Wider Horizons - Winter 2020

WIN TER 2020

NOTHING STOPS SOPHIA AS SEEN ON TV ALL IN THE FAMILY WITH PHYLLIS DAY CHIEF

{ A PUBLICATION OF LETHBRIDGE COLLEGE }

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Editor’s message

Do you have a friend who can

push you out of your comfort zone?

Who helps you stretch and take risks? Who makes sure you have fun while you’re at it?

I have a couple of wonderful friends who do this for me, including a Lethbridge College colleague who is especially good at getting me to try out new sports. Marketing supervisor Leeanne Conrad has talked me into trying so many activities I had never considered doing, from paddling with the college’s dragon boat team to playing on an over-35 women’s soccer team to joining in on lunchtime floor hockey games. Each time, Leeanne makes it sound so fun I can’t say no. And without fail, once I join in, I find myself loving whatever new activity Leeanne has talked me into doing.

As a teen, this kind of friend might be a bad influence… but as an adult, I am so grateful to have Leeanne in my life.

I grew up in a small town that didn’t have many sporting opportunities for girls, so to discover these team sports as an adult has been an unexpected joy. Whatever activity I find myself doing – paddling, passing or shooting – being part of a team has opened up a whole new world for me, one of collaboration, cooperation, celebration and, above all, fun.

I feel like my later-in-life discovery of the joy of sports has made me appreciate the incredible successes of our Lethbridge College Kodiaks this fall even more. And what a fall it has been.

Our women’s soccer team earned its second bronze ACAC medal in as many years (after a dry spell of nearly 25 years).

Our men’s soccer team won the ACAC conference championship and qualified for the nationals for the first time in the college’s history. And our women’s cross country team not only repeated as ACAC champions, but the runners also brought home the national championship banner for the first time since 2004.

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President in action Campus in season News and notes

{ VOL. 13 | ISSUE 2 | WINTER 2020 }

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.

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For the last three seasons, that team has been led by Nursing student Sophia Nowicki. Sophia’s success on the cross country running course is truly unprecedented. Her Canadian college winning streak stretched to 10 races over two years. She was a full 24 seconds ahead of her closest competitor at the ACAC championships this past fall, and she is now the eighth woman to ever repeat as ACAC champion.

She has qualified three times for nationals, bringing back two bronze and one gold medal for her efforts.

More than that, as you can read about in our cover story written by my colleague Paul Kingsmith, she doesn’t bask in the glory of her victories too long, but instead moves on to the next goal. And those goals are diverse, ranging from growth and development in the classroom to challenges and community-building in the Armed Forces to being one of the fastest collegiate runners in Canada.

One of the best parts is that, from all appearances, Sophia and her fellow Kodiaks – like me, Leeanne and my fellow recreational sporting friends – seem to have so much fun as they compete. Bringing home the banners and bling is certainly thrilling, but watching our Kodiaks in action not only takes your breath away – it almost makes you want to join in on their fun.

Congratulations, Kodiaks – and a high-five to any recreational athlete who, whatever their age or ability, is still finding joy in playing games. After all, #WeAreAllKodiaks!

Lisa Kozleski Editor

From our kitchens Office intrigue Where are they now?

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.

Wider Horizons c/o The Advancement Office 3000 College Drive South Lethbridge, AB T1K 1L6 WHMagazine@lethbridgecollege.ca

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Chronicle of a college grad Vintage vault The last word

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: lethbridgecollege.ca/alumni

To share this issue with others or access even more content, visit us at widerhorizons.ca.

AS SEEN ON TV Watching the recreation of their jobs on TV and in the movies can be a mixed blessing for many Lethbridge College instructors, who typically have come to teaching after having worked in their fields for years. Read more to get the lowdown on some of TV’s most highly regarded programs.

32 A memorable meal: A Culinary alumnus offers a mouth-watering recipe for chicken wrapped in bacon and covered in a mushroom sauce.

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34 The Bakery: Go behind the scenes to get the scoop on the college’s new bakery, opened in time for classes this past fall.

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The last word: “Testifying” in the campus courtroom is one of the most vivid memories for many of our Criminal Justice alumni.

Lethbridge College is located on the traditional land of the Blackfoot Confederacy and is home to many Indigenous peoples, including members of the Kainai, Siksika and Piikani First Nations, as well as many Métis and Inuit people.

Publisher: Dr. Paula Burns Editor-in-chief: Sandra Dufresne Editor: Lisa Kozleski Art director/designer: Dana Woodward Cover photo: Rob Olson Photographers: Jamin Heller, Rob Olson Writers: Jeremy Franchuk, Paul Kingsmith, Dawn Sugimoto

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Illustrators: Brent Bates, Eric Dyck College staff contributors: Kristy Clark, Leeanne Conrad, James Harrison, Greg Kruyssen, Lawrence Krysak, Ron Ostepchuk, Shawn Salberg, Kasha Thurston, Sydney Wakaruk Proofreaders: Brenna Lowrie, Constance Sherriff, Tyson Wiebe, Jennifer Yanish

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President in action

Lethbridge College President and CEO Dr. Paula Burns and her girlfriend, Donna Gilbert, listen and laugh with students and faculty in the Culinary program who are putting the finishing touches on the gourmet meal prepared as part of the 29th annual Clayton Allan Wine Auction in November. The event, which includes a silent auction as well as an exciting live auction of fine wines, rare spirits and unique gifts, has raised more than $475,000 over the last three years – all of which will benefit Culinary students and their program.

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Culinary students are involved at every level of the gala event. The menu is designed around the college’s third-year apprenticeship curriculum and focuses on high-end, classical ingredients and their application. Third-year apprentices create the ice carvings on display as part of their curriculum. Second-year diploma students and Culinary faculty members prep and execute the high-end, five-course black tie dinner.

First-year diploma students help with setting up the event and plating the dessert course.

Photo by Rob Olson

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Campus in season

A Great Horned Owl peers out from behind the brick of the Andrews building on campus in September.

Great Horned Owls are Alberta’s provincial bird and one of Canada’s most common large birds of prey.

These owls are among the world's most adaptable bird species in terms of habitat, and they don’t move far from the area in which they are born. They nest as early as March, and they are known to prey on skunks.

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Great Horned Owls have large eyes, pupils that open widely in the dark, and retinas containing many rod cells for excellent night vision. While the eyes (or in the case of this photo, the eye) of Great Horned Owls don’t move in their sockets, the owls can swivel their heads more than 180 degrees to look in any direction.

They also have sensitive hearing, thanks in part to facial disc feathers that direct sound waves to their ears.

Photo by Jamin Heller

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News and notes

News and notes

Ecosystem Management student Jason Cotton and technician Nathan Linder (Agriculture Sciences 2017) use a Dutch auger to determine the layering of the soil profile.

College, potato growers partner on irrigation study A new study will dig deep into the soil to determine how

watering and irrigation methods affect southern Alberta’s potato crops. The four-year research project is a partnership between Lethbridge College’s Centre for Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Potato Growers of Alberta. It is made possible through a grant from the Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

The $397,595 grant allows for the study of five different potato fields throughout southern Alberta. The watering practices of two producers near Vauxhall, as well as farms near Bow Island, Chin and Taber, are being monitored. The diversity of fields allows researchers to study a variety of different soil types and topographies, which will give a holistic look at how moisture reacts with and affects potato crops. The research team will record how producers use their existing irrigation 6

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and available water sources and the outcome it has on crops in different parts of their fields.

“It's a really good inventory; we're not just saying ‘this is what happens in this one particular field,’’’ says Dr. Willemijn Appels, Lethbridge College’s Mueller Applied Research Chair in Irrigation Science. “We can actually say, ‘looking at this range of soil types and topographies, these are the main drivers or variations.’ We can then try to figure out what a producer can do with management and technology – where the sweet spot is they could use to increase their yield, increase their water use efficiency and eventually start looking at impacts on a regional scale if everyone would adopt optimal irrigation strategies.”

Photo by Rob Olson

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.

APPLIED RESEARCH

First Applied Research Chair in VR/AR appointed Continuing its role as a leader in emerging technologies, Lethbridge College is pleased to announce its first President’s Applied Research Chair in Virtual and Augmented Reality. Mike McCready has been appointed to the role and will work to connect industry with the limitless potential of VR and AR technology.

The research chair and the college’s Centre for Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship will work alongside the new Virtual and Augmented Reality one-year certificate program to build up the VR/AR ecosystem in southern Alberta.

McCready is a Lethbridge College alumnus (Multimedia Production 1999) who has instructed in the Multimedia Production program since 2015. He previously worked at both NorQuest College and Lethbridge College in marketing and web positions. He was a driving force behind the creation and development of the college’s new Virtual and Augmented Reality program that launched this fall. He is also one of the instructors in that program.

Three institutions combine to tackle Agriculture challenges

Three of Canada’s leading post-secondary agriculture institutions teamed up for a one-of-a-kind training opportunity and competition in September at Lethbridge College. McDalBridge brought together students from McGill University, Dalhousie University and Lethbridge College to create innovative solutions to Canadian agricultural challenges.

Funded by Farm Credit Canada, five students from each institution gathered for three days of instructional sessions, workshops and tours. The students divided into five

cross-institutional teams where they used their diverse regional backgrounds to collaborate and provide solutions to agricultural issues, before presenting their prototype pitches to a panel of industry experts at the end of the training.

The program builds on Lethbridge College’s successful Agriculture Entrepreneur in Residence (AgENT) extra-curricular program that allows students to work with industry mentors.

Agricultural Engineering and Technology chair named

Looking to support and augment southern Alberta’s agriculture industry, Lethbridge College introduced its first applied research chair in Agricultural Engineering and Technology in August. Dr. Chandra Singh joins the college’s Centre for Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CARIE) as the latest stop in a distinguished professional and academic career.

Dr. Singh’s work includes the creation of an Advanced Postharvest Innovation Centre.

During his professional career, which included five years working as Principal Engineer and Grain Management Specialist with OPIsystems, a grain management technology company based in Calgary, Dr. Singh noticed a gap in postharvest handling and storage of produce and grains in southern Alberta.

He says production and processing methods in this region are already world-class but he wants to help minimize the loss felt by producers once their crops are out of the field.

He works within CARIE to create industry partnerships and research opportunities with the local agricultural community.

He also works closely with other Lethbridge College researchers, instructors and students within the college’s Collaborative Centre of Excellence in Agriculture.

Diversity and inclusion pilot project launched

Lethbridge College is making a commitment to

identifying and improving its equity, diversity and inclusion on campus. The college is one of just 17 Canadian post-secondary institutions chosen for the Dimensions pilot program, a national initiative designed to foster transformational change within research bodies and post-secondary institutions.

The two-year project will see the college set up an internal self-assessment committee to evaluate what Lethbridge College is already doing to promote equity, diversity and inclusion, and identify areas in need of improvement. The goal of the program is to eliminate obstacles and inequalities in the research and post-secondary ecosystems to support equal access for all. Lethbridge College is one of only five colleges to be chosen among the 17 post-secondary partners and joins the University of Calgary as the only Alberta representatives.

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News and notes

Marcotte appointed new chair of Lethbridge College Board of Governors Lethbridge College welcomed Michael Marcotte as the new chair of the Board of Governors in September. The Government of Alberta’s Ministry of Advanced Education appointed Marcotte to the role of board chair for a three-year term. Marcotte has nearly three decades of experience owning and operating Alberta restaurants and catering companies – including The Italian Table, Lethbridge’s Moxie’s Grill and Bar, and Prime Catering. He is also an active volunteer in the community.

Coulee Fest fun

More than 100 volunteers, vendors, partners and

friends made this year’s Coulee Fest the best yet.

This third annual event offered something for everyone, and it showed in a diverse crowd of more than 5,000 people of all ages. Thanks to all who attended – and see you on campus next September!

COMING UP ON CAMPUS Surrender March 24 | Merging Realities March 25 Honouring Excellence April 23 | Convocation April 24

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Marcotte is a Red Seal chef who trained in Saskatchewan and came to Alberta in 1990 to work as executive chef at Moxie’s parent company in Calgary. Over the years, he oversaw many restaurants and franchises, eventually working as owner/operator of several Moxie’s brands, including restaurants in Medicine Hat and Lethbridge. In recent years, he developed a new-venture catering company, Prime Catering, which opened in 2013, and a new original concept restaurant in Lethbridge, The Italian Table, which opened in 2018.

PHILANTHROPY AND PARNTERSHIPS

Corus Entertainment supports broadcast and online journalism students Corus Entertainment has invested in the future of Canadian journalism, with a $52,000 gift to Lethbridge College. The gift, which was announced in October, will support the creation of a state-of-the-art active-learning newsroom, as well as create new awards that will financially support students in the Digital Communications and Media (DCM) program.

The new newsroom will modernize the existing Endeavour room, which has primarily been used as a print-based journalism hub.

The upgrades will create a technologically advanced setting where students and instructors can quickly share content and work in individual stations that replicate modern newsrooms used to generate television, online, radio and digital stories.

The space will better prepare DCM students to succeed as they enter the workforce.

The gift will also lead to the creation of the Global News Journalism Award that will go to support two DCM students each year. The recipients will be chosen based on a variety of criteria, including community involvement and financial need.

Wind Turbine Technician program partners with safety training company

When working hundreds of feet in the air, there is no room for error. A new partnership with TEAM-1 Academy Inc., one of the world’s leading safety and rescue training companies, will ensure students

in Lethbridge College’s Wind Turbine Technician program are trained to handle that challenge as they enter their careers.

