Print pdf - St. Francis Xavier University

Print pdf - St. Francis Xavier University

StFX
Today
WWW.Stfx.ca/today
St. Francis Xavier University’s monthly newsletter
Canada’s Premier Undergraduate Experience
No. 225, December 15, 2012
2
Former PM
Brian Mulroney
on Leadership
Coady
International
Institute News
3
Kwanzaa celebrated
at StFX
Achievement celebrated at StFX Fall Convocation 2012
Dr. Paul Bélanger and Gérald J. Doucet receive honorary degrees
Coady-FX
Society
Supports
Scholarship
T
h re e St F X s t udent s
received a well-deserved
round of applause at
the Coady Institute Farewell
Social on Dec. 7th, when they
announced that the CoadyFX Society had raised $2,700
to support a scholarship for a
future participant.
Society co-chairs Ben Flood,
Meaghan McNeil, and Keiller
Zed expressed their thanks
to the 37 participants in the
D iploma i n De velopment
Leadership program, who were
about to graduate and head back
to their home countries.
“Our coffee house fundraiser
[in November] was a great
success,” said Mr. Zed. “We
had over 100 people come in,
and it was awesome to see
the local community, Coady
participants, staff, friends, and
StFX students.” He told the
audience in Dennis Hall that it
was inspiring to see the different development projects that
the Coady participants plan to
implement in their communities and organizations.
Meaghan McNeil said StFX
students appreciated the chance
to get to know the diploma
participants, formally in the
classroom, and informally
during events on campus. “You
bring so much to our campus,”
she said. “We get so much from
you, and we don’t always get the
opportunity to say thank you. We
wish you the best of luck in your
future endeavours and hope to
see you again.”
The Coady-FX Society was
formed to foster relationships
and understanding between
the StFX student body and the
Coady International Institute
and to plan events that would
bring the groups together.
It decided to host a coffee
house fundraiser featuring
cross-cultural entertainment,
after similar events by Coady
I nst it ute pa r t icipa nt s t he
past two years and personal
donations by Institute staff.
To s u p p o r t t h e C o a d y
Institute scholarship, or to
learn of other opportunities,
please contact Erika Gunn at
[email protected] or by phone at
(902) 867-5264.
4
StFX hosts
public health
discussions
Dr. Riley delivers his opening remarks at Fall Convocation 2012
A
chievement and accomplishments were celebrated and
lauded as StFX marked one
of the milestones of the academic year,
holding Fall Convocation 2012 on Dec.
8 at the Charles V. Keating Centre.
Receiving the degree Doctor of Laws
honoris causa were Dr. Paul Bélanger,
a giant in the field of adult education,
and Gérald J. Doucet, a pioneer in
Canadian government business relations, former member of the Nova
Scotia Legislative Assembly, and StFX
alumnus.
It was an exciting day for graduates. Over 200 degrees and diplomas
in course were conferred, in addition
to 37 diplomas awarded to graduates
of the Coady International Institute.
“Convocation is one of the great
moments in university life, a gathering that brings together so many
individual stories,” StFX President Dr.
Sean Riley said in opening remarks.
You can feel an air of transition as
graduates move forward with excite-
ment into a new stage of life, he said.
“We celebrate your achievements and
thank you.”
Dr. Riley also made mention of the
89 master of education graduates, the
majority of whom are full-time teachers who pursued graduate studies
part-time while working.
He also saluted the Diploma in Development Leadership graduates of the
Coady International Institute.
“A special joy of Fall Convocation is
to share this moment with graduates of
the Coady International Institute. They
have come together in a unique and
powerful learning experience,” he said.
“I feel confidence, I feel energy,
I feel a sense of awe and humility
before this great adventure in the
human spirit.”
“LONG LIVE StFX”
“Today is a day of celebration, a day
of recollections, and a day of gratitude,”
Dr. Doucet told convocation moments
after receiving his honorary degree.
“(Those here) need not be sold on how
Valedictorian, Afida Safriani
special StFX continues to be… I’m here
to thank StFX for all it’s done for me
and my family,” he said in a short, but
poignant speech.
“Long live StFX. Thank you.”
Dr. Bélanger had a similar message.
“I’m deeply honoured to receive a
degree honoris causa from StFX because
of what your university has come to
represent in the world today,” he said.
