Summer 2010 Campus Magazine by Wilfrid Laurier University

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ALUMNI

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contents

Cover Story The king of conversation

After speaking to one million people, Laurier alumnus Stuart Knight is sharing his tips on how to have powerful conversations that could change your life.

Departments

Features

Editor’s Note

On Campus

Reader Letters

President’s Corner

How tickling the feet of astronauts could help prevent falls. Plus, are rebound relationships really a bad idea?

Alumni News

Musician therapy

Campus News

Sara-Lynn and Jay Weiler are helping musicians cope with debilitating injuries.

Keeping in Touch

Calendar of Events

Flashback

Business with a cause

19 22

26 26

Joanna Harries embarks on a career in social enterprise to show that doing good makes sound business sense.

Homecoming 2010

A full schedule of events for this year’s Homecoming festivities.

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2010

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Editor’s note

Making a connection

Volume 50, Number 1, Summer 2010 ISSN 0700-5105

Laurier Campus is published by the Department of Communications, Public Affairs & Marketing (CPAM) Wilfrid Laurier University 75 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3C5

Editor: Stacey Morrison ’97 Writers: Lori Chalmers Morrison, Mallory O’Brien ‘08 Design: Erin Steed Photography: Tomasz Adamski, Mat McCarthy Dean Palmer Send address changes to: Address Updates, Development and Alumni Relations Email: alumaddress@wlu.ca Phone: (519) 884-0710 ext. 3176 Publications Mail Registration No. 40020414 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: CPAM Wilfrid Laurier University 75 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3C5 We welcome and encourage your feedback. Send letters to the editor to stmorrison@wlu.ca. We reserve the right to edit all submissions.

Laurier Campus (circ. 58,500) is published three times a year by CPAM. Opinions expressed in Campus do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or the university’s administration. Cover photography: Dean Palmer Visit us online at www.wlu.ca/publicaffairs

Over the course of your lifetime, you will have hundreds of thousands of conversations. But how many real connections will you form? According to speaker, author and Laurier alumnus Stuart Knight, not very many. Knight was on the Laurier campus recently leading a workshop based on his book, You Should Have Asked – The Art of the Powerful Conversation. He had a conversation with Campus about how to make meaningful connections with people. He says people often share basic information with each other, but fail to dig deeper because they don’t know how. What’s more, he says even the most shy and reluctant people can have unforgettable conversations simply by asking the right questions. To learn more tips from Knight, turn to page 14. We also catch up with business alumna Joanna Harries who is forging a career in social enterprise. She is on

a personal and professional journey that has taken her around the world to answer the question, “Can business leaders make a social difference?” Find out what Harries has learned on page 26. And one Laurier professor is tickling the feet of astronauts, all in the name of science. Discover why on page 19. In this issue you will also find the annual Donor Report, which highlights some of the milestones the university achieved in 2009, thanks to the financial support of so many. Happy reading!

Stacey Morrison ’97 Editor

reader letters The tiny photo of the Waterloo College Male Chorus in the Winter 2010 issue of Campus reminded me of the good times performing and travelling with a great group of fellow student singers. The Male Chorus under the direction of Dr. Ulrich Leupold was recognized as an outstanding vocal chorus throughout the country. But more important, the chorus served as a major student recruitment and promotional vehicle for the college in the late ’40s.

As a chorus member, I remember touring and performing to packed audiences at collegiate assemblies and church halls throughout Ontario. Our eclectic program of song and light-hearted humour convinced many a high-school student that Waterloo College was not a staid and stuffy place, but a vibrant, up-to-date, fun place to go. Jack Bramm (BA ‘48)

Questions, comments, rants or raves? We’d love to hear from you! Email us at stmorrison@wlu.ca.

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PRESIDENT’S corner

Province seeks to meet growing demand for university access in Ontario

Dr. Max Blouw presents author Wayson Choy with an honorary degree at spring convocation.

The Ontario government has given clear signals that it understands the importance of postsecondary education to position the province for success in the knowledge economy. The government strengthened university funding in the spring budget and declared that meeting the growing demand for university access in Ontario is a high priority. An additional 80,000 students are expected to apply to Ontario universities over the next decade. Most of the demand will come from the Greater Toronto Area. This is a dramatic increase — and the provincial government is focused on finding ways to address it. Growing demand for university access in the GTA, and the provincial response, will significantly impact universities in southwestern Ontario. It is clear that the province will give funding priority to initiatives that help it meet growing demand. This pressure for access intersects with Laurier’s efforts to address the governance issues associated with being a multi-campus university. I recently held town hall meetings on Laurier’s Waterloo, Brantford and Kitchener campuses to provide updates on the work of the President’s Task Force on Multi-Campus Governance and on the possibility of Laurier establishing a campus in Milton, Ontario. As Laurier alumni – with many of you located in the GTA – I thought it important to share with you some thoughts following the comments and questions I heard at these meetings. As always, we welcome your feedback. • Ontario’s current funding structure puts a high premium on institutional growth. If Laurier stops growing, we fall behind financially because the inflationary costs of running a university grow faster than do increases in government funding. • The experience of Laurier Brantford shows that we can increase enrolment and diversify academic programming while maintaining the smaller campus size and the intimate sense of community that are so important to the values and success of Laurier.

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• The Brantford experience also shows that creating a campus in another city attracts new funding sources and creates new partnerships that would not otherwise exist. These benefits accrue to the original campus in the form of expanded programs, research capabilities and enhanced public awareness of the overall university. • There is no doubt that the Ontario government will invest to satisfy the growing demand for university education in the GTA. Does Laurier wish to participate in meeting the demand? • A Milton campus will not divert provincial funding away from other Laurier priorities. Provincial resources directed to a Milton campus would come from capital funds designated specifically to address university access; such funds will not be available for other purposes. New staff and faculty will need to be hired to devote time, attention and effort to establishing a new campus, and we will seek support for this need. • If Laurier does not engage with the provincial priority of increasing access, other universities will no doubt step in. Because students make choices among universities for a variety of reasons, including convenience to their home location, this could have a significant influence on future enrolments at our Waterloo and Brantford campuses. These are just some of the considerations that Laurier will have to weigh before making a final decision about Milton. The Task Force on MultiCampus Governance will work over the summer to develop recommendations on how to govern an institution that has already evolved into a multicampus university. I am committed to providing updates on this work, as well as opportunities for Laurier alumni to contribute to the discussion. I extend best wishes for a relaxing and fulfilling summer.

Dr. Max Blouw President and Vice-Chancellor Wilfrid Laurier University

ALUMNI news

Celebrating alumni

WLUAA 2010-11 Executive Honorary President Dr. Max Blouw Past President Steve Wilkie ’82, ’89 President Tom Berczi ’88, ’93 Vice-President Megan Harris ’00 Vice-President Marc Henein ’04 Treasurer Chris Pehlke ’00

Board of Directors Bruce Armstrong ’72 Peter Batson ‘69 Scott Bebenek ’85 Siobhan Bhagwat ‘06 Thomas Cadman ‘87 Paul Dickson ‘03 Diana Dumlavwalla ‘04 Peter Gobran ‘99 Caitlin Howlett ‘05 Andrea Murik ‘96 Kiran Nagra ‘02 David Oates ‘70 Priya Persaud ’98 Patricia Polischuk ‘90 Marc Richardson ’95 Chris Rushforth ‘80 Shirley Schmidt ‘86, ‘09 Kelly Schoonderwoerd ‘03 Cynthia Sundberg ‘90

In June, 2,533 students graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University, joining more than 70,000 Laurier alumni. Convocation is a time of celebration for students, family, and friends. We congratulate the new graduates and welcome them to the university’s alumni family. The Wilfrid Laurier University Alumni Association (WLUAA) has had many opportunities to celebrate alumni lately. In May, WLUAA feted the recipients of the Awards of Excellence. These awards were established by WLUAA to recognize Laurier alumni, faculty and staff who, through their actions and accomplishments, have made a difference in the Laurier community and the community at large. Congratulations to this year’s recipients who greatly impressed us with their demonstrated campus and community leadership. To learn about the winners, see page 18. The same evening, we also celebrated the success of the Young Alumni Challenge, a partnership between WLUAA and Laurier Annual Giving, which raised $50,000. Thank you to all the alumni who rose to the challenge by giving to Laurier.

Olympic fever also returned to campus in May, in the form of Olympic gold medalist and Laurier alumnus John Morris (BA ’03). He provided a behind the scenes look at the Olympics, and impressed an audience of alumni and friends by sharing the amount of training and hard work that goes into bringing home a gold medal. To learn more about Morris’ Olympic journey, don’t miss the Fall issue of Campus! I hope to celebrate with you at Homecoming this year. Make plans to return to campus in October to “Rawk the Hawk” with alumni and friends. Anniversary celebrations for the classes of 2005, 2000, 1990, 1985, 1980, 1970 and 1960 will be held. Be sure to visit the alumni website at www. laurieralumni.ca to learn more about the festivities.

Tom Berczi ’88, ‘93 President, WLUAA tberczi@wlu.ca

Board of Governors Representatives Frank Erschen ’81 Tim Martin ‘92 Steve Wilkie ‘82, ‘89

Senate Representatives Susan Lockett ‘99 David Oates ’70 John Trus ’90

Tom Berczi presents Scott Harris, associate director: annual giving, with WLUAA’s contribution to the Young Alumni Challenge.

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2010

campusnews

Varsity hockey player Liz Knox, second from right, was named the 2010 Outstanding Woman of Laurier (OWL). She celebrates with finalists (from left) Danielle Inglis, Megan Gilmore and Brittany Shaw. The OWL award recognizes female students who combine athletic and academic achievement with a commitment to leadership and community coaching or teaching.

celebrating 100 years

Centennial planning in full swing

With Laurier’s Centennial year fast approaching, the university is energetically planning for an October 2010 kick-off of the year-long celebration. A Centennial Steering Committee was struck in late 2009 and has been meeting monthly to develop a comprehensive plan to celebrate this historic occasion. The committee is comprised of members representing students, staff, faculty, retirees, alumni and community members. It is chaired by Mary D’Alton, vice-chair of Laurier’s Board of Governors, president of the Waterloo Inn, and recipient of the Alumni Association Honorary Alumnus/a award. The celebration plan incorporates many elements, including a 100th-anniversary logo, a Centennial micro website, an integrated awareness

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2010

campaign, and many events and lectures to help tell the Laurier story. The committee has also finalized funding agreements with many groups and individuals across Laurier’s campuses who submitted proposals for initiatives to celebrate the university’s anniversary. A full event calendar will be posted online in the fall. Dr. Andrew Thomson is also in the process of gathering research and conducting interviews to write a comprehensive popular history on the institution. If you have information about an inspirational professor, a major Laurier event or an interesting Laurier story that has stuck with you over the years, please email Thomson at athomson@ wlu.ca for possible inclusion in the book.

campus news

Expansion plans

Laurier receives $1-million gift

Laurier receives more than $1 million for Brantford campus

Largest donation ever given to Laurier’s Faculty of Music

Laurier and the YMCA of Hamilton/Burlington/Brantford are moving ahead with design and consultation plans for a community athletics and recreation centre in downtown Brantford, thanks to an investment of $253,750 from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. The funding will support the development phase of a 115,000-square-foot athletics and recreational centre that would be used by students and the broader community. This unique community partnership involves the YMCA and Laurier Brantford, with support from Nipissing University and Mohawk College, and the anticipated involvement of Six Nations. The investment adds to an earlier donation of $1 million by SC Johnson Canada, which will support the development of a business program and the proposed athletics and recreation centre. The SC Johnson gift will be used to renovate the former CIBC building in Brantford and transform the building into a multi-use facility to house the anticipated business program and Laurier Brantford’s existing leadership program. The building will be called the SC Johnson Building in recognition of the company’s support. The facility will also include a new Centre for Co-operative Education, Career Development and Experiential Learning, administrative offices and alumni relations.