TEAM-1 Academy will provide world-class training and equipment to the college’s students and faculty over the next three years. TEAM-1 Academy has worked with renewable energy companies for more than 20 years, providing safety and rescue training and equipment. As part of the partnership agreement, TEAM-1 Academy trainers will visit the Lethbridge College campus multiple times each year to train students and faculty, and they will also use the college’s training space to train workers from other wind power generation companies.

The three-year agreement is valued at well over $100,000. In recognition of this gift, the training platform in the college’s Wind Turbine Technician shop has been renamed in honour of TEAM-1 Academy Inc.

City and college team up to offer students opportunity

In September, the City of Lethbridge and the college announced a unique opportunity for Engineering Design and Drafting Technology students to design a flagpole structure in front of Lethbridge’s City Hall.

The project allows students a chance to take on a real-world design challenge, which includes meeting the city’s criteria such as housing three or four new flagpoles, matching the aesthetic design of the current City Hall and meeting municipal, provincial and federal flag protocols. But it also encourages students to express creativity by incorporating design elements such as location and the shape and

design of the structure, as well as respectfully incorporating Blackfoot cultural elements.

The city plans to permanently fly the Blackfoot Confederacy flag and the Reconciliation Lethbridge flag, as well as having dedicated poles to fly flags to celebrate other important community events and partners such as Lethbridge Pride Week and the Alberta Summer Games, which can currently only be accommodated by lowering the city’s flag.

The college has been flying the Blackfoot Confederacy flag permanently since 2017.

Students will submit their projects by the end of January, and then will present to the city’s Reconciliation Lethbridge Advisory Committee in February. The winning submission will share in over $250 worth of prizes.

Two supporters of Indigenous education honoured with Blackfoot names Two long-time supporters of Indigenous education were honoured with Blackfoot names during Lethbridge College’s Indigenous Celebration Day in October. Doug Camrud and Mark Brown of RBC were bestowed names by the college’s Kainai Kaahsinnoonik (Grandparent) Peter Weasel Moccasin in recognition of years spent furthering Indigenous education. Camrud was given the name Saakooaapaspii, which means Last Dancer. Brown received the name Kiinai’ipos’taitaapo’aako’kaatsis, which means Long Time Many Camps.

RBC began a partnership supporting Indigenous education at Lethbridge College in 2007, and has since provided nearly $600,000 to support Indigenous initiatives, events and programming. Beyond the partnership, both men have made genuine connections to the local Blackfoot community, taking time to learn about the culture, to talk to Grandparents and students, and to learn about what it means to be on Blackfoot territory.

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News and notes

KODIAKS NEWS

KODIAKS ARE CANADA’S BEST WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY TEAM WINS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP, REPEATS AS ACAC CHAMPS The Kodiaks braved the weather to claim the gold medal at the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) championships in Grande Prairie in November, while Sophia Nowicki claimed a national bronze medal.

The Kodiaks finished a single point ahead of Champlain College Saint-Lambert in the battle for the top of the podium, as the Kodiaks top four runners totaled 49 points. The four scoring runners were Nowicki (third year, Nursing, Bragg Creek), Anna LeBlanc (second year, Renewable Resource Management, Banff), Rosie Bouchard (first year, Renewable Resource Management, Okotoks) and Vildana 10

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Rekic (fourth year, Ecosystem Management, Lethbridge), while Janelle Graham (fourth year, Justice Studies, Olds) and Sydney Crowe (first year, General Studies, Vermilion) provided valuable depth as the Kodiaks women’s team won its third national championship and first since winning the second of back-to-back titles in 2004.

Nowicki, the two-time reigning Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) champion and last year’s national champion, finished the 6-km course in 25:22 to earn the bronze medal. It is the third-straight season that Nowicki, who was also named a CCAA All-Canadian, has made the podium at the national championship.

She also earned a bronze in 2017. Read more about her journey on the trail and in the classroom on page 16.

Two Kodiaks men’s runners took part in the 8-km men’s championship. Connor Jackson (second year, Business Administration, Surrey, B.C.) placed 15th, while Cooper Cheshire (second year, Agricultural Enterprise Management, Trochu) was 45th.

CHAMPS! MEN’S SOCCER TEAM WINS FIRST ACAC CHAMPIONSHIP, PLAYS ON NATIONAL STAGE For the first time ever, the Lethbridge College Kodiaks

Carey named national men’s soccer coach of the year Sean Carey is going to need a larger trophy case.

The Kodiaks soccer head coach keeps adding to his accolades as he was named CCAA national men’s soccer coach of the year at the CCAA awards banquet in November in Ontario.

Carey is in the third season of his dual role as head coach of both the men’s and women’s Kodiaks soccer teams. This season, he led the Kodiaks men’s team to a 9-1-3 record during the regular season and a second place finish in the ACAC south division. It was the second-best regular season in Kodiaks men’s soccer history. He followed that up by winning the program’s first ever ACAC championship on Oct. 27 in Edmonton.

Carey is the first Kodiaks soccer coach to ever win a CCAA coach of the year award. In 2018, Carey was the first person to ever win both ACAC women’s and men’s south division coach of the year honours in the same season. This season, he took it one step further as he was the first person ever named ACAC coach of the year in both the men’s and women’s conferences in the same season. He also has an ACAC south division coach of the year honour from 2010, during a previous two-year stint as coach of the Kodiaks women’s team. This season he was also a runner-up for CCAA women’s coach of the year honours.

men’s soccer team won the ACAC championship. The Kodiaks beat Red Deer College 2-0 in the gold medal match to earn the banner. At the championships, hosted

by NAIT, the Kodiaks won three straight games to bring home the gold medal and advance to the CCAA national championship, where they finished eighth after a week of intense play. See page 12 for a rundown of the many awards the men’s team picked up during what turned out to be an historic season.

Women’s soccer earns backto-back ACAC bronze medals

The Kodiaks won a second straight ACAC women’s soccer bronze medal, with a 1-0 victory over the SAIT Trojans in October. It’s just the third conference medal in program history, as last season’s bronze was the Kodiaks first since winning the conference and national titles in 1994. The Kodiaks finished the season 9-1-2.

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News and notes

KODIAKS NEWS

Kodiaks coaches, student-athletes, haul in honours The fall soccer and cross-country seasons were among the most successful in Kodiaks history.

Below are some of the conference and national

Christine Moser (third year, Massage Therapy, Whitehorse) • CCAA All-Canadian, ACAC south division player of the year, south division all-conference team

Jasmin Salmon (third year, Business Administration, Medicine Hat) • ACAC south division all-conference team Dairy Holmes (first year, Nursing, Calgary) • ACAC tournament all-star team

CROSS COUNTRY

MEN’S SOCCER

Sophia Nowicki (third year, Nursing, Bragg Creek) • Bronze medallist at CCAA National Championship, CCAA All-Canadian, ACAC Champion, ACAC runner of the year, ACAC all-conference team

Ben Knight (third year, General Studies, Manchester, England) • CCAA All-Canadian, ACAC men’s soccer player of the year, ACAC south division all-conference team, ACAC tournament all-star team

Anna Leblanc (second year, Natural Resource Management, Banff) • 9th at ACAC championship

honours the teams brought back to Lethbridge.

Jimmy Bukuru (third year, General Studies, Lethbridge) • ACAC south division all-conference team

Cody Ferguson (fourth year, General Studies, Lethbridge) • ACAC south division all-conference team Jaden Veluw (fourth year, Nursing, Lethbridge) • ACAC south division all-conference team

Dave Low (second year, General Studies, Newcastle Upon Tyne, England) • ACAC tournament MVP Owen Beers (first year, Business Administration, Taber) • ACAC tournament all-star team

Sean Carey • CCAA men's coach of the year, ACAC men's and women's coach of the year

When our Kodiaks men’s soccer team gets ready for the big game, having the right music can put them in a winning state of mind. Here is a sampling from their pre-game playlists.

SUNFLOWER ... POST MALONE GETTIN’ JIGGY WIT IT ... WILL SMITH

NO MISTAKES ... KANYE WEST WITH YOU ... DRAKE FT. PARTYNEXTDOOR

WHITE IVERSON ... POST MALONE SWEETEST GIRL (DOLLAR BILL) ... WYCLEF JEAN FT. AKON, LIL WAYNE AND NIIA

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WOMEN’S SOCCER

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Rosie Bouchard (first year, Renewable Resource Management, Okotoks) • 8th at ACAC championship Vildana Rekic (fourth year, Ecosystem Management, Lethbridge) • 13th at ACAC championship Janelle Graham (fourth year, Justice Studies, Olds) • 14th at ACAC championship

Connor Jackson (second year, Business Administration, Surrey, B.C.) • 5th at ACAC championship, ACAC all-conference team Cooper Cheshire (second year, Agriculture Enterprise Management, Trochu) • 9th at ACAC championship Justin Fisher (first year, General Studies, Claresholm) • 11th at ACAC championship Coach Simon Schaerz • ACAC coach of the year

Complete picture of Kodiaks success brought to light In 1980, Sherry Baker battled her way to an ACAC badminton title – but for nearly four decades, her name was lost to history. Now, a thorough dig into the chronicles of the Lethbridge College Kodiaks has restored her to her rightful place in the ACAC record book.

Dave McMurray, manager of Applied Research, started the project and received an assist from members of the Lethbridge College Marketing and Communications teams.

Together, they compiled all of the Kodiaks championship history in one place for the first time. The complete picture shows the Kodiaks have earned 22 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) national championships and 111 Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) team and individual championships.

Previously, the Kodiaks recognized 12 CCAA championships and 57 ACAC championships, but the new totals now account for championships previously forgotten that have been uncovered. The list also includes in the final total individual championships in sports such as cross country running, indoor track and badminton.

McMurray, who is also historian, originally launched the work as a research project for the Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame. He scoured

old editions of the Endeavour, Lethbridge College’s campus newspaper, along with other sources to corroborate and uncover past successes. That process discovered Baker’s championship, as the ACAC archives had previously listed just a Lethbridge College championship with no additional information.

McMurray’s research was presented to the ACAC, which added Baker’s name to its archives.

“It’s an exciting discovery because it adds to the story of where we’ve come from,” says McMurray. “It’s a testament to the students in the Journalism program of the day who gave such great coverage of the Kodiaks and allowed us to recognize someone who accomplished something so significant. That this started as a project for the Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame is fitting because the hall’s mandate is to recognize the achievements of local athletes and this does just that.”

The full list of Kodiaks champions can now be seen on the Kodiaks website, gokodiaks.ca.

“It’s an exciting discovery because it adds to the story of where we’ve come from.”

BE READY TO ROOT FOR

THE HOME TEAM BASKETBALL Jan. 18 Jan. 24 Jan. 25 Feb. 14 Feb. 15

VOLLEYBALL Jan. 17 Jan. 18 Jan. 30 Feb. 7 Feb. 15 Feb. 21 Feb. 22

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MEN’S ACAC CHAMPIONSHIPS Feb. 26-29 at Lethbridge College Go to gokodiaks.ca for the Men’s ACAC Championship schedule.

#WeAreAllKodiaks

STAY CONNECTED TO LETHBRIDGE COLLEGE ALL YEAR LONG BY FOLLOWING US ONLINE: /LethbridgeCollege

@lethcollege

lethcollege

lethcollege

/LCKodiaks

@LC_Kodiaks

lc_kodiaks

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News and notes

CAMPUS KUDOS

Lethbridge College staff members go above and beyond in their work and in their communities. Here are a few colleagues who have been recently honoured: Sheldon Anderson, the college’s Dean of the Centre for Trades, was recognized with the Chairperson’s Award of Excellence at the Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Awards of Excellence in September in Edmonton. The award honours individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary dedication and commitment to their trade and to apprenticeship and industry training in Alberta.

Dr. Terry Kowalchuk started work last summer as the new Dean of the Centre for Technology, Environment and Design. He joined Lethbridge College in 1995 as an instructor in the School of Environmental Sciences and, since then, has worked as instructor, program coordinator, program leader, chair, interim Dean and Associate Dean in the Centre for Technology, Environment and Design.

John McGill, the college’s Security team lead, published an article in October titled “Return from injury or concussion: How to keep your kids healthy.” In addition to his work at the college, McGill is also an on-ice injury recovery consultant who works with athletes after injury (such as concussions) to shorten their recovery time and maximize the effects of their rehabilitation.

Dr. Kevin Smith joined Lethbridge College as the new Dean of the Centre for Applied Arts and Sciences this past summer. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Dr. Smith earned a PhD from MRC Clinical Research Centre in Harrow, England. Since coming to Canada, he has worked as Dean of Graduate Programs at the University of Northern British Columbia and as a faculty member in Health Sciences at UNBC. Dawn Sugimoto, internal communications specialist, was named one of four SimpsonScarborough Scholars by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) in July. The program supports the professional development of promising communications and marketing practitioners in the educational advancement profession who are new to the field of post-secondary advancement.

Sydney Wakaruk, a development officer at Lethbridge College, was honoured as the overall winner of Lethbridge’s Top 40 under Forty recognition by the Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce in October.

Wakaruk, an alumna of the college’s Business Administration program, joined the college in 2018 as the Alumni Engagement coordinator and was promoted to development officer earlier this year.

Best of the best Congratulations to Lethbridge College’s Engineering Design and Drafting Technology and Civil Engineering Technology programs, which were granted national program accreditation by Technology Accreditation Canada this fall.

