Msvu folia fall 2013 lores

Fall 2013

The Magazine for Mount Alumnae and Friends

of n o i t c ru Const in Centre McCa ay w under t’s family n u o M all b t e k bas on s e c n bou ds on a rich history since 18 l i u b t n 73 Mou

One family, five generations at the Mount Artist uninhibited by colour blindness More remarkable women honoured on Women’s Wall

Connect with us!

We are an active and inclusive alumnae association committed to promoting the Mount, and connecting students, alumnae and the community. alumnae@msvu.ca www.msvu.ca/alumnae @MountAlumnae www.facebook.com/MSVAA (Like Us!)

Contents Fall 2013

8

Five generations at the Mount

One family’s remarkable dedication to our institution and its ideals

Women’s Wall of Honour 1 1 Growing brick by brick and tribute by

tribute

13

President’s Message New MSVAA president Lisa Whynott

outlines her goals

14

MSV Golf Classic A fun day on the links helps raise funds

17 Meet an artist, a business woman, and a

Alumnae profiles humanitarian

21

Class Notes Find out what your fellow alumnae are

up to

Grads around the globe 28 Halifax winters were a shock to

Bermudian student Kate Piggott

On THE COVER:

On our 140th anniversary, Dr. Ken Dewar reflects on the Sisters’ legacy of tenacity and flexibility, p. 5-7.

Receive Folia via Email Would you like to receive Folia Montana in your in-box rather than your mail box? A digital edition of Folia Montana is available online. Contact us at alumnae@ msvu.ca and the next time Folia is published, we will send you an email with a link to the latest issue.

Message from the President Fall is a special season here at the Mount. Our campus brims with the energy that comes from a fresh start, new students and the launch of another academic year. And this year is marked with many reasons to celebrate. The Margaret Norrie McCain Centre for Teaching, Learning and Research, our first new academic building to be constructed in more than 40 years, is rising at the same time as we pay tribute to 140 years of history at the Mount. We’ve also just completed a new strategic plan, Mount 2017: Making a Difference, that builds on a proud history and gives us direction for the work ahead. As we celebrate our past and look to the future, I can’t help but reflect on the many attributes that make our institution and its graduates so special.

The Mount has built its reputation on the promise of creating opportunity for individuals. We serve a diverse range of students through accessible, flexible learning environments. At a time when our province is facing many demographic challenges and when the retention of a vibrant citizenry is pivotal to our collective future, we can proudly say that we educate Nova Scotians to make a difference in their world.

Whether we open the door to a student who may be the first in her family to attend university, warmly welcome an international student to undertake studies far from home, support a single parent in pursuit of a degree through distance learning, or make it possible for a mature student to pursue a new career, we create opportunity that has lasting impact on the social fabric of communities.

We are academic leaders in key areas such as food security, care of the aging and their caregivers, healthy childhood, and economic and social development through the advancement of women. Our research and academic programs focus on social innovation and address key social priorities.

As we celebrate our heritage, we can take pride in knowing that our work is not only foundational for students who will grace our hallways or pursue their learning through distance education, but it is also shaping the future of Nova Scotia at a most fundamental level—in our communities.

My thanks to each of you for the role you have played in contributing to the Mount’s legacy and in continuing to support our progress.

Fall tidings,

Editor’s note Much has happened since the Sisters of Charity founded Mount Saint Vincent Academy in 1873. It became a college in 1925, and later a university. Folia Montana was launched a remarkable 98 years ago as a class yearbook. The Mount Saint Vincent Alumnae Association formed in 1921 and is still active today.

Campus has continually grown and changed. A fire in 1951 burned the campus to the ground, but with determination and vision the Mount was rebuilt. More recently, Project TWENTY12 resulted in current construction of the Margaret Norrie McCain Centre for Teaching, Learning and Research, a technology-rich learning environment. The McCain Centre is but one example of how not only the physical campus has accommodated changing times, but also how the Mount has diversified academically and institutionally.

Yet despite all this change, the Mount remains true to the vision of its founders, the Sisters of Charity. Since the beginning, the Mount has been concerned about the wellbeing of individuals and communities, at home and abroad. At a time when women could not vote, the Mount provided an opportunity for women to learn and participate equally in society.

It remains focused on providing educational opportunities for women, while also now welcoming a diverse mix of 4,000 women and men from across Canada and from 60 countries. These students take advantage of the Mount’s programs and unique sense of community through oncampus classes or distance learning.

The Mount has always been committed to providing the best educational experience for all who come here, and to developing thoughtful, engaged citizens who make a positive impact on their world. Today, it’s renowned for its wide range of programs and areas of study within arts, sciences, education and professional studies.

There are also now more than a dozen graduate programs. There are many scholarships, an active research program, and more than 28,000 alumnae.

So while it’s appropriate to look back and honour our achievements – as Dr. Ken Dewar, professor emeritus in the history department at the Mount, does so capably in the the 140th anniversary article – it’s simultaneously satisfying to note that the Mount is also thriving today and building on its strengths for a bright future.

Letters to the editor The new design of Folia Montana is brilliant. Professional, clean and inviting. What more could one want?! – Melissa Falle, BPR ’03 Send letters to: alumnae@msvu.ca

The Magazine for Mount Alumnae and Friends

Editor: Alison DeLory, BPR ’98, MPR ’13 University Advancement Cheryl Stewart Erin Hemeon Shani Pearson Anne Thibodeau Beth Pyesmany Arsenault Kathryn Baker Kyle Jackson Paige Reid Contributors The following departments at the Mount: Archives Athletics Marketing, Communications, & Student Recruitment Sisters of Charity University Advancement Published Alumnae Relations, University Advancement, Mount Saint Vincent University Design and production Cathy Little Digital imaging, prepress film and printing Transcontinental Printing Advertising Alumnae Relations, University Advancement, Mount Saint Vincent University Contact Us/Address Changes/Classnotes Alumnae Relations, University Advancement Advancement House Mount Saint Vincent University Halifax, NS B3M 2J6 Canada T: 902.457.6470 T: 1.888.MSV.ALUM (678.2586) (Toll Free in Canada/USA/Bermuda only) F: 902.445.3962 E: alumnae@msvu.ca Publication Agreement Number 40063269

2

Campus News

AVP University Advancement Cheryl Stewart welcomed The Mount is pleased to wel-

come Cheryl Stewart as the new Associate Vice President (AVP), University Advancement. Stewart completed her undergraduate degree in political science and sociology at Dalhousie University, graduating as class valedictorian.

She subsequently earned her master’s degree in public policy and administration at Carleton University. She began her career in intergovernmental affairs at the Privy Council Office in Ottawa, and has worked in strategic policy and planning in several federal government departments including immigration, health, and the RCMP. Stewart spent two-and-a-half years as a senior parliamentary advisor to the minister of public health, the minister of citizenship and immigration, and the prime minister of Canada.

Returning to Nova Scotia in 2006, Stewart joined Nova

Scotia Business Inc. as the director of policy and planning, where she worked with many other business and economic development organizations on Nova Scotia’s competitiveness agenda. She was also the provincial project manager for entrepreneurship at Nova Scotia Community College. Stewart is founding vice chair and past chair of FUSION Halifax, and board member of 21 Inc., and the Halifax Mayor’s economic advisory committee.

Most recently, Stewart led a successful multi-partisan team of volunteers as the campaign director for Mike Savage in his bid for the mayoralty of Halifax Regional Municipality. She subsequently led the transition team as the new mayor’s principal advisor. She was also recently named to the board of directors of the United Way, Halifax.

As AVP, University Advancement, Stewart will engage friends, alumnae and donors toward meaningful partnerships, and launch campaigns to support university priorities.

McCain Centre honouring more women When it opens, the Margaret Norrie McCain Centre for Teaching, Learning and Research will be dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments of women. Throughout the new building, which officially broke ground on April 9, 2013, you will find institutes, centres, and rooms named for remarkable women. Here are two examples: The Mount’s Institute for Women, Gender and Social Justice will be renamed the Alexa McDonough Institute for Women, Gender and Social Justice when it moves into the new McCain Centre. The renaming is the result of a collective of labour union representatives who joined forces to raise funds to ensure McDonough—activist and former politician who has dedicated much of her career to community and national leadership—was recognized in a permanent way. McDonough’s commitment to activism began in her early teens when she led her youth group to fight the deplorable conditions in Africville. She later led the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party for 14 years, and led the federal party from 1995 to 2003—the longest of any federal leader in Canada. She was an active member of parliament until her retirement in 2008, and remains the

only woman in Canada to have served as leader of both a provincial and federal party. McDonough received an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Humane Letters from the Mount in 2009, and served as interim president from 2009 to 2010.

The McCain Centre will also be home to the Dr. Rosemarie Sampson Centre on Aging, bringing together the Nova Scotia Centre on Aging with the Maritime Data Centre for Aging Research and Policy Analysis.

The renaming of the centre is a result of a legacy gift from Dr. Rosemarie Sampson, BSc ’63 (College), BA ’68. Sampson has been affiliated with the Mount for more than 50 years as a student, faculty member, dean, staff member, donor and volunteer. As dean of professional studies during the 1990s, Sampson strongly supported the Nova Scotia Centre on Aging, which was established in 1992. More recently, Sampson chaired the Aging Committee for Project TWENTY12. Sampson, along with other committee chairs (Sharon Avery, BPR ’96, Ruby Blois, BScN ’73 and Lynn Coverduck, BPR ’96) was recognized for her work on Project TWENTY12 with the Mount’s Exceptional Service Award.

