CONNECTING ALUMNI & FRIENDS OF St . FRANCIS XAVIER UNIVERSITY
REDEFINING WHAT’S POSSIBLE
STFX GRAD NAMED ONE OF MOST POWERFUL FIGURES IN WOMEN’S FOOTBALL
INSIDE: FAREWELL TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE BRIAN MULRONEY ’59
No one understands the StFX experience more than you.
Help us share it with the next generation of Xaverians.
Alumni have always played an important role in recruiting future StFX students. If you know someone exploring their post-secondary options, please share the details of our upcoming Open House It’s an exciting opportunity for interested students and their families to experience a full day on campus and learn all about our academic programs, student life, and living environments.
Open House 2024 · Sunday, October 20
Visit StFX.ca/OpenHouse2024 for more details and to join our mailing list for event updates
STFX SAYS FAREWELL TO A REMARKABLE XAVERIAN
The Right Honourable
Brian Mulroney • 1939 – 2024
StFX, and Canada, lost one of its greatest champions on Feb. 29, 2024 when The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney ’59, P.C., C.C., G.O.Q.., passed away. Inside, we reflect on how the StFX community came together to pay respects to an alumnus who has done so much for the university, Canada, and the world. Story on page 22.
Believing in what’s possible
Nikki Doucet ’01 is at the forefront of a transformational moment in women’s sport in the UK. We spoke with the CEO of NewCo on building opportunity.
As Chancellor John Peacock ’63 ends his tenure in that role this year, StFX says thank you to John and Adrienne ’63 Peacock for their generosity, which has touched every corner of campus for decades.
Nikki Doucet ‘01
The late Jeannine Deveau ’44 saw injustice and refused to accept it. Her extraordinary legacy continues to envisage a better world and impact many at StFX, where in February, the university welcomed news of a second multi-million dollar gift, forming the backbone of efforts to make StFX an equitable university for all. The Power To Make a Difference 24 Spring Convocation 2024 brimmed with proud moments as StFX graduated over 1,000 students and four extraordinary people were recognized with an honorary degree.
REMARKABLE MILESTONES
The year 2024 has started well at StFX and we are only halfway through the calendar year!
As I write this message, I look back at the past few months and note that there have been so many things to celebrate; things that demonstrate the values that StFX holds. These include:
Dr. Erin Austen ’96 named the recipient of a 3M National Teaching Fellowship—Canada’s most prestigious recognition of excellence in educational leadership and teaching at the postsecondary level.
StFX receiving a $14.5 million gift from the Jeannine Deveau Foundation to support many Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility (EDIA) initiatives including the creation of the Deveau Centre for Indigenous Governance and Social Justice and to serve as a match to a gift, from the McCall MacBain Foundation, to create a StFX Centre for Black Student Success.
Approximately 1,000 students from across Canada and the world convocated during our Spring Convocation ceremonies and four extraordinary individuals, who have helped improve society, in education, business, and philanthropy, were recognized with honorary degrees. The ceremonies also provided opportunities to recognize the achievements of four StFX faculty members who were also celebrated with research, teaching, and emerita status awards. These accomplishments not only highlight
the talents and hard work of the StFX community but also reflect the university’s commitment to fostering a supportive, dynamic, and inclusive environment. It also has been a challenging time as we said goodbye to a great Xaverian. On February 29, we lost a true leader, mentor, and friend to StFX, the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney ’59. Mr. Mulroney was an extraordinary man and I miss his calls, reach outs and his many gestures of friendship. He had a remarkable impact on and a deep love for his country, for StFX, our community, and most importantly, his love of family was always evident. His impact on campus will be felt for generations of Xaverians to come.
At our recent President’s Gala, we celebrated our donors as well as the contributions of Chancellor John Peacock ’63 and his wife Adrienne ’63 as John’s six years of service as Chancellor comes to a close. During the same evening, I was both honoured and surprised to be called to the stage by our Board Chair, Dennis Flood ’80 to receive an honorary X-Ring. I cannot put into words what this means to Linda and me. Since coming to StFX, we feel like we have joined a family. The love, the support that we have experienced has been fantastic and so to be able to wear this X-Ring out in the world and show that I am part of the Xaverian family means so much. I am truly touched. Thank you.
As I look forward to my next term as the President and Vice Chancellor of StFX, I am excited by all that is ahead. In the years ahead, you can anticipate my great dedication to the values of the university. These values are what help to make it such a special place. Our shared commitment will guide us as we build our university the way it is meant to be.
Together, we have achieved remarkable milestones over the past few months, and it is this collaborative spirit that will propel us forward. I am proud of the accomplishments of our students, faculty, and staff, and I am confident that, with your ongoing support, we will continue to foster an environment where everyone can thrive.
Hail and Health.
Andrew W. Hakin, PhD President & Vice-Chancellor
Dr. Andrew W. Hakin
President Hakin with NS Special Olympian Ashley Thomas at the Inspired Gala 2024, the signature event of Special Olympics Nova Scotia. StFX is a gold sponsor of the gala and a partner in Special Olympics events in Nova Scotia.
At the President’s Gala showing the newest X-Ring. President Hakin with Chair of the Board, Dennis Flood ‘80 (left) and Chancellor John Peacock ’63 (right.)
NEWSFLASH
WHAT’S NEW ON CAMPUS AND IN THE S t FX COMMUNITY
DR. ANDY HAKIN ACCEPTS OFFER FOR SECOND TERM AS STFX PRESIDENT AND VICE-CHANCELLOR
Dennis Flood ’80, Chair of the StFX Board of Governors, is pleased to announce that Dr. Andy Hakin has accepted the Board of Governor’s offer to extend his term until June 30, 2031, as the 19th President and Vice-Chancellor of St. Francis Xavier University.
“We are thrilled to have Andy continue to lead our institution,” says Mr. Flood. “His demonstrated leadership coupled with his thorough vision to advance StFX’s mission is exactly what students, and our communities are longing for in this modern age.”
“On both a personal and professional level, leading this amazing institution has been a tremendously rewarding experience,” says Dr. Hakin. “I am honoured to serve an exceptional university that delivers on a promise of a high-quality, experiential education set in an immersive, personalized environment. I truly believe it is the best way to learn.
“StFX is an outstanding institution. I look forward to continuing my relationships with students, faculty and staff, alumni, as well as the broader community.”
During his term, Dr. Hakin safely and successfully led StFX through the global pandemic - one of only a few universities in Canada that held classes in-person.
In 2023, he introduced StFX’s five-year strategic plan “Building Our University The Way It Is Meant To Be,” wrapping the path
forward around the core values of being academically driven, EDIA and community-focused, responsive, and sustainable. He introduced initiatives such as the President’s Action Committee on Anti-Racism, tasked with moving beyond identifying problems to crafting a solution-focused action plan to advance equity and antiracism across campus. He continues to lead new initiatives such as the creation of the Victor and Mona Dahdelah Institute for Innovation in Health, designed to address the shifting health needs of rural Nova Scotians through collaborative and communityresponsive teaching, learning, and research. Dr. Hakin has also been instrumental in developing strong working relationships with the leadership and people of the Town and County of Antigonish, appreciating that StFX plays such an integral role to the success of the community, and vice-versa.
These are only a few of Dr. Hakin’s contributions to StFX.
The approved re-appointment by the board follows the completion of a comprehensive review by the Board’s Presidential Review Committee. The Committee represents students, faculty, staff, and community members.
“We are very fortunate and proud to have Andy, and his wife, Linda, as members of the StFX family. We look forward to working with them in the years ahead,” says Mr. Flood.
Dr. Andy Hakin, 19th President and Vice-Chancellor of St. Francis Xavier University
A LEADER IN LEARNING
DR. ERIN AUSTEN ’96 RECEIVES 3M NATIONAL TEACHING FELLOWSHIP
Dr. Erin Austen ’96, an outstanding educator known for her innovative teaching practices and tireless efforts to continually update her pedagogy, has received Canada’s most prestigious recognition of excellence in educational leadership and teaching at the post-secondary level. Dr. Austen is the recipient of a 3M National Teaching Fellowship.
The StFX psychology professor and current department chair is one of 10 Fellows selected nationally. Fellows embody the highest ideals of teaching excellence and scholarship.
“I am grateful to have been considered for the 3M Fellowship,” Dr. Austen says, “and for the support I received from colleagues and students. I am so excited to have been accepted into the fellowship.”
Dr. Austen, a member of StFX faculty since 2005, joins colleagues Dr. Angie Kolen and Dr. Ann Bigelow as StFX 3M Fellows.
STFX A BETTER PLACE
“StFX is a better place to teach and learn because of Dr. Austen,” StFX human kinetics professor and 2010 3M Fellow Dr. Kolen wrote in her nomination letter. “Over the years, Erin has quietly and selflessly worked to create various opportunities for students, faculty, and teaching staff to become better at what they do, while fostering an environment of inclusion.”
Dr. Karen Brebner ’90, StFX psychology professor and former Dean of Arts, described her colleague as a “consummate professional and an outstanding educator whose impact on students and the entire institution cannot be overstated.
“I can’t think of anyone more deserving of being recognized with such a prestigious award,” Dr. Brebner says. “Erin does not seek the spotlight nor expect to be recognized for her efforts on behalf of her students and colleagues. She is simply a person who quietly, and thoughtfully, wants to make a difference, and is willing to serve when the need arises.”
Dr. Brebner says Dr. Austen has inspired countless students to study psychology and is in high demand to supervise honours theses. Her courses fill up immediately, as she has developed a reputation for offering interactive classes, exciting projects, and innovative research opportunities.
She can often be found conducting classes in different spots around campus, leading students in discussion and encouraging them to take their work from the university to the community, so that they can broaden the impact of their discoveries. She is also a tireless advocate for equitable, accessible, and inclusive pedagogy, and was awarded StFX’s Outstanding Teaching Award in 2018.
Dr. Erin Austen ’96
“WE DARED TO MOVE FORWARD”: SISTERS OF ST. MARTHA CONTINUE THEIR LEGACY WITH INDIGENOUS MI’KMAW EDUCATION AND
NURSING SCHOLARSHIPS
TOTALING $1,000,000
Two days before International Women’s Day, a special multigenerational moment among Mi’kmaq women took place at StFX at an event celebrating two new Indigenous Mi’kmaw Education and Nursing Scholarships. The scholarships, introduced by the Sisters of St. Martha in 2022, honour Dr. Elder Sister Dorothy Moore ’74 ’24 and Dr. Elder Sister Veronica Matthews ’15, two trailblazing Mi’kmaq women from Unama’ki/Cape Breton. The Marthas’ gift of $500,000 was matched by the Jeannine Deveau Educational Equity Endowment, bringing the total to $1,000,000. The two awards, one each for an Indigenous student in nursing and an Indigenous student in education, grant $10,000 per year for up to four years. The event was an emotional moment for Sr. Dorothy, following the November 2023 passing of her longtime friend Sr. Veronica. Sr. Dorothy learned about the awarding of the scholarships on her 90th birthday on October 13, 2023. When she shared the good news with Sr. Veronica, whose health was suffering, Sr. Veronica replied: “You see, Dorothy, we will go on.” Sr. Dorothy and Sr. Veronica grew up in Membertou and Eskasoni and were an inseparable duo, entering religious life within a year of each other. Sr. Dorothy became a teacher and Sr. Veronica a nurse, both fervently devoted to their home communities and the preservation of Mi’kmaw culture. Now, their names grace the scholarships that will help more Indigenous women realize their dreams. The inaugural recipients are StFX students Patricia Ann (Trish) Thomas and Brittany Basque.
