The Legend May 2011

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VOLUME 10

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ISSUE NINE

Cross border connection

the UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

Former prof J-P Jackson looks to give back

Economics instructor Donna Townley is helping the Flathead Valley understand the benefits of Canadian tourism.

BY BOB COONEY

Dr. Jennifer Mather wins the Ingrid Speaker Medal

Dr. HJ Wieden earns annual Distinguished Teacher Award

Alumnus JP Poliquin is on the fast track

The U of L Legend is published monthly during the academic year by the communications unit within University Advancement. Submissions, comments and story ideas are always welcome. The Legend reserves the right to refuse any submitted advertisement. The Legend can be found online at www.uleth.ca/unews/ legend. Next content deadline is June 3, 2011.

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University of Lethbridge 4401 University Drive Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4 www.ulethbridge.ca

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niversity of Lethbridge Economics instructor/ researcher Donna Townley spent a recent weekend in Montana doing some cross border teaching that she hopes will help the regional economy in the Flathead Valley.

Townley was outlining the benefits of improving and increasing relationships with Canadian visitors and their neighbours. The Flathead Valley is an area frequented by Canadian visitors, and encompasses Whitefish, Kalispell and other communities.

Working in partnership with the Montana West Economic Development group and the Kalispell and Whitefish Convention and Visitors Bureaus, they produced a seminar for the regional business community that explained the Canadian economy, the purchasing power of the Canadian dollar and her research-based discoveries of who visits the Flathead Valley and why.

While it may be common knowledge that there are a lot of Canadian visitors and residents in the area, the actual definition of ‘a lot’ is a surprise to many. Townley says that increased awareness of the impact that Canadians have on the regional economy should help businesses better serve Canadian visitors.

“The people who attended understood much better that there is

IMPACT OF ORIS SEEN EVERYWHERE The Office of Research and Innovation Services is active in promoting the interests of the University of Lethbridge on a number of fronts.

This includes ongoing support for faculty researchers and the establishment of research initiatives and partnerships at local, regional, national and international levels.

In the past year, we have seen a number of examples that highlight the behind-the-scenes work that ORIS does in supporting research interests at the University and beyond.

The office was instrumental in establishing a branch Research Data Centre (RDC) through the University of Calgary. The RDC is a university-based laboratory that

a market in southern Alberta for the Montana experience, and they want to build a bridge, not close the gate,” says Townley.

She adds that the seminar gave attendees a better understanding of the Canadian point of view, and the economic impact of how Canadians can help their local economy.

“Increasing or even securing Canadian tourism into the Flathead Valley will strengthen the Valley’s economy,” she says. “I was very pleased to have the support of the Glacier Bank and their people, who talked about Canadian currency. As well, there was a lot of interest in changing credit card machines to take Canadian debit cards, as well as other measures.”

Townley says the debit card shift would be of significant benefit, since a recent survey conducted by VISA indicated that more than 65 per cent of Canadians – who are already among the world’s highest users of debit cards – would want to use their debit cards south of the border.

She adds that her presentation was a combination sales pitch and crash course in first-year macroeconomics, all the while outlining some big picture reasons why Montana is of continued interest to Canadians.

Providing a basic understanding of what influences the value of the Canadian dollar, as well as the Canadian economy, also went a long way with those who attended the event.

“I used prices for everyday items such as pizza, beer, groceries, a tank of gasoline and other typical things Canadians might purchase to illustrate that, even when the value of the Canadian dollar falls to the US dollar (or lower) Canadians will still travel to the Valley, because prices are generally 20 per cent higher in Canada for the majority of items,” says Townley.

“The ultimate purpose was to inform local business owners about Canadians so they will be able to continue building strong relationships across the border and provide the best customer service possible.”

More than 130 people attended the seminar at Flathead Valley Community College. Guests included business owners from Montana and Alberta, local and regional government representatives, and interested citizens. Townley says she is still getting e-mail questions and comments from guests.

“We hoped to identify those businesses looking for opportunities for Valley-wide cooperation to attract Canadians to the area for entertainment, shopping, recreation, home purchase and business investment,” says Kim Morisaki, manager of Client Development and Resources, Montana West Economic Development. “We have heard only great reviews and everyone loved her presentation.”

offers researchers secure access to confidential micro-data from a constantly growing number of datasets, primarily from Statistics Canada.

Researchers also have access to fully equipped workstations, standard and highly specialized statistical analysis packages and technical support through this agreement, all provided free of charge.

ORS supported Dr. Abdie Kazemipur (sociology) during the process, as he was instrumental in this application, giving our researchers a secure level of access to vital data that they have never previously enjoyed.

The establishment of new initiatives also included support for the first inter-disciplinary conference on childhood in Canadian history, The Childhoods Conference: Mapping the Landscapes of Childhood. ORS worked with Dr. Jan

Newberry, among others, to obtain funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and the Alberta Centre for Child, Family and Community Research to present the May 5-7 event, one that has the potential to spin-off into a childhood studies institute.

“Most folks from the U of L community will associate ORIS with providing researchers the expert support necessary for developing winning proposals for research grant competitions,” says Vice-President (Research) Dr. Daniel Weeks.

“However, it is equally important that we provide ongoing assistance to facilitate productive partnerships that allow our researchers to advance research and/or knowledge mobilization.”

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the Legend

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UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

OPENMike

University of Lethbridge President Dr. Mike Mahon chats about what’s happening in the University community

Convocation is one of the very best times of the year for the University because it is the culmination of everything we do and represents the essence of the institution.

To use an agricultural analogy, it is our harvest, when we reap the benefits of years of nurturing and hard work and release a bright crop of graduates ready to affect the world in a positive and productive manner.

Convocation is unique because it involves every aspect of the University. At first glance it is a celebration of the accomplishments of students but at the same time, it is also a celebration of the accomplishments of

faculty members, staff members and the external community.

The University of Lethbridge is a member of a much larger community than just those individuals who make their way to the west side on a daily basis. By celebrating our distinguished alumni, by granting honorary degrees and by welcoming our stakeholders to campus to join in the Convocation ceremonies, we extend to southern Alberta and beyond, the family atmosphere that marks the U of L as unique.

The Spring Convocation is an especially significant one for the future of the institution, as we will be installing our next

CAMPUS Dr. Brian Black (Music), Dr. Edward Jurkowski (Music) and Dr. Emily Luce (New Media) all received internal Social Sciences Humanities Research Council grants valued at $4,500 each.

U of L alumnus Christian Darbyshire (BMgt ’99) was named one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40™. As a partner with tinePublic Inc., Darbyshire has been instrumental in securing names such as Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, Lance Armstrong and Arnold Schwarzenegger for educational speaking engagements in Canada. It is the second consecutive year that the U of L has had someone recognized by the Globe and Mail’s Top 40 Under 40™ program. Dr. Olga Kovalchuk was honoured last year.

Joshua Seerattan, a U of L student from the Faculty of Management, and Courtney Lockhart from the Faculty of Arts and Science, have been awarded a $5,500 USD grant from Alberta Advanced Education and Technology for their participation in The Washington Centre – Alberta Internship Program for summer 2011.

Both students will spend

Chancellor, Dr. Shirley McClellan. Her appointment is a very important milestone in the transition of the University.

Outgoing Chancellor, Richard Davidson, was exceptional in his role. A true civic leader, he represented the community of Lethbridge extremely well and was a great ambassador for the institution.

In Dr. McClellan, we welcome an honorary degree recipient and a woman with deep rural roots who has strong provincial ties to decision makers in both Calgary and Edmonton. As the U of L continues its emergence as the province’s destination university, McClellan’s unique

skill set embodies the direction to which we are moving.

I congratulate our President’s Award winners for their service and dedication to the U of L. The AUPE group from Calgary was invaluable during the transition from our SAIT location to the present U of L campus at Bow Valley College, while Jamie Chinn continues to provide excellent service in his role with the IT department.

I also want to congratulate our outstanding faculty members, Dr. HJ Wieden and Dr. Jennifer Mather, honoured with the Distinguished Teaching Award and Ingrid Speaker Medal, respectively. At the end

of the day, our fundamental commitment is always to the students, and that we provide a student-centred atmosphere. We can never lose sight of the fact that our core responsibility is to educate the leaders of tomorrow.

I urge you to attend one of the upcoming Convocation ceremonies and share in the joy of our students as they set out to begin the next phase of their lives. It is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the work you do to help them achieve their goals, and serves as a poignant reminder of how everyone in the University community plays a part in their success.

kudos

six weeks in Washington, D.C. Seerattan will be participating in the Global Trade and Regional Integration program, while Lockhart will take part in the International Affairs program.

Dagmar Dahle’s (Art) work is included in the exhibition ANIMAL, at Museum London in Ontario.

Laura Lavigne (BA ’06), the co-ordinator, International Programs & Exchange, in the International Centre for Students was awarded a full scholarship ($3,000) to participate in the International Educators Training Program this summer at Queen’s University.

Denton Fredrickson (Art) has made the long list for the 2011 Sobey Art Award, Canada’s pre-eminent prize for contemporary Canadian art. Following a three-month nomination process, the Curatorial Panel announced the 25 artists vying for this year’s award.

