FA L L 2 0 1 6 WHISTLING WHILE HE WORKS PORTRAITS OF OUR PEOPLE GENEROSITY FOR THE GENERATIONS
{ A PU B L ICATION OF LETHBRIDGE COLLEGE }
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Editor’s message
The teacher who changed my life failed
me on my first writing assignment. It was in a class called Feature Writing taught by the inestimable Wilmot Ragsdale. At the time, Rags (as everyone called him) was in his late 70s. He had flunked out after his first year at university in his hometown of Tacoma, Washington, and went on to work as a logger, merchant seaman, oil driller, miner, gardener, amateur boxer and more before turning to reporting. Rags was among the journalists who met weekly with President Roosevelt during the war, and he was on Normandy Beach filing dispatches for Time magazine on June 7, 1944. After the war, Rags roamed the world, writing memorable stories everywhere he went, before settling down for 20 years to teach a generation of journalists at the University of Wisconsin. As he approached his 70th birthday, he returned to Tacoma to retire (but certainly not slow down) and arranged to teach one writing class each semester at the University of Puget Sound. In his contract, he inserted a clause stating all classes he taught must be held in the same second-floor classroom where he had failed his first-year English class. I took notes as he went over a few rules on that first day. Be bold, he told us. If you want to be a writer, he said, write as much as you can, write as often as you can and read even more. Then he said we must meet every classroom deadline – because when we were real reporters, no one would hold the presses for us, even if we had a cold. Finally, he told us to remember that accuracy is the number one rule of good journalism, which meant that one inaccurate fact would fail a whole assignment. I worked so hard on that first assignment. I turned in four pages of my best writing, filled with active verbs, concise and compelling details, and great quotes. And, at one point, I made the mistake of calling one of my sources a lieutenant instead of a sergeant. So I failed. There, on the last page, was the “F,” a letter
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{
President in action Campus in season From our kitchens
VOL. 10
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ISSUE 1
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FA L L 2 0 1 6 }
Wider Horizons is Lethbridge College’s community magazine, celebrating the successes and stories of its students, employees and alumni by promoting them throughout the community. This publication aims to educate its readers, engage stakeholders and recognize donors through compelling stories and images.
which I had never before received on a writing assignment. I was shocked, stunned…and never again made that mistake. Rags taught me a lesson that day which has stayed with me throughout my career – and so many more lessons beyond that. I still hear his voice in my head, urging me to strive for a memorable introduction, to notice the small details of smells and sounds and colours to illustrate my story, to omit needless words and, of course, to be accurate. Even though he passed away in 2009 at the age of 97, his work lives on in the work that I do and in the work of all who had the privilege of being his students do. Teachers like Rags can change lives. So, too, can the staff members who support the students during the years that college becomes their new home. This issue of Wider Horizons is devoted to them, the fabulous faculty and stunning staff members who, in ways large and small, pass on essential life lessons that stay with students well after they cross the stage at Convocation. We hope you enjoy reading about some of those great teachers and staff members in this issue, and be sure to check out some of the comments from our alumni in the “Where Are They Now” pages about the Lethbridge College people who changed their lives. If you’d like to contribute comments for a future issue, just drop me a note at whmagazine@lethbridgecollege.ca. And because we don’t say it often enough – thank you. Thanks to all who teach, who support, who shape and who guide our students season after season, semester after semester. You may not know it – but you are making a difference. Here’s to the start of another great school year! Cheers,
Lisa Kozleski Editor
26 Office intrigue 28 Q&A 34 Where are they now?
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We thank you for picking up this copy and we hope you enjoy the read. If you would like to suggest a story or find out more about our magazine, contact us.
In addition to free distribution to our regional community, Wider Horizons is also mailed to all Lethbridge College alumni. Alumni are encouraged to stay connected to the college by emailing alumni@lethbridgecollege.ca or by updating their contact information at the Alumni Relations website:
Wider Horizons c/o The Advancement Office 3000 College Drive South Lethbridge, AB T1K 1L6 WHMagazine@lethbridgecollege.ca
It’s a family affair News and notes Lethbridge College legacies
lethbridgecollege.ca/alumni
Portraits of our
people
28 Q&A with Allen Ledyit: Child and Youth Care instructor Allen Ledyit talks about working with the people affected by Canada’s worst national disaster.
Publisher: Michel Béchard Editor-in-chief: Gwen Wirth Editor: Lisa Kozleski Design: Dana Woodward Cover photo: Rod Leland Photographers: Rod Leland, Rob Olson, Gregory Thiessen, Tracy Whitelock Contributors: Mark Campbell, Belinda Crowson, Meagan Williams
With a staff that tops 1,000 people (depending on the season), Lethbridge College is one of the city’s largest employers. And Wider Horizons knows that each one of those employees has a story to tell. Unfortunately, our budget didn’t allow for a 1,000-page issue this fall (although we would have been up to the challenge!) – so we asked staff members to let us know about a few colleagues who make Lethbridge College such a great place to work and be. Here are their stories.
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The “Ellis effect:” Faron Ellis, founder of the college’s Citizen Society Research Lab and teaching award winner, has inspired many over the years.
Grads on our grounds: College grads put their hands-on learning to the test as skilled tradespeople constructing the college’s new facility.
Illustrator: Brent Bates Lethbridge College staff contributors: Leeanne Conrad, Jamin Heller, Paul Kingsmith, Ron Ostepchuk, Jonathan Ruzek, Shawn Salberg, Kasha Thurston Proofreaders: Ginger Arthur Ciesla, Brenda Brandley, Joanne Briggs, Mary Ann Sorge
To share this issue with others or access even more content, visit us at widerhorizons.ca. 1
President in action
Dr. Paula Burns and staff from the college welcomed visitors from Anyang City, China, in June to discuss educational exchanges and opportunities for international students at Lethbridge College. The delegation, which included representatives from the Anyang City mayor’s office, the education bureau and school districts, stopped by the Aquaculture Centre of Excellence to see where staff members conduct research into aquatic ecosystem health, water quality and fish disease.
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In 2005, Lethbridge and Anyang cities arranged similar visits and signed an agreement to enhance understanding and friendship between Chinese and Canadian people. During this year’s visit, in addition to touring the college, the delegation met with Lethbridge Mayor Chris Spearman and several councillors, as well as representatives from Economic Development Lethbridge, Lethbridge School District No. 51, Holy Spirit Catholic School Division No. 4 and the University of Lethbridge. Photo by Gregory Thiessen
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Campus in season
A fawn and two does meandered past the college tennis courts last fall, taking advantage of the lush grasses, succulent trees and tantalizing twigs of woody shrubs that can be found throughout campus. Mule deer like these visitors to Lethbridge College are indigenous to Alberta and western North America; they can be found from the coastal islands of Alaska down to southern Baja, Mexico, up through the Great Plains to Saskatchewan and as far as the Yukon Territory.
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Mule deer can be identified by their large, mule-like ears, which are about three-quarters of the length of the head, and the black tip on the end of their small, white tails. Southern Alberta’s coulees and river systems function both as habitat and corridors for the deer to move through, and they are always welcome visitors for students and staff. The campus may be especially appealing as it rarely attracts one of the deer’s primary predators – the coyote. Photo by Rod Leland
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WHISTLING WHILE HE WORKS Yo u ’ l l o f t e n h e a r C l a r e n c e S l o m p c o m i n g before you see him. His cheerful whistling has echoed through the hallways and stairwells of Lethbridge College for almost 35 years.
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“ t’s nice and relaxing,” says Slomp as he hustles up a flight of stairs in the Paterson building. “Sometimes there’s a lot of stress in this place, but maybe if more people would learn how to whistle…” he says, his thought trailing off with a hearty laugh. Slomp’s laugh is nearly as distinctive as his whistling. Since beginning work as part of the college’s maintenance staff in 1982, he has had a physical hand in shaping the look of the college, while his upbeat attitude and beaming smile have also helped influence the feel of the campus. “I love Monday mornings,” says Slomp, the emphasis firmly placed on the word “love.” “Some people come in and they are grumpy, but I come in whistling. You woke up this morning, you’re alive, you’re healthy, you have a job. What do you have not to be happy about?” “Yep, I love Mondays.”
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The cheerful whistle of Clarence Slomp echoes in the staircase of the Instructional building as he climbs to the third floor, where the mechanical equipment is housed.
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Technically, Slomp’s job title is building and ground maintenance supervisor/project lead, but what it really means is that he is in charge of nearly all of the physical components of the campus. If something is being built, moved or fixed – from a floor to a wall to an electrical outlet – he probably has a hand in it. It’s generally quiet when Slomp arrives on campus in the morning. At 7:45 a.m., he pours himself a coffee in the maintenance shop on the southeast corner of the campus, but it’s only a matter of moments before his phone starts ringing. First it’s a call about ongoing repairs to the men’s steam room in the Physical Education building. Then a member of his team calls in sick. This is a blow since he’s already down one person as his head mechanic is off serving jury duty, although “he tells me that unless it comes down to fisticuffs, he’ll be back tomorrow,” laughs Slomp. After checking in with his grounds crew about ongoing parking lot painting and treatment of infected elm trees around campus, he sets off towards his office. Picking up trash along the way, Slomp’s eyes are always scouring the campus, looking for anything out of place or in need of repairs. Once in his office, he logs into his computer, checks in with other members of the facilities team and learns that he’ll need to lead an afternoon tour of the new trades and technologies facility. Then it’s back on his feet and out the door. “My chair doesn’t get warm very often, I’ll tell you that,” he says as he heads for the Instructional building. Slomp examines new flooring being installed on the second floor, arranges for boxes to be sent to an office that’s about to be renovated and stops in to send a gentle reminder to staff after spotting tape being used on the painted walls. Like a whirlwind, he’s back out of the I.B. and bound for the P.E. building and a first-hand look at the steam room project. While he’s in the area he stops to check the new varnish on the floor of the Val Matteotti gymnasium, but it’s only a brief pause before his phone rings again – there’s a pigeon caught in a trap on the roof of the I.B. He heads back there to take care of that. By 9 a.m., in just over an hour, he’s already visited five buildings – and his day is just getting started. “My days fly by,” says Slomp. “It’s always something new. That’s the best part about being on maintenance – you don’t know from day to day what’s coming at you and I love that.” It’s entirely possible that Slomp has spent more time on the Lethbridge College campus than anyone else in school history, and yet, he never imagined the college would lead to a career. His first steps on the campus were as an apprenticeship student, working towards his carpenter certificate. “My first year here for my apprenticeship was in 1979, and that was in [what is now] the Criminal Justice lab - that used to be a carpenter shop.”
