listen to audio snapshots from SAIT history. All archival images: SAIT Archives unless otherwise noted

ca.1940

1954

ca.1960

1962

1970

1981

1986

1995

2015

Centennial message A S H O R T PA R AG R A P H I N A M AY, 1917 R E P O R T by Dr. James Miller tells a deeply transformative story. It’s the story of one of Miller’s students at the newly opened Provincial Institute of Technology and Art (PITA) — an ex-soldier named Michael Slevin who has returned from the First World War after suffering a compound comminuted fracture of the humerus in his right arm. Only when I did some research did I fully understand the extent of that wound: a comminuted fracture means the bone is splintered or crushed in three or more places. Even today it would require emergency surgery; back then it ended Slevin’s peacetime career as a pipe-layer. But at PITA, Slevin re-trained in auto mechanics and gas engine operation. And, writes Dr. Miller, this promising student was not only planning to start a flour mill business in the Peace River district, but was also ready to “deal with occasional repairs on the motor cars which are beginning to invade this new territory.” Dr. Miller was my predecessor — the very first principal of what is today ’s Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT). He was a renowned educator and visionary who shaped this Institute as something totally unique: the first publicly funded technical school of its kind in North America; the first in Alberta to create success for our students by working with our community to meet the need for skilled workers in trades, technology and business.

Over the decades, that need has been shaped by major historical events and unprecedented technological and social change. As today ’s President, I know that Miller’s vision remains as relevant as it was in 1916 — and this commemorative issue of LINK, SAIT’s official alumni magazine, shows you how. Our main feature story explores how SAIT has been shaped by a century of challenges and changes, and it celebrates how SAIT has responded in ways that strengthen our position as a global leader in applied education. This issue also shares the kinds of stories I encounter every single day at SAIT — those of eight recent graduates, each poised to shape the future. One hundred years ago, Dr. Miller predicted that, “Given three years, the Institute will astonish western Canada.” While we don’t yet know what ultimately happened to Sergeant Slevin, we do know this Institute was transforming lives even before the end of our first academic year. It’s a proud legacy, it’s the cornerstone of who we are today, and it’s the inspiration for our next 100 years. I hope you enjoy this special issue of LINK, and I invite you to join SAIT as we celebrate our centennial and launch our second century of success.

D R . DAV I D R O S S PRESIDENT AND CEO S O U T H E R N A L B E R TA I N S T I T U T E O F T E C H N O L O GY

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AROUND THE WORLD IN 100 YEARS SAIT’s global footprint F O R M O S T O F S A I T ’ S F I R S T C E N T U RY, its campus has stood like a sentinel on the North Hill overlooking Calgary. But SAIT and its people have created a much larger footprint. SAIT has increasingly expanded its presence over the past 100 years, creating a global impact through its people and programs.

1918 In 1918, American educators visited PITA to research Canada’s approach to vocational training for First World War veterans. PITA principal Dr. Miller was subsequently recruited to establish a similar system in the United States.

1940–1945 Between 1940 and 1945, approximately 8,000 men from Canada, Britain, New Zealand, Australia and the United States came to the PITA campus, which was in use as a wireless training school. The first British Commonwealth Air Training Program School to be set up in Calgary, it produced a graduating class about every two months.

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1972 By 1972, 11 SAIT instructors were providing support for technical education in Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts, Uganda, Singapore, Zambia and Tanzania.

1976 In 1976, two nuns from a Catholic order in Uganda — Sisters Mary Zoe and Quirina — attended SAIT for two terms, learning basic auto mechanics so they could undertake routine maintenance at their convent.

1979 By 1979, the Petroleum Technology program had graduated students from Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, Chile, Jamaica, Trinidad, and every province and territory in Canada.

1996 In 1996, SAIT received a Canadian Award for International Development for its delivery of electronics and telecommunications training in Thailand.

1997 In 1997, SAIT began training engineers at three major gas companies in Bangladesh.

2006 SAIT and the United Arab Emirates formed a joint venture company in 2006 to provide training for the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.

— 1 989: International students from Libya tour a pipe facility as part of their training at SAIT.

— 1 989: A photo of the first graduate of a joint training program between Libya and SAIT.

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— 1 997: Libyan aeronautics students tour the facilities used by SAIT aeronautics engineering students. — 1 999: International students from Dubai tour the distillation tower facilities at SAIT.

— 1 999: International students from Kazakhstan explore SAIT’s energy facilities.

— 1 994: Visiting international students from Russia tour SAIT’s Rance Fisher Wellsite Production Education Centre.

2009 9

2012

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In 2009, SAIT initiated an Angola- and Calgary-based training program for employees of Esso Exploration Angola Ltd.

SAIT began offering instructional support in 2012 for a new petroleum training institute in Kazakhstan.

In 2012, SAIT instructors began conducting LNG operator training in Australia.

In 2012, SAIT was selected as a key partner in the development of the Atyrau Oil and Gas Training Centre (APEC) in Kazakhstan.

2014/15

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In the 2014/15 academic year, SAIT organized short-term study, service learning and program specific trips as well as full-semester exchanges for 211 students in countries including Australia, Brazil, China, Cuba, France, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Morocco, Peru, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States and Vietnam.

2016

Over the years, SAIT has hosted international students from 162 countries. By 2016, some 1,600 international students from 95 countries were studying on campus at SAIT.

SAIT was selected to assist with a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) program for production operators in Mozambique. A fact-finding visit last spring will result in a training plan to develop a skilled workforce for natural gas plants being built throughout the country.

— 1 999: Students from Yemen with SAIT instructor Bela Chadran (left) in a campus electronics lab.

SAIT ONE-OF-A-KIND MOMENTS A L O T C A N H A P P E N AT A P O S T-S E C O N D A RY OV E R 100 Y E A R S . It can go from zero to 227,000 graduates, and from tractor maintenance programs to courses on virtual drilling simulation. It can expand and redefine, evolve and stay true to its roots. And it can have distinctive moments that couldn’t have happened anywhere else. First as the Provincial Institute of Technology and Art (PITA), then as SAIT, here are some of our one-of-a-kind moments:

PITA offers coal mining night courses in key mining towns around Alberta.

1919

PITA constructs an on-campus coal power plant to generate electricity for the school. It’s the first post-secondary in Canada to do so.

1920

PITA establishes its Students’ Association — one of the first of its kind in Canada.

1921

Alfred Crocker Leighton takes the helm of PITA’s art department. He later launches the painting programs that become the foundation of the Banff School of Fine Arts and eventually, The Banff Centre.

1929

During the depths of the Great Depression, 36 PITA instructors teach free classes to poverty stricken Albertans.

1934

Instructor Alex Higgins (right) is honoured by the Institute of Power Engineers. His steam engineering correspondence course materials have been translated into many languages and sold more than 30,000 copies.

1955

SAIT Culinary Arts students and instructors bake the world’s largest cake for the RCMP centennial. It takes six weeks to complete and stands 20 feet tall.

1973

Up-and-coming band KISS plays the SAIT gym in front of 160 people. The Students’ Association barely breaks even on the show.

1974

The SAIT Trojans men’s basketball team wins an unprecedented seven-straight Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference Championships under the guidance of ACAC Hall of Fame coach Phil Allen.

1981 — 1987

2001

Chinook Lodge Aboriginal Resource Centre opens, promoting cultural education and awareness.

2003

The Applied Research and Innovation Services (ARIS) department is launched. It unites the needs of industry with the knowledge and skills of faculty and students. As of 2016, more than 575 projects carried out at SAIT have resulted in the development of 400 prototypes.

2005

The Cadmus Trades Teaching Chair is established. Unique to SAIT, it is an award presented to a SAIT trades instructor and includes a sabbatical for research and project work.

2012

Trades and Technology Complex is named one of the world’s most innovative and exciting urban infrastructure projects by professional accounting and consulting firm KPMG.

2013

RE$EARCH Infosource Inc. releases its inaugural ranking of colleges and names SAIT the number one research college in Canada for its work in Applied Research and Innovation Services (ARIS).

2015

SAIT’s Continuing Education Division installs a Darome teleconferencing bridge, enabling instructors in Calgary to deliver lectures over telephone lines to students gathered in locations across Alberta.

1983

Calgary architect Martin Cohos becomes SAIT’s Executive Director of Campus Expansion. He insists upon annual compensation of $1. In 2002 SAIT’s sports field is renamed Cohos Commons in his honour.

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SAIT’s Founding Builders Home Lab (named in honour of ten of Calgary’s top home building companies who invested $1 million each in the Trades and Technology Complex) provides year-round opportunities for School of Construction students to apply their skills.

2016

The first graduates of SAIT’s Bachelor of Science in Construction Project Management program receive their degrees. The degree is the first of its kind in Canada. SAIT’s Trojans Athletics department is nominated for a Lieutenant Governor’s Circle award for their mental health awareness campaign. Power Engineering students are trained on boilers, turbines and auxiliary equipment in the Cenovus Energy Centre that simulate a real power plant. The steam generated is pumped back into SAIT’s main power plant and used to heat buildings on campus — a learning experience that is unique among post-secondary schools in Canada.

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link EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Brian Bowman

M A N AG I N G E D I T O R

Susan Mainella ONLINE EDITOR

Alison O’Connor EDITOR

Nancy Cope E D I T O R I A L A S S I S TA N C E

Carolynn Van de Vyvere P R O D U C T I O N A S S I S TA N C E

Christian Brown CONTRIBUTORS

“The future cannot be predicted, but futures can be invented.”

—Dennis Gabor

L AT E LY I H AV E B E E N H A P P I LY I M M E R S E D I N S A I T ’ S H I S T O RY,

thanks partly to reading Shapers, Makers, and Originals: The Story of SAIT’s first 100 years — a book by David Finch now available through the SAIT Bookstore — and by talking about our centennial with colleagues, fellow Calgarians and alumni. I am constantly struck by what makes SAIT unique, and I believe it’s reflected in Gabor’s quote: perseverance, innovation and optimism. This Institute was created thanks to the persistence of Calgarians who saw the need for a post-secondary school. During wartime and the Great Depression, we found innovative ways to do our part and stay the course. We have countless families boasting three generations of SAIT graduates — and we look forward to welcoming a fourth. So it is with immense pride that we share this special issue with you, and that I share the news that a copy of this edition will be interred in SAIT’s centennial time capsule. Our main feature story (page 10) explores aspects of SAIT’s past by setting them in context with changes in history and technology, and profiles eight recent graduates to reflect the diverse

BRIAN BOWMAN DIRECTOR, ALUMNI AND DEVELOPMENT

Your privacy and SAIT Alumni and Development

The official word

Who has access to my information? Only individuals working or volunteering for SAIT, who have signed a non-disclosure agreement, and who have a specific need to see your contact information for alumni, marketing or development purposes have access to your personal information.

SAIT’s Alumni and Development department collects information on behalf of SAIT, under the authority of Alberta’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Post-Secondary Learning Act, for the purposes of administering alumni relations, marketing and development programs for SAIT. Any information submitted by an individual to SAIT may be used to update his or her record. Information gathered for these purposes will be protected, disclosed and used in compliance

Does SAIT Alumni and Development sell data? No. SAIT Alumni and Development enters into partnerships to provide

paths made possible through a SAIT education. Our recognition of alumni achievement continues on page 54 with profiles of our 2016 Alumni Awards recipients. We have also expanded LINK online with extra content and exclusive video — find it at sait.ca/alumni. You may be reading LINK for the first time, either as a new SAIT graduate (congratulations!) or because you have picked up a copy at a location around the city, thanks to our expanded centennial distribution. Or you may be one of the more than 227,000 SAIT alumni who are reading this magazine, perhaps in Dubai or Beijing or Tokyo. Wherever you are, I invite you to share your own centennial stories with us — go to sait.ca/100 and look for #SAITstory. Last but not least, I invite you to join SAIT’s once-in-a-lifetime centennial events. Check out page 65 or go to sait.ca/100 for details on the Alumni Centennial Day on Oct. 15 and the 100th Birthday Party on Oct. 16. I can confidently predict a wonderful celebration!

benefits and services to its members and releases contact information to only these partners. SAIT is at all times responsible for safeguarding your information. I prefer not to be phoned and I only want to receive certain kinds of mail — what do I do? Contact us at 403.284.7040 or alumni@sait.ca. It is our responsibility to ensure that your information is accurate and treated according to your wishes.

with Alberta’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Individuals who submit information to the Alumni and Development department acknowledge the above and consent to the collection of personal information. For more information or to make changes to your record, please contact SAIT Alumni and Development at 403.284.7040 or alumni@sait.ca.

Canadian International Learning Foundation, Cathi Bishop, Suzanne Bowness, Brian Buchsdruecker, Josie Chu, Vimmi Dutt, Greg Fulmes, Jack Germsheid, Eric Jukelevics, Todd Kimberley, Kate Kunz, Patti Lewis, Grant Nolin, Ali O’Connor, Eric Rosenbaum, Harry Sanders, Karly Sawatzky, Julie Sengl, Jolisa Tweedie, George Webber, Giselle Wedemire, Richard White, Michelle Woodard DESIGN & PRODUCTION

IVY Design Inc.

A DV E R T I S I N G S A L E S

James Foster PRINTING

Blanchette Press Mitchell Press Ltd. Pacific Bindery Services LINK is published twice a year by SAIT Alumni and Development as a service to SAIT alumni, donors, students, partners, faculty and staff. LINK invites your advertising, letters to the editor and comments. Please direct them to alumni@sait.ca. LINK SAIT Alumni and Development 1301 – 16 Avenue NW Calgary, AB T2M 0L4 Ph: 403.284.7040 (address updates) 403.284.8279 For all other inquiries Fax: 403.284.8394 Email: alumni@sait.ca sait.ca/alumni Publications Mail Agreement No.40064317 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Circulation Department 1301 – 16 Ave. NW Calgary, AB T2M 0L4 Cover photo by Jack Germsheid

Check us out online! sait.ca/alumni In addition to this expanded edition of LINK, we’ve expanded our online content to celebrate SAIT’s centennial. Watch behind-the-scenes video, enjoy web-exclusive interviews, get the latest alumni news between issues and keep up to date on centennial projects and events — all online at sait.ca/alumni.

Bonus centennial content for the Fall 2016 issue includes:

Grant Nolin

A visual mashup

Grant Nolin

Go behind the scenes to explore the making of this commemorative edition of LINK, from concept and research, to photography and graphic design, to printing and distribution.

Learn more about SAIT’s rich history with additional photographs and links to interviews from the SAIT Archives.

Grant Nolin

Enjoy extended interviews with SAIT graduates featured in this issue and discover what their SAIT education is enabling them to achieve.

We love the eight fascinating portraits in our feature story A look to the future; a link to the past (page 10) not just because they are beautiful images, but because they embody our theme of honouring history while looking to the future and celebrating what makes SAIT unique. LINK commissioned Calgary photographer Jack Germsheid (JA ’88), who studied Journalism at SAIT and who is a specialist in historical photographic methods, to set up his portable darkroom on campus and photograph the eight recent graduates being profiled in this special centennial edition. Using vintage cameras, antique photographic plates and film, and long-forgotten techniques, Germsheid creates a striking visual intersection between past and present. Each of Germsheid’s portraits — plus the photographs on our cover and on the inside front cover — is accompanied by a caption providing detail on how it was created. Watch an exclusive interview with Germsheid, learn about the photographic processes he used for this issue and see him in action online at sait.ca/alumni.

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 S C H O O L O F T R A N S P O R TAT I O N  Chad Gibson (AST ’16)

S chool of T ransportation

JACK GERMSHEID PHOTO

— T his tintype portrait of Chad Gibson was taken with a 1920s-era Seneca camera using a three-second exposure. Introduced in the 1850s, the tintype process creates a unique image on a coated metal surface.

/ 1916

The Provincial Institute of Technology and Art (PITA; also called Tech) opens its doors in a temporary home in the Colonel James Walker School and an adjacent police and fire station.

The number of wounded Canadian soldiers returning from First World War battlefields increases substantially after the Battle of the Somme (1916), Vimy Ridge (1917) and Passchendaele (1917).

Daylight Savings Time is introduced in Canada, but not ratified in Alberta until 1972.

Malcolm Fairman/Alamy Stock Photo

SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION OF

I N 1916, W I T H T H E W O R L D E N G U L F E D I N “ T H E WA R T O E N D A L L WA R S ,” P I TA L A U N C H E D A M O T O R M E C H A N I C S P R O G R A M W I T H S I X S T U D E N T S , T W O L AT H E S , A C A R A N D A M O T O R C YC L E . T O D AY, S A I T ’ S S C H O O L O F T R A N S P O R TAT I O N P R O V I D E S C U T T I N G - E D G E T R A I N I N G , R A N G I N G F R O M H E AV Y EQUIPMENT MECHANICS TO AUTOMOTIVE, RAIL AND A I R C R A F T, T O H U N D R E D S O F S T U D E N T S E A C H Y E A R .

written by Todd Kimberley (JA ’92)

SAIT’s School of Transportation also turns 100 this year. It launched just eight years after Ford rolled out his Model T.

Provincial Archives of Alberta (GR1981.0149.109)

— S tudents of PITA’s Motor Mechanics program pose for a class photo outside the newly built Main Building (now Heritage Hall) in November 1923.

Putting the world on wheels I N N OVAT I V E Y E T I N F L E X I B L E , Henry Ford was a flawed visionary, and an outspoken anti-Semite to boot. Still, the Michigan industrialist can be credited with putting the world on wheels. Contrary to popular belief, Ford did not invent the automobile or the assembly line. But when the Model T began rolling out of his Detroit-based Ford Motor Company factory in 1908, it revolutionized the concept of personal mobility. Soon, millions of people across North America who’d spent entire lives within a few kilometres of their hometowns were able to live, work, play and move as they pleased. In Alberta, the number of automobiles more than doubled through the Roaring Twenties, from 40,000 in 1920 to 100,000 in 1930, and by the end of the decade, more than 2,000 miles of gravel roads had replaced rutted wagon trails across

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the province. Meanwhile, in Calgary, established as a North-West Mounted Police outpost on the banks of the Bow River only 30 years earlier, the Provincial Institute of Technology and Art (PITA) opened its doors in October 1916. Eleven students gathered for that first day of instruction — six First World War veterans in an eight-month Motor Mechanics program, and five non-veterans learning a Metal Working trade. The seeds of what would one day be known as SAIT’s School of Transportation had been planted — although the original cultivation was a challenge. In the midst of the Great War, equipment was scarce. But PITA’s first principal, Dr. James C. Miller, was resourceful enough to land an old automobile and a motorcycle for his students to work on. A McLaughlin Buick, a Chev 490, a Ford car, a Ford truck, a burning stand and several engines soon followed.