Music major Matt Groenheide (percussionist) won the Young Artist Competition presented by the Lethbridge Symphony

Orchestra. In addition to a cash prize, he receives a guest solo spot with the LSO during their 2011-2012 Masters Series.

Marg McKeen (Office of Research and Innovation Services) is retiring this summer after 33 years of service to the University. She began her career at the U of L as an Academic Secretary in the Department of Sociology and was hired by the Office of Research Services in 1986.

Since that time, she has served in a number of roles and worked with numerous faculty members and students. A retirement reception will be held on Wednesday, June 8 from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Markin Hall Atrium. Anyone wishing to send written messages of congratulations to Marg can contact Penny Pickles (picpj@ uleth.ca). Those wanting to have their live messages taped can contact Jane Allan (jane. allan@uleth.ca).

Jazlyn Dow (BFA ’10) has been accepted into the Master of Arts in Visual Culture: Costume Studies program at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development at New York University.

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Pictured (L to R), the U of L’s Dr. Dan Weeks, Shaun Wedick (Consul of Canada, Chennai), Dr. Karl Staenz, Deep Mazumdar, Prashant Shulkle (Director General, Earth Sciences Sector, Natural Resources Canada).

ORIS MANDATE CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 The ORIS also works to create partnerships beyond the walls of the University as it looks to push research interests in local and regional quarters. Recently, the U of L signed a memorandum of understanding with Lethbridge College, Lethbridge Economic Development and SouthGrow Regional Initiative and Community Futures, Lethbridge Region.

The memorandum formalizes a partnership that intends to push innovation and commercialization activities throughout the southern Alberta region, supporting business and industry by facilitating the flow of knowledge, stimulating the transfer of innovative ideas, advancing areas of mutual interest and providing greater access to business for our students as they look to gain practical experience through applied research projects.

“The increasing pressure to commercialize and innovate research outcomes is a challenge for universities,” says Weeks. “Indeed, commercialization is not a primary function

of a university. We have taken the position that creating stronger alliances between community organizations and other post secondary institutions can be enormously effective and yield important benefits for everyone.”

The ORIS then works to take the University message to the national and international level, facilitating partnerships that create the framework for global research projects. In January, Weeks was accompanied by Dr. Karl Staenz (geography) and Deep Mazumdar (PhD candidate, geography) as they participated in the Canadian Geomatics Science and Technology Partnering Mission in India. The mission sought to showcase how Canada’s expertise and technology could assist India as it addresses its need for leading-edge geospatial solutions.

The scope of benefits gained by the U of L as it enhanced its presence in the Indian market and built essential business relationships cannot yet begin to be realized.

It is the amalgamation of this activity that makes up the breadth of the ORS mandate and assists in growing the University’s reputation as a comprehensive research institution both locally and beyond.

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the Legend

UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

President’s Award winners

NEWBERRY APPOINTED AS A 2011 B.O.G. TEACHING CHAIR

U of L President, Dr. Mike Mahon presents Jamie Chinn with the APO/Exempt President’s Award for Service Excellence at the recent Long Service and Retirement Recognition ceremony.

Dana Corbin, top, and Kristin Galicia, were part of the team that won the AUPE President’s Award.

The President’s Award for Service Excellence is awarded annually to an administrative staff member or team in recognition of their provision of exceptional service to the University of Lethbridge and members of the University community.

This year, two awards were presented at the Long Service and Retirement Recognition ceremonies, which took place May 4.

AUPE Award The President’s Award for Service Excellence for AUPE employees was awarded to the Calgary Campus administrative team of Kristin Galicia (BMgt ’03), Kelly Reid, Dana Corbin (BMgt ’05) and Ghazia Kirn, who is also a student.

Their service is especially worthy of recognition in the current year due to the Calgary

things done but more importantly had an innate ability to involve the right people, ask the right questions and look at technology with a business-centric point of view.

Chinn’s sense of humour, worth ethic, diplomacy and pragmatism led him to his current role. He continues to be recognized as a pleasure to work with and as a provider of wellthought-out solutions who goes above and beyond the call of duty to guarantee that technical services are working smoothly.

campus moving from SAIT to Bow Valley College. This move involved much more than simply transporting boxes and furniture. In Calgary, the staff closed operations at SAIT and redeveloped relationships and operating procedures with Bow Valley College. This entire move was handled seamlessly by the administrative staff and despite some challenges, the transition took place with high morale and minimal impact to students.

APO/Exempt Award This year’s APO/EXEMPT recipient is Jamie Chinn (BSc ’03), a Senior Business Systems Analyst in the IT Department.

Chinn joined the University in 2004, and although he worked somewhat in obscurity initially, like any best-kept secret it soon became apparent that he was someone who not only could get

BROWN NAMED ASSOCIATE VP Dr. Lesley Brown (Kinesiology and Physical Education) was the successful candidate for the position of associate vice-president, research, and assumed the role on May 1. Brown had been serving in the role of assistant vice-president, research since January 2010.

She joined the U of L in 1997 following her post-doctoral studies at the University of Oregon, and focuses her research on the aging process, balance, falling, fear of falling and Parkinson’s Disease.

Most recently, she and her team have been studying the effect of music on walking abilities in patients with Parkinson’s Disease, and exploring fear of falling as a risk factor for falls in the elderly. She continues to supervise masters and doctoral candidates.

“I am very pleased that Dr. Brown has accepted this position,” says Dr. Dan Weeks, the U of L’s vice-president, research.

“Her experience with provincial and federal funding will be a key asset to the U of L. The extent of accountability and compliance required by governments and funders has increased significantly and Dr. Brown will lead the internal responses to these challenges.”

Weeks says that Brown’s familiarity with the campus community, and with cross-departmental collaborations, will be of significant value to the U of L as the institution moves forward.

“Many funding opportunities involve working on projects that might bring very different research disciplines together,” says Weeks. “Lesley has a great ability to connect with people and help move ideas forward.”

Brown says that her main priorities are to finalize the Strategic Research Plan, in addition to being a point of contact for faculty members.

“I am very pleased to have been selected for this position, and I am looking forward to continuing planning and implementing the new research initiatives that I have been working on. I will also be looking forward to sharing our Strategic Research Plan with faculty in the near future.”

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Dr. Jan Newberry (Anthropology) has been appointed the 2011 Board of Governors’ Teaching Chair.

Newberry assumes her new responsibilities in July, which include a significant level of involvement in the U of L’s Centre for the Advancement of Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CAETL), a cross-campus group that supports new and innovative learning initiatives.

Newberry is no stranger to CAETL, having been a CAETL Teaching Fellow in 2010.

“Dr. Newberry’s wellknown teaching abilities, combined with her excellent record of research, publication and sincere interest in engaging our students, makes her a superb asset to her department, her Faculty and our university,” says Dr. Mike Mahon, U of L president. “Her plans for the next year as our Teaching Chair are exciting, and I look forward to hearing the results of her work with our faculty and students.”

Newberry, who has been described as “relentless” in her pursuit of effective teaching, plans to further connect teaching and liberal education

principles with changing technologies, balance the emphasis between technique, technology and ideas, and bring more information about teaching to students.

“I want to model teaching beyond the classroom by incorporating the core objectives of CAETL into a range of activities, including studentcentred events hosted by the Students’ Union, for example.”

Newberry says that she chose to be a scholar because the world of ideas fascinated her.

“I pursued my education, including my doctoral degree, because I wanted to explain the world to myself.

That desire endures for me, and I believe that is what my students respond to.”

Additionally, Newberry will be involved in the development of a first-year course that integrates a liberal education perspective with service learning, and ties in with a new recruitment and retention strategy put forward by the Achievement and Learning Resources Subject Matter team.

RELAY FOR LIFE READY TO ROLL

The 2011 Fiat Lux team is ready to walk – rain or shine – to support cancer research at the Relay for Life, June 10-11 at the Victory Church grounds. Pictured here are (back row from left): Leslie Gatner, Anne Baxter, Deirdre Coburn (captain) and Kathleen Schrage; (front row from left) Joanne Des Roche (co-captain) and Wim Chalmet. Scot Brooks and Tom Doyle are also with the group. Since 2006, they have raised more than $40,000 in funds, and last year won a gold award for raising more than $11,000 to be the top fundraising team in Lethbridge. In addition to the Fiat Lux unit, many other members of the U of L community participate on other teams, or as event volunteers. People interested in joining the team can contact cocaptain Deirdre Coburn (deirdre.coburn@uleth.ca). To volunteer at the event, contact Wim Chalmet (wim.chalmet@uleth.ca), who is this year’s Relay for Life event chairperson.

the Legend

connections GLOBAL

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Ensuring a promising future Picture with J-P Christopher Jackson (front, middle) are (L to R): Glenn Klassen, conductor and music director of the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra, John Reid, director of the Canadian Music Centre - Prairie Division and Dawn Leite, manager of the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra.

Experiencing as much as possible

Polish exchange student Radek Eryk Bachorz.