TACKLING TIMELY AND IMPORTANT ISSUES: STFX TO HOST CANADIAN MARITIME SECURITY NETWORK
StFX is pleased to announce the creation of the Canadian Maritime Security Network (CMSN). This three-year project is led by Dr. Adam Lajeunesse, a professor in the Public Policy and Governance Program, and funded by a $750,000 grant from the Canadian Department of National Defence’s MINDS program. This new network, hosted by StFX’s Brian Mulroney Institute of Government, is designed to bring together Canadian and international expertise on maritime defence, safety, and security. “This project builds on the university’s existing strength in security research to support the Government of Canada as it navigates great power competition, hybrid threats on the world’s oceans, and the enormous task of recapitalizing the Royal Canadian Navy,” says Dr. Lajeunesse, who holds a Fulbright Chair and whose research centres on issues of sovereignty and security in the Canadian North. Dr. Richard Isnor, Interim Director of the Brian Mulroney Institute of Government and Associate Vice President, Research Graduate & Professional Studies, says this successful MINDS grant to establish the Canadian Maritime Security Network at StFX is a fantastic development and a major achievement for Dr. Lajeunesse. “This new network will tackle a timely and important set of national policy issues that are emerging priorities in Canada.” This initiative is being developed in partnership with the Centre for Military and Security Studies at the University of Calgary, and will draw in expertise from other academic institutions, industry, and think-tanks to provide creative solutions to a variety of critical security questions.
Dr. Elder Sister Dorothy Moore ’74 ’24 and Trish Thomas
Dr. Adam Lajeunesse and StFX students take part in the Royal Canadian Navy’s Canadian Students at Sea program.
Nikki Doucet ’01
BELIEVING IN WHAT’S POSSIBLE
STFX GRAD NIKKI DOUCET
’01 HAS BEEN NAMED ONE OF THE FIGURES WHO WILL DEFINE THE SPORTS INDUSTRY IN ENGLAND IN THE YEAR AHEAD, TRANSFORMING WOMEN’S FOOTBALL.
BY SHELLEY CAMERON-MCCARRON
As a StFX student living in Lane Hall, Nikki Doucet ’01 plastered posters of soccer icon Mia Hamm in her dorm room and distinctly remembers watching the U.S. superstar on TV for the first time in 1999 during the FIFA Women’s World Cup. “That was inspirational. I had never seen a women’s world cup. It wasn’t broadcast at the time, I had never seen Mia Hamm play, even though she was on my wall,” says Ms. Doucet, a former investment banker and ex-Nike director who is at a watershed leadership moment herself, in redefining what is possible.
Ms. Doucet is at the forefront of a transformational moment in women’s sport in the UK.
In November, the Liverpool, NS native, who studied business at StFX and starred as a point guard with X-Women basketball, was named CEO of NewCo, a new independent company that will run England’s Women’s Super League (WSL) and Women’s Championship (WC), taking over the running of the women’s professional game from the Football Association (FA).
Her task? Creating something that doesn’t yet exist— a standalone, revenue-generating, independent company with a dedicated management team that will launch women’s professional football (or soccer as it’s known in North America) into a new era.
NewCo is aiming for independence from the FA by this summer, with the clubs becoming its shareholders and owners.
BUILDING OPPORTUNITY
“There’s massive opportunity,” says Ms. Doucet, a firm believer in the power of sport to help people and change lives. “It’s not a moment, it’s a movement. To be a small part of that is hugely exciting. Our vision is women’s football transformed.”
They’ve dubbed it Project Moonshot.
The name comes from her near decade-long career with Nike, where employees constantly asked themselves where the athlete and the consumer are going to next so that they could be there, ahead of the game. They called those projects, ‘moonshots.’
Her vision, long-term, includes sell-out stadiums. Games of consequence. Financial stability. Gender parity, where the next generation will grow up not seeing gender in a sports perspective. They’ll be inspired by both male and female footballers. They’ll have access to both.
“I love that we are building something. To me, the complexity of it,
the intellectual challenge of it, working with equally passionate people, and the moving culture forward through sport appeals.”
It’s a big assignment, but Ms. Doucet, who has lived in England with her family since 2015, is of the mind that anything worth doing is probably hard.
“I’ve always been attracted to a big challenge. That doesn’t scare me. I’d rather risk trying and failing than not trying at all.”
BETTERING SOCIETY
Building a distinct, competitive, and entertaining independent women’s football league will bring many positives.
Among them she’s excited for advances around elite female athlete health that in time will transfer to better general physio and sports science knowledge geared specifically toward women, something that isn’t always readily available today.
She’s also excited by the prospect of young girls developing more confidence and a better body image as they see a more diverse range of role models, as well as a path to what’s possible for them.
It should also bring new and different opportunities for women, from coaching and managerial positions to more females involved in ground crews. And, importantly, it will foster an inclusive environment, where elite athletes are able to play as their authentic selves.
There’s massive opportunity.
“It’s not a moment, it’s a movement. To be a small part of that is hugely exciting. Our vision is women’s football transformed.”
Nikki Doucet ’01
“Being part of that and the power of football in the UK, it’s such a massive opportunity,” she emphasizes.
“Making football more inclusive, but still being competitive and a dynamic sport to watch, it’s super exciting to be part of.”
Women, she says, have really had to fight for the right to play in the UK, where the culture of women’s sport bears a different history.
From 1921 through the ensuing 50 years, women’s football was banned in the country.
The women’s game—which prior to this had been attracting crowds of 50,000 plus—was barred after the men returned home from the First World War, and some saw the potential of female teams taking money away from the men’s league as too much of a risk.
Today, the women’s professional league is still very young, operating professionally only since 2018. Ms. Doucet says they will be running the organization like a start-up, that just happens to have 100 years of men’s football history.
EXCITEMENT IS GROWING
When the 2022 English Lionesses won the Euros, it sparked an emotional wave, a fandom and growth in the league that she likens
to the 1999 U.S. Women’s World Cup win—the one she watched as a StFX student.
Her role as NewCo CEO is to continue that next stage of professionalization and growth.
It’s all heady stuff.
Media headlines have declared Ms. Doucet as the most powerful person in women’s football, as someone to watch in the sports industry. She shrugs off the accolades.
“I think I have a role to play. I see this as standing on the shoulders of giants, who have really had to fight to get to where we are. I’ve taken that baton from them. My role is to hopefully steer the next phase of growth, build a strong team leaving it in a better place for the next person. This is about the athletes, the fans, the team running the institution,” she says.
“I feel a deep sense of responsibility and I’ll do the best that I can. This has net positive benefit to society.
“That’s what drives me – that girls can aspire to be (professional athletes) and be inspired by the potential. I want my daughter to know we’ve helped build something she can aspire to.”
NO LIMITS
Ms. Doucet grew up playing sports. She started on the soccer pitch
Nikki Doucet ‘01 during her days with X-Women Basketball.
at age five and quickly added basketball to the mix, going on to a stellar career on the court. She knows firsthand about dreams of becoming a professional athlete.
She was brought up, with strong family support, to believe she could do anything. Her community also contributed to that spirit. “I never felt limited.”
Her hometown of Liverpool, a small south shore Nova Scotia town, had a can-do attitude that was not lost on her. “I grew up with that culture.”
Then there were the lessons learned through athletics.
“In sport, you’re driven. You want to win. It still angers me we never won an AUS championship during my time at StFX,” she says with a wry chuckle.
“That’s the mindset I have. I’m a businessperson with the heart of an athlete. As an athlete, you feel you can always be better, you can always add something to your game. You can always learn something new.”
SETTING THE STAGE AT STFX
Ms. Doucet says when she enrolled at StFX, she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do. She chose the business program with the thought that knowing something about accounting and finance would serve her well in the future. Business, she felt, left so many options open while she figured out what she wanted to do.
“It was a massive foundation for the rest of my career,” she says.
“I got a really good foundation at StFX. I loved my four years there. Being a varsity athlete and being in school forces you to learn life skills, in particular time management and prioritizing what is important to you.
“Being part of that community, understanding roles and responsibilities, teamwork and failure, and overcoming failure, all of that prepared me well for the next stage.”
The values of StFX also aligned well with her own. Her time at the university helped her continue to expand her horizons, she adds, and, of course, there were the friendships, the people who become so important.
She majored in information systems, and she remembers getting her first email address in 1997, at a time when the online world is not as pervasive as it is today.
It was also an era on campus when the X-Men Basketball team, her fellow varsity athletes, were winning national championships. “It was an exciting time.”
Following StFX, Ms. Doucet moved to Toronto with one suitcase, moving in with two strangers. But she came equipped with a strong friend network from her StFX days and a passion for sport. She started playing basketball and making connections.
She decided to complete an MBA in finance at the University of
“I got a really good foundation at StFX. I loved my four years there. Being a varsity athlete and being in school forces you to learn life skills, in particular time management and prioritizing what is important to you.”
Nikki Doucet ’01
Toronto, where she played her fifth year of eligibility, earning All-Canadian status and a tryout with the women’s national team.
It was in Toronto, where she lived for almost a decade, that she started her career in finance. Working in investment banking provided both a strong foundation and financial security.
Her career path took her next to New York City, where she spent the next five years continuing to work in investment banking.
Entering this male-dominated world, a field where there were few other women and most were at the junior level, and a world where one was expected to perform, was hard at times, she admits.
She had to be tough and develop confidence—a skill that’s stood her well.
“It was an intense environment where you had to perform the same way you do stepping onto a basketball court or onto a soccer or football pitch. You get confidence from that, the more you do it.
“The biggest thing I developed at that time in New York was confidence, what I could achieve and what I could do.”
Eventually wanting to make a change in her life, she remembers being home in Nova Scotia and talking to a friend who advised her to go after what she loved, and the rest would fall into place. What would she do if she wasn’t scared, the friend asked?
Ms. Doucet cold-called Nike and got a position, moving to Portland,
Oregon. She worked with Nike for about eight years as a finance and strategy director, in marketing, and finally as general manager of Nike Women UK & Ireland.
When she moved to Nike, she says it was the first time she had female bosses and worked with a lot of senior women. “I really needed that.” Not only did they have many responsibilities, they also had families, and they were really good at their jobs. “I learned a lot from them,” she says. “I also had strong male leaders and mentors at Nike.”
Ms. Doucet says one of the things she hopes she can do in this role with NewCo is to be a strong leader and to also be able to show this different side of leadership that some people may not have had before.
While she is stepping into a major role with considerable responsibilities, adding CEO to her resume for the first time, Ms. Doucet knows she is up for the challenge. She has run a big business in a complex organization and has fine-tuned her substantial skills in a 20-year career in the financial and sports sectors.
“I was very prepared, and I knew I could do it.”
And that’s the advice she’d give to today’s students—be prepared, be curious, and put the work in to develop your skills.
“It opens a lot of opportunity. When the opportunity presented itself, I was as prepared as I could be for it.”
“Any effort that establishes opportunities for young people to learn, to grow, and to become leaders is not a responsibility at all: it is an honour.”
Dr. John Peacock ’63
A DEBT OF
GRATITUDE
For decades, John ’63 and Adrienne ’63 Peacock have positively impacted almost every corner of campus. As Dr. Peacock concludes his term as Chancellor, StFX says thank you
This spring, Dr. John Peacock ’63 presided over his final StFX convocation as Chancellor. It was his 13th in six years, at which he conferred degrees upon 7,250 graduates, always imploring them to remember their Xaverian Commitment – to pursue whatsoever things are true, just, and noble.
But his tenure as Chancellor, during which he helped the university navigate the challenges of the pandemic, is only the most recent iteration of his support for his alma mater. Both Dr. Peacock and his wife, Dr. Adrienne Peacock ’63, have been champions of StFX for decades. They were co-chairs of the Annual Giving Parent Program in the 1990s and have both sat on the Board of Governors. Adrienne is a past chair of the Montreal Alumni Association and has served on the Coady Advisory Committee.