He finished two years of his apprenticeship training before the company he was working for folded in the wake of the economic challenges of early-1980s Alberta. Newly married and now unemployed, his wife, Judy, convinced the 22-year-old to head back to the college – not as a student, but as part of the summer painting crew. There was just one problem. “I hate painting,” says Slomp. As luck would have it, he never had to pick up a brush. On his first day he was assigned to work with the maintenance team, where he was a natural fit. “If you work hard, it pays off,” says Slomp. “Because eight years later I was a supervisor. That was never my plan. “It was Jan. 1, 1990, that I started as a supervisor and I haven’t looked back.” By mid-morning, he has been called back to the Phys Ed building for an update on the problematic steam room. There have been no major changes to the area since the construction of the P.E. building 26 years ago. Slomp was on staff when the facility was built, as he also was for Centre Core, the 30th Avenue residence, the Instructional building and Kodiak House residence. He’s helped shape and execute some of the largest construction projects in school history, but at this moment, it’s a solution for a bench in the steam room that has him at a standstill. “We’ve tried an oak bench, but it just doesn’t last,” explains Slomp. “We tried a plastic one, but in the steam it lets off a terrible smell, so it’s just sitting over here now,” he adds, waving his hand towards the shower wall. Francis Rankin, the college’s project manager, notes that the YMCA uses a concrete bench and agrees to go take a look at it later in the day. Rankin is one of the people Slomp works closest with; their paths intertwine throughout the day. He also never goes too long without talking to construction and maintenance lead Ron Farrell. The two have shared an office for so long that neither can remember when it happened (but they do know where the giant painting of a cowboy campfire that adorns their wall came from: “Finance was going to get rid of it, and Ron says ‘we should put that up in our office,’ and I said ‘that’s a great idea,’” laughs Slomp). “We do try to get under his skin sometimes,” laughs Farrell (Construction Technology 1979, Carpentry 1984), about the good-natured ribbing that is a staple of their work days. “But, to have a good nature like Clarence does, and do it with a smile, and laugh about the things that go wrong is incredibly rare.” Otherwise, Slomp spends much of his day alone, while not being alone at all. As he paces across the campus, his whistling is interrupted by saying “hello” to almost everyone he passes. He is a popular figure, greeted with smiles everywhere he goes.
“ I t ’s a l w ay s s om e t h in g new. T h at ’s t h e b e s t pa r t a b ou t b e in g on ma i nt e n an c e , you d on’ t k no w fr om d ay t o d ay w ha t ’s c om in g at you a nd I love t h at .”
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Upon arriving at the maintenance shop for his morning check-in with the grounds crew, Slomp fields a call from an employee while sipping his morning coffee. Bottom (clockwise from right): Slomp looks for personal protective equipment in the third-floor mechanical room of the Instructional building, then meets briefly with Project Manager Francis Rankin regarding maintenance to the men’s steam room in the Physical Education building, and finally makes a stop in the office he shares with Ron Farrell.
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Slomp raises a new Canadian flag in front of the college campus to replace one that had become tattered in the wind, one of his countless small tasks that keep the campus looking great. Bottom (left to right): Slomp takes a short reprieve to enjoy his lunch in the quiet of the maintenance shop and later shares a laugh with members of the Registrar’s Office and Student Services team as he prepares to lead a tour through the trades and technologies facility construction site. Whether leading a tour or on his own, Slomp makes daily visits to the jobsite.
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Before breaking for lunch, he has one final job. The Canadian flag that flies outside the main doors of the campus is tattered. He lowers it and replaces it with a new maple leaf in a task that’s as symbolic as it is functional. It’s the sort of thing that generally goes unappreciated and unnoticed, but that’s how Slomp likes it. “We don’t want people to think about the fact that we’re here,” he says. “We are behind-the-scenes people. We just want everything to be great for the people here.” For his lunch break he heads off to his self-described favourite part of campus – the maintenance shop, where his day started. Here he can often be found catching up on episodes of Hogan’s Heroes, chatting with other maintenance members or just enjoying the peace and quiet in an otherwise frantic day. “It’s a place of sanctuary, I guess,” says Slomp. “Over in the shop you’re left alone a little bit.” For this brief period of time there are no projects to worry about, no crisis to solve, no fires to put out – figuratively or literally. That hasn’t always been the case over 34 years on the job. He once doused a fire outside of the 30th Avenue residence with just dirt and his bare hands. Another time he leapt into action when lint caught fire in a duct leading to the roof of the automotive shop. “The fire department was on its way, but they weren’t here yet,” remembers Slomp, who scampered to the roof himself. “I’ve already got the cap off, I’ve got a bunch of snow and I just start filling the whole thing up with snow. The fire department shows up and I’m like, ‘sorry guys, I think I already got it out.’ “I got in trouble for that,” he laughs. He also got in trouble for re-entering the Andrews building after tarps caught on fire in a stairwell during renovations. “When there’s an emergency, I’ll just react, not thinking, and just get stuff done. Because people are in peril and I want to make sure they’re safe.” His other out-of-the-ordinary adventures on campus include stepping in to help during gas line leaks and water pipe bursts, cleaning up after storms that toppled trees on campus and leading evacuations following bomb threats. But the magnitude of emergency events or the threat of them taking place has never put a damper on Slomp’s enthusiasm for his job. “I never get a sense of dread about going to work,” he says. “The college has never treated me wrong; this has been a great place to work, and I work with an awesome crew.” It’s not just on campus where he makes a significant difference. Slomp also dedicates countless hours as a church cadet leader and is approaching his 100th donation to Canadian Blood Services. Back in his office, just after 1 p.m., Slomp is getting a group from the Registrar’s Office and Student Services attired for a tour of the second phase of the under-construction trades and technologies facility. The $65 million project is the largest addition in the school’s history and Slomp has been on the front lines of the planning and construction process. 11
“It has been so exciting to be a part of this whole thing, to watch it grow,” he says. He leads the group outside and up to the second floor of the facility, pointing out how the state-of-the-art building will look once it’s completed: a classroom here, a welding shop there. He makes sure to get out to the job site on a daily basis to keep tabs on how the project is progressing. “How they’ve made it work is such an advantage for these new apprentices coming down the pipe,” says Slomp. “They have it a lot easier than we used to.” The new facility has been a major commitment for Slomp, one that will eventually pull him away from his regular duties to focus exclusively on preparing it for the students who will arrive in the completed building in August 2017. It will also be his magnum opus, as he intends to retire shortly after construction is completed. “The biggest thing when I do go is, I will miss the people,” says Slomp. “Especially the older ones who have been here a long time too. That’s going to be the hardest part I think.” Slomp has dedicated most of his life to making Lethbridge College a better place to be for those who study and work inside its walls. It’s become a second home to him, and like any home, he’s kept his family close. Two of his three sons took their apprenticeship training at the college. And it’s his wife who can be credited with keeping him here for all these years. “When they were building tech in ’84, they had job openings and I was thinking ‘maybe I should get back into construction,’” says Slomp. “I got the job, and I was talking it over with my wife, and she said ‘you’ve got it pretty good at the college, you love what you do, why would you want to change that?’ And I thought, ‘you know what? You’re right.’” Nearly four decades after he first set foot on campus as a young apprenticeship student, he has become an indispensable part of the culture of Lethbridge College. “As long as everyone is smiling on Monday mornings when they come to work, then we’re good,” he laughs as he gets ready to leave. With another day finished, the clock hits 4:45 p.m. as he heads for his truck, his eyes still scanning his campus, the sound of his joyful whistling filling the air. To view a comprehensive slideshow of a day in the life of Clarence Slomp, go to widerhorizons.ca. Story by Paul Kingsmith | Photos by Rod Leland
Slomp, who has worked at the college for nearly 35 years, pauses during a break in the facility tour for Registrar’s Office and Student Services staff. He is greeted with smiles everywhere he goes on campus – and always has a smile in return.
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“The biggest thing when I do go is, I will miss the people,” says Slomp. “Especially the older ones who have been here a long time too. That’s going to be the hardest part I think.”
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Portraits of our people
Portraits of our
people Lots of love for Lethbridge College staff
Wider Horizons put out a call this spring for faculty and staff members to pass along the names of colleagues who make a difference in their lives and in their jobs. The short stories and photos on the following pages reflect just a small sliver of the hundreds of talented, thoughtful and hard-working members of the Lethbridge College team. Stories by Lisa Kozleski | Photos by Rod Leland
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Amanda Guccione Academic advisor international focus { @LethCollege since 2013 }
Amanda Guccione graduated from Lethbridge College’s Fashion Design program in 2006.
Loves: • • •
Convocation Day. She gets to meet many students on their first day on campus and is thrilled to see them cross the stage at the end of their journey. Her rescue shepherd/collie mix named Mozzie (the best Christmas present ever). Pottery, which she has been doing for about three years, and travelling, which she would love to do even more.
In her own words:
“Student Services is where my passion is. I love talking to the students and helping them solve their problems. That is the best part of my job.”
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Portraits of our people
Cheryl Meheden Business Administration instructor { @LethCollege since 1996 }
Loves: • • •
Travel. Considers herself a global traveller and global thinker. Most memorable trip was to the Galapagos Islands for her 50th birthday. Learning. Degrees include a B.A., B.S., MBA and PhD. Says she recognized at an early age that education was the ticket out of poverty. Dogs, picnics outside, championing worthy causes and big open skies.
In her own words:
“My favourite day of the academic year is probably around day 21. That is when everything congeals and really comes together. It’s still new enough to be fresh, and by that time, I know who the students are, they know who I am, and there is this conversation that flows freely. It’s wonderful.”
Cheryl Meheden won the Lethbridge College Students’ Association and Faculty Association Teaching Award in 2015.
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Dave Kennedy Business Administration/Accounting instructor { @LethCollege since 1985 } Loves: • • •
All sports, especially playing hockey and golf. Has been inches away from a hole in one – and plans to keep shooting for that goal – and played on provincial championship teams for eight different sports. Travelling, especially when he can accompany college students on the study tour to Europe. Trivia and everything about it, including the time he met Jeopardy-winner Ken Jennings and made an accounting instructor’s joke about H&R Block – the answer Ken finally missed on his 75th day on the show.
In his own words:
“I still love what I am doing – I can’t imagine stopping.”
Dave Kennedy received the Lethbridge Police Service’s Award of Exceptional Recognition in 2007 for his “awareness and actions [after] finding a youth suffering from hypothermia and taking immediate action for his safety.”
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Portraits of our people
Shoja Mazidi is a longtime community volunteer who is active with the Southern Alberta Technology Council and other community organizations.
Computer Information Technology instructor { @LethCollege since 2008 }
Loves: • • •
Teaching and mentoring inquisitive college students and helping them discover their creativity. Soccer, whether it’s the indoor games he plays in Lethbridge, the various games he referees each year in the district, or the referee training clinics he leads to prepare new refs to do the challenging job. Giving back to the community. Before moving to Lethbridge, he volunteered with the Tetra Society in Calgary, creating customized assistive devices for people with physical disabilities, and in Lethbridge he is active in (and is now a board member of) the Southern Alberta Technology Council.
In his own words:
“Teaching is the greatest profession. Not only do you get to teach, but you get to learn at all times; it is learning and discovering the world around you for the love of your students. You do it because you love it.”
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Donna Kalau
Child and Youth Care instructor { @LethCollege since 1991 }
Donna Kalau graduated from Lethbridge College’s Child and Youth Care program in 1986 and was named a Distinguished Alumna in 1992. She won the Lethbridge College Students’ Association and Faculty Association Teaching Award in 2014.