BY TREVOR KENNEY International exchange student Radek Eryk Bachorz might not yet know where he’s going to end up, but it’s safe to say it’ll be an interesting ride getting there.

The 26-year-old native of Poland is completing his fourth year of study at the U of L, turning what was initially a one-year exchange opportunity into an entirely new life with no apparent boundaries.

“I’m trying to keep the broad perspective on everything,” says Bachorz when asked about his career aspirations. “Having a narrow goal isn’t the best for me, it’s about having wide horizons and looking for something that will really be satisfying, not necessarily profitable at first, but will put a smile on my face and make me happy to go to work every day.”

Currently studying international management with minors in supply chain management and social responsibility, Bachorz actually already has a master’s degree.

He completed his master’s in Investment and Corporate Financial Strategies in August 2010 from Poznan University of Economics in Poland, a degree supplemented by his exchange work here at the U of L. But Bachorz’s experience is about so much more than the classroom, something he only discovered after finishing his master’s and took another look at his education.

“After completing my degree, I got really involved in student life last year,” says Bachorz. “I totally changed my way of attending school, where I realize it’s not only about getting good marks, it’s also about extra-curricular activities.”

His involvement with the Faculty of Management’s JDC West business case competition was the impetus.

“My co-captains, Jill Morrison and Travis Letwin, put me in this different world and opened my eyes on new opportunities,” he says. “I really wanted to give something back to the Alberta community, but there were too many things taking up my time, and I was really determined to finish my degree back in Europe. Last fall I decided to focus a bit less on being outstanding academically to try and get more involved in non-academic activities.”

He volunteered for YWCA Lethbridge and the Humane Society, helped out the Management International Programs Office as a mentor in their buddy program, participated in the International Centre for Students (ICS) Cultural Expo and was keen to assist at various faculty functions such as Management Preview Day. This past spring he spent a week hustling change outside the Students’ Union as one of the 5 Days for the Homeless participants and gladly had his head shaved (for the fourth straight year) as a supporter of the Head Shave for Cancer initiative.

“When I had the opportunity to take less of a course load, I knew this is what I wanted to do,” says Bachorz.

“It’s not just about the GPA, it’s also about getting involved and participating in the student life.”

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UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

BY KALI MCKAY

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or professor emeritus J-P Christopher Jackson, it was the notes on a page of sheet music that awakened a lifelong love of music, motivated a successful career at the University of Lethbridge and inspired a gift that will leave a legacy.

Growing up playing woodwinds in Oklahoma City, Jackson attended his hometown university with the intention of becoming an orchestral musician.

“However, during my undergraduate studies I did work in theory and music history and discovered my interest in music went beyond a performance level.”

He began considering musicology, a more scholarly study of music, which looks at the historical, cultural and sociological implications of the composition.

“Suddenly I was looking at more of an academic career rather than a performance career,” says Jackson, who started investigating graduate opportunities and eventually secured a prestigious fellowship to Washington University in St. Louis, where he would complete

both a masters and a PhD. It was here that Jackson was first introduced to performance practice.

“Performance practice is the attempt to get at how the music of a certain period would have been performed at the time it was written,” explains Jackson. “I thought it made music make more sense when it was played on the instruments for which it was intended.”

Being interested in the history and development of instruments and music compositions didn’t mean that Jackson wasn’t still a performer at heart.

“I began setting up performance ensembles,” says Jackson, who took it on himself to learn many of the instruments needed in various pieces. “I co-ordinated the players, chose the music and decided the direction, but we all worked together on the performance.”

Described by one professor as entrepreneurial, Jackson headed up performance ensembles throughout his graduate studies, working with a diverse array of music ranging from the middle ages to contemporary pieces. The experience allowed him to further develop his skills in per-

The University of Lethbridge welcomes the new members of our planned giving advisory committee. Thank you for serving as a resource to the University and its donors.

Kristin Ailsby-Wood Jeff Clarke Bonnie Elliot Kristin Kirkpatrick Doug McLaughlin Colin Miller Ludvik Pahulje Vaughn Penner

Murray Pritchard Mark Ritchie Alice Takacs Pauline Terry www.ulethbridge.ca/ advancement/dev/plannedgiving

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formance, composition and musicology. When he began looking for work after graduation, he knew he wanted a position that would grant him the flexibility and freedom to continue exploring.

“It was always my dream to teach in a smaller liberal arts university in order to be able to pursue my multidisciplinary interests. The position at the University of Lethbridge was a dream come true,” says Jackson, who was hired in the music department in 1975 and from that point on made Canada his home.

During his time at the U of L, Jackson taught a variety of courses and was also involved in administration. His research included the study of the classical music of Indonesia and other world cultures, offering a whole new program of study within the department of music. Learning the languages, cultures and arts of distant lands enriched Jackson’s life immensely.

Originally attracted by the U of L’s liberal arts philosophy, Jackson continued to be an advocate for a multidisciplinary approach to learning, and took full advantage of the opportunity to work with colleagues in other disciplines.

“How could I work in the music department and write vocal music and not use the poetry written by faculty in the English department?” asks Jackson, whose compositions often used the work of others as a starting point.

Jackson wrote many pieces for the artists around him and worked with a variety of professionals including playwrights, poets and paleontologists. He believes the diverse influences on his work made him a better artist.

“My time at the U of L was truly a gift,” says Jackson, who retired in 2000 due to health reasons.

Considering himself lucky, Jackson wanted to return the favour and make a gift to the U of L that demonstrated his appreciation for a successful 25-year career. With no living relatives, Jackson and his partner, Ray Robertson, decided to make an allowance in their will for the University.

“A gift like this allows me to continue the type of work I think is important,” explains Jackson, whose estate will create an endowment to provide scholarships for music students. “It is a gift repaid in perpetuity with all my gratitude.”

For more information on making a legacy gift, visit www.ulethbridge.ca/ advancement/dev/plannedgiving or call 403-329-2582.

athletics AT T H E U 1971 Chinooks get their due M AY 2 0 11

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the Legend

UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

HORNS HAND OUT YEAR-END HARDWARE Pronghorns Athletics celebrated with its annual Blue and Gold Awards Banquet recently, announcing its Male and Female Athletes of the Year, President’s Award winner, Team Academic Award, as well as the respective most valuable players for each program.

Male Athlete of the Year Andrew Courtney (men’s hockey)

The 1971 U of L Chinooks, coached by Wilma Winter, consisted of: Dixie Dow, Linda Dogterom, Leona Voth, Minne Van Dieren, Sharon Giduk, Marge Moore, Linda Voth, Rosemary Brodrick, Joan Cannady and Linda Dow.

BY TREVOR KENNEY

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ong before the Pronghorns men’s hockey team skated away with a national title on Maple Leaf Gardens ice, another group of young athletes brought glory to the University of Lethbridge.

The 1971 U of L Chinooks women’s basketball team won the institution’s first national crown, the Canadian Junior Women’s Basketball Championship, 23 years before Mike Babcock and company claimed the school’s second. It was a monumental achievement that went relatively unnoticed, both then and over the ensuing years.

Only now are we beginning to realize just what this motivated group of small-town overachievers accomplished and fittingly, their induction into the Pronghorns Hall of Fame is finally shining a spotlight on their legacy.

“The very best fans we had were the janitors at the Civic Centre,” laughs Joan Langille (Cannady) (BASc, BA ’73). “We didn’t have a lot of people come to our games. What really struck us though, was when we arrived back in Lethbridge from winning the championship, the only people at the airport to greet us were the boyfriends, the parents and the janitors; they supported us right to the end.”

With a roster stocked by southern Alberta products, the Chinooks proved that small could play big if given the opportunity.

“Basketball was a comfort zone for many of us from the smaller communities,” says Langille, a Taber native. “Those of us from high school, it seemed pretty daunting to make a university team but we managed.”

Linda Joncas (Dogterom) (BEd ’72) grew up in Broxburn, went to McNally School as a youngster and then finished high school at Lethbridge Collegiate Institute. The majority of the rest of the team came from the Coaldale area and the powerful Kate Andrews program.

G E T T H E FA C T S • The Chinooks only adopted the Pronghorns name in the fall of 1971 when the campus moved to its westside location.

• They very nearly won consecutive national titles, losing in the championship game the year before when Lethbridge hosted the event.

• The Chinooks won the 1971 provincial title with a 66-29 rout of Red Deer College and a 71-25 blowout of Mount Royal College.

• In the national championship tournament, hosted by UBC in Vancouver’s War Memorial Gymnasium, the Chinooks beat UBC 46-45, topped University of Ottawa 70-59, and then won the national title with a 52-40 decision over University of Victoria.

“It was really neat because we all kind of knew each other growing up, either playing with or against one another and then we reunited once we got to university,” says Joncas.

“For me, it was a struggle to go to school. I ended up being in a single parent home after my parents divorced, and I had to get student loans and an academic scholarship to get me through. Basketball and the team meant so much to me, it really helped me through what was a tough time for my family.”

Langille and Joncas were co-captains of the Chinooks in 1971, both playing out their final years before graduation. Each used their U of L degrees to carve out satisfying careers, Langille as a longtime provincial government employee and Joncas as a teacher and guidance counsellor. They both laud the personal learning environment the

University offered.