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/ 1920

Building shops and a power house constructed. A portion of the power house still stands today and is known as the Eugene Coste Building.

The North-West Mounted Police and Dominion Police, a federal police force with jurisdiction in eastern Canada, merge to form the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. RCMP-GRC

—1972: Instructor Hank Rasmussen oversees an equipment transfer by students in the Agricultural and Diesel Mechanics programs.

—1925: Students in the Motor Mechanics program pose with their instructors, C.A. Choate (far left) and A.C. Wagner (first from left) and a partially broken-down 1918 McLaughlin Buick.

— 1930s: This photo from an album created by H.J. Hemsley shows the Command-Aire biplane rebuilt by PITA aeronautics students.

— 1 949/50: Aeronautics students and instructors from PITA’s 1948, 1949 and 1950 classes photographed at the Royal Canadian Air Force #10 Repair Depot, Calgary.

— 1965: SAIT automotive classes spent half of their course “devoted to shop work in which industrial conditions are simulated,” according to the academic calendar that year.

— 1947: Aeronautics students practice equipment testing under the watchful eyes of their instructors.

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/ 1922

Dr. Frederick Banting and his team of researchers discover insulin, for which he shares the 1923 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with J.J.R. Macleod.

/ 1926

The first issue of the Emery Weal is published by the Tech Students’ Association. Focusing on student life, student issues, provincial and national news, it is the second oldest college newspaper in Alberta.

Dreams take flight, aviation takes hold

And by the mid-1920s, with cars a more commonplace sight, PITA students were taught in the “conservation and repair of motor vehicles,” with daytime Automobile Engineering courses and evening Motor Mechanics classes.

Modernization in the land of parallel lines also had a profound effect in the land of parallel lines, which was heightened in 1961 as the Trans-Canada Highway was built right outside SAIT’s door. Cars, trucks and airlines were now competing for a portion of what had traditionally been the railway industry ’s business, and that meant dramatic modernization and technical change. The most obvious improvement was the railway industry ’s conversion from steam to diesel-electric power. At the end of the Second World War, nearly all of Canada’s locomotives were C A N A DA’ S N E W F O U N D M O B I L I T Y

steam engines. That number dipped to 91 per cent in 1950 and — 10 short years later, in 1960 — steam power was just a memory, accounting for a mere 1.4 per cent of the total number of locomotive engines. Diesel engines were more powerful and versatile, less expensive to operate, and required far less maintenance. That meant no more firemen on board and no need to change or service locomotives every 200 km. SAIT accurately acknowledged the shifting landscape, introducing day courses in Diesel Engine Servicing and Maintenance in 1954. And when SAIT opened its Centre for Rail Training and Technology in 1999, which houses SAIT’s Railway Conductor program, the Institute named the building in honour of N.R. (Buck) Crump. As head of the Canadian Pacific Railway through the mid-20th century, Crump had been the catalyst for the technological modernization of Canada’s railway.

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I N T H E S U M M E R O F 1 9 2 7 , Charles Lindbergh captured the world’s imagination with his 33-hour, solo transatlantic flight from New York to Paris. One year later, PITA’s Department of Aeronautical Engineering officially took flight, bolstered by a partnership with the Calgary Aero Club and a donation from the Royal Canadian Air Force of a Sopwith Camel, a Clerget rotary aircraft engine and a Wolseley Viper engine. While the first Canadian commercial air passenger transport had taken place back in 1920, the concept of flight was still astonishing enough to Canadians in the mid-1930s that when United Airlines’ inaugural flight from Seattle to Vancouver arrived on July 1, 1934, there were more people on hand to greet the aircraft than passengers on board. On the Tech campus, support of the fledgling aviation industry gradually gained altitude over the decades:

 PITA LAUNCHED A SPECIAL SIX-WEEK AERONAUTICS COURSE IN JUNE 1939, WITH GRADUATES JOINING THE RCAF AND HEADING OFF TO WAR;

 IN 1946, AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR, THE AVIATION PROGRAM WAS TRANSFORMED INTO A THREE-YEAR AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING PROGRAM;

 IN 1957, THE MODERN ERA OF AVIATION ARRIVED AT PITA WITH THE ADDITION OF THE AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM (NOW KNOWN AS AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE ENGINEERS TECHNOLOGY);

 TO MEET INDUSTRY DEMAND, SAIT ALSO ADDED THE AVIONICS TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM IN 1975 AND THE AIRCRAFT STRUCTURES TECHNICIAN PROGRAM IN 1996.

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/ 1928

The first talking movie is shown in Calgary. By January 1930, all theatres except two are wired for sound.

/ 1929

Canadian women become “persons” under the law.

The Calgary Zoo is established.

Glenbow Archives (PA-1933-18)

—SAIT Automotive students learn to be as adept with computer diagnostic systems as they are with a wrench.

— A student inspects machinery in SAIT’s Centre for Rail Training and Technology.

— 2000: Calgary businessman and philanthropist Clayton Carroll, photographed during construction of the automotive centre named in his honour.

—The 21,000 sq. ft. hangar in the Art Smith Aero Centre accommodates a Boeing 737-700. The centre also houses 13 labs and seven classrooms.

George Webber

A perennial leader in real-world education, SAIT took the lead in responding to industry need for more aviation maintenance graduates by developing a new aviation campus at the Calgary International Airport. The Art Smith Aero Centre for Training and Technology officially opened in 2004. With a number of specialized labs, a large hangar and an array of aircraft, including a Boeing 737-700 and a Bombardier Challenger 601-3, the Art Smith Aero Centre remains a fixture in SAIT’s educational flight plan.

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Fuelling the business of transportation I N T H E D I R T Y T H I R T I E S , Clayton Carroll was baling hay for 30 cents a day in Neville, AB, as drought, depression and grasshoppers wreaked havoc on prairie farms. Carroll saved enough to attend PITA’s Automotive Service Technician program and went on to form Pioneer Paving Ltd. with his partner, James F. Burns. Together they helped shape the Calgary we know today by working on essential roadways such as Deerfoot Trail and Blackfoot Trail. A true entrepreneur, Carroll (AST ’40, DA ’05, HOND ’08) was also involved in oil and gas, mining, cattle ranching and land development. He also chose to give where he lived, making community donations to the likes of the Rotary Club, Calgary Hospice and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. With more than $1 million in donations to SAIT, he’s also the

/ 1934

As the Great Depression deepens, the Students’ Association suspends publication of the Emery Weal because they only have enough money to print the yearbook, called the Tech-Art Record.

namesake of the Clayton Carroll Automotive Centre — and, up until his passing in 2011, he was living proof of the importance of transportation in Alberta’s economy.

profile: Chad Gibson (AST ’16) A F T E R 100 Y E A R S , SAIT’s School of Transportation continues to provide hands-on, practical education for the automotive, aviation, heavy duty and rail industries. Chad Gibson, a 2016 graduate of SAIT’s Automotive Service Technician (AST) program, hopes to follow in those industrious and innovative tire tracks. Mechanics are in his blood. Gibson’s dad, Kim, graduated from SAIT’s Aircraft Maintenance program in 1979, but Chad admits he’s been a hopeless gearhead since his early teens. “Once I reached driving age, car culture was all I read about, all I knew,”

The Dionne Quintuplets are born in Corbeil, Ontario. The first quints to survive for more than a few days, the five identical sisters become an international obsession.

says Chad, 25, a technician at South Centre Volkswagen. While enrolled in the AST program, Chad studied abroad for three weeks on an exchange program at Box Hill Institute in Melbourne, Australia. “I got to visit Melbourne’s F1 circuit — I took a bike ride around the track in a terrible rainstorm,” he recalls. “And it was cool seeing car culture from the point of view of another country.” Chad also won a vehicle modification contest at SAIT judged by instructors and industry representatives — just think MTV’s Pimp My Ride, without the cameras — after drawing up plans to soup up a 1992 Alfa Romeo 164 on a rather modest budget of $22,000. “My dad owned a 1975 Fiat 124. I wouldn’t call it an Italian thing… I guess I just have a love for weird cars in general,” says Chad with a laugh. “At one point or another, I was destined to get into the automotive industry.” Watch an interview with Chad Gibson in the online version of LINK at sait.ca/alumni.

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Airplanes played a central role in combat during the Second World War. On the ground, maintenance crews played a critical role in maintaining those aircraft. Calgarian Arthur R. Smith (1919-2008) knew that well. He served overseas during the war as a Royal Air Force bomber command squadron leader, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and concluded his military career as a test pilot for the Royal Canadian Air Force. In 5,500 hours of flying time, he recalled, “Every time my wheels touched the ground I would say, ‘Thank God for the maintenance crews.’ I owe it to them that I’m here.” Since 2004, SAIT has honoured that sentiment and the man who spoke it, training new aviation maintenance professionals at the Art Smith Aero Centre.

/ 1933

SAIT INTERSECTION

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 S C H O O L O F M A N U FA C T U R I N G A N D A U T O M AT I O N  Devin DeLong (NDT ’16)

JACK GERMSHEID PHOTO

— D evin DeLong was photographed using a process from the late 1830s that exposes paper coated with a silver salt solution to light. Taken with an 8" x 10" Seneca camera using bromide fiber-based paper; three-second exposure.

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visit Calgary as part of a month-long tour of Canada and the United States — the first-ever visit by a reigning Canadian monarch.

/ 1942

PITA’s first Aeronautics students enlist in the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Canadian troops sustain major losses in a raid on the French port of Dieppe. Nearly 1,000 Canadians die and another 1,800 are taken prisoner.

John Frost Newspapers/Alamy Stock Photo

1939

SCHOOL OF MANUFACTURING AND AUTOMATION

I N N O VAT I O N I S AT T H E H E A R T O F S A I T ’ S S C H O O L O F M A N U FA C T U R I N G A N D A U T O M AT I O N , W H I C H H A S I T S T E C H N O L O G I C A L R O O T S I N P I O N E E R I N G M E D I C A L A D VA N C E S A N D S T E A M P O W E R . T O D AY ’ S S T U D E N T S S T I L L L E A R N T R I E D - A N D -T R U E T E C H N I Q U E S , B U T T H E Y A L S O W O R K W I T H P R O G R A M M A B L E L O G I C C O N T R O L L E R S , 3- D P R I N T E R S A N D PA R T I C L E T E C H N O L O GY.

written by Todd Kimberley (JA ’ 92)

PITA’s 1921 academic calendar predicted railways would soon “be electrified,” creating opportunity for “a good many electrical men.”

Bravery, innovation and grace under pressure I N T H E M I D S T O F T R E N C H WA R FA R E , with mud, blood and rats everywhere, the idea probably would have been given millionto-one odds. But a million is the number generally credited to Marie Curie — as in, a million soldiers’ lives saved. At the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, Curie, a Polish-born pioneer in the field of radioactivity, was living in France and lecturing about X-rays at the Sorbonne University in Paris. A two-time Nobel Prize winner, Curie saw a chance to save the lives of scores of wounded soldiers, knowing that X-rays’ electromagnetic radiation could help doctors on the battlefield to pinpoint broken bones, bullets and shrapnel. X-ray equipment was not new to French hospitals, but Curie and her daughter Irene organized and equipped a fleet of 20 vehicles (known by French

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soldiers as “petits Curies,” or little Curies) with X-ray technology and 200 semi-permanent radiological units, all of which brought the technology closer to the front lines. The mobile medical application saved lives by the thousands. It’s fair to say that a great many Canadian soldiers, perhaps even those who would end up attending the Provincial Institute of Technology and Art (PITA) in Calgary, owed their existence to Curie’s bravery and innovation.

Calgary’s vocational training ground for war veterans D U R I N G T H E L AT T E R P O R T I O N of the Great War and into the postwar years, vocational training was a growth industry. And in southern Alberta, PITA helped lead the way. More than 600,000 Canadians fought in Europe. While one in 10 died overseas, many of the 172,000 wounded who

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/ 1945

/ 1946

After nearly six years, the Second World War in Europe ends when Germany surrenders unconditionally. News of the victory touches off wild celebrations across Canada.

The Canadian Citizenship Act is passed, meaning a Canadian citizen is no longer classified as a British subject first.

Glenn Kraushar/Alamy Stock Photo

Provincial Archives of Alberta (GR1981.0149/99)

— 1 920s: Electrical Engineering students apply their skills in PITA’s shop for applied electricity.

— E arly welding students at PITA learned their trade in a two-month Oxy-Acetylene Welding course.

— 1950s: Students perform lab exercises for PITA’s Industrial Electricity program.

— 1 950: PITA students learn hands-on Steam Engineering skills.

—Kelsey Scheifele (AMAP ’11), a Red Seal Journeyman machinist, received one of Alberta’s Top Apprentice Awards in 2012.

— 2012: Student capstone projects improve lives, like this iPad arm for radiation therapy machines.

returned home needed retraining of some sort “to lead productive civilian lives,” according to a government edict. When PITA opened its doors in October 1916, six of the 11 original students were war veterans. And with classes in mining, building construction, motor mechanics, science and mathematics, steam, machine shop and art, PITA became Calgary ’s training

ground for veterans reintegrating into civilian life. From 1917 to 1920, PITA was administered by the federal government’s Military Hospitals Commission, responsible for dealing with the flood of returning veterans. By March 1918, some 150 veterans were enrolled at PITA. Across Canada, ex-soldiers were coming to grips with physical and emotional wounds, as well as the disillusionment many felt in returning home to a country eager to leave the war behind. Perhaps the camaraderie they felt within the walls of PITA was a balm, because many ex-soldiers felt that only their fellow veterans could fully understand all they had experienced.

Oil, agriculture industries build up a head of steam A S A L B E R TA M OV E D into the industrial age, it was powered by innovation, a can-do attitude… and steam.

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After the discovery of oil at the Dingman No. 1 Discovery Well near Turner Valley in 1914, agriculture wouldn’t be king in Alberta for much longer. Just a few years later, the newly opened PITA introduced Alberta’s only steam engineering course — a requirement for oil rig workers, since steam boilers were the primary power source on Alberta rigs until the 1940s. During the 1918/19 academic year, PITA issued 1,855 certificates to steam engineers, more than the number of teachers who graduated in Alberta during the same time frame. Steam was also revolutionizing life on the farm, since steam engines made life easier during both sowing and harvest. By 1927, the Emery Weal reported ever-increasing numbers of students in tractor classes with the headline: “Power becomes big factor in life of the modern farmer.” Small, powerful gasoline-powered tractors would soon displace massive,

/ 1948

Canada’s second institute of technology, the Ryerson Institute of Technology, opens in Toronto — 32 years after PITA.

George Webber

heavy steam engines, which were prone to explosions and demanded huge amounts of water to operate. While mechanization on the prairies slowed to a halt with the Great Depression of the 1930s, it picked up again following the Second World War — with PITA keeping pace every step of the way.

Innovation, automation and transforming education W H I L E T H E F I R S T G R A D U AT E S of what is now SAIT’s School of Manufacturing and Automation built and fixed the machines that worked the land, today ’s students work in oil and gas, transportation, manufacturing and automation — across Alberta, around the world. Sixty years ago, PITA collaborated with the Normal School to provide technical courses in the industrial arts, helping to create Canada’s first Bachelor of Education degree in industrial arts. The teaching innovations continue

Calgary Stampeders win their first Grey Cup, and Calgary fans in Toronto for the game ride a horse into a hotel lobby for the first time.

/ 1952

Thomas Riley Building opens at PITA.

Courtesy Tom Baker Cancer Centre

to this day. The Aldred Centre, an iconic SAIT landmark and the largest of three buildings making up SAIT’s Trades and Technology Complex, houses several labs for the School of Manufacturing and Automation — and transforms the way students learn. Opened in 2012, the Aldred Centre includes a welding education facility tailored to SAIT’s unique training needs. The welding lab features self-contained, self-sufficient and multi-purpose welding booths that allow students to learn and practice various techniques and processes in one location. The Mechanical Engineering Technology program’s bright and well-appointed labs are equipped with updated programmable logic controllers (PLCs) — specialized computers that enhance automation of industrial processes, such as controlling machinery on assembly lines. An early adopter of 3D printing technology, the school gives students

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opportunities to learn how to print three-dimensional solid objects with layers of material such as plastic.

Digitizing quality and safety T H E S C H O O L O F M A N U FA C T U R I N G A N D A U T O M AT I O N

is also home to a world-class centre for Non-Destructive Testing instruction — with technology that represents an evolution from Marie Curie’s battlefield breakthrough. Non-destructive testing (NDT) once used a process similar to the use of X-ray film (à la Curie) to inspect materials for hidden flaws, but it’s now digital — which means that materials can be analyzed immediately on a computer screen. Through ultrasonic, radiographic and magnetic particle technology, NDT allows for the inspection, testing and evaluation of materials without destroying the serviceability of the part or system.

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/ 1954

PITA introduces its first Awards Day ceremony. Scholarships worth a total of $2,450 are awarded to 15 students in technology programs; additional scholarships are available to students in art programs.

Machine shop in the A Building, 1950s.

PITA’s first Open House; 4,000 visitors attend.

NDT is considered the cornerstone of quality and safety for nearly every industry, particularly in the pipeline and petroleum sectors — increasing production and extending the life of equipment and system components.

profile: Devin DeLong (NDT ’16) T H E I M P E R AT I V E to never stop learning in support of such a fast-moving industry was, for Devin DeLong, the attraction to a career in NDT. An April 2016 graduate of the NDT certification program at SAIT, DeLong works in the petroleum industry for Calgary-based Streamline Inspection Ltd. — which tests vessels, pipes and assorted equipment in the oil and gas sector for corrosion, cracks and impurities. “Growing up, I was aware of the industry because my dad worked the sales side for more than 30 years,” he says. “After I did some more research, I

knew it was what I wanted to do. “There are so many different categories of work, so many industries where this work applies. You never plateau. It’s constant learning,” he adds. “If you want a change from doing testing in upstream oil and gas, you could work on planes or cranes or bridges or construction sites. “You could help develop the technology or write code. You can travel the world. You can specialize. A career like this can take you wherever you want to go.” As SAIT celebrates its centennial this fall — gazing back over its first 100 years, and peering ahead to its next century — DeLong says he’s looking forward to seeing the milestones of accelerating innovation. “It’ll be cool to hear people’s stories through the decades,” he says. “Just using my industry as an example, technology has changed so much in our lifetime — and we’re moving faster all the time.” Hear more from Devin DeLong in the online version of LINK at sait.ca/alumni.

