The Atlantic Veterinary College at UPEI opened its doors to the public on Saturday, September 26, welcoming up to 2,800 people to its 27th annual Open House.During his first Open House as dean of AVC, Dr. Greg Keefe greeted visitors—from infants to grandparents—at the main doors of the College.

“Open House was a wonderful success,” says Dr. Keefe. “The smiles on the faces of the children were contagious as they showed off their bandaged teddy bears. But it was not just the kids who enjoyed Open House; I overheard parents commenting about how interesting AVC is and how they wanted to come back to see it again. Open House is a great way to say thank you to the community that supports the College and our students so well throughout the year. Congratulations to Amy Bullerwell, student coordinator of Open House, and her army of student volunteers.”

This year’s event featured the always-popular children’s activity centre with a teddy bear clinic, gowning and gloving like a surgeon, face painting and animal balloons; nail-clipping and clicker-training demonstrations; the parade of dog breeds, a wide variety of animals from poultry and pigs to hamsters and hedgehogs; and exhibits by community partners such as the PEI Humane Society, 4-H, the Cat Action Team, and Maritime Greyhound Dog Rescue. New this year were short seminars about first aid for pets and protecting pets from poisons. Let’s Talk Science and the UPEI Department of Physics also mounted interactive demonstrations and displays.

AVC’s Open House is one of the largest, most successful open houses in Atlantic Canada.

A beautiful bald eagle is free again after spending most of the summer recovering from illness. The Atlantic Veterinary College’s wildlife service released the mature bald eagle at the Brudenell Campground and Trail Rides in eastern PEI on Tuesday, September 29. The eagle was found in that area by horse trail guides on July 6, 2015. Unable to fly, the dehydrated, weak bird was brought to the wildlife service at AVC where it received critical care in the first weeks. Over the following weeks, it slowly started to gain strength and began eating on its own. The eagle was gradually moved to larger quarters in the hospital and was eventually able to fly short distances. It was then transferred to the Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Nova Scotia, where it gained flight muscle strength in preparation for its release eight weeks after it was found. Present at the release were the Honourable Robert Mitchell, Minister of Communities, Land and Environment, and Steve MacLean, deputy minister. The eagle is one of several raptors treated at AVC and released back to the wild this past summer. The AVC wildlife service thanks the Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre for supporting the care of wildlife at the College. 

UPEI case competition students have started their year off “right” by taking top spots at the Atlantic Schools of Business (ASB) Case Competition. UPEI teams won both first and second place against nine other teams from Atlantic Canada. The competition took place on September 26 and was an integral part of the 45th annual ASB conference, one Canada’s longest running academic business conferences.

During the first morning of the competition, students received a business case they had never seen before. They then had three hours to analyze the case and create a solution, presenting it to a panel of industry professionals for 15 minutes, followed by a 5-minute question period. Their presentations stood out for being comprehensive and clearly communicated.

Other competing teams included Acadia University, Cape Breton University, Crandall University, Mount Allison University, Saint Mary’s University (2 teams), St. Francis Xavier University, Université de Moncton, and the University of New Brunswick.

UPEI Case Competition coach Mary Whitrow is proud of the team’s win. “Because this competition comes early in the year, students had to work hard to be ready so soon,” she said. “I am proud of both teams for putting in their best effort and earning this accomplishment.”

Dean of Business Juergen Krause is also pleased with such a decisive success. He said, “This win is a testament to our strong position regionally in case competitions. Congratulations for our teams and coach for their outstanding showing.”

The students on the winning team are Hannah Dawson, John Donaldson, Kate Kinsman and Cullen Mullally. The second place team included Erin Devine, Bogdan Belomestnykh, Bobby McIsaac, and Harrison Wood.

Bobby McIsaac says his team is more energized after this initial performance, “An early victory has provided us with an injection of confidence and a taste for success. This is just the motivation we need to continue working hard and representing our school with pride!”

Hannah Dawson agreed, “As the year goes on, it will be exciting to keep pushing and see what we can achieve.”

This is not the first success for UPEI at the ASB Case Competition. UPEI won first place in 2011, first and third place in 2012, and after not participating in 2013, achieved third place in 2014.