3

Campus News

Mount receives funding for a learning commons In April 2013, the Mount was fortunate to receive $750,000 from the Nova Scotia government’s excellence and innovation program to help fund the first phase of its learning commons.

A learning commons brings together services such as libraries, IT support, writing centres, and tutoring programs in one space so that they are readily available to students, explains Tanja Harrison, university librarian. It also offers a comfortable and flexible space where students can meet, study, and work together on projects. A learning commons supports academic achievement and enhances the quality of the student experience, and as such, more and more universities across North America and Europe are establishing a learning commons on campus.

One of the commitments of the Mount’s strategic plan for 2013-2017 is to establish a learning commons as part of efforts to provide high-quality student services and facilities to support students’ academic and personal success.

“A learning commons has the potential for departments to create powerful partnerships and work together to better support student learning,” says Harrison. “I am thrilled that the Mount is moving forward with such an important initiative.”

The learning commons will be located in the E. Margaret Fulton (EMF) Communications Centre. The library has always been a gathering place for students and central to the life of the University. With the future opening of the McCain Centre and the learning commons, it will become even more of a hub on campus.

There will be several phases, including developing a functional plan and facility design for relocating and centralizing support services, adding group study areas, installing mobile shelving, upgrading furniture, better defining quiet and active zones, and overall maximizing the EMF space to increase its usability and effectiveness for students. Completion is projected for 2015.

4

Your Mount

During the dog days of summer, Kimberly Walsh, BPR ’06, snapped this picture of her dachshund, Tofu, relaxing on a campus armchair. In the Your Mount feature, Folia Montana features campus photos submitted by our readers. We welcome pictures with or without people, taken during your time on campus or more recently. Please email your high res, digital submissions to: alumnae@msvu.ca.

Sister Mar y Evaristus Moran

140 years, building on a

rich history

History professor emeritus Dr. Ken Dewar reflects on the Sisters’ legacy of tenacity and flexibility

The origins of Mount Saint Vincent University lie in a social and religious mission. Older alumnae will not be surprised to read this, but more recent graduates are less likely to be aware of their alma mater’s beginnings. The Sisters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul relinquished ownership of the University in 1988. Even before that, the Order’s visibility had diminished as the Sisters on faculty – declining in number in any case – had abandoned their religious habits for everyday dress. Their role in the university’s history receded from view.

When the Sisters of Charity came to Halifax from New York in 1849, education was very much at the centre of their mission. No social ideal had wider appeal in 19th century North America than universal schooling, and it carried

special force in Roman Catholic communities surrounded at the time by an unfriendly Protestant majority. The Sisters immediately opened a school for young children, welcoming especially the children of the poor, who paid no fees. Even after free public schooling came to Nova Scotia in 1864, they continued to devote themselves to teaching.

Over time, they found it necessary to pay special attention to older girls, both to enable the girls to serve their novitiate (and so renew the Order), and to prepare those with an interest in teaching to take the provincial examinations required to obtain a teacher’s license. The Order eventually acquired property on the shores of the Bedford Basin and opened Mount Saint Vincent Academy and Boarding School in 1873, the direct ancestor of the

5

140 years, building on a present university. The Academy’s reputation grew in succeeding decades, attracting many young girls “from the city,” including girls from other religious communities including Protestants.

In addition to their teaching work, the Sisters engaged in other charitable activities, staffing St. Joseph’s Orphanage which had been set up by the diocese, and establishing the Halifax Infirmary, and the Home of the Guardian Angel, as well as numerous missions elsewhere in Nova Scotia and the Maritimes. These various activities demanded a high level of organizational and administrative skill. In an era when there were few opportunities otherwise for women to assume such responsibilities in the public sphere, they offered the Sisters a means of developing their personal talents while serving their religious vocation. The Mount’s modern orientation to social service and issues of social equity has its roots in these early ventures.

Changes in the professional training of teachers led to the addition of a provincial normal school (or teachers’ college) in 1895. Later, when a BA was made a prerequisite

6

rich history

for a class “A” teaching license and a principal’s license, it entered into a junior college affiliation with Dalhousie University in 1914. There followed a period in which some of the Sisters sought the higher degrees necessary for college-level teaching, not the easiest thing to do when many universities still restricted the admission of women.

The ambition of establishing an independent, degree-granting college lay behind the association with Dalhousie. In the face of considerable opposition from competing institutions, an act of the Nova Scotia legislature created Mount Saint Vincent College in May 1925, with Sister Mary Evaristus Moran as its founding dean and later its first president. Forty-seven students enrolled the following October.

The Mount’s focus on teacher education continued through the 20th century and into the 21st century.

Other professional programs in the early years included secretarial science, home economics, nursing, social work, and journalism. All of these served women in particular.

They also required a certain number of courses in the liberal arts as a mark of their undergraduate academic

What’s in a name?

Campus buildings honour Mount women character. When the Mount acquired a university charter in 1966, it adopted a strategy for future growth. In the following decades, it introduced programs such as child study, business, public relations, education, and other programs that grew out of secretarial science and home economics, but retained a stress on the importance of the arts and sciences.

Throughout its history, the Mount—popularly known as such from the early days of the Academy— has continually adapted to changing circumstances, as it continues to do today. University status brought with it government funding and the admission of men as well as women. The Sisters’ ability to choose their own careers and the decline in numbers of young women joining the congregation also contributed to the withdrawal of the Sisters from direct ownership, and to an institution identified more with its emphasis on the education of women than with its original Catholic faith. Nevertheless, the Sisters’ legacy of tenacity and flexibility in the face of recurring challenges serve as an inspiration to those who teach and study at the Mount, as well as those who lead it.

Evaristus Hall was named for Sister Mary Evaristus Moran, president of Mount Saint Vincent College from 1925 to 1944.

Seton Academic Centre was named for Sister Elizabeth Ann Seton, founder of the Sisters of Charity.

Assisi Hall was named for Sister Francis d’Assisi McCarthy, president of Mount Saint Vincent College, 1954 to 1965.

Rosaria Student Centre was named for Sister Maria Rosaria Gorman, president of Mount Saint Vincent College from 1944 to 1954.

E. Margaret Fulton Communication Centre was named for Dr. E. Margaret Fulton, OC, president emerita, who served as president of Mount Saint Vincent University from 1978 to 1986.

Margaret Norrie McCain Centre for Teaching, Learning and Research was named for the Honourable Margaret Norrie McCain, OC, ONB.

7

Feature

five A look at one family’s remarkable dedication to our institution and its ideals

In an issue of Folia Montana that celebrates history, we are thrilled to be able to share here the story of one family whose connections to the Mount span five generations, through at least 17 students, and trace back to 1876. It has many classic storytelling elements including fascinating characters and a plot that is both tragic and triumphant, with of course a great setting which is our leafy campus, both pre- and post-fire.

“We have always had a very strong family connection to the Mount,” explains Penelope (Stanbury) Russell, ACAD ’56, who is a member of the fourth generation in her family to have come here. She has always followed with interest the family’s ties to the Mount and was invaluable in the process of chronicling them for this article.

The story begins with Penelope’s great-grandmother,

8

1

generations

Ella Bauld, ACAD 1881, and Ella’s sister, Anna “Annie” Bauld, ACAD 1879.

Soon after graduating, Annie Bauld resolved to dedicate her life to the Sisterhood. As a religious Sister, she received the name Mary Baptista. She taught for a number of years at the Mount, and at the Academy of the Assumption, Wellesley Hills, MA. She was also superior of St. Patrick’s Convent, Roxbury, MA, and vicar general at Mount St. Vincent Motherhouse. Returning to Halifax after a short period at Mount St. Agnes, Bermuda, she was a passenger on the ill-fated Cobequid (see sidebar p.10), and won the admiration of all on board the ship for the heroism she displayed on that disastrous voyage. She excelled as a linguist, however botany was her specialty, and even in her final summer (1941) Sister Mary Baptista collected specimens for study in one of her classes.

Ella Bauld chose a different path by marrying George Wodehouse Culverwell Oland and having 11 children.

Two of their sons continued the family brewery business: Colonel Sidney Culverwell Oland owned Oland Breweries in Nova Scotia, while George Bauld Oland owned

3

4

2 3

4

of one Maritime family at the Mount Moosehead Breweries in New Brunswick.

Two of Ella and George’s daughters, Margaret and Helen Oland, came to the Mount next. It was while visiting his two sisters at the Mount in 1905, that Sidney met and fell in love with Herlinda “Linda” DeBedia, ACAD ’09, who came to the Mount from Cuba. (Her sisters, Fidelina and Amada, were here at the same time.) After Linda returned to Cuba, Sidney had to travel there three times before Linda accepted his marriage proposal. Sidney and Linda are Penelope’s grandparents.

There are scholarships offered at the Mount still today that bear the names of these family members: the Margaret E. Oland Jubilee Endowed Scholarship was established

by Philip W. Oland in memory of his aunt, and the Linda Oland Endowed Scholarship was established by Colonel Sidney Oland in memory of his wife.