John and Adrienne – and the Peacock Family Foundation – are long-time supporters of the Coady Institute, particularly the
International Women’s Leadership Trust and the Indigenous Women in Community Leadership Fund.
At one of his first convocations after becoming Chancellor, Dr. Peacock compared the StFX of yesterday to the modern university: “We have come quite a way,” he said, “thanks to the efforts of the men and women who consider StFX their alma mater, their incubator, and their home.”
The Peacocks have become those very men and women to whom StFX owes a debt of gratitude. There is not a corner of campus that has not been positively impacted by their contributions; indeed, their efforts include the renovation of the Amelia Saputo Centre for Healthy Living, bursaries and scholarships through Student Financial Aid, and the growth of Kevin’s Corner, the student food resource centre.
They have been quietly buttressing the university for many years, but it was at the announcement of the Dr. John T. Sears Chair in Corporate Social Responsibility in December of 2016 that they reluctantly stepped into the spotlight. Their gift, in honour of a professor who profoundly impacted Dr. Peacock’s education, has helped shape the Schwartz School of Business. Its reputation, for producing business graduates with a social conscience, is due in no small part to the Peacocks’ contributions.
Building upon a tradition started by his predecessor, Dr. Susan Crocker, Dr. Peacock has matched all student donations to the Senior Class Gift. At this year’s spring convocation, Senior Class co-presidents Taylor Gorman ’24 and Abbey Mombourquette ’24, thanked Dr. Peacock for his contributions, of both financial and personal consequence. “You’ve always taken the time,” Ms. Gorman said, “to remind us that there’s a big world out there, and that our
education carries with it the responsibility to meet the challenges of that world.”
Conscious of his platform at convocations, Dr. Peacock never shied away from discussing hard topics: the pandemic. Climate change. War. Political turmoil. In equal measure, he reminded graduates that in an uncertain world, they should be certain that the quality of their education has amply prepared them to tackle those uncertainties head-on.
John and Adrienne Peacock are the embodiment of the type of Xaverians he implored our graduates to become: steadfast, compassionate, and holistically generous.
As Dr. Peacock concludes his term as Chancellor of StFX, it is time for his grateful alma mater to herald him – and Adrienne – with the very words John would say at the close of every convocation: Hail and Health.
A LEGACY OF
EQUITY
THE ESTATE OF JEANNINE DEVEAU ’44 BUILDS UPON HER PREVIOUS GROUND-BREAKING GIFT WITH FURTHER SUPPORT TO ESTABLISH THE BLACK STUDENT SUCCESS CENTRE
AND THE DEVEAU CENTRE FOR INDIGENOUS GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
When Jeannine Deveau ’44 gave $8 million to StFX in 2015, it was the largest donation from an alumnus – ever. It was even more dramatic because Ms. Deveau had lived a quiet life as a professor of nutrition at the Université de Montreal; there was nothing that belied her passion for investing. Her family, including her niece, Jeanine, and Jeanine’s husband, Bill Gunn, had no idea that “Auntie Jay” had been so successful at her hobby.
But Ms. Deveau had long pondered what had become of the children she knew in her youth, on Isle Madame, NS. The sons and daughters of the Mi’kmaw and African Nova Scotian women who provided domestic work for the Deveau family were often present at playtime – but never at school. Ms. Deveau wondered why, and their absence bothered her for decades.
With her family, she decided that the dividends from her investments could make a real difference to Indigenous and African Nova Scotian students attending StFX. Indeed, her donation has helped pave the way to StFX for many students from historically marginal-
ized communities and made their experiences on campus much fuller.
Since 2015, the Jeannine Deveau Educational Equity Endowment (JDEEE) has supported the John Jerome Paul Chair for Equity in Mathematics Education; hundreds of scholarships and bursaries through the Deveau Scholars program; X-Project; the Circle of Abundance at Coady; and Mi’kmaw and African Nova Scotia nursing student.
The JDEEE has either fully funded or matched virtually every existing or new initiative in support of African Nova Scotian and Indigenous students for nearly a decade, working to close the gap between postsecondary education and historically marginalized communities – just like Auntie Jay imagined it would.
Ms. Deveau passed away in July of 2022, at the age of 98.
In January of 2024, an event was held in Mulroney Hall to announce that her estate, administered by Bill Gunn, would contribute a further $14.5 million to StFX, for a total of more than $22 million.
“In
the nearly four years since I’ve been on campus, I’ve seen – first-hand –the extraordinary influence that Jeannine Deveau’s first gift has had on our students, many of whom never imagined themselves as university graduates. What’s more, the earlier recipients of a Deveau scholarship or bursary are now contributing to their communities as teachers, lawyers,nurses, and policy-makers.”
Dr. Andy Hakin President
and Vice-Chancellor
of StFX
In addition to continuing support for the previously-mentioned initiatives, the Jeanine Deveau Educational Equity Endowment will now fund two exciting new ventures: the Black Student Success Centre and the Deveau Centre for Indigenous Governance and Social Justice. Building upon the example of Kiknu, the Black Student Success Centre will support Black students’ academic journey by providing Afrocentric spaces and programming that remove the barriers of social isolation and anxiety, as well as academic and financial stress. The first four years of the centre’s existence are funded by the JDEEE and a matching gift from the McCall MacBain Foundation.
Further, $5 million of the recent gift from the estate of Jeannine Deveau will help create the Deveau Centre for Indigenous Governance and Social Justice, the first of its kind in Canada. Deveau’s estate, in addition to the initial $5m donation, has also made a further $5m available in matching funds to encourage other donors to support the Centre.” In keeping with StFX’s commitment to responding to the Calls to Action of the Truth and
Reconciliation Commission, the Deveau Centre will support generations of scholars undertaking human rights research, advocacy work, and policy development. The Deveau Centre, staffed by Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians, will serve as a generative think tank and a nexus for critical assessment of policies and governance that combat systemic discrimination and prevent racism.
Dr. L. Jane McMillan ’95, Chair of StFX’s Department of Anthropology and Special Advisor, Indigenous Research and Learning Partnerships, will help lead the new project: “We are truly inspired by the Deveau family’s generous gift to StFX. The Deveau Centre for Indigenous Governance and Social Justice will foster community-led capacity for dynamic co-learning – to advance treaty relations, to challenge systemic discrimination, and to mobilize Indigenous rights implementation.”
Ms. Deveau saw injustice and refused to accept it. Now, her private passion – investing in the stock market – has been turned into a stunning public good.
Pictured at the funding announcement, l-r, Deveau Scholar and fourth-year StFX student Mya Slawter, Bill and Jeanine Gunn, StFX President Dr. Andy Hakin, emcee and StFX faculty member Dr. Jonathan Hood, and Dr. Martha Fanjoy, representing the Coady Circle of Abundance.
CHLOE OLEKSIUK
If you can’t find yourself, lose yourself in the service of others.
Since arriving at StFX, Chloe Oleksiuk has distinguished herself, earning prestigious research awards, playing varsity hockey, and helping change people’s lives through student refugee advocacy – all while working towards an honours health degree. She’s guided by a simple motto, which she discovered posted near her thesis supervisor’s office door: “If you can’t find yourself, lose yourself in the service of others.” “It’s cliché,” says Ms. Oleksiuk, of Winnipeg, MB, “but it’s what I’ve tried to do.”
A Bachelor of Arts and Science in Health student, Ms. Oleksiuk has aspirations of a career in sports medicine. In addition to her athletic commitments, StFX’s World University Services of Canada (WUSC) Society has occupied much of Ms. Oleksiuk’s time at StFX. She’s served three years as copresident of the student society, helping raise more than $10,000 and expand the society to
its largest membership in 40 years. Currently, seven student refugee students are at StFX, a remarkable number given the university’s small size.
Ms. Oleksiuk is grateful for the opportunity to lead and to learn from these students. “They’ve taught me more than I could ever teach them,” she says. “They’ve changed my perspective and gave me so much gratitude. To see how resilient these women are and how positive they are has given me strength. I look to them as an inspiration. They’re brilliant girls, so compassionate, and they will contribute so much to society.”
Mentored in her first year by thenpresident Amy Graham ’21 before teaming with Sierra Banks to lead the society, Ms. Oleksiuk says that WUSC has grounded her and provided purpose, settled her down and gave her hope.
Editor’s Note: The calibre of students at StFX never fails to impress. In this new recurring series, we’re proud to showcase students who are distinguishing themselves in our community and beyond.
Her own life has taken a few hits – literally – these past few years. Notably, she retired from hockey in December 2023 after sustaining a career-ending concussion. Despite this setback, Ms. Oleksiuk credits her volunteer work with helping her find a new path.
Her injuries also helped reinforce her chosen career path.
At StFX, she began researching, with neuroscientist Dr. Erin Mazerolle in the Vascular Training (VAST) Platform, patient engagement content on vascular cognitive impairment and dementia.
The next year, she received a Scotia Scholars Award from Research Nova Scotia to study the link between sport-related concussions and dementia. “I started this project due to my passion for neuroscience and helping athletes who have had concussions,” Ms. Oleksiuk says. “This project allowed me to help share awareness on the long-term cognitive effects of concussions and potentially find more preventative measures for athletes.”
A significant part of her work included sharing her personal story, and early feedback indicates that this point of connection helps other university athletes who are recovering from injury. As their peer, she says, they can see themselves in her.
Recently, Ms. Oleksiuk received an Irving Oil Mentorship Research Award for research on the application and evaluation of a knowledge mobilization activity on sportsrelated concussions and dementia for athletes.
As if she wasn’t busy enough, she’s also a StFX Athletics Community Xcellence Award recipient, a four-year Academic AllCanadian, and a StFX Athletics student athlete mental health representative.
This fall, Ms. Oleksiuk will finish her final year on exchange at Charles University in Prague, after which she plans to apply to both medical schools and neuroscience master’s programs. “I love my research on sportsrelated concussions,” Ms. Oleksiuk notes, “but at the same time, I really want to be a physician.”
LUKE WHITE
Creating legacy and impact.
When Luke White saw the line-up, hundreds of people strong, curling around the Keating and Saputo centres to attend the inaugural Pucks for Purpose Charity Hockey Game, his brainchild that raised over $55,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society and Motionball for the Special Olympics, it lifted his soul.
“That fuels me a lot, creating something that has an impact on other people, creating something that if you hadn’t taken an initiative, it wouldn’t have happened,” says the third year Gerald Schwartz School of business student and Schwartz National Scholar who is completing an advanced major in accounting and a minor in computer science.
“I try to take a creative lens to whatever environment I’m in and think about how I can improve it and make it better,” he says.
Take Pucks for Purpose. Mr. White, its co-chair and founder, knew of the Cure Cancer Classic game at Queen’s University. It looked fun and he saw how much they raised for charity. StFX, with its tight-knit community and sports affinity, would be a great place to bring to life a similar game, he thought.
Tapping into the community, Mr. White says the collective effort of many people made the event possible, from his co-chairs, the executive and brand ambassadors (all students), to sponsors and supporters.
“There was so much to do, from not having anything to making it a special experience for everyone who was there.
“The hope is that when we come back for Homecoming in 10-20 years, the game is bigger and better than what we made.” Bringing something new to life energizes
the Vancouver, BC native, who received recognition in March for his entrepreneurial acumen and community service as a recipient of the $45,000 Frank H. Sobey Award for Excellence in Business Studies.
Winning the award left him speechless. “They’re a huge name in Canadian business, and the recognition propels me and gives me more confidence,” says Mr. White, who one day would like to have his own startup.
Born in Switzerland as a dual GermanCanadian citizen, he was raised in Vancouver, and started his entrepreneurial journey with a tennis racket stringing service in Grade 8. In Grade 11, inspired by his mom’s friend, Jennifer Curleigh ’91, who runs Friday 50’s (which helps Vancouver’s homeless population through food and clothing drives), he co-founded The Good Guys Charitable Foundation, raising over $20,000 to support the homeless. Good Guys still exists today, and he says it’s cool to see this lasting impact.
