As the best university men’s cross-country runners in Canada compete on Vancouver Island this weekend, UPEI’s Lee Wesselius will be right there with them. Wesselius has been the anchor for the UPEI Men’s Cross-Country team all season and is keen to wear the green and white at the University of Victoria.

The Panthers took the bronze at the recent Subway Atlantic University Sport (AUS) Men’s Cross-Country Championships in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. The team finished third in the 10-kilometre race, behind Dalhousie University and St. Francis Xavier University—UPEI’s best finish since returning to cross-country competition three years ago.

“The key to my success this year has been consistency and hard work,” said 23-year-old Wesselius. “I've managed to stay healthy and haven’t had any serious injuries. I also had my best summer of training to date and have been running more than I ever have in the past.”

Wesselius is trying to not let success go to his head. The native of River Glade, New Brunswick has stuck to the training routine that has worked for him all season. Still, the prospect of racing on the national stage is a big challenge, and an exciting one.

“It’s always nice when you get the opportunity to duke it out with the other top guys in the country and see exactly where you are,” he said. “The past several months have all been centred on having a good race at U-Sports so hopefully I can perform well once I get there.”

Coach Colin MacAdam was reflective of the team’s successful season after the AUS finals in Wolfville. He talked about his optimism with the Charlottetown Guardian, especially the prospect that potential cross-country stars will see UPEI as a place to train and compete.

“In years past there’s been quite a number of PEI athletes run for other universities,’’ MacAdam said. “Now we’ve got them at UPEI. We’re going to be moving up the ladder. It’s great.’’

Follow Wesselius’ progress this weekend at USPORTS.ca. Go Panthers Go!

Research on Tap returns Thursday evening with a public discussion about a new “golden age” in antibiotic discovery. The first half of the 20^th century was an exciting era for scientists searching for drugs to effectively treat bacterial infections. But those discoveries are now rare, and bacteria are getting better at resisting our most powerful tools.

Researchers like UPEI’s Logan MacIntyre are searching for new antibiotics using new methods. While some worry that drugs that can be derived from bacteria and fungi have been exhausted, MacIntyre will explain new methods that may take this search in a new and exciting direction. 

Logan leads the discussion Thursday, November 16 at 6:30 pm in The Wave.

Research on Tap is a series of public discussions led by UPEI researchers. For more information, please email gsa@upei.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. 

Every week, UPEI Athletics and Recreation recognizes two student-athletes for their hard work and dedication to their respective sports. Congratulations to Reese Baxendale and Ryan MacKinnon, the UPEI Panther Subway Athletes of the Week for November 6–12!

Reese Baxendale is a first-year guard on the UPEI Women’s Basketball team, and a Bachelor of Science student from Sussex, New Brunswick. While the Panthers split a pair of games over the weekend with the University of New Brunswick Reds, Baxendale shone in both match-ups with an average of 16 points per game, hitting 45% of her shots (including 39% from beyond the three-point line). She also averaged three rebounds, two assists, and two steals per game. On defence, she held UNB’s top scoring point guard to just five points in two games. “Reese played an exceptional pair of games against UNB on both ends of the floor,” said coach Greg Gould. “She looked like a veteran out there! Her speed, ability to attack the basket, and shoot both pull-ups and the three-point shots makes her difficult to guard.” Baxendale is currently ranked 11^th in the AUS for scoring, and the top rookie in the country, averaging 12.8 points a game.

Ryan MacKinnon is a third-year year defenceman on the UPEI Men’s Hockey team and a Bachelor of Business Administration student from Summerside. The Panthers played two games over the weekend, defeating Dalhousie University 5–4 on Friday and losing to St. Francis Xavier University 4–2 on Saturday. “With a couple injuries to our defence right now, we are relying on Ryan even more,” said coach Forbes MacPherson. “He is playing big minutes in all situations and had the game winning goal versus Dalhousie Friday.”

Don’t forget to pick up your Panther Package! For just $75, the package includes admission to every home game for UPEI Women’s and Men’s Basketball, and UPEI Women’s Hockey. Head to gopanthersgo.ca and click on ‘tickets’!

UPEI students get into all Panther home games for free. Let’s fill the stands and make 2017–18 the best season ever!

Every week, UPEI Athletics and Recreation recognizes two student-athletes for their hard work and dedication to their respective sports. Congratulations to Jenna Mae Ellsworth and Moshe Wadley, the UPEI Panther Subway Athletes of the Week for November 13–19!

Jenna Mae Ellsworth is a second-year guard on the UPEI Women’s Basketball team and a Bachelor of Science student from Charlottetown. The Panthers dropped a pair of games over the weekend to Cape Breton University, but Ellsworth shone, averaging 23 points per game, shooting 43% from the field, 43% from beyond the three-point line, and a perfect 100% from the foul line. She also averaged two rebounds, two assists, and two steals. “Jenna Mae had an outstanding offensive weekend against CBU while holding her mark to an average of four points per game defensively,” said coach Greg Gould.