Loves: • • •
Seeing students grasp a concept they had been struggling with (sometimes she sees these “a-ha” moments happen right before her eyes) and the fantastic colleagues she works with. Walking in the coulees, and being part of the Playgoers of Lethbridge, where she works onstage as well as backstage and will receive a lifetime achievement award this fall. Having been in the very first cohort in the college’s new Child and Youth Care program 30 years ago, which she describes as a fantastic experience.
In her own words:
“I always look forward to the final seminar for our second-year students, just before Convocation. We have a bit of a closing ritual, and we pass back a letter they wrote to themselves during the first few weeks of their first year. It’s so cool to see how far they’ve come.”
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Portraits of our people
Bertil Johansson Exercise Science instructor { @LethCollege since 1987 – retired summer 2016 }
Loves: • • •
Keeping in touch with the people he taught and coached, a list which includes everyone from Olympic hopefuls to faculty colleagues to multiple generations of families. Having helped launch the college’s Exercise Science program in 2005. Every day that he had a chance to make a difference in the life of a student or an athlete.
In his own words:
“I was in the hospital when one of our runners was running at nationals. She called from Quebec and said: ‘Coach. I won.’ And it was the first time anyone from the college won a national title. I wasn’t even there – and didn’t have to be. They were prepared. We as faculty and coaches, we influence students. We are there in spirit – they can hear our voice.” Bertil Johansson coaches the Kodiaks men’s and women’s cross country teams and indoor track teams and was named the ACAC cross country coach of the year for 2015-16.
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Cherie Reitzel
Interior Design Technology instructor { @LethCollege since 2015 }
Loves: • • •
The first week of classes, when it smells like fall and feels like fresh starts. Making design plans and investing the time needed to see them come to life. Current plans include helping the college become the leading design technology school in western Canada and building a mountain home that reflects her own innovative style. Music. She has been singing since she was five, giving music lessons since she was 14 and making the world’s best music videos with her children, ages 15 and 13, for the last few years.
In her own words:
“I am at the end of my first year at Lethbridge College and, honestly, it has been the best year of my life. I have had so much fun, have felt so welcomed and have been so challenged.”
Cherie Reitzel taught at Sheridan College for 15 years and Georgian College for six years before coming to Lethbridge College.
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Portraits of our people
Jim Manzara Massage Therapy instructor
{ @LethCollege since 1989 – retired summer 2016 }
Loves: • • •
Teaching the 500 or so students who have come through the college’s Massage Therapy program, which he helped launch in 1996. Dragonboating. With 14 years of experience coaching, steering and some paddling, he is now steering for two teams primarily: the college’s mixed team and Team ID. He will also be steering for a Regina team called “Pond Scum,” which competed in nationals in Ontario in August and will compete next year at the Pan Am championships in Puerto Rico. Travelling. He is hoping retirement – and dragonboating – will bring more opportunities to travel the world.
In his own words:
“Every day is a new chance. Every day brings something new to the students you are trying to teach. Every day you are looking to see their eyes light up when they learn something new and it all makes sense.”
Jim Manzara won the Lethbridge College Students’ Association and Faculty Association Teaching Award this spring.
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Rina Hu
We encourage readers to post stories about other favourite Lethbridge College faculty and staff on the college’s social media channels, and to email us at WHMagazine@lethbridgecollege.ca for future issues. We know there are so many more stories to tell.
Cash receipt specialist in Accounting Services { @LethCollege since 2008 } Loves: • • •
Travelling. After moving to Canada from China in 2002, travelling throughout North America and Asia has been an important part of her life. Working at the college after having been a student here. The colleagues she works with in Accounting Services, who make every day at work a great day.
In her own words:
“I like my job, and people here are so nice. In my department, everyone is willing to help with any questions you may have.”
Rina Hu graduated from Lethbridge College’s Business Administration program in 2008.
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From our kitchens
{ Recipe by Chef Doug Overes }
Vegetarian Moroccan This slow-cooked Moroccan stew is the ideal way to showcase some of fall’s most luscious flavours.
Called a tagine, the dish is named after the cone-shaped
earthenware pot in which it is cooked. The base of the ceramic earthenware pot is wide and shallow, and the tall lid fits
snugly inside. As the tagine cooks, the domed lid traps steam
and it trickles down the sides and back into the dish, resulting 24
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in a tender, succulent meal. References to tagines appeared as early as the ninth-century Arabic story collection, 1001 Arabian Nights, and today, the cooking pot and the stews contained within are most commonly found in the Middle East and North Africa. Typically, a tagine is a rich stew of meat, poultry or fish, and most often includes vegetables or fruit. This vegetarian dish, which can be prepared in a Dutch oven if a tagine is not available, features chick peas, dried apricots and almonds, as well as the aromatic spices of ginger, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon and saffron. Enjoy!
To sample some of the delicious creations from student chefs at
Lethbridge College, book a table in the Garden Court Dining Room by calling 403-382-6999. To see a video of this recipe being prepared by Chef Doug Overes, go to widerhorizons.ca.
tagine Ingredients
Method
1 .................................................................................medium onion, chopped 2 ...................................................................................... garlic cloves, minced 2 ........ medium Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into one-inch cubes 1 ....................................medium carrot, peeled and cut into one-inch pieces 1 can (15 oz.).......................................................... diced tomatoes, undrained 2 cups.................................................................................green beans, sliced 1 cup.................................................... canned chick peas, drained and rinsed 2 cups............................................................................................tomato juice 2 tbsp................................................................................................ cold water 3 tbsp................................................................................................ cornstarch 2 tbsp..................................................Ras-el-Hanout (Moroccan spice blend) ¾ tsp..............................................................................................black pepper ¾ tsp........................................................................................... ground ginger pinch ......................................................................................................saffron 1 ...........................................................................................4” cinnamon stick 1 tbsp.....................................................................................................olive oil 1 cup............................................................................................dried apricots ½ cup..................................................................................... slivered almonds
1. Preheat oven to 410º F. 2. Mix cold water into cornstarch. 3. Combine all ingredients except the apricots and almonds in an oven-proof skillet with a lid or Moroccan tagine. 4. Bake until potatoes and carrots are tender (about 30 to 45 minutes). 5. Add apricots and almonds and bake an additional 15 minutes. 6. Serve on cooked rice, bulgur or couscous and garnish as you see fit. Typical garnishes often include chopped cilantro and/or Greek yogurt. In some regions, cooks stir in a tablespoon of honey or a squeeze of lemon before serving. 7. Serves four. Bon appetit! Recipe by Chef Doug Overes | Photo by Gregory Thiessen
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Office intrigue Dreamcatcher made by Marcia Black Water at a drummaking and dreamcatcher workshop hosted by Opokaa’sin Early Intervention Society in 2014.
Malcolm Many Chiefs, a second-year Nursing Education in Southwestern Alberta (NESA) student, says he likes the welcoming atmosphere of the lounge.
There are nearly $1 million in scholarships and awards available to students, including many FNMIspecific awards.
Marcia Black Water sits next to blankets used in smudging ceremonies on campus. These ceremonies are done to cleanse the spaces used before important campus gatherings and events.
{ Office Intrigue } FNMI Student Lounge with Marcia Black Water Lethbridge College, which resides on traditional Blackfoot
territory, has welcomed First Nations students since its earliest days, and today, an average of nine per cent of the student population comes from North America’s First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities. 26
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One of the ways the college connects its proud Blackfoot culture with knowledge from historical times to the present is to provide a space in the heart of campus for students to come together from within and outside of the FNMI communities to socialize, study and find support in their student life.
Matt Chu returns for the second year of his Computer Information Technology program this fall. Bruce Starlight (General Studies 2016) reads A Gathering of Sorrows.
Drawings of Chiefs Eagle Tail (Northern Peigans), Red Crow (Southern Bloods) and Crowfoot (Southern Blackfoot).
Kelsey Solway, the college’s FNMI Recruiter.
Rod McLeod, the college’s Métis Elder, received the college’s Community Leader Award as well as the Blackfoot name Iistakata, which means “Dependable One,” in 2012.
Tobacco board, hand-crafted and hand-painted with a Kodiak bear, made by Elder Peter Weasel Moccasin for the 2015 FNMI Honour Night centerpieces .
The college’s smudge box, which was made by Elder Peter Weasel Moccasin, filled with dirt and sweet grass from the region.
The lounge, which is open around the clock, is also the place where students can connect with FNMI Services’ acting coordinator Marcia Black Water (General Studies 2004), as well as Blackfoot Elder Peter Weasel Moccasin, Métis Elder Rod McLeod (Child and Youth Care 2003 and FASD Education 2006) and Inuk Elder Christina Tikivik-Sherman.
For more information about FNMI Services at Lethbridge College, email fnmi@lethbridgecollege.ca or go to lethbridgecollege.ca/fnmi. To celebrate the pride, history and knowledge at the heart of Canada’s FNMI communities, stop by campus for FNMI Days from Oct. 18 to 20. Story by Lisa Kozleski | Photo by Rob Olson
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Q&A Q&A
{ with Allen Ledyit and Penny Balfour } Lethbridge College Child and Youth Care instructor Allen Ledyit was getting ready for church on May 8 when he got the call. Could he join the Canadian Red Cross’s effort helping some of the 88,000 evacuees who had been forced to flee the horrific fires around Fort McMurray? He said yes, of course. He was expecting the call and had the car loaded up and ready to go. Ledyit worked with evacuees for almost three weeks in Edmonton, heading home in time to attend his son’s high school graduation. He returned after a month to help as the situation moved from helping provide immediate relief to the evacuees to case management. During his time back in Lethbridge, Ledyit and Penny Balfour, a community outreach associate with the Lethbridge office of the Canadian Red Cross, took time to speak with Wider Horizons about working with the people affected by one of Canada’s worst disasters and the value of giving back to the community as a Red Cross volunteer.
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Wider Horizons: Allen, tell us about working with the evacuees.
WH: And what can you tell us about your fellow volunteers?
Allen Ledyit: When a woman tearfully clutches her purse and says quietly “this is all I have” or, upon complimenting a man on his very nice watch, he smiles and says: “Thanks, I was walking downtown when they picked me up and evacuated me – it is all I have,” one cannot help but be humbled and see things with a different perspective. No matter how bad a day you or I have had, it is unlikely to compare to what these brave individuals are dealing with. However, I am impressed by their strength and resilience in spite of all of this. I believe that the character of both the evacuees and, in fact, everyone who is offering help and support, here and worldwide, has really exemplified the best of us, the best of the human race. It is truly awesome what we can accomplish with a little caring, isn’t it?
AL: We had a really great team – we loved being together and it was a really good working environment. We were housed initially in a post-secondary residence, and being all together like this facilitated a wonderful comradery and sense of feeling supported. But it was also challenging – lots of 12-hour days and people dealing with huge losses.
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WH: Why did you decide to volunteer to help the Red Cross?
AL: My dad was a volunteer fire chief for 30 years. I think he instilled in me that you are part of the community and you do what you can for the community. I have always been involved, and I had been seeing these tragedies happening. I thought, I have a history working in crisis… I can do this kind of stuff.
