Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Prince Edward Island, announced today that four exceptional leaders in their respective fields will be awarded honorary Doctor of Laws degrees at Convocation ceremonies on May 13, 2017.

Honorary degrees will be conferred upon Indigenous leader and Elder Ms. Judith Clark of York, PEI; business and community leader Mr. Stan MacPherson of Charlottetown; UPEI past-president and professor emeritus Dr. Elizabeth Epperly of Wolfville, Nova Scotia; and SDU alumnus and business owner Mr. Allan Curran of Bay Shore, New York.

“We are so excited to honour these distinguished individuals who have contributed so much to society. Each honorary degree recipient epitomizes success in their field, as well as service to their communities,” said President Abd-El-Aziz. “What makes this year very special is that each recipient has distinct and ongoing ties with the University. As our graduates begin to chart their own path as global citizens, they will be inspired by the stories of how our honorary graduands have made their mark.”

The University’s Senate approved the honorary graduands at a meeting earlier this year in accordance with University policy that states that honorary doctorates of laws will be presented “to individuals who display the highest levels of achievement in public and community service.”

The Convocation ceremonies will take place on Saturday, May 13 in the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre with the first ceremony beginning at 10:00 am and the afternoon ceremony at 2:30 pm. Each ceremony will be broadcast live on Eastlink TV and at upei.ca/live.

Elder Judith Clark
Judy Clark is a Mi’kmaq woman from Epekwitk and a member of Abegweit First Nation. She has served as the president for the Aboriginal Women’s Association of PEI for five terms since 2008, and prior to that as vice-president. In this volunteer position, Ms. Clark has raised the profile of the organization and proven to be a strong advocate for the interests of Aboriginal families, particularly in reducing violence against Aboriginal women and girls. She has been involved in honouring the missing and murdered Indigenous women through the Sisters in Spirit national campaign since its inception. This past summer, Ms. Clark facilitated eight study sessions at the Confederation Centre Library for the public to read and understand the summary of the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. As a respected Mi’kmaq Elder, Ms. Clark is often called upon for her spiritual support and to share her teachings with her community members. She holds a Certificate in Conflict Resolution Studies from UPEI and serves as a Circle Keeper with the Mi’kmaq Confederacy of PEI Justice Program, on the RCMP Commissioner’s National Aboriginal Advisory Committee, and on the RCMP–PEI Commanding Officer’s Aboriginal Advisory Committee. She is a long-time supporter of UPEI and, since 2001, has served as Knowledge Keeper for the Faculty of Education, guest lecturing many classes to provide insights and context on a range of Indigenous issues. She has also made herself available to UPEI in an advisory role to both senior administration and the Mawi’omi Aboriginal Student Centre.

Mr. F. Allan Curran
Allan Curran is President of Royal Products, a manufacturer of precision metalworking performance accessories based in Hauppauge, New York. A native of Brooklyn, NY but with strong roots on Prince Edward Island, he followed in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps by attending UPEI’s founding institution Saint Dunstan’s University in 1958 to study commerce. After graduating in 1962, he returned to New York to apprentice as a machinist at his father’s manufacturing company where he gained hands-on understanding of the business. After being drafted in 1965, Mr. Curran served for two years in the US military, later returning to the family business where he eventually assumed the role of President. A long-time member of the Association for Manufacturing Technology, he also chaired its Government Relations Committee. He is a caring, compassionate, and thoughtful business owner who is recognized for putting his staff and their welfare well above himself. Although he has travelled the globe to grow his company, Mr. Curran has a special place in his heart for PEI and is incredibly proud of his time spent both on the Island and at the University. He passionately believes that the UPEI School of Sustainable Design Engineering will help create wealth and grow the PEI economy. His desire in guiding the new School is a true testament to his yearning to give back.