During COVID-19, when his high school closed and he had to leave his part-time job, he remembers watching his dad use his pressure washer, an experience that sparked an idea of a business offering such services. The concept eventually morphed into Window Wonders Window Cleaning, which launched in 2023, employing seven students. He operated it alongside interning at KPMG, where he was offered a full-time position post-graduation. Since February 2024, he’s worked part-time with KPMG’s Office of the Global Chairman and CEO, a role he took on full-time this summer.
Moving across country to attend StFX, a school where he knew virtually no one, he found a warm welcome. And it didn’t take long to become involved. Along with Pucks for Purpose, he’s been Men’s Tennis Team president; a Xaverian Capital portfolio manager; captain of the JDCC Case Competition Business Strategy team; and special events lead at the MotionballU for Special Olympics Society.
He’s made great friends. and the small classes and personal relationships make the academic experience outstanding. “The professors all know your name. That’s very special.”
CANADA’S TOP 100 MOST POWERFUL WOMEN 2023 INCLUDES TWO STFX ALUMNAE
The Hon. Lisa Raitt ’89 and Megan Rafuse ’07 are in select company. The two StFX alumnae were named as two of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women by WXN (Women’s Executive Network) during an awards gala in Toronto in November 2023. Women from all over Canada were celebrated for their accomplishments within their industries and it was an evening that featured incredible women who are moving the needle within the Canadian business landscape. WXN and its partners proudly recognized these outstanding women who make a transformational difference in their fields and actively shape a more inclusive future, especially in underrepresented areas. “These are women who personify what it means to be powerful through the way they empower and champion others, influence change and stand up for all of us,” says a release from WXN.
The Hon. Lisa Raitt is Vice-Chair and Managing Director, Global Investment Banking, CIBC Capital Markets; and Co-Chair, Coalition for a Better Future. Ms. Raitt joined CIBC Capital
Markets in January 2020, after careers in the public and private sectors. Her focus is on senior client coverage and business development with clients in the energy, infrastructure and industrial sectors. Previously, she was the President and CEO of the Toronto Port Authority. She was elected into the House of Commons in 2008, and held three senior portfolios. Ms. Raitt was the Deputy Leader of the Official Opposition and the Conservative Party of Canada.
Megan Rafuse, CEO & Co-Founder, Shift Collab, is a therapist turned CEO who spent over a decade providing psychotherapy for thousands of highly-driven professionals. Since founding Shift Collab in 2016, the largest Canadian online mental health practice that is female and clinician-owned, she has delivered engaging mental health-focused keynotes at top companies including Vena, Ubisoft, TextNow and North. She is a vocal advocate and mentor with the mental health industry and was awarded the Exceptional Alumni 2023 award from Lakehead University.
L-r, the Hon. Lisa Raitt ’89 and Megan Rafuse ’07
FIGHTING HUNGER
Why Alison Wiley and Joel Rochon are supporting Kevin’s Corner, StFX’s food bank, and why they want more parents to take up the baton.
Alison Wiley and Joel Rochon are helping ease food insecurity amongst students on the StFX campus. And the husband-and-wife from Toronto, ON want other StFX parents to join them.
For the past several years, these StFX parents have generously supported Kevin’s Corner Food Resource Center, a campus resource on second floor Bloomfield Hall, run by student volunteers. It’s a place where all students can pick up food supplies.
Joel remembers the routine call from StFX’s Annual Giving program that started their journey to help deal with food insecurity. The student caller provided an update on StFX and its various fundraising efforts. One topic was Kevin’s Corner.
“Alison and I were somewhat taken aback that there would be a need for a food bank on a university campus, but after thinking about it, we understood that food insecurity permeates all aspects of society, including universities.”
With their son attending university, the issue struck close to home.
When Hurricane Fiona wreaked havoc in 2022, cutting electricity for days, Kevin’s Corner was there helping students with needed snacks and food coupons, Alison remembers.
She says what started as a donation to a worthy cause has ended up as a meaningful, rewarding association for them. “Food insecurity is real. It is part of everyday for many students living on and off campus, but it’s rarely seen, talked about, or addressed. Students between the ages of 18-22 are hungry. Kevin’s Corner aims to address this with real solutions on campus.”
With their directed funds, the dedicated team of students at Kevin’s Corner was able to increase the food bank’s hours of operation, increase distribution and the quality and quantity of food being offered.
“They needed a refrigerator, so we bought a refrigerator. They wanted to have alternatives to the canned and dry goods that Feed Nova Scotia dropped off once a week, so we put a standing order in with Sysco Food Services and had fruit, vegetables, yogurt, eggs, and more, delivered every Tuesday. We started zooming every six weeks to hear about the progress and any further needs or areas of concern. The passionate team at Kevin’s Corner went on to initiate a breakfast program, a snack program for exams, and expanded their reach into the libraries and the Indigenous Resource Centre,” she says.
“We enable with funds, but they execute with full on enthusiasm and professionalism. Joel and I are one family with one son at StFX. There must be other parents and alumni out there who would like to contribute in this very personal way. Not every student can afford a food plan. Not every student has a fridge full of food. Kevin’s Corner is a little safety net, a bright light, and a helping hand.”
Expanding the volunteer core of parents and alumni would be most welcome, especially as their son is set to graduate next spring, and it’s not sustainable for just one set of parents. Having other alumni and parents involved would help fill more of the need.
“It’s been absolutely amazing working with these volunteers,” Joel says. “It’s been a true delight. They’re so committed to this corner of the university. We’re very proud of them and the work they do.”
Going hungry, he says, can impact mental health, increase anxiety, and take away from the students’ ability to focus on school.
“In a small way, we can help alleviate that. We’re delighted we got involved.”
“It’s a gem, a sort of a little secret on campus,” says Alison.
SMILE, WE MET AT X
Friends forever: Since meeting at StFX, a group of 12 from the Class of 2011 have remained best friends,
SOUL SISTERS
Our lives wouldn’t be the same without each other in them.
Twelve women from the Class of 2011 have remained incredibly close since graduation.
“We are all so proud to be StFX alumni and lifelong friends,” says Katie Conklin ’11. “Our lives wouldn’t be the same without our experience and without each other.” Ms. Conklin and Heather McPherson, Andrea Keddy, Bryanne Cummings, Kate Reilly, Sarah Dunham, Danielle Cote, Helena Fiore, Jenna Welch, Shannon Macleod, Andie McMullan, and Kaitlin LeRiche remain as close today as they were as university students 13 years ago.
“I think we formed these really strong bonds in our formative years that can’t be broken,” says Ms. Cummings ’11, who says a highlight of their annual girls’ weekend is a game centred around their links to each other.
“While the activities change each year,” Ms. Cummings says, “there
is always a new game created by Katie and Danielle incorporating memories from StFX (and beyond) that show how well they know us – and are sure to have everyone laughing fits by the end of the night.”
Ms. Conklin says explaining how they met would be like plotting out an investigation on a bulletin board, strings tied in a spider web pattern to identify connections.
“We met in every which way,” she says, “from academic programs and connecting in the frosh line-up, to being dorm-room neighbours and long-lost high school acquaintances. But luck would have it that at some point over our four-year stint at university, we would become an unbreakable group of friends.”
They’ve gone on to a range of occupations, from health care to teaching, public relations to accounting, and while many now reside in and around Halifax, NS, after graduation they spread out across
Pictured, l-r, are Heather McPherson, Andrea Keddy, Bryanne Cummings, Kate Reilly, Sarah Dunham, Danielle Cote, Katie Conklin, Helena Fiore, Jenna Welch, Shannon Macleod, and Andie McMullan. Missing: Kaitlin LeRiche.
StFX has a community focus that makes it so much more than just a school. From the first day you’re there, you feel this sense of belonging and that you’re part of something bigger. Being in a small town, we were all immersed in a similar environment, one that felt safe for us to grow and build these friendships together.
Bryanne Cummings ’11
Atlantic Canada and Ontario, to Victoria, BC, and Nunavut. One still resides in Australia.
“Everyone is really supportive of the busy lives we live, but for the most part make an effort to see each other and stay in contact,” says Ms. Cummings. “But, even with the girls I don’t get to see nearly as often, whenever we do see each other, it’s as if no time has passed and I think that’s special.”
For most, these friendships still form their core group, and in addition to their annual girls’ weekend, they meet for brunches, book clubs, weddings, and baby showers. “It’s the trips we take together, our group chats and inside jokes from some of our best years that keep us connected,” says Ms. Conklin. “It’s not only that we love each other deeply and value our unique wonderful
differences, but also that becoming friends during the most pivotal years of growth bonds us like no other people in our lives.”
Ms. Cummings agrees: “Even though we are all quite different, we share a lot of the same values and always have so many laughs together.” After moving away from Nova Scotia for the first time for a residency program, Ms. Cummings appreciated her friends’ visits and knew she could count on them to get together when she was in Halifax. “Now that I’m living in Nova Scotia again,” she says, “we’ve gotten even closer, and we have a monthly book club with a few of the girls where we just finished our 50th book.”
“These girls are always so supportive, and I genuinely love how we’ve all grown over the years.”
Pictured, bottom photos,on the beach, l-r, Shannon McLeod, Andrea Keddy, Jenna Welch, Kaitlin LeRiche, Sarah Dunham, Kate Reilly, Katie Conklin, Helena Fiore, and Danielle Cote.
By the heart: Jenna Welch, Kate Reilly, Bryanne Cummings, Andrea Keddy, Helena Fiore, and Katie Conklin.
Mr. Mulroney is pictured in front of Xavier Hall during one of his many visits to campus.
THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF A REMARKABLE XAVERIAN
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE BRIAN MULRONEY ’59
“With heartfelt gratitude, profound admiration, and a deep sense of reverence, we are honoured to cherish and commemorate the enduring legacy of conviction that our 18th Prime Minister left for us.” - Message that accompanied roses left by an anonymous student
Carrying a bouquet of red roses, the StFX student paused quietly for a moment in the foyer of the Brian Mulroney Institute of Government at StFX, just outside the Prime Minister’s Replica Office. Standing solemnly by a bust bearing the likeness of Canada’s 18th Prime Minister, the young man, visibly shaken, marked a moment in history, placing the flowers in tribute to one of StFX’s most loyal and remarkable alumni.
“I’m doing this on behalf of all of us,” he said as mourners congregated in Mulroney Hall to sign a book of condolences and to remember one of StFX’s, and indeed Canada’s, greatest champions, The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney, P.C., C.C., G.O.Q.., Class of 1959, who passed away February 29, 2024.
Upon learning of the loss, the StFX community came together to pay respects to an alumnus who has done so much for the university, Canada, and the world. Short weeks later, by invitation of the family, five StFX officials, including President Dr. Andy Hakin, attended the Government of Canada state funeral March 23, 2024 in Montréal. The state funeral was preceded by a lying-in-state in Ottawa, and a lying-in-repose in Montréal.
Mr. Mulroney and his wife Mila watch one of the many videos about his extraordinary life that can be viewed in Mulroney Hall.
At StFX, the community gathered once again for a live broadcast in Barrick Auditorium, Mulroney Hall. “Mr. Mulroney was a remarkable individual, a visionary and a true champion for St. Francis Xavier University. He cared deeply for StFX, and his commitment to our faculty, staff and our students was undeniable,” said StFX President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Andy Hakin. “Mr. Mulroney’s efforts transformed the campus and the way we deliver our academic mission, spanning all facets of the student experience – from the construction of the Alumni Aquatic Centre decades ago, to the inspiring visionary behind the Brian Mulroney Institute of Government. Mr. Mulroney took every opportunity to introduce StFX to other thought-leaders who would influence the way we educate.”