On Wednesday, September 30, Dr. Greg Keefe, Dean of the Atlantic Veterinary College, was pleased to host the Honourable Alan McIsaac, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, and John Jamieson, deputy minister. During their visit to AVC, the minister and deputy minister received an overview of AVC’s primary areas: teaching, research and service. They met with AVC faculty members and toured various sections of the College, including its Aquatic Animal Facility, Diagnostic Services, Large Animal Hospital, Farm Service, and the Maritime Quality Milk and Shellfish Research Group laboratories.

The Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) presented its 2015 Honourable Eugene F. Whelan Green Hat Award on Friday, October 2, to the trustees of the Christofor Foundation for their long-standing support of the Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre at AVC.

This support goes back to 1994 when the Animal Welfare Unit was established at the College through the generosity of philanthropist Lady Beaverbrook. In 1993 Lady Beaverbrook expressed to the Atlantic Veterinary College her wish to help horses and dogs. That wish resulted in a grant of $125,000 from the Sir James Dunn Foundation to create the Animal Welfare Unit at AVC, now known as the Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre (SJDAWC). Lady Beaverbrook died in late 1994, leaving the residue of her estate primarily for the benefit of domestic animals.

The SJDAWC has received consistent financial support and encouragement from the trustees of the Christofor Foundation (and the associated Sir James Dunn Foundation)—Michael and Cynthia Doyle, the late Dr. Tom Taylor, Esma Taylor, and Tom Taylor. In particular, the late Dr. Tom Taylor saw the value of creating and supporting a science-based centre dedicated to animal welfare.

Support from the Christofor and Sir James Dunn Foundations—totaling almost $5.9 million to June 2015—has provided secure funding that formed the basis of the Centre’s development. Since 1994, the Centre has met at least annually with the trustees and has presented proposals at intervals for renewed and expanded support.

The SJDAWC and AVC are grateful for the Christofor Foundation’s recent renewal of its support of the Centre with a commitment of $1.5 million over the next five years, including a new Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Graduate Scholarship fund at $75,000 per year.

During the presentation, Dr. Greg Keefe, dean of AVC, thanked the Christofor Foundation and its trustees for their generous ongoing support.

“Over the past 29 years, the Atlantic Veterinary College has exceeded all expectations with respect to its education, research, and service programs,” he says. “It is with the support of donors such as the Christofor Foundation that our college is truly an Atlantic Canadian success story.”

Over the past 21 years, through the SJDAWC, the Christofor and Sir James Dunn Foundations have supported 79 research projects that have practical implications to improve animal welfare, for a total commitment of $2.5 million, and 20 service projects with direct and immediate benefits to animals and teaching benefits for AVC students, totaling $1.4 million. This includes $1 million over ten years to establish a Chair in Animal Welfare at AVC, and support of AVC’s doctor of veterinary medicine students and graduate students through the Christofor Award in Animal Welfare and the Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Graduate Scholarship fund. Twenty-nine graduate students have been supported partially or wholly by the foundations, and the research performed has resulted in at least 74 publications. The foundations have also supported the Centre’s student project fund, its annual Animal Welfare in Practice conference, and many other initiatives.

The presentation of the Green Hat Award followed UPEI’s 16th annual Recognition of Founders ceremony honouring the university’s five past-presidents, Dr. Ronald Baker, Dr. Peter Meincke. Dr. CWJ Eliot (posthumously), Dr. Elizabeth R. Epperly, and the Hon. Wade MacLauchlan, and the launch of its $50 million friend- and fundraising INSPIRE! CAMPAIGN.

The UPEI School of Sustainable Design Engineering (SDE) participated in the CIBC Run for the Cure on October 4, and did so in big way. Stephen Peters, a second-year SDE student, came in second in the men's competition with a time of 24 minutes in the 5K run. The School also took home the award for “Post-Secondary Team Challenge” and the team was recognized at the Closing Ceremony with a plaque.

The team included staff, faculty, and Year 3 and Year 2 students.

Associate Professor Amy Hsiao said, “It was wonderful to be part of the community. We ran in honour of cancer health care professionals, moms, loved ones lost, and survivors, as well as engineering research and design focused on detection and treatment.”