Dr. Elizabeth Epperly
Dr. Elizabeth "Betsy" Epperly has made significant contributions to the University and to PEI throughout her career. She was the first student to register at UPEI after its formation in 1969, coming from Virginia because of her love for the writing of L.M. Montgomery. An English professor for 30 years, she spent 22 of those at UPEI where she was the founding chair of the L.M. Montgomery Institute and served as the fourth (and first female) president. Her scholarly works on Montgomery, including several books and large public exhibitions, have helped academics and the general public gain a more robust understanding of the rich and complex life of our province’s most famous author; the biennial international Montgomery conferences she began at UPEI in 1994 have been key in establishing the world-wide field of Montgomery studies. She has demonstrated strong leadership and commitment, and she continues to support and to inspire others.

Mr. Stan H. MacPherson, FCPA, FCA
Stan MacPherson has been an active community and business leader in our province for over 40 years. His involvement in Island life has touched many segments of society including tourism, commerce, government, charity, agriculture, finance, and education. His demeanour and ability to work with such a diverse group of people and organizations is well known and respected within his profession and across the Island. Throughout his more than thirty-five years as Partner with MacPherson Roche Smith, Chartered Professional Accountants and Management Advisors, he has acted as a mentor for many young professionals, including having helped train in excess of 50 professional accountants (most of whom were business graduates from UPEI). He has been involved as an owner-manager in several business endeavours over the course of his career and instrumental in economic development initiatives on PEI through his leadership roles with key organizations such as the Charlottetown Civic Centre (now Eastlink Centre), Charlottetown Area Development Corporation, and the Charlottetown Harbour Authority. Mr. MacPherson has also been involved in a number of community, educational, and charitable activities, and has held volunteer leadership positions with Holland College, United Way of Canada, IWK, QEH, and CHANCES Family Centre. His time and efforts in these roles are boundless and he has received several recognition awards for his contributions to these important causes. 

It's still winter, but that doesn't mean that ticks are still asleep. March is Tick Awareness Month. Check out Dr. Marti Hopson's CBC Pets and People column about ticks and Lyme disease!

The University of Prince Edward Island took further steps today to honour the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report when President and Vice-Chancellor Alaa Abd-El-Aziz announced plans for an Indigenous advisory group.

“UPEI is committed to being fully aware of the role our institution must play in promoting a better understanding of Aboriginal history and culture, and supporting respectful relationships based on mutual understanding with members of our Indigenous community,” said President Abd-El-Aziz. “We must ensure that the perspectives of our Indigenous Peoples are included in the governance of the University.”

The purpose of the President’s Indigenous Advisory Council is to guide, advise, and support the overall direction to be undertaken by UPEI to indigenize the campus and contribute to the reconciliation process through higher learning.

Members include Brian Francis, Chief of Abegweit First Nation; Matilda Ramjattan, Chief of Lennox Island First Nation; Lisa Cooper, President and Chief of the Native Council of PEI; Judith Clark, UPEI Elder-in-Residence and President, Aboriginal Women’s Association of Prince Edward Island; Payton Jadis, President, UPEI Aboriginal Student Association; Robert Gilmour Jr., UPEI Vice-President Academic and Research; and Jackie Podger, Vice-President Administration and Finance.

“This Council,” added President Abd-El-Aziz, “will explore ideas and develop initiatives that enable the campus to change attitudes and open opportunities so that Indigenous students at UPEI are welcomed and can thrive and achieve high levels of academic and personal success.”

The University of Prince Edward Island prides itself on people, excellence, and impact and is committed to assisting students reach their full potential in both the classroom and community. With roots stemming from two founding institutions—Prince of Wales College and Saint Dunstan’s University—UPEI has a reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and creating positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. UPEI is the only degree granting institution in the province and is proud to be a key contributor to the growth and prosperity of Prince Edward Island.

University of Prince Edward Island Women’s Basketball head coach Greg Gould is pleased to announce Annabelle Charron has committed to the Panthers for the 2017-18 season.

Charron is a 5’9” guard from Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec. She has been a two-year starter for her Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Geants CEGEP team.