A $1-million donation from Manfred and Penny Conrad to support music therapy research at Laurier will help make a real difference in people’s lives. In recognition of the gift, the Laurier Centre for Music Therapy has been renamed the Manfred & Penny Conrad Institute for Music Therapy Research. Dr. Max Blouw, left, with Penny and Manfred Conrad. “There is power in music and music can heal,” Dr. Heidi Ahonen, director of the institute, told a large group that gathered to celebrate the donation in April. “This donation allows us to launch research projects that we have only been able to dream of since (the centre opened in) 2003.” The Conrad gift is the largest individual donation ever given to Laurier’s Faculty of Music. It will support the important research and therapeutic work done within the faculty’s music therapy research centre. Additionally, the Conrads have created an annual scholarship to be awarded to a Laurier student who is studying music therapy at the graduate level. The work conducted within the Manfred & Penny Conrad Institute for Music Therapy Research helps those suffering from Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, promotes healing for victims of trauma and abuse, assists those with developmental, behavioural, mental health and communication challenges, and helps patients requiring critical or palliative care. Sherry Bedirian, a student in Laurier’s master of music therapy program, told the gathering that music therapy has been a “blessing” in her life that has rekindled her passion for music, and helped her cope with paralysis in her right leg, arm and hand.

Real generosity toward the future lies in giving all to the present. Albert Camus

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campus news

Visiting a piece of history

Dean of students emeritus Fred Nichols and Nancy Tieszen.

Former Laurier president’s daughter tours campus

Nancy Tieszen, daughter of former Laurier president Dr. William J. Villaume, visited the Waterloo campus recently to see the house where she used to live, which is now Alumni Hall. In 1967, when Laurier was Waterloo Lutheran University, a home was built on campus to serve as the residence for presidents of the university. The Villaumes were the building’s first and only occupants. Tieszen, the youngest of four children, was 13 at the time and attended Waterloo Collegiate Institute, a high school down the street from Laurier. “I thought if I walked through campus I would recognize the building, but

I didn’t!” said Tieszen of her visit to Laurier. “The campus has changed so much since I lived here.” When Dr. Frank C. Peters became president of the university in 1968, he decided to continue living in his own home and the “president’s house” was converted for other uses, although the building’s reception space — a major reason for its construction — is still used today. “I remember the formal receptions,” said Tieszen, who lives in Sioux Falls in South Dakota. “I was never allowed in that part of the house, but I do remember at times getting dressed up for meet and greets.”

Three Laurier grads named to prestigious list

Top 40 Under 40

Laurier is well represented on the 2009 Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 list. Alumni receiving the honour include Jeff Melanson (MBA ’99), Ted Hastings (BBA ’97) and Barry Symons (BBA ’93). Melanson, 36, is executive director and co-CEO of Canada’s National Ballet School. A trained opera singer, he was previously dean of the Royal Conservatory of Music. Hastings, 35, is president and CEO of Moxy Media, which owns and operates more than 300 consumer information websites, while Symons, 39, is CEO of Jonas Software, which automates sports club operations such as booking tennis courts or tee times.

People at Laurier A book co-authored by Dr. Chris Alcantara, entitled Beyond the Indian Act: Restoring Aboriginal Property Rights, has generated significant media attention with stories in the National Post and Toronto Star, among others. Written with Tom Flanagan (former University of Calgary professor and former advisor to Stephen Harper) and economist André Le Dressay, it pushes for a change in legislation that would encourage aboriginal land ownership and help reduce First Nations poverty. Peter Baxter, Laurier’s director of Athletics and Recreation, has been named Canada’s chef de mission at the summer Universiade in Shenzhen, China, in August 2011.This is Baxter’s second turn in the position — he led Team Canada at the 2009 Winter Games in Harbin, China. The Universiade is an international multi-sport event that takes place every two years, and is second only to the Olympics in the number of participating athletes and countries.

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2010

Languages and literatures professor Abderrahman Beggar was a guest of honour at the recent Salon International de l’Edition et du Livre, an international book and publishing fair held in Casablanca, Morocco. Beggar presented the Arabic translation of his francophone book L’Amérique latine sous une perspective maghrébine, which translates to “Latin America from a North African perspective.” Assistant professor Alexandra Boutros has co-edited (with professor Will Straw from McGill University) the collection, Circulation and the City: Essays on Urban Culture, which is published by McGill-Queen’s University Press as part of the Culture of Cities Series. Circulation and the City investigates the city as a space of circulation by taking into account not only the physical displacement of people, but the circulation of cultures, things and ideas.

Dr. Michael Carroll has been appointed the new dean of the Faculty of Arts. Carroll joins Laurier from the Department of Sociology at the University of Western Ontario, where he focused his research on the sociology of religion. He is well-known internationally for his historical studies of popular religion in Italy, Ireland and New Mexico. Dr. Glen Carruthers, a pianist, musicologist, teacher and administrator has been appointed dean of Laurier’s Faculty of Music. Carruthers was dean of the School of Music at Brandon University from 1998 to 2008 and former chair of the Department of Music at Lakehead University. He has also served on the board of the Canadian Music Centre and was president of the Canadian University Music Society for three years. Carruthers succeeds Dr. Charles Morrison, who became dean in 1999 after 12 years as a faculty member.

campus news

Honorary degree recipients inspire graduates

Celebrating convocation

Her 94-year-old body may have needed a chair, but Vera Good’s voice was clear and strong as she delivered an inspirational convocation address to Laurier’s spring graduating class of education and music students. Good remained seated on stage as she spoke into a microphone during the evening ceremony at the Athletic Complex on the Waterloo campus in June. She advised the education graduates to tap into the natural curiosity and enthusiasm of children to engage them in learning. For the music grads, she urged them to educate society on the value of the arts in an era of financial cutbacks. “It is equally true that you as performers need to be educators,” she said. Moments earlier Good was awarded an honorary doctor of letters degree for her many contributions to education and her pioneering work in public television, including her role as the first executive producer of the Canadian children’s classic, Polka Dot Door. The university held 10 convocation ceremonies in Waterloo and two ceremonies at the Brantford campus, graduating a total of 2,533 students. Four honorary degrees were also bestowed. In addition to Good, recipients included award-winning singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie, celebrated author Wayson Choy, and entrepreneur-philanthropist Francis Pang.

Welf Heick, former professor of history, died June 21, 2010 after a long struggle with Huntington Disease. Heick joined Laurier in 1961. He was chair of the Department of History and the Convocation Committee, and was a convocation marshal for 25 years. Dr. Rhoda HowardHassmann’s seven-year, Tier 1 appointment as Canada Research Chair in International Human Rights was renewed with $1.4 million in government funding to support her research, which investigates past and present examples of state-induced famine. Howard-Hassmann’s original appointment began in 2003. Assistant English professor Dr. Madelaine Hron’s book, Translating Pain: Immigrant Suffering in Literature and Culture, has been shortlisted for a prestigious book prize. The Aid to Scholarly Publications Program (ASPP) shortlisted five books for the Raymond

Klibansky Prize, which honours the best ASPPsupported book in the humanities. Dr. Paul Jessop has been appointed Laurier’s new dean of science. He previously served as chair of engineering physics and associate dean of graduate studies at McMaster University and taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels. His research expertise is in the area of optoelectronic materials and devices, specializing in silicon-based photonics. Dr. Michael Krech, retired professor of chemistry at Laurier, passed away April 26, 2010. Krech taught full-time at the university from 1966 to 2003 and part-time from 2003 to 2006. He was also a retired lieutenant of the Royal Canadian Reserve. Biology professor Dr. Fiona Rawle received the Wilfrid Laurier University 2010 Award for Teaching Excellence in the part-time category. Psychology professor Dr. Eileen Wood received the award in the full-time category.

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined. Henry David Thoreau

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2010

campus news

Laurier creates programming council, appoints senior advisor Supporting Aboriginal students

Teacher Chris Berscht with students Heleen Seupersaud, left, and Sylvia Phan.

Students JUMP at Laurier

Summer program shows kids university life For more than 15 years, Laurier’s Junior University Multidisciplinary Program (JUMP) has been giving students from grades 5 to 8 a taste of university life. Every summer, more than 2,000 students from across Ontario spend three days on campus, staying in residence, going to classes and experiencing “night life” at the Turret. “My kids love it,” said Chris Berscht (BA ’02), who teaches Grade 7 at WT Townshend Public School in Kitchener. “It’s a completely new experience for them. They get to spend time away from home and take classes they normally don’t get to take like chemistry, biology, theatre, archaeology…” Many Laurier alumni who are now teachers return to campus with their classes for the program. Berscht says it’s a great experience for teachers as well, as they get to interact with students on a more personal level. “The best part has been the athletics,” said Heleen Seupersaud, one of Berscht’s students who participated in JUMP in June. Classmate Sylvia Phan said her favourite part was the music class. Seupersaud doesn’t think twice when she’s asked if she wants to go to university one day. “Yeah!” she said. “I think I’ll go here!”

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2010

In an effort to enhance post-secondary educational opportunities for Aboriginal students, Laurier has established the Aboriginal Education Council and appointed a senior advisor. Co-chaired by university president Dr. Max Blouw and Brenda Davis of the Grand River Post-Secondary Education Office, the council will provide leadership for the implementation of initiatives that will further engage aboriginal communities in support of post-secondary objectives. The council — comprised of Aboriginal community members, students, staff and faculty, as well as individuals in Laurier’s senior management team — will meet throughout the year at Laurier’s Brantford, Kitchener and Waterloo campuses. Laurier has also received approximately $150,000 a year for the next two years from the Ministry of Training, Colleges & Universities to help support a number of initiatives focused on enhancing the recruitment and retention of Aboriginal students, including recruitment initiatives, extending the part-time MSW: Aboriginal Field of Study program, and undergraduate student support services. To oversee activities related to Aboriginal initiatives at the university, and to help develop future programming, Laurier has appointed Aboriginal elder Jean Becker as interim senior advisor: Aboriginal initiatives. An elder-in-residence for the Aboriginal Field of Study in Laurier’s Master of Social Work (MSW) program, Becker began her term July 1. A member of the Métis Nation of Labrador, Becker has been very involved with the diverse Aboriginal community of Waterloo Region for 30 years. “This is an opportunity for indigenous people to enrich the life of Laurier and for Laurier to provide critical leadership in providing education for the growing numbers of Indigenous people entering postsecondary institutions,” said Becker.

campus news

Laurier remembers Maureen Forrester

Famous contralto and former chancellor dies at 79 Maureen Forrester, one of the world’s leading contraltos and former chancellor of Wilfrid Laurier University, died June 16 in Toronto with her family at her bedside. She was 79. Forrester served as Laurier’s third chancellor from 1986 to 1990, and paid special interest to the students and professors of the Faculty of Music’s voice performance program. In 1994 the university named its recital hall for her and established a scholarship in her name. Known as “Canada’s grand dame of song,” Forrester was known for her generosity, charisma and tireless support of the arts in Canada. At the height of her career she gave as many as 120 performances a year and performed with nearly every major orchestra in the world under famous conductors such as Bruno Walter, Eugene Ormandy and Leonard Bernstein.