She added, “We challenge other UPEI departments next year to join in for a great cause!”

Overall, the event in PEI raised $109,666.35.

UPEI Athletics and Recreation and Development and Alumni Engagement invite all former UPEI rugby players and fans to “Rugby Alumni Day” on Saturday, October 10. The alumni day for former rugby players is being held in conjunction with the UPEI Women’s Rugby game versus Acadia at 2:00 pm at MacAdam Field (UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place).

12 noon–2 pm – Alumni and friends gather at The Wave to watch World Cup Rugby action on the big screen, gifts provided by

2:00–4:00 pm – UPEI Women's Rugby match

4:00–6:00 pm – UPEI Men's Rugby alumni match

6:00–7:30 pm – Reception at The Wave

7:30–10:00 pm – Dinner and awards at The Factory

The UPEI Panther Subway Athletes of the Week for the week of September 28-October 4 are Kelsie Collier, Women’s Soccer and Lorenzo Parker, Men’s Basketball. UPEI Athletics and Recreation showcases these talented athletes to recognize their hard work and dedication to their respective sports. UPEI Athletes of the Week are also nominated to Atlantic University Sport and Canadian Interuniversity Sport for possible recognition in the region and/or country.

Who:  Kelsie Collier, Women’s Soccer; Lorenzo Parker, Men’s Basketball

What: UPEI Panther Athletes of the Week

When: Week of September 28 – October 4

Where: University of Prince Edward Island

Why:  Collier, a fifth-year Kinesiology student from Stanhope, PEI, has been instrumental in the team’s recent turnaround. The decision to move Collier back from the striker position to full back has been a significant influence on the team's improved play the last two weeks. During this weekend's 1-0 win over Dal and 1-0 loss to SMU, Collier played strong and showed tremendous leadership on the pitch.

Parker, a fourth-year Bachelor of Business Administration student from New Minas, NS, had a great weekend for the Panthers in the Eric Garland Tournament at UNB. Parker had 23 points and 7 rebounds in the teams 97-88 win over UNB Friday night, 30 points (career high) and 7 rebounds in the last second 97-95 loss versus Laval on Saturday, and 26 points and 8 rebounds in the 113-107 OT loss to SMU on Sunday. Parker was selected as a tournament All-Star.

About UPEI Athletics and Recreation

• Nine varsity sports and six club team programs
• Proud member of the AUS and CIS
• Athletic facilities include: Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre, UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place and UPEI Turf
• Home of Panther Sports Medicine
• Other facilities available to students and the community at large include: fitness centre, squash and racquetball courts, competition and leisure pool with hot tub, and two ice arenas

The University of Prince Edward Island honoured its five past presidents at its sixteenth annual Recognition of Founders ceremony today. The 2015 Founders are Dr. Ronald J. Baker, Dr. Peter P.M. Meincke, Dr. C.W.J. “Willie” Eliot (posthumously), Dr. Elizabeth R. Epperly, and the Hon. H. Wade MacLauchlan.

“UPEI's Recognition of Founders Ceremony is a time to come together as a community and celebrate those who have helped us establish who we are today,” said President Alaa Abd-El-Aziz. “It is a fitting that all our past presidents be given this honour, together, as they represent collectively the foundation of our University.”

Mr. Dana Kenny, president of the UPEI Student Union, presented the citations for each of the past presidents during the ceremony, while journalist Bruce Rainnie moderated the Presidents’ Panel: The Past Inspiring UPEI’s Future. The public panel discussion featured each Founder presenting his or her views on how elements of UPEI’s history, during their time as president, will shape the future of the University.

President emeritus and founding President Ron Baker, who was hired in 1969 at the age of 45 to take the reins of the newly established institution, commented, “At 91, I feel too out-of-date and increasingly incompetent to say much about the future, though given all that has happened since my time, I firmly believe that it will be great.”

“Thank you to our past presidents Ron, Peter, Betsy, and Wade,” added President Abd-El-Aziz. “Your words are inspiring and we will continue to strive to be the best for our students and to celebrate our accomplishments as a University, to carry on your legacy.”