“I am excited to join a Panthers team who are young and on the move in the AUS,” said Charron. “UPEI is a good fit for me to pursue my academic and basketball goals. I feel I will be able to realize my full potential with the Panthers. I am looking forward to the challenge of playing at the next level, working hard to improve, and making a contribution to our team’s success. UPEI has an excellent nutrition program and I am excited to work towards my goal of becoming a nutritionist. I hope to build many memorable experiences during my career at UPEI.”

Coach Gould first noticed Charron last spring when her Saint-Jean-Sur-Richelieu team won their league championship. “I believe Annabelle is a great fit for our program,” said Gould. “She comes from a winning program, is a great student, a hard worker, and great team player. Annabelle will bring speed and tenacious defense to our team. I look forward to working with her and helping her to achieve her academic and basketball goals.”

Charron has been accepted into the UPEI Faculty of Science.

Dr. Sarah Gallagher, an associate professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Western Ontario, will be at UPEI as part of the 2017 Canadian Association of Physicists Lecture Tour. Her talk, “The Biggest Blowhards: Windy Supermassive Black Holes,” is Wednesday, March 22 at 4:30 pm in the Alex H. MacKinnon Auditorium, room 242 of UPEI’s Don and Marion McDougall Hall. All are welcome.

Supermassive black holes reside in the centres of every massive galaxy including our own Milky Way. In relatively brief spurts, black holes grow as luminous quasars through the infall of material through an accretion disk. Remarkably, the light from the accretion disk can outshine all of the stars in the host galaxy by a factor of a thousand, and this radiation can also drive energetic outflows. Mass ejection in the form of winds appears to be fundamental to quasar activity and can be directly observed in many objects with broadened and blue-shifted UV emission and absorption features.

Dr. Gallagher will describe our model of the dusty wind and evaluate its successes and shortcomings in accounting for observed properties of quasars such their mid-infrared power and the fraction of hidden objects.

Sarah Gallagher is currently an associate professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Western Ontario. Prior to that, she was an assistant research astronomer at the University of California, Los Angeles. Her research focuses on investigating the nature of winds from luminous quasars (accreting supermassive black holes at the centers of distant galaxies) using observatories covering the infrared to the X-ray, including two of NASA’s Great Observatories, Spitzer and Chandra.

The University of Prince Edward Island prides itself on people, excellence, and impact and is committed to assisting students reach their full potential in both the classroom and community. With roots stemming from two founding institutions—Prince of Wales College and Saint Dunstan’s University—UPEI has a reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and creating positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. UPEI is the only degree granting institution in the province and is proud to be a key contributor to the growth and prosperity of Prince Edward Island.

M. Stacy Hanrahan, the representative for the Congregation of Notre Dame (CND) to the United Nations, will be at UPEI to give a presentation on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN’s 2030 Development Agenda. Her talk will explore the implications and challenges that fulfilling the agenda will require. Hanrahan says the agenda is nothing less than “an awakening of our human species to our relationships, responsibilities, and interdependencies with all created life and to the earth."

Her presentation, “The International Sustainable Development Agenda for 2030: All Creation is on tip toe, to see the human species come into its own,” begins at 1:30 pm, Friday, March 24 in the Alex H. MacKinnon Auditorium, room 242, of UPEI’s Don and Marion McDougall Hall.

All are welcome.

The University of Prince Edward Island prides itself on people, excellence, and impact and is committed to assisting students reach their full potential in both the classroom and community. With roots stemming from two founding institutions—Prince of Wales College and Saint Dunstan’s University—UPEI has a reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and creating positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. UPEI is the only degree granting institution in the province and is proud to be a key contributor to the growth and prosperity of Prince Edward Island.

Four faculties at the University of Prince Edward Island have announced a joint initiative that will support efforts to indigenize the curriculum. This is another step being undertaken by the University to honour its commitment to the recommendations and calls to action in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report.

The Faculty of Education, Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Science, and School of Nursing will create The Sisters’ Teaching and Knowledge Garden, a place where ancient seeds of knowledge are planted and where new knowledge is sown and grown.