“Your university has become a
world reference for community-based
development.”
This is far from being accidental, he
said, noting the Antigonish Movement
and the Coady International Institute
as two shining examples.
“I am proud to be here today. Long
live StFX.”
Coady participant Afida Safriani of
Indonesia delivered the acknowledgement on behalf of the graduating class.
“It is indeed a wonderful moment,” she
said as she dedicated her address to her
late mother and to all those who have
supported the graduates over the years.
“It is a milestone we are proud of,
knowing it is the reward for our hard
work.”
But graduation is not the end, she
said, but rather the beginning of their
professional lives. She encouraged all
graduates to keep moving forward
with the belief in the possible, with
the responsibility of sharing their
knowledge with others, especially
those without access to education.
“We have to reach out to them. We
can’t be content and silent. Let us
share the knowledge and power,”
she said.
She also gave thanks to her fellow
Coady participants, and to the StFX
and Antigonish communities for their
support. “I will also remember you. I
will always remember you. I will remember you like the moon remembers
the sun. You will always have a place
in my heart.”
OUTREACH AWARD
Also receiving major honours during the ceremony were StFX adult
education professor Dr. Carole Roy,
who was presented with this year’s
Outreach Award.
The Community Partner Recognition Award went to two recipients
this year, the Antigonish Women’s
Resource Centre & Sexual Assault
Services Association, and to the Nova
Scotia College of Pharmacists.
Alumni Association president
Shawn Monahan congratulated the
Class of 2012 and welcomed all to
the Xaverian Family. He encouraged
graduates to make a difference, big
and small, in their communities as
they start this new chapter in life. He
also encouraged them to always look
for the X-Ring and stay connected
with the StFX alumni network.
continued on page 2…
Magic marks X-Ring ceremony 2012
“
I
Zero hours. Zero minutes. Zero seconds. The countdown is over. Happy students
celebrate at the X-Ring ceremony.
I want to cry and laugh and scream and jump
up and down. This feeling is incredible.
X-Ring recipient
nfectious enthusiasm, excitement,
and a touch of magic marked the
scene in the Keating Centre on
Dec. 3, 2012, StFX Day, as over 900
senior students received their muchcoveted X-Ring.
The countdown – often started
years in advance as students eagerly
anticipate this day – was finally over
as the black-robed students proceeded
to the stage to receive their rings.
“I want to cry and laugh and scream
and jump up and down. This feeling is
incredible,” one student said moments
after receiving the long-awaited piece of
golden jewellery with the raised black X.
”
As parents and family watched
from the Oland Centre, and others
tuned in to the live stream from
Poland and France, Ottawa, Vancouver, and across the world, the
students, with smiles of joy – and the
occasional fist pump – looked down
with pride on the 2013 X-Ring on
their finger.
“Twelve years out and Dec. 3 still
gets me excited every year,” one
graduate tweeted.
Enthusiastic alumni and friends
helped X-Ring trend in Canada on
Twitter.
continued on page 3…
A StFX McKenna Center for Leadership Encounter
Former PM Brian Mulroney delights
capacity crowd at alma mater, StFX,
with inspired talk on political leadership
Former PM Brian Mulroney, pictured here with StFX student Javier Macaya
from Madrid, and StFX President Dr. Sean Riley.
A
ffable and engaged, former
Canadian Prime Minister, the
Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney, was
back at St. Francis Xavier University,
his alma mater, on Nov. 14, 2012,
where he delighted a capacity crowd
gathered at the Gerald Schwartz
School of Business Auditorium with
an inspired keynote address focusing
on Leadership and the Role of the
Prime Minister in Public Policy.
Over 400 people, including many
students, filled the main auditorium,
while hundreds more tuned in to the
talk via an overflow room and a live
broadcast on stfx.ca, for the McKenna
Centre for Leadership Encounter. The
event was also presented by the StFX
Students’ Union Alumni Speakers
Series.
“(I’m) back at the place where it all
started for me, and I just hope I’m
around for a long time to see one of
you fulfill the job I had…and to do it
even better, in helping to build our
beloved Canada,” Mr. Mulroney told
the many students in the audience to
a standing ovation.
“I’m delighted to be back on campus. It has long played a disproportionate role in Canadian politics,” Mr.
Mulroney told the crowd, citing the
1980s example of when three of the
top four positions in Canadian government were filled by StFX alumni.
