Did you know that bats are the only mammals that fly, and eat about 500 mosquitoes in an evening meal?  Learn more about these important animals with Jordi Segers, of the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, at the Atlantic Veterinary College (Room 286A/287) on Tuesday, June 13, at 7 pm.

Mr. Segers will give an engaging presentation about the bats of PEI and the world. He will share information on why bats are critically important to us and the world's ecosystems, explain why they are our true super heroes and what you can do in your own backyard to help PEI bats.

Everyone is welcome. Admission is free, and refreshments will be served. For information, call (902) 566-0589.

The UPEI Senate and Board of Governors has elevated the status of the UPEI School of Nursing from “School” to “Faculty” effectively immediately. The former School will now be known as the UPEI Faculty of Nursing.

Faculty members were strongly in favour of the status change when proposing it to the University's governing bodies. They cited the expansion of nursing programs, in particular graduate studies, and curriculum grounded in the philosophy of primary health care, and research as reasons for the change.

“This change is in recognition of the excellence in education, research and scholarly endeavours of faculty, and exponential growth of the nursing programs at undergraduate and graduate levels, creating a gold-standard educational journey for our students,” said Dr. Gulrose Jiwani, Dean of Nursing. “Our students enter their profession well-prepared and ready to contribute to the betterment of our communities at home and around the world, with demonstrated leadership and responsiveness to the health needs, cultural values, and diversity of our populations.”

With yearly enrolment exceeding 300 students, the Faculty is now home to 45 professionals, including tenure-track faculty; adjunct graduate faculty; clinical and sessional instructors; coordinators, and administrative assistants dedicated to advancing the UPEI Faculty of Nursing’s mission and vision.

“Over the past five years, the UPEI Faculty of Nursing has garnered more than $15 million in research funding,” said Vice-President Academic and Research Robert Gilmour. “As well, partnership agreements enable our Nursing students to participate in off-island placements across Canada and around the world.”

Founded in 1992, the former UPEI School of Nursing transformed nursing education on Prince Edward Island by moving it from the diploma to the baccalaureate level. With its humble beginnings offering a Bachelor of Science in Nursing to 16 students, the UPEI Faculty of Nursing has evolved to offer two undergraduate nursing-degree programs; a Master of Nursing program with thesis and nurse practitioner streams; post-graduate certificate courses; and an indigenized curriculum.

In celebration of its 25 years of accomplishments, the UPEI Faculty of Nursing will host a reception and gala dinner on June 29, 2017, click here for more information. 

The Department of Athletics and Recreation at the University of Prince Edward Island is seeking nominations for the UPEI Sports Hall of Fame. The nomination deadline is June 23, 2017, at 11:59 pm.

The UPEI Sports Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the athletics programs at the University of Prince Edward Island, Saint Dunstan’s University, or Prince of Wales College. Individual athletes, teams, and builders will be inducted on November 9, 2017 to honour their athletic success and community leadership.

The UPEI Sports Hall of Fame, in co-operation with the University Archives, welcomes donations of PWC, SDU, and UPEI sports memorabilia (photos, programs, clippings, crests, trophies/awards, etc.) on a year-round basis. Selected items will be displayed on site at the Hall of Fame or online.

To nominate or to discuss donations, please contact Ron Annear at (902) 566-0991, annear@upei.ca, or visit gopanthersgo.ca.

In July of this year, the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association will hold its annual conference on PEI, and AVC is proud to be part of this great event. During the conference, the College will host an All-Years Alumni Reunion on Friday, July 14, at 7 p.m., in The McCain Foundation Learning Commons.

In anticipation of the reunion, AVC has launched the first annual AVC Alumni Challenge Cup, a friendly and fun fundraising challenge to recognize the DVM class with the greatest proportion of grads who donate a $25 gift or more to the College. The winning class will be awarded the inaugural AVC Alumni Challenge Cup at the reunion. This is a great way for AVC alumni to show their pride in their class and their school!

At the reunion, alumni will have the chance to learn about the new AVC Alumni Association, a great way to stay in touch with their alma mater and classmates. For more information or to get involved, please contact Anthony Gill, manager of alumni engagement for UPEI, at adgill@upei.ca or Janice MacWilliam, special events coordinator for AVC, at jmacwilliam@upei.ca.

