Dr. Albert Bandura Avenue Dedication Held in Mundare

Dr. Albert Bandura Avenue Dedication Held in Mundare

Michelle Pinon - News Advertiser

The unveiling of Dr. Bandura Avenue and dedication ceremony was held on the corner of 50 Street and 50 Avenue in the Town of Mundare on September 24.

Around 60 people gathered at the street corner for the dedication ceremony which began shortly after 2 pm. Mayor Cheryl Calinoiu brought greetings on behalf of town council, which spearheaded efforts for the renaming of the street after the world famous psychologist.

Calinoiu stated that Dr. Albert Bandura was born on Dec. 4, 1925 and passed away on July 26, 2021. The youngest of six children born to Joseph and Justyna Bandura in Mundare. He was of Ukrainian and Polish descent and raised in Mundare where his family owned a livery barn next door to the Talaga family’s blacksmith shop where the bottle depot is now located.

Even though Mundare was a small hamlet at the time, Calinoiu said Dr. Bandura did not limit himself to the school’s curriculum and indulged in self education to broaden his knowledge and understanding. He pursued further studies earned his graduate degree at the University of British Columbia.

“He spent much of the late 1970’s concentrating on exploring the role of self-efficacy belief in human functioning. With his passion this research would lead him to become a world renowned psychologist who was a David Starr Jordan Professor in Psychology at Stanford University and received numerous awards.

We are honoured to dedicate the sign 50 Avenue from 50 Street to 51 Street. Thank you to his family and honoured guests for coming to Dr. Bandura’s home town for this special day.”

Calinoiu then welcomed Dr. Bandura’s daughter Carol Bandura-Cowley, her husband John and their two twin sons Andrew and Tim.

Carol thanked everyone who organized the dedication. “It’s just so nice to be back at the place my dad grew up and talked about so much. He would have loved the idea of a sign, a street being named for him. He would also have loved the idea that we’re going to gather later and eat his favourite food…And I’m so happy to have my family, especially my boys here to meet relatives. It’s the first time they have been here.

L-R: Members of the Bandura family after the dedication and unveiling ceremony. L-R: Andrew Cowley, Tim Cowley, Carol Bandura-Cowley and Jim Cowley.

(Michelle Pinon/Photo)

I am not going to talk a lot about his accomplishments because you can go to the website and read all about it. I do just want to talk about how proud he was of his Canadian roots. When he got the medal of honour from Obama. In all the pictures of Obama putting the medal of science around his neck he’s got his little Order of Canada pin. And when there was a big gala after at the White House he had to pick a photo for a poster board for all the people who were getting awards in that ceremony that year and he picked his favourite picture which is where he grew up.

Anybody who spent time with him it would be impossible to get away without one story, probably more like three or four stories about growing up in Canada.” She told a few humorous stories about her father. “He said if he hadn’t grown up here, he wouldn’t have been who he was. So, he really wanted people to know that. And I wanted you guys to know that.”

Great niece Kathy Robson shared a few of her thoughts following a special supper which featured signature Ukrainian food at the Mundare Recreation Centre. “I only met Albert once in person. But I always felt like I knew him as he had such a huge impact on the work I’ve done during more than 30 years in education. I remember years ago going into my psych 110 class in my first year of University of Saskatoon and seeing Albert Bandura written on the chalkboard and how I completely shocked my professor when I came up to him and said I’m related to Albert Bandura. And I felt so proud to be related to such a great man.

I had read so much about his work. I also recall learning about his famous bobo doll experiment. Where students observed adults acting aggressively towards a bobo doll and the students later mimicked what they had seen. It proved children learned behaviour by watching people around them. And they would copy what they see. It really changed what we taught and it reinforced the importance of teachers modelling for students as they learn.”

Dr. Sonia Sobon delivered special remarks about Dr. Bandura, his life and legacy, and her involvement with the famous psychologist during the University of Alberta Convocation on June 9, 2010, where he gave the Convocation speech and received a Honourary Degree from the U of A to recognize his lifelong outstanding accomplishments.

Dr. Sobon also spearheaded a special exhibit of the Bandura family at the Basilian Father’s Museum that opened at the same time of the Convocation. A special program and banquet were held in his honour in Mundare during that visit.

Nephews and Nieces of Dr. Bandura with his daughter Carol. L-R: Marvin Talaga, Ray Talaga, Ed Talaga, Jessie Kozak, Carol Bandura-Cowley, Gloria Rajotte, Pat Siddon and Marv Nowak.

(Michelle Pinon/Photo)

Dr. Sobon stated that, “In his 2010 U of A Convocation Speech, Albert said, “our life paths have many co-authors and the influential ones in my early formative years were down the road in Mundare, they set me on the course that brought me here today.” That says a lot about the Mundare community and the Bandura Family!

And today, Mundare has become the only place in the world with an Avenue named after the famous Dr. Albert Bandura in the community that raised and nurtured him, and helped him to become the person he became.”