The Mount tradition continued when Linda and Sidney Oland sent their only daughter, Amadita (Oland) Stanbury, ACAD ’33, to the Mount. Amadita’s New Brunswick cousin, Adine “Dids” Oland, joined her.

Also attending the Mount was Mary Stanbury, ACAD

’37, who is Penelope’s aunt and godmother. Mary was a younger sister of Norman Stanbury, who was Victor Oland’s best friend. Norman secretly proposed to Amadita at sea while returning from Berlin in 1937. They married, and later sent Penelope, their eldest daughter, to the Mount from 1950-56.

Family members often had the same teachers while at the Mount. Sister Rosalie taught painting to Linda, Amadita and Mary. Penelope was taught by many of the nuns who had taught her ancestors. “Sister Mary Eustella taught public speaking to three generations: my grandmother, my mother and me,” she recalls. Penelope remembers writing and delivering a speech every week, as well as studying piano, voice, and elocution. While a grade eight student, she acted in the role of Elizabeth Seton in a play written by one of the nuns called So Earnest Was Every Heart, nurturing her lifetime love of the performing arts. In her final year at the Mount, Penelope was editor of Folia Montana, which at that time was the Academy yearbook.

Penelope was on campus at a seminal moment in the Mount’s history: the great fire of January 1951, which

1. Ella (Bauld) Oland.

2. Colonel Sidney Oland and Linda (DeBedia) Oland 3. Penelope (Stanbury) Russell flanked by her parents, Norman Stanbury and Amadita (Oland) Stanbury 4. Penelope (Stanbury) Russell’s picture as editor of Folia Montana, 1955-56.

9

Feature

destroyed records and many artifacts. As an 11-yearold border in grade seven she watched in despair as her beloved campus, which also included paintings done by her ancestors, burned to the ground. Soon after the fire, Penelope remembers studying in a temporary classroom with no heat or light, and living in temporary quarters.

“There was no privacy where we slept. It went bed-chair, bed-chair, bed-chair. We had one bathroom for maybe 20 girls,” she says.

While living at the Mount, Penelope was joined by several cousins, including: Susan (Oland) Marshall, ACAD ’55, who is Victor’s daughter, and from New Brunswick, Mary Jane Oland, ACAD ’52, and Mary Louise (Oland) March. Mary Lou graduated from Mount Saint Vincent College as student council president in 1955.

Years later, Penelope’s younger sister, Lindita Stanbury, ACAD ’72, BEd ’86, MEd ’11, also came to the Mount. She was a student when the Academy closed in 1972, and was among the family’s first graduates of Mount Saint Vincent University.

Penelope’s mother, Amadita (Oland) Stanbury, remained committed to the Mount long after she graduated. In 1979 Amadita was the honorary fundraising chair for the Mount’s Project One – Futures for Women campaign. “She totally believed in the education and programs the Mount had to offer. She knew what

it did for her and her daughters. It was her way of contributing and giving back,” Penelope says. “My mother valued how well the Sisters prepared women to go out into the world.” Amadita’s brother (Penelope’s uncle Don) and Penelope’s father also volunteered their time and talents: her uncle as a Board member during the building of The Birches, and her father as a financial advisor with the Sisters of Charity for many years.

Penelope’s son, Paul Russell, took classes at the Mount, and Susan Oland’s niece, Marcia Mathews, BA ’97, CCR ’99, was also a student here, both representing the fifth generation of the family that attended the Mount. Time will tell whether future descendants come to the Mount as well.

It is hard to imagine there is a family that has been better represented and more generous in its contributions to the Mount than this one. Despite our best efforts here, we may have missed other family connections. If you, too, are related to this family and came to the Mount yet do not see yourself reflected in this article, we would love to hear from you.

Please send your story or comment to alumnae@msvu.ca.

Sister survives 1914 shipwreck “Sister Mary Baptista Bauld was a passenger on the ill-fated Cobequid, which sailed from Bermuda on January 9, 1914, ran into a severe storm along the Bay of Fundy coast and was impaled on one of the jagged peaks of rock, the scene of many wrecks, known and feared along the coast as Trinity Ledge. Five days later the passengers were miraculously rescued; the captain and his eleven companions were rescued the next day, and then the ill-fated ship split and sank to destruction in the seething waters, the ghastly fate from which God had preserved all on board the Cobequid.”

—Account written by Sr. Baptista, undated

10

Unique wall honouring women celebrates and shares their accomplishments Brick by brick, the Riva Spatz Women’s Wall of Honour – the only wall of honour celebrating women

on a Canadian university campus – is growing, with more than 335 women honoured to date. It will be a permanent installment outside the Margaret Norrie McCain Centre for Teaching, Learning and Research, while tributes to the honoured women are already growing on the Virtual Women’s Wall of Honour at www.womenswallofhonour.ca.

Nan Millette, BScHE ’79, learned about the Women’s Wall of Honour while perusing the Fall 2011 edition of Folia Montana. “As soon as I read about this special initiative, I wanted to pay tribute to my Aunt Esther,” remarks Millette. Esther Dickie Chisholm (pictured) is the family historian, genealogist, traveler and photographer. “When my mother passed away in 1967, she had four children under the age of 10. Her sister, Aunt Esther, ensured that funds were put away to further our education. The Riva Spatz Women’s Wall of Honour is a wonderful way to say thank you,” Millette says. She believes that without her Aunt Esther, she and her siblings wouldn’t have had such a varied pictorial history of their past and knowledge of the world beyond Nova Scotia. “Her benevolence and foresight provided an invaluable educational legacy for me and my siblings, enabling us to spread our wings and go successfully into the world.”

Rob Batherson, BPR ’97, honoured his wife Catherine MacIsaac, BPR ’05. “The Riva Spatz Women’s Wall of Honour is a meaningful way to recognize Cathy, not only

for her professional accomplishments in her work with Communications Nova Scotia, but also for the important role she plays in our family,” Batherson says. Because the family supports a number of organizations, he says it has been a great opportunity to be able to contribute the $1,200 sponsorship through monthly contributions over a period of time.

“The Riva Spatz Women’s Wall of Honour will undoubtedly be a signature element of the Margaret Norrie McCain Centre for Teaching, Learning and Research” the Mount’s President, Ramona Lumpkin says. “Together, my sister, Linda, brother, Mike, and I, sponsored a tile in honour of our mother, Willie Mae Lumpkin. Although Mom lives in Tennessee, she was very pleased to learn that she would be amongst the women recognized on the Women’s Wall of Honour in Halifax, Nova Scotia.”

Lumpkin says it’s been wonderful to hear the myriad stories about both the women being recognized and the donors who are honouring them. One that stands out for her is that of Sister Rose McNeil, ACAD ’60, BA ’65, BSc ’65 who just happens to come from a family of 13. “The 12 siblings came together, splitting the $1,200 sponsorship to recognize their sister’s commitment to helping others and her steadfast spirituality as she celebrates her 50th anniversary as a Sister of Charity.”

Lumpkin concludes: “There are many, many more stories of remarkable women highlighted on the Virtual Women’s Wall of Honour which will remain an online feature after the physical wall is constructed.”

• Visit the virtual Women’s Wall of Honour at www.womenswallofhonour.ca to view photographs and read commemorations, tributes and moving accounts about the women being honoured • Each name on the Women’s Wall of Honour is the result of a generous $1,200 donation • Mount alumnae have the option of making their contribution over a period of four years with a monthly donation of $25 • Donations to the Riva Spatz Women’s Wall of Honour are fully eligible for a charitable tax receipt • For more information call the University Advancement Office at 902.457.6470 or visit www.womenswallofhonour.ca

11

Alumnae News

Alumnae gather to celebrate

On June 2, 2013, the first annual June in Bloom tea was held for alumnae and friends. Everyone had a lovely afternoon filled with sandwiches, scones and pastries. Carol Duffley, of Crabapple Cottage Floral and Gifts hosted a floral arranging lesson.

Duffley taught everyone many tips and tricks with her creative passion.

Future alumnae were not forgotten either as there were goody baskets and face painting for the children.

The event was a fun-filled successful afternoon!

Rick Plato’s legacy The 1980s saw strides for change in Athletics at the Mount.

The men’s basketball program was introduced, a men’s basketball team joined the league, and Rick Plato became their head coach. Plato has recently signed on as head coach of the Dalhousie Tigers men’s basketball team for the upcoming year, and has left behind a 25-year legacy of committed and successful Mount varsity athletes. As a coach he required a lot of discipline, commitment and effort from his athletes to perform at 100% in school and on the court. While he may have demanded a lot from his athletes he also treated them as family, and would do anything to ensure they succeeded both in basketball and life. His former athletes who’ve graduated from the Mount have taken the lessons he taught them on the court and applied them in giving back to their communities. The Mount Saint Vincent Alumnae Association (MSVAA) named Rick and Andrea Plato lifetime honorary members of the MSVAA at Alumnae Weekend 2013. Also, in recognition of the Plato’s commitment to education and to student-athlete academic success, an award has been created in Rick and Andrea Plato’s name to be awarded to a member of the men’s varsity basketball team providing financial assistance toward his academic expenses. For more information or to contribute, call University Advancement at 902.457.6470 or email giving@msvu.ca.