“This new knowledge,” says President and Vice-Chancellor Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, “will be centred on infusing Indigenous ‘ways of knowing’ into the academy, as well as supporting Indigenous students on their journey to and through post-secondary education.”

As with Indigenous ways of knowing—where silos of understanding do not exist since everything is connected—UPEI’s Garden will be interdisciplinary and inclusive in nature.

President Abd-El-Aziz adds, “The Garden will nourish many aspects of UPEI and will be tended to by the Faculty of Education’s Dr. John Doran, along with three new faculty members who will be cross-appointed to the Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Science, and School of Nursing, as well as by students, faculty, and staff from across campus.”

The UPEI Faculty of Education has a long tradition of dedicating energy and resources to create programming to support Indigenous students and conducting research for the sake of Indigenous peoples. The Faculty recently hired Dr. Doran as assistant professor of Indigenous Education and Social Studies. Along with the three new faculty to be hired, he will engage in activities to rethink and reimagine how the University’s curriculum can change to include Indigenous ways of teaching, learning, living, and knowing.

Many First Nations peoples believe that life is a circle, and a garden, along with the metaphor of sisters, is often given as an example to demonstrate this cyclical pattern. Traditionally, the "sisters" were themselves corn, squash, and beans who came to the support and aid of one another. Just as the Indigenous sisters nourished one another, the four UPEI faculty “sisters” will join together to grow the collective vision for the University to enhance programming and deepen and spread the engagement of Indigenous ways of learning throughout the campus.

The University of Prince Edward Island prides itself on people, excellence, and impact and is committed to assisting students reach their full potential in both the classroom and community. With roots stemming from two founding institutions—Prince of Wales College and Saint Dunstan’s University—UPEI has a reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and creating positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. UPEI is the only degree granting institution in the province and is proud to be a key contributor to the growth and prosperity of Prince Edward Island.

UPEI President and Vice Chancellor Alaa Abd-El-Aziz joined Universities Canada and colleagues from across the country in commenting on the federal budget tabled by the Honourable Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance, in the House of Commons on March 22, 2017.

Universities Canada, the voice of Canada’s universities in advancing an agenda for higher education, research and innovation, held a briefing for members after “Budget 2017” was tabled to discuss how it impacts post-secondary education. Read the Universities Canada news release

“The University of Prince Edward Island appreciates the federal government for its ongoing recognition of the importance of post-secondary education,” says President Abd-El-Aziz. “This continued investment will help our University and other universities in Canada provide students with the skills they need to be ready for the future and contribute to the long-term prosperity of our country.”

President Abd-El-Aziz further noted that the UPEI Strategic Plan, 2013–18 aligns with the federal government’s priorities of research and innovation, talent mobilization, and indigenization. “We look forward to working with our federal government partners. Our priority is to develop the leaders of the future by providing students with experiential learning and research opportunities, allowing them to reach their full potential.”

“UPEI makes an important contribution to the economies of PEI and Canada through our innovative research agenda,” adds President Abd-El-Aziz. “We are excited to hear of innovation opportunities in advanced manufacturing, agri-food, clean technology, digital industries, health/biosciences, clean resources, agricultural discovery science, and climate change—all areas in which UPEI has expertise.”

“We especially look forward to participating in the federal government’s upcoming review of its programs that support Indigenous students who wish to pursue post-secondary education. We are committed to continuing our active engagement with our Indigenous community to advance student access and success.”

The University recently announced plans for the President’s Indigenous Advisory Council, which will guide, advise, and support the overall direction to be undertaken by UPEI to indigenize the campus and contribute to the reconciliation process through higher learning. One of the first items on the Council’s agenda will be to review federal and provincial support for Indigenous students.