“There’s really something to be said for small schools and it was exciting to be a small school playing against the big universities. In terms of education, it was also such a great experience and years after, I would recognize that both in my career and when I would see other U of L graduates applying for positions in the provincial government,” says Langille. “More often than not, they were very successful.”

Joncas says she is an unabashed supporter of the U of L experience, and was for years in her role as a high school guidance counsellor.

“I remember coming back to the University 10 years after I’d graduated and as I was walking down the hall, somebody called my name and it was Dr. Petherbridge and he remembered me,” she says. “That was very significant to me, 10 years after this man still knew who I was.

There’s a real student-centred focus at the U of L and in my experience, there’s nothing much that compares.”

That the University has now recognized the Chinooks for their significant contribution to the school’s sporting history, brings the team back into the fold.

“We’re very appreciative, honoured and in a way humbled,” says Joncas. “You don’t realize at the time that it was a big deal. We were all young and it was fun and it was a “Wow, we did it” feeling, but in terms of the bigger perspective, I don’t think we really understood the way we do now.”

The only regret the two have is that their coach, the late Wilma Winter, is not around to reconnect with her team and enjoy the long overdue accolades they are receiving.

“It just breaks my heart actually,” says Joncas before pausing to gain her composure. “She should have been here because she was some lady. She would have loved to be honoured, she would have loved it from a coaching perspective and been proud that her institution recognized her girls.”

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Over his five seasons with the Pronghorns, Andrew Courtney not only excelled on the ice, but he was active in the community, embracing the true spirit of what it means to be a Pronghorns athlete.

He was known throughout the program as the first to support other Horns teams and is actively involved in the local community with the Boys and Girls Club. Courtney also planned and executed the highly successful Movember campaign that raised over $10,000 for prostate cancer research.

On the ice, Courtney returned from a serious knee injury to finish fourth in the conference in goal scoring, leading the Horns with 14 goals. He was also 13th in the Canada West in total scoring with 23 points, despite missing all of the pre-season and the first two weeks of conference action.

Courtney finished his Pronghorn career with 43 goals and 26 assists in 97 conference games.

Female Athlete of the Year Heather Steacy (women’s track)

Throughout her Pronghorns career, Heather Steacy has become synonymous with outstanding performances. This past season she raised her performance to an unprecedented level.

Steacy opened the season by reaching a monumental mark, becoming the first woman in Canadian Interuniversity Sport history to eclipse the 20-metre mark in the weight throw with a toss of 20.28 metres at the Bison Open in Winnipeg.

She followed that performance with her fourth Canada West gold medal victory, setting a new conference record of 19.82 metres in the process.

Steacy was also recognized with the Outstanding Female Performance of the Meet.

Steacy completed her season by then winning silver at the CIS Championship meet in Sherbrooke, Que., her fourth medal in as many trips to the national meet.

President’s Award

Emily Brown of the women’s track & field team earned the President’s Award, which rewards the student athlete with the highest academic standing at the University of Lethbridge. Brown achieved a GPA of 3.92, while balancing her academic and athletic commitments.

Team Academic Award

The Horns women’s basketball team received the Team Academic Award for accumulating a combined GPA of 3.32.

Following are team most valuable players, as voted by their fellow team members.

• Men’s Soccer – Steve Brown • Women’s Soccer – Kathy Curtis • Men’s Hockey – Winston Day Chief and Andrew Courtney • Women’s Hockey – Shelby Ballendine • Men’s Basketball – Randy Davis • Women’s Basketball – Becky Heninger • Men’s Track – Kyle Murray • Women’s Track – Heather Steacy • Women’s Rugby – Kelsey Willoughby • Men’s Swimming – Jeff Nicol • Women’s Swimming – Jessica Kelly

the Legend

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Mather receives Ingrid Speaker Medal

Dr. Jennifer Mather is a world-renowned authority on octopuses.

BY CAITLIN CRAWSHAW This year’s winner of The Ingrid Speaker Medal is helping science understand the cognition and behaviour of octopuses and other cephalapods.

A world-renowned authority on octopus and squid behaviour, Dr. Jennifer Mather has been profiled in publications like the New York Times and Discover magazine, spoken at the prestigious TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) conference, and conducted research around the world.

It’s these achievements – and many others – that led to Mather’s most recent accolade: The Ingrid Speaker Medal for

Distinguished Research, Scholarship or Performance.

For almost three decades, the psychology professor and one-time CAETL Teaching Fellow, has taught thousands of undergraduates at the University of Lethbridge everything from child development to the psychology of aging, while maintaining a rigorous research program defined by international collaboration and jet-setting to tropical locales. And, at 67, Mather’s still as busy as ever.

“I’m probably trying to model what I teach, which is that we have a full lifespan, thank you, and we should use it,” she says.

As one of the University’s most accomplished and longest

serving faculty members, Mather is an intuitive choice for the prestigious Ingrid Speaker Medal.

But the idea of an international expert on squids and octopuses residing at a land-locked university in southern Alberta’s dusty prairies is unintuitive, to say the least.

Mather’s fascination with cephalopods – a category of boneless marine creatures which includes octupuses, squids and cuttle fish – began long before she set foot in Lethbridge. Growing up in Victoria, B.C., she spent a lot of time at the ocean shore, investigating the critters that dwelled in the water and sand.

As a child, she was certain she’d study marine life in some capacity, but wasn’t sure how.

Finally, in the last year of an undergraduate biology degree at the University of British Columbia, Mather took an animal behaviour class that clarified her path.

“Bingo. I said, ‘Okay. This is what I want to do.’ ” After completing a biology master’s degree in octopus behaviour at Florida State University, she went on to begin a PhD in psychology at Brandeis University in Massachusetts.

Upon completion of post-doctoral research at Brandeis in 1978, Mather and her husband looked to return to Canada with their two children. In 1980 she took up a prestigious University Research Fellowship at the University of western Ontario, then spotted a tenure-track position at the U of L five years later and took the leap.

Lethbridge is nowhere near

the natural habitats of cephalopods, but it’s never been an impediment to Mather. She conducts field work related to squid displays (for instance, how they use their skin colour or tentacle movement to communicate) at the Caribbean island of Bonaire.

At the Seattle Aquarium, she collaborates with Roland Anderson to study octopus cognition.

While many of us know octopuses mainly as odd, unique sea creatures, they’re a far more intelligent and creative species than given credit. Researchers first realized the octopus’s ability to solve problems in the 1960s, but the matter wasn’t explored in breadth until the last couple of decades. In the course of her career, Mather has helped prove that octopuses have different personalities, can solve problems (like opening jars to eat food inside) and play.

While Mather is best known for her work on cephalopods, her research is broader: she’s also explored how motor control problems can indicate brain dysfunction (like schizophrenia), care issues related to Alzheimer’s disease, and successful university teaching. She’s also recently co-authored a book about octopuses for the general public, entitled Octopus: The Ocean’s Intelligent Invertebrate.

“I have my fingers in a lot of pies,” she admits. “I think it came about by accident, but I’m glad it did. I didn’t want to be the kind of researcher to sit in a lab and do nothing else. I also think, as a scientist, I have an obligation to help people understand these animals.”

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UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

BACHORZ THRIVING CONTINUED FROM PG. 4 He credits the U of L culture for helping him thrive in his new country, and gives thanks to both the ICS (especially Charlene Janes) and the International Exchange program in the Faculty of Management (specifically Andrea Amelinckx, Rhonda Crow and Gizelle Tiponut) for helping in his transition.

“Honestly, after the first semester, I was so impressed with how approachable everybody was,” he says. “It’s a very practical atmosphere here, so many small groups, you can really go to your prof or any faculty or staff member and you’ll be treated as a valuable student, not just one of a thousand.

“After just a few semesters I found you would be called by name in the hallways and that was very surprising to me. I had never seen anything like that before.

You are really treated as a person here, not just someone known by their Student ID number, who is coming to get a degree and leaving the university unnoticed.”

When exactly he’ll finish his degree, he’s not sure. Right now he’s looking to secure a job on campus to stay in Lethbridge for the summer. Beyond that, he will continue to learn and look to make an impact, wherever that may lead him.

“Education is the best investment,” says Bachorz. “I have learned so many valuable things from people I’ve met. The relationships you make are invaluable.

You guys in Canada are so supportive. It is great to be given such an amazing opportunity to live and study here.”

2011 Honorary Degree Recipients

MAUDE BARLOW Maude Barlow is a widely published author, leader in the International Water Justice Movement, senior advisor on water to the 63rd president of the United Nations General Assembly and the founding member and national chairperson of the Council of Canadians.

CLINT DUNFORD Clint Dunford is a business consultant and four-term member of the Alberta Legislature (Lethbridge West) who was instrumental in the creation and launch of Campus Alberta and WorkSafe Alberta, among other initiatives. A cancer survivor, Dunford served as the honorary chairman of the Canadian Cancer Society’s Walk for Life.

KIM PHUC Kim Phuc is a noted humanitarian and subject of the famous photograph of a young Vietnamese girl fleeing her village after a horrific napalm attack. Phuc founded the Kim Phuc Foundation and is a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for a Culture of Peace.