12

Alumnae Association

President’s Message I am excited to begin my term as president of the Mount Saint Vincent Alumnae Association and proud to be part of an association that encompasses alumnae from the Academy, College, and University.

Over the past 140 years, the Mount has grown, developed, and changed but still keeps its core vision and values that were instilled by the Sisters of Charity.

As alumnae, we should be honoured to be a part of that history.

At various events, many alumnae and students ask, “What is the purpose of the Alumnae Association?” My response is always that the purpose of the association is connecting alumnae, students, and the community, in promoting and supporting the mission of the Mount.

We can support the Mount through donations towards scholarships or capital campaigns, by attending special alumnae and Mount events, or by volunteering our time.

The demographics of our association are varied and each group of alumnae supports in different ways. The association needs to continue to develop strategies to ensure that everyone can give back to their alma mater in a meaningful way.

Things are changing at the Mount and the association has contributed to that change! On April 9, construction commenced on the Margaret Norrie McCain Centre for Teaching, Learning, and Research and the association has contributed $75,000 towards this new centre. The alumnae association supports the creation of this new building to ensure students are provided a learning environment that is contemporary, technology-rich, and interactive so that we have engaged students continuing the vision of the Mount. The association will be recognized for its support through the dedication of a room in our honour.

On July 25, the 23rd Annual MSV Golf Classic was held at Granite Springs Golf Course. The MSV Golf Classic is a key alumnae event as it is our largest annual fundraiser and without the support of alumnae and the Mount community it would not succeed. This year the event achieved new success with more than 130 golfers enjoying a fun but slightly soggy day on the course. Rick Walkden and Stephanie Hale (MSV Golf Classic Co-Chairs) are retiring from the committee and the association would like to say “thank you” for their leadership over the past three years. Due to the success of the MSV Golf Classic, the

association has been able to increase endowed scholarships and bursaries, expand on the number of academic prizes awarded each year, and increase sponsorships of various activities within the Mount community.

On September 20-21, alumnae came back to campus and reminisced with old classmates, viewed construction of the new teaching centre, celebrated the 50th Class Luncheon, mingled over martinis, and enjoyed a delicious alumnae weekend dinner and 140th brunch celebration.

Thank you to the Alumnae Weekend Committee and Alumnae Relations for planning such a great weekend!

Looking forward, during my term as president, my focus will be for the association to evolve and develop new strategies that will encompass all alumnae. Over the next two years, the Alumnae Association Board of Directors will plan and strategize on how to continue to evolve, building on our connections with all alumnae in supporting our Mount community. It will be a time to refine and refocus on moving the association forward, engaging our Mount alumnae.

I look forward to meeting my fellow alumnae and listening to your suggestions and feedback.

Board of Directors 2013-14 Executive Committee President: Lisa Whynott, BOA ’94 Vice President: Tracey Newman, BBA ’00 Immediate Past President: Deanne MacLeod, BBA ’92 Secretary: Melissa MacKinnon, BPR ’04 Treasurer: Brian MacLeod, BBA’98 Members at Large Rhonda Bursey, BBA ’94 Paul Gérin, BBA ’98 Selena Landon, BBA’11 Tanya Lorimer-Charles, BBA ’89 Adrienne MacDonald, BTHM ’06 Kelly MacLeod, MAEd ’01, MEd ’05 Terri Mann, CertBusi ’03, BTHM ’06 Sabitha Masih, BEd ’99, MEd ’02 Stephanie Shute, BA ’11 Lori Lancaster, BPR ’97 Caroline Wolfe Stewart, BScHEc ’90 Alumnae Representatives on the Mount Board of Governors Lisa Whynott, BOA ’94 Tracey Newman, BBA ’00 Caroline Wolfe Stewart, BScHEc ’90

13

2 13 This year’s MSV Golf Classic brought together alumnae and friends of the Mount who gathered at Granite Springs Golf Club on Thursday, July 25. They golfed to raise funds for the Mount Saint Vincent Alumnae Association’s initiatives that support Mount students.

Golfers, including special guest Halifax Mayor Mike Savage, enjoyed a BBQ before a noon shotgun start, and while their golf attire may have been dampened from a rainy start to the day, our golfers’ spirits remained high. When the sun made its appearance it only added to an already fantastic golfing experience. There was no shortage of fun to be had, with all of the food and activities scattered throughout the course. Golfers were treated to an array of food samples and refreshments provided by our many supporters. Once they were finished playing the course they gathered on the clubhouse patio to enjoy a lively banquet and silent auction. A delectable steak dinner was enjoyed, trophies were presented, the silent auction was a hit, and everyone basked in the celebration and success of the 23rd Annual MSV Golf Classic.

Huge thanks go out to our presenting sponsor, Stewart McKelvey, gold sponsor, Heritage Gas, silver sponsor, ISL Web Marketing & Development, and our Grand Green & Grand Green Plus sponsors for their continued support of this major Alumnae Association event. The MSV Golf Classic which raised more than $22,000, would not be such a resounding success each year without the support of our sponsors, golfers, prize providers and volunteers. We extend our sincere gratitude to all who took part.

14

Presenting Sponsor

Gold Sponsor

Silver Sponsors

Grand Green Sponsors

Food & Beverage Sponsors

3 15

New bursary named for public relations pioneer Sandra Macleod establishes the Patrick Macleod Public Relations Bursary to honour her father In the mid 1970s, members of the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS), including 1976-77 President Neil Oakley of Quebec and Ed Murray of Nova Scotia, began to work with faculty at Mount Saint Vincent University to establish the first professional degree in public relations in Canada. Research conducted by CPRS into the needs in the marketplace indicated that universityeducated professionals would be in high demand in the latter half of the 20th century. The first group of students entered the Bachelor of Public Relations (BPR) degree program in 1977, and four years later, 24 students made up the first graduating class.

Patrick Macleod, executive vice president of CPRS, believed in the importance of a university degree program for public relations professionals. His daughter, Sandra Macleod, BPR ’81, was the top graduate of that first class.

Like many in the BPR class of 1981, Sandra Macleod has made significant contributions in the field of public relations. Now living in England, Macleod’s 30-year career has focused on communications and reputation analysis and evaluation. From an early career at Information et Entreprise in Paris and Edelman Public Relations in London, Macleod became head of communications at PA Management Consulting before setting up a corporate and financial PR agency called Hayes Macleod. When it was bought out by Citigate, she set up the first international franchise for the media analysis company CARMA International in 1989. Ten years later, she founded Echo Research as a full-service global research firm with offices in London, Paris, New York and Singapore. Winning a record-breaking 89 industry awards for innovation and excellence in research, the Echo group

16

was acquired by Ebiquity PLC in 2011 and rebranded under the same name in 2013.

“I continue to have a wonderful career in public relations,” says Macleod, who recently founded Mindful Reputation. “It has been more than 30 years since I graduated with my BPR degree from the Mount. I wanted to give back and do something to support future public relations professionals while also making sure that my father’s contribution to the public relations program is recognized.”

Patrick Macleod is, in 2013, a 96-year-old honorary fellow in the Canadian Public Relations Society. This prestigious honour recognizes those CPRS members who are proven leaders in public relations and communications, and who have made exceptional contributions to the profession and their communities. He is also now the namesake behind the Patrick Macleod Public Relations Bursary, an expendable bursary established by his daughter, Sandra Macleod. “This bursary will be awarded annually to a public relations student with good academic standing who has demonstrated financial need,” says Macleod. “I have pledged to donate the funds to ensure this bursary is awarded at the Mount for 10 years.”

Although a named endowed fund is still the most common means by which alumnae and friends of the Mount choose to establish scholarships, bursaries and awards, more donors are pursuing the option of setting up an expendable fund.

This commitment supports a named scholarship bursary or award over a period of time—usually three, five or 10 years—ensuring the full amount of the annual donation is awarded directly to the student recipient(s).

Since that first graduating class in 1981, more than 1,500 students

have graduated from the Mount’s BPR program. While other Canadian universities have introduced public relations curricula with degrees in applied arts or communication, Mount Saint Vincent University remains the only Canadian university to offer a Bachelor of Public Relations (cooperative education).

Macleod concludes: “Both my father and I are very pleased to see that the Mount’s BPR program continues to lead the way as the premier credential for public relations professionals in Canada.

It is rewarding to be able to provide financial aid through a bursary named in honour of my father which supports the education of future public relations professionals.”

• Alumnae can significantly impact the life of a Mount student by supporting a scholarship, bursary or award.

• Expendable scholarships, bursaries and awards are funded yearly by donors who provide an annual contribution for the University to award or make a donation from which an annual award is made until the fund is depleted.

Establishing an expendable fund offers the most immediate form of financial aid to students.

• Endowed scholarships, bursaries, and awards are established by donors who wish for the funds to be awarded in perpetuity. The fund is invested and a portion of the annual income earned is awarded to students with the remaining amount reinvested to ensure future students benefit. An endowed fund leaves a named legacy at the Mount.

• For more information about establishing a scholarship, bursary or award, please call University Advancement at 902.457.6470 or email giving@msvu.ca

Artist unafraid to paint vibrant canvasses despite his colour blindness Daniel Peck, BPR ’90, calls becoming a full-time

artist, “An immature and odd decision I made. It worked out. I have no regrets at all.”