Honour recognizes members of the Laurier community

She was known for her versatility, performing classical musicals, operas and even cabaret, but she was acclaimed for her performances of Gustav Mahler’s symphonies. Forrester received many awards and recognitions over the course of her career. She was made a Companion of the Order of Canada in 1967, was chair of the Canada Council from 1983-1988 and received the Order of Ontario in 1990. She was inducted into the Canadian Hall of Fame in 1990 and is also a member of the Juno Hall of Fame. In 2000 Forrester was awarded a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame. She also has 30 honorary university degrees, including one from Laurier in 1975. To preserve her legacy, Laurier established the Maureen Forrester Legacy Collection and The Maureen Forrester Archive. The extensive collection includes musical scores written

for her and dedicated to her, photos, concert memorabilia, press reviews and sheet music with her notations. Forrester is survived by her four daughters, Paula Burton, Gina Dineen, Linda Kash and Susan Whaley, her son Daniel Kash, and several grandchildren.

Laurier enters $2-million partnership agreement with NWT

New Order

Studying northern ecosystems

Laurier has created a new honour to recognize members of the Laurier community who make outstanding contributions to the university. The Order of Wilfrid Laurier University will recognize worthy individuals who have a record of exemplary and distinguished service to the university. Eligible recipients include current or former faculty, staff, students, alumni, volunteers and friends of the university. Nominations for the Order of Wilfrid Laurier University are now being accepted, and the first recipients will be honoured at fall convocation. For information or to submit a nomination, visit www.wlu.ca/senate and click the link in the left-hand menu.

Laurier has entered a $2-million partnership agreement with the Government of the Northwest Territories to support environmental science research that will provide important data for effective freshwater-resource management and the sustainability of northern ecosystems. Under the agreement, the Government of the Northwest Territories will provide $2 million over five years to support the Canadian Aquatic Laboratory for Interdisciplinary Boreal Ecosystem Research (CALIBER) program, which is based at Laurier and involves researchers from the Laurier Institute for Water Science and Laurier’s Cold Regions Research Centre. The agreement will expand CALIBER’s research activities and enable it to build on its past and current research in the NWT. It also enables the Government of the Northwest Territories to participate as a member of the program’s science committee as it sets research agendas and associated studies for the NWT, and to develop mentor and training opportunities for NWT residents. The partnership includes scientific and technical training and mentorship components, professional development for government, industry and other organizations, and outreach to promote interest in water science and the boreal ecosystem in schools and communities.

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2010

INSPIRING LEADERSHIP, one step at a time

By making a legacy gift to Laurier, you can ensure a future in which Laurier students continue to be challenged and inspired to lead lives of leadership and purpose. Your legacy gift today can make certain that tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s students are instilled with the skills, knowledge and courage required to engage the world in all of its complexity. To find out how you can take the next step toward ensuring brighter futures for Laurier students, please contact Cec Joyal, Development Officer of Individual & Legacy Giving at cjoyal@wlu.ca. Step up and take the lead.

campus news New joint programs Laurier

and college team up to offer science technology programs Wilfrid Laurier University and Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning are combining their strengths in theoretical and applied learning to create two joint programs, one in computer science and the other in biochemistry/biotechnology. The first program combines Conestoga’s software engineering technology diploma with Laurier’s honours Bachelor of Science (BSc) in computer science. The second combines Laurier’s honours BSc in biochemistry and biotechnology with Conestoga’s biotechnology technician diploma. Both programs begin in September 2010 and are designed to enhance the educational experience of students and increase their job opportunities. In the computer science program, students will first complete the software engineering technology diploma at Conestoga, where they will acquire practical experience in software engineering and hardware applications. Students will then attend Laurier to complete part of second year, as well as third and fourth year of the computer science BSc degree, where they will gain a solid foundation in theoretical computer science, algorithms and networks. Students in the biotechnology/biochemistry program will complete the first two years of the honours biochemistry/biotechnology BSc program at Laurier, where they will develop knowledge in cellular and molecular biology, chemistry and biochemistry. Students will then complete one year of special study at Conestoga in the biotechnology technician diploma program to gain 180 laboratory hours in plant and animal cell biotechnology, immunology and fermentation biology. They will return to Laurier for the final two years of the BSc degree. Conestoga College president Dr. John Tibbetts, left, and Dr. Max Blouw, right, listen to Laurier science student Matthew Nichols in the university’s biochemistry lab.

Psychology professor emeritus Dr. Don Morgenson highlights Laurier’s strengths in science.

Faculty of Science holds gala to celebrate milestones Science at Laurier

This spring Laurier held its inaugural Celebrating Milestones in Science gala to honour the faculty’s landmark achievements, present awards to outstanding science alumni and offer guests a glimpse into Laurier’s science research labs. The event commemorated the following milestones: • Introducing the third dean of the Faculty of Science, physicist Dr. Paul Jessop • The 45th anniversary of Laurier’s first Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry, which was also the 1,000th degree awarded by the university • The 15th anniversary of the Science Building on Laurier’s Waterloo campus • The 10th year since Laurier’s Faculty of Science became a stand-alone faculty at Laurier (separate from the former Faculty of Arts and Science) • The 5th year of science research in the Science Research building The university’s first Celebrating Milestones in Science Awards were also presented to an alumnus from each of the faculty’s original six departments (Laurier introduced its seventh, health sciences, last year). The awards were established to recognize graduates who have made a significant contribution to society through the field of science and who serve as an inspiration to current science students. Award recipients included: • Biology: Dr. Jeffrey Richards (BSc ’95), associate professor, zoology, University of British Columbia • Chemistry: Ms. Elizabeth Young (BSc ’06), environmental research analyst, Exova • Kinesiology & Physical Education: Dr. Kevin Shoemaker (BA ’90), associate professor, kinesiology, University of Western Ontario • Mathematics: Tracy (Walker) Lemieux (MA Mathematics & BA Music ’03), musician, piano instructor, former university mathematics instructor • Physics & Computer Science: Mike Morrice, (BBA Honours Computing & Computer Electronics ‘08), co-founder, executive director, Sustainable Waterloo • Psychology: Gail Czukar (BA ’73, MA ’75), executive vice-president: policy, education, health promotion, legal services, Canadian Association for Mental Health

Observations always involve theory. Edwin Hubble

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King C on The

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cover story

Stuart Knight shows how to make meaningful connections just by asking the right questions

versation Story by Lori Chalmers Morrison | Photography by Dean Palmer

Stuart Knight is the one being interviewed, yet he is asking all the questions. For a man who says he has

Knight shows his skill by taking a simple spoken to one million people, Knight can’t help but inquiry about undergraduate courses and subtly lead “the conversational dance.” After all, he does it spinning the conversation into career goals. The for a living. finale comes only 10 questions later with “You could give me any question and a meaningful discussion about parenting I’m 99 per cent positive that I could turn it philosophies and living one’s dream. into an interesting conversation,” he says. Throughout the conversation he leans “You just need to start somewhere.” forward in his chair, listening intently. He Knight, 37, has been president of Stuart is always smiling. Knight Productions (www.stuartknight“A powerful conversation is like peeling producations.com) for 14 years, producing the layers of an onion,” says Knight. “You an array of workshops, musicals and telewant to dig deeper and make a memovision shows. He is also the author of a rable connection with the person you’re new book called You Should Have Asked – talking to.” The Art of Powerful Conversation.

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It’s

easy to talk to Knight. He approaches strangers like they are old friends and puts people at ease by sharing as much about himself as he asks of others. It helps that Knight (BA ’96) is a born entertainer. As a child, he began to talk at an early age. He staged plays for his family and charged neighbourhood kids a fee to watch him do tricks on his bike. As a teenager, he was president of his high school student council. At Laurier, he helped organize the university’s first fashion show in 1993 and was named student volunteer of the year two years in a row. He also had a part-time job as a go-go dancer at the Revolution nightclub. “It was the greatest job at university I could have asked for,” says Knight. “I was getting paid to hang out and dance with my friends. The only difference was that I was dancing 12 feet up.”

A powerful conversation is like peeling the layers of an onion. You want to dig deeper and make a memorable connection with the person you’re talking too.” Knight was only the second person in his family to go to university. His father came to Canada from England in 1966 with $150 and lived in a tent. “Coming from a working-class family, you don’t get speeches at the dinner table saying, ‘You can do anything you want.’ It’s more like, ‘You just need to get a degree and a job.’” At 19, he read his first motivational book, Awaken the Giant Within by Anthony Robbins. He was drawn to Robbins’ stories of ordinary people who have done extraordinary things. Inspired, he wrote his own motivational stories in a format that young people could relate to — a high school show. He wrote 90 letters to 90 schools offering his show for free, but no one responded. Then, in 1995, he approached Laurier’s Orientation Week committee. As head icebreaker (orientation leader) in his third year — a position usually reserved for fourthyear students — Knight asked if he could speak to incoming students. The committee declined, but let him speak to the rest of the icebreakers. “That was the first moment of my life when there was no question in my mind that this was something I was going to take a stab at,” says Knight of his speech.