The University of Prince Edward Island prides itself on people, excellence, and impact and is committed to assisting students reach their full potential in both the classroom and community. With roots stemming from two founding institutions—Prince of Wales College and Saint Dunstan’s University—UPEI has a reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and creating positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. UPEI is the only degree granting institution in the province and is proud to be a key contributor to the growth and prosperity of Prince Edward Island.

BACKGROUNDER: Federal budget highlights for post-secondary education

Research and innovation
• Canada’s universities look forward to the release of the final report of the Review of Federal Support for Fundamental Science. This report is expected to provide the government with an important opportunity to send a clear signal to all Canadians, and to the world, of its commitment to regain leadership among OECD countries for investments in university research.
• Last year, the granting councils received the highest amount of new annual funding for discovery research in over a decade. The Review of Federal Support is expected to lay the groundwork for future federal budgets with respect to reinvestments in the granting councils.
• The Canada Foundation for Innovation, based on the major investment made in Budget 2015, is able to continue its current programming with no impact on the university community. The Review of Federal Support will be very important in setting expected directions on sustained investment in research infrastructure in Budget 2018.
• Health researchers will benefit from new funding to CIHR to partner with federal departments on climate change and the effect of the opioids crisis.
• Canada’s universities welcome the federal government’s commitment to fund the Canada 150 Research Chairs program. This program will help attract 25 top researchers from around the world to Canada’s universities and enhance Canada’s reputation as a global centre for innovation, science and research excellence.
• Recent events in the United States and United Kingdom provide an unprecedented opportunity to attract leading researchers to strengthen our skills, research and innovation performance.
• We welcome new investments in Canada’s Innovation and Skills Plan. Canada’s universities play a key role in driving our innovation ecosystem for an inclusive and prosperous future. We are pleased that the role of universities as partners with business is reflected in Budget 2017 strategy for innovation superclusters.

Talent mobilization
• Global Skills Strategy: The work-permit exemption for brief academic stays under the government’s Global Skills Strategy is a welcome initiative that will facilitate the arrival of leading international researchers to our campuses.
• Skills development: The launch of a new organization to support skills development and measurement in Canada reflects the importance of preparing Canadians to meet future labour force needs. Universities play a vital role in equipping all Canadians, through continued education and lifelong learning, with the skills they need to adapt to shifting economic demands and make a meaningful contribution to unlocking innovation and driving Canada’s growth.
• Work integrated learning: Funding of $221 million over five years towards Mitacs’ goal of providing 10,000 work-integrated learning placements for Canadian postsecondary students and graduates each year is an important step in providing more Canadian students with valuable hands-on experience outside the classroom and research labs.

Indigenous higher education
• Indigenous education continues to be an urgent national priority. The federal government will increase funding to the Post-Secondary Student Support Program by $90 million over two years to support over 4,600 Indigenous students access higher education.
• Canada’s universities strongly welcome new federal investments of $5 million over five years to support Indigenous students across the country through Indspire scholarships and bursaries.
 

UPEI’s Department of Athletics and Recreation invites you and your family to an open house to celebrate the grand opening of new fitness studios in the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre! The open house runs 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, Saturday, April 1.

The new studios include a new, two-storey 2,400 square-foot activity training centre, which features a lower floor to accommodate general fitness classes and an upper-level training area equipped with stationary bicycles and interval training capabilities. The new studios are available for private fitness classes, such as spin and yoga.

“We are excited to showcase our newly renovated fitness studios in addition to welcoming the general public into our facilities,” said Chris Huggan, Director of Athletics and Recreation. “We want as many families and individuals to come see and experience what we have to offer in a quality venue and fitness centre and our programs and services including fitness classes, recreational programming, event hosting and our Panther Academy programs.”

Use of the fitness centre during the open house will be free. Join us for a tour of the facility at 10:30 am and noon, and take part in free fitness classes in the new studios. The gym will feature a Kids Zone with camp counsellors, face painting, and activities to entertain the kids while parents explore the facilities.

Information will be available about all of the programs and services at the UPEI Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre. Community memberships will be available!

The new fitness studios are made possible in part by generous support from the Government of Canada.