The accreditation means graduating students will now have more advantages to begin their careers, earn higher wages and have flexibility to work anywhere in Canada.

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STUDENT AWARDS

BY THE NUMBERS

518

Number of student awards distributed to Lethbridge College students in 2019

NINETY-SIX

Students who received more than one award

$577,275

Dollars awarded to our students in 2019

$13,000

Awarded to students in 2019 as part of the Pay it Forward 50/50-style lottery where over 300 employees, alumni, students and community members contribute monthly

$262,000

The total amount raised in the Pay it Forward program. If you’d like to buy a one-time, $10 ticket, call 403-329-7220 or stop by the Advancement office (CE2323)

157

Number of students who said THANK YOU to their donors through cards and letters

CAMPUS NEWS The college uses its platforms to promote Canadian Blood Services, including advertising on the digital sign on Scenic Drive; promoting blood donation on social media, including participation in the Missing Type campaign; and writing about blood donation in both Wider Horizons magazine and Connections internal newsletter.

Every child matters Students and staff joined in the college’s Orange Shirt Day celebration in September with activities that included a week-long display about residential schools that was open to the public. “Orange Shirt Day is about building relationships and understanding,” says Shanda Webber, Lethbridge College’s manager of Indigenous Services. “It’s about educating our students, staff and our community members, about residential schools, and about moving forward together.”

College honoured for partnership with Canadian Blood Services Lethbridge College earned the Regional Partner Award for the Prairie Region of Canadian Blood Services at the annual Honouring Canada’s Lifeline event in Ottawa in September. The college has supported Canadian Blood Services for over a decade, and has rallied its community to donate nearly 3,000 units of blood in that time.

Virtual training for real life: research project brings VR to justice studies Dave Maze, chair of the college’s School of Justice Studies, and George Gallant, instructor in the Digital Communications and Media program, are collaborating on a new internal research project to test whether virtual reality (VR) can better prepare justice and corrections students for face-to-face interactions. The pair are using 360-degree video to create two different training scenarios using live actors.

Once these are completed, students will use virtual reality to enter the scenarios and interact with the people in the scene.

Bridging Cultures Be Ready to celebrate the diversity of our community at Bridging Cultures March 31 | Val Matteotti Gymnasium Food Fair – Entertainment – Exhibitors Go to bridgingcultures.ca for more information or to purchase your food fair ticket.

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KODIAKS CROSS COUNTRY NATIONAL CHAMPION SHOWCASES STRENGTH ON THE COURSE, IN THE NURSING CLASSROOM AND IN THE CANADIAN ARMED FORCES

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Story by Paul Kingsmith | Photos by Rob Olson and Jamin Heller

“I have all these little goals and then once I do them, I move on to the next one. So it's hard for me to even reflect on it because it happened and then it's like, ‘OK, it's in the past, moving on, new goal.’” { Sophia Nowicki }

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Sophia Nowicki sprinted across the finish line and raised her arms ever so slightly – just a quick pump out to her sides before collapsing to the ground. She was a national champion – the top college runner in Canada.

But there was no victory lap, no shouts or screams or sighs for Nowicki. That’s just not part of her temperament. And a year later, when asked to recall the moment she became national champion, her answer was as understated as her finish line celebration.

“Um… it was nice.”

The simple phrase provides plenty of insight into the mentality of one of the greatest college runners in Canadian history – the racer who was 26 seconds ahead of her closest competitor at the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) championships in October, the athlete who was the first across the finish line for 10 Canadian college competitions in a row, the competitor who finished on the podium each of the last three years she had run at nationals.

“It was a goal,” she explains. “I have all these little goals and then once I do them, I move on to the next one. So it's hard for me to even reflect on it because it happened and then it's like, ‘OK, it's in the past, moving on, new goal.’”

While others marvel at her achievement, she has already turned her attention to the future, because there is no way Sophia Nowicki will let something as simple as a single race define her life.

THE WARM-UP The crack of a branch underfoot, the chirp of birds in the air and the sound of her own breath, alone with her thoughts – this is the atmosphere where Nowicki fell in love with running.

Raised in picturesque Bragg Creek, a hamlet of just under 600 people in the foothills west of Calgary, Nowicki’s environment helped shape her passion for the sport.

“It's a 10 minute drive to the nearest mountain and I’ll just go out and run up the mountain or do trail running,” says Nowicki. “When I'm stressed, it's what I do. I'll go for like a two hour run. It's my stress reliever.”

But early in her career, running began to cause more anxiety than it was relieving. In Grade 7, Nowicki joined the cross country running team at St. Timothy Junior High School in nearby Cochrane. She placed fifth in the provincial championships; however, it wasn’t enough for Nowicki, who was already ultra-competitive, even at that age.

“I was just this little kid and I was devastated,” she remembers. “I was so mad at myself. So the next year I was like, ‘I'm gonna get on the podium.’”

And she did, placing third in the province in Grade 8.

But achieving her goal nearly killed her passion for the sport. As she began to set goals for Grade 9, she hit a mental roadblock. “I just couldn't do it. I didn't want to do it.”

So, in Grade 9, she walked away from running.

It was a remarkably mature decision for a 14-yearold, and it gave a glimpse at the self-confident personality that would eventually propel her to a national championship. And it’s likely she never would have become that champion if she hadn’t taken that year off. “It showed me how much I loved it and I needed it,” says Nowicki.

She made a triumphant return in Grade 10, winning the Calgary city championship and became one of the top high school runners in the province. She capped off high school with a silver medal at the Alberta provincial championships in Grade 12 and began training with the University of Calgary Athletics Club. As she wrapped up her decorated high school career, Nowicki was ready to take the step up to post-secondary competition. She felt settled on her future and was excited to run – as a University of Calgary Dino.

“It showed me how much I loved it and I needed it.” { Sophia Nowicki }

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THE STARTING LINE Parts of Nowicki’s life are full of contradictions. She loves running because it’s a stress reliever, but she’s also ultracompetitive and hates being beaten to the finish line. She loves seeing her teammates succeed, but she won’t think twice about chasing one down if they meet on the race course. And she’s extremely goal-oriented and a long-term planner, but she can also be wildly impulsive.

That’s how she ended up in Lethbridge. While the U of C was her plan, she was lacking a math prerequisite that she needed to enter her preferred area of study, Kinesiology. It was time for a quick pivot. “My high school coach was like, ‘why don't you go into nursing? There's anatomy there too.’

And I was like, ‘OK, good idea,’” laughs Nowicki. “It was out of the blue, I’d never thought about it, never planned on it, I just kind of decided I wanted to go into nursing.”

Enter Lethbridge College. The Nursing program’s excellent reputation first sold her on the college and the Kodiaks reputation as one of the top cross country teams in Canada helped clinch her decision. Her closest friends were surprised by her sudden decision to pursue nursing, but once she decided she was going, there was no turning back. She quickly became a standout for the Kodiaks, winning bronze medals at both the conference and national championships during her rookie season.

But her greatest challenge came off the course, adapting to the heavy demands of her academics. “We always talk about the balance between academics and athletics,” says Kodiaks cross country head coach Simon Schaerz. “The reality is, for most athletes, it doesn’t look pretty. It’s so tough to manage all of those things really well.”

Enrolled in pre-nursing classes, the pressure mounted.

“My first year was incredibly stressful,” says Nowicki. “I was a hermit, I did not have a social life.” Her grades consumed her life as she worked to make sure she had the credentials needed to enter the nursing program. It was a new challenge, different from what she had ever faced on the course, but she attacked it with the same vigour. “I was like, ‘oh my God, this is so hard, I'm never going to do this.’” She studied non-stop. When the final marks came in, she had made the grade and was able to enter the nursing program.

“I worked my ass off to get into nursing,” she summarizes.

It was another checked box on her list of goals. “Now, I love nursing so much, I don't think there's anything I could have done instead,” she says.

“It's a testament to how hard she works on a daily basis,” says Schaerz. “She's the best example of balancing all of the demands of a student-athlete. She has a very regimented schedule and that's how she operates. I think that's a big reason why she has been so successful.”

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“It's so invigorating, because you start to know that you've got this capability. She’s done the training and knows she can succeed in the race, and that confidence and belief in your training is totally transferable.” { Ramona Stewart }

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AND SHE’S OFF Ramona Stewart shares Nowicki’s passion for running.

The Lethbridge College instructor built a kinship with Nowicki and finds parallels between Nowicki’s attitude and that of another runner. “Eliud Kipchoge, who just ran a sub-two-hour marathon, would say ‘work hard, be humble, be disciplined.’ And Sophia does all of that,” says Stewart, who was Nowicki’s anatomy and physiology instructor. She saw firsthand how Nowicki balanced all aspects of her life.

Stewart herself was a competitive runner at the University of Lethbridge before she embarked on a career in education. She organized an annual race in Lethbridge for more than 30 years and still coaches high school cross country. She firmly believes that the lessons learned on the race course translate to success in the classroom and in life. “It's so invigorating, because you start to know that you've got this capability. She’s done the training and knows she can succeed in the race,” says Stewart. “And that confidence and belief in your training is totally transferable.”

In the high-stakes world of nursing, Nowicki has found an area where she can thrive. Nearly halfway through her four-year Nursing Education in Southern Alberta program – a collaborative offering between the college and the University of Lethbridge – she has begun to get a taste of what her future career will hold through her clinical placings. “I’ve learned I adore seniors, with such a passion. I feel like they're such a neglected population,” says Nowicki, who has spent time working in elder care, medicine and surgery at Chinook Regional Hospital.

She’s not sure yet what she will specialize in or where she will end up. But she knows she’ll be fine whatever she decides. “As long as I'm doing my job and doing everything I can for the patient, then I’m making the world a better place,” she says. “Not everyone's a Mahatma Gandhi, they're not going to change the entire world – and that's OK. But I think if I take care of myself and everyone does their job compassionately, and give patients autonomy, then it's a better place for them.”

That mindset doesn’t surprise her instructor. “She's got that vitality and vibrancy that people will pick up on. They'll want to be around her,” says Stewart. “She can say to the patients, ‘yes, you will lift these weights, or get on that treadmill, or go down those hallways because it's going to make you better.’ She can tell them because she's done it and they’ll listen to her.”

Left: Nowicki runs on the trails behind the college in her favourite Kodiaks shirt.

Above: Nowicki served as an ambassador at the Armed Forces display at Coulee Fest.

CHANGING COURSE For a runner on the trail, most of the motivation comes from within. “Cross country is an individual quest,” says Schaerz. “You put yourself first, right? You have to. And that's how you end up being successful.”

So it surprised him when Nowicki told him she was joining a different kind of team – the Canadian Armed Forces. Early in spring 2019, Nowicki enlisted and joined the 20th Independent Field Battery, a Lethbridge-based artillery unit, as a reservist. Much like entering nursing, it was another spontaneous decision – she enlisted based on the suggestion of a fellow nursing student. “She was like, ‘hey, you should try this out,’” describes Nowicki. “I was like, ‘OK.’ I handed in my papers and went from there.”

In the Armed Forces she uncovered a team-first side of her mentality that she wasn’t aware of before. “I was always someone very independent, that's why I think I like running, because it's an independent sport,” says Nowicki. “I run my own race and if my teammates are in my race, I'm still going to try to beat them. That's how I am. But it's not like that in military. You’re together, you work together, you work with your team, and it's just completely opened my eyes to that and how important that is.”

Nowicki’s summer was a crash course in teamwork.

Alongside the other members of her unit she learned how to operate military weapons and vehicles. She uncovered a fascination for Canadian military history and values. And she pushed herself to her limits during training both in Lethbridge and at CFB Shilo in Manitoba.

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She continues to serve as a reservist, taking part in weekly parades and training, and travelling to weekend military exercises throughout the province when her running schedule allows it. She also serves as an ambassador, as she joined Armed Forces displays at the college’s Coulee Fest and Lethbridge’s Canada Day celebrations.

For now, nursing – both finishing her education and beginning her career – is her priority in life. But she intends to continue her military service. “I was never anti-military, but I also never cared or thought about the military,” admits Nowicki. “Being part of it has helped me develop an educated perspective. The military has helped me to understand why it is vital and helped me to gain a new respect for our lost men and women of service.

“I aspire to be like the strong women of the military. I feel like they have worked so hard to be where they are and I have the utmost respect for them.”

NEW TERRAIN AND ELEVATION GAINS Two and a half years into her time at Lethbridge College, Nowicki is a different person than she was when she first arrived on campus. Her time in both nursing and the Armed Forces has helped her mature. During her incredibly stressful first year, it was her Kodiaks teammates who helped her get through, and she now returns that camaraderie during practices, at races and on long bus trips. “She is very caring and supportive of the other athletes on the team, especially the new incoming runners,” says Schaerz. “And that pulls everybody along.”

She has already made her mark as one of the greatest college runners in not only Kodiaks' but also Canadian history, as she has medalled at both the conference and national levels in each of her three seasons of running, and tallied a 10-race win streak throughout the 2018 and 2019 seasons. In addition to her cross country triumphs at the college, she also runs track and field for the University of Lethbridge.

But to her, finish lines are not a culmination. They’re more like checkpoints on a journey. And she has no intention of slowing down. “I don't ever think about quitting,” says Nowicki. “Running is something I want to do my whole life. Like, even when I’m 40, I plan on running marathons and ultras and trail racing and just trying it all.”