WH: Penny, you were a volunteer for five years before working for the Red Cross. What do you think is the value of volunteering?
WH: There were so many people affected by the Fort McMurray fires. Were you ever disappointed that you couldn’t do more?
Penny Balfour: The payoff is the people – the fellow volunteers, the clients, the municipalities where you work. Everyone you come in contact with, especially on deployment, everyone is there for the same cause, the same reason. They all want to make sure folks in a crisis have their basic needs met.
AL: Have you heard of the story of the old man walking down the beach, and the tide had gone out and left a lot of starfish behind? The man throws a starfish back in the water. And then another one. And then another. The person walking with him says: “There’s thousands of these starfish. What difference could it possibly make?” The man says, “Well, it makes a difference to that one.” We make a difference when we can, and we help the people we are able to help, however we can.
WH: What special skills are needed to be a volunteer?
PB: Everyone has something to offer. If you have a background in logistics, in management, in changing garbage bags, there is a way for you to help the Red Cross. We welcome volunteers of every age, background and walk of life – we have more than 60 here in Lethbridge who we call on to help in personal disasters as well as bigger emergencies. What you can do as a volunteer is exceptional.
To learn more about volunteer opportunities with the Canadian Red Cross, call 403-327-7117. For more information about Lethbridge College’s Child and Youth Care program, email humanservices@lethbridgecollege.ca or call 403-320-3393 . And to read an extended interview go to learn.lc/ledyit. Story by Lisa Kozleski | Photos by Rob Olson
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The
ELLIS effect F
ormal social science research methods classes don’t typically have students bubbling with excitement. But for those who have sat in Dr. Faron Ellis’ classroom, they say it’s inevitable. The brain behind the Citizen Society Research Lab and recipient of two teaching excellence awards, Ellis doesn’t give off the impression of a stuffy academic. His gravelly drawl and clear explanations of complex theories are just part of what make him so approachable to the minds he inspires on a daily basis. For second-year General Studies student Mallory Kristjanson, the “Ellis effect” has been life changing. Being a single mother and starting school when her own mother was diagnosed with cancer was a challenging time to return to her academic pursuits. The honours student says she has completely changed her career path due to a hidden passion for local government and politics, something she says Ellis ignited within her.
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{ Dr. Faron Ellis and the Citizen Society Research Lab }
Dr. Ellis provides a guiding hand to students in the Citizen Society Research Lab as they collect important data which can help shape the future political landscape for Canadians.
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“His enthusiasm for teaching and enthusiasm for research and politics is contagious.� { Mallory Kristjanson }
The Citizen Society Research Lab allows students to gain real-world experience by talking with people about topical issues. The students are then able to turn the data they collected themselves into statistics and information that can directly have an impact on the lives of Albertans.
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“To be excited to go into a social sciences research class with absolutely no statistics background, for me it was empowering,” says Kristjanson. “His enthusiasm for teaching and enthusiasm for research and politics is contagious.” After graduating from Lethbridge Collegiate Institute, Ellis worked as an apprentice motor mechanic at the family’s automotive business. He then enrolled at the University of Calgary to complete his undergraduate degree in political science before earning a master’s degree at Carleton University in Ottawa and a doctorate from the University of Calgary. Along the way, he started to make a name for himself in the Alberta political landscape with the Reform Party. Prior to his doctoral studies, a friend approached Ellis about getting some help with a university course and Ellis suggested surveying delegates attending a Reform Party convention in Red Deer. After having shared copies of the questionnaire with some of his old professors in Calgary, the chair of the political science department, Roger Gibbins, called Ellis. “Gibbins said ‘it’s too bad you’re already in a PhD program because I was going to ask if you’d apply to ours,’ to which I replied ‘I’m not in a PhD program,’” laughs Ellis. “Well, Gibbons said ‘why are doing this survey?’ I said, ‘to help out a buddy and for recreation.’” Gibbins thought anyone conducting political surveys for recreational purposes would make a good PhD student and Ellis returned to the U of C. In 1995, Ellis headed back to Lethbridge for a temporary teaching position at the University of Lethbridge where he met the love of his life, Leanne, who still works there today. A year later, Ellis’ sister alerted him to a part-time teaching opportunity at Lethbridge College, and he recalls that everyone at his interview, including himself, agreed that this would be another temporary appointment. But by the next academic year, Ellis had a permanent faculty position and had introduced polling projects in several of his classes. Today, the Citizen Society Research Lab (CSRL) has trained over 2,400 students, engaged 15 faculty members and released over 150 reports of their public opinion analysis. “The CSRL is a unique program that offers affordable, high-quality market data used by industry and community organizations alike, to make evidence-based decisions,” says Gina Funicelli, Dean of the Centre of Applied Research and Innovation. “In one case, the research provided by the CSRL led directly to an investment of $2 million and the creation of 50 jobs as part of an innovative restaurant venture in Lethbridge.” Edith Olson, interim co-Dean of Applied Arts and Sciences, adds: “Students participate from all corners of our campus, including justice studies, health and psychology. Faron’s courses provide unique experiential learning opportunities for students to acquire new skills and apply them immediately in practical ways during the course of their studies at the college.”
The opportunity to be part of the CSRL is an experience that stays with students long after they graduate. As the Chief Administrative Officer for the town of Coaldale, Kalen Hastings (General Studies 2007) has experienced first-hand how local government operates and says the “Ellis effect” has been profound for him and shaped his academic life. “He taught me to think critically and to write coherently, objectively and succinctly,” says Hastings. “Dr. Ellis’ enthusiasm and encouragement did wonders for my selfconfidence and future scholastic outlook.” Both Hastings and Kristjanson agree that Ellis’ passion for teaching is contagious, and his animation and his willingness to see his students succeed is almost tangible. It’s that passion that has helped Ellis win a second Lethbridge College Students’ Association/Faculty Association Teaching Excellence Award in April and the CSRL win a Colleges and Institutes Canada bronze medal in Innovation in Applied Research Excellence Award in May. “This national award showcases the extraordinary contribution of individuals and programs to our college community – and, by extension, highlights the role of the college in social, cultural and economic development,” says Lethbridge College President and CEO Dr. Paula Burns. “Dr. Ellis and his team have pioneered the college’s pursuit of applied research opportunities and, by extension, have helped promote Lethbridge College to a national platform.”
“Dr. Ellis and his team have pioneered the college’s pursuit of applied research opportunities...” { Dr. Paula Burns }
When considering his accomplishments with Lethbridge College, Ellis says it comes back to the students. “We’re giving students, many of whom wouldn’t otherwise have an opportunity, a chance to discover themselves and the learning that they’re capable of,” he says. This summer Ellis undertook a new role as research chair at the CSRL. He says that although retirement is still a few years down the road, seeing the work continue after he’s walked the halls of the Instructional building for the last time is a priority. “The goal is to build a research lab meaningful enough to the college and its future students that they see value in continuing its work,” smiles Ellis. “If you’re going to build something sustainable, it should be sustainable independent of any single person’s efforts. Then maybe we’ve created something.” Story by Meagan Williams | Photos by Rob Olson
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Where are they now?
Where are they now? ON THE MARK: with Ryan Pace
Nursing Education in Southwestern Alberta
Mark Campbell (Communication Arts 1975) shares the stories of fellow Lethbridge College alumni
Growing up in Fernie, B.C., Ryan Pace had a
lot of interest in science, biology and how the human body works. That interest led to a career in nursing. Ryan spent the first two years of his nursing degree at Lethbridge College, which he describes as phenomenal. He was able to meet some lifelong friends and colleagues plus, with the class sizes being relatively small, all the instructors knew students by name and had a genuine interest in developing successful graduates. Two instructors stood out as being real mentors for Ryan: Deb Bardock and Tracy Oosterbroek. Both had high expectations and were focused on helping everyone learn how to provide the most basic care to patients. Ryan graduated from the Nursing Education in Southwestern Alberta program, which includes two years at the college and two years at the university, in 2004. Five years later, he went on to earn a Masters of Health Care Administration degree. His first job after graduating was at the Elk Valley Hospital in Fernie where he dealt with a wide variety of health and social issues with limited resources. The experience in rural healthcare taught him the value of team work and critical thinking. Ryan later worked in northern California for two years and was a travel nurse in Los Angeles for a year before moving to Las Vegas in 2011. He started as a staff/trauma nurse and quickly moved to a charge nurse. Today he is the director of the pediatric emergency department at Sunrise Children’s Hospital. To say it’s a busy hospital is an understatement. In 2015, the hospital treated over 50,000 children from Nevada, California, Utah and Arizona. Combined with the adult emergency department, there are days where they see over 500 patients and receive over 130 ambulances. It is not uncommon to admit over 100 patients per day to the hospital, Ryan says. “Nursing is a privilege,” Ryan says. “You can never be complacent, stop learning or turn your back on a patient in need. You will see thousands of patients throughout your career. While you may remember only a few, the majority of those patients will remember you for the rest of their lives – so your encounters with them are crucial. It’s a rewarding career.” To read more interviews by Mark, visit his blog at greetergrammer1.wordpress.com.
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2016
Jonathan Guignard Digital Communications and Media Jonathan is a new reporter at the Westwind Weekly News in Magrath. He is a huge Toronto Blue Jays and Toronto Raptors fan and looks forward to covering the news of southern Alberta.
John Manyok and Sam Mathon General Studies John and Sam, two recent graduates who were featured in the cover story in the spring 2016 issue of Wider Horizons, were accepted in the University of Calgary’s social work program and are looking forward to continuing their studies.
Daniel Petker Multimedia Production Dan’s online interactive capstone project was featured in Sketchfab, the leading platform to publish and find 3D and VR content, and shows how he created a customizable Dodge Charger model. He created the model of the Charger in Maya, then exported and used Sketchfab to create the interactivity. Sketchfab featured the project as a great example of what can be done with their framework. This project is supported on mobile and is VR ready with support on the Occulus Rift. Dan won the Most Promising Interactive Developer award at Collide-O-Scope this year and obtained a graphic design position three days after graduation.
Celebrating the successes of our alumni in their careers and throughout their lives.
2015
2013
Criminal Justice – Policing Gavin, a hockey referee, was invited to the Western Hockey League’s 2016 High Performance Exposure camp in June. He said it was a very busy weekend both on and off the ice. Enns said refs learned more about the profession and were able to watch video of current WHL refs and dissect how they treated situations. According to an article in Pembina Valley Online, the biggest lesson Gavin learned from the weekend camp was what it takes to make the jump to the WHL ranks – physical fitness. Gavin is currently a recruit in the college’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement program.
Business Administration - Management Steven was featured in a May article in the Lloydminster Source describing the seventh annual, bi-provincial Try-a-Trade Career Expo. Steven answered questions from prospective tradespeople about working in the trades and apprenticeship training at his booth. “I just finished my apprenticeship so I feel I am a good fit if they have any questions about the trade or the schooling part of the trade,” he said.
Gavin Enns
Dustin Molleken
Steven Hickman
Upgrading After 13 years in the minor leagues, this former Prairie Baseball Academy pitcher was called up by the Detroit Tigers. He made his major-league debut on July 4 by pitching two innings in Cleveland. His next appearance was a dream assignment in his home country as he held the Toronto Blue Jays scoreless in nearly three innings of work on July 10.