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After the Second World War, many PITA students were war veterans. Instructor George Hare, who later served as SAIT’s Academic Vice President (1967–1981), remembers how they changed the Institute: “Before the war, the teacher was boss and the principal was boss and there wasn’t any question of authority. When the servicemen came back, they were older and they had been through the war and they wouldn’t take this guff laying down. They’d say, ‘Oh, you’re not doing a proper job this way,’ or “Why can’t I do it this way?’ I know, I did some of it myself. These fellas were really keen to learn, wanted to get the job done as soon as possible. I think this forced the universities and colleges to become more efficient, more effective and modernized.”

/ 1953

SAIT INTERSECTION

JACK GERMSHEID PHOTO

— C hris Raghubar photographed from Toronto via Skype. His image was shown on a video wall in SAIT’s GE Canada Technology Demonstration Hall and photographed using a 5" x 7" Eastman 33A view camera; five-second exposure.

 SCHOOL OF CONSTRUCTION 

Chris Raghubar (B.Sc. CPM ’16)

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/ 1955

The number of apprentices training at PITA reaches more than 1,400 a year. For the first time, it becomes a challenge for students to find parking on campus.

Construction begins on the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium; it opens in 1957.

SCHOOL OF CONSTRUCTION

P I TA O F F E R E D U P I T S F I R S T C O N S T R U C T I O N C O U R S E S

W H E N T H E M A I N B U I L D I N G , N O W H E R I TAG E H A L L , S T O O D

O N A N E A R LY E M P T Y P R A I R I E . S I N C E T H AT D AY, G R A D U AT E S O F T H E I N S T I T U T E ’ S C O N S T R U C T I O N P R O G R A M S H AV E

H E L P E D B U I L D T H E V I B R A N T C I T Y T H AT N O W S U R R O U N D S THE CAMPUS.

written by Harry Sanders

In 2016, School of Construction students got the chance to teach Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about a different kind of cabinet making.

1922

Glenbow Archives (NA-5093-625)

Building a nation’s monument

AT T H E O P E N I N G C E R E M O N Y for the Main Building of the Provincial Institute of Technology and Art (PITA), nearly a thousand Calgarians heard Public Works Minister Alex Ross proclaim the new edifice “a nation’s monument.” Less than four decades had passed between the Canadian Pacific Railway ’s 1883 arrival in Calgary and the official opening of the new PITA (aka “Tech”) campus on Jan. 12, 1923 — but those years transformed the landscape. For as many as 10,000 years before the CPR arrived, indigenous peoples lived a nomadic lifestyle that had no use for permanent structures. The railway brought settlers who established a new society — and it also brought carpenters and cabinetmakers, bricklayers and stonemasons. Trained and apprenticed elsewhere, these tradesmen brought the skills and traditions eventually used in

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construction of the Main Building, now known as Heritage Hall. Their work laid the foundations of today ’s School of Construction. Heritage Hall is a link not only to Calgary ’s formative period but also to medieval European and even ancient Mesopotamian traditions. The building’s Collegiate Gothic design is a nod to architectural traditions found in Oxford and Cambridge universities. Like those in the School of Construction today, these medieval Gothic designers were problem solvers. They took the Mesopotamian concept of bracing walls with stone reinforcement and modified it, creating buttresses that spread weight on walls more evenly. Collegiate Gothic employs this technique, and many of Heritage Hall’s characterdefining elements reflect its Collegiate Gothic style: buttresses, the Tudor arch over the front doors, the auditorium built like a baronial hall, and the twin towers with crenellated parapets.

Popular in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Collegiate Gothic architecture symbolized advanced education. From its hilltop perch, North America’s first publicly-funded institute of technology remains a nation’s monument — in 1989, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada declared Heritage Hall a national historic site.

Boom, bust and war: Rising to the challenge

S E C U R E I N I T S P E R M A N E N T C A M P U S , Tech was ready to end the reliance on skilled outsiders and train a generation of young Albertans to replace them. It was going to have to. Calgary had enjoyed a vibrant building boom in the early 1910s but it ended in 1913, three years before PITA opened its doors in temporary quarters in the Colonel James Walker School and a nearby police and fire station. Another building boom blossomed in the late 1920s — but in 1929, the stock market

The Weal reports: “At the beginning of the fall term, a meeting was held under the leadership of Sonja Veitch to organize a cheering section for the basketball teams.”

North Hill Shopping Centre opens. Calgary’s first shopping mall, it includes 30 stores and the Simpsons-Sears anchor store. The largest shopping centre in Western Canada, it’s also the first to open late at night.

Glenbow Archives (NA-4476-377)

crashed and the Great Depression began. Construction plummeted, and drought and crop failures added to the misery. The province reduced PITA’s funding; student loans became unobtainable and enrolment declined. The Second World War reversed this. Canada needed well-trained tradesmen and technicians for the war effort. Although Ottawa requisitioned PITA’s campus for the Royal Canadian Air Force, it provided new funds for technical education. Enrolment swelled in PITA’s technical and trades programs and many students found jobs or enlisted before they had time to earn their diplomas. A key phase in PITA’s development began during the war. In 1944, Ottawa and the provinces began talking about publicly-sponsored apprenticeship programs and Alberta passed its Apprenticeship Act. In 1948, PITA launched an apprenticeship program in five disciplines, including carpentry and electrical.

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As unlikely as it seems, history shows that widespread introduction of air conditioning in the twentieth century changed the world. Everything from holiday plans to rising birth rates can be ascribed to the availability of AC. In 1995, SAIT responded to shifting and ever more sophisticated technological needs by establishing three centres of excellence that reflected Alberta’s economic priorities and industries. One of these was the Engineered Air Advanced Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Centre (ARAC), made possible by champion Don Taylor, President of Engineered Air.

1922

East Block opens. In the basement is a rifle range, bowling alleys and rooms for student activities. Today it is known as the John Ware Building.

George Webber

/ 1958

SAIT INTERSECTION

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/ 1960

Canadian Bill of Rights becomes law and protects human rights and freedoms.

CBC launches the television documentary series, The Nature of Things. Canadian icon and environmentalist David Suzuki becomes host of the show in 1979.

When the Alberta government decides to create a Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) in Edmonton, PITA is renamed the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. The Art Department becomes the Alberta College of Art and the Calgary Normal School moves to the new University of Alberta campus in Calgary.

C C

Provincial Archives of Alberta (GR1981.0149/0472)

It was history repeating all over again. A medieval time traveller would instantly recognize the apprenticeship program as a descendant of western Europe’s craft guilds, a form of applied education where a student learns from an experienced craftsman. Today, most School of Construction programs lead to apprenticeships in one of 12 trades, and most pre-employment and pre-apprenticeship programs prepare students to enter apprenticed trades such as cabinetmaker, carpenter and steamfitter. But SAIT has developed even more specialized offerings, making it Alberta’s sole provider of apprenticeships such as bricklayer, concrete finisher and glazier.

Peace, prosperity and training for growth T H E WA R ’ S E N D B R O U G H T P E A C E A N D P L E N T Y to North America — especially in Alberta with the Leduc oil discovery in 1947.

In the 1950s, industry grew rapidly to meet the booming demand for consumer goods, and PITA worked to meet the growing demand for both technicians and technologists. The trade school was truly becoming a post-secondary institute. Prosperity was a boon for PITA, but it also posed challenges for the disciplines that now comprise the School of Construction. Population growth, technological changes and lifestyle choices transformed the kinds of buildings and systems needed for business, industry and the home. In Alberta’s booming cities, graduates of PITA (called SAIT after 1960) have built and maintained soaring office towers and massive apartment complexes. In the oilfields, they have been responsible for sophisticated industrial systems and vast worker housing compounds. And they have built homes on the street where you live. Fifty years ago, the small houses built by School of Construction alumni

S chool of C onstruction

had no need for laundry rooms, family rooms or even insulated basements. Today ’s homes are wired for smart appliances, wi-fi, energy efficiency and in-floor heating. These changes have created demand for a diverse suite of expertly trained professionals, and the School of Construction has risen to the challenge.

Testament to a crucial industry N I N E T Y Y E A R S PA S S E D between the completion of Heritage Hall and SAIT’s Trades and Technology Complex (TTC), home of the Aldred Centre which houses the School of Construction’s administrative offices and several labs. The two buildings are diametrically opposed, both in geographic orientation and historical experience. The brick and sandstone Heritage Hall looks south to old Calgary; the glassshrouded Aldred Centre fronts the post-war Trans-Canada Highway to

/ 1961

/ 1964

The Highlander Hotel opens on 16th Avenue North. It becomes a popular student hang-out and is nicknamed the H Block.

A new Canadian flag, featuring the red maple leaf on a white background between two red bars, wins the approval of Parliament.

The Proclamation of the Canadian Flag, Library and Archives Canada, Acc. No. 1989-253-1

Brian Buchsdruecker

the north, bringing SAIT into view for 25,000 drivers and passengers every day. And while Heritage Hall was built by others for the Institute, the new complex was largely built by SAIT — specifically, by School of Construction graduates who made up 60 to 70 per cent of the TTC workforce. Alumni from every building trade were involved. Opened in 2012, the 740,000-square foot Complex represents the largest expansion in SAIT’s history, both in physical space and program expansion. In 2013, a massive renovation turned the Thomas Riley Building into the home of six of the School of Construction’s building trades, complete with state-ofthe-art shops and labs. The work done in these buildings — and the innovative construction of the Trades and Technology Complex itself — testify to the skill and versatility of School of Construction graduates, who are needed now as much as ever to replace an aging workforce in a crucial industry.

profile: Chris Raghubar (B.Sc. CPM ’16) T O DAY, S A I T B OA S T S N E A R LY H A L F- A - D O Z E N degree programs, of which the relatively new Bachelor of Science in Construction Project Management epitomizes the Institute’s nimble response to a dynamic, increasingly sophisticated industry. How appropriate that SAIT’s centennial year produced that program’s first graduate to advance to post-graduate studies in the field. Chris Raghubar is beginning his Masters of Applied Science in Building Science at Ryerson University. The Oakville, ON native was drawn to SAIT by the opportunity to learn both the practical and the theoretical side of his chosen field. “I’ve always been interested in the built world and was intrigued by

the idea of learning both the science and management aspects of construction projects,” he says. As part of his studies, Raghubar

S chool of C onstruction

— 1 952: Carpentry students practice lathe skills in the B Building shop facilities.

— 1 947: Students in PITA’s Farm Construction course were taught bricklaying, concrete work and framing.

— 1946: Building Construction I students construct the frame of a home for Paul Carriere in Shouldice Terrace, now called Montgomery.

—Circa 1954: Instructor Ron C. Smith performs a pressure test on a cylinder of concrete for students of the Building Technology program.

— 2013: Students learn carpentry skills in SAIT’s airplane-hangar sized Founding Builders Home Lab, capable of containing two bungalows.

— 2013: The newly renovated Thomas Riley Building houses six of SAIT’s building trades shops and labs.

completed an internship with SAIT’s Applied Research and Innovation Services (ARIS) department under the supervision of Dr. Azzeddine Oudjehane. Together they researched sustainable models for managing waste and salvaging materials during the deconstruction of a 10-storey building in downtown Calgary, then presented their findings at two international conferences. “Dr. Oudjehane’s mentorship allowed me to not only hone my research and problem-solving skills, but to also develop my passion for sustainability in the built world,” Raghubar says. It has also inspired Raghubar to consider a career in teaching or research. Whichever path Raghubar chooses, he’s on the frontlines of environmentally sustainable models of construction, another practice instantly recognizable to our medieval time traveller — the castles and cathedrals of Europe are built with stone recycled from earlier generations.

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 S C H O O L O F H O S P I TA L I T Y A N D T O U R I S M  Callie Reidulff (PCK ’16)

JACK GERMSHEID PHOTO

— T his portrait of Callie Reidulff is a wet plate negative. Originated in 1851, wet plate uses glass hand-coated with collodion, then exposed and developed while still wet, then fixed with a chemical solution.

/ 1966

SAIT celebrates its 50th anniversary.

Canada is the third country in the world to introduce colour TV. The first program is a documentary about the Calgary Stampede’s bucking horses. Colour TVs start at $850 (more than $6,000 in today’s dollars).

SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM

SAIT offers its first Business Administration classes, which led to the formation of the Business Education Department. SAIT’s School of Business celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2016.

F R O M T H E C P R T O T H E G O L D E N AG E O F A I R T R AV E L T O T H E S L O W F O O D M O V E M E N T; T H E S T O RY O F S A I T ’ S S C H O O L O F H O S P I TA L I T Y A N D T O U R I S M I S O N E S H A P E D BY H I S T O R I C A L E V E N T S , A N D A U T H O R E D BY V I S I O N A R I E S W H O S AW T H E P O T E N T I A L O F A S C H O O L T O F U E L T H E I N D U S T RY.

written by Harry Sanders

SAIT is the only Canadian institution on CEOWORLD Magazine’s list of Top 50 Hospitality and Hotel Management Schools.

Home grown training and imported tourists in such towns as Calgary can scarcely be over-estimated,” the Calgary Daily Herald editorialized on Jan. 20, 1890. Then as now, Calgary had good reason to promote and develop its hospitality industry. Though founded as a North-West Mounted Police post in 1875, Calgary really owes its existence to the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1883. CPR managers needed revenue, and tourism was a natural fit. “If we can’t export the scenery, we’ll import the tourists,” said CPR VicePresident William Cornelius Van Horne. By 1888, the CPR was putting western Canada on the world tourist map with its iconic hotels and European-trained chefs. In Calgary, however, haute cuisine remained unknown in its early years. Proximity to Banff and the annual Stampede made the city a modest tourist

“ T H E I M P O R TA N C E O F G O O D H O T E L S

S chool of H ospitality and T ourism

attraction for train travellers and — with increasingly better roads — the “motoring holiday-maker.” Still, travel was expensive, and two world wars and the Great Depression prevented the industry from meeting its potential. But change was in the air at the Provincial Institute of Technology and Art (PITA, now SAIT) in its Main Building (now Heritage Hall). “In the basement… directly below the assembly hall,” reads a Calgary Daily Herald feature from Feb. 9, 1929, “is located a modern cafeteria wherein, at twelve o’clock each day… several hundreds of hungry students are to be found lined up waiting their turn in the dining room.” Two floors above, a “model kitchen and dining room” housed “special classes in household economics.” From this modest beginning, instructor Mrs. R.A. Denny took over the cafeteria as a training project in 1949 and launched a course in restaurant management. She had laid the

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/ 1967

/ 1968

Canada’s Centennial.

Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau introduces the Official Languages Act. When it comes into effect in 1969, the Act makes English and French the country’s two official languages.

The Husky Tower opens to the public. It is renamed the Calgary Tower in 1971.

ronniechua/Thinkstock

— 1 929: Students in the cafeteria in the basement of the Main Building (today’s Heritage Hall).

— 1948/49: Students of the Dressmaking and Millinery Department in the Commercial Cooking Class.

— Circa 1959: A Baking program student, shown in E Block (today’s John Ware Building).

— 1 950s: The Main Building’s student-operated basement cafeteria at lunchtime.

— 1999: SAIT’s Highwood Dining Room, staffed by students of the School of Hospitality and Tourism.

— 2013: Culinary apprentice Hamish Tregarthen volunteers in SAIT’s oncampus garden.

— 2 014: Students in SAIT’s Destinations Travel Centre.

foundation of today ’s School of Hospitality and Tourism. With the end of the Second World War, followed by the 1947 discovery of oil at Leduc, Albertans looked forward to a prosperous future. But 1954 media coverage of Alberta’s tourism industry shows the challenge Denny faced.

“Only a few Alberta restaurants deserve first-class rating,” wrote the Albertan newspaper’s Tom Moore. Tourists were astounded by our natural tourist attractions, Moore wrote in his column later that year. “Why,” travellers asked him, “don’t Albertans do a better job of selling their province to the tourist industry, not only before we come, but after we get here?”

A school takes flight I N 1956, T H E O P E N I N G O F C A L G A RY ’ S $1-million airport marked the pre-dawn of a new era in travel, but it took the jet age to make travel to Europe affordable for average Albertans. The first DC-8 landed in Calgary in 1961; by the end of the year, Canadian Pacific Airlines opened western Canada to the world with its non-stop Calgary-Europe service. By then, the future School of Hospitality and Tourism was on its way to becoming a reality. In 1958, Denny ’s

S chool of H ospitality and T ourism

program moved to PITA’s brand-new East Block. “Here, in gleaming, electronic, functional surroundings,” observed the Herald, students would “develop knowledge and skills in food preparation, a high standard of cleanliness, training for business, control of a food service department or restaurant, and a personal interest in the work...” The program also enjoyed support from leaders in the hospitality and tourism industry, including Hugh Craig (IXT ’30, DA ’90) and Sven Ericksen, who pressed for new legislation to establish cooking as a designated trade and not simply “domestic help.” In 1966, SAIT expanded the program as Hotel, Motel and Restaurant Administration. 1967 saw a doubling of SAIT’s enrolment; the following year, the program opened a new cafeteria and added new program offerings. “At this point we had the apprentice cooks, dining room service, short order specialty cooking, commercial cooking

/ 1969

Hailed as one of the 50 Moments That Changed the History of Rock and Roll by Rolling Stone magazine, Woodstock offers “three days of peace and music.”

/ 1970

SAIT gets its first logo.

and commercial baking,” remembered Paul Mastilir, who served as the dean of the Culinary Arts Department from 1963 to 1986. “At that time, demands for trained personnel kept increasing because the city grew, cocktail lounges emerged, the general public was travelling and experiencing what Europe had to offer, and finally … the liquor laws changed — all this caused enrolment to grow quite considerably.” Listen to an interview with Paul Mastilir from the SAIT’s ALIVE Oral History Collection in the online version of LINK at sait.ca/alumni.