Stewart recalls a story from her own career, when she ran the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C., alongside 12,000 other runners. She asked her coaches where she should stand and they told her to stand at the front because that’s where she belonged. “And that's what Sophia's earned as well,” says Stewart. “She belongs at the front of that pack because there are not many that are going to have trained harder, or done more. She's earned that place.”

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THE FINISH LINE One year later, Nowicki once again calmly crossed the finish line. Once again, there was no boisterous celebration – but this time there was also no individual championship. She gave a pat on the back to the silver medallist, then shook hands with the new national champion. Nowicki took the bronze medal at this year’s Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) championships held in early November.

This time, her reaction was less understated and more emotional. “I’m so happy,” said Nowicki just hours after finishing the race. What made the race different this time was that she had led her Kodiaks team to a CCAA gold medal. She was a national champion once again, but now, it was with her teammates by her side.

“What I really wanted this year was the team win,” she said. “That means so much more to me.”

It’s another goal checked off. On to the next one.

As for her individual finish, her understated nature returns. “I can't even say I'm necessarily disappointed in myself. You can't win every race.”

It’s just not in her nature. There is no way Sophia Nowicki will let something as simple as a single race define her life.

Story by Paul Kingsmith Photos by Rob Olson and Jamin Heller

Above: Nowicki's parents celebrate with her after a race.

Right: Nowicki says the trails behind the college are one of her favourite places to run.

“Running is something I want to do my whole life. Like, even when I’m 40, I plan on running marathons and ultras and trail racing and just trying it all.” { Sophia Nowicki }

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WHAT POP CULTURE GETS WRONG – AND OCCASIONALLY RIGHT – ABOUT THE WORLD OF WORK COLLEGE INSTRUCTORS SHARE THEIR INSIGHTS

Andrew Shaskin loves watching policing shows on

TV. The action, the drama, the car chases, the speedy resolutions to complicated stories – he says they always make for pleasurable viewing. But, he says, if a medical show comes on after a police show, he has to turn the TV off.

Medical shows get so much wrong, says Shaskin, who teaches in the Primary Care Paramedic program at Lethbridge College. From performing CPR incorrectly to wearing stethoscopes the wrong way to showing someone doing an emergency tracheotomy using a ballpoint pen, Shaskin says the many mistakes made on medical shows take the pleasure out of watching a program. “That’s why I watch shows about military and police,” he says. “I just don’t know any better and I assume that must be exactly how it all happens. I can get into that. Like, oh, that’s real, it must be exactly like that,” he adds with a laugh.

His colleagues in the Criminal Justice program disagree, however, and find much to critique (and yet still occasionally appreciate) in policing shows. The chefs in the Culinary program have a similar love-hate relationship with cooking shows. Down the hall to the Interior Design Technology program, the instructors find both pleasure and pain watching home renovation shows. The same is true in Athletics, where staff see the good, bad and ugly about the way sporting shows share their messages. And across campus, the Digital Communications and Media faculty cringe as much as they celebrate at the way journalists are portrayed in pop culture.

Dr. Aaron Taylor, a film studies scholar at the University of Lethbridge, explains that we are conditioned to expect a

“I just don’t know any better and I assume that must be exactly how it all happens.” { Andrew Shaskin }

basic degree of truth from our fictions, whether on the large or small screen. “And yet other priorities – the crafting of drama, the cultivation of close relationships with makebelieve people – tend to take precedence,” he says.

When Dr. Taylor interviewed Sandra Oh, who played the beloved Christina Yang on Grey’s Anatomy, she told him she had performed more surgeries in nine seasons of Grey’s Anatomy than many young MDs. But she also indicated that what she does with her hands during a pseudo-surgery involves more than just “sewing up a pair of old, dried-up lungs.” He explains: “Her movements tell a story – about what her character might be feeling about that high-stress moment and about her life outside the operating theatre.”

And yet, sometimes “an incorrectly worn stethoscope is enough to take us out of a story – especially when we expect our imaginary physicians to be competent ones,” Dr. Taylor adds. “However, we might also remember that enacted fictions do more than present the details of a professional activity: they recreate our jobs with a compelling vivacity. And that’s no small task.”

Watching the recreation of their jobs on TV and in the movies can be a mixed blessing for many Lethbridge College instructors, who typically have come to teaching after having worked in their fields for years. Some say catching the mistakes keeps them from enjoying the programs. Others take pleasure in seeing the slip-ups. Some of them say their partners refuse to watch industry-related shows with them because they complain the whole time about what went wrong. And some say they can’t watch their industry-related shows at all.

To get the low down on some of TV’s most highly regarded programs, Wider Horizons sat down with dozens of Lethbridge College instructors and staff members this fall to learn what today’s shows get right – and sometimes oh-so-very-wrong – about the industries they are showcasing. Here’s some of what they had to say.

Story by Lisa Kozleski | Illustrations by Brent Bates

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LAW AND ORDER SPECIAL VIEWERS UNIT CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND CORRECTIONS

SHOWS THEY LOVE: Law and Order, Mindhunter, the Police Women reality documentary series, which follows female members of law enforcement agencies in different communities at work and at home, The Rookie, and To Serve and Protect. This team also named some oldies but goodies, including Barney Miller (shows great working relationships between colleagues as well as police officers doing paperwork), Hill Street Blues (shows some of the challenges facing front line officers), Adam 12, the original Dragnet and Toronto Metro.

WHAT MAKES THEM CRINGE: MADE IN CANADA? These instructors can quickly tell when a show is made in Canada or in the United States. Some easy giveaways? Canadians would never be charged with DUI (if they drank and drove, they’d be charged with impaired driving). They would never be elected police chief (Canadian police are all public servants). It extends into what their organizations are called – a police force in the U.S. and a police service in Canada – and especially into differing views on the use of guns.

“In Canada, if I’m a police officer and I remove my gun from my holster – or any use-of-force weapon – I automatically have to fill out a report and have to be able to justify why,” says Maze, who said he had taken his gun out of its holster just nine times in 27 years of policing. “That’s not the case in the U.S., which is a society created by revolution. Canada was not created that way.”

Scared Straight and Beyond Scared Straight, to start with. Corrections instructor French explains that, as a behavioural psychologist, “research shows strict punishment and scare tactics don’t work to reduce reoffending. It’s not as simple as scaring someone straight.” CSI and its spinoffs also elicit groans. It takes “an extraordinarily long time” and is very expensive to do DNA tests, for one thing. And Maze has done research showing that CSI and similar shows have had a negative effect on Canadian juries, “who are judging what the police are doing based on what they’ve seen on TV.” WHAT THESE SHOWS ARE MISSING:

There’s a lot more paperwork in real-world policing.

Real-world police officers do not instantly get warrants or approvals for wiretaps. There are not very many high-speed chases in a policing career. And a lot of police work is mundane. Like – very mundane.

Until the moment when it’s not.

IF THEY HAD A SHOW OF THEIR OWN:

These instructors would like to see more human nature stories, showing the struggles and success of people who work in and are affected by the world of policing and corrections.

CONTRIBUTORS TO THE CONVERSATION: Criminal Justice and Corrections instructors Murray Bartley, Sheila French, Dean Kolebaba, David Maze, Renee Scotland and Dan Walton.

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CULINARY, COOKING AND BAKING

YOU GOTTA WATCH THIS SHOWS THEY LOVE: Chef, Hell’s Kitchen, Bar Rescue, Kitchen Nightmares, Mind of a Chef, Chef’s Table, Chef’s Plate, Pit Boss and You Gotta Eat Here. Several chefs strongly recommend the movie Burnt with Bradley Cooper. “It portrayed my life working overseas,” says Overes. “Scary! Insane. As good as the book Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain.”

WHY THEY LOVE THEM:

Good cooking shows show the passion, tears, intensity, discipline and professionalism of the job. They’re honest about kitchen stress, workload, teamwork, pressure, brigade dynamics and the time spent on prep for service and stresses of a busy restaurant. They show the behind the scenes – costing, labour, demographics, menu flow, employee retention. They celebrate the rush and pressure that comes with calling yourself a chef. They paint a picture of the lifestyle that most people in the industry have, and they show chefs striving to be current on trends and new ideas.

SHOWS THAT MISS THE MARK:

Hell’s Kitchen (yup, it’s on both lists!). Kawchuk explains “No one needs to be verbally abused on TV, or ever! There are better ways to manage a kitchen than screaming at everyone.” Shows like Master Chef, Bitch’n Kitchen, Cut Throat Kitchen and any show with Guy Fieri also made the hands-off list of our chefs. One chef avoids anything on the Food Network. And in general, our chefs are not impressed with the staged feeling of the competition shows.

WHAT THEY GET WRONG:

These shows are not realistic, they are overdramatized for TV and they don’t show the processes, planning and preparation prior to cooking. One chef can’t stand seeing chefs on TV eating over the line or tasting food with their fingers (we’re talking about you, Jamie Oliver!). Many hate to see wasted food. None of them like the screaming.

WHAT THEY WISH PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT COOKING SHOWS AND THE LIFE OF A CHEF: The Lethbridge College chefs would like the world to know that cooking shows are more about ratings than accuracy. Cooking is not as artistic, creative and “fun” as TV may suggest. It is a hard job, with many challenges. Viewers see that many chefs now have celebrity status, but most people don’t realize the hard work they put in to get there. Kawchuk adds: “Food connects people on so many levels. It is one of the most important things in my life. It nourishes my body. It is a work of art. It connects people, and it is my passion in life.”

“Food connects people on so many levels. It is one of the most important things in my life” { Chef Amanda Kawchuk }

CONTRIBUTORS TO THE CONVERSATION: Culinary instructors Chef Doug Overes, Chef Amanda Kawchuk and other members of the Lethbridge College Culinary team.

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MASTERS OF FLIPPING CHANNELS INTERIOR DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE

SHOWS THEY LOVE: Sarah off the Grid (it gets so much so right – the relationships with contractors, missed deadlines, blown budgets and more). Shows with Bryan Baeumler, like Leave it to Bryan and Island of Bryan (realistic about going over budget).

Masters of Flip. Opening Soon (a restaurant makeover show that focuses on the process, the deadlines, the stress and the fun of commercial design).

SHOWS THAT MISS THE MARK:

Love It or List It (the premise is unrealistic – people usually decide before they move if they are going to renovate). Fixer Upper (two of the three college colleagues felt it would be rare for a husband and wife team to work together so well).

Trading Spaces (the timelines and lack of communication are completely off the mark). In general, many home reno shows miss the mark with timelines, budgets and showing how many people are actually involved in a project. They don’t show the process, the occasional mistakes, or the back and forth that takes place between the client and the designers.

BEHIND THE SCENES:

“People get drawn to a space and they wouldn’t have seen possibilities without television.” { Cherie Reitzel }

About 18 years ago, Reitzel worked as a designer on The Decorating Challenge, a Canadian Trading Spaces-style show.

Her insight into the need to please the producer and client makes it hard for her to watch today’s HGTV shows, she says, although she does enjoy Fixer Upper and Property Brothers because the stars of those shows seem to be themselves, and not just people who are being fed lines by producers.

IF THEY HAD A SHOW OF THEIR OWN:

These Lethbridge College instructors would like to see more shows about commercial design, energy efficient homes or homes that feature human-centred design. They also would love to be part of an educational show, where viewers learn space planning, acoustical value, the fundamentals of staging, the design process, lighting calculations and more.

A BOON TO THEIR BUSINESS? In the big picture, the team thinks the emergence of home reno and real estate shows has been good for their business. “These shows deal with environmental psychology and what we can feel like in our homes,” explains Reitzel. “At first when all these shows came out I thought, oh no, maybe it will kill our careers. People will learn what they need to know. But that’s not the case. And in fact now they realize more what a designer can do.”

CONTRIBUTORS TO THE CONVERSATION: Interior Design Technology and Architectural Animation Technology instructors Cherie Reitzel, Naama Tuckett and Sarah Westfall.

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GREY'S ANATOMY LESSONS NURSING AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE THE medical SHOW THEY LOVE TO HATE: Grey’s Anatomy, all 14 seasons of it. This drama, more than any other, shows the best and worst of medical television.

Close working relationships? Colleagues who are like family?

Needing to think on your feet? Grey’s has it. But it also has every medical mistake known to television, including the old ball-point pen tracheotomy storyline. One of the biggest fictions? Having all the hospital’s doctors in the same room at the same time with a patient.

WHEN GREY’S IS OVER, CONSIDER WATCHING:

For viewing pleasure, watch ER and House (despite the unrealistic portrayal of a doctor dealing with addiction having ready access to drugs as well as his pick of cases).

To watch a show that gets a lot of the medical details right, check out the 2013-14 National Geographic reality series called Inside Combat Rescue.

MOST SHOWS GET THE SAME THINGS WRONG:

Look for stethoscopes placed in the ears backwards, IV lines that go nowhere, patients who wake up from intubation feeling calm, intubation tubes that have waaayyyyy too much tubing on the outside of the mouth, air ambulances that fly in bad weather, and CPR and defibrillating that saves everyone, every time. Seeing patients being successfully defibrillated who have flatlined concerns Gordon. “In real life, there are shockable rhythms, and asystole (flatlining) isn’t one of them.”

STAFFING – IT’S NOT THAT SIMPLE:

These colleagues wish TV and the movies did a better job showing the whole healthcare team. In many shows, it seems like either everyone is a doctor or everyone is a nurse. But in reality, there are a diverse variety of health care aides, LPNs, RNs, physician assistants, respiratory therapists, doctors and other medical staff members with a variety of specialties working together to care for their patients – and for the most part, they don’t end up hooking up in the supply closet, either.