Brian Mulroney grew up along the north shore of the St. Lawrence River in the community of Baie-Comeau. As there was no Englishlanguage Catholic high school, he was sent as a teenager to Chatham, NB to complete his secondary education at St. Thomas High School. Following graduation, and still just 16 years of age, he stepped foot on StFX campus as a freshman, commencing a relationship and a passion for StFX, a relationship that consistently strengthened over the decades.
As a student of political science, he became involved with the debate team and the student Progressive Conservative society, both of which helped him find his voice, and set him on a path that eventually led to 24 Sussex Drive. Much has already been said about the incredible political career that followed, but the Xaverian
community has a more personal legacy on which to reflect.
Before he was elected leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party in 1983, Mr. Mulroney served as president of the Iron Ore Company of Canada. During that time, his alma mater bestowed upon him an honorary doctor of laws in 1978. In his speech to the graduating class, he remarked: “StFX is of course special to me. It is a monument to the sacrifice of others – some uneducated, some unsung, all selfless – who many years ago wanted to ensure that people like you and me would have what they were so frequently denied – opportunity. And so they built a university – a great university – with care and devotion.”
Mr. Mulroney demonstrated how special StFX was to him when he accepted an invitation from then StFX President Rev. Dr. Gregory MacKinnon to spearhead a major fundraising campaign. The goal was a considerable $7 million. By the time he was through, he helped raise $11 million. The most tangible reminder of that success was the construction of the Alumni Aquatic Centre.
His largest campaign to help his alma mater, with an initial goal of $60 million, raised over $100 million for the construction of Mulroney Hall and the establishment of the Brian Mulroney Institute of Government. This included millions of dollars dedicated to scholarships and bursaries, from which StFX students will benefit for generations.
Brian Mulroney dedicated his life to the service of Canada and Canadians. He leaves a legacy of dedicated leadership that led Canada through a period of considerable domestic and international change.
Mr. Mulroney and his wife Mila visiting campus during the official opening of The Brian Mulroney Institute of Government.
“At StFX, he made friends of a lifetime, learned from talented professors. It was here he learned the power of ideas and the power of ideas that could change the world.”
Dr. Mila Mulroney ’04
And yet, he never forgot his roots. In his memoirs, Mr. Mulroney wrote: “Many people experience an event in their lives that changes everything. We often don’t realize it at the time, but when we look back, that particular event becomes transformational. This happened to me in the autumn of 1955 when I entered St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, NS and settled into a four-year experience that set me on a course for a career in law, business and politics.”
Brian Mulroney’s membership in the Xaverian family was something he valued beyond measure. As we mark his passing, we cherish our memories of him. Most of all, we remember his human touch.
THE POWER OF STFX: DR. MILA MULRONEY ’04 SHARES IMPACTFUL MESSAGE
The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney ’59 never forgot the community he found, the values he learned, the friendships he cherished, and the education he received at StFX. His wife, Dr. Mila Mulroney, speaking publicly for the first time since his passing, encouraged StFX’s Class of 2024 to do likewise.
Dr. Mulroney, a 2004 StFX honorary degree recipient, delivered an impactful, emotional message during Spring Convocation 2024. She was accompanied to the ceremony by son Mark and daughter-in-law Vanessa.
“Brian loved StFX,” she told graduates, sharing how her husband arrived as a 16-year-old son of a working-class family from an isolated area of Quebec, carrying nothing more than a cardboard suitcase and
wearing his only blazer. But the things he didn’t have paled in comparison to what he did have: hope, humour, ambition, and an understanding of human nature. At StFX, he made friends of a lifetime, learned from talented professors. “It was here he learned the power of ideas and the power of ideas that could change the world.”
Speaking of a tradition of former prime ministers and presidents to establish a physical space, a library, for their papers, she said Mr. Mulroney always felt StFX was the place for his. But more than a library, he believed it beneficial to establish a place for students, a school dedicated to public service and policy, two of his passions: passions he discovered at StFX. He raised over $100 million and today the Brian Mulroney Institute of Government offers 80 scholarships, bursaries, and internships, including those specifically for Black Nova Scotia and Aboriginal Canadians.
“Brian didn’t contribute to have a name on a building. He believed in the education,” she said, the most powerful force to change the world and create opportunity for young Canadians.
It’s inspiring to think what members of the 2024 graduating class will achieve, Dr. Mulroney said. Like her late husband, she urged StFX’s newest alumni to continue to pay it forward, to never forget this foundation.
Editor’s Note: Please watch for more on the life and legacy of The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney in an In Memorial in the upcoming edition of the Mulroney Institute Annual Report, found on the Institute’s website..
Dr. Mila Mulroney addresses 2024 spring convocation.
Coady participants are excited to meet the former Prime Minister in Mulroney Hall.
Mr. Mulroney shares a laugh with his wife Mila in the Prime Minister’s replica office.
EACH OF US HAS THE POWER TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Elder Sister Dorothy Moore, Stephen A. Schwarzman and Christine Schwarzman, and Tom Langley awarded honorary degrees at Spring Convocation 2024
From the proud tears and beaming smiles of family members to friends coming together for celebratory photos, the Charles V. Keating Centre rang with joy as more than 1,000 students graduated on May 5.
Four extraordinary people who have helped improve society, in education, business, and philanthropy, were recognized with honorary degrees and welcomed into the Xaverian family.
Receiving the degree Doctor of Laws honoris causa were Stephen A. Schwarzman, philanthropist, and chairman, CEO, and co-founder of Blackstone, one of the world’s leading investment firms; Christine Schwarzman, lawyer, philanthropist, and patroness of arts and culture; Elder Sister Dorothy Moore ’74, educator, activist, and respected Mi’kmaw elder; and Tom Langley ’61, former StFX Vice-President, Finance and Administration.
The achievements of four StFX faculty members were also
celebrated: Dr. Leona English, Department of Adult Education, received the distinction of professor emerita; Dr. Dan Robinson, Faculty of Education, was awarded the University Research Award; and the Outstanding Teaching Award went to both Dr. Peter Kikkert, Public Policy and Governance, and to Dr. Riley Olstead, Department of Sociology.
PRIDE IN YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
StFX President Dr. Andy Hakin reminded graduates to find their passion, to strive to make a positive difference, and do so with kindness.
He also reflected on a remarkable alumnus, the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney ’59, who passed away in February of 2024. Mr. Mulroney’s wife, Mila, was present for convocation, and was joined by their son, Mark, and daughter-in-law, Vanessa.
Mr. Mulroney, who had planned to be at Convocation, would no doubt be proud to see the collective accomplishments of the Class of 2024, and their power to make a difference. “His aspiration was clear,” Dr. Hakin said of Mr. Mulroney. “If even one student enters these halls and contributes to making Canada great, then all our efforts will have been worthwhile. You all have potential to make Canada good.”
SET YOUR GOALS HIGH
“It is a deep honour for me to accept this degree,” Dr. Stephen A. Schwarzman said in his remarks.
Dr. Schwarzman said he was lucky to call the late prime minister his friend. “When Mr. Mulroney was graduating from StFX, in seats like where you are today, who would imagine that this young man from rural Quebec would go on to become a great lawyer, business
advisor and politician? Who would have anticipated that this graduate from StFX would help lead the fight against apartheid and to free Nelson Mandela, who would go on to be a pioneer of Free Trade?” Dr. Schwarzman said.
Likewise, Dr. Schwarzman said his own life has been marked by ambition, hard work, and no shortage of good luck. As a young graduate of Yale, he didn’t know what the future would bring. When he started his company, Blackstone in 1985, it employed two people. It has since become one of the world’s largest alternative investment firms, with more than 4,700 employees.
Success never happens without extremely hard work, he noted, and advised students to work hard and set lofty goals: “Always set your goals and ambitions as high as you can.”
“Thank you very much for this honour,” Dr. Christine Schwarzman
Christine Schwarzman
Elder Sister Dorothy Moore ’74
L-r, The Hon. Frank McKenna ‘70, Dr. Mila Mulroney ’04, Dr. Christine Schwarzman and Dr. Stephen A. Schwarzman.
Stephen A. Schwarzman
said as she addressed convocation. “It has been inspiring to experience the exceptional spirit of StFX firsthand.” Dr. Schwarzman, a lawyer, philanthropist, and lifelong theatre lover, turned her third act towards producing for the stage. She is president of No Guarantees, a theatrical company which has won four Tony awards. Among their credits is the hit musical, Come from Away.
WE ARE ALL STRONGER TOGETHER
Elder Sister Dr. Dorothy Moore, with the assistance of StFX anthropology professor Dr. L. Jane McMillan, reminded attendees that we are “stronger together.” Dr. McMillan read powerfully from Elder Sister Dr. Moore’s memoir, A Journey of Love and Hope. The Inspirational Words of a Mi’kmaw Elder.
Dr. Moore said that the best gift her parents gave her was to be
proud of who she is. Early in life, she came to know discrimination and injustice; yet, she persevered, learning to unlock doors by “bring[ing] back our language, our culture, our traditions, our spirituality, of who we really are.
“I celebrate you, and the possibility of a just and equitable future.”
Dr. Langley, who gave more than 40 years of service to StFX, said he is grateful to accept this honour, especially as it comes the same day that four more of his grandchildren graduated from StFX. “The world is as imperfect now as it is ever been,” Dr. Langley said, “and many times you may feel overwhelmed.” Still, he encouraged graduates to have hope. “You are the ones actively changing the world.” Dr. Langley said he hopes the graduating class will go into the world with many positive skills, including the ability to truly listen, to discern real information from false, to look at people for who they
Dr. Dan Robinson
Dr. Leona English
Tom Langley ’61
are, to have respect and tolerance for others, and to refuse to engage in negativity.
XAVERIAN VALUES
During the ceremony, StFX also paid tribute to Chancellor John Peacock ’63, whose term as Chancellor is coming to a close. Senior class co-presidents Abbey Mombourquette ’24 and Taylor Gorman ’24 thanked him for his many contributions.
Convocation also heard from Dr. Mila Mulroney, 2004 honorary degree recipient, who reminded all that education is the most powerful force to change the world and to create opportunity. “It’s inspiring,” she said, “to think what members of the graduating class will go on to achieve.”
Katherine Starr ’24 and Simon Maltby ’24 spoke on behalf of the senior class, and Elder-in-Residence Kerry Prosper ’09 brought inspirational remarks. Father Donald MacGillivray ’79 delivered the invocation and the Most Reverend Wayne Joseph Kirkpatrick, Vicar of the Founder, gave the benediction. Councillor Trevor Gould, Paqtnkek First Nation, celebrated the graduating class with the Mi’kmaq Honour Song.
Alumni Association president Mike Gillis ’87 welcomed students to an alumni network that is now 50,000 strong. He asked graduates to take their X-Rings, worn since December 3rd, and in keeping with tradition, turn them around so the graduation years now face out.
“You and your ring are now ready to face the world.”
Simon Maltby ’24
Katherine Starr ’24
Dr. Peter Kikkert
ALUMNI HAPPENINGS
COMMUNITY SPIRIT FLOURISHES IN BUSY WINTER AND SPRING OF ALUMNI EVENTS
This year kicked off with a variety of alumni events, fostering community spirit and engagement. In January, Halifax alumni gathered for a Thunderbird’s Lacrosse event with over 200 StFX alumni and friends in the stands and over $1,000 raised for the HRM Chapter Bursary. Receptions in London, England, and Florida further connected alumni globally.
February saw the Antigonish/Guysborough Chapter supporting the X-Women hockey team as they filled the stands for the last regular season home game. while in March, StFX hosted the 2024 AUS Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championship at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax. As usual, the stands had no shortage of Blue and White. Notably, the X-Women qualified for the first time since 2013, and the X-Men, ranked first, were narrowly defeated by the Dalhousie Tigers in a heartbreaking overtime loss. All our athletes have worked incredibly hard this year, showcasing their dedication and excellence.