Greg Fulmes

The European exposure of recentlyreturned servicemen and women brought new ideas for cooking, as did women’s magazines and recipe books. But one of the biggest influences was convenience foods like cake mixes, instant coffee and the likes of Kraft Dinner. Early in the 1980s, a Slow Food movement emerged in Italy to preserve and promote local food traditions and lifestyles in contrast to this decades-long trend towards convenience. In 2012, as the Slow Food movement became global, SAIT’s school was the only post-secondary affiliated with Slow Food Canada.

Future Shock by Alvin Toffler is published and becomes an international bestseller, coining the term “information overload” in its exploration of “the dizzying disorientation” of rapid change.

Back in 2010, SAIT Chef Instructor Andrew Hewson, in collaboration with Chef Simon Dunn, helped to sow the seeds of the slow food movement at SAIT with the creation of an on-campus teaching garden: the Jackson Henuset Memorial Culinary Garden. One of the first of its kind at a Canadian postsecondary, the garden is used as a food source and more importantly, says Hewson, as a teaching resource. “We need to connect cooking students — our future chefs — with food.” Connecting students with industry has also been a priority. It’s the rationale behind SAIT’s long-standing partnership with the Hospitality 100 Club. Dedicated to enhancing Calgary ’s culinary and hospitality scene, the club offers financial support and industry connections to students. On campus, the school has established “live operations” — open to the public during the school year — including the Highwood Dining Room, the MarketPlace, The Butchery (supported by the Michelle O’Reilly Charcuterie Lab) and the 4 Nines Dining Centre. “This is a living classroom, not a ‘sage on the stage’ approach,” says Dean Tom Bornhorst (HRA ’86). Altogether, these operations feed 120,000 mouths each month of the academic year and provide students with real-world experience as they learn through their work.

Staying ahead of the slow food movement A PA R T F R O M S T E A K H O U S E S , Calgary ’s restaurants and hotels were not known for varied or sophisticated cuisine until recent decades. Although Calgary comprised a society of newcomers, diverse food traditions were rarely expressed on early restaurant menus. G

S chool of H ospitality and T ourism

link 29

George Webber

SAITSA opens a campus pub called SAITen’s Den to entertain students with live music, free coffee and snacks. Admission is 35 cents per single and 50 cents per couple.

In 2012, SAIT added two new living classrooms: Destinations — the only travel agency on the continent run by students — and the downtown Culinary Campus, which allows more students to enrol in wait-listed programs and gives them opportunity to work directly with downtown customers.

profile: Callie Reidulff (PCK ’16) I N 1 8 8 6 , W E S T E R N C A N A DA L E D T H E C A N A D I A N

but only through the outside work of the Montreal-based CPR. Today, SAIT is an industry leader. In 2015, CEOWORLD Magazine named the School of Hospitality and Tourism one of the Top 50 Hospitality and Hotel Management Schools, an international ranking based on 18,000 responses. Alumni of the school are in leadership roles throughout the global hospitality industry, and many, including Callie Reidulff, are following creative T O U R I S M I N D U S T RY,

and unexpected careers on their way to becoming executive chefs and CEOs. Reidulff trained as a Certified Holistic Nutritionist before graduating from SAIT’s Professional Cooking Program. Currently, she works on a family farm east of Calgary, preparing meals and stocking the freezer for harvest season. “I am also helping their daughter who has special needs get involved in the kitchen and on special projects,” Reidulff says. “She is a wonderful sous chef and a fabulous eater!” Entrepreneurship runs in Callie’s family, and she is now in the planning stages for creating her own business offering hands-on cooking instruction and nutritional consultations. “I really am passionate about food,” she explains. “I want to be able to teach people how to cook their own food from scratch in a way that not only tastes great, but is also easy to create and packed with nutrition.” Sounds like a recipe for success. Callie Reidulff shares how her passion for food has propelled her in the online version of LINK at sait.ca/alumni.

S chool of H ospitality and T ourism

The October Crisis begins as the Front de Liberation du Quebec (FLQ) kidnaps British diplomat James Cross.

Calgary’s oil-fuelled growth and million-plus population attract top chefs to its restaurant scene — and many high-profile chefs join the School of Hospitality and Tourism to impart their expertise to future chefs. Over the past decade, chefs such as Thierry Meret (formerly with La P’tite Table), Andrew Hewson (from Catch), Hayato Okamitsu (Catch), Michael Allemeier and Scott Pohorelic (River Café), Michael Dekker (Rouge), Georg Windisch (shown here; Pan Pacific Hotel Singapore) and Michael Mandato (Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge) have taught at SAIT, offering students a remarkable roster of instructors who have won international awards and cooked in renowned restaurants around the world.

/ 1970

SAIT INTERSECTION

JACK GERMSHEID PHOTO

— F or Becky Salmond’s portrait, photographic paper was exposed for two seconds with an 8" x 10" Seneca camera and 15-inch Wollensak lens. After processing, the paper produced a negative; contact printing was used to produce a positive.

 SCHOOL OF BUSINESS  Becky Salmond (BA ’16)

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Hewlett-Packard announces the HP-35 pocket calculator with 25 built-in scientific functions available at a single key stroke.

/ 1972

Following numerous student protests over the years about lack of housing, a 500-bed residence is finally built on campus. Named Owasina Hall in 1978, it remains open until 2006.

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

S A I T ’ S S C H O O L O F B U S I N E S S T U R N S 50 T H I S Y E A R , B U T

T H E B U S I N E S S -S AV V Y, C A N - D O , I N D U S T RY- F O C U S E D S P I R I T

T H AT G U I D E S T H E S C H O O L H A S B E E N PA R T O F T H E I N S T I T U T E S I N C E P I TA O P E N E D I T S D O O R S I N 1916.

written by Richard White

The Senator Burns Building was built, in part, by Poole Construction Company Limited. Almost 50 years later, Poole (now PCL Construction Ltd.) broke ground on SAIT’s Trades and Technology Complex.

Watch time-lapse video of Owasina Hall being demolished in the online version of LINK at sait.ca/alumni.

1967

/ 1971

Signs of an entrepreneurial spirit

I N 1926, G E O R G E M A N S F I E L D H O L M E S graduated as an electrician from the Provincial Institute of Technology and Art (PITA) and took a job with Lambert and Leak Electric, installing Lambert’s Day-Nite Signs across Calgary. In 1953, Holmes opened his own business — an appliance parts and service shop that flourished until he retired in 1974. Calgary is often associated with big business and corporate headquarters. In actual fact, Holmes’ narrative is far more common. Calgary is home to more small businesses per capita than any other Canadian city — 95 per cent of Calgary ’s businesses have fewer than 50 employees. Stories like Holmes’ illustrate Calgary ’s entrepreneurial spirit. They also point to SAIT’s role in fostering that spirit with applied education and a distinctly can-do culture. Throughout

S chool of B usiness

its first century, SAIT has had an impact on some of Alberta’s most successful entrepreneurs.

Tuned in to industry

T O DAY, S A I T D E L I V E R S B U S I N E S S E D U C AT I O N to more than 3,800 students in degree and diploma programs each year, and to 10,000 registrants annually in professional and leadership programs. But long before SAIT’s School of Business was officially formed, the Institute was known for entrepreneurial moxie and good business sense. Like any good business, planning for PITA began with market research. Before PITA opened its doors 100 years ago, its leaders met with representatives of school boards, manufacturers, businesses and prospective students to identify industry need and to develop a curriculum. In her 1991 history of the Institute, Technically, An Experiment, Rosalie

/ 1973

The Alberta College of Art moves to the new Nellie McClung Building.

/ 1975

Calgary celebrates its centennial.

/ 1977

The first Star Wars, now called Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, is released.

1967

Pedersen explains: “Stationary engineers wanted evening classes; Mr. Short of CPR’s Ogden shops wanted arithmetic, basic mathematics and mechanical drawing and design; Mr. Glover of the Cockshutt Plow Company requested courses in business methods.”

Fostering business in Calgary

PAT R I C K B U R N S S P E N T T H E S U M M E R O F 1878

chopping wood for a neighbour to earn enough money to travel west, only to discover the neighbour didn’t have enough cash to pay his $100 bill. Instead, he gave Burns two oxen. Burns, realizing the value of each ox was $70, slaughtered them and sold their meat and by-products for $140. Arriving in Calgary in 1890, Burns established his first major slaughterhouse, followed by a packing house in 1898. He eventually evolved his business into Burns Foods, Western Canada’s largest

meat packing company. Burns revolutionized the slaughterhouse industry by emphasizing the utilization of by-products, such as hide for leather, fats for soap, bone for bone meal, and hair for brushes. His business leadership was recognized in 1982, when SAIT renamed the Tower Building in his honour. Completed in the mid-1960s, the building represents a time of expansion throughout Calgary. Business was booming and the oil industry ’s demand for people with business education was skyrocketing. When this major building opened in 1967, it enabled SAIT to expand as well, creating the Business Education Department and welcoming an additional 2,500 students. One year earlier, Barry Lammle graduated from SAIT’s Merchandising program. He began working at the Hudson’s Bay Company, but in a few years, he was ready to chart his own course. Having saved $1,800, he asked

S chool of B usiness

—1966: SAIT advertises Business Administration in its Academic Calendar for the first time.

— 1 966: Construction of the Tower Building. In 1982, it was renamed in honour of legendary Alberta entrepreneur Senator Patrick Burns.

— 1965: Early rendering of the Senator Burns Building.

— 1 992: Mr. Karpuk of SAIT’s Business Education Department accepts a donated cellular phone.

— 2011: Barry and Marie Lammle on their ranch in Dewinton, Alberta.

Josie Chu

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Mount St. Helens volcano in Washington state erupts. The deadliest and most economically destructive volcanic event in the United States, it spreads ash as far as southern Alberta.

Terry Fox begins his Marathon of Hope, a run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. It ends tragically on Sept. 1 near Thunder Bay, ON when his cancer returns. Arnel Manalang/Thinkstock

1980

— 1 996: Students learn Microsoft Word in the Business Education monitor classroom.

— 2 013: Three of the graduates in the first class of SAIT’s Bachelor of Business Administration.

his mother to co-sign a $5,000 loan so he could open a shop on 1st Street SW, Calgary. Today he owns Lammle’s Western Wear & Tack, one of the largest stores of its kind in North America.

Adapting to business community needs BY 1 9 9 4 , a Labour Market Study prepared for Alberta Advanced Education and Career Development found computer

Josie Chu

skills to be the number one employee training need. The next year, SAIT opened a Business Technology Centre, designed to be a “one-of-a-kind business training facility… for the latest Business and Industry computer software applications,” according to a SAIT press release at that time. Today, SAIT is not only a leader in offering computer training, but a leader in pioneering online education programs locally and internationally. On the flip side, one of SAIT’s most innovative partnerships is based on face-to-face teaching. It started in 1995, when the Institute began its partnership with the Chartered Professional Accountants of Alberta to convert their online study program to an in-person classroom program. Unique in Canada, it nearly doubled the pass rate of students seeking professional accounting designation. The popular program continues to evolve today.

S chool of B usiness

Responding to the global marketplace OV E R T H E PA S T C E N T U RY, Calgary ’s economy has shifted from agriculture and ranching to oil and gas and tech industries. Today ’s marketplace is global, and Calgary is a major inland port supporting a growing transportation and logistics industry. For fifty years, SAIT’s School of Business has adapted to meet the changing needs of industry, becoming increasingly global in scope. One example is the Supply Chain Management program, developed by SAIT on behalf of the Supply Chain Management Association. Courses relate directly to skills needed for purchasing, manufacturing, dispatching, shipping and receiving, transportation, inventory management, warehousing and procurement employment — all vital to giving consumers access to the goods and services they rely on and expect.

SAIT becomes a board-governed institution. In 2016, Heather Culbert (CT ’79, DA ’03, HOND ’14) is the first SAIT graduate to be named Board Chair.

Courtesy Canadian International Learning Foundation

The Constitution Act enshrines the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and gives Canadians our own Constitution.

profile: Becky Salmond (BA ’16) B E C K Y S A L M O N D entered SAIT’s School of Business diploma program with real-world experience as a marketing coordinator for Planet Foods, a national organic and natural food distributor, and as an order manager for Flextronics, a supply chain solutions provider. This experience not only helped Salmond realize she needed a formal business education to advance her career, but also sparked her interest in the field of supply chain management. Salmond says SAIT’s competitive advantage over other schools is “the small class sizes, which means you get individual attention from your instructors and develop close relationships with your peers. The focus on group work, which can be challenging, also reflects the current business trend of working in teams.” Salmond says many of her instructors

played a role in her decision to pursue a career in Supply Chain Management, but none more than Dr. Vicky Roy. Roy was the coach of the Business Case Competition for the two years that Salmond competed with the team. “She was incredibly dedicated to our team, and personally coached me about supply chain management,” says Salmond. “Her guidance, experience and knowledge helped us win the Gold Medal at the 2016 Vanier College BDC Case Challenge. Dr. Roy has enabled me to choose the right career path for me.” In fall 2016, Salmond is continuing her education in the Bachelor of Business Administration — Supply Chain Management program, one of four new majors added to SAIT’s Bachelor of Business Administration program in 2015. When asked to describe SAIT’s School of Business in three words, she immediately says: “Innovative; practical; supportive.” Hear more from Becky Salmond in the online version of LINK at sait.ca/alumni.

S chool of B usiness

/ 1983

A group of former faculty and staff band together to form SAIT’s ALIVE, an association of retired SAIT employees and their spouses.

In 2011, Christian Aid, an international humanitarian and development agency, reports that just 13 per cent of women in Afghanistan are literate and opportunities for their education are few and far between. In March 2012, 200 women in Kandahar receive a SAIT Certificate of Achievement in Business Management. The graduation is the result of an ongoing partnership between SAIT, the AfghanCanadian Community Centre and the Kandahar Institute of Modern Studies, offering online education opportunities to improve the circumstances of women there. The educational program has become a model for professional education in Afghanistan and other regions around the world recovering from war, illness or poverty.

/ 1982

SAIT INTERSECTION

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 S C H O O L O F I N F O R M AT I O N A N D C O M M U N I C AT I O N S T E C H N O L O G I E S  Danielle DuGuay (BXST ’15)

JACK GERMSHEID PHOTO

—D anielle DuGuay’s portrait is a tintype — a process that creates a negative image on a thin piece of enamelled iron. The instant photos of their day, tintypes brought photography to the masses.

/ 1985

Alberta College of Art is granted autonomy from SAIT.

SCHOOL OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES

Main Building is renamed Heritage Hall. In 1989, it is designated a national historic site.

I N T H E FA L L O F 1967, W H E N S A I T L A U N C H E D I T S F I R S T F O U R C O M M U N I C AT I O N A R T S P R O G R A M S W I T H 68 S T U D E N T S A N D S I X I N S T R U C T O R S , M O S T C A N A D I A N S G AT H E R E D A R O U N D BLACK AND WHITE TELEVISIONS FOR THE EVENING NEWS. I N T H E N E A R LY 50 Y E A R S S I N C E , T H I S S C H O O L H A S E VO LV E D A L O N G S I D E A N I N F O R M AT I O N A N D C O M M U N I C AT I O N S I N D U S T RY T H AT H A S C H A N G E D — A N D C O N T I N U E S T O C H A N G E — AT B R E A K N E C K S P E E D .

written by Eric Rosenbaum

A precursor of SAIT’s School of ICT dates back to 1921, when the Institute offered a six-month course in Motion Picture Operation.

iStock.com/matty2x4

The rise of radio: Responding to the new media OV E R T H E PA S T C E N T U RY, media has had a huge influence on our lives. We tune in to be informed and entertained, and to bear witness to history – the Hindenburg Disaster, the assassination of President Kennedy, the Quebec referendum. Media helped us grieve together during 9/11 and celebrate together during the fall of the Berlin Wall. Radio, television and the internet: it’s hard to believe SAIT predates all three. We opened our doors in 1916, three years before Canada’s first radio broadcast. Calgary ’s two radio stations – CFAC and CFCN – launched in 1922, the same year the Provincial Institute of Technology and Art (PITA) opened the doors of its new home on the North Hill. It would be decades before the Institute started training radio announcers and producers to spin the discs, read the

S chool of I nformation and C ommunications T echnologies

news and make the ads. Meanwhile, as the popularity of radio grew, Albertans needed people to build and fix their radio receivers. In 1926 PITA introduced this new technology into its curricula, launching an evening course in radio repair and adding radio to its existing electricity course.

Wireless campus: Simulated wartime training BY 1 9 2 7 , Canada was part of a wireless shortwave network that brought highspeed telegraphy and commercial radio signals from overseas, linking us with the rest of the British Empire. In the 1930s, Calgarians were enjoying radio programs from the U.S. and homegrown shows like The Happy Gang. Then, on Sept. 10, 1939 Canada entered the Second World War and radio communication took on life-ordeath-importance. It also displaced our institution.

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/ 1986

SAIT’s Alumni Association begins to publish a newsletter, which eventually becomes LINK magazine.

Expo 86, the world exposition on transportation and communication, opens in Vancouver.

/ 1988

Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement is signed.

Provincial Archives of Alberta (GR1981.0149/215) iStock.com/AnthonyRosenberg

—Between 1940 and 1945, students of the No. 2 Wireless School learned in simulated wireless operation classrooms in PITA’s Main Building.

— 1 955: PITA’s early approach to media was to train technicians to service it, like this instructor and student from PITA’s first television repair program.

— SAIT’s early radio and television program was celebrated for its real-world approach to education.

—1983: A Library Technician student learns to run a projector. Students in today’s Library Information Technology program learn to organize, access and manage today’s expanding volume of information.

—1969: SAIT developed its Journalism Administration program in consultation with “Western Canadian editors, publishers and businessmen.”

—Late 1970s: SAIT graduates are highly skilled technicians and today’s students create media content for radio, TV, tablets and smart phones.

— O ne of the world’s oldest manufacturing industries, printing is ever-changing. SAIT’s Graphic Communications and Print Technology program trains students in print media using state-of-the-art technologies and software.

—Formerly CTSR, now Revolution 103, SAIT Radio is operated by students in the Radio, Television and Broadcast News program and broadcasts 24/7 on the internet.