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GORDON SEMENOFF A Pincher Creek-born theoretical physicist, Gordon Semenoff is a professor of physics at the University of British Columbia. He was the 2010 Bertram Brockhouse medal winner and is a renowned expert on quantum mechanics, quantum field theory, statistical mechanics and string theory.

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the Legend

UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

Wieden earns Distinguished Teaching Award

BY TREVOR KENNEY

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n the manner of a week, Dr. Hans-Joachim (HJ) Wieden learned he’d be receiving two teaching awards this spring – one from the University and another from the students. It’s safe to say his philosophy, and the subsequent delivery on that promise, has hit the mark.

“It was a good week, it kind of raised the hair on my forearms,” says Wieden, a chemist by nature and professor of physical biochemistry.

“It’s cool. A lot of the teaching I do does not involve formal teaching evaluations,” he says.

“I only instruct two classes a year and it needs to be that way.

If I had a teaching load of four classes, there isn’t going to be any research coming out of this lab, or I wouldn’t be able to teach independent study students or help with the iGEM program.”

It begs the question then, how does Wieden get noticed as one of the University’s best teachers, winning the 2010 Distinguished Teaching Award and one of three Students’ Union Teaching Excellence Awards, when there are few metrics with which to measure his performance? It comes from his students, who have made a point of letting people know just how influential Wieden has been on their academic experience.

A native of Germany, Wieden learned early what manner of teaching he found most effective, well before he ever knew he’d be a professor.

“The experience I had as an

Dr. HJ Wieden is most at home in his lab, working one-on-one with students.

undergrad taught me something,” says Wieden.

His first exposure to post-secondary studies came at Heinrich-Heine University in Dusseldorf where he was thrust into an introductory chemistry class as one of 1,200 students in an 800-seat auditorium. With no opportunity for student-teacher interaction, the only way for students to succeed was if they were extremely self-motivated or exceptional learners.

“I hated that and it almost made me stop attending university,” says Wieden.

He, of course, made it through, spurred on by a keen interest in biochemistry and

physical chemistry.

“When I learned about that, I got excited,” he says. “I liked the idea of small molecular machines doing stuff in your cells, and that we can, by retro-engineering them to learn how they are designed, help us to build molecular machines with novel functions. It’s like taking a car apart and putting it back together.”

Wieden is animated and excitable when he talks biochemistry, and it’s a palpable enthusiasm that he brings to his students.

While studying for his PhD at Witten/Herdecke University (Germany’s first privately-funded university), he gained his first exposure to a different manner of

teaching and learning.

“What I liked was the direct contact, you could see students going to labs doing hands-on stuff and doing research right away,” he says. “I think those two different approaches to teaching inspired me.”

When he found an opening at the U of L in the back of the magazine NATURE, he investigated the post and quickly found it suited his ideals.

“I got the job, got here and really saw the place. Everybody is friendly to each other, the size is right and I felt it was a good place where I could actually do something,” he says. “In the bigger schools, you are often discon-

SENATE TO RECOGNIZE RASMUSSEN WITH ANNUAL AWARD Elisha Rasmussen, a valued member of the University of Lethbridge Senate and a revered advocate for the interests of the U of L and the value of postsecondary education, is the 2011 Senate Volunteer Award recipient.

Over the past several years, Rasmussen has led the Senate Honorary Degree Search Committee, and, under her leadership, has increased the profile of the honorary degree program.

An experienced and accomplished journalist, Rasmussen drew on that expertise to spread the word about honorary degrees both internally and externally.

As a result, while once there were just two or three honorary

Elisha Rasmussen has been a long-time advocate for the University of Lethbridge.

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nected from the students. I have colleagues from these institutions who don’t know how to get grad students because they have no teaching contact.

“The possibility to actually shape something here was a big reason I saw this as a good place to be.”

He excels as an independent study supervisor and since 2007 has been involved in the highly successful iGEM program as well.

In each endeavour, he relishes the opportunity to draw the best out of his students.

“I look at a class of 30 students with 30 individuals and 30 different brains,” says Wieden.

“There are probably 30 different ways to get into their brains and teach them something, and individualized learning allows us to do that – that’s a very cool thing.

“There’s always a way to connect to a topic. It could be the most awesome topic in the world but if the teacher doesn’t tell it in a way that sparks you, it will never be interesting and that’s what we try and do.”

The awards are, to some degree, a validation, but on another level, they reflect the outcome of his process.

“It gives me a feeling that there is recognition for the time I’ve spent with individualized teaching in and outside of the classroom, and it shows that the students who went through the program are aware of that,” says Wieden. “I’ve told my students that they have to give back, if you like something say it, and if you dislike something, say it.”

The students have obviously spoken.

degree nominations, the committee now receives 10 to 12 each year.

Rasmussen’s contributions go far beyond her work with the Senate. Over the years she has served the U of L in a number of volunteer capacities, such as welcoming international students as a part of the Hospitality Committee, serving with her husband Collin in the Family Friendship program and assisting at numerous convocation ceremonies by pouring tea, greeting guests and providing transportation. She and Collin would routinely help welcome students to campus from places such as South Korea, Germany, Mexico, France, Poland and Ghana by hosting family dinners and including them in other community events.

An exemplary ambassador for the University of Lethbridge and a gracious host, Rasmussen is a worthy recipient of the 2011 Senate Volunteer Award.

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OUR

alumni

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UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

The Alumni Honour Society 2011 Inductees In celebration of the University’s 35th Anniversary in 2002, the University of Lethbridge Alumni Association established the Alumni Honour Society to recognize the achievements of successful alumni within the global community. The individuals inducted into this prestigious group serve as role models through success in their vocation, outstanding community service or superior accomplishment in their avocation.

DR. BENJAMIN D. CAVILLA (BSC ’00) Benjamin Cavilla is a founding member and director of medical operations for the Flying Doctors of Canada (FDOC). His travels and humanitarian efforts have spanned the continent from Canada’s Arctic to the jungles of Central America and include many developing nations. As a physician, Cavilla has dedicated himself to providing the best care possible under very limited conditions and gaining an understanding of the cultural context which impedes the delivery of more universal and effective health care. Cavilla is also helping to train the next generation of medical professionals and humanitarians through FDOC’s Doctors of Tomorrow Program.

MICHAEL A. CAVILLA (BA ’93) Employed with the Calgary Police Service for the last 15 years, Michael Cavilla was promoted to the rank of detective in 2002 and is currently assigned to the homicide unit of the major crimes section. Cavilla’s commitment and enthusiasm to giving back is demonstrated through his involvement in numerous charitable and humanitarian projects. Locally, he is president of the Calgary Police Rodeo Association and head coach of the Calgary Police Service international soccer team.

Internationally, he is the director of public relations for the Flying Doctors of Canada and a volunteer for Children’s Aid International Relief Development.

PASSION FOR FILM DRIVES POLIQUIN

BY STACY SEGUIN Do you remember when the family video camera was a rare and valuable piece of bulky equipment brought out of its protective case to record little more than holidays and birthdays? Fast-forward a decade or more and video cameras, found in everything from cell phones to laptops, are a common and well-used technology that we can no longer imagine living without.

Like most of his generation, 24-year-old John Poliquin (JP) (BFA ’08) grew up using digital media to capture the everyday moments of his life. Unlike his peers, however, this up and coming music video director took it to another level, building a creative and promising career using the common technology.

“In high school I was into skateboarding and my friends and I were always making videos for that. I also took graphic design and was into flash animation and Photoshop. I designed a lot of posters for plays and parties, but it was just for fun. I really wasn’t thinking about new media as a

DR. A. CRAIG LOEWEN (BED ’84) Craig Loewen has been a member of the Faculty of Education at the University of Lethbridge since 1987 and took on the role of interim dean in 2010.

Trained as a mathematics educator, Loewen’s research also includes understanding how students learn and how teachers can promote and enrich the learning experience. Dedicated to his profession and respected by his peers, Loewen has received the University of Lethbridge Distinguished Teaching Award, the Educational Research Award from the Alberta Teachers’ Association and was appointed a Friend of the Mathematics Council of the Alberta Teachers’ Association.

career,” recalls Poliquin. “Then my mom read about the New Media program at the University of Lethbridge in Macleans magazine.”

After recommending the program to a friend, Poliquin visited her on campus, saw the facilities and enrolled himself.

Although Poliquin’s initial intent was to focus on graphic design, he fell in love with film production during his second semester at the U of L. As a child, he’d acted in several commercials and spent time on set with a childhood actor friend. Taking Terry Gallie’s film production course reminded Poliquin of how much he loved the energy and activity on a film set.

“After my first assignment in film production, I was so excited with it that I realized I really liked the aesthetic of film and working in that medium. I also really liked learning about effects and about how I could bring my design experience into that,” says Poliquin. “The New Media program at the U of L is really good.

I know a lot of other directors that went to film school but I am really glad that I have a full university degree. It is so much broader in terms of the media we learned.