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His talk went over so well that the committee invited Knight to speak to all of the first-year students the following year. There were 2,000 students waiting for him in the crowded gymnasium that day. Knight remembers walking down a back hallway on the way to the stage and taking refuge in an equipment room. He thought he had talked himself into undertaking something he couldn’t do. But the standing ovation after his speech convinced him otherwise. “People were saying they were nervous about school and I helped them. It was like a drug, I just wanted more of it.” So in 1997 Knight cashed a $4,500 mutual fund — “all the money I had in the world” — and wrote his first high school show, A Whole New Perspective. A few years later, Coca-Cola sponsored the show and Knight toured the country for three years. No longer a struggling artist, he wrote a musical for the adults who seemed to be enjoying the show as much as the high school students. I Decide ran in Toronto for five years.

night says it takes only one conversation to change your life. It could land you the job you want or start a new relationship. But while mingling with audience members after his shows, Knight noticed that people were reluctant to talk to each other. The conversations that he did observe often involved standard topics such as the weather or sports. In fact, Knight would talk to couples who had known each other for years, and through a few simple questions, discovered they didn’t really know each other at all. Knight wanted to help. He remembered a piece of advice from Laurier professor James McDougal. “He told me that just because I thought something was a good idea doesn’t mean everyone else does.” So, he backed his idea up with research and gathered evidence about the impact of conversations. In 2006 he delivered his first workshop. “The corporate world was starving for this stuff,” says Knight, who points out it’s the human connection that gets the deal done and makes meetings productive. Knight says that typically people do a “file dump” when they talk to others — they get all the standard surface information about where someone works, where they live and a bit about their family. Then they switch. “It’s like exchanging baseball cards,” says Knight. What’s missing is a deeper, meaningful connection. It’s these connections that Knight says make you more

memorable and likeable, and provide the opportunity to learn more about other people and yourself. But people shy away from powerful conversations because they are afraid of talking to strangers or are nervous about taboo topics. Technology such as emailing and texting also makes it easy for people to hide from others. People also talk about themselves too much. “They just don’t ask questions,” says Knight. “Or they don’t ask good questions. People need to learn that other people are fascinating.” Knight says it’s never really about your opening question; it’s more about your second question, and about staying on topic to develop a deeper connection. His own work is a good example. “I’m pretty sure I have an interesting job, yet when people ask me what I do and I tell them I’m a professional speaker, they just say, ‘oh.’” Knight says anyone can have a memorable conversation by asking fewer than 10 questions. He says there are four simple types of questions that can lead to powerful conversations: “part-two” questions, or asking a question based on a person’s answer; “why” questions, which help develop meaningful rather than factual conversations; “creative” questions, which make people put effort into their answers; and “fast-tracking” questions, which help make connections in a short amount of time. “Even the shyest person can have an incredible conversation by asking the right questions. It’s much easier than people think. They just have to put in the effort.”

night never gets tired of talking to people, but he does get tired of people who are unwilling to change. “Some people will go home from the workshop and have dinner with their husband or wife and won’t try any of the questions to see how they work,” says Knight. On the other side are those who tell Knight they tried his approach to conversations with a partner and learned something new. Or the CEO who now chats with the mailroom employee about last night’s game after discovering they like the same baseball team. “Those are the ones that keep me going,” says Knight. He’s even learned a few things about his own family. By asking creative questions at the dinner table, Knight discovered that his father admires Pierre Trudeau. “All these years, and I’d never known that,” says Knight. It led to a deeper conversation with his father.

Tips for powerful conversations I only have a short period of time to connect. What’s an easy way to make conversation? “Use part-two questioning by asking a question based on the person’s answer,” says Knight. “This will help you avoid the mistake of switching to a different topic too soon. It’s easy to make a connection because people always feed you your next question with their answer.” Example: Q: What do you do for a living? A: I’m an investment banker. Q: Do you work with a big group of people? A: No, there are about 20 people in our department. Q: Do you get along well as a team? A: Yes, a few of us get along really well. Q: Do you hang out outside of work? A: Yes, a few of us are in a bowling league. “Oh, you bowl! I’ve been a bowler for years.” The next time these people run into each other, they will remember that they both like bowling, says Knight. How do I make a deeper connection with people? “Ask ‘why’. It allows you to find out about the other person’s true self and react to it.” Example: Q: Where do you live? A: Waterloo.

Q: Why did you decide to live there? A: It’s closer to my family. Then follow up with a part-two question, such as: Are you very close with your family? What should I do if the conversation dries up? “Ask a creative question when a conversation fades or when you want to have some fun.” Try these: What’s a moment in your life that you wish you could have caught on film? If you could be invisible for a day, where would you go and why? I haven’t known the person for long. Can I still have a meaningful conversation? “Absolutely. Try asking a fast-tracking question.” Try these: What’s something you would like to change about yourself? What’s your biggest regret? How do I make networking events easier? “You have to learn how to interrupt,” says Knight. “Just say, ‘I’m sorry to interrupt, but there isn’t anyone else to speak to right now, so would you mind if I joined your conversation?’ Then ask how the event is going for them so far, then launch right into a ‘why’ question.”

Knight admits that his approach to conversations can catch some people off guard. “I’ve been kicked under the table many times by girlfriends who think I’m asking someone an inappropriate question,” he says. But most of the time, that question leads to an engaging conversation. “I should say that I’ve been kicked unfairly many times because the person will then say to me, ‘That’s a really great question!” ❖ LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2010

T H E

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2 0 1 0 C E L E B R AT I N G O U R C H A M P I O N S Pictured from left to right: Rosemary Quinlan, Cec Joyal, Dr. Lucy Lee, Dr. Michael Pratt, Christine McKinlay, Luke Fusco, Ian McLean

The WLUAA Awards of Excellence were established to honour through their actions and accomplishments, make a difference in the WLU community and the community at large. If you know someone who embodies the spirit of WLU, consider nominating him or her for a Wilfrid Laurier University Alumni Association (WLUAA) Award of Excellence.

Rosemary Quinlan, ‘10 STUDENT ALUMNA OF THE YEAR This award recognizes a Laurier student who has made outstanding contributions on the Laurier Student Alumni Association (LSA). During the past four years, ROSEMARY QUINLAN’S contribution to the LSA has been extensive. She has served as a general member, vice-president and, finally, as president of the association. Quinlan has been instrumental in motivating LSA members and in organizing events for both students and alumni. She was also active on many intramural teams, volunteered for Laurier Students for Literacy and contributed to the local community as a volunteer at St. John’s Soup Kitchen.

Cec Joyal, ‘86 SCHAUS AWARD FOR STAFF This award is presented in recognition of outstanding contributions to the university by a staff member. This year’s recipient alumna, CEC JOYAL, is credited for her many contributions to the exceptional reputation the university currently enjoys. As the development officer for individual and legacy giving, Joyal has mastered the art of fostering strong and lasting relationships with Laurier’s alumni and friends. Over the years, she has helped to secure approximately $20 million for the university in realized and expected donations. Affectionately referred to as “one of the faces of Laurier,” there are many people in the larger community who, when they think of Laurier, think of Cec Joyal.

Dr. Lucy Lee HOFFMANN-LITTLE AWARD The Hoffmann-Little Award recognizes teaching excellence and professional endeavour at Laurier. This year’s recipient, DR. LUCY LEE, has been a professor of biology at Laurier since 1997. She has taught courses in cell biology, development biology and comparative histology. Since 2002, Lee has published 28 articles in peer-reviewed journals. Her research has been internationally acknowledged and frequently requested in South America, Europe and Asia. In addition to her

academic and research activities, Lee is also a member of the Society for Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Animal Alternatives Group Steering Team. Through her teaching, research and community projects, Lee has inspired countless individuals to strive for excellence.

Dr. Michael Pratt FACULTY MENTORING AWARD This award was established to recognize a faculty member for outstanding mentorship and support of students. As a longtime faculty member in Laurier’s psychology department, DR. MICHAEL PRATT has inspired, motivated and educated countless undergraduate and graduate students. His legacy as a professor features his dedication to student learning and development. His research grant applications always include a request for funding the research involvement of graduate students. In fact, he always gives his students full credit by listing them as authors and acknowledging them in presentations. His guidance gives young academics the confidence to pursue their dreams, which will likely resonate with them for a lifetime.

Christine McKinlay, ‘07 YOUNG ALUMNA OF THE YEAR This award is given to recognize outstanding achievement by a Laurier alumna who is 30 years of age or younger. During her years at Laurier, CHRISTINE MCKINLAY was a key volunteer with the World University Services of Canada (WUSC), the UN Millennium Development Goals and the Make Poverty History campaign. Under her leadership, Laurier’s WUSC committee was recognized as the organization’s top university-based organization in the country. Additionally, McKinlay was heavily involved in the Laurier Student Refugee Program, which allows refugee students the opportunity to study in Canada. After graduating from Laurier, McKinlay went on to earn a master’s degree in immigration and settlement studies at Ryerson University. As a result of McKinlay’s championing, the first branch of WUSC was started at Ryerson. During the 2009-2010 academic

year, Ryerson welcomed its first refugee student thanks to McKinlay’s efforts.

Luke Fusco HONORARY ALUMNUS The Honorary Alumnus Award recognizes friends of Laurier whose contributions enhance the institution and its surrounding communities. Since joining Laurier’s faculty in 1973, LUKE FUSCO has reached out to many members of the Laurier community through his work as a faculty member, volunteer, former dean of the Faculty of Social Work and former President of Wilfrid Laurier University’s Faculty Association. His commitment to the Faculty of Social Work shone as he spearheaded the development drive and the move of the faculty to its current Kitchener campus. A continuous supporter of Laurier, Fusco is also strongly tied to the department of Athletics & Recreation at Laurier. For more than 30 years, Fusco has assisted student-athletes in crisis at Laurier, and has served as the academic advisor for women’s basketball and men’s football.

Ian McLean, ‘98 ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR This award recognizes an alumnus who has brought honour to the institution through outstanding achievement. This year’s recipient, IAN MCLEAN, graduated from Laurier in 1998 with an honours degree in biology and a business administration option. McLean went on to complete his MBA at the Harvard Business School, but not before urging his family to establish two student awards at Laurier. With great success in the business community, McLean has worked in both Canada and the United States as the national marketing manager for highpowered cardiac devices at Medtronic. As a life-long champion of Laurier, McLean has made significant contributions to Laurier’s Faculty of Science through his volunteer efforts as a member of the Dean’s External Science Advisory Council (DESAC). Thanks to McLean’s commitment and vision, current Laurier students can enjoy a new Faculty of Science speaker series as well as new science entrepreneurship courses as of 2011.

F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N A B O U T T H E AWA R D S O R TO D O W N L O A D A N O M I N AT I O N F O R M V I S I T

W W W . L A U R I E R A L U M N I . C A / A W A R D S

ALUM-0661-MAY10

alumni, faculty and staff who,

on campus

The information will help to establish how hypersensitivity contributes to balance control.

The ultimate tickle test Kinesiology and physical education professor Dr. Stephen Perry’s research focuses on one of the body’s most used and underappreciated parts: the foot. In collaboration with researchers from the University of Guelph, Perry will “tickle” the feet of eight spacebound astronauts in hypersensitivity tests to further our knowledge of aging on Earth. The experiment will study astronauts from the crews of NASA’s remaining shuttle missions this year who will submit their foot soles to a series of tests prior to and immediately after their flights. Using vibration devices and filaments to “tickle” reactions from the astronauts, researchers will then compare data to identify which receptor has been affected by weightlessness. Combined

with a standard balance test, the information will help to establish how hypersensitivity contributes to balance control. On Earth, skin sensitivity decreases with aging, but in space evidence shows skin sensitivity increases in correlation with balance deficiencies related to decreased input from the vestibular (inner ear) system. The researchers’ hypothesis is that while in space, the central nervous system selectively “turns up” one or more skin receptors in the astronauts’ foot soles, in effect naturally re-weighting the sensory systems. The research team hopes the study will identify the most critical receptors in the foot, which could then be targeted and re-activated among members of the aging population to offset sensitivity loss, which can lead to a loss in balance control and a greater number of falls. ❖

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2,533 students

graduated from Laurier in June

5,064 alumni, parents and friends made that possible Every year, gifts of all sizes provide our students with essential financial aid, improved technology in the classroom, access to more library resources and an environment that fosters success. An investment in Laurier ensures that we can equip our students with the skills, knowledge and inspiration required to lead lives of leadership and purpose.

