Kelly Gillis, third-year psychology student at UPEI, has been selected as one of 12 Canadian students to take part in the 2012 International Seminar in Mali supported by the World University Service of Canada (WUSC). The seminar has been offered by WUSC for the past 60 years and is now managed by the Uniterra Program, a joint initiative of WUSC and the Centre for International Studies and Cooperation (CECI).

Each year, the International Seminar offers Canadian post-secondary students their first in-depth experience in a developing country through volunteer work in projects that are relevant and important to the host country. This year's seminar will take place, in Bamako, the capital city of Mali, from June 25-August 5. This year's theme is 'Employability, Health and Well-Being of Youth in Mali,' and students will be supporting the RENAPESS Mali, a network of local non-government organizations who seek to improve social, economic, and ethical issues in human socio-economic development. Gillis and the other Canadian students will join students from this year's host country for a six-week collaborative community project.

Gillis can't wait to start her volunteer adventure as she is interested in pursuing international development as a career. 'I want to make a tangible difference in the lives of others. I love helping people and I'm attracted to career opportunities that emphasize this,' she said. 'I am very grateful and excited to have this opportunity, and I can't wait to work with other students and RENAPESS this summer.'

Leo Cheverie, UPEI staff advisor for the WUSC local committee, was thrilled to hear that Gillis was chosen to take part in this year's seminar. 'She has shown a strong commitment in promoting international awareness and development throughout UPEI's WUSC committee,' he said. 'I hope that Islanders and the UPEI community can assist Gillis in achieving her fundraising goals, and I wish her all the best as she prepares to take on this exciting challenge.'

Most of the financial costs for the 2012 International Seminar are covered by the Uniterra program with support from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). However, participants are still required to fundraise and contribute $3,500 towards the program for related costs.

Gillis has been selling raffle tickets for a scratch card Lotto Tree and movie rentals, and will continue to do so for the next two weeks until the draw on March 24. She will be selling the tickets on campus as well as at the Farmer's Market on Saturdays. She is also hosting a St. Patrick's Day bake sale on March 15 from 11:30-1:30 pm in the W.A. Murphy Student Centre, as well as a Zumba class with certified instructor Lyndsey Paynter at the Murphy's Community Centre on Sunday, March 18 from 6:30-7:30 pm.

For more information, contact Kelly Gillis at (902) 218-0244 or ksgillis@upei.ca http://www.facebook.com/groups/249394371808248/

In its second year of competition, teams from UPEI travelled to Halifax to take part in the Atlantic Throwdown Case Competition, March 9-10. With nine student teams, the event pitted rival professors, Sujit Sur (Dalhousie) and Edward Gamble (UPEI), against each other. UPEI teams placed first and third and retained the challenge trophy (awarded to the team with the highest cumulative total points) for the second consecutive year.

The Throwdown is designed to give third-year students their first taste of competitive case analysis. It is also used as a tryout for the fourth-year case competition class whose members, this year, have been successful in numerous national and international competitions.

The pressure on students competing for the first time added increased stress levels and the participants certainly were at a fever pitch. This was a baptism of fire for these students. Using the current fourth-year case team members as student advisors and mentors, the teams had to prepare for a two pronged case analysis. Friday night involved a 'Buy Sell or Hold' analysis of a company, testing financial valuation knowledge and portfolio management theory.

Alana Mckie, one of the mentors for UPEI's first place team, had a great experience sharing her techniques and methods. 'They were very receptive to our feedback and they learned really quickly. By seeing success this weekend, hopefully they will be motivated to apply for the UPEI case team to represent the University at future competitions.'

On Saturday, the teams were then presented with a broader based strategic case. This tested not only financial knowledge but also included marketing, product distribution, and detailed strategic analysis. The teams were required to present their recommendations to the assembled panel of judges. This required the teams to analyze the situation within a three hour timeframe and to craft a presentation with their recommendations. They then had 10 minutes to pitch their case and answer any questions that the judges put to them. Knowledge, confidence, quickness of thought, and logic of rationale were all put to the forefront in this process.

Case competitions have been an integral part of business education; for example, they are a staple at the Harvard School of Business, which pioneered their usage. The scenarios provide students with the requirement to analyze real world business situations and to make recommendations as if they were the business executives or consultants.

Success at these events does not come easily, and is the result of many hours of preparation combining classroom knowledge, with analytical skills that need to be wrapped in a presentation style to present their conclusions. Thanks goes to Professor Edward Gamble for his guidance and mentoring, and to the 4th year case students who acted as coaches and inspiration for the competing teams.

UPEI's Co-operative Education office is excited to announce it will be celebrating and recognizing the accomplishments of its students during its annual awards ceremony on March 22. The ceremony takes place during the Canadian Association for Co-operative Education's (CAFCE) National Co-operative Education Week, March 19-23. The national week is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of Canadian co-op students.

UPEI will host its co-op awards ceremony on Thursday, March 22 from 4:30-6:30 pm, in McDougall Hall, Schurman Market Square. The ceremony will recognize UPEI co-op students for their accomplishments during co-op work terms. Specific awards include three Student of the Year honours in business, physics, and computer science, as well as a prestigious Co-op Student of the Year award. Award winners will have demonstrated high academic achievement, a valued contribution to their employer and community, and displayed personal and professional development.

Lisa Hoskins, UPEI's National Co-op Week Coordinator, expressed her pride in the program. 'The UPEI co-op program motivates students, and encourages them to take a positive step beyond their comfort level,' she said. 'It allows students to take initiative to develop a prosperous career path. It also progresses learning, maturity, and ambition, while easing the transition from University to the true-life workplace.'