June 19 : @baseballsask
Congrats to former Team SK and @ baseballcanada member @DMolleken on his call up to The Show with @tigers! #DreamBig
Billie Loder Business Administration - Accounting Billie is attending the University of Lethbridge where she is working on her accounting degree.
{ Baseball Sask }
Logan Schenk Communication Arts – Broadcast Journalism Logan is a new reporter at The Mountaineer in Rocky Mountain House, Alta. After graduation, he worked in radio in Dauphin, Man., before moving to Clearwater County. He says he is looking forward to writing about the community and agriculture in particular.
2014
Shelby Craig Communication Arts – Print Journalism Shelby started working as a reporter for the Lacombe Express in March. In addition to covering local news, Shelby is spearheading the Express’ social media efforts.
Lansing Jacobson Office Administration Lansing writes: “Since graduating I have received a position at the University of Lethbridge. I love my job and co-workers.”
Elaine Conrad
Administrative Office Professional instructor
Elaine Conrad is a very great instructor. I had her for a number of classes, and
right from the start I liked her. You could tell she liked her students and if they needed help with something, she was always there when they needed her. She would also come to every class with a smile on her face. From what I remember, every class of hers that I was in, she would always make the class enjoyable. What I would say about Mrs. Conrad is that she is truly dedicated to her job as a teacher and you can see that dedication in her work as a teacher and in her students as well. I’d like to thank her for being an amazing teacher. “
{ Submitted by Erica Nichols, Administrative Office Professional 2014 }
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Where are they now?
2013
Keeyah Orr
Criminal Justice - Policing Matthew updated the alumni office with this news: “After completion of my third year of the Criminal Justice BA program, I worked for Paladin Security at the Red Deer Hospital. During this time I was going through the RCMP application process. I went to Depot in Regina at the end of July 2015 and graduated in January 2016. After graduation, I went to Ottawa for two months with my troop to work security on Parliament Hill. I went to my first posting in Manning, AB on April 8.”
General Studies Keeyah was featured in a story in a June issue of the Macleod Gazette highlighting her work with Crystal Cross Child as the new summer program coordinators for Family and Community Support Services. In the article, Keeyah says the summer job program coordinator position ties in to her desire to make a difference in the lives of young people. After graduating from the college, Orr started working on a bachelor degree in social work at the University of Alberta. She has also made several trips to Africa where she taught English in schools, coached soccer and did missionary work.
Matthew Nyman
Sharie Cousins
Environmental Sciences instructor
2012
Steven Brockbank and Sachiko Nakayama Practical Nursing Steven writes: “I have worked at the Peter Lougheed since graduating in 2012 as a vascular nurse and work to the full scope of LPN practice. As a vascular unit we recently moved into a new unit within the Peter Lougheed to expand the level of care we provide. I work with great people who are excellent nurses and doctors and am challenged and grow as a nurse constantly. On a personal note I married my wife and fellow LPN graduate of 2012 Sachiko Nakayama on Sept. 7, 2013, and we welcomed our baby boy Kai Lawson Brockbank on Jan. 22, 2016.
2011
Chelsea Cardinal General Studies Chelsea told the alumni office she is just two classes away from starting her master’s program.
S
harie was a professor, but she was also an honest, caring individual. She had an open door policy, as do a vast number of professors at Lethbridge College, and she genuinely cared about her students’ success, in both their personal and professional lives. Sharie was also very modest, and it wasn’t until her passing (in March 2016) that I realized she was the second female officer hired by Alberta Fish and Wildlife. Sharie could go on for days telling stories of her amazing experiences with Alberta’s Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Branch. Sharie and I both have a profound love for horses and on one day, in my second year of studies, she told me that with this amazing career (her former career with natural resource enforcement) you could have the opportunity to ride horse back in the mountains to conduct compliance checks. What a dream job and an inspiration that stuck with me. She was truly inspiring, and my only regret is that we didn’t have the opportunity to ride together, but I think of her every time I am in the mountains with a pack string, both for work and pleasure.” { Submitted by Heather Sywanyk, Renewable Resource Management and Conservation Enforcement - Bachelor of Applied Science 2011 }
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2010
Angela Bourassa Therapeutic Recreation – Gerontology On May 25, Porcupine Hills Lodge in Claresholm welcomed Angela to its team as the new recreation coordinator. Born and raised in Fort Macleod, Angela grew up around seniors as a volunteer at Extendicare Fort Macleod where her mom worked.
Crystal Cross Child General Studies Crystal was featured in a story in a June issue of the Macleod Gazette highlighting her work with Keeyah Orr as the new summer program coordinators for Family and Community Support Services. In the article, Cross Child says she sees her job as a great way to provide opportunities for young people and to engage them in the community.
New baby? New job? New hometown? Tell your classmates all about it at lethbridgecollege.ca/alumni/update. Be sure to include your name, your area of study, the year you completed your program and a little bit about what you have been doing since you left Lethbridge College.
2008
Tyler Koyata Business Administration - Marketing After graduation, Tyler managed a retail store in Park Place Mall in Lethbridge for three years before being recruited to work as a support and financial services coordinator with Alberta Works in 2013. Tyler was then promoted to briefly hold the position of career and employment consultant before moving to a new position as the business and industry liaison. He holds that same position today, although now with the title of career and employment consultant - employment focus. Tyler works primarily with employers in the community, helping them with their recruitment through job postings and job fairs and creating and marketing ads for companies to promote their open positions. He also works with Albertans who are looking for work and has started a “job finding club” with two colleagues in the Alberta Works office.
2006
Jillian MacDonald Communication Arts – Broadcast Journalism Jillian was one of the finalists on Home to Win, a new series on HGTV Canada that offers Canadian viewers the opportunity to compete for a gorgeous, fully-furnished home, built and furnished by HGTV Canada builders and designers. Jillian, who works as an audiovisual specialist, lost her home in the recent wildfire that ravaged Fort McMurray.
April 22 : @enmaxcentre
Congrats @lethcollege grads!! Enjoy the day and best of luck in the future #yql #lethbridgecollege { ENMAX Centre }
Don Lee
Criminal Justice instructor
D
on made class fun every day. He always had a lighthearted, easygoing demeanor that helped the students feel engaged in the subject matter. It was very apparent he knew his material inside and out. I always felt comfortable that I was learning from the best. Don has a wealth of knowledge in the subjects he taught, especially traffic enforcement. There are several skills and tips I learned from Don that I use every day in my law enforcement career. Don genuinely cares about his students achieving every career goal they have set and would do what he could to help. In my experience, Don went the extra mile with his students both during their college experience and after graduation. Don has always been more than willing to help his students in any way he can, even in retirement. I would say thank you to Don for genuinely caring. { Submitted by Nat Collins, Criminal Justice – Policing 2008 and Multimedia Production 2005 }
2005
Tiffany Wollman Fashion Design and Marketing Tiffany showcased her newest collection of beach inspired paintings and waterscapes at an art reception in June. Wollman was introduced to art at an early age and, after graduation from Lethbridge College, she travelled to Europe, California and New York before accepting an entrance scholarship
to study Fine Art at the Alberta College of Art and Design. She graduated from the painting program in 2013 with distinction and won the BMO’s first Art Student Invitational Competition for Alberta with her sculptural painting “Pipe”, which was shown with the other National winners at the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art in Toronto.
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Where are they now? We have received so many great updates from our alumni as well as more and more articles from newspaper and magazine clippings featuring Lethbridge College grads. In fact, we have more updates than we have space to print.
been conducting research and working in the hydrological sciences for more than 10 years. His work on catchmentscale hydrological processes and aquatic ecosystems has played a lead role in the development and application of processbased hydrological models for mountain watersheds. Having established himself as a leader in this critical field, MacDonald regularly works with clients from government, industry, First Nations, and NGOs in Alberta and British Columbia. He continues to collaborate with the University of Lethbridge as an adjunct assistant professor, serving on graduate student committees. He has published numerous peer-reviewed research articles and co-authored two books, making contributions to academia while still providing services to clients from both the private and public sectors.
2002
Ryan MacDonald Environmental Science – Watershed Management Dr. Ryan MacDonald was inducted into the alumni honour society at the University of Lethbridge this spring. A three-time alumnus of the university, Ryan has
Joyce D’Andrea
Nursing instructor
J
oyce D’Andrea is a great teacher and a lovely person. I can’t remember what the class was called but it was advanced nursing practice on burns, electrolyte imbalance, thoracic injuries, and that kind of thing, that was held the summer of 2005 – and Joyce made it a lot of fun. She had to impart to us a tremendous amount of information in a short time. She is very knowledgeable and she put the content across to us in a logical way which made us feel confident that we knew and understood the information. Joyce was always very encouraging, very positive and funny. I try to keep in touch with Joyce with cards and letters at Christmas, and I have been back to Lethbridge four times and have managed to have lunch with her three of those times. I would like to thank her for encouraging us to believe anything is possible. { Submitted by Donna Dornian, NESA 2005 }
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Matt Rolfe Criminal Justice – Policing Matt was presented with the Camrose and District Kiwanis Club’s Top Cop award in February. Matt is a constable who has worked for the Camrose Police Service for 12 years. He is currently in the patrol division. He just completed a tenure with the K9 police unit, working with the police service dog Mishka until her recent retirement.
1999
Chad Nilson Criminal Justice – Policing The Centre for Applied Research and Innovation welcomed alumnus Dr. Chad Nilson back to campus in May to lead a pair of Community-Engaged Scholarship Workshops. Chad Nilson is lead investigator at the Living Skies Centre for Social Inquiry at the University of Saskatchewan, where he provides research, evaluation, advising and planning services to various communitybased organizations and government agencies in provincial, federal and aboriginal jurisdiction. The workshops were designed to help reduce the gap between what is practiced in the field and what is taught in the classroom, and to introduce post-secondary professionals to concepts, practices and strategies for effective program evaluation.
1998
Terri Trembath Communication Arts – Broadcast Journalism Terri sent the alumni office this update: “I’ve managed to weather the ups and downs of changes in the media! I’ve been in the
Additional alumni updates are published online at learn.lc/fall2016watn. To submit your update, go to lethbridgecollege.ca/alumni/update or email WHMagazine@lethbridgecollege.ca.
industry since the day I left college nearly 20 years ago! Criss-crossed the country and planted roots in Calgary. I’ve been working at the CBC for seven years and live in the city with my wife and 8-month-old twins.”
Carolyn Clark
Office Administration instructor
1995 / 2010 Roderick Freeman
Criminal Justice/Bachelor of Applied Arts in Correctional Studies The alumni office received this update from Roderick: “During my time at the college, I started to work at Sifton for the Government of Alberta as a child and youth care worker. I stayed there for three years and then transferred to Child and Family Services in Crowsnest Pass and started working as an outreach worker through a new project under the Outcomes Based Service Delivery initiative. I remained there for two more years, and then an opportunity came to move back to my community and work as program director for WJS Canada to work with families and youth.”