Choose to give. www.wlu.ca/giving annualgiving@wlu.ca

on campus

The prevailing wisdom is that you need time to get over the ex.

Rebound relationships reconsidered Psychology professor Dr. Anne Wilson is looking into the age-old question: How do you mend a broken heart? Wilson investigated romantic break-ups with former Laurier honours student Stephanie Spielmann, principal investigator on the study, and Spielmann’s University of Toronto graduate advisor, Dr. Geoff MacDonald. Their research challenges the assumption that “rebound relationships” are never a good idea. “Your best friend, your mother and most relationship selfhelp gurus seem to share a common opinion: if you jump into a new relationship ‘on the rebound’ — not long after a previous romance has ended — it will never work,” said Wilson. “The prevailing wisdom is that you need time to get over the ex before even considering someone new.”

But for individuals who have what is called “anxiously attached” interpersonal styles, the time after a breakup can be emotionally devastating. They worry about the likelihood of finding love and acceptance again, and they may spend a lot more time pining over their lost love, said Wilson. Wilson found that anxiously attached people who remained single after a breakup had more trouble letting go of a relationship partner once the romance was over. But anxiously attached people who began a new relationship soon after a breakup were less preoccupied with their ex. “All in all, obsessively longing for a past partner may not be any healthier than a rebound relationship,” said Wilson. “So popular wisdom that rebound relationships are always bad isn’t fully supported by our research.” ❖

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Musician therapy Sara-Lynn and Jay Weiler help performers recover from debilitating injuries Story by Mallory O’Brien | Photography by Mat McCarthy

a first-year music student, Sara-Lynn Weiler was playing piano in one of Laurier’s practice rooms when her hands started to grow numb. She decided to take a break and listen to a friend, who was practicing in another room down the hall. But when she tried to leave, Sara-Lynn realized her hands were not working properly. They were tingling with a pins-and-needles sensation, like they had fallen asleep. She could not open the door. Even with both hands, she could not muster the strength to clasp the door handle and turn it. She kicked the door, hoping someone would hear her, but the room was mostly soundproof and the hall was empty. “By this time I’m in a good bout of tears,” says Sara-Lynn (BMus ’96) of the experience 20 years ago. “It just happened that my friend needed a break and ended up coming to see me… but that was probably the longest 10 minutes of my life.” Sara-Lynn was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome, a compression of the nerves that caused her to lose all feeling in both hands. It took nearly five years of rehabilitation to fully recover. Now she sees the traumatic event as a blessing in disguise. “It opened up a whole other door for me that I certainly would not have gone into otherwise.”

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FEATURE story

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I’m always with my best friend and it doesn’t feel like we need to separate business and pleasure. Today, she is sitting with her husband Jay Weiler (BMus ’95) in the waiting area of the Guidonian Therapy Clinic, which they run together out of their home in uptown Waterloo. The couple met on the first day of their undergraduate music program. Their clinic offers a more holistic rehabilitation approach for musicians, and SaraLynn, 38, is uniquely positioned to provide both physical and emotional help.

Her condition was so bad that she had to stop playing piano for a year and a half. “Therapy was difficult because no one really understood what was going on, and everyone said the best solution was to just pick a new career,” she says. Determined to finish her studies at Laurier, she switched her music concentration from piano to voice. Without the use of her hands, she could not take notes,

drive her car or even eat. Her friends stepped in to help — one of those friends was Jay. “He’s seen me through all of it.” When she was finally able to play again — for five-minute intervals — SaraLynn hit another obstacle. At the time, rehabilitation meant breaking down all the improperly formed muscles and rebuilding them. After playing piano for so long, she could place her fingers on the keys without looking or thinking about it. But this changed when all her muscle memory was lost. “I had to start over and everything was different — it was like starting as a child.” Sara-Lynn was able to finish her Bachelor of Music degree in piano in 1996.

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Because of her injury, she graduated one year later than Jay. Shortly after graduating, they married. Jay, a violinist, went on to earn a degree in music administration and perform full-time with an Australia-based band. Inspired by a therapist she worked with during her recovery, Sara-Lynn earned her designation as a registered massage therapist. When Jay received a stress injury from playing violin, she took his case for her final massage therapy school project. While Jay toured in Australia, SaraLynn opened the Guidonian Therapy Clinic, but after having their first of two daughters (one more is on the way), Jay wanted to be closer to home. He earned his chiropractic degree in 2008 and joined Sara-Lynn at the clinic. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” says Jay, 37. “I’m always with my best friend and it doesn’t feel like we need to separate business and pleasure.” To help patients with their general wellness, the clinic offers yoga, Pilates and basic nutrition plans in addition to rehabilitation programs. It is important that all of their patients feel welcome when they step through the front door. “It’s one thing to have a clinic where you’re just a patient, but here you feel like you’re walking into a home,” says Jay. “A lot of the injuries musicians get have psychological components to them, and if we can have this space where some of those fears are taken away, just by the atmosphere…” He gestures openly to the clinic’s airy reception room, modelled after the couple’s attached, elegant century home. Piano music welcomes visitors and cushioned chairs sit under the large windows overlooking the cozy front porch. The couple raise chickens and grow vegetables in the backyard, and this spring’s warm weather had Sara-Lynn excitedly planting in March. Their girls run around the home and clinic, inside and out. “A client once said to me, ‘I like to come here early so I can just relax for a bit and

debrief, let myself calm down before my treatment,’” says Sara-Lynn. And while most clients are musicians, the clinic welcomes anyone, with or without an injury. “The types of injuries we see most are repetitive strain injuries — the same type of injuries experienced by factory workers or people who sit at computers,” says Jay. “People think being a musician is not a hard job, but a professional, or even amateur musician, will spend long hours practising.” Sara-Lynn describes how musicians can develop bad habits such as how they sit or hold an instrument. Those habits can make the repetitive part of a musician’s job more conducive to injury. She says they take the time to explain the science behind it, so their patients have a greater understanding of what’s happening to them. Body awareness is a big portion of their education process, says Jay. When patients understand how the muscles and joints in their body work together, they have a clearer vision of what a correct posture or playing position might look like. He says university students are especially bad with their postures. Recently, the couple attended the graduation recital of one of their student patients who had postural problems. “It was very exciting to see how much his posture had changed since I had last seen him play,” says Sara-Lynn. “It was so much more supportive, and there was a much greater freedom in the playing — I get excited by that.” The goal is to prevent serious injuries from happening, but when they do, the couple treats patients with chiropractic and massage therapy. “Most of the musicians we treat aren’t at the point I was at,” says Sara-Lynn. “Being a therapist now, I know that there are a zillion warning signs.” Even though Sara-Lynn and Jay moved away after graduating for additional schooling, they always knew they would come back to serve the region’s large music community. They are big fans of

What’s in a name? The Guidonian Therapy Clinic was named after Guido d’Arrezo, a secondcentury monk who developed better methods for teaching music. He used the joints in his fingers to point out different notes, a system of learning known as the Guidonian hand. He also invented the precursor to modern-day staff notation, as well as the solfège syllables — commonly known as the “do-re-mi” scale.

the kinship in the community, and that’s what originally drew them to Laurier. “The attitude is different,” says SaraLynn. “It’s not as competitive as some of the other schools in terms of students against students. I certainly found that we were always helping each other and weren’t against each other.” Both studied classical music, but Jay currently concentrates on Irish and Scottish music, and plays fiddle for various folk bands around Ontario in his spare time. “A little closer than Australia!” SaraLynn chimes in. In addition to playing piano, she continues to sing, and was a member of the Elora Festival Singers, a professional chamber choir, for 15 years. More recently, she has taken up the Celtic harp, and she and Jay play at weddings together. She says they receive letters, emails and personal visits from clients thanking them for their help and dedication. “Patients have mentioned how encouraging it is that we had physical issues that we had to work through, but we still perform. We’re still doing it — we’re not just the therapists.” ❖

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Photo: Dean Palmer

make a

social difference?

Joanna Harries travels the world to show they can Story by Mallory O’Brien

oanna Harries believes that business leaders can help solve some of the world’s most complex social issues. She even left a successful career at a corporate powerhouse to prove it. Inspired by a professor at Laurier, Harries, 30, left her job as brand manager at Unilever after investing seven years working her way up the corporate ladder. She pursued her beliefs all the way to India, to work for a start-up company with a social mission. The decision put a strain on personal relationships. She left behind her friends, family and the security of home. “It was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” she says. “I’ve always wanted to use my business skills to change the lives of others. What I didn’t realize was that my own life would change as a result.”

Mumbai, India

Harries’ belief stems from a new movement in the business world: the growth of social enterprise. These are organizations that use business models and strategies to achieve social objectives, explains Laurier professor Dr. Barry Colbert. Colbert, director of Laurier’s CMA Centre for Business and Sustainability, says many businesses have adopted a philosophy of social

responsibility, but that doesn’t mean they are social enterprises. “A business can throw some money at a charity and say, ‘there, our social responsibility is done,’ and for some businesses, that is pretty much the extent of it.” For a social enterprise, social objectives are the core of the business — the reason the company exists.

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“

Real

Generosity Toward the Future Lies in Giving

Present ~ Albert Camus

“

All to the

To all of our donors who have invested in an inspired future for Laurier through their annual support this year — thank you! Email: annualgiving@wlu.ca

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2010

One successful example is British chef Jamie Oliver’s restaurant Fifteen, which apprentices troubled youth to teach them the ropes of the restaurant business. Fifteen generates profits, which are used to fund the recruitment and training of youth in need to further the restaurant’s social objective. Social enterprises support a variety of causes, including the environment, poverty, employment, education and outreach. “We’ve got social and environmental issues on our planet that are getting big,” says Colbert. “A social enterprise asks: How can a business thrive and make things better?” * * * * * * * * * Ever since she was little, Harries (BBA ’03, MBA ’08) wanted to do something with her life that had a positive social impact. But as she grew older, she didn’t know how that dream was going to fit with what she enjoyed and was good at — business. She enrolled in Laurier’s business co-op program, and worked at corporate giants such as Microsoft, Unilever and U.K.-based oil company Conoco Phillips. Her experience and business savvy attracted the attention of employers, and after graduating she was quickly snapped up by global consumer goods company Unilever. She held increasingly senior and international positions, until she was brand manager in Toronto. When the company offered her the opportunity to earn her MBA, Harries chose Laurier because it was one of the few programs that included a social component. While working full-time, Harries attended MBA classes on the university’s Toronto campus part-time on weekends. It was during a Competitive Strategy course with former Laurier professor Dr. Sanjay Sharma that she discovered the concept of social enterprise, and “something just clicked into place.” She was instantly sold on the power of being able to build a business completely around a social cause.