In 1940, PITA packed up its workshops and classrooms to make way for the No. 2 Wireless School, the Royal Canadian Air Force’s first British Commonwealth Air Training School in Calgary. PITA moved into cramped quarters under the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede grandstand. PITA and some of its staff began serving a vital educational role in supporting Canada’s war effort. Small cubicles in the Main Building (now Heritage Hall) were constructed in classrooms and equipped with aircraft wireless equipment. The installations resembled the restricted working space for wireless operators in military aircraft. Each trainee communicated by Morse Code with an instructor, simulating in-flight operating conditions. This wartime training foreshadows SAIT’s use of training simulators in a variety of disciplines. “You would be in these little cubicles with headphones on and they would be sending Morse at you for hours on end

S chool of I nformation and C ommunications T echnologies

until finally you learned and became proficient at it,” says Fred Marsh, an Australian soldier who trained at No. 2 Wireless and who eventually became SAIT’s assistant registrar.

Moving out from behind the scenes A F T E R T H E WA R , Alberta’s economy and population boomed. PITA continued to train technicians to repair radios and, of course, TV sets. In 1960, the same year PITA became SAIT, Calgary got its second local TV station when CFCN went on the air. In response to the growing influence of media and the demand for the skills to produce programs, SAIT began investigating the potential for a new media studies program. In the fall of 1967, SAIT launched its Communications Arts Department with four programs: Library Arts; Journalism; Television, Stage and Radio; and Graphic Arts Administration.

/ 1989

Calgary Flames win the Stanley Cup.

The Tragically Hip release the album Up to Here including the hit singles “Blow at High Dough,” “New Orleans is Sinking,” and “38 Years Old.”

/ 1990

SAIT’s Library replaces its card catalogue with a computerized catalogue system.

One year later, SAIT became a pioneer in television education and The Albertan newspaper reported that: “Unlike most students who learn their lessons from a blackboard, a select group at Calgary ’s Southern Alberta Institute of Technology are being taught with the benefit of living colour. Early this year, the first complete closed circuit colour television system west of Toronto began operation in a specially equipped classroom complex in the basement of the school. Trainees in the radio and television arts course under program director Richard Gailey simulate complete programs just as their professional counterparts do it ‘for real,’ he said.” In subsequent decades the influence of mass media exploded and microchips put computers on our desktops, then in our laps, then our pockets. SAIT’s Media Arts Department evolved into the School of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT). Over the years,

ICT introduced courses to meet industry demand and reflect the ever-changing communications media landscape, from computer networking to software development to new media production and design.

Booster cables and digital cameras F O R D E C A D E S , SAIT’s Photojournalism instructors taught their students film photography and darkroom photo development, but in 1980, a new kind of camera supplanted the traditional methods. Early versions of the digital camera were clunky, but their quality increased quickly. SAIT Photojournalism instructor Frank Shufletoski (JA ’74) saw the potential. Just as the calendar clicked over to the new millennium, he digitized SAIT’s photojournalism lab, introducing students to the earliest professional quality digital cameras and the first versions of computer photo editing

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software. Award-winning Canadian Press news photographer Nathan Denette (JA ’03) says being in the first SAIT class to go digital “was like having an extra set of booster cables over other students (from other post-secondaries). It jump-started our careers.”

profile: Danielle DuGuay (BXST ’15) M A N Y G R A D U AT E S O F S A I T ’ S S C H O O L O F I C T

have become high-profile broadcasters, journalists and filmmakers. And many SAIT graduates also work behind the scenes — part of the army of highly skilled technicians who produce and distribute media content. Students who enrol in SAIT’s Broadcast Systems Technology program learn to operate and fix equipment that bridges the past, the present and the future of communications technology. They learn the theories and hands-on operation of transmitters used to

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SAIT celebrates its 75th anniversary.

distribute broadcast signals. It’s technology that reaches back to the very origins of radio broadcasting. Recent SAIT alumna Danielle DuGuay (BXST ’15) is excited to enter her chosen profession armed with skills that straddle old and new broadcast technology. She was pleased to have access to early broadcast transmission equipment about to be decommissioned by SAIT and even more pleased to learn on SAIT’s cutting-edge digital gear. But she didn’t stop there. As soon as DuGuay graduated from Broadcast Systems Technology, she enrolled in SAIT’s Fast Track Network Technician program. She says it prepares her for the next generation of ultra-high definition video – 4K video, which has four times the resolution of HDTV. “We don’t have the infrastructure yet in Canada to run 4K but that’s the direction we’re going. We’re at an impasse now where IT and broadcast people need to come together,” DuGuay

says. “This looks like it should be very easy. You have one bunch of tech guys and another bunch of tech guys. Put them in a room and let them figure it out, right? But it’s not like that. There are huge obstacles...” It’s an impasse DuGuay hopes to help mitigate with perspective from both sides of the broadcast/network fence. “You can’t fight an existing model. You just make a new model that makes the existing one obsolete,” she says, quoting Buckminster Fuller. The 35-year-old single mother of two discovered her enthusiasm for electronics as a high school student, but life got in the way. It wasn’t until DuGuay returned to Calgary later in life that she had an opportunity for a post-secondary education. She rekindled her love of technology and was introduced to SAIT’s School of ICT. “I was where I belonged; I thrived; I graduated with honours,” she says with a smile. Discover the path Danielle DuGuay took on her way to SAIT in the online version of LINK at sait.ca/alumni.

S chool of I nformation and C ommunications T echnologies

/ 1992

Rance Fisher Wellsite Production Education Centre opens as SAIT’s original Centre of Technology. The fully operational oil and gas production facility includes a 757-metre directional well bore and a functioning service rig.

On Oct. 4, 1957, the Soviet Union’s successful launch of Sputnik — the first-ever man-made satellite — caught the world by surprise, catapulting us into the space age. LINK was unable to substantiate a story that two PITA instructors were among the first to pick up a telegraphic signal from Sputnik — but Sputnik did impact technical training in the U.S. and also at PITA. The 1957 Academic Calendar noted that “interest in conventional aircraft … has decreased. Some of the glamour has disappeared.” But, the calendar continued, technologists played an important role in aeronautical engineering teams for their ability to apply “proven techniques which are commonly understood by those who are expert in aeronautical engineering.”

/ 1991

SAIT INTERSECTION

JACK GERMSHEID PHOTO

— F or this evocative portrait of recent graduate Chelsea Dinel, photographer Jack Germsheid used 8" x 10" x-ray film commonly found in medical laboratories, a 1920s-era Seneca camera and a 15-inch Wollensak lens.

 S C H O O L O F H E A LT H A N D P U B L I C S A F E T Y  Chelsea Dinel (RT ’15)

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North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between the U.S., Canada and Mexico takes effect Jan. 1.

/ 1995

Quebec votes “no” in a separation referendum with only a narrow 50.6% majority.

1967

1994

iStock.com/Marc Dufresne

SCHOOL OF HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY written by Suzanne Bowness

School of Health and Public Safety students work with patient simulation mannequins that mimic breathing, blinking, and like this dental mannequin, the look and feel of real skin.

T O DAY, S A I T ’ S S C H O O L O F H E A LT H A N D P U B L I C S A F E T Y

I S A L E A D E R I N T R A I N I N G T H R O U G H PAT I E N T S I M U L AT I O N . B U T T H E H U M A N I T Y A N D C O M PA S S I O N AT T H E H E A R T O F

H E A LT H C A R E S E R V I C E S H AV E B E E N PA R T O F T H E I N S T I T U T E SINCE ITS INCEPTION.

Spanish Flu — the new enemy

O N O C T. 2, 1918, Dr. Cecil Mahood, Calgary ’s medical health officer, received a chilling telegram: A Calgary-bound CPR train filled with war veterans had become infected with what appeared to be the Spanish Flu. By this time, the flu was well into its second wave and the doctor was all too familiar with its devastating impact. Dr. Mahood hurried to meet the train at the station where he quarantined the soldiers who exhibited flu symptoms. Unfortunately, soldiers who shared the crowded train compartments but didn’t yet show signs of the contagious disease were sent on their way to reconnect with family and friends. The Spanish Flu spread like wildfire. By Nov. 8, 60 Calgarians had died of the flu. By Nov. 9, Alberta reported 12,219 cases of the Spanish Flu throughout the province. As churches, schools and other

S chool of H ealth and P ublic S afety

public places were ordered closed to try and stop the spread of the disease, the Provincial Institute of Technology and Art (PITA) was pressed into service as a flu hospital by the Calgary Health Department. Thanks to measures like these, the flu outbreak was contained less than a month later, but not before infecting 38,000 Albertans and taking the lives of 50,000 across Canada.

A port in a storm

T H R O U G H O U T S A I T ’ S H I S T O RY, even before there was a school of Health and Public Safety, SAIT had established a tradition of caring for the well-being of its community. This spirit saw the Institute provide shelter to homeless veterans after the end of the Second World War. In the mid-1950s, as more than 37,000 people sought asylum in Canada after Soviet troops crushed the Hungarian uprising, SAIT opened its doors to

provide temporary shelter for Hungarian refugees in on-campus housing. But one hardly needs to consult the history books to see examples of SAIT’s caring. In May 2016, SAIT opened its residences, recreational facilities and the Reg Erhardt Library, becoming a key evacuation centre for nearly 400 residents on the run from the Fort McMurray wildfires. The same thing happened in 2013 when the Institute welcomed more than 200 evacuees escaping devastating floods throughout southern Alberta.

An era of expansion

S I N C E T H E I N S T I T U T E ’ S I N C E P T I O N , the community has called on SAIT not just for our facilities but for our training. As Calgary ’s population exploded in the 1950s, so did demand on services, including health care. By the early 1960s, the wait list for hospital admissions stood at more than 5,000.

/ 1998

Irene Lewis becomes the first female president of SAIT and remains in the role until 2013.

George Webber

The provincial government responded by building Foothills Hospital in 1966. With 766 beds, it was the largest hospital ever constructed in North America at the time. SAIT joined in the building boom with an expansion of our own. The 11-storey Tower Building (now the Senator Burns Building) opened in 1967, enabling SAIT to introduce 12 new programs including Medical Laboratory, Dietary Service and Biochemical Technologies. It was the launch of what would become SAIT’s School of Health and Public Safety — small but mighty with two programs and three staff members to start.

Programmed to help B A C K B E F O R E T H E S U M M E R O F 1 9 7 0 , it was private ambulance firms that transported injured and sick Calgarians to hospital, but an ambulance strike during Stampede week caused a public backlash

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In November 2013, Alberta news sources report that one in 10 children in Alberta are living in poverty. During that same month, SAIT conducts a test run of the SMILES Dental Clinic in its on-campus dental labs. Part of a partnership between SAIT and The Alex Community Health Centre, the clinic provides free restorative dental care to economically vulnerable children. The clinic is staffed by volunteer dentists and dental professionals as well as SAIT dental health students and instructors, all in SAIT’s well-appointed clinics. “SAIT has the clinic space and the need for student experience. The Alex has the patient base that needs dental care. It’s a real win-win,” says Carmen Sheridan (DA ’95), an Academic Chair in SAIT’s School of Health and Public Safety.

1967

Canada’s new $2 coin, instantly dubbed the “toonie,” is introduced.

George Webber

/ 1996

SAIT INTERSECTION

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/ 1999

/ 2000

SAIT’s Computer Technology diploma program is the Institute’s highest subscribed program, with 643 applicants for 90 available seats.

/ 2004

Y2K

SAIT is rebranded as SAIT Polytechnic.

CBW/Alamy Stock Photo

Glenbow Archives (NA 5600-8145d)

— 1 969: A Dietary Service Technology instructor.

—1956: Hungarian refugees arrive in Calgary. Some will be housed at PITA.

— An instructor demonstrates patient simulation facilities during Open House.

—Guests at Open House explore SAIT’s dental facilities.

— 2012: In the Medical Laboratory Sciences Lab, students train for vital roles in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease.

—SAIT’s Centre for Advanced Diagnostic Imaging provides training in labs simulating real-world clinical settings.

—Students practise emergency medical skills in SAIT’s mock ambulance.

that heralded the end of private service. The next year, ambulance service became a branch of the Calgary Fire Department with 51 men and eight ambulances. Initially, ambulance workers hired by the department were civilians with basic first-aid skills. They were later trained as emergency medical technicians (EMTs). Eventually, thanks in part to the establishment of Canada’s first publicly funded paramedic program at SAIT in 1972, they were qualified paramedics.

Education on the edge F R O M T O D AY ’ S VA N TA G E P O I N T, the 1970s may not seem the height of technology, but from the beginning SAIT signalled its intent to operate at the cutting edge. As early as 1972, the Institute was experimenting with computers as learning aids, installing an IBM 1400 and a Xerox 560. These punch card-running, refrigerator-sized machines were the Glenbow Archives (NA 4548-5)

S chool of H ealth and P ublic S afety

basis of Computer Managed Learning, an approach involving modular courses developed by educators and the ability to use computers to maintain student records. Computer Managed Learning allowed students to control the pace of their learning and proved so successful at freeing up instructor time for teaching that it was still in use decades later. This method was also valuable for off-campus learning. By 1980, SAIT put it to use to teach ambulance personnel first aid, medical terminology, anatomy and physiology at training centres throughout Alberta. These centres received textbooks, medical training equipment and a computer terminal to be hooked up to SAIT via telephone. Today, SAIT’s School of Health and Public Safety remains at the technological cutting edge of education. Classroom discussions are a great starting point, but there’s nothing quite like a virtual birth or a simulated heart attack to get students thinking on their feet about

/ 2006

The Brawn Fieldhouse overlooking Cohos Commons Field is completed.

Western Economic Development grants SAIT $9 million to plan and design the Trades and Technology Complex, the largest expansion in SAIT’s history.

Enerplus Resources Fund of Calgary donates $5 million — the largest corporate gift in SAIT history — to fund the Enerplus Centre for Innovation.

George Webber

medical emergencies. Launched in 2003, the Centre for Advanced Diagnostic Imaging offers students hands-on training using x-ray, ultrasound and nuclear medicine technology systems in labs that reflect real-world health care and clinical environments. SAIT’s Centre for Advanced Patient Care Simulation was opened in 2005 to put students in programs like Respiratory Therapy and Emergency Medical TechnologyParamedic at the heart of the action. The centre is a fully functional treatment area where students learn from realistic patient simulation mannequins and experience working in a typical health care team setting.

profile: Chelsea Dinel (RT ’15) I T ’ S I N T H E S E S A F E A N D S U P P O R T I V E simulation centres that students like Respiratory Therapy graduate Chelsea Dinel join a

long tradition in confirming her calling to the health care field. The University of Calgary kinesiology graduate was working as a porter at a local hospital when she realized the fast-paced world of emergency care services was where she wanted to be. She enrolled in SAIT’s three-year Respiratory Therapy diploma as the way to focus her training. Dinel says the 60 students in her program came to feel “like family ” and that she loved the practical experience. “My favourite part of the program was all the hands-on work, all the lab work, and then interacting with patients,” says Dinel. Now in the field working with patients with conditions ranging from asthma to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Dinel is busy sampling opportunities in her field, from her placement at Foothills Hospital to working in pediatrics at Alberta Children’s Hospital to moving to Rockyview Hospital in May. She also

does contract work with a home care company assessing patients who require home oxygen. When she has spare time, she volunteers at Ronald McDonald House making meals for the families of sick children. She’s even returned to SAIT as a contract instructor, facilitating competencies testing, arranging orientation for students new to the clinical setting, and helping with debriefs at the Centre for Advanced Patient Care Simulation. “I love my job at SAIT,” says Dinel. “I think when you’re passionate about something you love teaching it.” Dinel says it’s the people she’s met through SAIT and her own journey that have left the most significant mark. “My experience with both SAIT staff and students has been key in developing me not only into a respiratory therapist, but as a better person and a better professional,” says Dinel. Hear Chelsea Dinel talk more about her career and experience in the online version of LINK at sait.ca/alumni.

S chool of H ealth and P ublic S afety

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 M A C P H A I L S C H O O L O F E N E R GY  Leah Hallman (PET ’16)

JACK GERMSHEID PHOTO

— L eah Hallman’s portrait is a wet plate collodion negative from a 5" x 7" plate of glass. The ragged edges are natural artifacts of hand-coating the glass. Unique to each plate, they would have been cropped out by early photographers.

/ 2008

The Government of Alberta pledges $300 million to the Trades and Technology Complex, making SAIT’s dream of an ambitious expansion a reality.

The Tower residence opens and is Calgary’s tallest building north of the Bow River. During WorldSkills Calgary 2009, it and the East Hall Residence serve as the Competitor Village, welcoming more than 1,000 international competitors. In 2011, it becomes Begin Tower in honour of SAIT Board Chair Mike Begin.

SAIT introduces its Green Building Technologies research division through the Applied Research and Innovation Services (ARIS) department.

Greg Fulmes

MACPHAIL SCHOOL OF ENERGY

A S C A N A D A’ S F I R S T E N E R GY S C H O O L , T H E M A C P H A I L S C H O O L O F E N E R GY H A S A H I S T O RY O F C H A R T I N G N E W T E R R I T O RY. T H E S C H O O L H A S B E E N A F R O N T- R U N N E R O F E V E RY T H I N G F R O M T H E C R E AT I O N O F A P E T R O L E U M T E C H N O L O GY P R O G R A M , T O T H E D E V E L O P M E N T O F A C A M P U S W E L L S I T E , T O T H E U S E O F A D R I L L I N G S I M U L AT O R FOR APPLIED LEARNING.

written by Julie Sengl

SAIT has trained an estimated 40,000 energy industry workers on campuses around the world including Libya, Angola, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Chile and Hong Kong.