1994 / 2010 Ramin Lahiji
Electronics Technician, Engineering Design and Drafting Technology Ramin is the engineering and public works manager for the town of Taber and was featured in a May article in the Taber Times discussing his work for the municipality.
1991
Tina Andre-Hepple Business Administration Tina wrote into the alumni office with this update: “I had a very successful 22-year career with one of the top five charter banks as a financial advisor for lending and investing with personal banking clients and then transitioned into an advisor for small business owners and professional clients. I was looking for a career change and decided to look at options in the post-secondary education world and now work at Lethbridge College as the articulation specialist!”
I had Carolyn for keyboarding, desktop publishing, office procedures, and
many more classes in the Office Administration program. She was 110 per cent committed to seeing her students succeed. She was available to help students when they needed her and she broke concepts down and would ensure that her students understood them before moving on to something new. I forget what assignment it was, but I kept running into problems and had numerous questions about the assignment. I can’t remember how many treks I took back and forth to Carolyn’s office, but she never got annoyed. She would just smile when she saw me in her doorway and invite me in to see what I needed. Carolyn was a big part of where I am today with my career. I would like to thank Carolyn for her words of encouragement, her never-ending support, and her commitment to seeing her students succeed. She’s a wonderful person!
{ Submitted by Jenn Ward, Communication Arts - Print Journalism 2003 and Office Administration 2012 }
May 22 : @brooksie955
Wow...30 years! Great to reconnect with old friends from the Comm Arts Class of ‘86 @LethCollege { Brooksie }
Kristi Bennett Office/Computer Skills Development Kristi updated the alumni office with this news: “After I finished the semester with you, I was employed with a law firm for one and a half years. My husband was then transferred to Red Deer where I took more classes at Red Deer College and then graduated with a
Bachelor of Education degree in 2000 from their collaborative degree program with the University of Alberta. Thank you for the enjoyable experience I had at Lethbridge College that inspired me to go on with my education. My husband and I are retired now and have just moved back to Lethbridge.” 39
Where are they now?
College grads recognized as some of the Chamber’s Top 40 Under 40
College grads continue to populate the Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce’s list of the Top 40 under 40. Receiving recognition the last four months are: Rob Burton (Carpentry Apprenticeship 2009), for his innovation, entrepreneurial spirit and excellence in his field.
Steve Christensen (Business Administration 2008), for his innovative
ideas and business success.
Steven Foord (Business Administration 2002), for his work to promote, grow and better the arts community in Lethbridge.
Kayla Hellawell (Print Journalism 2009, Environmental Assessment and Restoration 2014) and her husband, Josh, for their dedication to the
environment and work within the community.
Katie Pahara (Child and Youth Care 2010), for her entrepreneurial success and dedication to the body positivity movement.
In all, 15 graduates of Lethbridge College were included in the 2015-2016 Top 40 under 40, the chamber’s list of the city’s best and brightest who have demonstrated the highest levels of achievement in their careers or community work. Whitney Bullock, Obed Maurice, Cory Medd, Jena Murray, Katt Panic (Kathleen Turner), Jordan Schellenberg, Courtenay Shular, Sharon Sims Rempel, Jason VandenHoek, and Ashley Walker were also named to the list. More details about their accomplishments can be found online at widerhorizons.ca.
ALUMNI IN THIS ISSUE 26 8 15 33 23 19 53 27 24 6
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Marcia Blackwater (General Studies 2004) Ron Farrell (Construction Technology 1979; Carpentry 1984) Amanda Guccione (Fashion Design 2006) Kalen Hastings (General Studies 2007) Rina Hu (Business Administration 2008) Donna Kalau (Child and Youth Care 1986) Richard Martinell (Carpentry 1981) Rod McLeod (Child and Youth Care 2003; FASD Education 2006) Doug Overes (Professional Cooking 1987; Distinguished Alumnus 1992) Clarence Slomp (Carpentry 1979)
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Bob Harrison
Law Enforcement
When Wider Horizons put out the call last fall for stories of fabulous faculty and staff members, we were delighted to hear from Marian Harrison, who was reporting on two people in her life with Lethbridge College connections. Bob Harrison, who passed away in August 2015, was one of the college’s first faculty members in the Criminal Justice program and worked at the college from 1972 to 1993. Kathy Schultz, Bob’s daughter, studied nursing at Lethbridge College.
“Bob always encouraged students to go on to further their education, which a great number of them did.” { Marian Harrison } Marian wrote: “Bob went from being the non-commissioned officer in charge of training with the R.C.M.P. at Depot Division in Regina to teaching at what was then Lethbridge Community College. Whilst there, he obtained his Bachelor of Science in Law Enforcement and Police Studies degree and his Master of Arts in Police Science and Administration at Sam Houston State University in Texas. Bob always encouraged students to go on to further their education, which a great number of them did. Bob spent endless hours improvising and improving the programs for Native studies, which is a very important part of the campus life. In addition to Bob, his daughter Kathy Schultz is a graduate of the college nursing program and is now the executive director of medicine, neurology and corrections at Rockyview Hospital in Calgary.”
Are you a multi-generational Lethbridge College family? If at least three members across one or more generations attended Lethbridge College, let us know by emailing WHMagazine@lethbridgecollege.ca. We’d love to profile you in It’s a family affair.
IT’S A FAMILY AFFAIR:
The Pocza Family Terry Pocza General Business Administration 1975
Delorey Pocza Hagel Business Administration – Accounting 1983
Rod Pocza General Business Administration 1975, Distinguished Alumnus 2002 From left: Terry, Delorey, Rod (top) and Harvie (bottom)
Harvie Pocza Business Administration 1985
W
hen alumni of Lethbridge College are asked to describe their experiences at college, they often give a fairly standard reply: They loved the atmosphere of the smaller class sizes, they loved their instructors and they continue to maintain relationships with fellow classmates. That is indeed the case for four members of the Pocza family who grew up in Lethbridge. Rod, Terry and Harvie earned their diplomas in General Business Administration, while sister Delorey earned her General Business Administration Accounting diploma.
They loved the atmosphere of the smaller class sizes, they loved their instructors and they continue to maintain relationships with fellow classmates.
Delorey left home at a relatively young age and got a job making telephones before applying to the college as a mature student. Immediately after graduating, she was hired by the Treasury Branch working in both Calgary and Edmonton. An opportunity became available with Revenue Canada where she started out as a small business auditor and then shifted to work as an appeals officer. She retired in 2000 and is now living in Calgary. She has two sons. Harvie was an outstanding athlete in both baseball and hockey. After being drafted by the Washington Capitals, he played a handful of games with the NHL club but most of his four-year pro hockey career was with the Hershey Bears, where he and the team won an AHL league championship. After retiring from hockey, he came back home, earned his college diploma and, like his sister, went to work with Revenue Canada. He was a trust accounts examination officer. He retired from that job, has his own tax service business in Calgary and is the father to a son and a daughter. Rod and Terry are close in age and took the Business Administration course together.
Terry ventured into real estate initially then got into the oil industry working with Amoco, Crestar, Pengrowth and finally Enbridge, where he was the senior director of business development. He is now retired in Calgary and has two daughters. After graduation, Rod started out in the sporting goods department at Woodward’s but later got into the volatile business of natural gas marketing, working for such companies as Amoco (now BP), Nexen, Pan Alberta Gas, Mirant Canada, Eagle Energy and Lehman. He currently is the senior vice president of the Canadian office of Twin Eagle and plans to retire at the end of the year. Like all of his siblings, Rod lives in Calgary – in fact just down the block from Terry – and is the father to two daughters and a son. Delorey says she speaks for everyone in the Pocza family when she says that choosing the Business Administration route afforded all four siblings the versatility to discover what was going to be the best option for their personal long-term goals. Story by Mark Campbell | Photos submitted
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Generosity for the generations This spring, the college approached the
brink of its $25 million fundraising goal thanks to the generosity of five local companies and organizations that donated more than $1 million in cash, technology and equipment in recent months. These companies – D.A. Building Systems, the Lethbridge Construction Association, Simpson Plumbing, Timber Tech Truss
and Western Tractor – have ensured that generations of Lethbridge College students will have access to the facilities, scholarships and programs needed to succeed in their professional lives. Continue reading through page 46 or go to lethbridgecollege.ca/possibilities, to learn more about the lasting effects these gifts have on students and learning.
Stories by Lisa Kozleski Feature photos by Rob Olson. Additional photos by Rod Leland and Gregory Thiessen
D.A. Building Systems Ltd. donates $50,000 to create new classroom A local company with a history
of using local products is once again investing in its community, as Lethbridge-based D.A. Building Systems Ltd. has announced a $50,000 gift to Lethbridge College. In business in Lethbridge for 36 years, D.A. Building Systems is owned and operated by Doug and Scott Grenier. The gift to Lethbridge College will create the D.A. Building Systems Ltd. classroom in phase two of the new trades and technologies facility.
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“Lethbridge College adds value to both industry and our community by training the workers of tomorrow,” says Doug Grenier, co-owner of D.A. Building Systems. “The new, modern facility allows for greater efficiencies and exciting opportunities to train a greater number of students and offer new trades in the region.” Many of the company’s welders and carpenters have completed their apprenticeship training at Lethbridge College, while D.A. Building Systems
also hires employees from the college’s Engineering Design and Drafting Technology program.
To read more about D.A. Building Systems’ gift to Lethbridge College, go to learn.lc/dabsgift.
Above: D.A. Building Systems’ founder and coowner Doug Grenier (centre), with his son and co-owner Scott Grenier (left), accepts a certificate of appreciation from Dennis Sheppard, the college’s Dean of the Centre for Applied Management.
Timber Tech Truss
Inset right: Derrill Murphy, founder of Timber Tech Truss, discusses the company’s generous gift with members of the Lethbridge media after the May announcement.
Timber Tech Truss Inc. builds on long-standing partnership with $200,000 gift Timber Tech Truss Inc., Lethbridge’s
largest manufacturer and supplier of wooden trusses, is helping to build the future of Lethbridge College through its $200,000 gift, which was announced on May 25 and will benefit skilled trades and technologies training at the college. The gift will create two classrooms, named after Timber Tech, in phase two of Lethbridge College’s trades and technologies facility. “The new addition of the trades and technologies facility is a great asset to
the college and the city,” says Derrill Murphy, founder and President of Timber Tech Truss Inc. “Having this facility here in Lethbridge contributes greatly to keeping our young, skilled tradespeople right here in southern Alberta. Lethbridge needs these workers and we don’t have to go elsewhere to hire trades personnel.” Timber Tech Truss Inc. employs many Lethbridge College graduates, including alumni of the Carpenter Apprenticeship Training, Engineering Design and
Drafting Technology and Business Administration programs. Timber Tech Truss Inc. is a locally-owned family business founded by Derrill and Pearl Murphy in 1980, and many of the company’s employees (including two of the Murphy’s children, Ryan Murphy and Wendy Going, as well as CEO and 1986 Business Administration grad Kelly Skauge) have ties to the college.
To read more about Timber Tech’s gift, go to learn.lc/tttgift.