Moshe Wadley is a first-year guard on the UPEI Men’s Basketball team and a Bachelor of Business Administration student from Toronto, Ontario. The team lost back-to-back games against Cape Breton University, but coach Darrell Glenn liked what he saw in his first-year guard. “Moshe plays above the rim,” said Glenn. “At 5’10”, Moshe pulled down a game-high twelve rebounds in our second game against CBU. Rebounding is one of those selfless skills that separates a competitor from an average player. Moshe stepped up his desire to win when we needed it most.”

Don’t forget to pick up your Panther Package! For just $75, the package includes admission to every home game for UPEI Women’s and Men’s Basketball, and UPEI Women’s Hockey. Head to gopanthersgo.ca and click on ‘tickets’!

UPEI students get into all Panther home games for free. Let’s fill the stands and make 2017–18 the best season ever!
 

Dr. Tess Miller, associate professor of education at UPEI, invites parents and teachers to a special event designed to help improve the math ability of students on Prince Edward Island. The event is Wednesday, December 6, from 4:30–6:00 pm in room 104 of UPEI’s Health Sciences Building.

Dr. Miller has developed a series of math videos to teach concepts in multiplication, fractions, and decimals. The videos provide strong visual aids to help anchor concepts, which, for some learners, are difficult to grasp.

“When learning difficult topics, students often resort to memorizing algorithms, which may lead to the correct result but does not provide a deep understanding of what is really happening,” explained Dr. Miller. “By using diagrams to explain the concepts, students can not only come to a correct answer but fully grasp how they got there.”

Participants will be divided into small groups to watch short videos on individual concepts. Dr. Miller and her team will also engage the groups in practicing the concepts in the videos.

All are welcome. Please let Dr. Miller know by December 1 if you plan to attend.

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.

Since 1888, the Estate of Owen Connolly has helped thousands of Prince Edward Island students of Irish Catholic heritage gain a higher education. Leonard Cusack (SDU ’69) has written the rags-to-riches story of Owen Connolly, the remarkable man behind the money. We invite you to celebrate the launch of Owen Connolly: The Making of a Legacy on Thursday, November 30, at 7:00 pm at the PEI Brewing Company in Charlottetown. The event will feature the Irish group, Omos. All are welcome.

Owen Connolly first stepped onto the docks in Charlottetown in 1839 as a poor young Irish immigrant escaping the poverty and repression of his homeland. Forty years later, he was one of the wealthiest men on Prince Edward Island.

Connolly was a special kind of entrepreneur; with little formal education, he could write well and was good with figures. When he died in 1887, he left almost all his fortune to provide bursaries to poor Irish Catholic students from PEI.

The Connolly bursary has funded more than $3 million to help Island students of Irish Catholic heritage gain a higher education, many of them at SDU or UPEI. But because the bursary was handled externally, there are no easy records of which students received it.

The UPEI Alumni Office is issuing a special call to SDU and UPEI alumni who benefited from the Connolly bursary over the years. If you received the Connolly bursary, please contact Anthony Gill at adgill@upei.ca.
Soft cover and souvenir copies of the book will be available for sale and signing at the launch on November 30. Owen Connolly: The Making of a Legacy is published by Island Studies Press and the Estate of Owen Connolly.

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 University of Prince Edward Island recently held a signing ceremony for the pension agreement between the UPEI Board of Governors and UPEI's four unions: UPEI Faculty Association (bargaining units 1 and 2), IBEW 1928, CUPE 1870, and CUPE 501. The agreement was ratified by the unions and approved by the Board of Governors in November 2016.

“This signing is momentous as it officially marks UPEI’s transition to a jointly sponsored pension plan, which will ensure sustainability for UPEI employees,” said Jackie Podger, Vice-President Administration and Finance.

Taking part in the signing were (from left to right) Tracy Carmichael, President CUPE 1870; Donald Large, IBEW 1928; Pat Sinnott, Chair, Board of Governors; Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, President and Vice-Chancellor; Dr. Nola Etkin, President, UPEI Faculty Association; and Wayne Squarebriggs, President CUPE 501. Also on hand to witness the historic occasion were (from left to right) Dr. Wayne Peters, UPEI Faculty Association; Blair Somers, IBEW 1928; and Jackie Podger.

Every week, UPEI Athletics and Recreation recognizes two student-athletes for their hard work and dedication to their respective sports. Congratulations to Megan Sullivan and Samy Mohamed, the UPEI Panther Subway Athletes of the Week for November 20–26!