April continued the momentum with a QMJHL game in Moncton and President’s Receptions returning to Moncton and Fredericton for the first time in five years, with the New Brunswick swing capped off in Saint John. Alumni and friends of all ages enjoyed a sold-out game between Ottawa and Montreal for the inaugural season of the
Professional Women’s Hockey League in Ottawa.
In June, our Ottawa alumni participated in the 14th annual Ottawa Atlantic University Pub Night, StFX capturing the title of most alumni in attendance and the event raising over $1,000 for the Ottawa Food Bank. In the spirit of service, Calgary hosted the Dave Bernatchez Memorial Golf Tournament with proceeds supporting the David Bernatchez Memorial Bursary at StFX and the Canucks Rugby Club (Calgary), in support of junior rugby.
The fun continues this summer with alumni events focused around a Halifax Wanderers soccer game, a Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox showdown at Rogers Centre, followed by a first-time alumni reception stop in Barrie, ON.
These events provide valuable opportunities for alumni to connect, reconnect, network, and strengthen their ties to the StFX community.
Looking ahead, alumni can anticipate more opportunities to connect and celebrate shared experiences, including a pair of events in Calgary: The annual Calgary Stampede event (July 9), Halifax’s Harbour Boat Cruise (August 16) and for our local alumni, the Father Kehoe Classic Golf Tournament (August 23) will be held at the Antigonish Golf Club to raise funds for StFX Athletics.
LONDON, ENGLAND
BARRIE, ON
MONCTON, NB
LONDON, ENGLAND
SAINT JOHN, NB
SARASOTA, FL
FREDERICTON, NB
OTTAWA, ON
TORONTO, ON
2024 HALL OF HONOUR
The StFX Hall of Honour recognizes members of the StFX community who have carried on the StFX tradition of helping others. The Hall of Honour serves as an inspiration to current students to ensure this StFX tradition continues. The 2024 inductees Miriam (Beaton) Gillis ’69 ’70, Leo T. Gallant ’69, and the late Dr. Robert (Bob) M. MacDonald ’59 have promoted StFX and its ideals through involvement in their communities.
STFX ALUMNI AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE
Each year at Homecoming, we honour our Alumni Awards of Excellence winners. These awards recognize the contributions and accomplishments of special members of our Xaverian Family. It is our honour to formally announce the winners of the 2024 Alumni Awards of Excellence.
Miriam (Beaton) Gillis ’69 ‘70
Leo T. Gallant ‘69
The Late Dr. Robert (Bob) M. MacDonald ’59
Marc Rodrigue ’08 Young Alumnus of the Year
Dr. Wendy Mackey ’13 ’21 Faculty of Education Xaverian Spirit Award
Mike MacDonald ’71 ’74 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year
Wheel Pizza & Sub Shop Friend of StFX
ALUMNI RECOGNITION AWARD WINNERS
Congratulations to Paul Eades (first-year), Erica Cameron (second-year), Joshua Kroker (third-year), and Katherine Starr (fourth-year ), who have been selected as the 2024 recipients of the annual Alumni Recognition Awards. To be considered for this award, candidates must submit an essay about the impact that StFX has had on them. Finalists then attend an interview with members of the Alumni Association Council. Four awards of $2,000 each are made to one student in each undergraduate year of study.
EXCITING EVENTS ON THE HORIZON FOR ALUMNI CHAPTERS
It was particularly gratifying to welcome back to campus in early June over 30 alumni chapter representatives for a weekend of StFX Alumni Association planning and strategizing upcoming events aimed at attracting alumni of all ages! We were thrilled to have alumni from most Canadian provinces and a few international representatives in attendance, each leaving campus with a desire to promote all things StFX in the communities in which they reside. One of the focuses of our alumni association this year is chapter development, both in creating new chapters in new locations and in hosting more events in our well-established chapters. Additionally, the
association is focusing on creating mentoring and networking opportunities for affinitybased groups, such as job specific or interest specific. One such chapter the association will be launching in the coming months is a Black Alumni Chapter. For more information in any of these areas or if you are interested in joining or starting a local StFX alumni chapter in your area, please email alumni@stfx.ca. We’d love to have you involved and to help us remain as Canada’s most engaged alumni network!
Hail and Health!
Shanna Hopkins ’01 Director, Alumni Affairs
The StFX Alumni Association Council presents the StFX Students’ Union with a cheque for $28,000 to support the Drive U Van. This is a student-run service, providing a safe and free drive home anywhere within 15 km of campus. Drive U operates throughout the academic year. Last year, they provided over 1,300 drives home!
Join Canada’s most engaged alumni network.
Choosing where to attend university is a big step, and we want you to feel confident in whatever decision you make. That’s why our team of recruiters are here to provide you with all of the information you need to decide if StFX is the right fit for you.
FROM ALUMNI AFFAIRS l SHANNA HOPKINS ’01, DIRECTOR
Shanna Hopkins ’01
Paul Eades
Erica Cameron
Joshua Kroker
Katherine Starr
GIVING BACK THE RIGHT THING TO DO, SAYS PARENT CYNTHIA VANBUSKIRK
Watching their son, Cecil, thrive and grow at StFX, Cynthia and Kelly VanBuskirk of Rothesay, NB, knew one thing – they wanted to support the university even after he graduated in 2020.
“He had such great success there, and loved it so much, it was just the right thing to do,” says Mrs. VanBuskirk. Her son graduated with a BBA from the Gerald Schwartz School of Business with a minor in music.
“In a small way, we hope it helps,” she says. “We know it’s expensive to run a university.”
The Van Buskirks hope that their support helps future students benefit from the same
great faculty, programs, and facilities that so profoundly influenced their son. “That’s why I’m continuing to give, to keep the spirit of StFX. It’s quite a magical place. It really is.”
She affirms that a donation doesn’t have to be large to make a big difference: “It all helps.”
Cecil grew in many ways at StFX, she says. Along with academics, he became actively involved in the campus community, serving as Students’ Union president his senior year, competing on the rowing team the entirety of his four years, and spending three years as Captain X, the spirited varsity mascot. Cecil’s Captain X became such a
“That’s why I’m continuing to give, to keep the spirit of StFX. It’s quite a magical place. It really is.”
popular figure during his time on campus that he was asked to do private birthday parties for area children. It’s a tradition he’s continued as he is now serves as Fleaburn, the mascot for the Saint John Sea Dogs.
Today, Cecil is employed at Irving Oil in the Innovation Department, is a member of several volunteer boards, including the StFX Alumni Council, and is married to fellow StFX rower and graduate Kaitlin VanSteeg – they’re expecting their first child in July. Kaitlin will soon be a three-time graduate of StFX. She has degrees in human kinetics (2015) and education (2017) and is currently enrolled in the Master of Education program.
Cynthia VanBuskirk, now semi-retired and running a small wedding planning business, and husband Kelly, a labour and employment lawyer, says the family didn’t have any ties to StFX until Cecil’s youth involvement with competitive hockey and rowing exposed them to campus and the local community through tournaments and regattas.
Cecil connected with StFX Rowing Club president and coach Dr. Katie Edwards and decided to attend StFX, where he fostered strong relationships, including with staff and faculty members such as Dr. Edwards (who emceed Cecil and Kaitlin’s 2021 wedding), music professor Paul Tynan, and Andrew Beckett, then StFX Vice-President Finance and Administration.
Dr. Edwards and Mr. Beckett were solid advisors when he became Students’ Union president, Mrs. VanBuskirk says. The job wasn’t always easy, but he successfully navigated its challenges. “Through that experience, as Students’ Union president, he learned and grew the most in leadership skills,” she says, “as well as in being able to take and give feedback, and to relate to people.”
Cynthia VanBuskirk and her son Cecil VanBuskirk ’20
Popular for guests attending conferences, meetings, weddings or even visiting the local area. Our rooms feature private bathrooms, microwaves, fridges, working desks, TVs and access to elevators. Guest amenities include laundry facilities, access to our fitness facilities (pool, sauna and gym, see schedule), ice machine and Wi-Fi. We look forward to seeing you and we welcome back our Alumni!
Our goal is to go beyond your Xpectations! We understand the importance of a successful event. Whether you are planning a leadership conference, corporate retreat, athletic camp, birthday party, or a wedding, hosting at X means creating an unforgettable experience for your delegates or guests. We will take the worry off your shoulders and work with you on designing a unique and special experience! Let us help you organize your event featuring Maritime Hospitality with our in-house Bar & Catering Services. One of our experienced Event Coordinators will work with you on a package that meets your needs. With a pedestrian friendly campus, you can park your vehicle when you arrive and pick it up when you are ready to leave.
EVENT SERVICES
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AMANDA SMITH, KYLE CORDEIRO AND SILAS FAGNAN NAMED 2024 STFX STUDENT-ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
X-Women Hockey forward Amanda Smith, X-Men Soccer midfielder Kyle Cordeiro and X-Men Football quarterback Silas Fagnan were honoured as the 2024 StFX student-athletes of the year.
Amanda Smith, a second-year education student from Ottawa, ON captained the X-Women to a perfect 12-0-0 season as she garnered 2023 AUS tournament MVP honours in leading the blue and white to the AUS championship title. Her 28 points tied for best overall in the country, while her 22-goal season was the second highest in conference history. Ms. Smith graduates as the all-time career leading X-Women goal scorer (50), having been named an AUS first team all-star and U SPORTS all-Canadian four times.
Kyle Cordeiro, a fourth-year business student from Oakville, ON led the conference in goals (nine) and points (11) as he earned AUS most valuable player honours. A key contributor to the X-Men team that won their first AUS championship banner since 1994, Mr. Cordeiro was named AUS tournament MVP, and was a U SPORTS first team All-Canadian after receiving his third consecutive nod as an AUS first team all-star.
Silas Fagnan, a fifth-year human kinetics student from Bonnyville, AB, quarterbacked the three-time consecutive AUS champion X-Men Football team. With a league-best 8-0 record, he garnered the AUS most valuable player honours for the second time in his career. Mr. Fagnan earned AUS all-star recognition for the third consecutive season and his 2,075 passing yards are the eighth highest singleseason total in AUS history and ranked third in school history.
Other major award winners at the athletic awards gala included Community X-Cellence awards winners Elizabeth Kennedy (X-Women Basketball) and Oliver Storseth (X-Men Soccer). StFX soccer head coach Graham Kennedy was honoured as the 2024 StFX Coach of the Year while the ‘X-Ceptional Award,’ which recognizes individuals who go above and beyond to contribute in a positive manner to StFX Athletics, was awarded to long-time Athletics supporters Bil ’67 ’69 and Bernice Kiely ’78
Bernice ’78 (left) and Bill Kiely ’67 ’69 (right) with StFX Athletics Director Leo MacPherson ’89.
LEADERSHIP HIGHLIGHTED
StFX Leadership Academy instructors Dr. Angie Kolen and Leo MacPherson ’89 present the elite leaders with certificates at the annual year end celebratory breakfast
Central to the success of StFX Athletics is the innovative approach to leadership development through the StFX Student-Athlete Leadership Academy. Established in 2012 and the first of its kind in Canada, the academy offers a tailored curriculum aimed at systematically developing leaders among student-athletes. The curriculum is structured for progression as launch, rising, veteran and elite leaders, striving to challenge, develop and support StFX student-athletes in their quest to become world-class leaders in athletics, academics, and life.