Following the panel discussion, UPEI unveiled plans for THE INSPIRE! CAMPAIGN, a $50 million friend- and fund-raising campaign that will support University priorities: engineering, veterinary medicine, athletics, and experiential and global learning. A one million dollar gift from the SDU Board of Governors was announced as the first major leadership gift.

The Honourable Eugene F. Whelan Green Hat Award, which pays tribute to individuals who have made an exceptional impact on the Atlantic Veterinary College, was presented later in the day to the Cristofor Foundation.

About the Founders

Dr. Ronald J. Baker, President Emeritus, Founding President
Born in London, England, Ron Baker served with the Royal Air Force and trained in Manitoba. In 1947, he immigrated to Canada. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1951 and a Master of Arts degree in 1953 from the University of British Columbia, both in English. From 1954 to 1956, he did graduate work in the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. Following a distinguished period as professor and administrator at UBC and Simon Fraser University, Ronald Baker came to UPEI in 1969 as our founding President and served until 1978.

Dr. Peter P.M. Meincke, President Emeritus
Peter Meincke was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1936. He graduated with the sword of honour from the Royal Military College of Canada in 1958, obtained a degree in Engineering Physics from Queen's University, Kingston, followed by a master's and PhD in Low Temperature Solid State Physics from the University of Toronto. He taught physics and was appointed Associate Dean for Science and subsequently Vice-Provost at the University of Toronto. He was appointed second President of the University of Prince Edward Island in 1978 and served in this role until 1985.

Dr. C.W.J. “Willie” Eliot, President Emeritus
Born in Rawalpindi, Pakistan in 1928, Dr. C.W.J. “Willie” Eliot had a prolific professional career as a classicist, especially in Greek history and archaeology. After receiving his Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, and Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Toronto, he attended the American School of Classical Studies in Athens from 1952 to 1957 where he did graduate research. A well-travelled classical scholar, Willie Eliot took up his duties as UPEI’s third President in 1985, after a number of years at Mount Allison University, including several as Vice-President. He served as UPEI President until 1995.

Dr. Elizabeth R. Epperly, Past-President, Student Founder
Recognized as a student trailblazer and named as a Founder in 2006, Dr. Elizabeth Rollins Epperly came to UPEI from her Virginia home in 1969—PEI's opening year. She was the University's very first enrollee on record.  Inspired by the writings of Lucy Maud Montgomery, her coming to the Island was the fulfillment of a dream. After graduating in 1973 with her Bachelor of Arts in English literature, she then proceeded to Dalhousie for her Masters degree in 1974 and eventually completed her Doctorate at the University of London in 1978. Dr. Epperly became UPEI's fourth and first female President in 1995 and served until 1998.

The Honourable H. Wade MacLauchlan, President Emeritus
Wade MacLauchlan, born in Stanhope, is the only Islander to serve as UPEI president. A lawyer by training, he had a successful academic career at Dalhousie Law School, the University of New Brunswick and, particularly, as the fifth President of the University of Prince Edward Island from 1999 to 2011. His tenure as President is marked by tremendous enrolment, research, and core funding growth. With his advocacy for learning and practical skills in writing and diplomacy, Wade MacLauchlan is celebrated for his contributions to his province. He continued this tradition of public service when he was sworn in as Premier of Prince Edward Island earlier this year.

The University of Prince Edward Island officially launched its transformative friend- and fund-raising campaign today with some help from Saint Dunstan’s University Board of Governors. The INSPIRE! Campaign was unveiled with a focus on ensuring that UPEI achieves its vision and continues to build on an impressive legacy of accomplishment. A $1 million leadership gift on behalf of Saint Dunstan’s University Board of Governors was announced today as part of the campaign kick-off. The fund-raising campaign launch was part of the university’s annual Founders Day, which acknowledges people who have contributed in an exceptional way to UPEI’s rich history and bright future. The INSPIRE! Campaign has a goal of $50 million.

Aimed at supporting a number of priorities that advance UPEI’s ability to support students in achieving their full potential, The INSPIRE! Campaign will transform the UPEI student experience, expand programming, and showcase expertise. The INSPIRE! Campaign fund-raising priorities align with the UPEI strategic plan and include engineering, veterinary medicine, athletics, and experiential and global learning. While there is a strong focus on infrastructure for engineering and veterinary medicine, the campaign is very comprehensive with a strong focus on students in all its faculties and schools.