Find more information about the facility at gopanthersgo.ca!

The University of Prince Edward Island prides itself on people, excellence, and impact and is committed to assisting students reach their full potential in both the classroom and community. With roots stemming from two founding institutions—Prince of Wales College and Saint Dunstan’s University—UPEI has a reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and creating positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. UPEI is the only degree granting institution in the province and is proud to be a key contributor to the growth and prosperity of Prince Edward Island.

UPEI’s Faculty of Business sent two teams to the Alberta Not-For-Profit Association (ANPA) Case Competition, and one came home with second-place honours. The competition was the faculty’s fourth competition of the season.

Hosted by the University of Alberta School of Business in Edmonton, the ANPA competition is the only international, not-for-profit-focused case competition for undergraduate students in Canada. Similar to other case competitions, it encompasses elements of strategy, marketing, finance, accounting, etc., but it focuses on the unique challenges of the not-for-profit world. Students must consider and balance the social mission of the organization, as well as its financial goals. Competitors must find creative, resourceful, and practical solutions—and do it with the limited resources of a not-for-profit organization.

Team one from UPEI was made up of Alex Dunne, Andrew Chapman, Kate Kinsman, and Sydney Gallant. Team two included Carter MacDonald, Shanna Blacquiere, Krista Lee Oliver, and Brodie Watts.

“ANPA was a great opportunity to apply our knowledge to a real-life not for profit organization,” said Gallant. “Preparing for this competition challenged us to learn about the concepts we study in class apply to not-for-profit organizations.”

On the first day of the competition, students attended a panel presentation and learned about the not-for-profit sector in Alberta. They took part in a poverty simulation, which educated participants about the day-to-day realities of life with little money and an abundance of stress.

The ‘case partner’ for the competition was the YMCA of Northern Alberta (YNAB). Students toured the YMCA facilities in downtown Edmonton, where they were able to interact with employees and get acquainted with the organization before participating in a ‘live’ case competition, working on a real and current problem of the YNAB.

“Knowing that the organization was currently looking for our help made the experience that much more exciting and worthwhile,” said Oliver.

Students had 24 hours to analyze and prepare a solution to the case. During that period, they had access to the Internet and textbooks, but were allowed no communication outside of the members of their respective teams. Teams were given 15 minutes to present their solution, and an additional seven to answer judges’ questions and defend their recommendations.

UPEI’s team one successfully made it to the final round, where they gave their presentation again, this time with ten minutes for questions and defense. The team took a respectable second place, finishing behind a team from the University of Regina.

“The students understood that they needed to shift their mindset when working with a non-profit organization,” said Mary Whitrow, case competition program coordinator and coach. “They were able to create insightful and practical solutions for the YNAB that also achieved an excellent result for UPEI.

“We can all be proud of our case teams and the results they were able to achieve at the ANPA Case Competition,” said Dr. Juergen Krause, dean of the Faculty of Business. “Congratulations to the team for representing UPEI so well.”

As part of the prizes for the ANPA Case Competition, teams who finish first, second, or third are given the opportunity to donate $5,000, $3,000, or $1,000 respectively to the charity of their choice. The unrestricted grant is provided by the event’s title sponsor, the Muttart Foundation.

UPEI’s team chose to direct its donation to Parkinson Canada, because a member of Kate Kinsman’s lives with Parkinson’s disease. Her teammates chose to donate to this charity in advance of the competition, but didn’t tell her until after their win.

“I want to thank all the ANPA organizers and the Muttart Foundation for the opportunity to give this generous donation to Parkinson Canada,” said Kinsman.

The University of Prince Edward Island prides itself on people, excellence, and impact and is committed to assisting students reach their full potential in both the classroom and community. With roots stemming from two founding institutions—Prince of Wales College and Saint Dunstan’s University—UPEI has a reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and creating positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. UPEI is the only degree granting institution in the province and is proud to be a key contributor to the growth and prosperity of Prince Edward Island.