The School of Sustainable Design Engineering (SSDE) at UPEI has been granted accreditation from the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB). The CEAB accredits undergraduate engineering programs to ensure they provide the academic requirements for licensure as a professional engineer in Canada.

Wayne MacQuarrie, national chair of the CEAB, is an alumnus of UPEI and a member of the first graduating class of engineers, receiving his diploma in 1972.

“One of the things that’s unique about this particular program is the whole concept of project-based learning—essentially a move away from your traditional engineering education in a classroom setting,” said MacQuarrie. “And what we’re seeing, when we’re doing our accreditation visits across the country, is more and more moving away from traditional engineering instruction and more and more project-based learning, so UPEI is really on the cutting edge. I think what we’ll find, now that the program is accredited, there will be many more institutions looking at this particular model.”

“This has been a tremendous journey and I am so pleased that our School of Sustainable Design Engineering has been granted accreditation,” said Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, president and vice-chancellor of UPEI. “Our program is second-to-none and it's been a real pleasure working with faculty, staff, and students to create this future-focused school.”

“The accreditation of our program by the CEAB is the final stamp of approval on our unique educational model,” said Dr. Nicholas Krouglicof, associate dean of the SSDE. “This isn't your grandfather’s engineering. Our students learn in an activity-oriented, project-based learning environment. They’re engaged in real-world design projects with external clients for every semester of the program.”

The CEAB exists to ensure Canada’s engineering education system remains amongst the best in the world. It sets national standards for engineering education and provides expertise and efficiency in assessing engineering education on behalf of the provincial and territorial engineering regulatory bodies.

UPEI’s School of Sustainable Design Engineering is for students who are eager to put their skills and knowledge to work. Students are part of a unique learning experience that is hands-on, team-focused, project-based, and industry-linked.

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.

Samantha Sweet, an MSc student in UPEI’s Department of Chemistry, recently presented her master’s research at the 100^th annual Canadian Chemistry Conference in Toronto. Her presentation, “Fluorescence-based Trace Detection in Natural Waters on Prince Edward Island” was awarded Best Poster Presentation in the environmental division. Sweet is supervised by Dr. Brian Wagner.

Congratulations, Samantha!

The University of Prince Edward Island welcomes Bruce Rainnie as the inaugural Applied Communications, Leadership, and Culture (ACLC) practitioner. Bruce will hold the title of Journalist in Residence, delivering guest lectures and workshops associated with ACLC courses.

Defined by its focus on the transferability of communication skills, leadership training, and cultural awareness, the objective of the ACLC program is to bridge those skills, acquired during the pursuit of a Liberal Arts education, to the world beyond academia.

The program includes the appointment of an individual, well accomplished in their respective field, to serve as an in-house practitioner. As the program’s first Journalist in Residence, Rainnie brings his vast experience as a reporter and broadcaster for CBC and as host of CBC News: Compass, a position he held for 13 years. He has been a CBC Sports announcer for numerous sporting events including seven Olympics.

“Mr. Rainnie will be able to provide insightful, real-life experiences and training to our students. While on campus, he will be able to interact and have one-on-one conversations with students; he will also present the end-of-year ACLC public lecture,” says Vice-President Academic and Research Robert Gilmour.

The ACLC program will strongly encourage students to explore their individual interests and career ambitions. They will also be supported to pursue experiential learning opportunities through international exchange and practicum experiences. Over the course of the degree program, students will build expertise desired by employers to effectively respond to modern workplace demands.

“I am thrilled to serve UPEI and its students in this capacity,” said Rainnie. “I look forward to sharing my skills and experience with ACLC students and serving as a guest lecturer. I couldn’t be more pleased to still be ‘anchored’ to the Island community, thanks to UPEI, and I am very proud to be a part of and contribute to the University.”

UPEI Men’s Hockey 2017-18 season tickets are on sale now! Ticket holders receive their own reserved seat, 15 individual tickets, and special access to ticket redemption nights and exhibition games. Catch every home game for just $190.