Fuelling Alberta’s economic engine C OA L WA S A L B E R TA’ S O R I G I N A L B L A C K G O L D . It warmed the homes and bones of prairie pioneers through many a winter as Canada’s industrial revolution picked up steam throughout the 1870s. When the Canadian Pacific Railway came west in 1883, coal mining in Alberta became big business. Coal fuelled the steam engines that powered commercial farms, factories and ships, and now it drove the trains carrying goods and people across the country. The demand for coal was growing and southern Alberta had an ample supply. Small towns sprouted up alongside coal mines as the booming industry attracted a workforce of several thousand men. An evening class in coal mining at the Provincial Institute of Technology and Art (PITA) proved popular right from the start. Word of the training spread, and as demand for the classes

M ac P hail S chool of E nergy

grew, the school introduced evening satellite classrooms in close to a dozen key mining communities. When the Calgary Petroleum Company discovered oil and gas at Turner Valley in 1914, a frenzy of activity and speculation ensued. The start of the First World War just three months later suppressed that spirit and put an end to the boom, but Alberta’s economic engine had been primed for the future. By the time the war was over, people were eager to put the past behind them. They wanted modern conveniences that relied on electricity, and automobiles that ran on gasoline. The demand for petroleum products soared as, one by one, coal’s traditional markets converted to oil and gas.

Teaching from experience J A M E S F O W L E R was one of the first instructors hired at PITA. With a Master

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/ 2009

/ 2010

SAIT breaks ground to officially launch the construction phase of the Trades and Technology Complex. The SAIT Parking Garage opens, allowing for the demolition of the old parkade that fronted 16 Avenue North.

John Aldred and his wife Cheryl make the largest gift ever given to a college or polytechnic when they donate $15 million to the Promising Futures Campaign in support of the Trades and Technology Complex. The largest of the three buildings in the Complex is named the Aldred Centre in recognition of this gift.

of Arts degree, a Bachelor of Science, and a First Class teaching certificate from Edinburgh University, Fowler had the expertise and worldly credibility the fledgling Institute was eager to leverage. The school would not be disappointed. He went on to set the gold standard for instruction at the school. By 1924 Fowler was head of PITA’s Science Department. With renewed activity in oil and gas exploration at Turner Valley, and Imperial Oil’s new state-of-the-art refinery in Ogden, Fowler wanted to garner a better understanding of the science behind oil chemistry. He took a job in the refinery for two months over the summer of 1924 to gain hands-on experience operating the most modern equipment and learning the latest techniques in the field. Fowler understood the importance of establishing a relationship with industry, and the value of keeping up with technological advances. Students

Provincial Archives of Alberta (GR1981.0149/88)

came to PITA for a practical education. It was up to the school to ensure they received the kind of specialized training and practiced skills industry demanded. To this day, SAIT hires instructors based primarily on their reputation and expertise within the industries they represent. The art of teaching, of sharing their real-world experience with students, is developed through in-house mentorship and the Teaching Excellence and Curriculum Excellence Foundations professional development training programs.

Alberta’s arts and culture boom I N 1947 I M P E R I A L O I L struck oil again, this time further north in Leduc. The resulting economic boom reverberated clear across the province. Alberta’s urban population grew in numbers and prosperity as its economy shifted from agriculture to petroleum.

M ac P hail S chool of E nergy

Just two years after the end of the Second World War, Calgary found itself in the enviable position of being the nation’s financial headquarters for oil and gas. The city was suddenly on the world’s radar and attracting experienced oilmen to fill lucrative jobs in the industry. These executive ex-pats exercised their influence beyond Calgary ’s corporate boardrooms. Their participation in daily life introduced outside trends that helped pique public interest in the arts. As the head of PITA’s Art Department in 1949, Illingworth Kerr was all for cultural expansion. That year he introduced the school’s first public art project, inspired by rich mural traditions in Mexico and the United States. Kerr asked advanced art students to submit sketches capturing scenes ranging from the province’s history to its industrial pursuits to its agricultural and cultural traditions. Ron (Gyo-Zo) Spickett and Roy Kiyooka painted the first two murals,

/ 2012

/ 2013

Trades and Technology Complex opens, one of the largest construction projects on any campus in Canada. The expansion includes 740,000 square feet of new, cutting-edge learning space in three structures: The Aldred Centre, the Johnson-Cobbe Energy Centre, and the Cenovus Energy Centre.

George Webber

and more than a dozen others followed. Both Spickett and Kiyooka went on to become distinguished artists and their student art remains where it was painted, on public view in the stairwells of Heritage Hall.

Building an advised School of Energy T H R O U G H O U T I T S 100-Y E A R H I S T O RY, SAIT has championed applied education. It has always been understood that the best thing the school can do for its students is to make sure their education is meeting the needs of industry. The continued growth of Alberta’s oil and gas sector created an ongoing need for technically skilled workers. In 1957, Principal Ernest Wood approached the Canadian Petroleum Association to ask what kind of technicians the industry most needed. An advisory board was formed and determined the greatest need was for skilled petroleum technicians

who could take on many of the routine tasks currently performed by industry engineers and geologists. PITA responded by introducing its two-year Petroleum Technology program in 1959. The first of many dedicated to oil and gas, it was an immediate success. Industry advisory boards continue to steer the school’s curriculum, and industry partnerships are integral to the teaching and learning experience at SAIT. In 2005, the School of Energy was named the MacPhail School of Energy in recognition of the precedent-setting $10 million gift from Keith MacPhail (PT ’81, DA ’ 07, HOND ’12) and has continued to grow and leverage key industry relationships to establish a number of world-class, applied learning centres on campus. The modern-day student has hands-on access to millions of dollars in leading-edge technology and equipment installed in specialized labs. Alongside SAIT, the industry is invested in growing a skilled workforce.

M ac P hail S chool of E nergy

Dr. David Ross becomes SAIT’s 16th President and CEO. A few months later, he confers SAIT’s 200,000th graduate, Joel DesJardine (CET ’11, EDT ’13).

— 1 924: Instructor James Fowler worked at a newly-opened Calgary oil refinery so he could teach the latest in oil chemistry.

— 1 949: Roy Kiyooka’s mural (ground floor passageway from Stan Grad Centre to Heritage Hall’s east central stairway) shows sports played by PITA student athletes.

— 1938: Instructor Nate Safran at the chalkboard during a chemistry class in PITA’s Main Building.

— After it launched in 1959, graduates of PITA’s Petroleum Technology program were in high demand and commanded salaries of between $300 and $400 a month.

— 2012: SAIT’s Rance Fisher Wellsite Production Education Centre was constructed in 1992.

— SAIT’s Mathison Drilling Simulator uses high-end 3D graphics, sound and vibration to bring students as close as possible to the real experience.

When collaboration makes sense across SAIT’s schools and departments, the benefits of industry investment are exponential. For example, the Produced Water Treatment Train was originally developed by SAIT’s Applied Research and Innovation Services (ARIS) researchers as a wastewater treatment solution for a road maintenance company. The technology, which can also treat produced water in the energy sector, is now in a MacPhail School lab. Students use it to learn the principles of water treatment and investigate sustainable solutions for the oil and gas industry.

profile: Leah Hallman (PET ’16) The face of SAIT graduates has definitely changed since the Institute first opened its doors. This past spring, 27-year-old Leah Hallman graduated at the top of her class as a Third Class Power Engineer. Following a few years of restless

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Vimmi Dutt

SAIT’s new brand is introduced, with a new logo that drops “Polytechnic” and returns to using “Southern Alberta Institute of Technology.”

study in university, Hallman determined that her ideal career would combine her penchant for academics with her desire to be physically active and working with her hands. The traditionally maledominated field of power engineering offered exactly what she was looking for. “I wanted a job where I could be self-sufficient,” says Hallman. “Something hands-on that paid decent money and had good job security.” She points out that power engineers can also work in industries outside of oil and gas such as hospitals and building maintenance. Hallman knew what she was getting into before signing up for the program. Both her father and her brother are power engineers. She also knew about SAIT’s reputation in the industry. “I’ve only ever heard good things about SAIT graduates and I’ve heard those things from people in the industry. SAIT has a good reputation,” says Hallman. “That made me want to get my education from there.”

She has another connection to the Institute that made attending classes feel both natural and special — her dad, Boyd Hallman (CC ’71), graduated from SAIT’s cooking school 45 years prior. “It was exciting for me to come to SAIT knowing my dad had been here. It was such a long time ago, and with a different focus, but it was something we could share.” Hallman has already started work in Fort McMurray as a power engineer with ConocoPhillips. It’s exactly the job she was hoping to land with lots of opportunities to progress and garner expertise. She plans to start working toward her Second Class designation right away with an eye on eventually getting her First Class certification. From there the possibilities look wide open. “The level of instruction at SAIT is phenomenal,” says Hallman. “I think it would be super rewarding to go back there one day and help train future industry leaders.” Listen to Leah Hallman talk about where she hopes to take her career in the online version of LINK at sait.ca/alumni.

M ac P hail S chool of E nergy

SAIT celebrates its 100th birthday on October 16, 2016.

During the battle of Fredericksburg in 1862, as artillery rounds plunged into the ground surrounding the battlefield, a Civil War army officer named Edward Roberts got an idea. A few years later, he patented the “exploding torpedo,” an invention believed to be the genesis of hydraulic fracturing techniques. Fast forward to 2016, students in SAIT’s MacPhail School of Energy are learning about cleantechnology processes for hydraulic fracturing using innovative made-at-SAIT technology. The Produced Water Treatment Train, an applied-research project developed for industry by Environmental Technologies researchers, increases water recycle and re-use, and contributes to more sustainable water management in hydraulic fracturing.

/ 2016

SAIT INTERSECTION

Alumni Day 100th birthday party! Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016 Tailgating SAIT style | 4 pm An easy going celebration, the chance to meet your fellow grads and do some networking. Enjoy a delicious BBQ provided by Spolumbo’s Fine Foods & Deli.

SAIT Trojans battle NAIT Ooks | 6 pm Bring the whole family to see men’s hockey played by some of Alberta’s finest athletes. There will be a special ceremonial puck drop followed by an action-packed game.

Alumni Mixer | Reception 6 pm, Mixer 7 pm Reconnect with classmates! Enjoy foot stompin’ live tunes with The Old Tyme Band and dueling pianos. History themed food and drinks and a final toast to SAIT’s first century.

Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016 SAIT’s official 100th Birthday! We’re throwing a campus-wide community birthday celebration and everyone is invited! This free event includes a BBQ, family activities, a free concert on the soccer field featuring Dan Mangan, and an amazing fireworks finale at 1916 hours (get it?!).

Details and to register for the weekend – visit sait.ca/100

Thank you to all our sponsors!

CONGRATULATIONS SAIT â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 100 YEARS!

PEPSICO CANADA IS PROUD TO BE A PART OF YOUR CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS.

2016 ALUMNI AWARDS RECIPIENTS 100 YEARS 12 MONTHS OF CELEBRATIONS PROUD CALGARY INSTITUTION: SAIT’S CENTENNIAL EVENTS CALENDAR

“One of us” takes the chair

GREG FULMES PHOTO

FRED JORGENSON REMEMBERED

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227,0 Alumni Awards kick off centennial

W R I T T E N BY | M I C H E L L E W O O DA R D A N D G I S E L L E W E D E M I R E ( J A ’13 )

F E AT U R E

000 A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI

Established in 1988, the Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes a SAIT alumnus/a who demonstrates proven leadership skills, exceptional achievements in business or industry, outstanding contributions to the community and a history of support for SAIT. O U T S TA N D I N G YO U N G A L U M N I

Established in 2009, the Outstanding Young Alumni Award recognizes an alumnus/a who has graduated from SAIT in the past 10 years and is 35 years or younger, has proven leadership skills, exhibits exceptional achievements in their field of endeavour and demonstrates outstanding contributions to the community.

celebrations.

SO MUCH TO CELEBRATE

hink about the legacy of SAIT’s more than 227,000 alumni during the past century and it’s staggering. Building communities, growing businesses, leading change and raising families — their impact in our city and beyond is vast. So where do you begin selecting graduates to recognize with SAIT’s Alumni Awards during our centennial year? People who represent the values, diversity, talent and drive of the Institute’s graduates? Well, you ask your community. And we did. And in SAIT’s 100th year the answer was resounding, with a record 100-plus nominations for the Distinguished Alumni and Outstanding Young Alumni Awards. At an event in September 2016, Jennifer Carlson and Lorenzo Donadeo joined the ranks of 35 Distinguished Alumni recognized since 1988 and Levi Kuta, Ron Tarrant and Josh Traptow were recognized as SAIT’s Outstanding Young Alumni. All five are proven leaders who demonstrate exceptional accomplishments in their fields, and their outstanding contributions to their communities are an inspiration as we celebrate 100 years of alumni achievement.

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FINDING THE RIGHT RECIPE

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BA JENNIFER ‘98 CARLSON

Business Administration – Marketing Founder and Director, Baby Gourmet Foods Inc.

t the tender age of eight, Jennifer Carlson was already well on her way to mastering fundamental marketing concepts by using a pull-behind cart to quench the thirst of overheated parents at her community’s soccer fields. “I always knew I was going to be an entrepreneur,” says Carlson, founder and director of Baby Gourmet Foods Inc. “It just took me a while to find the right idea.” When that big idea finally presented itself, Carlson was standing in a lengthy baby food aisle overwhelmed at what to buy for her six-month-old daughter. “There were rows and rows of jars, but none of it looked appealing,” Carlson says. “It was so obvious to me that something was missing, and the opportunity felt so big and so open that I immediately knew it was right.” She started out making and selling high-quality baby food at the Calgary Farmers’ Market, researching exactly what her customers wanted and building an appealing story for investors at the same time. Two years in, she was selling $30,000 of product each month, but she knew she wanted more. “Lots of people told me to start small and let things grow organically, but I wanted every parent and baby to have access to fresh, natural, high-quality food,” Carlson says. “That meant going big.” So she spent the next two years surrounding herself with people who know food, and in 2008 pitched Baby Gourmet to retail giant Walmart. Today you can find the company’s 30-plus products sold by more than 2,500 major retailers across Canada, and the company’s line of healthy snacks for kids, called Slammers, at more than 4,000 retailers throughout the United States. “The most rewarding part is knowing that I’m making parents’ lives easier,” says Carlson. “And getting to feed babies — I just can’t think of a more important job.” — M.W.

W H AT I S YO U R P R O U D E S T P R O F E S S I O N A L M O M E N T T O DAT E ?

“When I was a student, I remember going to an awards ceremony celebrating the woman entrepreneur of the year and wanting to be the one standing on that stage one day. That’s why receiving the Ernst and Young Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year (Prairies) award in 2011 was such a proud moment for me — to be recognized on that stage for competing and winning on a playing field that included everyone.”

H O W H A S YO U R S A I T E D U C AT I O N I M PA C T E D YO U R C A R E E R ?

“My dad was a Marketing instructor at SAIT for years — and I feel like I grew up going to SAIT. When I was a student, most people didn’t know my dad was also my teacher. I learned so much about marketing from him, and he was very supportive of everything I did. My dad passed away in 2002 and even though he never saw Baby Gourmet, he is still a big part of its success. Being acknowledged by SAIT — the place that brought us together in many different ways — means so much to me.”

W H AT ’ S YO U R A DV I C E F O R B E G I N N I N G S T U D E N T S I N YO U R F I E L D ?

“Be prepared to take responsibility for your own destiny. If people aren’t opening doors for you, open them yourself. My first job after graduation was in geophysical sciences. I knew that wasn’t the career I wanted, so I used the skills and experiences I learned at SAIT to create my own. You can do that, too.” Watch the Distinguished Alumni Awards video and see photographs from the Alumni Awards evening in the online version of LINK at sait.ca/alumni.

“I don’t know if I can pinpoint a single moment because it takes time to create a company with good corporate soul — one that has a strong culture, and cares about its people, the environment, and giving back to the community. Achieving that is very incremental — sometimes you don’t even really realize it’s happening.”

CULTIVATING CORPORATE SOUL

H O W H A S YO U R S A I T E D U C AT I O N I M PA C T E D YO U R C A R E E R ?

“After high school, I had no idea what I was going to do. The most important things I took away from my time at SAIT were confidence in my scholastic abilities and the opportunity to find out what I was really interested in. The base of knowledge and the hands-on approach I learned at SAIT are things I’ve relied on to solve day-to-day problems throughout my career.”

“Work hard and realize that you’re on a lifelong learning expedition. If you are continually learning, I think you’ll do well. And make sure you take the time to celebrate your successes along the way with your family and your friends.”

2016 SAIT DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS

WET LORENZO ‘77 DONADEO

ow do you build a $6.5 billion enterprise? Incrementally, says Lorenzo Donadeo, co-founder, former CEO and chairman, Vermilion Energy Inc. “When we founded Vermilion Energy in 1994, we literally started at zero with a plan to take the company to $2 per share and then sell it.” That’s not what happened. Today, Vermilion hovers at about $72 per share (including $30 of dividends per share paid to date), produces 65,000 barrels of oil each day, is listed on the TSE and NYSE, and has operations in North America, Europe and Australia. “When we reached our original $2 per share goal, we realized our model was pretty unique,” says Donadeo. “We had found a niche and we knew that we could continue to add value and grow the company.” But Vermilion wasn’t immune to the ebb and flow of the oil and gas industry. “That’s where the biggest learning happens,” says Donadeo. “When oil was $10 a barrel in 1998 it was probably the toughest point in our growth, but it also taught us the importance of staying calm, having strong financial controls, and keeping the entire organization motivated and focused on what they can do to help.” When you do see success — in good times or bad — Donadeo says it’s important to take the time to celebrate. “To succeed, you need smart people who are engaged, and you need to create a culture that respects and rewards those people for their contributions. When you do that, your company can perform at a high level because people want to be a part of that.” Sharing in that success goes beyond the company itself, adds Donadeo. “From a business perspective, we always felt we needed to give back and invest in the communities where we work and live — to find causes where we could make a difference in people’s lives. In my personal life, I feel much the same way. The fact that you’re able to do well is a result of your education and the support you’ve been given from the community at large. To me, that means you have a responsibility to give back to the people who got you there.” — M.W.

W H AT ’ S YO U R A DV I C E F O R B E G I N N I N G S T U D E N T S I N YO U R F I E L D ?

Welding Engineering Technology Co-founder, former CEO and Chairman, Vermilion Energy Inc.

GEORGE WEBBER PHOTOS

W H AT I S YO U R P R O U D E S T P R O F E S S I O N A L M O M E N T T O DAT E ?