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Simpson Plumbing invests in its future with $200,000 gift to college O
ne of Lethbridge’s largest plumbing companies is investing in Lethbridge College, as Simpson Plumbing announced on May 11 a $200,000 gift to benefit skilled trades and technologies training. Simpson Plumbing’s gift was spurred by the development and implementation of the new Plumber Apprenticeship program which was launched by Lethbridge College for the January 2016 semester. The program allows Simpson Plumbing to keep its apprentices in town for the first time, instead of having to send them away for training. The gift will create the
Simpson Plumbing classroom, which will be located in phase two of Lethbridge College’s trades and technologies facility. “I am very proud to be a partner with Lethbridge College,” says Simpson Plumbing owner and President Roger Simpson. “Having the Plumber Apprenticeship program added to their existing Alberta trades programs shows continued commitment and growth in investment of our southern Alberta students and community. This first-class building will offer a state-of-the-art educational experience in a modern
learning space. This gift is an investment in existing Simpson Plumbing staff as well as future apprentices in southern Alberta.” Simpson Plumbing is a locallyowned family business that has served Lethbridge for more than 30 years. Owner and President Roger Simpson is currently the chairman of the Local Apprenticeship Committee and was instrumental in the creation of Lethbridge College’s Plumber Apprenticeship program.
To read more about Simpson Plumbing’s gift, go to learn.lc/sp2gift.
Simpson Plumbing Inset above: Roger Simpson discusses how the development of the new Plumbing Apprenticeship program at the college spurred Simpson Plumbing to make its generous gift.
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Western Tractor Company Ltd. commits $750,000 in one-of-a-kind gift to college A
n industry leader committed to the southern Alberta agriculture community is taking a hands-on approach to education, as Western Tractor Company Ltd. announced in June a $750,000 multi-faceted gift to Lethbridge College. The gift will support the college’s new trades and technologies facility through the creation of the Western Tractor Technology Lab – an advanced electrical room inside the first phase of the new building that will house industry-leading technology to benefit both Agricultural
and Heavy Equipment Technician apprenticeship training. “It’s great to see the renewed focus and investment that Lethbridge College is making in the future of agriculture and the next generation of farming,” says Western Tractor President and General Manager Steven Dyck. “Western Tractor is very excited to be in partnership with this initiative.” Western Tractor has also signed a five-year agreement to supply John Deere equipment to Lethbridge College, allowing hands-on training for students,
while providing the opportunity for them to stay in southern Alberta and take all four years of Agricultural Equipment Technician Apprenticeship training in Lethbridge for the first time. Western Canada has four locations in southern Alberta in Lethbridge, Taber, Burdett and Medicine Hat, and the company values programs that support rural communities, young farmers and sustainable farming practices. To read more about Western Tractor’s gift, go to learn.lc/wtgift.
Western Tractor
Inset above: Western Tractor’s President and General Manager Steven Dyck speaks to the crowd during the gift announcment in June in the college’s new trades and technologies facility.
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News and notes
News and notes GENEROSITY FOR THE GENERATIONS
Lethbridge Construction Association shows united commitment to college with $100,000 gift I
ndividual members of the Lethbridge Construction Association (LCA) have shown their commitment to Lethbridge College on countless occasions over the last decades. On April 19, the organization as a whole continued that show of support with a $100,000 gift to benefit trades and technologies instruction at the college. The generous gift will create the Lethbridge Construction Association classroom, which will be located in phase two of Lethbridge College’s trades and technologies facility. 46
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“The planning and foundation that LCA members and boards have set in place over the years gives us this opportunity to invest in the future workforce of the trades in southern Alberta,” says LCA President Nathan Neudorf of Ward Bros. Construction. “The need for skilled trades and a highly trained workforce is constantly in demand. And this facility will play a crucial role in that development for not only the city of Lethbridge and southern Alberta, but as far reaching as the province and country.”
For more than 60 years, the Lethbridge Construction Association has worked together to benefit its members by ensuring the continued success and growth of the industry and the region. Nearly 250 companies are members of the LCA and together they employ more than 3,000 workers. The LCA relies heavily on graduates and apprenticeship training from a variety of Lethbridge College programs. To read more about the Lethbridge Construction Association’s gift, go to learn.lc/lcagift.
Story by Lisa Kozleski | Photo by Gregory Thiessen
CAMPUS HONOURS AND AWARDS
Burns named to city and national organizations
Williams named winner of 2016 Troy Reeb Internship
Lethbridge College President and CEO Dr. Paula Burns has been appointed to two important new roles. In March, she was named the Economic Development Lethbridge (EDL) board chair for the 2016 term, and in June, she was elected to the national Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) board of directors. Burns says she is looking forward to leading the EDL board with the same spirit of partnership and collaboration that is the foundation for this organization and the community. She added that Lethbridge College has established strong relationships with local industry and this role will help the college stay even more connected to the business community. As a member of CICan board, Dr. Burns will sit as an Alberta representative on the 16-person board. CICan is the national and international voice of Canada’s publicly supported colleges, institutes and polytechnics, and Dr. Burns’ election will help advance Lethbridge College’s profile among the country’s post-secondary education community.
Meagan Williams, a 2016 Digital Communications and Media graduate, was chosen as this year’s recipient of the Troy Reeb Internship for its Digital Communications and Media program. Williams worked alongside the best in the business in Toronto and Ottawa for ten days in April. Troy Reeb, a 1988 Broadcast Journalist alumnus, is senior vice president of news, radio and station operations at Corus Entertainment. While on the internship, Williams spent time with the Ottawa news team as they covered Parliament Hill, the investigative news magazine 16x9, the national Morning Show and in the excitement of big city daily news at Global Toronto. Williams is the eleventh Lethbridge College student to take advantage of this unique internship opportunity. Past winners include 2014 grad Taylor Oseen, who now works at CTV Lethbridge, and 2009 grad Quinn Ohler, who now works at Global Edmonton.
Marcellus-Kerr wins award Dianne Marcellus-Kerr (Secretarial Science 1980), the college’s board and external relations coordinator and former executive assistant to the president and board of governors, received the Governance and President’s Office Professionals Professional Achievement Award in June at the annual conference held by Colleges and Institutes Canada in Quebec City. This award recognizes those who have made significant contributions to the realm of higher education or who have achieved professional success due, in part, to their experiences as a governance or president’s office professional. In March 2008, Marcellus-Kerr was named executive assistant to the President and board at Lethbridge College. During her time in this position, she led a process improvement initiative, and with the help of team members, modernized the executive leadership office and its systems, established best practices, played a key role in external relations and helped the department embrace a forward-thinking adoption of technology.
Nursing educator honoured Janet Lapins, a Clinical Nursing instructor here at Lethbridge College, is one of 100 nurses to receive a Centennial Award from the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta as the organization celebrates its 100th year. Lapins played a key role in establishing the Chinook Primary Care Network and served as director of Chinook’s health information and outcomes department. Lapins has now returned to the bedside, teaching and mentoring nursing students here at the college.
April 9 : @runnergirl_joc
First 10mile race, 1st medal! Beat my goal by 18 minutes!!! #LCRoadRace { Jocelyn Dufresne }
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News and notes
CAMPUS NEWS
College celebrates Pride with historic flag raising For the first time in the college’s 59-year history, Lethbridge College proudly raised the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rainbow Pride flag to celebrate and support Lethbridge Pride Fest and LGBT Pride Month, as well as to demonstrate the college’s strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. President and CEO Dr. Paula Burns raised the flag in a ceremony on June 20. “We hope that this action is seen as a symbol of the real work being done on the ground,” Burns said. “There are real plans, policies and support systems in place to support and encourage diversity at Lethbridge College, and we’re constantly working to improve on the great foundation of safety and support we provide.”
NSERC funds Enviro-Span videos A Lethbridge College Digital Communications and Media instructor and his students received funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) to create five videos documenting each partner’s perspective of the benefits derived from a single applied research project - the installation of an environmentally-friendly stream crossing system, designed by Enviro-Span Modular Culvert Systems, in the Lethbridge coulees. The grant allowed for a video crew to document the installation before 12 college students, led by instructor George Gallant, ran the post-production, including conducting interviews and editing video. Participants included the college, the city, NSERC, Enviro-Span and the NRC-IRAP, with the videos tailored to highlight each of their roles.
Google creating virtual tour of Lethbridge College The college was excited to take the next step in recruiting and welcoming students by creating a virtual tour of the college campus. Virtuo360 was on campus in May and June with a Google-trusted photographer to take photos of the college hallways for a Google Street View experience of the college. Implementing this new tour will provide greater accessibility for prospective students and families. The new virtual tour is expected to launch this fall.
May 4 : @masontrudi
Love working with @LethCollege instructors! One of today’s #ISW lessons was “How to take a Selfie” :) #LCPL #LCISW { Trudi Mason }
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Partnership with Kainai High School sees results The dual-credit Early Childhood Education (ECE) program between Lethbridge College and Kainai High School is continuing to prove successful in helping students build a solid foundation for life after graduation. The program, which sees grade 11 and 12 students undertake two of the college’s ECE introductory courses, has given those enrolled a head start on building a successful career path. The college launched the unique program in 2015 and so far, 29 students have successfully completed the course offerings. Having guided 14 students through the first year of their program, ECE instructor Anita Cooper says they have been able to improve how lessons are delivered in order to gain more student engagement for the second class of Kainai students.
New student awards honour long-time Lethbridge business owner Two Lethbridge College apprenticeship students have received a unique boost to their automotive careers, thanks to new awards created in memory of a well-known local business owner. The Brian Kaltenbruner Memorial Tool Award has been created by Beverly Kaltenbruner to honour the legacy of her late husband, who passed away in a motorcycle accident last year. Brian Kaltenbruner, the co-owner of Harold’s Auto Service, completed his Automotive Service Technician apprenticeship training at Lethbridge College, winning the 1997 AMA Automotive Apprentice Award for outstanding academic achievement. The new student awards will help those who are following in his footsteps. The awards are presented as gift certificates to Snap-on Tools for students in the Automotive Service Technician apprenticeship program. Abe Banman, of Rolling Hills is the inaugural winner of the third-year $2,500 student award, and Daniel Henrie, of Glenwood has received the first-year $1,500 student award.
Want to keep up on all of your Lethbridge College news between issues of Wider Horizons? Check out our news and events webpage (lethbridgecollege.ca/news) for the latest stories and all of the college news you need. And don’t forget, you can read past issues of Wider Horizons at widerhorizons.ca.
Open House set for Oct. 27 Lethbridge College will welcome students, parents, counsellors, career practitioners and liaisons who work with students to campus for the Fall Open House from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 27 in the Val Matteotti Gymnasium. The event will include a Student Services and Information Fair; a Faculty Fair and Interactive Displays; on-the-spot admission; tours and more. Register by visiting lethbridgecollege.ca/openhouse.