“At its heart, The INSPIRE! Campaign at the University of Prince Edward Island is about creating opportunities for people—and especially for students.” said President and Vice-Chancellor Alaa Abd-El-Aziz. “With leadership and support like that shown by Saint Dunstan’s University Board of Governors, UPEI will continue to evolve and deliver the exceptional learning experiences and opportunities that prepare our students for success.”

“Saint Dunstan’s University Board of Governors congratulates the University of Prince Edward Island on the inauguration of its INSPIRE! Campaign and wishes them success in accomplishing their ambitious and very worthwhile objectives.” said Saint Dunstan’s University Board of Governors President Philip Macdonald. “We are pleased to provide this leadership gift, which will contribute to enhanced educational opportunities and facilities for the students of UPEI.”

The community leadership for The INSPIRE! Campaign is being provided by Gordon MacKay. Gordon has held many roles in the University environment including student, varsity athlete, booster club participant, donor, and member of the Board of Governors. As chair of this important UPEI initiative, Gordon will work with his vice-chairs Mr. Blair MacLauchlan, Ms. Donna Hassard, Mr. Ray Keenan, Mr. John Horrelt, and, as well as an extended team of community-minded volunteers to advance the goals of the campaign.

“The success of UPEI and the achievements of its graduates contribute significantly to the social, economic, and cultural advancement of communities here at home and far beyond our shores.” said Gordon MacKay, Chair of The INSPIRE! Campaign. “I am delighted to serve as chair of The INSPIRE! Campaign in support of our important goals.”

Although today marks the official launch of The INSPIRE! Campaign more than half of the $50 million target has been raised. The campaign effort is expected to continue until 2018. Those interested in learning more about The INSPIRE! Campaign can visit the campaign website at www.upei.ca/inspire or email the Office of Development and Alumni Engagement at inspire@upei.ca

About UPEI

Located in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, the University of Prince Edward Island is proud of its long history of academic excellence, research innovation, community engagement, and service.

Consistently ranked as one of Canada's top primarily undergraduate universities, and home to a talented community of educators and researchers including six 3M Teaching Award Winners and 14 funded research chairs, UPEI offers a wide range of programs and degrees to 4,400 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students from over 60 countries.

UPEI drives progress in our province, region, and world by fulfilling its educational mission and embracing opportunities to invest in the success of our students, University, and community.

About The INSPIRE Campaign!

THE INSPIRE! Campaign! is a friend and fund-raising program that will advance UPEI’s outstanding ability to educate our students to fulfill critical roles here at home and around the globe.

Fund-raising priorities include engineering, experiential and global learning, athletics, and veterinary medicine. The campaign is focused on improving student experiences and outcomes through expanded academic programming, opportunities for international exposure and community engagement, and state-of-the-art equipment and facilities.

With this support, UPEI and its talented faculty and staff will ensure our graduates, and the communities they serve, are positioned for success.  THE INSPIRE! CAMPAIGN has a $50 million goal. More than half of this amount has already been raised.

About SDU

The St. Dunstan's University Board of Governors, to the extent possible, strives to foster Christian educational ideals exemplified in the motto of St. Dunstan's University, Ex eodem fonte fides et scientia (From the Same Source Comes Faith and Knowledge).

Saint Dunstan’s University (SDU) was a thriving, active, and accomplished post-secondary institution. In addition to its strong athletic program, SDU also introduced the Engineering diploma program (which today has grown into the UPEI Sustainable Design Engineering degree program) and opened its doors and welcomed many international students who still speak of their fondness and respect for their beloved alma mater.

Saint Dunstan’s University closed its campus in 1969. Since that time, the SDU Board of Governors has been very supportive towards UPEI, contributing approximately $5,000,000 both directly and indirectly through scholarships, awards, bursaries, capital campaign contributions, and the Catholic Studies program.

The SDU Board of Governors continues its mission in an effort to foster a culture of spiritually and intellectually informed Catholic citizens who live their faith in the wider society with integrity, compassion, and understanding.