“I felt this finally cracked the code. This was really doing well by doing good, and had the power to create highimpact and lasting change.” * * * * * * * * * In 2008, shortly after graduating with her MBA, Harries was awarded a prestigious fellowship with the Acumen Fund, a leading social venture that invests in debt and equity financing for social enterprises in India, Pakistan, Kenya and Tanzania. Harries knew she would need hands-on experience before she could consider making a move into social enterprise. She was willing to sacrifice her traditional career path to make it happen. “If it meant taking a year off or if it meant I wouldn’t be making money, so be it.” Harries spent her one-year fellowship as business development director for Dial 1298 for Ambulance in Mumbai, India. The organization uses a crosssubsidization model to provide emergency medical transport to patients in India, regardless of income level. People going to private hospitals pay money for the service, while those heading to public hospitals are subsidized. The experience taught her a hard lesson about social enterprise. In theory, the model sounded great, she says. But in practice, there was no sustainable change. “Very few calls were coming from the true lower class, which frustrated me,” says Harries. “It seems there is always a trade-off in social enterprise between profits, or more generally the organization’s sustainability and the mission.” Many social enterprises struggle to find that balance, says Colbert. To work, social enterprises must leverage people with the proper business skills, but not let that business attitude take over the raw passion of wanting to make a positive social change. While the main part of Harries’ job was developing partnerships with corporations for sponsorship and local

“Business is about creating value for a society, and social and environmental issues are at the forefront of our society’s problems.” Dr. Barry Colbert

non-profits to build awareness, her marketing background led to an interest in consumer behaviour. Namely, why people living in the slums of Mumbai — about 40 per cent of the population — were not calling ambulances when needed. She conducted market research on her own to try to answer that question and figure out how to change perceptions and behaviours. “This was a personal project for me and meant a lot of time spent with families in the slum areas, which was incredibly eye-opening,” she says. “It felt closer to the real reason I came to India.” Harries says that despite the setbacks, her experience in India was a phenomenal learning exercise. She went from having almost any resource imaginable, from money to manpower at Unilever, to learning to work with virtually no resources at all. “It pushed me forward,” she says. “I wanted to find the sweet spot between my skill set and passion, and figure out how to focus on the impact.” * * * * * * * * * Social enterprise is not just the latest business trend. Colbert says it’s here to stay. “People are realizing that infinite growth on a finite planet is a bad business model,” he says. “Business is about creating value for a society, and social and environmental issues are at the forefront of our society’s problems. The concept of a social enterprise is not a fad or a trend, it’s something unavoidable.” Business schools across the country are beginning to incorporate social enterprise into their curriculum. Colbert has noticed

a growing number of students asking him about “alternative” business jobs. Laurier students have already begun applying what they have learned. Mike Morrice (BBA/BSc ’08) started Sustainable Waterloo, which guides organizations in Waterloo Region toward a more environmentally friendly future by reducing carbon emissions. And Greg Overholt (BBA/BSc ’08) started Students Offering Support, which provides tutors to students for a fee, and uses the profits for educational development projects in developing countries. The Laurier MBA chapter of Net Impact, an international non-profit organization with a mission to connect, educate and inspire students to use business to promote environmental and social responsibility, has also grown from 12 to 63 members in half a year. “I feel like the younger generation is increasingly interested in this type of business,” says Harries. “What excites me is that in a lot of cases now, ‘doing good’ actually makes sound business sense.” * * * * * * * * * Harries is now working for Endeavor, a New York-based non-profit that seeks to strengthen emerging economies around the world by identifying and supporting high-impact entrepreneurs. She is the director of international expansion for the organization, focusing on the Middle East and North African regions. She travels extensively to countries such as Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan, to name a few. She is part of a team that does research on prospective economies, meets with high-growth

entrepreneurs and learns what challenges they face. “We’ll look at the conditions in the country,” she says. “What is the education like? What investment is available to entrepreneurs? What support is available to help small and medium enterprises grow?” If all the pieces fit together and the community is interested, Endeavor will set up an office, which is locally staffed and funded by business professionals for five years, at which point the entrepreneurs start giving back to the program. “Others aren’t willing to take the risk on these individuals. We’re one of the companies trying to change that.” There are two goals in helping entrepreneurs. The first is making the business grow, creating high-value jobs, and in the long term, growing the country’s economy. The second is what Harries refers to as the “role-model effect” — simply, more young people will want to stay in the country and become entrepreneurs if they see success stories. “I believe what we’re doing is one of the most effective ways to grow economies and hopefully achieve political stability,” says Harries. “This type of work is more meaningful to me.” Harries says at the end of the day, Endeavor is run like a business. It generates funds to stay sustainable, and it works with markets and consumers. But it has a strong social mission. “Can businesses make a difference?” she asks. “If I commit my skills to a cause and search out a career where I feel I can have the most social impact, aren’t I making a difference? There are no easy answers, but I am glad to be on the path that has me searching for them.” ❖

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2010

SCHEDULE of EVENTS Friday, October 1 13th Annual Dean’s Alumni Golf Classic Rebel Creek Golf Club Registration, on range touch-up lessons, BBQ lunch: 11 a.m. Shotgun Start: 1 p.m. Golf and Dinner - $160 per golfer (incl. HST) Join us for the School of Business & Economics’ kick-off to Homecoming 2010! There are many changes and new programming for this year’s Annual Dean’s Alumni Golf Classic, which is open to all Laurier alumni, faculty, students, staff and friends. To register, please contact Patrycja Gadomski-Cebo at 519-884-0710, ext 3280 or email pgadomski@wlu.ca

HOMECOMING ATHLETICS Friday, October 1 Men’s Rugby: McMaster @ Laurier – 7:30 p.m. @ University Stadium

Saturday, October 2 Men’s Baseball: Queen’s @ Laurier – 1:00 p.m. @ Bechtel Park All event details subject to change.

Athletic Hall of Fame Dinner Senate & Board Chamber Reception: 6 p.m. Dinner & Induction Ceremony: 7 p.m. $65 per person The Hall of Fame, created in 1986, recognizes and honours individuals, athletes and teams who have made outstanding contributions to varsity athletic programs. The 2010 inductees are Christine Carruthers, Ryan Jeffrey, Ian Logan, Jason Lyall and Ryan Pyear in the athlete category, Tom Allen in the builder category and the 2000 men’s

soccer team. Tickets are available at www.laurierathletics.com/halloffame or contact Heather Ferris at (519) 884-0710, ext. 3289 or email hferris@wlu.ca for more information.

Saturday, October 2 Free Pancake Breakfast Fred Nichols Campus Centre Quad 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Start your day off right and enjoy a free pancake breakfast. This event is sure to be fun, entertaining and filling for all! Rain or shine! Alumni Association Annual General Meeting Alumni Hall 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.; Free Take the opportunity to meet your Alumni Association Board of Directors, have your say and find out more information about the Alumni Association. Legends of Laurier Lecture Room 1E1 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.; Free Come out and reminisce about your days on campus with dean of students emeritus Fred Nichols hosting the inaugural Laurier Legends Lecture Series. This series is a new addition to the

Class Celebrations Class Celebrations are being planned for the following classes: • Class of 1970 • Class of 2005 • Class of 1980 • The Founders’ Club will welcome the • Class of 1985 class of 1960 as they celebrate their • Class of 1990 Golden Anniversary • Class of 2000 Visit www.laurieralumni.ca/classcelebrations for all your reunion information!

October 1 – October 3

LAURIER CAMPUS Convocation 2009

To l e a r n m o r e a b o u t H o m e c o m i n g 2 0 1 0 o r t o p u r c h a s e t i c k e t s ,

v i s i t w w w. l a u r i e r a l u m n i . c a / h o m e c o m i n g

Homecoming event line-up and will feature prominent members of the Laurier family discussing a variety of topics each year. We are excited to welcome Dr. Don Morgenson, beloved former psychology professor, as our first speaker. Faculty Open Houses Various locations across campus 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.; Free Check out what’s new and exciting in your faculty! Many faculties and departments will be hosting open houses to showcase their successes, share new developments and reconnect with alumni. All returning alumni and friends are invited. A full listing of faculties and open house locations can be found online at www.laurieralumni.ca/homecoming. WLU Campus Tours Alumni Hall 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.; Free Reminisce while enjoying a tour of your favourite Laurier facilities. Tours will depart from Alumni Hall every 15 minutes. Junior Hawks – Children’s Program University Stadium 12 p.m. – end of Halftime; Free Children who participate in the Junior Hawks program will enjoy story time, crafts, games, face painting and children’s entertainers. Football Game & Tailgate Party – RAWK THE HAWK! Laurier Golden Hawks vs. Guelph Gryphons 1 p.m. Kickoff Adults (Football Game Only): $13 Adults (Includes Entrance to the Endzone Tailgate Party): $16 Students (non-WLU), Staff, Faculty: $9 Children under 12: Free Homecoming 2010 fun peaks as our Golden Hawks pit themselves against the Guelph Gryphons. Cheer our Golden Hawks to victory! The Burlington Teen Tour Band will provide pre-game and halftime entertainment. You must purchase a ticket to access the

Endzone Tailgate Party. Only a limited number of tickets will be available. Don’t be disappointed – purchase yours early! Post-Game Dinner and Celebration Wilf’s Pub 4 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Order from our special Alumni Homecoming Menu Wilf’s the perfect place to celebrate a Golden Hawk victory! Admission is free until 7:30 p.m. and is on a first-come, first-served basis. Alumni Party at Wilf’s Pub Featuring Blackwater Trio 9 p.m. $10 per person What better way to celebrate Homecoming than by spending the evening with good friends and a live performance by Blackwater Trio? Purchase your tickets early to avoid disappointment! Alumni Party The Turret Nightclub 9 p.m. $10 per person Cap off Homecoming weekend with a party that only Laurier could host. Celebrate the night away with great friends, great music and memories that last a lifetime. Purchase your tickets early to avoid disappointment!

Sunday, October 3 Homecoming Worship Service Keffer Memorial Chapel, Waterloo Lutheran Seminary 10 a.m. Come and join us in the Waterloo Lutheran Seminary. Presiding is Rev. Dr. Peter Kuhnert featuring a guest preacher to be determined. The WLU Alumni Choir directed by Sonja Dennis ’02 and accompanied by Dr. Jan Overduin will perform. 3rd Annual Laurier Loop University Stadium 10 a.m. $25 per person The Laurier Loop, in partnership with the Waterloo Running Series, is a certified 2.5-km circuit. It starts and finishes on the University Stadium track and runs through beautiful Waterloo Park. Choose a four-loop 10-km run, a two-loop 5-km run, a one-loop 2.5-km run, or participate in one of three relays. All pledges will be donated to Laurier’s Sun Life Financial Movement Disorders Research & Rehabilitation Centre (MDRC) at Laurier. With family and friends cheering you on as you pass through each loop, round up your friends and run with the Hawks! Visit www.runwaterloo.com to register and for more information.

Accomodations Waterloo Inn – 475 King St. N., Waterloo • (519) 884-0220 • www.waterlooinn.com Special rate: $143 + taxes per night (Std. Rm.) Booking quote: WLU Homecoming Booking cut-off date: August 20, 2010

Delta Kitchener-Waterloo* – 105 King St. E., Kitchener • (519) 569-4576 • www.deltahotels.com Special rate: $109 + taxes per night (Std. Rm.) Booking quote: WLU Homecoming Booking cut-off date: September 2, 2010 * Only available for Saturday, October 2.