STFX SPORTS HALL OF FAME WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS
StFX Athletics inducted its 25th class into the StFX Sports Hall of Fame at an October induction ceremony. The Class of 2023 inductees included four athletes, one builder and two teams. Individual inductees included: Back, l-r: Varouj Gurunlian ’80 ‘81 (Basketball), Tony Grassa ’82 (Football); Front: Sheila (Murrin) Smith ’88 ’90 (Basketball), Tanya (MacMillan) Feltmate ’87 (Soccer), and posthumously Laurence ‘Larry’ Streete ’55 (Builder) represented by daughter Lori Streete-Beausoleil
StFX President Dr. Andy Hakin and Director of Athletics Leo MacPherson ’89 present family members with the 1958-59 X-Men Basketball induction photo. Pictured, l-r, are Rae Sanborn and Stephanie Lalonde, son and daughter of Joe Sanborn, along with Rich Foshay, son of Ernie Foshay
Athletes, coaches, and staff from the 1983 StFX X-Men Football team were inducted into the StFX Sports Hall of Fame in the team category.
WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS IN INDIA ADAPT TO CHANGING CLIMATE:
STFX STUDENT INTERNS CONDUCT FOCUS GROUPS WITH SEWA
Recent StFX graduates Emma Jewkes ’23 and Sydney Anthony ’24 are already proving how young alumni can impact the world around them. As undergraduates, they travelled to Ahmedabad, India as part of the Sears Internships in Social Enterprise Program – an initiative launched as part of the John T. Sears Chair in Corporate Social Responsibility at the Schwartz School of Business.
The Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), a longstanding partner of StFX’s Coady Institute, hosted the students while they worked alongside the organization to conduct participatory research on the impact of climate change for women working in India’s informal economy.
SEWA is the single largest central trade union globally, with more than 2.5 million members across 18 states in India.
“The women are experiencing decreased productivity and working hours because of the extreme heat. They’re becoming dehydrated because water can sometimes be hard to access. They’re facing heat stroke and heat shock, fatigue, fainting, nausea, and vomiting,” Ms. Jewkes explains.
“There’s also school closures because it’s simply too hot for the children and teachers.”
The duo share how unseasonal rains are impacting the agricultural sector.
“Crops are getting destroyed – rain comes too soon, the crops are too young, and they’re completely flooded. Crops that are stored in their yards are drenched and get
moldy and can’t be sold. There’s flooding that just completely washes out fields. The ground is not porous, it’s not ready to absorb the rain in the dry season.”
Ms. Anthony says they were interested in the innovative ways in which the women are adapting to these challenges.
The workers are “drinking more water,
eating less spicy food, and wearing protective clothing to protect themselves from the heat,” as well as adapting their working hours to avoid working through the hottest periods of the day, when possible.
She says the women are also leveraging clean technologies to not only help adapt to changing working conditions, but also to reduce energy and water waste, and help ‘close the loop’ as a form of circular economy.
“Solar lights are allowing women to work later into the day and avoid working during the heat. They’re also being used as an alternative form for pesticides during the night, as well as solar fans and irrigation pumps,” Ms. Anthony explains.
The students explain how SEWA is leveraging industry changes to help break down barriers for women as leaders in local and global economies.
“SEWA was really able to identify the opportunities in green entrepreneurship,” Ms. Anthony says.
“They recognize this new market – they recognize that there’s not really a formal gender norm that has been set [yet]. And they really want the women to be able to take up space in this new market. So, they’re doing this by training the women, also the women’s daughters, in installation and maintenance services for green technology.”
Dr. Brad Long, the John. T. Sears Chair in Social Responsibility at StFX, and Yogesh Ghore, Program Teaching Staff at Coady Institute supervised the students’ research.
Recent StFX graduates Emma Jewkes ’23 (left) and Sydney Anthony ’24 travelled as undergraduates to Ahmedabad, India as part of the Sears Internships in Social Enterprise Program – an initiative launched as part of the John T. Sears Chair in Corporate Social Responsibility at the Schwartz School of Business.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Check out www.stfx.ca/alumni for a complete listing of upcoming events and up-to-date details.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7
PRESIDENT’S RECEPTION Yarmouth, NS
FRI-SUN, OCTOBER 4-6
HOMECOMING Antigonish, NS
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23
PRESIDENT’S RECEPTION Montreal, QC
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24
PRESIDENT’S RECEPTION Ottawa, ON The Honorary Degree Committee invites nominations of distinguished and prominent individuals for consideration for the award of an honorary degree. A summary of the criteria and procedures for making a nomination can be found by visiting www.stfx.ca/honorary-degrees
Tom Langley ‘61, Honorary Degree, 2024
CELEBRATING OUR DONORS
2024 PRESIDENT’S GALA
St. Francis Xavier University is grateful for the tremendous generosity of its donors, whose contributions make all the difference to students. In a night to celebrate and thank donors, the StFX community came together June 15 for the 49 th annual President’s Club Gala. Since the inception of this event in 1975, President’s Club members have donated over $252 million to StFX. “And, this past year was historic: together, we raised more than $31.5 million in private donations. I can’t say THANK YOU enough!” said Wendy Langley ’92, Director of Development. Fellowship was certainly evident throughout the night. A special highlight included honouring the service of Chancellor John Peacock ’63 whose term concludes August 31. “What a remarkable legacy John has created in his work as our Chancellor and as an
alumnus,” said David Graham ’92, Vice-President, Advancement and the evening’s host. A panel of professors and students shared the impressive research happening at StFX. Panelists included Dr. Mark MacIsaac ’91, Shannon Ouellette ’24, Dr. Anna Zuschlag, Katherine Starr ’24, Claire Tramble, Dr. Greg Hadley ’05, ’07, ’16, ’20, and Maddie Tennant ’22, ’24. Entertainment included performances by the Grant School of Highland Dancers; a Jingle Dance by Ainslee Pictou and Kayleigh Augustine; and Keppoch Players musicians Emery van de Wiel, Julia Shields ’23 and Derek LeBlanc. In a surprise moment and emotional part of the ceremony, Board of Governors Chair Dennis Flood ’80 presented Dr. Andy Hakin with an honorary X-Ring. Dr. Hakin recently renewed his term as president.
New 10-Year Xaverian Patron Dr. William H. Blackburn ’64 with his wife Dr. Ramona Lumpkin
Adrian ’75 and Patricia Morrison’75 ’76, Lifetime Xaverian Patrons
New Lifetime Xaverian John H. Farrell ’57, with his daughters Erin (left) and Kerry Farrell
Kathleen Provost ’21 and Richard Burelle. 10-Year Xaverian Patrons
PRESIDENT’S CLUB MEMBERS REACHING MILESTONES IN 2023-24
NEW LIFETIME XAVERIAN PATRONS
Recognizing $100,000 and above in lifetime giving
Marc and Dr. Clare Champoux
John H. Farrell
Adrian & Patricia Morrison
Mona Wakim Brown & Simon Brown
Class of 1954
Class of 1959
NEW TWENTY-YEAR XAVERIAN PATRONS
Recognizing 20 Consecutive Years of President’s Club Membership
James and Carolyn Bowne
Jack Forbes
Paula A. Jesty
Hon. Angus MacIsaac
Robert and Janice MacKay
Roderick J. Muise
NEW TEN-YEAR XAVERIAN PATRONS
Recognizing 10 Consecutive Years of President’s Club Membership
Dr. Erin Austen and Jeff Teasdale
Andrew Beckett and Wendy Connors-Beckett
Dr. William H. Blackburn
Roger and Joanne Campbell
Jeffrey Dee
Kevin Doucet and Cheryl Riley-Doucet
Hon. Alphonsus and Maureen Faour
John H. Martin
Scott G. Miller
C. Patrick O’Neill
Kathleen Provost and Richard Burelle
Paul A. Richards
Sisters of Charity
Kathleen Sullivan-Robertsson
Robyn J. A. Tingley
Dr. Margo Watt
Dr. David Faour ’11 (right) and his wife Dr. Sarah Faour ’10 accept on behalf of David’s parents, the Hon. Alphonsus and Maureen Faour, new 10-Year Xaverian Patrons.
Hon. Angus MacIsaac ’72 , Twenty-Year Xaverian Patron
Owen Carrigan ’54 accepts the Lifetime Xaverian Patron award on behalf of the Class of 1954
Dr. Clare ’88 and Marc Champoux ’88 (centre) are congratulated by Dr. Andy and Linda Hakin as Lifetime Xaverian Patrons
Jeffrey Dee ’93 (second from right) with his wife Amy Dee (second left), new 10-Year Xaverian Patron, with Linda and Dr. Andy Hakin
Linda and Dr. Andy Hakin congratulate Jack Forbes ’56, a new Twenty-Year Xaverian Patron
StFX President Dr. Andy Hakin was surprised with an honorary X-Ring during the President’s Club Gala. Pictured, Dr. Hakin and his wife Linda celebrate the moment with Board of Governors Chair Dennis Flood ’80 (left) and Chancellor John Peacock ’63 (right).
Maura Keenan ’59 (centre) accepts the Lifetime Xaverian Patron award on behalf of the Class of 1959 from Linda and Dr. Andy Hakin
Jeff Teasdale ’94 (centre) accepts the 10-Year Xaverian Patron award on behalf of himself and Dr. Erin Austen’96 from Linda (left) and Dr. Andy Hakin
Colin (C.F.) Boyd ’49
D.D. Boyd
Eileen (Boyd) Donahoe ’32
Stephen Boyd ’71
Maura (Strapps) Archibald ’00
WHO CAN FORM THE LARGEST
FAMILY TREE
FIVE GENERATIONS (AND COUNTING!)
For Nora (Donahoe) Strapps ’69, StFX is all in the family as five generations (and counting!) are StFX alumni, including Nora, her husband Walter ’70, her mother, her grandfather, four of her children and a grandson (a current StFX student.) As well, two of her sisters, a sister-in-law, two uncles, a great-aunt, several cousins, a niece and nephew, and a daughter-in-law are X grads! Can you form a larger tree? Send yours to alumni@stfx.ca!
Combasson ’00
Emily (Feehan) Doucet ’09
Kyle Archibald ’27
Walter Strapps ’70
Tom Strapps ’94
NEWS EXCHANGE
Send News Exchange items to Lianne Campbell, Alumni Affairs, Office St. Francis Xavier University, PO Box 5000, Antigonish, NS B2G 2W5
Phone: (902) 867-2186 • Fax: (902) 867-3659 • Email: alumni@stfx.ca
The Van De Wiel family, Michael ’89, Marlene ’91, Sydney ’21 and Taylor ’23, from St.
NL, made it to Everest Base Camp at 5,364 meters. The 167-km trek took a total of two weeks. They were part of a larger group of like-minded trekkers raising money for the Tim Hortons Foundation Camps. They raised just over $600,000.
Albert Joseph (AJ) Boudreau ’57, and 88 years young, out for his daily walk along Lake Banook. Some members of the StFX Rowing Team stopped to chat with AJ when they saw him wearing his StFX hat and were in awe at the unbelievable 1957 price of his StFX engineering ring - a whopping $17.75
John’s,
Britney Benoit ’10 and Lee McCarron ’10 welcomed baby Noah Benoit-McCarron on January 29, 2024. Britney is also faculty in the Rankin School of Nursing.
Dr. Kwasi Nkansah, Akeem Foster (BC Lions Grey Cup), Henoc Muamba (Argos Grey Cup), Tim Lang, Kwame Osei, Cauchy Mumaba (BC Lions Grey Cup), Coach Gary Waterman.
Michael Greencorn ’07, recipient of the University of Glasgow’s Lord Kelvin-Adam Smith Scholarship, keeps his X-Ring, family, and alma mater “close to his heart” during graduation for his PhD in engineering in December 2023.
Joe Thibault ’12, Brendan Connors ’10, and Kail Carruthers ’12 proudly showing their X-Rings
Jessica MacDonald ‘15 and Jason Thorpe ’15 wed on June 10, 2023 in Guysborough, NS with Fr. Danny MacLennan ‘85 officiating.