Buy your season tickets before July 31 and take advantage of the early bird package. UPEI Athletics and Recreation is proud to partner with its official sponsors to offer:

• 2-for-1 golf at Fox Meadow Golf and Country Club
• a 10% discount card at Source for Sports
• a 2-for-1 coupon for a large pizza at Domino’s Pizza

UPEI Men’s Hockey season ticket holders can also save on the Panther Package. An extra $50 will reserve your seat for every home game of Men’s and Women’s Rugby, Men’s and Women’s Soccer, Women’s Hockey, and Men’s and Women’s Basketball! That’s a saving of $25!

Visit gopanthersgo.ca or drop by Panther Central today for all your season ticket options.

Join us Monday, June 26 at 4:30 pm for a presentation from Dr. Josh MacFadyen, a candidate for UPEI’s Canada Research Chair in Applied Communication, Leadership, and Culture (ACLC). The presentation will be held in room 237 of UPEI’s Kelley Memorial Building.

Dr. Josh MacFadyen is an assistant professor of environmental humanities in the School of Historical, Philosophical, and Religious Studies and the School of Sustainability at Arizona State University. In 2014, he was a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Historical GIS Lab at the University of Saskatchewan, and from 2012-2014, he was NiCHE Project Coordinator and Course Instructor at the University of Western Ontario.

His talk is titled: “Canadian Food and Energy Frontiers: Mapping the Past to Prepare Leaders for the Future.”

Abstract: Working in the disciplinary ecotones between humanities, sciences, and social sciences, Dr. MacFadyen’s research on the environmental history of Canadian food and energy shows how the digital humanities are critical to understanding and communicating sustainability transitions. Using examples from the Maritimes, Eastern Great Lakes, and the Prairies, this talk applies tools like historical Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to help understand the origin of modern commodity frontiers, industrial agriculture, and energy transitions. By equipping Arts students with digital humanities, traditional land use mapping, and critical theories of science, we will better prepare leaders who inform the policies and engage the problems associated with food and energy in the Anthropocene.

The Applied Communication, Leadership and Culture program at UPEI explicitly connects the communication skills and leadership training of a liberal arts education to successful post-graduation employment. The program is defined by its focus on the transferability of the written, oral and visual communication skills, the critical thinking, and the cultural awareness acquired during a liberal arts education to the world beyond academia. Technical skills, work-integrated learning (internships, cooperatives, workplace-generated projects), and career-related mentoring are key components of its design.

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.

The UPEI Bookstore has upgraded its e-commerce website to offer a wider selection of clothing, giftware, textbooks, and local books available online, 24 hours a day. Panther fans, alumni, and current students will find the new site convenient and easy to use for their online purchases.

Under the “Course Materials” section, students can purchase textbooks or eBooks for their classes. Students have the option of getting eBook codes e-mailed directly to them, or having textbooks shipped to their home. Customers looking for reference books can search the UPEI Bookstore’s affiliate, eBook, for more than one million titles. 

The UPEI Bookstore carries locally published books including selections from the L.M. Montgomery Institute and Island Studies Press. Some notable titles are After Many Years and My Dear Mr. M from the L.M. Montgomery Institute and New London: The Lost Dream, Bird Calls, and A World of Islands from the Island Studies Press. Many have PDF versions available.

UPEI-, Panther, Alumni- and AVC-branded clothing is available online in ladies, unisex, youth, and toddler sizes under the “UPEI Gear”, "Panther Gear", “AVC Gear” and "Alumni Products" sections in the top menu bar. Unisex sizes range from Small–XXL, while ladies clothing is available in XS–XL. All clothing and giftware listed online is also available in-store. Items make great gifts for future and current students, UPEI Alumni, as well as Panther fans.

Online orders may be placed at any time of day, seven days a week, but orders are only processed during weekday business hours: 8:30 am–4:00 pm during the summer (May to August) and 8:30 am–4:30 pm during the school year (September to April). Free shipping is available on PEI for orders over $75 while shipping across Canada, the United States, and internationally is available at a nominal cost. Various payment methods are accepted including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and UPEI Bookstore gift cards. Orders may also be placed online for in-store pickup.

Visit the UPEI Bookstore's Shop UPEI website today!