Destination Inn – 547 King St. N., Waterloo • (519) 884-0100 • www.destinationinn.com Special rate: $109 + taxes per night (Std. Rm., includes breakfast) Booking quote: WLU Homecoming or use confirmation # 700910 Booking cut-off date: September 1, 2010

w w w.laur ier alumni. ca / h om ecom i n g LAURIER CAMPUS Convocation 2009

FEATURE story

L a u r i e r B r a n t f o r d ’s 2 n d A n n u a l

HOMECOMING!

O C T O B E R

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Schedule of Events Saturday, October 23 Laurier Brantford Campus Tour Student Centre 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Check out what’s new on campus and visit some of your favourite buildings!

Tailgate Party Carnegie Building 12 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Enjoy live music and a delicious barbecue lunch.

Dine Around Town Various locations, Brantford 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Memory Hall Carnegie Building, foyer 12 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Check out old Sputnik articles and lots of photos from your years at Laurier Brantford.

WLU Varsity Hockey Game Brantford Civic Centre 2:30 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Cheer on your Golden Hawks as they take on an OUA rival on the ice. Put on your purple and gold and meet us at the Civic Centre!

Enjoy some tasty offerings from Brantford’s local hot spots for dinner. Alumni Pub Night Piston Broke Pub Doors open at 8 p.m.

What better way to finish off your day than a reunion with your classmates in Harmony Square. Take this opportunity to catch up with friends and enjoy a night out.

All event details subject to change.

www.laurieralumni.ca/brantfordhomecoming LAURIER CAMPUS Convocation 2009

Keeping in touch How to bring out your inner superhero When Hugh MacPhie’s (BBA ’95) son John was three, he became passionately interested in superheroes. So MacPhie and his wife Michelle (McNair) MacPhie (BBA ’95) bought him the most important superhero accessory: a cape. It was purple with black trim and it had a silver lightning bolt on the back. It only cost $6, but when John put it on, his back straightened and his eyes brightened. He walked with greater confidence. And he believed in himself — he was convinced there was no good deed he could not accomplish. Believing that you can do anything is one of the lessons that MacPhie has included in his new book Don’t Forget Your Cape! What Preschoolers Teach Us About Leadership & Life (www.amazon.ca or www.dontforgetyourcape.com). A business strategist by day and father of two sons by night, MacPhie’s book uses the life lessons he’s gleaned from his boys to make management and leadership theories simple. “What I’ve learned is the challenges and difficulties experienced by preschoolers aren’t that different from the challenges and difficulties faced by the organizations I advise every day,” says MacPhie, who’s day job is running MacPhie & Company, which specializes in strategic planning, market research and brand definition. “So, I draw parallels between stories about my kids and corporate case studies, academic theory and the latest management thinking.” Other lessons include “don’t be afraid to fail”, “have a vision and communicate it relentlessly, “share” and “ask why.”

Hugh MacPhie (inset) and (left) with his sons Jackson, left, and John.

MacPhie uses stories of his experiences with his children to motivate and provide management lessons. He applies many of the lessons to his own business. John used to ask “why?” a lot. “That’s because he was trying to seek a rationale and logic behind the rules of the world surrounding him,” says MacPhie. “Well, the threeyear-olds have got it right.” In MacPhie’s consulting practice, he encourages organizations to ask why — to find the root cause of a problem or to more precisely understand the essence of an opportunity. More than anything, MacPhie says the book is a call to excellence. “It is an invitation for people to remember a time when they believed they could be superheroes, and to believe that they still can.” ~ Stacey Morrison

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2010

Keeping in touch Dean of students emeritus Fred Nichols travelled to Texas in March to visit Laurier alumni living in the Lone Star State. In Dallas, Nichols hosted a reception for area alumni at Dave & Buster’s restaurant. In attendance were Bob and Myrna Schlegel, Lonny and Julie Taylor, Carlyle Sole, Neil Brooks, Tom Bright, Heather Brown (nee Millman), Keith Doan, Smitty and Jenny Kulafofski, and Chetan and Nina Sethi Bhanot. Nichols also visited Austin and spent time with Paul and Wendy Gray.

1960s William Gordon Beach (BA ’66) received his Juris Doctor degree (formerly Bachelor of Laws) and practices criminal law in Sudbury, Ont.

1970s Leonard Enns (BMus ’72) was nominated for a 2010 Juno Award in the Classical Composition of the Year category for his piece, Nocturne, from the DaCapo Chamber Choir’s CD Shadowland. In addition to composing, Leonard is music director of the DaCapo Chamber Choir and a music professor at Conrad Grebel University College at the University of Waterloo.

Neil Lamont (BA ’77) and his family own Coffin Ridge Vineyard and Winery, Grey County’s first winery. He invites alumni and friends to visit the tasting bar and sample some of his signature wines: Into the Light White, Resurrection Rose and From the Dead Red. For more information, visit www. coffinridge.ca.

1980s Robert Bindner (’88) is working as global general manager of Polyone Corp. He lives in Huntington Beach, California, with his wife Stacy.

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2010

When Nina (Sanghera) Freier (Dipl ’91) thinks back 19 years ago to her time at Laurier, she remembers it as a pivotal point in deciding her career. After graduating with her BA, she was unsure of a career focus. She was accepted into Laurier’s Management Studies program, and after attending her first few classes in human resources management and organizational development, she knew that human resources was an area she enjoyed and a place that would offer the opportunity for her to make a difference within an organization. Today, Freier is a certified human resources professional with over 17 years of expertise in human capital management and organizational development across several North American industries. She currently holds a dual role for the North American company Nelnet as the director of talent acquisition and recruitment services, and as director for the online business ResumeEdge, which provides professional resumé writing services to consumers, businesses and educational institutions. “In today’s tough job market, it is critical that your resumé captures your unique qualifications and accomplishments in a succinct way, as a recruiter only spends up to 10 seconds reviewing a resumé,” says Freier. She shares three key tips to ensure that you have a strong resumé that can help you land a job: 1. Make sure your accomplishments are quantified and results focused. 2. Provide a strong opening summary that clearly articulates why you are the best candidate for the position. 3. Ensure that your resumé includes relevant keywords so it will be selected by recruiting software. If you would like to reconnect with Freier, she can be reached at nina.freier@ nelnet.net.

1990s Joe Prodan (BA ’91) was recently named chief financial officer of Canadian wireless carrier Mobilicity. A certified management accountant, he previously held roles in the finance departments at Sirius Canada and Bell ExpressVu. Catharine Vickery-Dunnett (BA ’95, Dipl ’96) merged her executive search and consulting firm, Sutherland Search, with Meyers Norris Penny LLP, the seventh-largest accounting and advisory firm

in Canada, and joined as leader of MNP’s organizational consulting practice in Ontario. Based in Toronto, Catharine works with clients across the province. She is interested with connecting with old Laurier friends at catharine.dunnett@mnp.ca.

Aaron Lightstone (BMusTh ’97, MMT ’04) and his band, Jaffa Road, were nominated for a 2010 Juno Award in the World Music Album of the Year category for their CD Sunplace. The recording also features Dr. Sundar Viswanathan (BMus ’89) on saxophone.

Keeping in touch Pete Savage (BBA ’98) recently published his first book, The Wealthy Freelancer: 12 Secrets to a Great Income and an Enviable Lifestyle (Penguin). In its second week of publication, the book cracked the Amazon Top 100 list, reached the No. 12 business book overall and was No. 2 in the small business entrepreneurship category. In the book, Pete teaches independent freelancers and consultants how to build a thriving “business of one.” Pete lives in Peterborough, Ont., with his wife Maggie (LaBranche) Savage (BA ’98), author of the gluten-free living blog LetThemEatCake. com. The couple has two children.

Mark Vuorinen (BMus ’98) has been named the new director of the 110-voice Grand Philharmonic choir in Kitchener, Ont. Mark has a master’s degree from the Yale University School of Music and Institute of Sacred Music. He is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Toronto, and is

A L U M N I

music director of the Toronto Chamber Choir and founding artistic director of the ensemble Toronto Choral Artists.

Jane Archibald (BMus ’99) debuted at New York’s Metropolitan Opera in April, playing the role of Ophelia in the company’s production of Hamlet. Every opera singer dreams of appearing at The Met, and Victor Martens, Jane’s friend and former voice instructor at Laurier, says her latest achievement is not a surprise. “She has all the obvious things: wonderful voice, poise, focus, discipline,” says Martens. “She is the complete package. But she also possesses an intangible quality that is impossible to define.”

2000s

of their first child, Ellie Rose, on Apr. 25, 2010. Natalie says her daughter is settling in nicely in her first home in Conestogo, Ont., but in no time will be an avid world traveller just like her parents.

Janina Ganton (BA ’04), alumni relations officer at Laurier, has been awarded the 2010 Rising Star Award by the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (CCAE). Janina joined the university’s Alumni Relations department in 2005 as a full-time employee after completing a year-long fellowship in University Advancement. The CCAE’s Rising Star Award is handed out annually to an advancement leader who has demonstrated early success, achievement and accomplishment within the field.

Natalie (McMullen) Lloyd (BA ’01)

Caitlin MacKenzie (BA ’07) and Matthew Bell (BBA ’07) were married

and her husband, Ryan, celebrated the birth

in Kaanapali, Maui, Hawaii, on Feb. 9, 2010.

Award of Merit Scholarships

THREE AWARDS of $1,000 EACH are provided annually by the Wilfrid Laurier University Alumni Association. Students who are siblings or children of Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo Lutheran University, or Waterloo College alumni, and are entering the University having met all entrance requirements are invited to apply.

T O

Apply

Applications are available at www.laurieralumni.ca/awardofmerit and must be received in the Student Award Office before Thursday, September 30, 2010.

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2010

Keeping in touch

buying A car chAnging insurance

LOOKing fOr A new credit card

need A mortgage

buying A home

To find out how you can save money through alumni programs, visit our website:

www.laurieralumni.ca/gradvantages

GradVantagesâ&#x20AC;Ś youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve earned it, use it!

plus the Laurier Real Estate Advantage 36

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2010

Keeping in touch

Cycling for a cause Spencer Campbell (BA ’82) is cycling from Vancouver to Halifax in September as part of the Sears National Kids Cancer Ride. He is one of 50 cyclists who will ride a 15-day, 7,000 kilometre route across the country to raise money for childhood cancer. Collectively, the team hopes to raise $2 million. Campbell, 52, an “admittedly plump fellow,” has been training for seven months to prepare for the 160 kilometres he will cycle each day during the relay-style ride. He’s looking forward to a stop in his hometown of Burlington, Ont., and reaching the Atlantic Ocean. “If I can get there at my age, given what I have to do to get ready, let alone complete this, I will have given my kids a lasting example they can apply all their lives.” But he says the hardships he has endured for the journey are nothing compared to what kids with cancer face, which is why he is participating. To contact Campbell, email spcampbell@sympatico.ca. To learn more about the event or to donate, visit www.searskidscancerride.com. Geoff Dittrich (BBA ’09) and Stuart McCory (BBA ’09) biked 5,500 kilometres across Australia to raise money for Opportunity International Australia, a non-profit organization that uses a business approach called microfinance to address poverty. The 78-day journey started March 8, 2010 in Sydney and concluded in Perth. The “Macro to Micro” ride raised more than $30,000 for the cause, which involves provisioning small loans to people living in poverty, allowing them to establish or grow a business, earn an income, and afford food, clothing and shelter. A successful small business also contributes to the success of an entire community by boosting the local economy and often going on to employ others. The cycling fundraiser resulted in tools and resources for over 150 businesses to be started. “I started this journey with the hope of changing one life,” says Dittrich. “My hope now is to inspire a movement so compelling that our contribution towards ending the poverty cycle far exceeds the milestones we reached during our cycling journey.” Other members of the Maco to Micro cycling team included Isabella Borowiec and Vivian Leung. For more information about Macro to Micro or to donate, visit www.macrotomicro.com.