May 2 : @GregGibos
Big congrats go out to @LCIAthletics volleyballers @maddyyanish and @carleekolibar for committing to @LethCollege! { Greg Gibos }
Ground broken on fourth year of College Home partnership
Culinary research team receives organoleptic training Members of Lethbridge College’s culinary research team are learning to use their senses to judge the quality of produce and fish produced in the college’s Aquaculture Centre of Excellence. The team, along with partners from Okanagan College’s Culinary Arts Team, underwent three days of organoleptic training in May on campus. Participants learned to use the senses of taste, texture, sight and smell to create protocols which allow testers to subjectively evaluate the quality of foods. This is a key step in the long-term plan of developing fish and produce for commercial use from the college’s Aquaponics program, supported by the Centre for Applied Research and Innovation. The organoleptic training is part of a grant the college received from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
Ecosystem Management program receives accreditation Lethbridge College is the first college in Alberta to have its Ecosystem Management program recognized by the province’s professional biology regulatory organization. The Alberta Society of Professional Biologists (ASPB) reviewed the college’s curriculum and ruled that the Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Ecosystem Management meets all of the criteria needed to allow grads to apply for Biologist in Training designation, the first step towards becoming a Professional Biologist - the highest possible designation in the province. This accreditation had historically been reserved for university programs, but the ASPB ruled the college’s program provides the necessary criteria for graduates to be considered. The college introduced the Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Ecosystem Management in 2015.
The Canadian Home Builders’ Association Lethbridge Region (CHBA) and Lethbridge College celebrated the start of the fourth year of the College Home partnership in a ground breaking ceremony in June. Along with local builder Empire Homes, the partners broke ground on the next home to be built by CHBA builder members, suppliers and tradespeople to benefit the new trades and technologies facility at Lethbridge College. The first two years of the partnership were successful, raising $429,000 through the sale of the first four homes. The third year home sales are in the final stages with donation numbers expected to bring the total donation so far to over $600,000.
Student entrepreneur winner
Caylee Vogel (Exercise Science 2014, Business Administration 2016) won the first-ever Student Entrepreneurship Program forum in April at tecconnect. Five students – four from the college and one from the University of Lethbridge – completed the program. Funded and supported by the Regional Innovation Network of Southern Alberta (RINSA), students worked since January to develop their own business ideas with the help of mentors from Lethbridgebased tecconnect and Innovate Calgary. Vogel’s winning idea is titled Fitness Convenience, a practical approach to achieve desired health results and benefits with ultimate convenience. She now works as a P.E. building assistant at the college.
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News and notes Follow us at:
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/LethbridgeCollege @lethcollege @lethcollege
ALUMNUS PRESENTS A GIFT FIT FOR A QUEEN
via truck to the Toronto airport, flown to Amsterdam, The Netherlands, then trucked into the U.K. via Belgium, France, a short train ride through a long tunnel underneath the English Channel, and finally into Windsor in the shadow of Windsor Castle. As an experienced member of the Musical Ride, I was selected to travel with the horses. The rest of the riders flew direct.
“I love horses and meeting new people – it’s as simple as that. We are actually a public relations unit and I feel I have found my niche in promoting a positive image of the RCMP and Canada.”
Criminal Justice grad presents Queen Elizabeth II with RCMP horse during her 90th birthday celebrations Matthew Quilley (Criminal justice 2007) has made three tours throughout North America and Europe during the four years he has spent with the RCMP’s Musical Ride. “But I can say without a doubt that the Royal Windsor Horse Show in England is the most memorable place I will have ever shown,” he said. “It helps that we met the Queen!” Not only did Quilley meet Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in May during her 90th birthday celebrations at the horse show, but he presented her with a horse from the Musical Ride’s breeding stock, a tradition which has spanned most of her reign. “This was the sixth horse the RCMP has given the Queen – a gelding named Fergus who has been renamed to ‘Sir John’ by Her Majesty as a nod to Sir John A. Macdonald, our first
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Prime Minister,” says Quilley. “To present the Queen her horse, the full troop of 32 riders and horses walked up to the main gate into the private area of Windsor Castle. After we formed a horseshoe, the Queen came out to receive her gift. After a few photos, she took the time to walk around and see each rider and horse. My roommate and I happened to be next to each other and spoke very briefly with Her Majesty about the wildfires that were currently affecting Fort McMurray and the wildfire that devastated Slave Lake, where I was posted prior to the RCMP and was working the day the fire hit.” The Windsor Horse Show was just one stop on the Ride’s 18-day tour of England – and the logistics of transporting horses and riders was a challenge. “The horses were transported
“Flying with the horses is a challenge as it is new to them and there are a lot of dynamics involved in the travel,” Quilley adds. “The crates that they are shipped in are small. There are three horses to a crate with a small space at the front for hay nets to be hung and for grooms to stand in. Our job was to keep the horses calm as they were loaded into the back of the airplane as well as during takeoff and landing. The horses did great and we arrived without any major incidents.” Quilley, whose brother Derek (Criminal Justice 2003) was also a member of the Musical Ride, will likely be transferring out of the Ride and back to Alberta at the end of this year. If that happens, it will be bittersweet. “I love horses and meeting new people – it’s as simple as that. We are actually a public relations unit and I feel I have found my niche in promoting a positive image of the RCMP and Canada. I find a lot of pleasure in showing in the small towns and seeing the impact we can have.” Story by Lisa Kozleski Photo courtesy of www.esphotography.co.uk
LETHBRIDGE COLLEGE LEGACIES
Georgia Green Fooks “I feel like you owe something to your community for living here. There’s a debt you owe your community.”
S
uch was the response from Georgia Green Fooks when asked about the contributions she made to Lethbridge and southern Alberta and why she worked so hard and volunteered for so many organizations. Fooks became an instructor at the college in 1970 and taught communications for 23 years. Fooks reflected that she had thoroughly enjoyed her job working with the students where she taught many subjects including Communications Law, Editing, Style, Writing and Radio classes. She proudly stated that at one time – when the Lethbridge Herald had about 130 people still working in the newsroom – 30 of the staff were graduates of the college’s Communications program. Fooks noted the Communications program was one of the best programs of its kind, and students came from Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia and “from all over the place” to be part of it. For more than 18 years, Fooks was also publisher of the student newspaper, The Endeavour. She took over the direction of the newspaper in 1972, just days before the start of the fall semester. Prior to her time, The Endeavour came out every two weeks; under her leadership, it became a weekly newspaper. Years later, Fooks reflected on what it was like to take over the journalism program. Once she started, she realized some of the political difficulties facing a student newspaper. Both the students’ association and college administration felt there should be control over the paper. There was a plan to set up a publishing board, which Fooks explains “would have been a censorship board,” with administration and student association representatives. Fooks brought in print media experts to convince the college this was not the appropriate way to run the newspaper. Fooks has fond memories of her time at the college, but what did past students think of her? Sherri Gallant (Communication Arts 1986) shared a few memories. “Georgia was tough, and she knew her stuff. She didn’t let us get away with any b.s., and I respect her so much for that. Georgia prepared us well for the print industry and she was a force. She called us ‘my little darlings,’ which I quite loved. And even though she had high standards and expected a lot from us, she was never grouchy that I ever remember – just always full of energy and positive. I see her books around every now and then and when I do, I get a little shiver of pride, because she was my instructor. I love Georgia.”
“She called us “my little darlings,” which I quite loved. And even though she had high standards and expected a lot from us, she was never grouchy that I ever remember – just always full of energy and positive.” Fooks’ time at the college was only a small part of the many ways she contributed to southern Alberta. She spent seven years hosting the children’s television show With Georgia (winning a national award), worked at the Lethbridge Herald and chaired the boards of Fort Whoop-Up and the Galt Museum. She has been instrumental in the preservation and promotion of local history, authoring several books, and making plans to rewrite and update at least one of her books, as well as write her family history. More than two decades after she left the college, Fooks remains an ardent proponent of freedom of the press, is still passionate about the work she did with The Endeavour and is proud of how the paper developed during her time at the college. Her legacy lives on today in the pages of the newspaper and program she helped build. Story by Belinda Crowson, Galt Museum and Archives Photo courtesy Galt Museum and Archives
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Grads on our grounds
{ with Richard Martinell } T
his isn’t the first time Richard Martinell, a 1981 graduate of the college’s Carpentry Apprenticeship program, has returned to work at the campus where he started to learn his trade. In the early 1980s, he was one of the tradespeople involved in building Centre Core and, more than three decades after he worked to construct it, he looks around the building with approving eyes and says it’s still a great space. Last January, Martinell returned to Lethbridge College as the general foreman for Stuart Olson at the site of the new trades and technologies facility on the south end of campus. His work has changed quite a bit since he was last on campus – these days he is part scheduler, part trouble shooter and part problem solver. “My main job is to make sure everything runs smoothly – everything,” Martinell explains. “We work with the subtrades and there are certain windows we have to get things done. Part of what I do is to schedule, organize, track down
solutions and chase down answers to make sure each one is there doing their job at the right time.” He says he encourages young people to consider apprenticeships to launch their careers – and that he can’t think of a better one. “You can go as far as you want – you can be your own boss or work for a company – and you can always keep on developing your skills.” Story by Lisa Kozleski | Photo by Rod Leland
“You can go as far as you want – you can be your own boss or work for a company – and you can always keep on developing your skills.” { Richard Martinell }
Richard Martinell chats with Stuart Olson construction labourer Troy Wagg in a future multipurpose area on the second floor of the new trades and technologies facility.
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2016–17 Kodiaks home game schedule
Soccer
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M
Sept.10 Oct. 1 Oct. 15 Oct. 16 Oct. 22
SAIT Olds Red Deer Lakeland Medicine Hat
12 PM 12 PM 12 PM 12 PM 12 PM
2 PM 2 PM 2 PM 2 PM 2 PM
Oct. 14 Oct. 15 Oct. 21 Oct. 22 Oct. 29 Nov.3 Nov.11 Jan. 7 Jan. 27 Jan. 28 Feb. 11 Feb. 17
Briercrest Briercrest Red Deer Red Deer Ambrose Medicine Hat SAIT SAIT Olds Olds Ambrose Medicine Hat
6 PM 1 PM 6 PM 1 PM 6 PM 6 PM 6 PM 6 PM 6 PM 1 PM 6 PM 6 PM
8 PM 3 PM 8 PM 3 PM 8 PM 8 PM 8 PM 8 PM 8 PM 3 PM 8 PM 8 PM
Volleyball
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Cross country running Nov. 11-12 CCAA National Championships
Basketball
Stock up in September! Show this magazine to receive 25 per
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6 PM 6 PM 6 PM 6 PM 6 PM 6 PM 6 PM 6 PM 6 PM 1 PM
8 PM 8 PM 8 PM 8 PM 8 PM 8 PM 8 PM 8 PM 8 PM 3 PM
Nov. 4 Nov. 5 Nov. 25 Nov. 26 Jan. 13 Jan. 20 Feb. 10 Feb. 18 Feb. 24 Feb. 25 Mar. 1-4
SAIT Medicine Hat Olds Red Deer Ambrose SAIT Medicine Hat St. Mary’s Briercrest Briercrest ACAC Championships
Mar. 3-4
ACAC Championships @ Lethbridge College
Indoor track
Free admission with Lethbridge College student ID This schedule is subject to change. For up-to-date game times, visit:
gokodiaks.ca
cent off all Lethbridge College gear during the month of September at the Lethbridge College Bookstore.