In an animated talk that ranged
from policy matters to dreams for
the future, Mr. Mulroney spoke about
political leadership, the role of the
prime minister, and also the crucial
role of leaders in society.
He also took time to pay tribute to
the leadership of StFX President Dr.
Sean Riley, who delivered the event’s
closing remarks.
“We’ve been blessed, absolutely
blessed to have him as president,”
Mr. Mulroney said.
That StFX is recognized as a top
national university is due to “the magnificent professors, the top students,
the traditions we value so much, and
the remarkable and inspired leadership of Sean Riley.”
The Hon. Peter MacKay, Minister
of National Defence and Central
Nova MP, was on hand to introduce
Mr. Mulroney.
“It’s a distinct honour for me to
introduce arguably the university’s
most distinguished alumni, and we
have many at StFX,” Mr. MacKay said
as he spoke about Mr. Mulroney’s
broad influence in the halls of power,
his astute leadership, and his many
accomplishments in areas such as
national unity, the environment,
economics, to helping end apartheid
in South Africa.
Mr. MacKay’s father, the Hon.
Elmer MacKay, who served with Mr.
Mulroney in government, was in attendance, along with several current
and former political leaders.
Dr. Doug Brown, chair of StFX’s
Department of Political Science,
provided the welcome. StFX VP
Advancement Tim Lang emceed
the event.
StFX commemorates National Day of
Remembrance and Action on Violence
against Women
StFX welcomes Rashida
Symonds as Black Student
Advisor
S
tFX is pleased to announce
that Rashida Symonds has been
appointed the new Black Student
Advisor.
StFX’s Student Life Office hosted
a meet and greet Nov. 23 to welcome
Ms. Symonds to campus.
Ms. Symonds comes to StFX from
the Halifax, NS area where she was
most recently employed as a teacher
with the Halifax Regional School
Board. She has primarily taught
high school students and specialized
in courses such as English, Black
literature, global studies, and African
Canadian studies.
Ms. Symonds has also spent time
working as a youth counselor and
support worker for children and
women in the Halifax-Dartmouth
area.
She received her Bachelor of Arts
degree from Saint Mary’s University
before going on to Mount Saint
Vincent for her education degree.
Currently, Ms. Symonds is working
on her masters of education degree in
counseling from Acadia University.
In her role as Black Student Advisor,
she will act as an advocate for Black
students and a resource person for
transition issues such as academics,
anti-racism, housing and other student
concerns. She will work collaboratively
with other advisors and community
partners to develop and implement
transitional programs for students as
a part of an overall advising strategy.
Scholarly achievements
continue for Dr. Burton
MacDonald
D
r. B u r t o n M a c D o n a l d ,
Senior Research Professor,
Department of Religious
Studies, and colleagues have just
published The Ayl to Ras an-Naqab
Archaeological Survey, Southern
Jordan 2005-2007 (2 volumes with
DVD). Archaeological Reports 16.
Boston, MA: American Schools of
Oriental Research, 2012. Moreover, he
and the same colleagues are working
on a final report on The Shammakh to
Ayl Archaeological Survey, Southern
Jordan, 2010-2012.
He has just completed the infield
segment of the project. In addition,
he is completing a book on Jordan and
the Bible. It is tentatively entitled The
Bible and “Beyond the Jordan toward
the East”: The People and the Events.
Finally, this January-April 2013,
Dr. MacDonald has a Publication
Fellowship at the American Center of
Oriental Research, Amman, Jordan.
He will work on an “Archaeological
History of the Southern Transjordanian/Edomite Plateau.” The area of
interest is the territory in which he
has carried out excavations and survey
work for the past 30 years.
Fall Convocation 2012
continued from page 1
Marie Brunelle lighting a candle.
A
call to end violence against
women was the message that
came through from a poignant
commemoration ceremony held at
StFX on Dec. 6, the National Day of
Remembrance and Action on Violence
against Women.
Members of the StFX and Antigonish community came together at the
Schwartz Auditorium as student leaders, the StFX Equity Office, and community partners including the Naomi
Society and the Antigonish Women’s
Resource Centre presented the ceremony featuring speakers talking about
why violence against women is still a
relevant problem and how people can
work toward its eradication.