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“I was working for the City during the floods in 2013 and I was called up to volunteer at the evacuation centre at Southland Leisure Centre. Then I helped with recovery efforts in Ward 8. We supported Roxboro, Mission, Elbow Park, Cliff Bungalow — all of those hardest-hit communities, and having the opportunity to work with Calgary’s frontline staff, whether they were police or firefighters or regular City employees who dropped what they were doing

A HISTORY OF GIVING BACK

to work at the evacuation centre — that was my proudest career accomplishment because I got to see the passion that public servants have for keeping Calgarians safe, and ultimately for rebuilding what was destroyed by the flood.” H O W H A S YO U R S A I T E D U C AT I O N I M PA C T E D YO U R C A R E E R ?

“It was a building block for me, and it was also great having the support of my instructors to push me to follow my passion.”

“Anything you want to do, you can do — it just takes time and hard work. But it’s that time and hard work that make it worthwhile at the end of the day because you are then able to do something that you love and enjoy. And I think that’s the most important part — doing something that you enjoy.”

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AIM JOSH ‘11 TRAPTOW

his past year has been very good to Josh Traptow. First, he added executive director for the Calgary Heritage Authority (CHA) to his impressive resumé (which includes administrative positions for two Calgary city councillors and in former Alberta Premier Alison Redford’s office) and then he was nominated for SAIT’s Outstanding Young Alumni award — twice. “Looking at the past winners of these awards, I’m thrilled to be among some of Calgary’s giants; people who have done so much for their city,” he says. To say that Traptow is fond of his hometown — and his alma mater — is an understatement. One of his earliest memories is of having lunch with his grandmother in SAIT’s cafeteria when he was around five years old. This may not mean much to some people, but as a third-generation Calgarian who’s passionate about SAIT and is committed to preserving this city’s heritage, this memory is telling. “Calgary is my home and it means a lot to me. It’s given me everything I’ve gotten in my life so far,” he says. “Being able to give back to this city and save its heritage is the coolest thing I get to do.” Through his work at CHA, Traptow and a voluntary advisory board advise City Council on all matters related to Calgary’s heritage, in hopes of recognizing and preserving the city’s history for generations to come. However, even in his downtime Traptow can be found working to improve the city by volunteering on SAIT industry panels and with a variety of non-profit organizations, including the Calgary Stampede, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Calgary, and United Way of Calgary and Area. “When people ask me what I do in my spare time, I tell them that I volunteer. It’s just what I do.” — G.W.

W H AT ’ S YO U R A DV I C E F O R B E G I N N I N G S T U D E N T S I N YO U R F I E L D ?

Administrative Information Management Executive Director, Calgary Heritage Authority

GEORGE WEBBER PHOTOS

W H AT I S YO U R P R O U D E S T P R O F E S S I O N A L M O M E N T T O DAT E ?

SHAPING THE FUTURE

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MDT LEVI ‘12 KUTA

Mechanical Design Technology Manager of Engineering and Design Alta Injection Molding

or Levi Kuta, Manager of Engineering and Design at Airdrie’s Alta Injection Molding, SAIT is more than a school. To him, it’s the supportive community that helped shape his career into what it is today. Kuta “always knew” he wanted to build things for a living. He started off with Lego bricks as a child, and later set his sights on an engineering degree from the University of Calgary. However, he switched gears after one semester in the program and transferred to SAIT to pursue a more hands-on education. The move was a success as it meshed better with his tactile learning style, and it set him up for future success. “Without SAIT, my life wouldn’t be the same,” he says. Since graduating, Kuta has made both a name and a career for himself based on his passion for building, using the latest 3D printing and polymer technology, which he describes as the way of the future with virtually “endless possibilities.” He’s also been named in two patents (one for an improved welding handle design, and one for a lightweight plastic collapsible beer and wine keg), and earned an Innovate Calgary TechRev award in 2015. At Alta Injection Molding, he oversees the design team, meets with clients and provides quotes for new projects. However, he says the best part of his job is knowing his designs help bring people’s ideas to life. “I’m not very creative, myself. I’m just good at taking other people’s creativity and making it a reality.” — G.W.

W H AT I S YO U R P R O U D E S T P R O F E S S I O N A L M O M E N T T O DAT E ?

“Winning this award. It really means a lot to me because I am so ‘SAIT proud.’ This is my greatest professional accomplishment, definitely — which means the bar is now set quite high for me. Nothing else can top this, except maybe if I win the Distinguished Alumni Award in a few years. I think I’m going to shoot for that one next.”

H O W H A S YO U R S A I T E D U C AT I O N I M PA C T E D YO U R C A R E E R ?

“If it wasn’t for SAIT, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I can honestly, hands-down, say that. I’m proud to say that everything I have in my life and everything I’ve achieved is all because of SAIT.” Watch the Outstanding Young Alumni Awards video presentation and see photographs from the awards evening in the online version of LINK at sait.ca/alumni.

W H AT ’ S YO U R A DV I C E F O R B E G I N N I N G S T U D E N T S I N YO U R F I E L D ?

“Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and take every opportunity given to you. Following that, these instructors who are educating you at SAIT will keep helping you long after you graduate, so don’t burn your bridges — keep in touch with your instructors and let them know how you’re doing.”

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W H AT I S YO U R P R O U D E S T P R O F E S S I O N A L M O M E N T T O DAT E ?

“I’ve been extremely humbled on a few occasions, but two moments that stand out are winning my first Gold Crystals Award [in 2014] at Canadian Music Week in Toronto surrounded by a few of my production idols, and getting the call to secretly head to New York City to try out and interview for the biggest radio production job in the world — imaging and sound designing for Howard Stern.”

AUDIO ART FOR THE AIRWAVES

H O W H A S YO U R S A I T E D U C AT I O N I M PA C T E D YO U R C A R E E R ?

“SAIT prepared me for real industry expectations. Radio can be a gruelling career, with low starting pay, relocations and a ton of hard work to get noticed above the rest. The two-year program at SAIT was intense but it inspired me to go above and beyond, and to really want to be the best.” Read more about Ron Tarrant’s move to New York in the online version of LINK at sait.ca/alumni.

W H AT ’ S YO U R A DV I C E F O R B E G I N N I N G S T U D E N T S I N YO U R F I E L D ?

“I cannot stress enough how important it is to pick up an instrument and really understand how music works. It’s the most important part of being a producer because it’s crucial to be able to translate what you hear in your head into actually creating the audio. Also, network, network and network some more!”

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RTBN RON ‘08 TARRANT

Radio, Television and Broadcast News Head Imaging and Sound Designer The Howard Stern Show/Channels (SiriusXM)

ERIC JUKELEVICS PHOTO

f there’s one word to describe award-winning radio producer Ron Tarrant, it’s “humble.” If there are two, they are “go-getter.” In fact, one of Tarrant’s earliest memories from his time in SAIT’s Radio, Television and Broadcast News program is his Audio Production instructor Richard Stroobant’s opening speech. Stroobant asked the class, “How badly do you want this career?” It was a question that resonates with Tarrant even today. “I was always taught that if you want something, you have to get up off your rear and make it happen,” he says. And remembering this lesson has since paid off for Tarrant — he is regarded as one of the best radio producers in the industry, and has won four international Radio and Production Awards and two awards at The Crystals, which recognize the best in Canadian radio creative. Now working in New York City as the head imaging and sound designer for the Howard Stern Show — “the HBO of radio,” Tarrant says — he writes scripts, produces bits, and creates sound design for a show that boasts an audience of 30 million subscribers. Though he feels he’s under the most pressure he’s ever dealt with, the “pay-off” for Tarrant’s hard work is having the opportunity to work with the legendary Stern himself. “For us Canadians, imagine going into work every day with Sidney Crosby, Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe. You’re surrounded by the best professionals in the world,” Tarrant says. “Some people would do anything to be in a room with Howard. At the end of the day, I’m an extremely lucky guy from Calgary.” — G.W.

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IN MEMORIAM

A HISTORY OF SAIT PRINCIPALS AND PRESIDENTS

Fred Jorgenson holds the distinction of serving SAIT both as principal and as president, a title adopted in 1969. He is one of many on a distinguished list of leaders from our first century. Principals Dr. James C. Miller (1916–1919) Joe H. Ross (1920–1924) Dr. W. G. Carpenter (1924–1941) Dr. James Fowler (1941–1952) Ernest W. Wood (1952–1962) Fred C. Jorgenson (1962–1966) Donald C. Fleming (1966–1968) Donald. L. Campbell (1968–1969)

Presidents

Remembering Fred Jorgenson SAIT’s first president shaped post-secondary education with his commitment to students

ormer SAIT President Fred Jorgenson, who dedicated 25 years to the Institute, died on June 8, 2016 at the age of 93. Jorgenson began his career at SAIT as an instructor in the late 1950s, served as principal 1962-1966, and was appointed SAIT president in 1969 — the first to hold that position. He is remembered by peers for his commitment to staff and students as well as his belief in providing a well-rounded student experience. “Fred Jorgenson was a strong advocate of action-based learning. He dedicated his career to ensuring students received the know-how and skills they needed to be job ready,” says David Ross, SAIT President and CEO. “He personified SAIT’s brand; Fred Jorgenson was a true original and a shaper of post-secondary excellence.” SAIT underwent tremendous growth under Jorgenson’s leadership, including construction of the E. H. Crandell and Senator Burns buildings. He recognized the advantages of integrating academics with sports and was president of SAIT when the first athletics coordinator was hired and during the construction of Campus Centre. Jorgenson is also credited with supporting the purchase of SAIT’s first computer in 1970 and for expanding opportunities for students living outside of Calgary by fostering SAIT’s correspondence offerings. Both apprenticeship programming and applied arts classes were also expanded under his leadership. He is also remembered for his strong belief that the student experience should be fun. He endorsed the opening of SAIT’s first pub in 1974 and advanced campus life with the construction of Owasina Hall, SAIT’s first student residence. While SAIT’s growth provided more opportunity for students, Jorgenson — who took pride in knowing every student and staff member by name — believed that expansion came at a cost.

Fred C. Jorgenson (1969–1984) Chuck A. Harrington (Acting President 1984–1985) Gil W. G. Johnson (1985–1990) Reg W.D. Erhardt (Interim President 1990–1991) Dale Landry (1991–1997) Ken Myhre (Interim President 1997–1998) Irene G. Lewis (1998–2013) Dr. David Ross (2013 to present)

“It became less intimate,” he said in an interview for the new SAIT history book written as part of centennial celebrations. “It became difficult to know people across campus anymore — even for those who tried hard... SAIT grew from something like a small family business to something more resembling a large corporation.” Jorgenson joined SAIT in 1956 as an instructor. He was promoted quickly and often, serving as head of the English department and later working as SAIT’s media liaison. He served as vice principal for one year before assuming the role of principal in 1962. From 1966 to 1969, Jorgenson served as principal and president of Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in Toronto, where one of the main buildings is named Jorgenson Hall in his honour. In 1969, Alberta’s provincial government appointed him as SAIT’s president, a position he held until 1984. In recognition of his contributions to education, Jorgenson received the Medal of Service of the Order of Canada in 1967 and a Canadian Silver Jubilee Medal commemorating Queen Elizabeth’s 25th Anniversary in 1977. PAT T I L E W I S Read an interview with Fred Jorgenson from the SAIT’s ALIVE Oral History Collection in the online version of LINK at sait.ca/alumni.

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Celebrating the past, inspiring the future: SAIT School of Business 50th anniversary

This year, we celebrate 50 years of innovative, industry-relevant business education for career-minded learners and leaders. To the more than 30,000 members of our business alumni family, congratulations on your outstanding career achievements and thank you for your passionate advocacy, commitment and contributions to our studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; success. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d love to hear from you.

Reconnect with us and share your story at: SAITSchoolofBusiness SAIT_Business business.info@sait.ca

CALENDAR OF EVENTS SAIT Centennial Events

BE PART OF HISTORY IN THE MAKING — JOIN US FOR ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME EVENTS CELEBRATING SAIT’S CENTENNIAL AND HELP LAUNCH OUR PROUD SECOND CENTURY! For a complete list of centennial projects and updates on events, visit sait.ca/100.

October 15

ALUMNI CENTENNIAL DAY 4 pm – 11 pm SAIT Main Campus An exclusive pre-100th birthday celebration for alumni only! Come back to campus for a free familyfriendly tailgate party (4 pm), followed by a SAIT Trojans men’s hockey game against NAIT’S Ooks (Game tickets $10 per person; proceeds to Trojans Athletics Scholarship Foundation; 6 pm). In the evening, adults can enjoy an Alumni Reunion Mixer with food, beverages, friends and live music (Tickets $20 per person; proceeds to SAIT Centennial Award). Music by SAIT’s Old Tyme Band and the Dueling Pianos: 6 pm; mixer at 7 pm. To register: sait.ca/100.

100TH BIRTHDAY PARTY Noon – 7:30 pm SAIT Main Campus Don’t miss our spectacular community birthday bash! This free event features a noon BBQ for the first 2,500 guests; a car, truck and helicopter show; campus tours; family activities; a massive birthday cake; a student social and time capsules, plus: • Free Speaker Series in Heritage Hall: historian David Finch (1 pm), Tool Shed Brewing Company’s Jeff Orr (BXT ’03) and Graham Sherman (2:15 pm), 10 at 10’s Beni Johnson (NPD ’08)(4 pm) • Alumni Lounge (Main floor, Johnson-Cobbe Energy Centre; open noon to 6 pm) • Free concert: Dan Mangan (6 pm, Cohos Commons) • Fireworks finale (1916 hours!) Admission is free but we’d love to know if you will join us. To register and learn more: sait.ca/100.

28 & 29

OPEN HOUSE 9 am – 4 pm daily SAIT Main Campus Learn about SAIT programs, take a tour, try a trade and celebrate SAIT’s centennial! On Oct. 29, SAIT graduates are invited to visit the Alumni Lounge in Heritage Hall. Learn about alumni benefits, have a snack, rest your feet and use computers reserved for alumni and their children to avoid lineups for online registration.

November

24 – Dec. 8

LIGNUM VITAE: THE TREE OF LIFE. A CELEBRATION OF CRAFT AND DESIGN Symposium Room Campus Centre Gallery Hours: Nov. 24, 4 – 9 pm Mondays – Thursdays: noon – 7 pm Fridays – Sundays: noon – 9 pm Awards ceremony and auction: Dec. 8. by registration only. Email mick.mcgowan@sait.ca to register. The first of its kind in Western Canada, this exhibition and fundraising auction highlights fine woodworking by skilled craftspeople from across North America including young talent from the School of Construction.

December 10

SKATE WITH SANTA 3 – 6 pm Campus Centre An annual alumni family tradition! Bring your skates for yuletide fun and treats. Registration opens Nov. 15 at 10 am at sait.imodules.com/sws16

SAIT Alumni

April 2017 #SAIT100 PHOTO MOSAIC UNVEILING Irene Lewis Atrium, SAIT Main Campus Join us as we reveal a mosaic of 10,000 selfies and snaps submitted by the students, alumni and staff who make SAIT great! Visit sait.ca/100 for details and to see the mural grow.

August 2017 CENTENNIAL TROJANS GOLF TOURNAMENT Join us for the final event in SAIT’s centennial celebrations and enjoy a day of golf, camaraderie and fun. Proceeds support Trojans Athletics. Details at: trojans@sait.ca

MARCH 13, 14, 15 OR 16 BROWN BAGGING FOR KIDS Registration for each opens Jan. 13 APRIL (DATE TBC) HABITAT FOR HUMANITY: HOME BUILD Registration opens Dec. 16 For more projects, details and to register: sait.ca/100

SAIT Campus Events FOR ADDITIONAL EVENTS, VISIT SAIT.CA/ALUMNI.

Centennial 100 Projects Project Join alumni, students, faculty, staff and partners to help deliver 100 charitable projects for 100 years of SAIT! Volunteer with these SAIT-led projects: DEC. 7, 2016 DROP IN CENTRE: PREPARE AND SERVE DINNER Registration opens Sept. 2

2017 JANUARY (DATE TBC) MADE BY MOMMA: MEAL PREPARATION Registration opens Oct. 14

@SAITAlumni

FEB. 24 INN FROM THE COLD: BIRTHDAY PARTY CREW Registration opens Oct. 24

SAIT Alumni

FIND THE FULL SAIT TROJANS GAME SCHEDULE AT SAIT.CA/TROJANS

DINE DIFFERENTLY Open for reservations SAIT students are waiting to welcome you back to The Highwood restaurant for another year of exceptional cuisine and outstanding hospitality. Reserve your table at sait.ca/highwood. Walk-ins welcome!

SAITAlumni

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Congratulations to SAIT on its centennial! At Nexen Energy, we are proud to be a long-time supporter of SAIT. We never forget that to be a success globally we must be successful locally. This means working with communities we operate in to support education, and hiring people with a commitment to delivering energy with passion and pride.

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class NOTES

SHARE YOUR NEWS, STORIES AND MEMORIES WITH YOUR SAIT CLASSMATES. Email us at alumni@sait.ca or submit a note online with the Class Notes form at sait.ca/alumni.

Thanks to all who contributed a class note to this commemorative issue of LINK! Your note is now part of SAIT history — a copy of this special issue is included in a time capsule being created to celebrate SAIT’s centennial. The time capsule will be opened in 2116 but, until then, we invite all SAIT alumni to continue sharing your news, stories and memories with your classmates. Email us at alumni@sait.ca or submit a note online with the Class Notes form at sait.ca/alumni.

1990s

1950s

1980s

01 Bernard Nemeth (AGM ’58) writes, “I attended when SAIT was still known as PITA. I was going to be a farmer, so I took the Agricultural Mechanics program. Somewhere along the way I ended up in computers and even taught a couple of evening classes at SAIT in the late 1990s.”

06 Harbinder Luddu (IXT ’81) writes, “I started working at SAIT after graduating. Back then, there were terminals for email and a couple of small student terminal labs with dot matrix printers — and smoking was allowed in buildings. I have seen SAIT change and been involved with the growth from then to now.”

13 Rob Milman (IXT ’92) writes, “I’ve been working in and around downtown since graduating. Now, I’ve returned to SAIT. It’s like coming home — a lot has changed and a lot has stayed the same. I hope to see all my former classmates at the 100th birthday celebration. “

1970s

07 Kathy Ma (nee Kolling) (CT ’81) took the summer off after graduation to travel and later became a junior programmer with Canadian Occidental Petroleum. Kathy worked in programming for 13 years, then switched careers to become a full-time mom.