It was 2010 and he was working in the Halifax hotel industry while pursuing art on the side. With new owners and a management shake-up looming, he decided to take a six-week leave of absence. During that time he launched his web site (www.danielpeck.ca) and starting promoting his art on Facebook, deciding at the end of his leave not to return to corporate life. “It was nice to take the suit and tie off,” he says. He’s dedicated himself to making art fulltime ever since, and today his paintings hang in homes, offices and commercial spaces all over Halifax, and in Calgary, Toronto and New York.

Peck began painting in 2002 by dabbling in oils he borrowed from a friend. He soon got his own supplies and started honing his talent. Entirely self-taught, Peck now typically spends two to six weeks on a canvas depending on its size, and incorporates texture and acrylics into his work. His canvasses burst with colour— despite the fact he is red/green colour blind.

“At first I was scared to tell people,” Peck admits. These days he discloses his colour blindness on his web site and to whoever asks. “Colour blindness had been good for me,” he remarks. “I feel I can be bolder with all the colours,” he says, unbound by what works according to the colour wheel. He’s also found ways to accommodate his colour blindness, including having a friend preview each piece before he shares it publicly to make sure nothing clashes. That’s not to say there haven’t been challenges. Peck does many commission pieces, and consults with customers regarding colour. One woman asked that he use “lipstick red” in her painting. Not knowing what shade qualified, he brushed sample strokes on a red binder until he found one that camouflaged completely. It was ochre, and became the predominant colour in her piece.

When he does commission work Peck will also visit the space where the painting will hang to consider the client’s taste and style. Beyond that, however, he doesn’t require much direction, preferring to work by inspiration.

Peck is from a family of Mount alumnae that includes his sister Gail Comer, BPR ’05, nephew Billie Comer, BPR ’08, sister Jill (Peck) Deturbide, BEd ’85, and brother-in-law Barry Deturbide, BPR ’89. He had planned to move to Toronto to launch his career but found fulfilling work doing event planning and conference services for various hotels here in Halifax after graduating. Peck says his public relations degree has always been an asset to him with customer relations. An important thing he learned at the Mount, he says, is the importance of listening, plus he gained the business communication training he needed to succeed in both the hospitality and creative arts industries.

Community service is also a priority for Peck, who donates several canvasses each year to auctions that support charities including Kids Help Phone, the Canadian Liver Foundation, Adsum House, Alice House, and the St. Leonard’s Society of Nova Scotia.

His goals are to continue to support himself through his art, gain recognition at home and internationally, and have his work hung within inspired settings.

The Annual Mount Community Art Show November 21 to December 8, 2013 Students, staff, faculty, alumnae and your families and significant others are invited to enter up to three examples (per person) of your creative work in the Annual Mount Community Show. Everything from painting, photography, sculpture, sewing and knitting, to writing, musical performances and baking will be put on display. Entries will be accepted at the Art Gallery between Nov. 4-10, 2013.

Artists must complete an entry form that can be picked up at the Art Gallery located in the Seton Academic Centre, Office 209 or downloaded from the gallery’s web site msvuart.ca.

For more information, please phone the MSVU Art Gallery at 902.467.6160

17 17

Alumna helps Kenyan women gain dignity and be self-sufficient

“It’s abou t family an d looking ou t for one a n other.

People wit h little will s hare ever ything they have.

We were invite d to a wom an’s house and she had n othing, yet she m ade us ma ndazi (pastr y). P eople care for each othe r there.”

18

Alumnae News

Candace Tattrie, BA ’10, says she always knew she wanted to go to Africa. After graduating from the Mount, she began applying for volunteer positions there until she was hired by a nongovernmental organization (NGO) called the Fadhili Community in Kenya. When Tattrie first went to Kenya in 2011, she worked for three months in Kibera, a poor section of Nairobi where there is limited access to clean drinking water and only one toilet for every 10,000 residents. She was deeply affected especially by the girls and women she met there—many of whom couldn’t go to school or work when they had their periods.

“Often they’d sit at home and bleed on the floor,” she says, because they couldn’t afford disposable sanitary pads. Tattrie says she saw that need and wanted to address it.

Tattrie developed a day-long workshop model in which she delivered morning lectures to groups of Kenyans on public health issues around sex and reproductive health. She says the level of misunderstanding was high; some 20-80% of students in each workshop thought they could wash and reuse condoms. In the afternoon she taught participants how to hand sew their own reusable sanitary pads. She secured donated flannel and other absorbent fabrics for the pads from Project Colours, a small grassroots humanitarian aid organization currently based in South Africa and Canada.

Once she returned to her home in Halifax, Tattrie

FEEDBACK

continued working on the project model and began the Jamii Foundation (jamiifoundation.org). She secured partnerships with two additional Kenyan NGOs, received financial support from a local church group, and partnered with the Girl Guides, who helped sew sample pads. Just this past January, she took a monthlong leave from her full-time job to return to Kenya. This time she took 300 kits with her, each one containing two sample pads, and the cloth, needles and thread needed to make more.

“It is important to me not just to give them the pads. My philosophy is to teach them a skill. Once they make a pad they can teach others. They learn to be selfsufficient,” Tattrie says.

Tattrie says she loves Kenya because of the sense of community she’s witnessed there. “It’s about family and looking out for one another. People with little will share everything they have. We were invited to a woman’s house and she had nothing, yet she made us mandazi (pastry). People care for each other there.”

Tattrie would love to make her work with the Jamii Foundation her full-time job, but she says her life plan is still in its early stages. It’s not difficult for her to stay focused. She remembers one young woman she met in Kenya who had been living in a small tent with her father and two brothers for four years. “She asked me —why would God curse me with this (her menstrual cycle)? . . . Everyone should be able to live with dignity and respect.”

alumnae@msvu.ca www.msvu.ca/alumnae @MountAlumnae www.facebook.com/MSVAA (Like Us!)

19

Alumna’s business career informed by her passions Holly Bond, CertBusi ’87, BBA ’02, says she’s built a 20-year career in sales management, marketing and business start-ups by seizing opportunities that presented themselves.

With abundant energy and innovative spirit, Bond says it’s her nature to be entrepreneurial. “Every week I come up with a new idea. It’s a disease,” she says with a grin.

In 2005 Bond launched Bulldog Interactive Fitness Inc.—franchised gyms that combine interactive video games with exercise to make fitness fun for kids. After selling Bulldog in 2008, her next endeavour was helping to launch Bullfrog Power, a 100% green energy company, in the Maritimes. Today she’s Bullfrog’s national sales director, based in Halifax.

“What attracted me to Bullfrog is what you see is what you get,” Bond says. The company offers homes and businesses clean, renewable electricity that comes exclusively from wind and hydro facilities that Environment Canada certifies as low impact. Bond says the corporate philosophy lines up with her personal priorities. “People who are sustainable are more caring.

They care about the environment, what they buy, the water they’re using. They’re more thoughtful,” she says.

A caring spirit is also evident in her volunteer efforts. Bond has worked with Children’s Wish, the Entrepreneurs’ Forum, and the Canadian Youth Business Foundation among others. She says having taken risks in business, she is well positioned to help alleviate the pressures of entrepreneurship. “I want to help people who have the 2 a.m. sweats wondering: What am I doing? Why am I doing this to my family?”

In that same vein, Bond is also a partner in a consulting company called Bring it to Market, advising entrepreneurs who want to franchise and grow their businesses. Further, she is a sought-after keynote speaker on topics such as youth wellness, franchising,

20

entrepreneurship, marketing and sales. She has won multiple awards including the Nova Scotia Export Achievement Award, the Women of Excellence Award, and Innovative Business of the Year.

While undoubtedly a multi-tasker, Bond claims her work schedule is manageable because she focuses and devotes blocks of time to her different activities. She also credits the Mount with giving her flexibility. And she says returning to school in 1992 as a mature student— and by then a mother of two young children—helped her realize how special the school is. “My professors felt like my peers. We were working together on my future. I just loved it.” She particularly values her public speaking training, the lessons marketing professor Dr. Karen Blotnicky taught her, and the encouragement of her business communications professor Jean Mills.

“Jean asked me: What’s the best time to plant a shade tree? Thirty-five years ago. What’s the next best time?

Today.”

Class notes

1960s Ellen Beaton Richards, BA ’69, has been retired from teaching for eight years and has recently been joined by her husband, Garry, on this next leg of the journey. They love to be at their summer place in York Harbour, NL, looking at the ocean, smelling the salt air, and eating as much fish and seafood as they can while there. Home is still in Newmarket, ON, and they love to spend time with their adult children living in Toronto.

1970s In 2010, Lynda Joan Scott Lunn, BScHEe ’73, and her husband, David Lunn, moved into Lynda’s family home in Dartmouth, NS. “It is where I lived while attending MSVU,” she writes. Lynda and David are the proud grandparents of Finlay and Desmond Secord. “Being a grandmother is the BEST job I have ever had!” says Lynda.

Nancy (Rose) Evans, BSc ’78, BEd ’79, BHEc ’85, and her husband, Keith, moved to London, England in September 2013. Keith, who is a lawyer, has

accepted a position with Stepoiltools as senior vice-president, legal.