Megan Sullivan is a fourth-year Bachelor of Science student from Bathurst, New Brunswick and a goalie on the UPEI Women’s Hockey team. The team split a couple of games over the weekend, beating Dalhousie University 3–2 and losing to Saint Thomas University 3–2 in overtime. Sullivan stopped 48 of 53 shots over the weekend, posting a save percentage of 90.7.

“Megan played very well this weekend, making a few big saves when we needed them,” said coach Bruce Donaldson. “Megan had a great week of practice and, along with the entire team, felt confident going into the weekend. We ask our goalies to give the team an opportunity to win, and that means making some key saves at critical times. Megan did just that, and we earned 3 out of 4 possible points.”

Samy Mohamed is a fifth-year guard on the UPEI Men’s Basketball team and a Bachelor of Business Administration student from Scarborough, Ontario. The team lost 88–78 to Acadia University over the weekend, but Mohamed scored 18 points, grabbed two rebounds, and made three assists.

“Samy’s potential to impact the entire game was on full display Saturday night,” said coach Darrell Glenn. “Our team is getting better, and we will rely heavily on Samy’s consistent contributions moving forward.”

Don’t forget to pick up your Panther Package! For just $75, the package includes admission to every home game for UPEI Women’s and Men’s Basketball, and UPEI Women’s Hockey. Head to gopanthersgo.ca and click on ‘tickets’!

UPEI students get into all Panther home games for free. Let’s fill the stands and make 2017–18 the best season ever!

In L.M. Montgomery’s beloved Anne of Green Gables, the Avery Scholarship was an object of fierce competition between Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe. The Avery Award is a very real, new award at UPEI, established in appreciation of the legacy of Montgomery, and its very first recipient is Michaela Wipond, a third-year English major from Calgary, Alberta.

Wipond first fell in love with the writings of Montgomery as a lonely 11-year-old at summer camp, when a copy of Anne became her closest companion. She spent the next six years devouring every title of PEI’s most famous literary icon she could put her hands on. Indeed, it was her love of Montgomery which brought her to UPEI.

“Moving across the country to a province I had never been to before was not an easy decision to make, but it was undoubtedly the right one,” wrote Wipond in her application essay. “I accomplished one of my dearest ambitions when, in the summer of 2016, I took English 333: L.M. Montgomery. I found inspiration, a mentor, and a kindred spirit in Professor Deirdre Kessler.”

The Avery Award comes with a $1000 cash prize, and an opportunity to work with mentor Melanie Fishbane. Fishbane is the social media coordinator and member of the management committee of the L.M. Montgomery Institute (LMMI). She is also the author of the critically acclaimed novel Maud, inspired by the life of L.M. Montgomery. Fishbane will mentor Wipond in social media initiatives of the LMMI and help her connect with a passionate international community of scholars and readers.

“When I first met Michaela at the LMMI conference in 2016, I remember thinking how wonderful it was that we had a student at the conference, who had such passion and focus for Montgomery and her work,” said Fishbane. “Michaela is part of the next generation of scholars, and it is imperative that the LMMI supports this any way it can. I’m thrilled that Michaela won the Avery Award and have this opportunity to nurture her ambitions, showing her best practices in how to engage with the Montgomery community online and around the world.”

The Avery Scholarship (now the Avery Award) was originally established by Jeannette Arsenault and Don Maxfield, the owners Cavendish Figurines Ltd. (now Shop & Play), and their staff. The award was created in appreciation of the legacy of L.M. Montgomery on PEI and in tribute to the “spirit of Anne.” The award supports UPEI students with an interest in Montgomery and a desire to pursue excellence in writing.

Congratulations, Michaela!

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. 

Dr. Basil Ikede, retired professor and chair, AVC Department of Pathology and Microbiology, contributed to the 11th edition of Veterinary Medicine: A Textbook of the Diseases of Cattle, Horses, Sheep, Pigs and Goats, published recently by Elsevier. The book’s four authors and nine coauthors come from the United States, Australia, Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

Dr. Ikede wrote the sections on foreign animal diseases, especially major exotic viral and protozoan diseases, and on necropsy and specimens for confirmation of diagnosis. He has contributed to this textbook since the 8th edition published in 1994.

The first edition of the book was published in 1960, authored by Blood and Henderson. Since then, it has been the standard text and reference material for veterinary students, graduate students, practicing veterinarians, and field workers. It is the most extensively cited textbook in veterinary medicine, with a total of 4,267 citations (Google Scholar, May 2016). It has been translated into French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Chinese, and Russian.

Published in two volumes, the 11th edition has been extensively revised; its format is substantially different from the 10th edition. The new edition uses the organ system approach, and has had more than 150 new figures added. As before, each major disease has a synopsis for quick reference. An electronic edition is also available from the publisher.

Dr. Ikede is also a retired professor and head, Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.