The ceremony remembers the 14
young women murdered in 1989 at
l’Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal.
StFX annually presents a Memorial
Scholarship for Women in Engineering
to a first-year female engineering student. StFX Dean of Science Dr. Robert
van den Hoogen made the presentation this year to Kira Nicole Dube. 2
December 15, 2012
Dr. Robert van den Hoogen and Kira
Nicole Dube.
StFX students and co-emcees Josie
Brewer and Alex Gass said December
6 represents an opportunity for Canadians to reflect. It is a day of mourning,
but it can also bring a ray of hope, to
remember, to educate, and to help
create a catalyst for change, they said.
“The responsibilities for change
rests with all of us,” Academic VicePresident & Provost Dr. Mary McGillivray said in her remarks.
“We are all part of the movement for
change for the better.”
It was a call to action repeated by
numerous speakers who took to the
podium.
Coady participant Sister Ranjita Kindo shared sobering issues facing women
in her home community of India.
StFX Human Rights & Equity
Advisor Marie Brunelle spoke about
initiatives happening on campus
including a major 26-month project
Silence the Violence – which brings
together the Antigonish Women’s
Resource Centre, the RCMP, the
Naomi Society, and many StFX
partners – with a goal to develop a
major comprehensive campus plan, “a
violence prevention project that could
have a major impact,” she said. StFX football player Charlton Elliott
spoke about how male athletes can
help; Cst. Jennifer Arnold of the
Antigonish RCMP talked about what
it’s like to respond to a domestic
violence call through the eyes of the
police officer: and Lori Castle of the
Naomi Society spoke about the society
and its role.
StFX Aboriginal Student Advisor
Molly Peters also spoke and introduced the Honor Song in memory
of missing and murdered Aboriginal
women.
The ceremony concluded with
speakers and guests lighting 17 candles
and placing 17 roses in memory
of the 14 women killed at l’Ecole
Polytechnique, for Aboriginal women
murdered or missing, for all women
who have been murdered, and in
memory of StFX education professor
Ottilia Chareka.
The honorary degree candidates
include:
Dr. Paul Bélanger
Dr. Paul Bélanger is a giant in the
adult education field with an over
40-year career as an academic, leader,
and activist, A professor at Université
du Québec à Montréal, he’s also director of the Interdisciplinary Research
Center on Lifelong Learning, and,
since 2009 director of the Observatory on skill and work related to adult
learning policies. He is DAAD guest
professor at the European Master in
Adult Education in Essen, Germany.
He was the director of the UNESCO
Institute for Education (1989-2000).
From 2000-11, he was president of
ICAE, the International Council for
Adult Education. He’s received the
Ruby Kidd Medal, Canadian Association for Adult Education, the
International Development Research
Centre scholarship on education and
development, the Comenius Prize, and
two honorary degrees. He is also life
Member of the National Institute for
Adult and Continuing Education in
Great Britain, and the author of many
publications and papers.
Gérald (Gerry) Doucet
Gérald (Gerry) Doucet is a Canadian pioneer in government business
relations consulting for corporate clients. He has over 30 years experience,
representing numerous national and
international companies. A graduate
of StFX and Dalhousie Law School,
he’s made substantial contributions
to public service as a member of the
Nova Scotia Legislative Assembly,
and as chair of the Atlantic Provinces
Economic Council. At age 26, he was
elected in the 1963 Nova Scotia general election, and in 1964, became the
first Acadian cabinet minister. He was
re-elected in 1967 and 1970. He did
not re-offer in 1974. Ministerial posts
included education; youth; emergency
measures; and provincial secretary.
He was vice-chair of the Canadian
Council of Ministers of Education,
and chaired the first official Canadian
delegation on education to the Soviet
Union in 1969. He also practiced law
and was appointed a Queen’s Counsel
in 1975. In 2004, he published his autobiography: Acadian Footprints: the
roots & reflections of Gérald (Gerry)
Doucet.
continued from page 1
The X-Ring ceremony, held every
Dec. 3, the Feast Day of St. Francis
Xavier, represents many fond memories and years of hard work. It’s also
recognized around the world as a
symbol of success, excellence, and
community.
“Welcome to the X-Ring ceremony,” StFX President Dr. Sean Riley told
the students in his opening remarks.
“Now it’s down to the moment, zero
hours, zero minutes, zero seconds.