1980s Anne Campbell, BPR ’81, officially became owner of NovaScotian Crystal this past April. She has a long association with the company, having been involved at the beginning, bringing Irish craftsmen to Halifax in 1996 to launch Canada’s only maker of mouthblown, hand-cut crystal. Now recently retired from a successful career in the financial industry, Anne is overseeing the opening of an expansion factory in Dartmouth, while keeping the factory on the Halifax waterfront open for visibility and tourism appeal. She said she plans to retain the company name and its 40 staff.

Ann Marie (Pounder) Meyers, BA (Hon) ’81, has written a children’s book, Up In The Air. When 10-year-old Melody lands in the mystical realm of Chimeroan and gets the wings of her dreams, she

Graham Carter, BEd ’12, successfully braved the North Atlantic waters this past August with fellow kayak enthusiast, JanSebastian La Pierre. They were the first people ever known to paddle from Canso, NS to Sable Island, NS. They set out on the 30-hour voyage to raise $25,000 to send kids living with chronic mental and physical illnesses to camp at Brigadoon, a non-profit recreation facility on Lake Aylesford, NS, which was founded by David McKeage, BPR ’95. Graham describes the trip as being the toughest physical challenge he’s experienced.

Graham’s day job is teaching at L’École du Somet school. He lives in Halifax.

thinks life is finally going her way. Yet even with wings, Melody realizes she cannot outfly her past. The car accident that left her father paralyzed yet her unscarred, still plagues her—she believes it was her fault. In Chimeroan, Melody is forced to come to terms with her part in her father’s accident. She must choose between the two things that have become the world to her: keeping her wings or healing her dad.

Kathy Jourdain, BA ’83, Cert (Hons) ’85, has written a memoir, Embracing the Stranger in Me: A Journey to Openheartedness.

It is an empowering though at times heartbreaking work that seeks to encourage others to embrace their inner selves in the face of adversity. It illuminates how we make meaning of our experiences by the stories we tell and how stories of human tragedy can be transformed through the perspective of soul journey with the potential to shift the shape of your life.

David Wile, BPR ’85, has written a book on human performance

21

Class AlisonNotes MacLeod, BA ’85, was long-listed for the 2013 Man Booker Prize for her novel Unexploded. She lives in Brighton, England, where she is a professor of contemporary fiction at Chichester University. Unexploded is her third book. Alison was born in Montreal and raised in Halifax before moving to England, and is one of three authors on the prestigious 13-title long list with Canadian ties. The Man Booker Prize promotes the finest in fiction by rewarding the best book of the year. The prize is an important literary award and has the power to transform the fortunes of authors and publishers.

improvement called Why Doers Do. It examines why teams are not performing at their highest levels, and shows how organizations and their employees can partner for a shared agreement to get the best return on “people” investment. Visit www.whydoersdo.com.

1990s Proud parents Jennifer (Ayotte) Cameron, BSc ’90, and David Cameron welcomed their son Thomas Charles Cameron on October 28, 2012.

Tanya Taylor White, BPR ’91, has started her own communications/ marketing consultancy called Taylor It! Communications. She can be reached at Taylorit@eastlink.ca.

Deanne MacLeod, BBA ’92, is one of the new owners of Mills Department Store in Halifax. The store reopened on June 1 in Spring Garden Place, and has since also acquired Kick Ass Shoes. Deanne is a partner at Stewart McKelvey Law, specializing in mergers and acquisitions, commercial real estate, competition law, corporate finance and general corporate law.

She recently completed her term as president of the Mount Saint Vincent Alumnae Association and is the new

22

chair of the Mount Saint Vincent University Board of Governors.

will be celebrated on the Women’s Wall of Honour at the Mount.

Daphne Lordly, MAHE ’93, associate professor in the Mount’s Department of Applied Human Nutrition, received the prestigious designation of Fellow of Dietitians of Canada. The DC Fellowship program promotes excellence in dietetics by recognizing the outstanding contributions of members. According to the Dietitians of Canada web site, Daphne cares deeply about the profession and through her interactions with students and colleagues, demonstrates innovation, leadership, commitment and compassion. Daphne was one of four new members installed during the national conference in Victoria. In 2012, Daphne was the inaugural recipient of an Honorary Life Membership Award from the Nova Scotia Dietetic Association.

Theresa Rath, BPR ’96, MA ’13, married Don Spicer on July 6, 2013 at the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site, just weeks after graduating and serving as class valedictorian at her spring convocation.

Theresa took a short break from her job as Public Relations Manager with the Halifax Regional Police to go on a honeymoon in Croatia with her new husband. In the group picture, Theresa is seen with her Mount friends, from left: Michelle MacLean, BPR ’96, Nicole (Dakin) Dauz, BPR ’96, Theresa, Andrea Baldwin, BPR ’98, Susan Tate, BPR ’96.

Karen Holman, BBA ’95, is a mom of three, farmer, farm advocate, and entrepreneur in Middle Musquodoboit, NS. She owns the startup company Countryfied Clothing. It sells farmrelated clothing such as whimsical graphic tees that say things like, “Country girls rule the roost.” Karen says, “We are educating the world about farmers, one shirt at a time.”

Visit http://countryfiedclothing.com.

Jennifer (Blois) Davis, BPR ’96, married Jim Davis on May 18, 2013.

Jennifer and her mother Ruby Blois, BScN ‘73, were featured in the Fall 2012 Folia Montana as both women

Jennifer Bourque, BPR ’97, received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal for outstanding contribution to Canada, and the Canada Border Services Agency’s President’s Award in the innovation category. Both awards acknowledge her work with the docureality TV series Border Security to advance the CBSA’s (and hence the government of Canada’s) national safety and public safety mandate.

Colette Robicheau, BPR ’97, is one of the co-founders of 100 Women Who Care, Halifax. The idea is to form a group of 100 women, and ask them to commit to giving an hour of their time to attend a meeting and to writing a cheque for $100, four times a year.

Class Notes

People who register get to nominate a charity, and watch what a $10,000 donation can do for their community. “I know what it was like when we went up to the podium and looked out at that meeting, saw over 100 women there, and knew the charity was going to walk out with over $10,000 that night,” Robicheau told the Chronicle Herald.

“It was, for me, electric.” Begun in 2006 in Michigan, 100 Women Who Care groups are now across the United States and Canada.

In May 2013, Pamela (Wetzel) Lovelace, BA ’99, Cert Busi ’99, sought nomination to represent Hammonds PlainsLucasville as the Liberal candidate in the next provincial election. She spent close to a decade working with the CBC in Halifax and Fredericton, and is director of marketing for an international software firm. She’s also a MA Ed student at the Mount in lifelong learning.

2000s Tracey Newman, BBA ’00, married Keith MacKay on May 11, 2013 in Halifax. “The ceremony and reception took place at the Comfort Hotel in Bayer’s Lake. It was a fun evening that included family and friends—many of whom I met at the Mount,” Tracey writes.

Tracey is the Manager, Workplace Compliance & Education, Workers Compensation Board, a part-time instructor in the Mount’s Business & Tourism department, and vice president of the Mount Saint Vincent Alumnae Association. She and Keith live in Halifax. She is pictured here with her best friends from the Mount: Crystal

(Lohnes) Milbury, BBA ’00, Tanya (Digout) Boudreau, BBA ’00, and Jessica (Whitehouse) Barry, BBA ’00.

Gary Logan, BA ’02, recently left his long-time position at the Office of the Hon. Geoff Regan, member of Parliament for Halifax West, to become the political and economic specialist at the Halifax Consulate of the United States of America.

Amanda Dean, BPR ’03, CertMkg ’03, is vice-president, Atlantic, at the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC). She joined IBC in 2006 and was promoted to her current role in 2013. Amanda oversees all government relations in Atlantic Canada, representing the positions of the property and casualty insurance industry to government officials. Amanda is also active in her community and is currently in her second term as chair of the Mount’s Black Tie Dinner & Bingo annual fundraising event. She has served as guest lecturer on government relations for the Mount’s public relations students.

Sarah Levy MacLeod, BPR ’04, is the chairwoman of Fusion Halifax, a group that provides leadership opportunities to people ages 20 to 40 in areas such as sustainability, arts and culture, economic development, urban planning and diversity. Sarah launched a mentorship program that has matched 60 young people with community leaders, opening the door for more young professionals to learn from the experience of others.

Kristin (McCurdy) McInnis, BA ’05, BEd ’07, and her husband Anthony McInnis, BEd ’06, welcomed their new baby girl, Amelia McInnis, on Sunday, March 31. Amelia was born weighing 8 lbs 6 oz, and was 21 inches long. Kristin, who was featured on the cover and in the article “All in the family” in the Spring 2013 issue of Folia Montana, is one of six members of her family who came to the

Mount. She teaches at a high school in Middle Musquodoboit, NS. Kimberly Piccott, BA ’06, BEd ’08, MEd ’12, married the love of her life, Luke Monk, on July 6. They were married at the St. Denis Catholic Church in East Ship Harbour, NS, on a beautiful (but scorching hot) day.

Her maid of honour Vicki Fioratos, BEd ’06, MEd ’12, and bridesmaid, Kim Humes, BPR ’08, are also Mount alumnae. Kimberly is currently teaching as a learning centre teacher in Dartmouth, while Vicki (third from left) is a resource teacher in Dartmouth, and Kim (second from left) works at Dalhousie University in the graduate studies office.