02 Ken Short (PET ’74) writes, “Hello to all! I’m back at SAIT as Instructor Ken, working with Corporate Training Solutions.” 03 Gene Lukomski (TSR ’78) writes, “Hi to all my classmates from TSR. It was 40 years ago that I met you all on SAIT’s campus. We were excited to start our careers in broadcasting and many of us entered the field upon graduation. I have had limited contact with some of you over the years and I look forward to the opportunity to connect at the 100th Birthday Party this fall.” 04 Katherine Matiko (nee McKee) (JA ’79) was the editor of the Emery Weal in 1978/79 and winner of the D.C. Fleming Award for student service and academic achievement. After living in various Alberta communities, she now works in Calgary as a communications specialist. 05 Diane Skene (DA ’79) writes, “Remember when our graduation was a tea party held out on the lawn? Thank goodness the weather was beautiful. We were the last class to wear nurses’ hats in our class photo – I still have that photo. After graduation, I went out into the oral health care world only to find myself back at SAIT where I have been working for more than 20 years. Happy anniversary, SAIT.”

08 Patricia Cameron-Skippen (BA ’83) lives in Sherwood Park, AB, and has been working at the Good Samaritan Society in financial accounting for the last 12 years. 09 Giuliana Melo (HM ’83) worked for Alberta Health Services in Health Information Management as a clerk and then a coder for 32 years. Now retired, she writes: “I am an angel intuitive bringing my love of medicine to holistic and alternative medicine.” 10 Cheryl Johnson (SA ’88) writes, “Hi to my Secretarial Arts 1988 graduate class. I was Cheryl Ruggles when we were at SAIT. I hope my SA alumni are all healthy and happy!” 11 Lisa Mueller (DA ’89) has been a volunteer for the Edmonton Dental Assistants Association for 16 years, promoting oral health to underprivileged children and teenagers in the Edmonton region. She is the Dental Health Promotions Director and recently initiated a proposal for providing dental care for youth staying in a local homeless shelter.

12 Mona James (TC ’91) went on to pursue her Tourism degree at the University of Calgary and worked for Fairmont Hotels & Resorts before returning to teach in Hospitality Management at SAIT. Currently she is also pursuing her Master of Arts in Tourism Management with Royal Roads University.

14 Gail Gautreau (HRT ’94) writes, “After completing my practicum at Foothills Hospital I was offered a job at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre. I am a cancer registrar in the Cancer Registry, where we code and stage all cancers diagnosed in southern Alberta.” 15 Stephen Miles (HRA ’94) has been in hospitality since graduation in roles including general manager and director of food and beverage. Now a multi-unit food services manager at Extendicare Health Services Inc., he writes he would love to catch up with classmates on Facebook. 16 Wendy Hobbs (TSR ’95, CVT ‘04) has used the skills from her diplomas as well as her industry experience to become an instructor in Civil Engineering Technology at SAIT. Wendy is also president of Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors – Prairies and NWT. 17 Janis Rapchuk (LIT ’95) worked for 15 years in private industry and has been working at SAIT’s Reg Erhardt Library for seven years. 18 Judy Zhu (BA ’96) writes, “I am glad that I got my CPA after graduating at SAIT! I hope I can meet some of my classmates at the 100th SAIT Birthday Party!” 19 Jennifer Peters (LIT ’97, APM ‘11) has worked at SAIT’s Reg Erhardt Library since 1999. Jennifer writes, “I’m happy that SAIT is such a big part of my life!”

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SAIT President’s Awards 2016 Our students succeed because industry shapers like Cisco Canada and Chartered Professional Accountants (CPA) of Alberta are committed to SAIT’s unique brand of applied education. That’s why SAIT President and CEO Dr. David Ross presented both with the President’s Partnership Award. The late Clayton Carroll was a road builder, an innovator, a maker. He is a SAIT alumnus and was a pioneer in Calgary’s transportation industry. Mrs. Norma Carroll accepted the Cornerstone Award honouring his generosity and community spirit. We proudly recognize these outstanding award recipients. They are SAIT originals. Thank you to our President’s Dinner event sponsors.

Join us for the launch of SAIT’s second century at the 2017 President’s Dinner on April 6, 2017. For corporate sponsorship inquiries, please contact James Foster at 403.210.4322 or james.foster@sait.ca

Rachel Miller, CEO, CPA Alberta; Geoff Cargill, VP, Western Canada, Cisco Canada; Norma Carroll; David Ross.

class NOTES

1990s

20 Alex Chu (APT ’99) writes, “The APT program was an eye-opener, and the networks I established in the oil and gas industry became my personal network. Now retired, I’m busy taking care of my grandchildren. Congratulations on 100 years!”

29 Ralph Logullo (WEP ’03) is working as a SAIT welding instructor. 30 Nicola Opsal (COPP ’03) is running her own small content management services company. 31 Carmen Pineda-Selva (TSR ’03) writes, “I recently helped to create a $2.5 million online broadcast network in Vulcan, Alberta!”

21 Kimberly Jones (OAC ’99) is a Public Engagement Specialist with Customer Service and Communications at the City of Calgary. She has also completed her Bachelor of Arts degree and spent some time working abroad in London, England.

32 Ifran Esmail (CNT ’04, ITS ‘11) is working in IT security consulting.

2000s

34 Aixa Gault (LA ’05) is working at the Court of Queen’s Bench in Calgary as a judicial clerk.

22 Nancy Bergmann (PCK ’00) writes, “I’ve spent time working in the restaurant industry, but an unexpected career change has since brought me back to SAIT, where I work in Student Services. I get the privilege of helping students create their own stories at SAIT.”

35 Arianne Lowe (PHTR ’05, EVT ’11) has been working as an environmental consultant since graduation.

23 Deanna Burgart, P.Eng. (nee Niven) (CET ’00) writes, “SAIT paved the way to an exciting career in upstream oil and gas production and pipelines and inspired me to give back to the profession as a mentor and teacher through serving on the Council for the Association of Science and Engineering Technology.” 24 Melanie Gukert (TC ’00, MKT ‘04) writes, “SAIT’s Travel Consultant program was such a relevant program and prepared me for my career of choice. I had amazing teachers who each cared with all their heart.” 25 Derek MacBeth (ITP ’02) worked with Computer Science Canada in a desk-side support contract after graduation. Derek now works for SAIT supporting servers for the School of Information and Communications Technologies. 26 Melissa Ross (TC ’02) writes, “Travel and Tourism allowed me to work in a field that lets me follow my dreams.”

33 Audrey Farch (LIT ’05) has worked at SAIT’s Reg Erhardt Library for the last 10 years. Audrey writes, “I love the atmosphere and enjoy working with students and staff.”

36 Ryan Schriml (TSR ’05) worked for 10 years as a sound effects editor and pre-mixer on a large number of film and television projects. Four years ago, he returned to SAIT as an instructor in the Film and Video Production program. 37 Marie Alvarez (PHTR ’06) writes, “After taking the Pharmacy Technician course and other courses towards my Information and Records Management certificate, I have encouraged others to go to school at SAIT. This September, my brother and one of my best friends will begin studying there!” 38 Lynn Gee (APPM ’06, LAC ’08) writes, “I could not leave fast enough when I graduated, but now I’ve been a SAIT employee with the School of Business for more than a decade and I still love it!” 39 Stephanie Hogewoning (AXT ’06) has travelled North and South America and Antarctica maintaining aircraft for the British Antarctic Survey. In 2012, Stephanie was offered an instructor position at SAIT. She writes, “I love to share my passion for the aviation industry with my students and give back to the institution that has given me so much.”

27 Janis Simmons (PCK ’02, BPA ’07) has worked in various restaurants and bakeries throughout the city, and works as a baker at Safeway. She writes, “I have much gratitude for Safeway in supporting me through my breast cancer journey (diagnosed in 2010), the recovery, and in my role as Breast Cancer Survivor Spokesperson for the 2015 CIBC Run for the Cure.”

40 Bushra Ihtasham (SPT ’06) writes, “Hi everyone, I am at SAIT and still working with the Medical Device Reprocessing Technician program and will hopefully see some of you again. Let’s celebrate 100 years of SAIT together!”

28 Lorraine Eger (TC ’03) worked in travel for seven years before becoming a teacher.

41 Yi Ming Wu (TIM ’07) works at the SAIT Helpline.

42 Kristin Benoit (JA ’08) is now the communications advisor with Waste and Recycling Services with the City of Calgary. She writes, “Every day I use the writing skills I honed during my time at SAIT!” 43 Lindsay Eley (PCK ’08) has continued to cook, working everywhere from bars to fine dining. She’s looking forward to going back to school in the near future to expand her knowledge in another field. 44 Brianne Muto (TVT ’08) has been working as a travel counsellor at the AMA, where she has worked for nine years. Brianne has won four Sales and Service Excellence awards in her position. 45 Kelli Morning Bull (RTBN ’09) is employed with Mount Royal University as a student success coordinator for the Iniskim Centre. A freelance director, producer and director of photography, she is also active in Calgary’s arts community as board secretary of EMMEDIA. 46 Joseph Perks (PELP ’09, IT ’13) has been working for Bell Canada as a voice systems field technician for the last two and a half years. He writes, “The experiences and connections I have made at SAIT have proven to be invaluable.”

2010s 47 Jayson Gaudreau (HGMT ’10, AWEP ’14) writes, “I love running into former classmates and instructors out in the industry!” 48 Liz Coderre (APPM ’11) writes, “SAIT has opened so many doors for me, socially and professionally. It seems everyone has a story to tell or a project tip to share! I can’t wait until I need to upgrade and attend SAIT again!” 49 Heather Gough (BA ’11) writes, “I am so happy I attended SAIT. It was a great two years — amazing teachers and classmates, and I learned enormously. I am very proud to be a SAIT graduate — I just wish they had had the degree program for Business Administration when I was there!” 50 Priya Guha (ACCA ’11) writes, “Great experience, wonderful teachers and some good friends and peers. I am so grateful to SAIT.” 51 Carla Hick (PCK ’11) has been cooking since she graduated — now she’s even growing food herself.

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class NOTES

2010s

52 Abdiaziz Tahaaye (HIM ’11) writes, “Hi fellas, right after my graduation I found a job in my field and I’ve been working ever since.” 53 Jodi Currie (TVT ’12) worked as an international travel agent for a few years but she has returned to her roots in communications and events. This led to her dream opportunity job, working with SAIT’s centennial project team as volunteer coordinator.

54 Nicole Laitre (AIM ’12) was hired by an auditing firm after graduation, which led to the opportunity to work in Sydney, Australia. Now, she’s excited to be back at SAIT working as an administrative assistant. 55 Dax Larsen (ASMP ’12, AIM ’16) writes, “Back at it again with the sheet metal!” 56 Carolynn Nguyen (FVP ’12) has worked on many different freelance video projects and corporate jobs since graduation. She writes that she is in a sales/marketing position “exploring new ways to use my skills for the benefit of my company.” 57 Jaclyn Reid (MGMT ’12) writes, “Completing my program has allowed me to further the furniture service and moving business I now own and operate with my husband. Without the learning options SAIT had available, I would not be where I am today.” 58 Salem Scammell (BA ’12, BADM ‘14) is a Legacy CGA Completer working towards completing the required professional experience of his accreditation. 59 Arlie Cunningham (AT ’13) writes, “Learning only escalates after graduation. I’m using my skills at Building Science + Architecture Ltd. with Ben Hildebrandt (AT ’08) and John Way (AT ’12).” 60 Steve Rwasa (BA ’13) moved to Canada five years ago and made the decision to go to SAIT. “It was the best decision I could make,” he writes. “I made some amazing friends at SAIT and I am working as a financial advisor with a major bank.” 61 Drake Hankinson (BA ’14) is employed by a prominent tech startup in Calgary. Drake writes, “I love the people I work with, and I’m proud to represent SAIT in my industry!” 62 Alexandra Lack (NHL ’14) is a director with Pampered Chef

63 Jie Lin (AIM ’14) writes, “It’s amazing that SAIT will go into its second century this year. I’m so lucky I will witness this historical moment as a SAIT staff member.” 64 Tory Martin (PLUP ’14) is working for Hoover Mechanical and plans to return to SAIT for another degree. 65 Thao Nguyen (BA ’14), former SAITSA Vice President Student Life, is working with the University of Calgary Graduate Students’ Association as their Event Coordinator. 66 Shawn Norris (RTBN ’14) is an On Air Operator at Global News Calgary and ensures the accurate play out of all 28 Global stations across Canada. He has also started his own brand called Journey Alberta, where he explores the province through videos and blog posts. 67 Ashlee-Lynn Potter (AIM ’14) worked in SAIT’s Communications and Marketing department on contract, and has joined an enterprise information management department where she has been promoted to the position of quality assurance officer. 68 Catherine Wight (GCPT ’14) runs her own photography business but she has had to put it on hold because, she writes, she’s “now on baby #2!” 69 Reaghan Embertson (MLA ’15, PLA ‘16) started working at the Diagnostic and Scientific Centre in Calgary shortly after finishing the program. Reaghan writes, “I went back to school and am still working after a trip to Charlottetown, PEI.”

70 Adam Harder (GCPT ’15) writes, “Between teaching my program at SAIT and running my own business, life has been busy!” 71 Katie Isaak (LIT ’15) is working at St. Dominic’s Elementary School and putting her library technician knowledge to good use with her work on a Lego club, the school’s Makerspace Team and the reading challenges she leads. 72 Samantha Lynn (PLA ’15) is working at Suncor Energy as a land intern and is also working towards her Energy Asset Management diploma at SAIT. 73 Mia Ostere (GCPT ’15) is doing freelance work for a realty company and is also a customer service representative at a small print shop in Calgary.

74 Tanya Ridley (MOA ’15) writes, “My mom worked at SAIT for almost 30 years in Student Services until her death in 2014. Her last wish of me was to continue my education so naturally my only choice was SAIT. Thank you for helping to grant my mom’s last wish!” 75 Faith Courtereille (BA ’16) graduated as a marketing major and is working as an entrepreneur, creating and distributing native-made fashions and designs by Powwow Styles Designs. 76 Sage Holmes (AOM ’16) writes, “I had such an amazing experience at SAIT, I’m thinking about going back to further my education!” 77 Stephen Ip (AIM ’16) is working for the School of Business at SAIT as a member of the rebranding team. He writes, “Education is my passion and my goal is to work for an institution that focuses on applied education.” 78 Jacy Letendre (GNT ’16) writes, “I’ve been busy since graduation, but not with work by any means. I’ve been celebrating my freedom with social events and trying new things. I’m trying to fit in as much as I can this summer before returning to school in the fall!” 79 John Osi (IIET ’16) is “happy to graduate! Glad to be working. Honoured to volunteer!” 80 Monica Schuh (LIT ’16) writes, “What a privilege to be a SAIT alumna. I am so happy that I chose SAIT when I returned to school.” 81 Lorie Tran (IT ’16) is headed to Iowa to pursue a program in project management. She writes, “I hope everyone is successful after graduating.” 82 Kelsey Yates (JA ’16) began interning at the Strathmore Standard newspaper after graduation. She writes, “I love my job and I’m so glad that SAIT has given me this opportunity. Journalism is my passion, and I can’t wait to see where it takes me.”

In memoriam

It is with sorrow that we share the obituaries of SAIT alumni, students, instructors, staff and friends. Links to their individual obituaries are listed online at sait.ca/alumni. Our thoughts are with their families and friends.

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FIRST HEATHER PERSON CULBERT

“O

GREG FULMES PHOTO

NE OF US.” It’s a phrase I’ve heard a lot lately, ever since mid-June when I was appointed chair of the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology Board of Governors. I’ve been told I’m the first of more than 227,000 graduates from throughout SAIT’s first hundred years to serve as board chair. I’ve also been asked how it feels to be the first “one of us” to serve in this role. This appointment is a huge honour. I’m thrilled to be part of SAIT’s leadership, I’m inspired by the success of our graduates — first from the Provincial Institute of Technology and Art before 1960 and from SAIT since then — and I’m excited by the promise of the next 100 years. We at SAIT have proven, over the past century, that we are better at delivering applied education than any other post-secondary institute in Canada, through our resourceful, innovative and collaborative approach. SAIT prepared me exceedingly well for my career. From the day I graduated from the Computer Technology program in 1979, it has felt like I’ve always been connected. After I entered the workforce, I reconnected with SAIT as a Continuing Education instructor at night, which led to a spot on the Information Technology Advisory Committee in the late 1990s. From there, I worked with the Alumni Association, where I was president in 1999 and 2000. Keith MacPhail and I led the Promising Futures Campaign, which helped fund and build our incredible Trades and Technology Complex, and I joined SAIT’s Board of Governors in September 2014. I “retired” from the private sector in 2006 — I refer to it as “work graduating” — so I could get involved and contribute my time and energy to community priorities. SAIT has been an integral part of my life since then. This fall, as we celebrate SAIT’s centennial, we have a lineup of events that I am really looking forward to sharing with you. The first is our Alumni Day on Oct. 15, with family-friendly tailgating, a SAIT-vs.NAIT hockey battle, and an alumni mixer. The second event is our 100th Birthday Party on Oct. 16. It’s a campus-wide celebration of the community we live in, and the partnerships we’ve forged. Visit sait.ca/100 for more details and to register. We really do have a great “secret sauce” at SAIT. We are productively aligned with corporate Calgary, academia, government and industry around the globe. It’s mutually beneficial, a win-win for alumni, and a value-add for the organizations where we work. I’m amazed at how far SAIT has come in a century, and just how good we are at what we do — and it’s fabulous to be part of that team. I encourage you to reconnect, to celebrate what SAIT has done for all of us, and to show your support for SAIT’s next 100 years. Please join us on Oct. 15 and 16, and be a part of history in the making.

THE GOVERNMENT OF ALBERTA HAS APPOINTED HEATHER CULBERT (CT ’79, DA ’03, HOND ’14) AS SAIT’S 10TH BOARD CHAIR. SHE BRINGS A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE TO THE ROLE: SHE IS A SAIT GRADUATE, A DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA, AN HONORARY DEGREE RECIPIENT, PAST CHAIR OF SAIT’S PROMISING FUTURES CAMPAIGN™ AND A PAST BOARD MEMBER WITH BROAD INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE.

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