“Each of you is a unique person
with a unique story,” he said, “and
now you have something in common
for life, the 2013 X-Ring.”
The ring represents a whole universe
of personal memories, and when you
look at your ring, translate that joy and
achievement into a sense of courage,
and community to inspire, help others, and be a force for good, he said.
“Congratulations and best wishes.”
X-Ring ceremony guest speaker
Rodger Cuzner, MP for Cape BretonCanso and a StFX alumnus, talked
about the significance and responsibilities of the ring, telling the crowd about
his own journey and lessons learned.
“Today’s about the ring. It’s about
what it symbolizes, a simple black
X mark that symbolizes your time
at a place that has shaped you as an
individual.”
He told the graduating class that
it creates an inherent bond, and provides opportunity.
“As an X grad, your responsibility
is to lead by example, your responsibility is to have a positive impact.”
Mr. Cuzner told the students the
plan they have in place is not always
the one that will unfold, but be
assured that their experience at
StFX will have prepared them for
challenges they will face.
Celebrating the X-Ring!
Putting the ring on for the first time
is a pretty cool experience, he said,
feeling pride and accomplishment.
“Take that feeling and get comfortable with it, because you know it’s
something that never, ever goes away.
Congratulations.”
“To me, the day is to celebrate our
accomplishments and experiences,”
Senior Class president and emcee
Matt LeMoine said.
“The ring will stay with you forever.
Congratulations Class of 2013. Today
really is our day. I couldn’t be happier
to join this Xaverian family.”
Kathleen Johnston, vice-president
of the Senior Class, read from Moses
Coady’s writings, and students led a
candle procession to form a candle-lit
‘X.’ Student Keiller Zed, in thanking
the guest speaker, noted that he would
receive his grandfather’s X-Ring of over
60 years ago, during the ceremony.
The honorary X-Ring, always one
of the most touching aspects of the
ceremony, was presented this year to
Ramsay Duff, StFX VP Finance & Operations and interim VP Recruitment
and Student Experience. The honorary
X-Ring is chosen by a committee comprised of students and alumni.
In ma k i ng t he presentat ion,
Students’ Union president Nick
Head-Peterson called Mr. Duff “an
extremely deserving recipient” whose
“leadership is a true inspiration.”
Alumni Association president Shawn
Monahan welcomed the senior students
to the Xaverian Family, telling them the
X-Ring brings many opportunities and
many responsibilities, and always a connection to the alumni network.
“Well, we have our rings. Now it’s
time to celebrate. Thank you everyone,” Mr. LeMoine said as the senior
class filed out of the Keating Centre,
tapping their X-Rings on a piece of
chapel wood at the entrance, a longstanding ceremony tradition.
Guest speaker Rodger Cuzner.
Kwanzaa celebrated at StFX
Invest-X Society welcomes prestigious
guest speaker Neil Kell
T
he Invest-X Society welcomed
their fourth guest speaker for the
term on Friday November 30th,
hosting Neil A. Kell, CFA, managing
director, Investment Banking, Head of
Financial Institutions Equity Capital
Markets for Europe, Middle East and
Africa, Deutsche Bank.
Mr. Kell spoke to the group about
investment banking, the euro crisis,
and career planning.
“The opportunity to meet a successful
investment banker was interesting,
informative and inspiring,” said society
president Hilary Muth.
Both the society’s portfolio manager,
Ja ke Ba ker, and vice-president,
Austin Carter, agreed that Mr. Kell’s
presentation was insightful and
practical about career options in the
capital markets.
Invest-X is StFX’s student investment
society. The purpose of the investment
society is to provide its members with
a forum for exchanging ideas and
information about investing, analyzing
financial information, executing
investment transactions, and managing
portfolios.
Mr. Kell is responsible for the
origination and execution of equity
and equity related transactions
with a particular focus on financial
institutions throughout Europe, the
Middle East and Africa. Having worked
in Toronto, New York and currently in
London he has helped corporations,
domestic and international, raise over
$75 billion of public and private equity
capital.
With 15 years of investment banking
experience he has extensive knowledge
regarding the origination and execution
of initial public offering, subsidiary
public offerings, rights offerings, followon and add-on offerings, convertible
and other equity-linked products and
domestic and cross-border acquisition
financing. His roots and parents are
in Antigonish and his wife, Susan
Johnson, is a StFX graduate of 1987.