Congratulations to Shannon McEveneu, MAFSG ’07, and Natalie Clifford, BPR ’09, who joined the NS legal profession in a bar admission ceremony on June 7 in Halifax.

Lauren Oostveen, BPR ’07, married Andrew Fleming on June 29, 2013, at Lake Charlotte, NS. The wedding and reception took place at the charming buildings of Memory Lane Heritage Village. The day included a food-truck catered meal, a barn dance, and a few surprise guests of honour— the museum’s kittens, sheep, and chickens.

Jordan LeBlanc, BSc ’08, is now the curator of The Colchester Historeum, a museum in Truro. “I’d like to bring more of a tourism factor here,” Jordan told the Truro Daily News. For example, Jordan hopes to create “more hands-on experiences” for families and possibly create children’s take-home kits to extend the museum experience. “People want to experience more instead of just reading things at a museum and getting families here is pivotal.”

23

Class Notes

Jill Leon, MEd ’08, BEd ’10, swam from Nova Scotia to PEI this past summer along the Northumberland ferry route. She swam the 20.5-km route against east-west currents to challenge herself, telling Global News it was the “opportunity and thrill of a lifetime” and “a perfect day on the water.” She also used the swim to raise awareness of reproductive mental health services at the IWK Health Centre in Halifax.

Jeremiah Martell, BPR ’08, began a membership coordinator position with the Nova Scotia Association of Architects in March 2013, and recently became engaged to Danielle Lipton.

The couple met at the Mount in 2006.

Amanda Jean Haggerty, BCYS ’09, BEd ’11, moved to the UK in August 2012 to pursue teaching, and still resides in Strood, Kent. She works as a full-time teacher in a primary school with a group of year five students, and plays in recreational and competitive ladies volleyball leagues in England.

Jessica LeBlanc, BCYS ’09, owns and operates A Love of Learning pre-school day care in Moncton, NB. “From a very young age I knew I wanted to become a teacher and spend my days sharing my joy and excitement about learning with children,” Jessica says on her web site, www.aloveoflearningmoncton.com.

2010s Meghan Finney, MPR ’10, owns La Quaintrelle, a luxurious yet affordable boutique with vintage flair, in North Sydney, NS. It began as an online boutique but customers kept asking to try things on and see the fabric.

With her web site’s success, Meghan gathered her courage to rent storefront space, citing her grandmother as her style icon. “I would raid her closet or shop online because I couldn’t find what I wanted here. Still, I didn’t like that my money was leaving the Island.

After lots of research, I decided to start a business that would bring what I loved here,” Meghan says.

24

Sarah Lane, BA (Hon) ’10, graduated from the Dalhousie Schulich School of Law with a Juris Doctor (JD) degree. Sarah is articling with the Newfoundland and Labrador Legal Aid Commission.

Ruth Roy, BBA ’10, an inspector with the RCMP, has won the Woman Law Enforcement Executive of the Year Award, jointly sponsored by the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives and Motorola.

The award recognizes women in law enforcement who have succeeded in their own careers and dedicated themselves to mentoring and helping develop other female law enforcement professionals. In the past 12 years, Ruth has worked in positions at the provincial and national levels. She is currently a member of the prime minister’s protection detail. Ruth also spent one year working on a United Nations Mission in Haiti.

Meng Zhao, BPR ’10, is owner and publisher of Dakai Maritimes, the first and only publication dedicated to Maritime Chinese.

Dakai Maritimes, published quarterly in English and Mandarin Chinese, has proudly released two issues. Meng is a passionate community builder who has always found ways to create a forum for the Chinese community to connect.

A hub for both promoting and informing the Chinese community on the issues and stories that matter most, Dakai Maritimes released its third issue this fall. Dakai Maritimes is now partnering with the Chronicle Herald’s custom media division to release the next four issues. Visit www.dakai.ca.

Lesley Carson Mountain, BA ’11, CPW ’11, and Stephen Paul Mountain welcomed a happy healthy baby girl into the world at the IWK

hospital in Halifax on March 26, 2013.

Sidelle Tadden Mountain arrived at 3:58 p.m., weighing at 6 lbs 2 oz.

Jennifer TuckerJohnston, BBA ’11, received the Volunteer of the Year Award for the Town of Truro, NS. Mayor Bill Mills presented the award in recognition of Jennifer’s dedication to the Colchester SPCA, where she serves as secretary, fundraiser and shelter volunteer.

Olympic paddler Ryan Cochrane, BSc ’12, and his partner, Mylanie Barre, had a baby girl, Layla, on Feb 22, 2013, weighing 6 lbs 11 oz. “She is a beautiful little bundle of joy and we are all so happy to have been able to go to Quebec City and meet Layla the day she was born and to spend a few days with the three of them,” wrote Ryan’s mother.

Ryan’s brother, Justin Cochrane, BBA ’12, was also there to greet his little niece. Ryan is from Windsor, NS, and competed in the 2012 Olympics in London, finishing fourth in the Men’s K2 1,000-metre race, and seventh in the Men’s K2 200-metre race.

His partner, Mylanie, is a two-time Olympian in the same sport.

Borden Rhyno, BBA ’13, is now a real estate agent with Exit Realty Metro in Dartmouth, NS. Borden was previously a lobster and crab fisherman. He’d like to help you buy a home, writing, “With my outstanding academic experience at the Mount combined with professionalism, my unmatched work ethic and my experience making important decisions, I believe that together, you and I can achieve the results you want and deserve.” Tel: 902.222.5335, E: brhyno@exitmetro. ca, www.isellns.ca.

Look who joins our alumnae The Mount awarded honorary doctorate degrees to three distinguished leaders in fine arts, sociology and women’s rights as part of this year’s Spring 2013 convocation.

Lorna Crozier is a poet, essayist,

and distinguished professor at the University of Victoria. Author of 18 books and editor of two books of essays, Dr. Crozier has earned several national awards for her contribution to Canadian literature including a Governor General’s Award and Pat Lowther Award for her 1992 collection Inventing the Hawk. Her poems have been translated into many languages from Polish to Chinese. Dr. Crozier spoke of embracing the uncertainty of youth, saying it presents some of life’s greatest learning opportunities.

Before reciting a poem of what to pack for the rest of one’s life, she made one request perfectly clear: “May one of the gifts of your degree be compassion.”

FEEDBACK

Sociologist Arlie Hochschild

has devoted her career to understanding the social and cultural effects on emotion. As a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and an early leader of the women’s movement, she published eight books on emotional engagement, women’s issues, and family dynamics. She is the winner of the A.S.A. Jessie Bernard Award, and the 2000 Public Understanding of Sociology Award for lifetime achievement. Dr. Hochschild reflected on the life and times of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, founder of the Sisters of Charity, urging graduates to “think big” in dark times to create positive change in the world around them.

Acadian soprano Suzie LeBlanc

has graced many stages throughout North America, Europe and Japan, specializing in Baroque and Classic repertoire with leading early music ensembles in concert, opera, studio recordings and film. Her performance in Rodrigue Jean’s 2008 film Lost Song was widely celebrated. Dr. LeBlanc has been running her own opera company since 2005, acting as artistic director of Le Nouvel Opera. Dr. LeBlanc praised the value of taking risks and rising to challenges, paying tribute to the Mount’s founders, the Sisters of Charity, saying: “Finding your strength, finding ways to make something happen that you really believe in is the way this university was begun.”

alumnae@msvu.ca www.msvu.ca/alumnae @MountAlumnae www.facebook.com/MSVAA (Like Us!)

25

In Memoriams 1930s

Mount Community

Janet R. M. Piers, ACAD (March 15, 2013)

Luc Beauregard (July 29, 2013) Jennifer Lynn Grabove (August 31, 2013) Ben McCrea (April 16, 2013) Barbara M. Walker (August 14, 2013)

1940s Rose Marie (Belliveau) Abraham, ACAD ’47 (May 6, 2013) Jean Rita “Gigi” Mathers, ACAD ’42 (June 29, 2013)

1950s Sister Rita Fitzgerald (Mary Walter), BA ’55 (June 23, 2013) Sister Frances Gertrude MacMillan, BA ’58 (April 30, 2013) Sister Rose Alma McMullin, BA ’56 (April 19, 2013) Barbara Jean O’Connell, BA ’56 (August 17, 2013) Sister Nancy Powell (Anna Charles), BA ’55, BEd ’57 (March 14, 2013) Sister Irene Theresa White, BHEc ’50 (May 22, 2013)

1960s Frances Marie (Flemming) Inglis, BA ’64 (August 21,2013) Reginald Murray Andrews, MAE ’63 (June 20, 2013) Adah Ruth (Manette) Spencer, BEd ’67 (June 3, 2013) Sister Mary Stephenson (Ethel Marie), BA ’62 (April 16, 2013)

1970s Liselotte “Lise” (Halder) Fillmore, BEd ’78, MEd ’89 (August 26, 2013) Helen Marguerite (Hartnett) Garth, ACAD ’48, BA ’75 (July 3, 2013) Joyce Marguerite (Lafferty) Holmans, BEd ’76 (February 5, 2013)

Jean Bethke Elshtain, DHumL ’12 Jean Bethke Elshtain, DHumL ’12, a prominent and provocative thinker on religion, political philosophy, and ethics, died in August following a major cardiac incident earlier in the summer. She was 72. Dr. Elshtain was widely recognized for her work exploring the role of women in social and political thought. She was the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Professor of Social and Political Ethics in the Divinity School at the University of Chicago. She was the author of more than 20 books and hundreds of articles, and lectured widely around the world on themes of democracy, ethical dilemmas, religion and politics, and international relations. Among her many awards, she was a Guggenheim Fellow and a holder of the Maguire Chair in Ethics at the Library of Congress. In 2012, she served as Kluge Chair in Modern Culture at the Library of Congress.