Donald A. Richard ’89 and Giselle Sceles ’92 were married on January 3, 2024 in Cancun, Mexico.
Brendan ’10 and Amanda Connors at their wedding on Nov 4, 2023 in Fiji.
Pictured with classmates and former University Chaplains following his first Mass, which took place in Mabou, Cape Breton on June 1st, are Fr. David Rankin ‘14, ‘16, Rita (Morley) MacDonald ‘21, Muffy McIntyre ‘11, Meghan Shea ‘11, and Fr. Danny MacLennan ‘85.
Fr. David Rankin ‘14, ‘16 was ordained to the Priesthood on May 31, 2024 at St. Ninian Cathedral in Antigonish. The ordination was followed by a wonderful reception with friends and family. Pictured here, l-r, during the event are John Moore ‘18, Hannah Keller ’20, Fr. David Rankin ‘14, ‘16, and Peter MacNeil ‘16. Fr. David will be returning home to Nova Scotia as a diocesan priest with the Diocese of Antigonish.
Sergeant Victoria Cross ’10 on April 1, 2024, the centennial birthday of the RCAF. She has been employed with the RCAF since 2008. She is currently serving in Casteau, Belgium and their Canadian community decided to hold a 5km run to celebrate the 100th anniversary. “What better day to wear my PoliSci sweater and represent StFX alumni!” she says.
During a weekend teaching at the Gaelic College, there was quite a crew of StFX grads! Among those pictured are, in back, Kenneth MacKenzie ‘06, Joanne MacIntyre ’99, Keith MacDonald ’11, ’13, and Sabra MacGillivray ’98, ’15. Front: Rodney MacDonald ’94, Carol Ann MacDougall ’86, Kendra MacGillivray ’95, Kolton MacDonnell ’11, ’12, Leanne Aucoin ’04, and Margie Beaton ’07.
Lori Burns ’15 and Warren Laybolt ’14 were married on October 14, 2023.
Joe Muise ‘99 recently travelled to Antarctica as part of National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship. He wrote about his expedition at https:// arcg.is/0biSXi/ He is pictured here at Port Charcot on the Antarctic Peninsula.
Steve MacLellan ’97, The Financial Engineer, has a new book out, Grow, Control and Keep Your Money. It is available on Amazon and a launch is planned for The Curious Cat Tea and Books in Antigonish.
Leo Alexander Johnson, born August 10, 2023, with his brother Max, age 2. Children of Alexandra (Dallaire) ’11 and Jerrad Johnson
The X lineage continues. Gwendolyn Kay Guhl - January 18th, 2024. Parents are Amy (Lank) Guhl ’17 and Danny Guhl ’17. Grandparent, Stella Mooney ’77, and great grandparents Rita Marie (Clair) Mooney ’52 and Francis Leroy Mooney ’46.
On Duncan MacEachern’s ’94 recent trip to North Carolina from Boston, he met up with a best friend from StFX, Allan Morrison ’93 ’95. Al is from Sydney Forks, NS and living in Greensboro, NC with his wife Lesley and their daughter Rebecca and son Cameron. The two have been friends since 1991 - Lane Hall! Duncan says the last time they saw each other was five years ago when Al came to Boston to surprise him at his 50th birthday party!
Lillian 윤서 Bourque was born to Casey Bourque ‘08, and Esther Suh on Feb. 23, 2024 at the IWK in Halifax. The Bourque family would like to thank the incredible StFX nurses on floors 7, 5, and 3 for standout care and support.
At the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA’s) annual general meeting held March 9-11, 2024, are Katrina Wheaton ’89, Assistant Department Head, Collective Bargaining and Contract Management, Provincial OECTA; Tracey O’Neill ’90, Co-op and Library Teacher, Toronto Secondary Unit; and Mike Hamilton ’92, President, Eastern Ontario OECTA Unit.
Kathleen McIntosh ’47
D. Alexander Gillis 48
Gerald (Gerry) Aucoin ’50
Ora McManus 50 ’
Gregory Cummings ’51
Colin L. MacIsaac ’51
Joan Tracey ’52
John Hugh Campbell ’53
Cecil Rigby ’54
Harry Keenan ’55
George Kyte ’55
Sister Clotilda McIntyre ’55
Brown Adrian ’56
Mary Sogz ’56
Simon Gillis ’57
Claude Gregoire ’57
Jerome Guild ’57
James MacEachern ’57
Colin F. MacIsaac ’57
Dr. Patrick Walsh ’58, Former Faculty
Brown Robert ’58
Donald Campbell ’58
Robert (Bob) Doyle ’59
Angus L. MacKinnon ’59
Florence Mullen (French) ’59
M. Brian Mulroney ’59
James (Jim) Nugent ’59
James (Jim) Casey ’60
Laura Shea ’60
Hugh Huck ’60
Winfred MacDonald ’60
John F. McHugh ’60
Elizabeth Kuzia ’61
Fr. Maurice Swift ’62, ’72
Anne Martel (Duffy) ’62
John Weber ’63
Terrence Cribb ’64
Abigail MacDonald ’64
Burke Gary ’65
Peter Heffron ’65
Doug Billing ’66
George Henaut ’66
Harvey Kehoe ’67
Donald Cormier ’67
Daniel Dawson ’68
James Gavel ’68
Brian Greig ’69
Jane Mersereau (Peters) ’70
Judith O’Brien ’70
Dan Snow ’71
Helen Aucoin-McElroy ’72
James (Jim) Power ’72
Michael “Barry” Johnstone ’73
Campbell Sheldon ’74
Peter Gouthro ’74
John MacNeil ’74
Kathleen MacDonald ’75
Arthur Botyanski ’76
MacInnis David ’77
Tom McGinnis ’77
Mary Kilfoil ’78
Marie MacLellan ’78
Guy Boutilier ’81
John Baker ’82
Nadine Gareau (Cvetanovic) ’82
Debbie MacMaster-MacFarlane ’82
Anne Melanson ’82
James (Jim) Dobson ’83
Anna Morris ’83
Marlene MacLellan ’85
Jurgen Brouwer ’86
Gregg Keating ‘86
Paul Miller ’90
Eileen MacKinnon ’91
Paul McKinnon ’91
Trina (MacLeod) Clarey ’93
Sean Barrett ’98
Sherri Carrigan (Simmons) ’99
Steven Pippy ’01
Rosalie Wilson ’01
Carol Ann Boudreau ’02
Janet Boardway ’07
Claude-Michelle Chavy-Waddy ’17
Prof. Robert “Bob” Madden, Current Faculty
Dr. Mohabat Tarkeshian, Current Faculty
Ernest Boutilier, Former Board Memeber
Dr. Lorne MacLellan, Former Faculty
Grazia Wood, Former Faculty
Francis Doiron, Former Staff
Minnie Doiron, Former Staff
Sr. Margaret Landry, CSM, Former Staff
Bernice MacDonald, Former Staff
Anne MacPhail, Former Staff
Bonnie MacPhee, Former Staff
Emery McKenna, Former Staff
Diane Melanson, Former Staff
Willie Westenenk, Former Staff
Erin (Hogan) Connors ‘92, ‘93, ’07 of Sydney, NS and Stephanie (Byrne) de Larrinaga ‘93 from Ottawa, ON, both graduates from the StFX B.Ed. Class of 1993 recently reunited in Cape Breton for the first time in three decades. Their reunion was made even more special by the discovery that their sons, Aidan Connors ‘26 and Pablo de Larrinaga ‘24, both current students, are teammates on the school’s Model UN delegation. In a twist of fate, the young men traveled together to Halifax, NS in February for a mock UN conference at Saint Mary’s University, only to find it canceled due to the unexpected arrival of the major snowstorm, “Frozen Fiona.” Stranded in Halifax for three days, the situation turned into a silver lining, allowing these two students to forge a new friendship, echoing the long-standing connection between their mothers. This unexpected turn of events highlights the enduring nature of connections within the Xaverian Family.
StFX AlumniNews
MANAGING EDITORS
Shanna Hopkins ’01
Email: shopkins@stfx.ca Kyler Bell Email: kbell@stfx.ca
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Shelley Cameron-McCarron Email: sacamero@stfx.ca
WRITER
Shelley Cameron-McCarron
Katie Edwards
DESIGN & PRODUCTION
Andrew Conde
NEWS EXCHANGE EDITOR
Lianne Campbell lcampbel@stfx.ca
ADVERTISING INQUIRIES
Lianne Campell
Phone: (902) 867-2186
Fax: (902) 867-3659
Email: lcampbel@stfx.ca
DEADLINES
SUMMER ISSUE
copy deadline April 15 for June mailing
WINTER ISSUE
copy deadline October 15 for December mailing
AlumniNews is published by St. Francis Xavier University Alumni Affairs and Communications two times annually for alumni and friends of the university. Views expressed are those of the individual contributors or sources quoted. Contents, copyright © ’21 by St. Francis Xavier University. Subscriptions to Alumni News are available to the public for $14 a year, single copies $7. Letters to the editor are welcome. Address correspondence to:
AlumniNews
St. Francis Xavier University PO Box 5000 Antigonish, NS B2G 2W5 Email: alumni@stfx.ca Phone: 902-867-2186
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Alumni, family, students and friends can purchase quality university merchandise online from the StFX Store.
WHO CAN FORM THE LARGEST XAVERIAN FAMILY TREE?
How many X-Rings are in your family?
Do you trace your Xaverian roots back generations?
Maybe you and all your siblings (cousins too) graduated from StFX?
We want to hear from you!
StFX is very much a community, and sometimes that community tends to run in the family! Share your family tree story at alumni@stfx.ca for a chance to be featured in an upcoming issue.
Your local Alumni Chapter is busy planning events that harness the power of Canada’s most engaged Alumni. Expect to see social gatherings, networking events, mentoring sessions, student send-offs, and much more.
DO YOU WANT TO BE PART OF THE ACTION? RAISE YOUR HAND!
To get involved in your local chapter, whether you want to attend, participate or help plan an event, raise your hand, and contact alumni@stfx.ca
XAVERIAN EPHEMERA
In the last issue of the AlumniNews, we introduced a new feature: Xaverian Ephemera. The four photos we published garnered interesting feedback, particularly from James DeCoste ‘88, who combed through old yearbooks to try and find the original photos, calling it “an exciting travel through time!”
(For the curious, the previous photos were of the sod-turning of the Alumni Aquatic Centre; the interior of Lane Hall; the construction of the Oland Centre; and the tennis court of Mount Saint Bernard.)
The oldest photo (bottom right) from the previous issue comes from the 1923-1924 yearbook (then called the Nexus) and gives a long view of what is now upper campus, looking towards where Mulroney Hall currently stands. The fine tennis court and shaded tent highlight a long-gone era in which Atlantic Canadians sent their daughters to
More recent alumni might start to see cars in this pedestrian-only area, although the building should be familiar to all. Any idea why the students are lining up? And what year this might’ve been?
Mount Saint Bernard with trunksful of napkin rings, dressing jackets, and monogrammed linens. Mr. DeCoste rightly points out that the house atop the hill (the Bishop’s Palace, built in 1883 in the Second Empire style) was razed in the 1970s to make way for the new high school of Antigonish (later, the Annex) and Nicholson Tower. Mr. DeCoste recalls evenings in Nicholson: “I can almost remember the room numbers ... B21 and B11. They used to run a movie night in the upper room on a weekly basis.”
A towering and enigmatic figure, this coach was called the “Father of Maritime Football.” During his years at StFX (1957-1973), he helped establish the regional and national championships, and led the team on an eight-year winning streak.
Careful viewers will know instantly where these women are headed, if you can picture the building to the photographer’s back. Where were they coming from, though? Does anyone recognize themself in this photo?
HOMECOMING
FRI-SUN, OCTOBER 4-6
Antigonish, NS