Norah McRae, President of the CAFCE affirms the importance of co-op students. 'With over 80,000 co-op students in Canada, organizations are able to tap into a remarkable resource of newly developed skill sets, while at the same time enhancing their workforce by meeting a variety of staffing requirements.'

UPEI is among 130 colleges and universities across Canada that are actively involved in developing their students into workplace professionals through co-operative education. UPEI's Co-operative Education Program fosters next generation's leaders, and gives students the opportunity to push themselves, while at the same time, giving back to the local community. Through real-life experience and guidance from employers and co-op coordinators, students gain valuable knowledge and skills that will be used throughout their career upon graduation.

To kick off National Co-op Week, the Honourable Allen Roach, Minister of Innovation and Advanced Learning signed a proclamation announcing the week with members of UPEI's Co-op office on March 15. Alan Duncan, Dean of UPEI's School of Business, also signed the proclamation.

For more information on UPEI's Co-op Program, visit upei.ca/co-op or email co-op@upei.ca.

Students! Faculty! Staff! Grab your lunch and join in the conversation on UPEI's visioning exercise, Reflections & Future Directions. This is your chance to provide input into the road map that will guide UPEI's development over the next five years.

The Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of National Revenue and PEI Federal Regional Minister, announced funding today to the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) to help with their efforts to recruit more international students.

'Our Government is pleased to support academic institutions like UPEI, as they continue to expand and bring more people to our region,' said Minister Shea, on behalf of the Honourable Bernard Valcourt, Minister of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and La Francophonie. 'By increasing UPEI's profile in an international market, we are able to grow and strengthen our local economy.'

UPEI will participate in international student education recruitment fairs and tours to help attract more students to the university. Online information and promotional materials will also be developed for potential student's information.

"International recruitment is a top priority for the University. The best way to ensure that UPEI students can achieve success on this world stage is by incorporating more diversity into our student population. By introducing our Island students to students from around the world, we confirm UPEI's, and PEI's growing stature as an 'educational' destination. We are thankful of supporters like ACOA who believe in our efforts, and see the potential that an initiative like this has to strengthen and expand our Island community and economy,' said UPEI President and Vice-Chancellor Alaa Abd-El-Aziz.

The Government of Canada, through ACOA, has invested $310,000 to help the university with this initiative. UPEI has invested an additional $946,746 to the recruitment effort.

UPEI is home to an average of 130 international students a year from over 50 different countries around the world. International students bring great economic and cultural advantages to both the university and Prince Edward Island as a whole.

Don't stress about convocation! Come out to an information session on March 22 from 11:00 am-1:00 pm in McMillan Hall, W.A. Murphy Student Centre. You'll find out everything you need to know about convocation 2012-don't forget to bring your student ID card along.

Attend the session to find out more about grad week activities, Alumni Association benefits, post-graduate studies and scholarships, and more. Feel free to bring your credit card to order your degree frame, or pre-book it for pick-up at convocation, by doing so, you'll receive a 10% discount!

Convocation is a time for celebration, not stress-so come out and get your convocation questions answered. Fabulous prizes to be won as well!

The UPEI Wind Symphony will perform its final recital of the academic year on Thursday, March 29 at 7:30 pm at UPEI's Dr. Steel Recital Hall. This has been a particularly busy and musically rewarding year for the Wind Symphony with highly acclaimed performances of 'The Lord of the Rings' during the fall and winter, a successful concert tour of Nova Scotia, and a nomination for a 2012 Music PEI Award for Achievement in Classical Music.

Dr. Michael Corbett of Acadia University, recognized leader in the field of rural education will be on campus on March 27 to present at the 2012 Triple Tuesday Seminar Series. Corbett will present his book ‘Learning to Leave: The Irony of Schooling in a Coastal Community' on small schools in a big world-globalization and the rural school.

This seminar will look at both the pros and cons of small, rural schools and will suggest ideas that may help to resolve the tension between the small school and the big world. UPEI's Faculty of Education, in conjunction with the Centre for Education Research, welcomes everyone to attend this seminar, free of charge.

The event will take place in Main Building, Room 420, on March 27 from 2:30-4:00 pm.

UPEI Co-operative Education programs in Business Administration and Computer Science recently received formal accreditation by the Canadian Association for Co-operative Education (CAFCE) in time for National Co-op Week. The rigorous, six-month process involved an in-depth review of UPEI Co-operative Education policies and procedures by an external review team. The team consists of practitioners from the University of British Columbia, Dalhousie University, the University of Waterloo, the University of New Brunswick, and North Island College.

The University of Prince Edward Island is teaming up with The Gregg Centre for the Study of War and Society at the University of New Brunswick, HMCS Queen Charlotte, and the PEI Regiment to host the third annual Atlantic Military Affairs Symposium in Charlottetown. The two-day event will take place on March 30-31 at the PEI Queen Charlotte Armoury, highlighting the Island's role in the defence of Canada, and features a keynote address by Colonel David Patterson.

Hoping to attract academics, Island reservists, students, and the general public interested in how PEI connects to Canada's Military past and present, the event includes presentations by local and national scholars, and Canadian Forces members on a variety of subjects ranging from the Island's contribution in two world wars, the role of the PEI army and navy reservists, security challenges Canada faces in today's world, as well as the issue of Canada's new generation of veterans.

Patterson-who recently returned from a year's service assisting with the surge of US Forces into Kandahar and southern Afghanistan-will kick off the symposium with his keynote address on Friday, March 30 at 7:30 pm.

Other speakers are Marc Milner and Lee Windsor from The Gregg Centre; Lieutenant-Colonel Matthew Sprague, veteran of Operation Medusa in 2006 and RCAF Detachment Commander aboard HMCS Charlottetown (just returned from service off the coast of Libya); and Keith Hillier from Veterans Affairs Canada.

Admission is free and all are welcome to attend!