The fact that I have different skill sets that a lot of people in my field don’t, that I have experience with sound design and editing and

RICHARD R. MASSON (BMGT ’87) With 25 years experience in government and Canada’s oil industry, Richard Masson brings a wealth of knowledge and skill to his current position as executive advisor, oil sands, for the Alberta Energy Department. In addition to his professional responsibilities, Masson has generously served the community, including the Calgary Persons with Development Disabilities Board and chairing the University of Lethbridge Calgary Alumni & Friends Dinner committee. Masson is respected as a leading member of the U of L community who makes significant investments of time and effort on behalf of the University.

DR. MARLA K. MIDDLETON FREITAG (BED ’81) Marla Middleton Freitag is a program coordinator and instructor at Medicine Hat College. A dedicated, lifelong-learner, Middleton is respected for the innovation and passion she brings to the classroom. She makes courses relevant to her students by relating theory to practice, enhancing the learning experience and creating a positive environment. For her expertise, creativity and substantial contribution to the field of education, Middleton Freitag was honoured with the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) Excellence Award and the Alberta Colleges and Institutes Faculties Association (ACIFA) Award in 2011, and an Academic Achievement Award in 2010.

TERRY T. WHITEHEAD (BA ’94) An ardent supporter of the arts, Terry Whitehead enjoyed a long and successful career in the non-profit theatre industry before moving into executive recruitment. He is an enthusiastic ambassador for the University of Lethbridge who is actively involved in the Alumni Association and has supported a variety of initiatives dedicated to enhancing the student experience. Wanting to increase opportunities for current U of L students, Whitehead initiated two unique student awards: The Play Right Prize and the Striking Prose competitions aimed at encouraging excellence and development in student playwriting and short-story writing.

G E T T H E FA C T S • Poliquin has directed more than 30 music videos.

Alumnus JP Poliquin at work in the studio.

graphic design and web editing, it just makes it a lot easier for me to market myself and not be pigeonholed into one thing.”

Following his first year at the University, Poliquin spoke to Gallie and got some advice about how to work in the film industry. He returned home to Vancouver and began working with a production assistant on the sets of The Fog and RV. He continued to spend subsequent summers immersed in the Vancouver film industry, sampling everything from camera assistant and assistant director to working in wardrobe.

Poliquin also brought his passion for film back to campus.

He and his friends founded the University’s Student Film Festival in 2007, premiering the film,

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Inside Charlie, which they had written and produced. He pulled all-nighters in the new media lab and even had to hide from a security guard once in order to keep working after hours – although he would not recommend doing that today!

Since his graduation in 2008, Poliquin has amassed quite a body of work directing music videos, and is beginning to break into commercial directing and fashion photography.

“I love being a director, writing the ideas and following it through to the editing. It is nice to be able to look back at your portfolio and see these different creations,” says Poliquin. “My next goal is to move to New York City; I want to try it out while I am still in

• He was nominated for music video directing awards for: ill Scarlett featuring Kardinal Offishall (Much Music Video awards); Paper Lions, Tim Chaisson, Morning Fold (East Coast Music Association Awards and Music PEI Awards); Hey Ocean (Leo Awards).

• His film, Inside Charlie, was nominated for Best Short Film at the Calgary International Film Festival.

• To check out some of his work go to: www.johnpoliquin.com.

my twenties. My goal is to eventually direct high concept commercials, music videos, maybe a feature film or TV episode once a year, and then do fashion photography and editing on the side.”

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UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

H E A LT H

& wellness

the Legend

Bee Heart Smart Challenge in full swing

BY SUZANNE MCINTOSH

T

he 7th Annual Bee Heart Smart Challenge is on again, beginning May 1, the program runs through June 13.

The idea is to walk, run, swim, cycle or just be active.

Just over a week old, this year’s challenge is already off to a great start. One of the twists this time around was the introduction of a Name Your Team contest. Following are some of the best names of the bunch: Anderson Walkers; Bookin’ It; Bookmobiles!; Dust Bunny Wranglers; Gong Show; Health Science Heelers; I Can Do Bad All By Myself; KYA; Mahon Tracker; Registrollers; The Wonderous Wellness Walkers; Victorious Secret presents the Markin Chix in Risky Business; Walker’s Walkers; WebGeeks.

The goal of the challenge is to promote an increase in activity and improve health through walking, running, swimming, cycling or other physical activity. Establishing a lifelong habit of physical activity doesn’t just happen automatically. Making movement a part of everyday life is an intentional act. Let’s make the conscious decision to be active everyday – but have fun while doing so!

How do you record your activity?

• Walking/Running – Each step you take all day, every day counts. You can either record your distance or your steps. Prizes will be awarded for both.

• Swimming – Each 50-metre lap you swim is counted.

• Cycling – Cycling is measured either in time cycled or kilometres cycled.

You can record one or the other. Again, prizes will be awarded for both.

Time spent performing another physical activity includes examples such as lifting weights, yoga, pilates or hiking, just to name a few.

You can enter your steps, laps, km or minutes weekly or daily on the Bee Heart Smart website (https://www.uleth.ca/ hum/wellness/walking/).

If you haven’t entered yet, you can enter or join a team at any time during the challenge.

Enter as a team or an individual – the Bee Heart Smart site is open now on the Wellness website and Notice Board.

The Anderson Walkers (Katharine Winter, Cindy Matheson and Joyce Eves) are the Early Bird winners for this year (registrants who entered prior to April 21).

We also have some Busy Bee Champions to help keep us

motivated. Look for entries from President Mike Mahon (the Mahon Trackers), Vice-President Finance Nancy Walker (Walkers’ Walkers), and Kevin McFadzen (KYA) from Sport and Recreation Services (just try to beat his cycling minutes).

Also new to the challenge this year are weekly contests.

They are as follows.

• Week 2 (May 8-14) – Take the Stairs!

• Week 3 (May 15-21) – Walk in the Great Outdoors, with presentations and walks led by the Helen Schuler Nature Centre • Week 4 (May 22-28) – Nutrition for Physical Activity Week 5 (May 29 to June 4) – Fitness Funnies Contest • Week 6 (June 5-13) – Walk in to Work Out, Park and Walk The U of L Bookstore, Sport and Recreation Services and AUPE donate prizes for the Bee Heart Smart Challenge. Thanks also to the U of L Wellness Committee.

Quick Facts about physical activity: • A 30-minute walk burns about 150 calories. If you walked every day for six months, you’d burn off five pounds.

• Physical activity causes the body to use up glucose, thereby helping to keep blood sugar levels in a normal range. This explains why regular exercise is so critical, not only in preventing diabetes, but also in enhancing the health of people already living with the disorder.

• Regular physical activity helps control weight, reduces body fat, improves the body’s response to insulin and strengthens the heart, making it one of the best things you can do to support your health.

• With so much time being spent on the job, practicing healthy habits in the workplace has become just as vital to overall health and well-being as living well at home. In order to keep moving on the job, get up to walk and stretch every 20 minutes. Physical activity stimulates blood flow, relaxes muscles and reduces stress.

I hope to see you keeping your heart healthy this year… and having fun while doing so!

Suzanne McIntosh is the Wellness co-ordinator for the University of Lethbridge

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FAST FOOD FRENZY

BY DIANE BRITTON If you’re eating fast food more than a couple times a month, boost your nutrition with these tips to beat the fast food frenzy.

Bank on Breakfast No matter how little time you have in the morning, always eat breakfast. Even if it isn’t the ideal breakfast, it will help you avoid buying a fast food breakfast or midmorning pastry. Grab-and-go ideas for a quick breakfast include: a homemade smoothie in a travel mug, an apple or banana, or packing a spoon with a yogurt to eat when you get to school or work.

Plan to Eat Pack healthy foods the night before. Fresh, canned or dried fruit, veggie sticks, low fat cookies such as Fig Newtons, or low fat crackers such as Stoned Wheat Thins with a cheese string or yogurt, are quick and satisfying snacks. They’ll provide you with staying power compared to high-sugar snacks that leave you hungry and wanting more.

Skip the Fast Food – Choose Sandwiches Subs and wraps (select whole grain) loaded with extra lettuce, tomatoes, green peppers, onions and cucumbers are a healthy choice. You can also add a lean protein, such as hummus, chicken, turkey, ham or roast beef, for better appetite control. Go easy on the mayo or special sauces to keep your calorie count down.

Either purchased or homemade, these sandwiches are delicious and quick to eat.

STUDENTS EARN BENY AWARDS Katie Bruce, Amy Reber and Allison Crop Eared Wolf are the winners of the 2010-11 Roloff Beny Photographic Awards in Fine Arts.

The Roloff Beny Foundation Photographic Awards in the Fine Arts are intended to provide outstanding students with an opportunity for travel in relation to their photographic activity. Any new or continuing students enrolled full-time in any BFA degree program who have a focused interest in Photo-Arts are eligible to apply for this competitive award.

Due to the high quality of applications, three scholarships of $3,333 each are being awarded this year. Following are short synopses of each winner’s proposal.