A REAL WORLD WORRY ABOUT CPR: The Nursing and EMT instructors have a very real concern about the way CPR is usually shown on TV. In real life, it’s much more physical (it can fracture the breastbone, crack ribs and bruise the lungs). It’s also not nearly as successful as it looks on TV. A 2018 study of 18,000 people who had been hospitalized for cardiac arrest and who received CPR showed that, overall, only 28.5 per cent of the adults survived to eventually leave the hospital. On 91 episodes of Grey's Anatomy and House – that number more than doubled to 70 per cent.

CONTRIBUTORS TO THE CONVERSATION: SPHERE health simulation team members Mackenzie Berry, Heather Gordon, Marie Laenen, Madisyn Wolstenholme and Sheri Wright and Primary Care Paramedic instructor Andrew Shaskin.

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REMEMBER THE KODIAKS ATHLETICS AND RECREATION

ABOUT THOSE OBSTACLES: Some movies seem to go over the top creating obstacles for teams to overcome – some that seem hard to believe. But there have been some experiences our Kodiaks teams have endured that seem insurmountable, including the death of a teammate. “There have been obstacles we worked through that I didn’t think we would ever be able to overcome,” says Schwark. “But a season isn’t always like that, and we aren’t always that sad. Sometimes our biggest obstacle is simply being confident and communicating on the court.”

SHOWS THEY LOVE: Remember the Titans, Rudy, Moneyball, Coach Carter, Glory Road, The Rookie, Miracle and Hoosiers top their lists. These films show that teams can be like families, they accurately portray the roller-coaster of a full season, and they give a true sense of the commitment it takes to be a competitive student-athlete. “I have always liked A League of Their Own,” adds Schwark, “because it first deals with women in sport, but it also shows the shift in team dynamics and cohesiveness,” especially as the coach, played by Tom Hanks, learns a better communication and coaching style for his team.

WHY THEY LOVE THEM:

The good shows touch on life after the game. Movies can be a great opportunity to show young viewers that there is life beyond sport, and that you can still be happy even if you lose the big game. Schwark recommends Bring It On, a movie where the main character and her team lose at the big competition – but the main character has developed as a team leader and was satisfied knowing she was beaten by a better squad. Simpson says good shows do the best job showing team dynamics, the struggles of coaching and the different personalities.

WHAT MISSES THE MARK:

Although considered a great movie, from a sports perspective, Slapshot is a terrible representation of a sports story. Our Kodiaks leaders shy away from any show or movie that shows an easy lifestyle of being a coach or athlete – and there’s a lot of “easy” shown, from having things handed to you to a lack of external pressures and beyond.

WHAT THEY WISH PEOPLE KNEW:

Life as a student-athlete and coach can be a slippery slope, explains Caughlin. “The challenges, demands, and internal and external expectations don’t come easy and the ability to deal with them doesn’t come naturally or easily. The work, commitment, exhaustion and other aspects listed above doesn’t happen without support. This is why you hear almost EVERY student-athlete and coach who is stepping away from the game say ‘I’m going to miss the locker room or the family atmosphere of going to the gym everyday!’ Until you have been in that room or on that team – it’s really tough to truly understand!”

CONTRIBUTORS TO THE CONVERSATION: Kodiaks manager of Athletics Todd Caughlin, Kodiaks women’s volleyball coach Anna Schwark and Kodiaks women’s basketball coach Deanna Simpson.

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COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

WATCHING THE EVENING NEWSROOM SHOWS THEY LOVE: The Loudest Voice, Broadcast News, Murphy Brown, The Newsroom, All the President’s Men, The Post, The Insider, LA Confidential, Wag the Dog (“a really interesting premise on the power of news and how the media can change perceptions of their audiences,” Emard explains), Shattered Glass, The Paper and Spotlight (which did a great job showing that good reporting takes time, explains Gallant).

THE BEST MEDICINE For a laugh, check out Anchorman, which is unofficially required watching for their students.

“It’s a parody but there’s some truth to it, too,” says Emard. “It talks about the close working relationships in a news environment. It’s about getting the story first.”

“The Paper is a movie that’s probably best enjoyed by people who’ve done time in a newspaper newsroom,” says Sugimoto. “My favourite line is from an editor to a columnist complaining about having to go out on a reporting assignment,” adds Sugimoto. “‘You’re not a columnist. You’re a reporter who writes long.’ If you haven’t been in a newsroom, you probably can’t appreciate it the way I did.”

SHOWS THAT GET IT WRONG:

Nightcrawler, the 2014 film starring Jake Gyllenhaal as a freelance reporter who moves bodies into the spotlight to get a better photo or to film it better for the 10 o’clock news, is on Hodgson-Bright's list of movies to avoid.

Kozleski says movies that show newspaper reporters with their own spacious offices, administrative assistants and a willingness to sleep with sources to get their stories raise red flags for her. Sugimoto agrees. Too many times, journalists are portrayed as heartless and cold, but the good ones agonize over stories, beat themselves up over getting names misspelled, and cry for and with people who’ve experienced tragedy.

TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGING:

The 1987 film Broadcast News starred William Hurt, Albert Brooks and Holly Hunter, who was working as a female news producer – an uncommon sight in that era.

Gallant loves it because it showed the characters' flaws and life inside and outside of work. “One of the best scenes was when William Hurt was interviewing someone on camera and Albert Brooks was telling him what to ask,” explains Gallant. “It really showed how shallow the TV industry was.

Back then, it was all about how you look, and you would never be on the radio unless you had that deep voice.

Now it’s about the quality of your content.”

THESE THINGS TAKE TIME “It drives me crazy when a reporter and camera person pop out of a news van with cameras and microphones in hand, ready to go,” says Kingsmith.

“First of all, one of them would have been driving the van. Second, the equipment is always kept packed up in the back of the vehicle to protect it.

It takes a couple of minutes to get equipment ready to use once you’re at the scene – it’s not like it’s always ready in some kind of standby mode.”

CONTRIBUTORS TO THE CONVERSATION: Digital Communications and Media instructors Martina Emard, George Gallant and Kris HodgsonBright, and Communications staff members Paul Kingsmith, Lisa Kozleski and Dawn Sugimoto.

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From our kitchens

{ Chef Adam Robinson }

BACON-WRAPPED STUFFED CHICKEN Chef Adam Robinson, the head chef at Earl’s restaurant in Lethbridge, has been cooking professionally for about two decades, and “to this day, the most satisfying thing is teaching someone a new life skill and seeing them get it. Teaching others is always so rewarding.”

Robinson (Culinary Careers 2001, Cook Apprenticeship 2004) nurtures that

teaching spirit in a variety of ways, including hiring college students and grads, serving as the board chair for the Local Apprenticeship Committee in Lethbridge, sitting as a member of the Provincial Apprenticeship Committee, and being a part of Skills Canada events.

“One of the greatest things I learned at the college was teamwork, which really helps me to this day,” says Robinson, who grew up in Pincher Creek and worked at a restaurant for several summers in Waterton before coming to the college.

“Today, I lead a team of 22 and I still draw on experiences I had back then.”

Recipe by Chef Adam Robinson | Photos by Rob Olson

Ingredients PART A 2 ..........................................9 to 10 oz. boneless chicken breasts ......................................................................... (skin-on if possible) 4 .............................................................. strips of dry cured bacon

PART B 4 T ................................................................................................. butter 3/4 cup ..................................................... sliced cremini mushrooms 1/4 cup........................................................................ julienned onions 1/4 cup ............................................................. julienned red peppers 1/2 t ..................................................................................... dried thyme 1/2 t.................................................................................. dried oregano 1 T ........................................................................................... fresh sage

5. Place the mushroom mixture and the French bread into a food processor or blender. Pulse until the vegetables are small-diced and the bread is folded in.

PART C 1 slice .......................................... French bread torn into 1” pieces

Method

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butterflied breast like a book, and smooth it out so that it is about 3/4” thick. Set aside.

4. To make the stuffing, sauté all the items in Part B over a medium-to-high heat, until the mushrooms are golden brown and the peppers begin to blister.

6. Next, place the parcooked bacon on parchment paper, and lay the flattened breasts on top of the bacon, with the skin facing down.

7. Cover the top of each breast with about half of the stuffing. Then, gently roll the breast with the bacon tightly to make a nice cylinder shape.

1. Preheat the oven to 425F.

8. Place the wrapped chicken breasts in an oven-safe pan, and put the pan in your preheated oven. Cook for about 25 to 30 minutes, until the internal temperature is 165F.

2. Place the bacon on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cook in the oven for about five minutes.

9. Remove the breast from the pan and let it rest for five minutes before serving.

3.

10. This main course can be served with a white wine and mushroom cream sauce (go to widerhorizons.ca for an extra recipe from Chef Adam Robinson) and other favourite side dishes. Serves two. Enjoy!

To prepare the chicken breasts for stuffing, butterfly them by holding a sharp knife parallel to cutting board.

Cut along one long side of the chicken breast, cutting the breast almost (but not entirely) in half. Open the

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To book a table at Earl’s, call 403-320-7677. To book a table at the Garden Court Restaurant, where Chef Adam Robinson and other chefs around the region learned about culinary careers, call 403-320-3230.

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Office intrigue

Large ovens allow the student chefs to bake multiple items at a time

Rotating rack ovens, which are capable of injecting steam for baking

Dough proofers, used in baking to encourage fermentation of dough by yeast through warm temperatures and controlled humidity

Scales for weighing ingredients

Doughnutcutting, and regular rolling pins Flours for every occasion

Fresh baking – truffles!

{ Office Intrigue }

THE BAKERY Sometimes plans are like quick breads. You get an idea, you bring together the ingredients and – poof! – you achieve your goal in no time flat. Other plans are like yeast breads.

You get an idea, you bring together the ingredients, you wait, you work some more, you wait, you work some more and – poof! – you achieve your goal…eventually.

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Chef Doug Overes, C.C.C. (Professional Cooking 1987; Distinguished Alumnus 1992), describes the process of creating the college’s new Baker Apprenticeship program as more like making a baguette than banana bread. The effort took several years and the support of local industry looking to hire Red Seal bakers but, in 2018, Overes oversaw the launch of the first year of the three-year program.

Industrialstrength mixers

Chef Doug Overes and Chef Amanda Kawchuk have been training future bakers in the Baker Apprenticeship program

During the summer of 2019, using existing funds and space, the college created a new bakery for students to learn the tricks of the baking trade. With Chef Doug teaching the year two courses, Chef Amanda Kawchuk (Culinary Careers 2009) joined the team this fall to teach year one. The third and final year is planned (pending government approval) for 2020.

Laptop loaded with recipes to project to apprentice bakers during class

The Baker Apprenticeship is delivered through the provincial Weekly Apprenticeship Training System, where students work full-time in the industry and attend class just one day a week.

Interested in learning more? Email culinary@lethbridgecollege.ca or call 403-320-3245 – or just stop by the Culinary Market on campus to purchase the day’s delicious baking lesson.

Story by Lisa Kozleski | Photo by Rob Olson

35

ALL IN THE FAMILY HOW AN ALBERTA COMPANY WITH DEEP ROOTS IN LETHBRIDGE COLLEGE IS MAKING IT BIG WITH BACTERIA Story by Jeremy Franchuk | Photos by Kaylee Moline Photography

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Sourdough bread. Yogurt. Kombucha.

Cheese. If you’ve had any of these

As one Alberta biotechnology company is showing, there are more benefits to bacteria than a healthy gut. Raymond-based

products (or watched Dr. Oz), you’re

AdvancedAg Inc. puts microorganisms to

already familiar with the idea that

enhance health and productivity of soil and

naturally occurring bacteria can offer benefits, whether to taste or to health.

work to clean lakes and waterways and plants. In the process, they’re putting a family business at the forefront of a growing subsector of biological agricultural products.

37

IT STARTED WITH THE GERM OF AN IDEA. Dr. Phyllis Day Chief was a long-time writing instructor at Lethbridge College, with a background in education and a thriving side business as a technical writer.

“I had all kinds of contracts with outside companies, including with one called Natural Golf Solutions, which hired me to do a brochure,” recalls Day Chief. “I did some research and found out that they had this environmentally friendly product that could clean up bodies of water, which I saw as a huge opportunity.”

With no one else selling the product in Canada, Day Chief decided to explore starting her own bacteria business. However, before taking the plunge, she had to answer the question: does this stuff actually work? For answers, she looked in her own backyard to Lethbridge College’s Aquaculture Centre of Excellence (ACE) and researcher John Derksen.

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“What Phyllis was offering was bacteria that was active and ready to go, and the concentrations she could achieve were huge,” says Derksen. “I told her it was better than any other products I saw out there at the time and it's an environmental friendly way to go since these [bacteria] are naturally occurring anyway.”

With the science side covered, Day Chief also consulted with Cal Koskowich, Industrial Technology Advisor with the National Research Council Canada who has long had an office at Lethbridge College, for help navigating the complexities of small business start-ups. They worked through everything from government approvals to regulations and research grants to get her company – dubbed Advanced Water Technologies – off the ground.

“In the early days, it’s figuring out things like: how do I start a company? How do I perform our finances? How do I forecast budgets?” says Koskowich. “That's where a lot of companies might chicken out, and it’s a credit to Phyllis that she dove right in without hesitation.”