The couple met in their first year at the Turret during a Clara Conrad Hall and C.H. Little House residence event.

Richard Kirkham (MA ’09) was selected as one of 20 youth interns to participate in the Coady International Institute’s Youth in Partnership program. He is working in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, collaborating with the Caribbean Farmers Network to strengthen the regional agricultural trading system. Richard applied for the program because of his interests in global issues, human

rights and social solidarity, which he says were developed through his studies at Laurier. “The work I do will have a positive impact throughout the Caribbean and it will be an incredible international work experience for me,” he says. His six-month placement will be completed in September.

80. In 1995, the Erich Schultz Collections Endowment Fund was established to commemorate Schultz’s successful career as Laurier’s first librarian. Schultz gave generously to the fund, helping it surpass $100,000. His donations helped to enhance the library’s permanent collection.

Chuck Classen (BA ’71), longtime

In memoriam Eric Schultz (BA ‘51, BD ‘57), Laurier’s librarian for more than 30 years, passed away on June 26, 2010. He was

equipment manager for Laurier’s varsity football team, passed away March 30. He was 66. Chuck started as a volunteer student manager with the basketball team in 1970, and after graduating

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2010

Keeping in touch

Nadir Patel (BA ’93) says there are three things that make living in Shanghai, China, so enjoyable: the interesting people he meets on a daily basis, the different types of fantastic cuisine and his job as consul general at the Canadian Consulate in Shanghai. “We offer a full range of services from getting a passport to processing visa applications,” he says. “But there is a focus here on business trade and investment promotion, which I love. And living and working in Shanghai means being in the heart of the business world.” Before arriving in China on his first posting abroad with Canada’s foreign service, Patel thought he had a good flavour for the region. Nadir Patel, right, with Dr. Max Blouw. “But when I got here, I realized I had no idea.” He says conveying the experience of being in China, and the scope of Canada’s presence, is the biggest challenge of his job. “There is so much opportunity and progress here over a range of initiatives and areas, that it’s difficult to describe to someone who hasn’t been here,” he says. “You really have to see it to appreciate it.” And though he misses Canadian staples such as Tim Horton’s coffee, he says his experience has been positive and seamless, made that much easier because Shanghai is an international, cosmopolitan city with much to offer. Patel, who returned to Laurier’s Waterloo campus recently for a visit with president Dr. Max Blouw, says visiting his old stomping grounds brought back lots of great memories. “It was a fun, great place to be,” he says of his Laurier experience. “It feels good to be back — it makes me want to come back to school as a student again!”

moved into the football equipment manager position while teaching at several local schools. After retirement, he continued to assist the football program, keeping the players organized for both the 1991 and 2005 national championships. He leaves behind his wife of 42 years Wendy, two children and three grandchildren.

Kathryn (Kilpatrick) Bienkowski (BA ’84) passed away on May 2, 2010 following a two-year battle with cancer. Kathryn (Kate) completed her Bachelor of Education at Laurentian University in 1985 and was a teacher in Waterloo for 24 years, most recently at Northlake Woods Public School. She was active in the community, teaching Sunday school, coaching soccer and serving as a dog therapy volunteer. She is survived by her husband Stephen Bienkowski (BA ’85), children Michelle and Erin, her parents and siblings.

~ Stacey Morrison

John Spoltore (BA ’99)

Where in the world are you? Keeping in Touch is a great way to let your fellow alumni know what is happening in your life, from family news, to career changes, travels and personal milestones. Sending us an update makes connecting with your classmates easy. Here’s a sample: John Doe (BBA ’95) has joined Toronto law firm Smith & Smith, where he practices commercial law. John and his wife, Michelle (Brown) Doe (BA ’96), live in Mississauga with their two boys, Sam, 3, and Michael, 5. Your Keeping in Touch submission can run in length from one line to a paragraph. Feel free to share your favourite Laurier memories! We also encourage photographs (if submitted electronically, they should be 300 dpi). If possible, please include your student number with your entry. Send your update via web: www.laurieralumni.ca via email: alumaddress@wlu.ca via fax: (519) 747-2106 via phone: (519) 884-0710 ext. 3176 via mail: Sandy Krall, Alumni Hall, Wilfrid Laurier University 75 University Ave., W. Waterloo, ON N2L3C5

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2010

Don’t forget to update your profile online for a chance to win a $500 Homecoming package! Visit www.laurieralumni.ca for details.

passed away on April 30, 2010 after a brief battle with brain cancer. During his time at Laurier, John received the President’s Award for best male athlete of the year in 1992-1993. He went on to enjoy a successful hockey career in the Ontario Hockey League, American Hockey League, United Hockey League and the International Hockey League. John is survived by his mother, Noni Campbell, who recently retired from Laurier’s Registrar’s Office, father Ralph Spoltore Sr. (BA ’69), sister Lori (BA ’93), brother Ralph (BA ’95), partner Doris Baumgartner, daughter Kendall and many extended family members.

calendar of events

Mark your calendar For a complete list of events, tickets or more information, visit www.laurieralumni.ca/events MBA Information Sessions

Death of a Salesman

Ongoing

The Soulpepper Theatre in Toronto presents

Are you thinking about

the legendary play, Death of a Salesman.

Oct. 20, 2010

furthering your education with an MBA? Learn about Laurier’s MBA

The Combine Project by Steven White

degree and the many flexible program options. Free information sessions take place

Oct. 27 – Dec. 4, 2010

at the Waterloo and Toronto campuses. Visit

Presented by the Robert Langen

www.wlu.ca/mbais for details.

Golden Hawks Football Sept. 11, 2010

Art Gallery, this interactive sculptural project explores the current fate of agricultural farmland in our changing global

HOMECOMING 2010 Dust off your collection of purple and gold and show your Golden Hawk spirit at Homecoming 2010!

Mark your calendars for

Oct. 1 – 3, 2010

economy.

Visit campus and cheer on

and make plans to return to campus.

the Golden Hawks as they open the season at home against the Toronto Varsity Blues at 7 p.m. at University Stadium.

Listen by Sandra Brewster Sept. 15 – Oct. 23, 2010

Blackwater Trio at the Berkeley Fieldhouse

Visit Laurier’s Robert Langen

Nov. 18, 2010

Art Gallery to view this

Enjoy a lively evening of music by Laurier’s

multimedia installation that chronicles the first

own Blackwater Trio at the Berkeley

experiences and heroic events of a generation

Fieldhouse in Toronto.

Congratulations to the classes of 2005, 2000, 1990, 1985, 1980 and 1960. It’s time to celebrate your 5th, 10th, 20th, 25th, 30th, 40th and 50th anniversary at Homecoming!

of Caribbean people who immigrated to Canada in the 1950s to 1970s.

Peter Pan

For more information about

Dec. 11, 2010

this year’s celebration, visit:

Join fellow alumni at the Drayton Theatre for a presentation of the family-friendly, classic

www.laurieralumni.ca/homecoming

story Peter Pan.

Get with the program! Update your profile. If you haven’t updated your almuni profile, here’s

Oktoberfest

what you’ve been missing:

E YOUR PROF I LE DAT UP for a chance to

Oct. 15, 2010

• invitations to events and reunions

Return to the region to celebrate one of

• connect with former classmates

• our online Alumni newsletter, Alma Matters

HOMECOMING 2010 PACKAGE

Kitchener-Waterloo’s greatest traditions — Oktoberfest! — with fellow alumni.

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2010

flashback

A Homecoming barbecue gets underway on campus in 1986. For more than 80 years, thousands of alumni return to campus each fall to meet up with friends, students, staff and faculty to celebrate Laurier’s Homecoming. Each event is marked by a football game and social events for all ages. The most recent event added to the Waterloo schedule — The Laurier Loop charity run — raises money for the study of Parkinson’s disease at the university’s Sun Life Financial Movemement Disorders Research and Rehabilitation Centre. Mark your calendar for Homcoming 2010 from Oct. 1-3 to take part in this annual Laurier tradition.

Do you have a photo of your Laurier days? Email a high-resolution image to stmorrison@wlu.ca and it could appear in Flashback.

do you have Papers, photographs or memorabilia from your time on campus? If so, the Laurier Archives would love to hear from you. The Laurier Archives collects and makes available papers, publications, photographs, audio-visual material and artifacts documenting all aspects of Laurier’s history. For more information, contact Julia Hendry at (519) 884-0710 x3825 or visit us online at library.wlu.ca/archives.

LAURIER CAMPUS Summer 2010

WILFRID LauRIeR uNIVeRSITY aLuMNI aSSOCIaTION

Photo: blythe Mckinlay

When it came time to purchase insurance, Joanna took advantage of the WLuaa’s GradVantages program. She used partner TD Meloche Monnex’s online quotation system and received the most competitive rate. She has been insured with Meloche Monnex ever since.

Joanna now ‘scoots’ around Waterloo with confidence knowing she has the best rate and coverage available. TD Meloche Monnex home, auto and travel insurance is just one of 19 products and services being used by more than 10,000 alumni today. The GradVantages program provides great deals on such things as credit cards, mortgages and financial planning. a portion of the proceeds generated through GradVantages helps support university and alumni programs, building on the great traditions we all enjoyed as students.

WOuLD YOu LIke TO be FeaTuReD in the next edition of Laurier Campus magazine, describing how you benefited from one of Laurier Alumni’s GradVantages programs? Please send your story to alumni@wlu.ca. For more information about this and other GradVantages programs, visit www.laurieralumni.ca/gradvantages

visit www.laurieralumni.ca/gradvantages

aLuM-0621-april10 - Convocation ‘10 12.05.10

Since graduating in 2007, Joanna LaFleur has been hard at work pursuing a career in high-tech marketing. She also works with youth at a local church and volunteers as the public relations manager for Sustainable Waterloo, a not-for-profit organization with strong Laurier ties. Her work and volunteerism keep her busy, and with the environment in mind, she always tries to minimize her carbon footprint. So, to get around town, Joanna bought a motor scooter.

Be inspired

Wilfrid Laurier University is known for academic excellence. But what really sets us apart is how we combine that excellence with a vibrant sense of community that ignites a spirit of leadership and purpose. At Laurier, you’ll be challenged to become an engaged and aware citizen of an increasingly complex world, and you’ll get the education and experience to do something truly meaningful with your life.

That’s Laurier — inspiring lives of leadership and purpose.

C elebrating 1 0 0 years in 2 0 11 | w w w. w l u . c a