Amy Reber (third year) Continuing her self-professed “obsession with human communication and connectivity,” Amy has planned a project in New York City whereby she will extensively

AN

The 2010-11 Roloff Beny Award winners are (L to R): Allison Crop Eared Wolf, Amy Reber and Katie Bruce.

record her interactions with 14 people in the city. This project will culminate in a publication incorporating photographs and the artist’s writing, documenting the conversations verbatim along with a more confessional piece elucidating the affect of these meetings.

Allison Crop Eared Wolf (fourth year) Allison will use her award to travel through First Nations territories during the summer season of cultural celebrations.

She will use photography as a tool to challenge stereotypes of the “romanticized, dead or drunken Indians.” Allison believes that photography is a medium that can reveal the true identities of the First Peoples and “create dialogue, awareness and knowledge of our contemporary selves.”

Katie Bruce (fourth year) Travel and isolation is the foundation of Katie’s proposal.

Her two-part project involves recording her experiences

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with photography and journal entries during a trip through Ireland, Scotland, England, France and Italy. She will stay in one place only as long as it takes to make a connection with the next train and expose one roll of colour film. The second part of the project is to choose a location with which she is completely unfamiliar to create a contemplative space where she can produce a work with the accumulated images from her whirlwind tour.

Beat the Lunch Box Blues Purchase different foods each time you shop to boost your lunch bag variety. Try different types of grains, protein choices, vegetables and fruit each week. Variety in a lunch packed from home keeps you from being tempted to purchase lunch items from a restaurant or vending machine.

Variety is the spice of life!

For an individual nutrition appointment, call the Health Centre (SU020) at 403329-2484. Hour sessions are $40 for U of L students and employees.

Diane Britton is the registered dietitian for the University of Lethbridge

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UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

Convocation C A L E N D A R Convocation (June 2-3) Degrees, diplomas and certificates will be awarded at Spring 2011 Convocation as follows: CEREMONY I Thursday, June 2, 9:30 a.m.

Installation of the Chancellor, Shirley Anne Margaret McClellan Conferral of Honorary Degree – Phan Thi Kim Phuc, Doctor of Laws, honoris causa Conferral of Degrees and Certificates School of Graduate Studies:

Doctor of Philosophy, PostMaster’s Certificate in Counselling, Master of Arts, Master of Science, Master of Education, Master of Science (Management), Master of Counselling, Post-Graduate Certificate in Counselling Faculty of Arts & Science: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Arts and Science CEREMONY II Thursday, June 2, 2:30 p.m.

Conferral of Honorary Degree – Gordon Walter Semenoff, Doctor of Science, honoris causa Conferral of Degrees and Certificates

ULSU HONOURS FACULTY MEMBERS

BY ABBY GROENENBOOM This year the University of Lethbridge Students’ Union (ULSU) began what promises to be a tradition of honouring professors, sessional staff and lab instructors by creating the ULSU Teaching Excellence Awards.

The idea behind the awards was that the ULSU wanted to provide students with an avenue to nominate an individual who they saw demonstrating outstanding effort and dedication to University of Lethbridge students. The ULSU is proud to honour Drs. Jay Gamble, Department of English; Lesley Brown, Department of Kinesiology; and Hans-Joachim Wieden, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.

“The ULSU wanted to offer students a way of recognizing professors and to show appreciation for the extra time and effort professors contribute to their educational experience,” says Taz Kassam, ULSU president.

Gamble has been described by his students as a “delightfully quirky individual” who encourages students to engage in discussion rather than traditional lecturing.

He also encourages creativity over memorization of course materials and provides a fresh perspective to literature.

Brown has a reputation of having a great passion for teaching and a high consideration for the students she teaches.

She encourages her students to reach their full potential and does not accept anything less. She is known for going to great lengths to ensure that students walk out of class having learned something valuable.

Wieden is known to go above and beyond to ensure that students get the help they need to succeed. He will have extended office hours and will eagerly help students both inside and outside of class time.

He has been an instrumental part of the Lethbridge iGEM team, spending countless hours helping the team win three gold and one bronze medal for their participation at the Championship Jamboree.

“The ULSU looks forward to continuing this tradition for years to come,” says Kassam. “We, as students, want our instructors to know that we appreciate all the ways they contribute to enhancing our education.”

Faculty of Arts & Science: Bachelor of Science Faculty of Health Sciences: Bachelor of Health Sciences, Bachelor of Nursing CEREMONY III Friday, June 3, 9:30 a.m.

Conferral of Honorary Degree – Maude Victoria Barlow, Doctor of Laws, honoris causa Conferral of Degrees and Certificates Faculty of Education: Professional Diploma in Education, Bachelor of Education Combined Degrees: Bachelor of

Arts and Bachelor of Education, Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Education, Bachelor of Management and Bachelor of Education, Bachelor of Fine Arts (Art) and Bachelor of Education, Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dramatic Arts) and Bachelor of Education, Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Education Faculty of Fine Arts: Bachelor of Fine Arts (Art), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dramatic Arts), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Multidisciplinary), Bachelor of Fine Arts (New Media), Bachelor of Music.

CEREMONY IV Friday, June 3, 2:30 p.m.

Conferral of Honorary Degree – Clinton E. Dunford, Doctor of Laws, honoris causa Conferral of Degrees and Certificates Faculty of Management: PostBaccalaureate Certificate in Accounting, Bachelor of Management, Certificate in Management Combined Degrees: Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Management, Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Management

LIBRARY CONCLUDES LIBQUAL+ SURVEY

BY NICOLE EVA The University Library completed another successful library quality survey, LibQual+, recently. The survey ran from Feb. 28 to Mar. 18 and elicited responses from a representative sample of the University population, including faculty members and both undergraduate and graduate students. The library received a very good response rate to the survey and will use the results to improve library services in the future.

Organizers of the LibQual+ survey expect to have preliminary results available for review in the fall. The library previously ran LibQual+ surveys in 2005 and 2008, and the findings from those endeavours have improved the library in a number of ways. For a full

HONOURING LONG SERVICE The University held its annual Long Service Awards and Retirement Recognition Ceremony recently, honouring 116 employees who have completed 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 years of service. A total of 23 retiring employees were also honoured.

Following is a list of honoured employees.

RETIREES Art Aitken, Dayna Daniels, Richard Epp, Rex Forsyth, Eldon Gardner, Wolfgang Holzmann, Bill Hudgins, Joan Kendall, Leslie Lavers, Lucie Linhart, Gerald McConaghy, Linda McLeod, Ken Nicol, Seamus O’Shea, Doug Parker, Ramrattie Ramtej, Donna Seyed Mahmoud, Ches Skinner, Philippe Teillet, Linda Van Esch, Wendy Vogel, Nick Wade and Ian Wells

Librarian Alison Nussbaumer, with winners Chrystanus Awagu and Md Rahman.

look at the LibQual+ process, see www.uleth.ca/lib/libQUAL. You can also view the full report from the 2005 questionnaire at this website.

Those who completed the 2011 survey, and also submitted their e-mail address, were eligible to win one of

LONG SERVICE RECIPIENTS • 40 Years | Maria Draper

• 35 Years | Chris Charles,

Bryan Kolb, Peter McCormick and Gerda VanderFluit

• 30 Years | Jane Allan,

Cheryl Calver, Dayna Daniels, Gayle Durand, Rex Forsyth, Laurel Hamilton, Jay Johnston, Linda Kucheran, Greg Martin, David Naylor, Shari Platt and Leanne Wehlage-Ellis

• 25 Years | Shamsul Alam,

Lana Barton, Bryson Brown, Cathy Campbell, Patricia Chuchryk, Leslie Gatner, Allan Gergel, Nancy Grigg, Tyler Hayward, Mary Anne Hellinga, Wolfgang Holzmann, Bill Hudgins, Margaret Joblonkay, Kas Mazurek, Alice Miller, Richard Mrazek, Thomas Robinson, Doug Ross, Jadranka Smiljanec, Brian Sullivan, Richard Tedesco, David Townsend, Sandy Wiest and Joan Zimmer

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five randomly drawn $100 University Bookstore gift certificates. This year’s winners were: Chrystanus Awagu, Md Rahman, Breann Labatte, Tiffany Muller Myrdahl and Darren Finlayson.

The Library thanks everyone for their participation.