Almost 20 years later, Advanced Water Technologies is a division of AdvancedAg Inc. and is an industry leader in natural water treatment solutions. Its clients range from municipalities to golf courses to the Calgary Zoo. They even worked with the City of Lethbridge on a three-year project to clean up foul-smelling sludge in Henderson Lake.

It’s also a full-fledged family affair, with two of Day Chief’s children (and Lethbridge College alumni) – Joshua Day Chief (Environmental Assessment and Restoration 2013) and Ashley Wevers (General Studies 2010) – taking on leadership roles in the company as CEO and CFO, respectively. Day Chief’s eldest daughter, Kirsten Fantazir (General Studies 1999), is an instructor with the college’s Criminal Justice program.

“Our dynamic now as business owners is quite incredible, and it evolved so that we all bring something a little bit different to the table,” says Joshua Day Chief. “Mom and I tend to be the dreamers of the business and Ashley will keep us grounded with her analytical thinking.”

“Growing up around the company it was easy to see mom’s passion for the environment and how we could offer benefits to water and now agriculture,” says Ashley Wevers. “I’d always had a hand in the company doing the books and invoicing, so when the company grew to the point that I had the chance to come on full time, it was a no-brainer.”

Having established a foothold in the water treatment business, the company began casting around for new markets.

With more and more farmers showing interest in sustainable solutions and products, finding a way to bring bacteria treatment to the prairies’ massive agriculture sector seemed like a logical next step, which is where Joshua Day Chief’s Lethbridge College experience factored in.

“One of our weakest points as a business early on was the technical and science background,” says Joshua Day Chief of his decision to study at Lethbridge College. “So I went into the [Environmental Assessment and Restoration] program really focused on the water side of things, but little did I know how much plant and soil science would come into play.”

But they did. In 2016, the company put out a call on Facebook looking for farmers interested in trying their new agricultural product, a bacterial brew called ACF-SR. The product contains a mixture of five different bacteria, each with a different function, that work to naturally promote plant growth by taking nutrients in the soil that are otherwise unavailable to plants and turning

“THAT FARMER GOT REALLY EXCITED AND TOLD US ‘THIS IS THE FUTURE OF AGRICULTURE.’” { Joshua Day Chief }

39

them into compounds they can use. The overall effect is to increase crop yield and soil health, while allowing farmers to cut back on other inputs that could otherwise be harmful to the soil ecosystem like man-made fertilizers or pesticides.

“We got calls from farmers right away,” recalls Joshua Day Chief. “We did our first 50 acres on a crop of peas and saw significant yield and quality increase. That farmer got really excited and told us ‘this is the future of agriculture.’ ” After that initial success, they landed a client with 8,500 acres in northern Saskatchewan that put their product to a new test.

“That was the first time anyone used our product on such a large scale, and to hear the farmer talk about how important this product was for his soil health and for reducing other inputs was a real eye-opener for us,” says Joshua Day Chief. “We realized that the agricultural market was looking for something like this for a long time and all the research we had done on bacteria and the brewing process is what made it realistic for large scale applications.”

Since those first forays into agriculture, the company (now divided into water and agriculture divisions under the banner AdvancedAg) has continued to make headway, with their bacteria mix applied to 16,000 acres in 2018 and up to 130,000 acres in 2019. Joshua Day Chief says there’s more room to grow.

AdvancedAg’s bacteria is expected to be deployed on between 400,000 and 600,000 acres in 2020.

Keeping up with the growing demand has meant AdvancedAg has boosted production of its signature bacteria blend beyond its main facility in Raymond to a network of facilities on the farms of

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clients in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Day Chief says the capacity grew from three facilities producing 30,000 gallons in 2018 to 12 facilities with a capacity of 300,000 gallons in 2019. More brewing facilities are expected to open in 2020, including sites in British Columbia and Ontario, to bring total production to more than 1 million gallons.

Joshua Day Chief says AdvancedAg’s recent and rapid growth is also part of a shift in the agricultural sector towards more environmentally friendly products. According to the Biological Products Industry Alliance, an industry group, the global market for biological products reached $3 billion in 2018, an almost 12fold increase from just three years prior.

“When we started this, we could hardly get an audience to talk about bacteria and what they can do for the environment and soil ecosystems,” he says. “So it's kind of neat to see how the market in the world has changed to accept this type of science.”

“WE ALWAYS SAY THAT WE PUT THE FAMILY FIRST.” { Ashley Wevers }

AdvancedAg’s work in the field has not gone unnoticed or unrewarded. It was named a Canadian Innovation Leader by the National Research Council of Canada in 2010 and the company has been able to leverage funding for research projects and upgrades, including a $10,000 micro-voucher from Alberta Innovates to produce software to monitor their bacteria brewing process. In 2019, they also received $100,000 through Western Economic Diversification Canada’s Women Entrepreneurship Fund.

This series of successes has enabled the Day Chiefs to bring on five full-time employees and employ a network of consultants. And it’s allowed Phyllis Day Chief, who retired from Lethbridge College in 2016, to take a step back from the day-to-day operations of the company.

“She built the foundation for us and kept this thing going when maybe she should have walked away,” says Joshua Day Chief. “But now she's able to do things like go down to Arizona for six months of the year and enjoy herself.”

For all its growth and recent success, AdvancedAg remains a family affair.

“We always say that we put the family first,” said Ashley Wevers. “Work is important, but no matter how big the company gets our family is what we hold near and dear.”

Adds Phyllis Day Chief: “I think the catalyst for all of this growth is the fact that the three of us work together and bring in other people and make them feel like they're part of our family. I believe this is what makes it work; we have a group of people now who are as committed as we are.”

Story by Jeremy Franchuk | Photos by Kaylee Moline Photography

SETTING THE PATH For Phyllis Day Chief, her passion for teaching started early.

“I wanted to be a teacher from the time I was three years old,” recalls the former Lethbridge College instructor. “My mother would talk about how I would lecture to my dolls.”

When she grew up, she made her dream a reality. She joined Lethbridge College as a full-time instructor in 1985. She stayed at the college for 31 years, helping found the General Studies program and teaching technical writing to School of Justice Studies students, all while raising her children on her own, receiving her doctorate and starting her own biotechnology business, AdvancedAg Inc. Day Chief’s passions were passed on to her children: her eldest daughter, Kirsten Fantazir, is now an instructor in the Criminal Justice program. Two other children, Joshua Day Chief and Ashley Wevers, are Lethbridge College grads and have leadership positions with AdvancedAg. “I used to come [to the college] as a kid and hang out in the classrooms and draw on the chalkboards,” recalls Fantazir. “And now I teach in the same building, working with new instructors from the field to help them translate their knowledge and experience to students and she was a big inspiration for that.”

“I loved working with my students and being part of their learning,” says Day Chief.

“It was never a job for me. Seeing my children follow in my footsteps feels fantastic. Being able to set the path for them is my reward.”

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Where are they now?

Where are they now?

CHRONICLE OF A COLLEGE GRAD: Evelyn Kellenberger (Computerized Accounting 1992)

After graduating from Lethbridge

College, Evelyn Kellenberger has found life to be full of peaks and valleys. Literally.

Evelyn, along with her husband Markus and children, Nina and Nils, lives in the town of Grindelwald in the heart of Switzerland. There, Evelyn works for Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe, an alpine ski and tourism destination that features Europe’s highest altitude train station.

Evelyn’s journey to a career more than 10,000 feet above sea level is one with many stops. It started in Central America.

In 1989, Evelyn’s parents fled political turmoil in their native El Salvador, settling in Lethbridge with 18-year-old Evelyn, her brother and two sisters.

After taking English and Computerized Accounting at Lethbridge College, Evelyn moved to Banff, and then Jasper National Park before finally moving to Golden, B.C., to finish her Business Administration Certificate at the College of the Rockies.

Living in a new country in the shadow of the mountains gave Evelyn the chance to not only pursue an education, but also to try out a new pastime, one that would play a big role in her future.

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“I was 21 the first time I went skiing,” recalls Evelyn. “It was in Fernie and I remember seeing the most beautiful big snowflakes when I got there. But I really got into it and learned to ski properly when I moved to Banff.”

Skiing wasn’t the only thing she fell in love with while living in Banff; it was there that Evelyn met her future husband, a Swiss-Canadian former competitive skier who was visiting relatives in Canada. After almost 17 years of living and working in the Canadian Rockies, including a stint running a bed and breakfast in Golden, the family decided to try something new.

“We used to go to Switzerland every couple of years to visit my in-laws, and then in 2013, we decided it would be good for the kids to get a Swiss education and learn German,” she explains.

Working as a tour guide and ticket office clerk for one of Switzerland’s top tourist attractions has its benefits, including access to great ski hills and breathtaking scenery. It also has its challenges.

“We have clients from around the world, including South Korea, Japan, China and India and also from across Europe –

“Living in the Swiss Alps has been a beautiful experience, but I miss the majestic Rocky Mountains and I look forward to coming back!”

Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain – so you have to be able to communicate with different cultures and languages,” she says. Now, with her children almost all grown up (Nina is 19 and Nils is 17), the family is planning to eventually return to Canada, where Evelyn’s parents still live, and savour its wide open spaces and mountain peaks.

“Living in the Swiss Alps has been a beautiful experience,” she says, “but I miss the majestic Rocky Mountains and I look forward to coming back!”

To follow along with Evelyn’s adventures, check out her Instagram account: switzerland_by_ek.

Story by Jeremy Franchuk | Photos submitted

CELEBRATING THE SUCCESSES OF OUR ALUMNI IN THEIR CAREERS AND THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES. We love hearing from Lethbridge College alumni! You can find additional updates online at widerhorizons.ca. To submit your news to share with your classmates and the college community, drop us a note at WHMagazine@lethbridgecollege.ca.

Kayla Weston (Agriculture Sciences – Animal Science 2016)

“I hope to create more opportunities for young people to be part of the industry.”

Stories by Jeremy Franchuk

2019

Pamela A. Bandstra Unit Clerk Pamela shares this update: “I’ve had the privilege of working at Lethbridge Family Services since May 2019 thanks to my combination of Administrative Office Professional and Unit Clerk training.”

Tyhanna Hankins

Correctional Studies Tyhanna told the Alumni office: “I moved back to my hometown to help with my family and got a job at the women’s shelter as a casual worker. I decided to take another two years online from the college and work towards my degree to open more doors!”

In September, Kayla was elected president of the

Young Cattlemen’s Council (YCC), representing Canadian beef cattle enthusiasts aged 18-35. “They were looking for young people to get involved and I was excited by the opportunity to learn more about the industry,” Kayla told the Fort Macleod Gazette. Kayla was raised on a cow-calf operation in Fort Macleod, which led her to major in animal science at the college. After graduation, she went to work as the manager of Livestock Veterinary Services and eventually landed her dream job at Fort Macleod Veterinary Clinic while continuing to be involved with her family cattle operation. The YCC is a subsidiary of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA). As a board member, Kayla will have the opportunity to serve on CCA committees, take part in various domestic and international events, round tables and meetings as a voice for Canada’s next generation of cattle producers. “I hope to create more opportunities for young people to be part of the industry. Right now to go and buy land and start a cattle operation from scratch is nearly impossible and I am hoping as a board we can come up with some creative solutions.”

Photo courtesy Fort Macleod Gazette

Taylor Nielson

Business Administration – Marketing TayIor checked in with the Alumni team to let them know she moved home to Red Deer and got married in June. She’s currently doing onsite marketing for a radio station and working as the office manager for a chiropractic office, managing day-to-day tasks and marketing.

2018

Kristen Chamberlain

Massage Therapy Kristen works at a Lethbridge sports medicine clinic, utilizing both her Massage Therapy diploma from Lethbridge College and her Kinesiology degree from the University of Lethbridge to work with fitness enthusiasts, athletes and more.

Ryan J. Grove Communications and Media Ryan tells us he is working in promotions and social media management at Lethbridge radio stations 106.7 Rock/Kiss 107.7.

Andrea Kowalchuk

Business Administration – Accounting Andrea’s team took home first place and she captured Best Presenter honours at the fifth annual Cor Van Raay Agribusiness Case Competition co-hosted by the college and the

University of Lethbridge in October.

In the competition, 10 teams of five students each have four hours to analyze a written case and develop a solution. Teams then deliver a 15-minute presentation of their solution to a panel of judges, followed by 10-minute Q&A that demonstrates their acumen in the areas of agribusiness and agriculture.

Teams compete for their share of $2,000 in prize money. Andrea is currently working towards a bachelor's degree in management, majoring in accounting.

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Where are they now?

2017

Laura Serafini Business Administration – Management Laura is putting her education to good use as administrative and online coordinator for consulting firm TMH Business Coaching. The former Kodiaks women’s volleyball player is also staying close to the court as a coach.

2014

Terry Fieguth

Exercise Science/ Police Recruit Training Terry, a constable with the Lethbridge Police Service, was recognized in February 2019 by the RCMP Serious Crimes Branch for his assistance in a homicide case. Terry and fellow officer Drew Kanyo helped locate a key witness in a murder case. Both officers received an RCMP challenge coin as a token of appreciation.

2013

Dallas J. Dixon

2015

Armond Duck Chief Business Administration Armond, a Juno Award nominee, was recognized at the 2019 Indigenous Business Builders Series from Indigenous business development organization Community Futures T7. In addition, he was elected to Siksika Nation’s council in November.

Jessika Guse

Digital Communications and Media Jessika tells us she is the national news lead and prairie field editor with RealAgriculture, a multi-platform media organization providing information and insight about the latest in agronomics, farm business issues, ag policy and farm show coverage around the world. Since graduating, Jessika has worked as a radio host, reporter, news anchor and sports announcer across the prairies.