Reginald Andrews, MAEd ’63

1980s Roy Bonisteel, DHumL ’83 (August 16, 2013) John Reid Brookfield, BA ’87 (August 25, 2013) Jeannie Marie White, MEd ’88 (July 28, 2013) Shirley J. (Hamilton) Woolaver, BA ’81, BEd ’82 (August 18, 2013)

1990s Pamela Susan (Finck) Bennett, BHEc ’94 (July 21, 2013) Myrna Hazel (Melanson) Hartling, BBA ’90 (June 24, 2013) Harold MacAulay, BScHE ’96 (June 5, 2013)

2000s Jean Bethke Elshtain, DHumL ’12 (August 11, 2013)

26

Reginald Andrews, MAEd ’63, died peacefully on June 20 in Northwood Manor in Halifax. He was 82. According to his obituary in the Chronicle Herald, Andrews was always proud to say he was the first man to graduate from the Mount. He enjoyed a career as a teacher and administrator for the Halifax County School Board and remained passionate about education throughout his life. He spoke several languages including Spanish and Russian, and was a volunteer English teacher. He loved to read, paint and create note cards about Nova Scotia.

He sold his cards at the Sunday market at the Halifax Forum for 15 years, raising funds to help disadvantaged families in Cuba. Andrews travelled extensively and did much additional humanitarian work in Cuba.

Refer a student

Do you know the face?

Can you help identify the faces, in what year the picture was taken, and what they were up to? Please let us know.

Contact: Editor, Folia Montana at alumnae@msvu.ca, or Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, NS B3M 2J6.

You did not know the face.

We had no responses to our plea to help identify the people in this picture. We believe they were home economics students in the 1970s. If that tweaks your memory, please contact us.

Correction

In “You knew the face” (p. 27, Spring 2013) that is indeed Shirley (Aqui) Forde, BSc ‘57, MAEd ‘62, and Anne (Connors) MacEachen, BSc ‘56, but the woman on the far right is not Barb Downie. It’s Carol Boulter, BA ‘56.

Sadly, Carol died several years ago.

—Janet (Pottie) Murray, BA ‘56

At the Mount, people are at the heart of what we do. We value the contributions of our students, alumnae and friends, and strive to celebrate the diversity of their stories within our community.

As alumnae, we have all chosen the Mount and experienced the welcoming environment, personalized attention, and the reward that comes with completing a challenging education.

We are calling on you to share your experiences at the Mount and help prospective students find their place in a small university that’s filled with great minds and big ideas.

Prospective Mount students are everywhere. They may be your family members, friends, neighbours, or co-workers.

As an alum you are a Mount ambassador, and an excellent resource for those who are looking to post-secondary education.

The Advancement and Recruitment Offices have joined efforts to create a place for you to share the Mount with future students. At www.msvu.ca/referastudent, you will find information on programs, scholarships, and application deadlines that will be helpful when you are speaking to prospective students. You can also access a copy of the viewbook, which is one of the Mount’s marketing tools, and our Refer a Student form.

When you complete the Refer a Student form, we will send your prospective student a print copy of our viewbook, along with a letter that can be personalized with a message from you. You can also order a viewbook by phone at 902.457.5540 or e-mail recruitment@msvu.ca.

We know the Mount has a well-deserved reputation for academic excellence, distinctive programs and creative learning approaches. Together, we now have an opportunity to encourage others who will thrive in this environment to learn about the Mount community.

Did you know…

The Recruitment Office works to promote the Mount’s profile while attracting new students. We work with students, parents and guidance counselors through: fall and winter open campus days, campus tours, school visits, public information sessions, social media, and more. Over the next few months, student recruitment officers will be travelling throughout the Atlantic Provinces, Ontario and Alberta. To find out more about what we do, or to find out if we will be in a town near you, please contact us by phone at 902.457.5540 or e-mail recruitment@msvu.ca.

27

Bermuda

around th s d a e Gr

globe Where I grew up . . .

Bermuda. It is only 54 sq km, and has a population of about 65,000. It is a popular place for tourism due to its beautiful pink sand beaches, which made me consider the tourism industry as a career.

I decided to come to the Mount as an international student because

. . . I liked the community atmosphere. Coming from such a small place, I didn’t want to get lost in the crowds of a bigger university, and the Mount had everything I was looking for.

What brought me back to Bermuda was . . . it’s my home. I love Bermuda and being close to my family and old school friends. It is also a big area for tourism and I want to be a part of the industry here. I love promoting my Island home.

Going to the Mount helped prepare me to live and work in Bermuda by . . . giving me all the tools I need to work in the tourism industry. I learned a lot through my degree and the co-op program, which has allowed me to progress in the industry and share my knowledge.

The best experiences I have had working in Bermuda are . . . meeting some amazing people. You

never know who is going to walk into the hotel.

The biggest culture shock I experienced in Canada/at the Mount was . . . the weather! The

What I miss most about the Mount is . . . the fellowship of the Tourism and Hospitality program as a whole. I also miss getting to regularly see the close friends that I made while I was living in Halifax. Those friendships are ones that I really cherish, and I’m lucky enough to have had some of those friends come visit me in Bermuda this past summer.

A typical day in my job involves . . . many different

The advice I’d give to alumnae considering living and working abroad is . . . to embrace the culture of

brutal Canadian winters were a real shock for me.

things. Because Royal Palms is a small boutique hotel and only has 32 rooms, I work on the front desk mostly, but I also help out with concierge, accounting and purchasing, reservations, and even housekeeping occasionally. I have to be ready to tackle anything!

28

Nam e: K ate P Whe iggo tt, B re I THM live now ’12 Job: : Be Fron rmu The t De da Roya s l Pal k Associ ms H ate a otel t

the country that you are going to, be open to meeting new people and trying new things. It was an amazing experience getting to live in Halifax for four years. It taught me to live in the moment and to take advantage of every opportunity.

RiVa Spatz Women’s Wall of Honour Celebrate a remarkable woman in your life. www.womenswallofhonour.ca

You can visit the virtual Women’s Wall of Honour at www.womenswallofhonour.ca. Here you will find photographs and read commemorations, tributes and moving accounts about the women being honoured.

You too can participate: · Honour your mother, sister, daughter, wife · Celebrate a friend or mentor · Ensure your legacy at your alma mater · Pay tribute to a special teacher · Commemorate a special occasion in a woman’s life · Memorialize a woman dear to you This unique initiative is the only one of its kind in Canada, and its home will be Canada’s leading university primarily focused on the advancement of women.

To reserve space on the Women’s Wall of Honour, contact us at: University Advancement Mount Saint Vincent University Halifax, NS B3M 2J6 Tel: 902.457.6470 Email: giving@msvu.ca www.womenswallofhonour.ca Each name on the Women’s Wall of honour is the result of a generous $1,200 sponsorship.

Your donation can be a one-time gift, or paid in monthly installments of $25 over four years. Call 902.457.6470 to make arrangements.

Discover why over 375,000 graduates enjoy greater savings

Join the growing number of graduates who enjoy greater savings from TD Insurance on home and auto coverage.

Most insurance companies offer discounts for combining home and auto policies, or your good driving record. What you may not know is that we offer these savings too, plus we offer preferred rates to members of the Mount Saint Vincent Alumnae Association. You’ll also receive our highly personalized service and great protection that suits your needs. Find out how much you could save.

Request a quote today 1-888-589-5656 Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Saturday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

melochemonnex.com/msvu Insurance program endorsed by

The TD Insurance Meloche Monnex home and auto insurance program is underwritten by SECURITY NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY. The program is distributed by Meloche Monnex Insurance and Financial Services Inc. in Quebec and by Meloche Monnex Financial Services Inc. in the rest of Canada.

Due to provincial legislation, our auto insurance program is not offered in British Columbia, Manitoba or Saskatchewan. *No purchase required. Contest organized jointly with Primmum Insurance Company and open to members, employees and other eligible persons belonging to employer, professional and alumni groups which have an agreement with and are entitled to group rates from the organizers.

Contest ends on October 31, 2013. Draw on November 22, 2013. One (1) prize to be won. The winner may choose between a Lexus ES 300h hybrid (approximate MSRP of $58,902 which includes freight, pre-delivery inspection, fees and applicable taxes) or $60,000 in Canadian funds. Skill-testing question required. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received. Complete contest rules available at melochemonnex.com/contest. ÂŽ/ The TD logo and other trade-marks are the property of The Toronto-Dominion Bank or a wholly-owned subsidiary, in Canada and/or other countries.

Fall 2013 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Advancement House Mount Saint Vincent University Halifax NS B3M 2J6 Canada Canada Post PM 40063269