• 20 Years | Patti-Jo Aiken,

Linda Anderson, Roberto Aragon-Garcia, Jochen Bocksnick, Carl Budny, James Byrne, Peter Dibble, Deborah Grant, Bill Halma, Andrew Hurly, Janet Macdonald, Karen McCallum, Louise Miller, Al Mueller, Claudia Notzke, Sergio Pellis, Dwayne Pepin, Vern Peterson, Maria Quinteros, Kathy Schrage, Colleen Sullivan, Brian Titley, Donna Townley and Mark Walton

• 15 Years | Doug Berry,

James Dobbie, Jackie Edwards, Lance Grigg, Michelle Hogue, Marie Matkin, Ian McAdam, Gerald McConaghy, Chris Moroz, Jeff Oliver, Derek Peddle, Michael Perry, John Poulsen, William Ramp, Keith Roscoe, Elizabeth Schultz, Ivan Townshend and Kenneth Vos

• 10 Years | Louise Arse-

nault, Stella Baah, Brenda

Bell, Donald Birchfield, Ryan Buckman, Jill Cassidy, Lorena deLange, Christopher Epplett, Margaret Forgie, Don Gill, Bill Glaister, Val Hill, Patricia Horrocks, Nancy Hosgood, Frank Huss, Deborah Jarvie, Helen Kelley, Carol Knibbs, Keith Knowles, Josh Korthuis, Christopher Kukucha, Greg Lacey, Corie Lazenby, Wayne Lippa, Karen Mahar, Jeremiah Merkl, Josephine Mills, Joy Morris, Chris Nicol, Chris Picken, Jeremy Pierson, Mike Pinder, Catharine Reader, Michael Robinson, Victor Rodych, Tammy Rogness, Mark Sabo, Robin Schafthuizen, Shelley Scott, Behnam Seyed Mahmoud, Gerry Ste. Marie, Robert Sutherland, William Tietz, Raquel Trillia, John von Heyking, Kevin Ward, Katherine Wasiak, Robert Williams, Barbara Williams, Jim Wishloff, Robert Wood and Jing Zhu

M AY 2 0 11

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UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

FINE ARTS

in focus

Internship program benefits all

BY DAVID SMITH

H

ave you noticed that bridges are being built all over Lethbridge right now, linking the U of L to the broader community?

Exciting new opportunities are being offered each semester through the University of Lethbridge’s Museum Studies Internship program. Each year, this program enables students to build connections with the community for their future careers.

Those connections provide a plethora of benefits for students, the institutions they work with and the community as a whole.

Students enrolled in the internship option, which is part of the Bachelor of Fine Arts David Smith and Allison Spencer curating the 1950s exhibition, which is degree program, use their interests as a starting point to develop currently showing in the Helen Christou Gallery. relationships with organizations they have a clearer sense of the Hosting an intern is also in the community. These interroles they want to occupy. By advantageous for the institution. ests lead to internships where participating in the internship Students bring enthusiasm, a students gain valuable work program, students further their desire to learn and a willingness experience and the hosting insticareers by gaining practical to work diligently. tutions benefit from having new hands-on experience, which “It’s an excellent way for an and fresh perspectives. Interns employers are quick to recognize, institution to achieve its vision, become ambassadors for their and by networking within their because the interns take on institutions, sharing information career fields. responsibility and help permawith the broader community.

“My appreciation for public nent staff to become more effec“Internships are a great way programming has definitely tive,” says Ryan Doherty, SAAG for students to gain insight into grown with my understanding of Curator. the career choices they are conwhat goes into creating events,” In non-profit institutions, sidering, and to acquire behind says Allison Spencer, curatovolunteering is always encourthe scenes perspectives about how rial intern with the U of L Art aged and appreciated. Interns, institutions operate,” says Kevin Gallery. During her internship, although often unpaid, bridge MacLean, collections technician, Spencer assisted in hosting public the gap between permanent staff Galt Museum and Archives. programming activities including and casual volunteers by workStudents who gain these Culture Vulture Saturdays as well ing regular hours and remaining insights have an advantage when as assisting exhibition planning. a valuable resource of volunteer envisioning their future because

ART DEPARTMENT STUDENT AWARDS

SAKAMOTOS SHOW SUPPORT

As part of its annual Art Studio Open House in April, the Art Department handed out its annual student awards.

Students receiving awards were as follows.

• Jennifer Vanderfluit – Excellence in Art History/Museum Studies Award • Chad Patterson & Tyler Stewart – Art History/Museum Studies Gallery Award • Corinne Thiessen-Hepher – SAAG Award • Chad Patterson – Trap\door Artist Run Centre Award • Bonnie Patton – Art Society Award • Allison Crop-Eared Wolf – Students’ Union Award • Shannon Derry – David Lanier Memorial Award • Arianna Richardson – Excellence in Digital Art Award • Brenna Crabtree – Excellence in Art Studio Award • Katie Bruce – Faculty of Fine Arts Award • Sherry Yu Di – The Studio Prize

BY AMANDA BERG Curtis Litchfield and Calvin Shiu are the inaugural winners of the Joyce and Ron Sakamoto Award for Research and Development. Open to continuing students in the Bachelor of Music program with a declared major in Digital Audio Arts, the awards amount to a $5,000 scholarship for each recipient.

“Considering the outstanding quality of the 12 submitted proposals, it was the unanimous decision of the committee to select two Sakamoto Award recipients this year,” says Dr. Rolf Boon, Chair of the Music Department.

The selection committee consisted of Boon, Dr. Arlan Schultz, Thilo Schaller and Ian Burleigh.

The eight-month long proposal projects start in September and feature a public presentation component upon completion.

energy. Students who complete the internship program promote their institutions in a positive manner by communicating their learning experiences with others.

Granting opportunities to interns is highly beneficial to the community as well. When cultural institutions thrive, the community thrives as a result.

“Having interns is a great way for us to revitalize ourselves.

Having new ideas and a fresh perspective allows us to reflect on how and why we do things the way we do. It adds a sense of vitality to our organization,” says Marilyn Smith, SAAG Director.

This year SAAG, Galt Museum, and the U of L Art Gallery had interns in several capacities and expect to have more in the future.

“We welcome interns with an incredibly diverse range of opportunities and will work with students to create the experience that is right for them,” says Lori Harasem, volunteer and special events co-ordinator with the Galt Museum.

Jennifer Vanderfluit, who interned at the Galt and worked with the archivist to complete a digital conservation project, readily recommends the experience to fellow students.

“I think the internship program is an incredible opportunity that students should take advantage of,” she says. “Every major should have a similar program.”

Curtis Litchfield and Calvin Shiu, the inaugural winners of the Joyce and Ron Sakamoto Award for Research and Development.

“The Sakamoto research grant gives me the great opportunity of collaborating with The Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble to present ethnic music in a new surround sound listening experience,” says Shiu.

The Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble is an internationally recognized ensemble that performs traditional Chinese and contemporary compo-

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sitions with a wide repertoire of fine Eastern instruments.

“My project will be carried out in three stages: research into traditional Chinese instruments and their recording techniques, organizing a public performance by the ensemble in Lethbridge and the production of a 5.1 surround sound album in the Digital Audio Arts Studio 1 facility,” says

the Legend CULTURE VULTURE CONCLUDES SEASON Culture Vultures learn the art of the double take by experimenting with their own optical illusions during Welcome to the Optical Jungle, the final Culture Vulture event of the season, Saturday, June 11.

From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the U of L Atrium, artists of all ages can find inspiration in the U of L Art Gallery’s current exhibit, Spectramatic Geometry, and create a mind-twisting image of their own.

“Using multiple mediums similar to those used by the artists of Spectramatic Geometry, we’ll create optical illusions that appear to radiate and move,” says Rosalind Jeffrey, Culture Vulture program co-ordinator. “We’ll play with colours to see how they react to each other and can trick both the mind and our eyes.”

Promising an eye-bending afternoon of art, refreshments and fun, the June 11 Culture Vulture wraps up the series until September.

“We’ve been having so much fun with Culture Vulture,” says Jeffrey. “We can’t wait to present a new series of projects next year.”

Shiu. “I would like to express my gratitude towards the DAA faculty and Dr. and Mrs. Sakamoto for providing me with the resources and support to make my dream of working with this ensemble come true.”

Litchfield intends to create a set of audio filters for use when wearing headphones.

“These filters will create the illusion that the sound a person is listening to is coming from outside of their head, in the space around them, rather than from inside their head somewhere between their ears,” explains Litchfield. “This concept is similar to wearing glasses to watch 3D movies, but with more variables to account for. In the end I hope to create a program that will allow people to create their own 3D sonic space to listen to, using headphones.”

These two projects are just the start of many creative opportunities for students in the future thanks to the generous support of Joyce and Ron Sakamoto.

Roloff Beny, Arctic Vertical, 1964 From the University of Lethbridge Art Collection; Bequest of the artist, 1989.

Through the museum studies internship program, I am both entrusted with the responsibility and granted the opportunity to co-curate an exhibition for the Helen Christou Gallery.

During the research and planning phase for the 1950s exhibition, I came across Arctic Vertical by Roloff Beny, and was disappointed that I couldn’t include this drawing because it was produced in the 1960s. What I love about this piece is that it reminds me of works both by Vincent Van Gogh, in its parallel echoing strokes, but also of Piet Mondrian’s works, which are stripped down to simplified geometric forms.

Discovering works like this one is one of my favourite aspects of participating in the Museum Studies Internship program.

I am continually amazed at the beautiful works that find their home in the University of Lethbridge Art Collection.

Roloff Beny was born in Medicine Hat in 1924 and then spent a large portion of his life living abroad working as a photographer. His formal training took place at the University of Toronto, the Banff Centre for the Arts and the University of Iowa. Beny is best known for his photographic work later in his career, but earlier he explored a wide range of media.

The University of Lethbridge acquired many of Beny’s prints, drawings and paintings, as well as works by other significant artists from his personal collection, when Beny bequeathed his entire art collection to the University upon his death in 1984.

David Smith, Museum Studies Intern

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