She joins Jason Stroeve (Communication Arts 2004) as Lethbridge College alumni working with RealAgriculture.

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Massage Therapy Dallas started her own massage therapy business, Imagine Wellness Massage Therapy, in 2014. After five years in Lethbridge, Dallas headed back to her native Newfoundland in September 2019, where she plans to continue her business in the St. John’s area.

Kyle Moore

Communication Arts – Broadcast Journalism Kyle has landed in Peace River as a reporter for River Country 94.9 FM’s Trending 55 News Team. He writes: “I’m the guy doing the news every weekday morning. Born and raised in the town of Strathmore, Alta., I’ve moved around a bit over the years. Went to college in Lethbridge, worked in Dauphin, Man., Bonnyville-Cold Lake, Alta. and now I’m here in Peace River. My biggest passion is covering sports and doing hockey playby-play (and yes I wear a lot of Calgary Flames and Calgary Stampeders gear even though northern Alberta is sort of enemy territory). I’m also big into classic video games. I like to consider myself as someone who’s easy to make friends with, and I look forward to making a lot of new ones here in Peace River.”

“I’m the guy doing the news every weekday morning.” { Kyle Moore }

2012

Kirsten McLevin Business Administration – Accounting Kirsten is working as account administrator for Taurus Projects Group Inc., a Fort Saskatchewan-based company specializing in a variety of construction services. She says she absolutely loves the company and her work.

2011

Jody MacDonald Communication Arts – Print Journalism After graduating, Jody went on to study Crop Technology at Lakeland College and worked as an agronomist before returning to the written word as a marketing coordinator with the City of Yorkton.

Laura Vogelsang

Nursing Laura has been with Lethbridge College since 2018, first as chair for the Nursing Education in Southwestern Alberta (NESA) program and, since May 2019, as the Associate Dean of Nursing.

2010

Rob Parsons Welding Rob (aka the Chairslayer) became the first wheelchair-bound competitor at the World Time Attack race in Sydney, Australia in October. Rob piloted the 1200hp LYFE Motorsport Nissan GT-R in the Hi Octane Direct ProAm Class. Rob, who was featured in the Fall 2015 issue of Wider Horizons, is behind the Chairslayer Foundation, which aims to get wheelchair users back into the driver’s seat via the use of motor sport-oriented hand control systems.

2009

Robert T. Sakamoto Business Administration – Management After graduating, Robert started his own marketing company called Ad Caddy.

Currently, he manages a lawn care company called Outdoor Solutions and on weekends, he works with Coca Cola.

Tarra Wright Many Chief

Business Administration – Accounting As the organization’s executive director since 2018, Tarra has led the start-up and growth of Indigenous Tourism Alberta, an Indigenous-led not-for-profit provincial destination marketing organization for Indigenous tourism in Alberta. In her role, Tarra is responsible for business planning for the organization, negotiation of multiple government and non-government funding commitments, and formal tourism industry partnership agreements. Tarra is passionate about working with Indigenous people to support independent and sustainable community development.

Tarra is grateful for the opportunity she has had to work within the local Indigenous communities.

Cassidy M. Yaroslawsky (Communication Arts – Public Relations and Advertising 2014, Business Administration – Marketing 2018)

Writes Cassidy: “After I graduated my first program at Lethbridge College…

I worked for almost a year as a graphic artist at the Taber Times. I decided to return to the college in 2016 to pursue a second diploma in Business Administration. Immediately after graduating, I found a position with the Taber Public Library, which is part of the Chinook Arch Regional Library System serving 33 communities in southwestern Alberta. My official title is library assistant and within that, I have an extensive list of duties including answering reference questions at the front desk, offering technology support to patrons, developing library programming in cooperation with the program coordinator, research assistance, giving information on crisis support programs, and shelving and repairing materials. Although my job does not appear to be directly related to either program I completed at Lethbridge College, both programs provided the skills I use every day at my job. They have given me knowledge that is extensive in variety, and the communication skills to interact well with people of all backgrounds.”

October 1 : @lethpolice Please join us in congratulating these officers on their recent promotions! We are confident you will serve the citizens of Lethbridge very well in your new roles. #yql Christy Woods (Conservation Enforcement 1999) Cam Van Roon (Criminal Justice 1997) Liam Breedon (Police Recruit Training 1995) Jason Walper (Criminal Justice 1995) Saska Vanhala (Police Recruit Training 2006) Owen Conway (Criminal Justice 2005)

2008

Erin Young-Simmons Geomatics Engineering Technology Erin says: “Since 2018, I have been the GIS liaison for major projects and operations with TC Energy, covering the Liquids Division and the country of Mexico. Before this, I worked with the City of Lethbridge Electric Utility in their GIS department. After graduating from Lethbridge College, I continued with GIS and completed my GIS concentration with the University of Lethbridge. There is not a day that goes by that my knowledge and hands-on experience from Lethbridge College has not come into play – including understanding how data is collected and how to manipulate data when it comes to different projections and transformations. Ultimately, being able to perform complex analysis with tabular

data and making it visual for stakeholders is most rewarding. I will never forget my time at the college – and the instructors were amazing and continue to remain helpful and supportive 14 years later!”

2006

Matthew D. Kennedy Correctional Studies Matthew writes: “Between 2003 and 2006, I worked as a provincial correctional officer at Lethbridge Correctional Centre and the Red Deer Remand Centre. In February 2007, I began my career in federal corrections as a correctional officer at Bowden Institution. In October 2007, I was promoted to parole officer. Between

2010 and 2015, I specialized in working with Aboriginal offenders and contributed toward the creation of a nationally recognized reintegration program. In 2013, I received the Exceptional Service Award for my efforts with Aboriginal offenders; I was nominated for this award by the Deputy Commissioner for the Prairie Region. In 2015, I returned to working with general population offenders. While Corrections Canada has offered frequent opportunities to act in management capacities and these opportunities were available after just two years in the service, it is clear to me that my heart is in parole and I expect to remain a parole officer until the end of my career.”

45

Where are they now?

Leanne Lammertsen Civil Engineering Technology After graduation, Leanne moved to Cranbrook, B.C., where she worked for a civil engineering firm as a resident field inspector. After three years in the field, she moved back to work for the City of Lethbridge as a liaison between the municipality and land developers, specifically in the field during civil construction. In 2014, her focus shifted to maintenance and repair when she took on her current role as the water and wastewater operations manager for the city. Leanne’s department consists of up to 75 staff who operate and maintain the water and wastewater systems every day with the goal of earning the trust, respect and confidence of the community. “The Civil Engineering Technology program at Lethbridge College provided a great foundation to build my career on,” says Leanne. “A unique benefit that I have found is many of my former classmates are now the people I am working with in the municipal field here in Lethbridge.

Relationships that were built during class work have carried on into industry over 10 years later!”

“A unique benefit that I have found is many of my former classmates are now the people I am working with in the municipal field here in Lethbridge.” { Leanne Lammertsen }

2004

2003

Communication Arts Tracy sent this update into the Alumni office: “I spent almost eight years working in marketing in Lethbridge, first at Braman Furniture then Gas King. I had twins at the end of 2013 and have been a stay-at-home mom ever since. In my spare time, I have an Etsy shop where I sell digital and printable décor and photo greeting cards as Tracy V Graphics.”

Automotive Service Technician After spending nine years in the automotive industry in Lethbridge, Shawn and his wife Becky purchased Big Al's Auto Repair in 2012. In addition to running a highly regarded independent automotive repair shop, Shawn has spearheaded Big Al's Christmas Vans program for families in need. Shawn was recognized as one of the Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce and BDO’s 2019 Top 40 Under Forty.

Tracy Park

Tiel Ryant

Electronics Technician Tiel liked the college so much he never left.

He was hired on staff right after graduation and today works as an Operations Supervisor with Customer Services.

Kelly Waldron (Information Specialist 2005)

In October 2019, STARS Air

Ambulance service unveiled the latest additions to its fleet, two brand new Airbus H145 helicopters. One of the new aircraft bears the official registration marks C-GKLY in honour of Lethbridge College alumna Kelly Waldron, the air ambulance services’ first-ever patient. As an infant, Kelly was flown from Lethbridge to Calgary on Dec. 1, 1985, after she and her twin brother were born two months prematurely. Today, Kelly is one of the partners at ASW Accounting in Lethbridge. The new helicopters are the first part of a plan to replace the non-profit air ambulance’s entire fleet across Western Canada.

Photo by Lyle Aspinall, courtesy STARS

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Shawn Hammond

Dustin Nielsen

Communication Arts Dustin continues to make his mark in the sports broadcasting world. Last winter, the TSN 1260 radio host scored a play-by-play gig at the Spengler Cup hockey tournament in Davos, Switzerland, between Christmas and New Year's Eve. Then, in May, Dustin made his pro football broadcast debut with the play-by-play team at the CFL on TSN for a pre-season game between the Calgary Stampeders and Saskatchewan Roughriders. Dustin made several additional appearances in the broadcast booth over the course of the 2019 season on top of continuing to host his morning radio show.

2002

Shaun T. Skidmore Criminal Justice Shaun writes: “Since graduation, I’ve worked for Correctional Service of Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). CBSA has been really enjoyable as you are the first contact for all people and goods entering the

country. Most recently I’ve become a detector dog handler searching for drugs and firearms. My partner is Yogi, a 1½ -year-old yellow Labrador retriever. And everyone loves dogs! A career highlight for me was confiscating 50 kilograms of methamphetamine this summer, which is especially important with the drug problems Alberta is currently facing.”

2001

Jill Siewert-Lemieux Criminal Justice After more than 15 years as a 911 dispatcher for Lethbridge Police Services, Jill returned to the college to work as an admissions specialist for the Correctional Studies and Criminal Justice-Policing programs.

2000

Steven W. Healy Computer Information Technology Steven shared this update with the Alumni Office: “After I graduated, I worked at Lethbridge College for almost 13 years as Academic and Career Advisor, a position I loved and enabled me to incorporate what I learned in CIT. I was able to positively impact the lives of future learners of the college (and their life journey to other institutions). In 2015, I left the college and started my own business: Healy Advising and Consulting. I lived in the Philippines for two years, which gave me a different perspective on life. I now am back in Canada.”

WIDER HORIZONS PRESENTS:

Relations Award in recognition of her ongoing efforts to advocate for Indigenous people. You can read more about Lowa in the Spring 2019 edition of Wider Horizons or follow her on Twitter at @LowaBeebe.

Cory Wolfe Rick Semenuik Criminal Justice After almost eight years as a crimefighting duo, Lethbridge Police Services Canine Unit officer Cst. Rick Semenuik and his K9 partner, Ymos, had their final patrol together in September 2019. Ymos is settling in to a well-deserved retirement as part of the Semenuik family, while Rick is setting to work training the next generation of police service dogs. Rick and Ymos were featured in a Fall 2012 story in Wider Horizons.

Shaun Vander Heide

Computer Information Technology Shaun works as a Systems Architect for KPMG, one of the largest firms in the Lethbridge region providing auditing, taxation and advisory services.

1996

Lowa Crowshoe-Beebe Information Specialist Speaker, facilitator, consultant, writer and influencer Lowa Crowshoe-Beebe was honoured at the 21st Annual Aboriginal Role Models of Alberta Awards in September. Lowa received the Public

Communication Arts – Print Journalism After 15 years as a journalist, including more than a decade with the Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Cory moved into public relations. Today he’s the senior communications specialist with uranium mining giant Cameco.

1995

Darryl Schalk Civil Engineering Technology Darryl is the Group Manager of Transportation and Rural Infrastructure with Associated Engineering in Lethbridge, managing utilization of staff and assigning staff resources to projects, and oversee the projects within the group. “The Civil Engineering Technology program at Lethbridge College created a great foundation for my career,” he says. “In the early stages of my career, I was able to apply the principles I learned for developing specifications, tender documents, quantity takeoffs and estimates. As I moved into project management, contracts and technical writing became a big part of my job.

I am very thankful that this program created such a backbone to support my career development.”

AN EVENING WITH

JILL HEINERTH

Join us as the celebrated Canadian cave diver, underwater explorer, writer, photographer and filmmaker comes to campus to share stories about how she applies her lessons learned to everyday life.

THURSDAY, MARCH 12 | 7 TO 9 P.M.

SPEAKER SERIES

Discover more about Heinerth at intotheplanet.com, and check out the college website in late January for more event details.

47

Where are they now?

FAMILIES IN FOCUS

The GALLANT Family For both George and Sherri Gallant, coming to Lethbridge

College turned out to be a pivotal, life-altering decision – even though neither knew it at the time.

For George, it started as a bit of a safety net. He had worked in radio and television in Swift Current and then in Lethbridge from 1982 to 1997 when he decided to start his own production company. A colleague mentioned the need for someone to teach a video class at Lethbridge College, and he thought that sounded interesting, too. So he took on both new roles, and has been teaching and producing ever since.

For Sherri, a close friend suggested coming to the college after her first marriage ended. She started classes in 1984, and she says it turned out to be one of the best choices she has ever made.

“The college changed my life completely, in ways I would never have imagined,” says Sherri. “I was 26 and had three kids. I’d drop the two younger ones at the college daycare and head off to my 8 o’clock class. I thought that I was there to be serious and buckle down and that I’d be the old woman in the crowd. But it wasn't like that at all. I had so much fun. I made friends that I am friends with to this day, and we’d have study sessions at my house because I had kids. It was just two of the best years of my life.”

After graduation, Sherri soon went to work for The Lethbridge Herald, where she would stay for 25 years as a reporter and the paper’s first female city editor. In 2011, she shifted gears and left the paper to work in communications for Alberta Health Services.

While she was at the Herald, she met George, who was shooting for the TV station at the time. One of the first times they spent together was at the old Marquis Hotel just before it 48

| WINTER 2020

was demolished. They had heard it was haunted, and for a story for their media outlets, spent the night at the hotel with their respective photographers investigating the many things that went bump in the night.

The many college connections continued into a new generation. Their two children – Eric and Emily – are both currently enrolled in the Child and Youth Care program at the college. “I’m so proud of them, they’re doing so well and they’ve both found a great fit with CYC,” says Sherri.

George adds: “The college is a great investment. If you want a degree, do a two plus two. But get your start at the college.”

Their other connection to the college is George’s father, who worked in security with the Commissionaires from about 2010 to 2012. “I have always felt so connected to the place,” says Sherri.

“Every time I drive up that road, it's like going home. It feels so comforting. And I'm so grateful for everything I got there.”

Story by Lisa Kozleski | Photo by Martina Emard

Sherri Gallant Communication Arts 1986, Career Virtuoso Distinguished Alumni award 2011.

Currently a senior communications advisor with Alberta Health Services.

George Gallant

Broadcast journalism and video production instructor in the Digital Communications and Media program since 1997.

He is also a documentary filmmaker and producer.

Emily Gallant

Finishing her second year of the Child and Youth Care program.

Eric Gallant Finishing his second year of the Child and Youth Care program.

Jim Gallant George’s father, worked at the college as a Commissionaire from 2010 to 2012.

1994

Kam Heng Ng Cooking – Professional After more than 20 years as an instructor with Lethbridge College’s Culinary Arts program, Chef Heng retired in April 2019.

But he didn’t go far: Heng is now working with the college’s English Language Centre to revamp the Explore program.

1991

Romina Senneker Recreation and Leisure Services Romina was part of the Canadian 50+ Senior Women’s B team that took part in the 2019 International Dragon Boat Federation World Championships in Thailand. Romina, who took up dragon boating with Lethbridge College 16 years ago, brought home four silver medals from the 200, 500, 1,000 and 2,000 metre events. She told the Taber Times her favourite moments of the Dragon Boat Federation’s World Championships were being able to observe the other teams setting record times and moving at speeds she didn’t think were possible.

1989

Tracie L. Elliott Communication Arts – Broadcast Production “I am currently doing helicopter traffic reports on CTN – Global 1 Chopper Traffic.

I am also an announcer for all four of the CORUS Entertainment radio stations in Edmonton Alberta – CISN Country 103.9, 630 CHED, Global News Radio 880 and 92.5 The Chuck. I started at CISN Country 103.9 back in 1991 and continue to work for them today,” Tracie says.

more than 25 years of radio experience, primarily in senior management. He worked his entire broadcast career in markets very similar to those that make up Leduc and Parkland County. His work has taken him to smaller radio markets in Alberta and British Columbia, working for Nor-Net Broadcasting, Okanagan Skeena and Telemedia. During his career at Nor-Net, Mark brought the first World Professional Chuckwagon Association and Canadian Professional Rodeo Association broadcasts to rural Alberta radio. He also helped establish the rural radio network that broadcast Edmonton Oilers play-by-

play, bringing this exciting programming to small rural markets that previously had no access to it. Mark is proud to have provided the City and County of Leduc with its first FM radio service for this rapidly growing and dynamic region.

1983

Debra Savidant Nursing Debra is still in the healthcare field as manager of the Integrated Quality Management Team at Alberta Health Services for the south zone, which includes Lethbridge and Medicine Hat.

From the vintage vault Dapper-looking members of the college community leave through the front entrance of the Lethbridge Junior College campus in this undated photo from the 1960s. From its opening in 1957 through to 1969, the college was identified as Lethbridge Junior College before changing to Lethbridge Community College. The change to the current Lethbridge College name was made as part of the college’s 50th anniversary celebrations in 2007.

Do you recognize these former Lethbridge College students? We’d love to know who they are.

Email WHMagazine@lethbridgecollege.ca and let us know!

1988

Mark Tamagi Communication Arts – Print Journalism Mark is the President of Black Gold Broadcasting Inc, operating radio stations 93.1 The ONE in Leduc, and 88.1 The ONE in Stony Plain/Spruce Grove. Mark has 49

Where are they now?

Lawrence Schinkel Carmelle R. Steel (Manufacturing Process Technology 1984)

Carmelle was recently profiled on the

Alberta Health Services website for her work as volunteer coordinator with AHS. Carmelle is responsible for recruiting, training and managing volunteers at AHS facilities in Claresholm, Vulcan and Nanton in southwest Alberta. Steel told the AHS her role includes organizing volunteer orientation, updating the site’s volunteer database, tracking volunteer hours, and scheduling and supervising approximately 250 volunteers across three sites. She is also continuously screening new applications to try to match people’s interests to volunteer roles.

For example, she relayed a story of how the local junior high school in Claresholm approached her about pairing students with residents at the continuing care facility to practise their math skills by playing cribbage together. “What started out as a chance for the students to sharpen their addition and factoring skills has turned into something even more rewarding, where they are building new friendships,” she says.

Photo courtesy Alberta Health Services

ALUMNI IN THIS ISSUE 14 Sheldon Anderson (Automotives 1987) 52 Tony Andrews (Law Enforcement 1984) 13 Sherry Baker (Secretarial Sciences 1982) 52 Chelsea Barkman (Criminal Justice – Policing 2019) 39 Joshua Day Chief (Environmental Assessment and Restoration 2013) 52 Jenna Dunne (Criminal Justice – Policing 2019) 39 Kirsten Fantazir (General Studies 1999) 35 Amanda Kawchuk (Culinary Careers 2009) 6

Nathan Linder (Agriculture Science 2017)

7

Mike McCready (Multimedia Production 1999)

34 Doug Overes (Professional Cooking 1987, Distinguished Alumnus 1992) 32 Adam Robinson (Culinary Careers 2001, Cook Apprentice 2004) 14 Dawn Sugimoto (Communication Arts 1988) 14 Sydney Wakaruk (Business Administration 2014) 39 Ashley Wevers (General Studies 2010)

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Agricultural Technology – Irrigation Technology “After graduation I was hired by Agriculture Canada at the Lethbridge Research Station.

I was then hired by Alberta Agriculture as a planning technologist. For the last 20 years, I’ve been involved in irrigation water flow measurement. I was the first one in the Alberta government to use new leading technology to measure water with acoustic Doppler devices. I’ve been invited to speak at conferences and workshops to share our knowledge in measuring irrigation canals and have been fortunate to work with all types of instrumentation to record water level and flow,” Lawrence says.

1981

Michael Ward Conservation Enforcement After moving back to Manitoba, Michael worked with Manitoba Natural Resources as park patrol officer, special officer and finally natural resource officer. After 15 years, he moved on to serve with the Winnipeg Police Service, where he worked for 13 years. He then worked five years with the police service for the Rural Municipality of Springfield, followed by stints with the Ste. Anne Police Service and the Winnipeg Parking Authority.

1968

Robert Paskuski Business Administration Robert was one of the first students of Lethbridge College. But he very nearly wasn’t. “I was late enrolling and all the classes were full, but Jim [Twa] saw some potential in me and let me into the program. He took a chance on me and I don’t know where I’d be without him.”

Robert went on to transfer to Gonzaga University but eventually found his way back to Lethbridge, spending more than 20 years as an administrator with Edith Cavell Care Centre. Today, Robert’s grandson is following in his footsteps as a student in the college’s Business Administration program. The two are even living together!

FAMILIES IN FOCUS

The DUDA Family Three of the brightest smiles a visitor to Lethbridge College’s

campus might see on a given day come from members of the same family – and one with many connections to Lethbridge College.

Visitors are likely to encounter Tisa Duda in the Food Court, where she is a food services worker who listens and encourages students throughout the ups and downs of their academic years.

Her husband, Shayne, can be found anywhere on campus that needs a carpenter or locksmith. And during busy times, their daughter Cortnie will be there in the Food Court working with her mom and the rest of the supportive Culinary team.

“It’s a very nice environment here,” says Tisa, who after leaving a career in banking came to work at the college in 2012. “I really like the college. People are happy here – and the students are so friendly, and they're happy to be here.”

It was a big change from banking, and a welcome one – especially because of the chance to build relationships with students, which Tisa says is one of the best parts of her job. “I’ve had deeper conversations with some students over the years.

There was one girl who was pregnant and struggling one day trying to balance everything. She just ended up talking with me about it while I was making her sandwich.”

Tisa left her with encouraging words as well as her lunch. “And then after the baby was born, she came into campus specifically just to show me her new baby,” Tisa recalls with a smile. “It was just really cool.”

Both Tisa and Shayne are grads of the college, and Cortnie has taken the sign language class offered by Corporate and Continuing Education. Shayne’s projects vary widely, but one that he is proud of was a desk he made by hand for the President’s Office, as well as a curved desk he made for the boardroom.

Shayne says that he enjoys working at the college because “it’s something different every day. It’s very familiar. You get to know a lot of people. In my position, working with different departments, you get to know people quite a bit.” One of his favourite places to work is the college daycare, where the youngest members of the Lethbridge College community are always happy to see him.

Cortnie agrees that the people make the job. “It’s fun being able to interact with people my age,” she says. “And I love the people I work with. It's usually a very happy and welcoming and uplifting place. When I come here, everyone has a smile on their face.”

Photo caption (left to right): Nate Duda (Tisa and Shayne’s son); Tisa Duda; Shayne Duda; Cortnie Duda; and Ryan Cave (Cortnie’s fiancé).

Shayne Duda Carpentry apprenticeship 2000.

Shayne has worked in Facilities at the college as a carpenter since July 2002 and as the college’s locksmith since 2018.

Tisa Duda

Fashion Design student 1989-90; Information Specialist 1991.

After a successful career with Scotiabank, Tisa came to the college in 2012 as a food services worker.

Cortnie Duda

Sign Language courses through Corporate and Continuing Education 2019.

Cortnie, who works full-time as an educational assistant at Park Meadows Elementary School, has been working at the college on a casual basis in food services since 2017.

Story by Lisa Kozleski | Photo by Alisa Presakarchuk

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.

51

The last word

THE LAST WORD

Illustrated

by Eric Dyck

“Testifying” in the campus courtroom is one of the most vivid memories for many of our Criminal Justice alumni.

Here’s what a few of them had to say about the experience:

Despite the nerves, the confidence I gained from presenting in the courtroom was robust. I arrived to every court class prepared, ready to present, willing to work with my colleagues, and excited to watch the court case unfold. I loved this class so much… and now I actually mentor the year below me!

The best advice I can give for students entering this class is to remember that as scary as presenting can be, the mock courtroom opens so many opportunities and prepares them for the real world in law enforcement.

Jenna Dunne (Criminal Justice – Policing 2019)

Currently enrolled in Lethbridge College’s Bachelor of Applied Arts in Justice Studies program

I have assisted instructor Murray Bartley for the past five years in the scenario-based mock courtroom and I have to say that based on my 34 years of criminal justice experience, it is a true representation of the real thing. The most remarkable thing I found, without exception, is how nervous the students are in testifying or acting as Crown or defence counsel. It was exactly the way I felt the first time I had to testify (more specifically, I was absolutely petrified). The mock court is an invaluable real-life, occupation-specific exercise you cannot learn in a book.

Sergeant Tony Andrews (Law Enforcement 1984)

Certified threat assessor with the Alberta Solicitor General and Public Security; retired from Lethbridge Police Service

The Courtroom Procedures class has brought me some of my best memories here at the college. I was truly surprised with how much work needs to go into a trial. Everyone has to play different roles and has different responsibilities. I also learned a great deal of new knowledge – new terminology, different laws and the different procedures within the court system. This course definitely puts you outside of your comfort zone, while also boosting your confidence. It brought me new insights and skills that I now use in my everyday life.

Chelsea Barkman (Criminal Justice – Policing 2019)

Currently enrolled in Lethbridge College’s Bachelor of Applied Arts in Justice Studies program

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NEXT ISSUE:

The last word is yours...

Learning in the SPHERE lab

Are you a Nursing grad who got to try your hand at real-life procedures in the college’s SPHERE simulation lab? Did you have trouble placing the IV? Did you bring your “patient” back to life? Send us the story (200 words max) of your most memorable experiences in the SPHERE lab, and we’ll share a sampling of your memories with readers in our Spring issue.

Email WHMagazine@lethbridgecollege.ca. You can also share your stories socially by tagging @LethCollege and #LastWordLC. We can’t wait to read your submissions!

Be ready for a block party THE 2020 ACAC MEN’S VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS ARE COMING TO LETHBRIDGE COLLEGE For the first time in program history, the Lethbridge College Kodiaks will host a conference volleyball championship. The tournament will take place from Feb. 26 to 29 in the Val Matteotti Gymnasium and will bring together eight of the best men’s collegiate teams from Western Canada. Come and cheer on your Kodiaks as they serve, pass, set and hit their way into the history books!

#WeAreAllKodiaks

For up-to-date tournament information, follow us online at:

lc_kodiaks

@LC_Kodiaks

gokodiaks.ca