Real Business, Real Learning, Real Growth
Direct Exchange Case Competition: J.D. Irving, Limited
Partners with StFX
J
.D. Irving, Limited (JDI) has
partnered with St. Francis Xavier
University to give students an
opportunity to solve a real-life business case.
At the Direct Exchange Case Competition, teams of students are presented with a real-life supply chain
scenario at JDI, including the relevant
data and conditions that the JDI
manager was facing at the time. After
research and analysis, the teams suggest a solution, complete with the logic
to support their decision. On Nov. 28,
2012, individual team solutions were
judged based on content completeness,
presentation skills, and responses to
specific questions posed by the judges.
The winning team of Erin Chisholm,
Jane McTague and Justin Gallant was
presented with a cash prize.
“This case gave students the opportunity to work with a real scenario and
use real data,” said StFX business student Erin Chisholm, a member of the
winning team. “This is not a made-up
company with one right answer; instead
you need to consider all the possibilities
and scenarios in order to come up with
the best recommendation. The case
causes you to consider all possibilities
that you otherwise might not consider.”
Jane McTague, another member of
the winning team, agrees that there
were many variables to consider. “In
this case we debated nine options for
many hours and knew that there was
more than one right answer. In school
cases there is typically a right and
a wrong answer. With this case you
Jim Jordan, VP Supply Chain, J.D. Irving Ltd., addresses the competition participants.
needed to consider every option and
apply all of your learning knowledge.”
In the end, the students appreciated
the opportunity to present to the JDI
executives who were involved in the
actual case. “In this case you are not
only applying your class knowledge,
but also using your knowledge from
all classes and applying it to a real-life
business. You are analyzing a real business experience and presenting to real
executives,” said Justin Gallant, also
from the winning team.
StFX business professor Randy Delorey says case studies in general are
a terrific learning tool, but the Direct
Exchange Case Competition is an added
bonus because it gives students an experience they don’t get in class. “The Direct
Exchange Case Competition offers a
final debrief of the case. This allows students to see how the real-life executives
handled the decision making, and it
gives students the chance to ask follow-
up questions to the executives,” he said.
“We are very proud to have been
able to partner with St. Francis Xavier
University this year,” said Jim Jordan,
Vice President, Supply Chain, J.D.
Irving, Limited. “The partnership
established with StFX Professor Randy
Delorey is one built with a foundation
of exponential learning in mind. In
the end, it was his willingness that allowed the Direct Exchange Program
to succeed. The program’s slogan “Real
Business, Real Learning, Real Growth”
continues to hold true in describing
what our case competition format is
all about,” Jordan said.
This year, Supply Chain Direct Exchange Case Competitions were held at
Dalhousie, Acadia, Mount Allison, and
StFX. Dalhousie also held an Accounting Direct Exchange Case Competition
in March. To date, more than 1,400
students have participated in Direct
Exchange Case Competitions.
Post-graduate nursing student is
inaugural recipient of the Katherine
MacGillivray Maloney Nursing Award
M
embers of the StFX
community came together
to celebrate Kwanzaa on
Nov. 25, 2012, with an evening of
African heritage, culture, song, and
dance held in the Bloomfield Café.
“Kwanzaa is a very community, familyoriented celebration, and for students
that are far from home, it’s a great way
for them to feel that family atmosphere
around the holidays,” says Morgan Gero,
BLAC Student Society president, who
helped organize the event.
“We were very excited to have our
new Black Student advisor, Rashida
Symonds, lighting a candle, and celebrating with us!”
Ms. Gero says this year’s celebration
is reaching out to more students and
the community. “This year, we not only
have students lighting the candles, but
we have community members as well.”
Kwanzaa, Swahili for first fruits of
the harvest, was started by Dr. Maulana
Karenga in the 1960s, who essentially
wanted to see African Americans
centered in their own history, their
African roots, she says.
“So he started this holiday that
celebrates and recognizes the Nguzu
Saba principles, which stand for unity,
self-determination, faith, creativity,
collective work and responsibility,
cooperative economics, and purpose;
all principles that African Americans
live on a day-to-day basis.
“It was adopted here in Canada,
and the society here at X has adopted
it as well. It’s a chance for all of us,
African Canadian, African, African
Nova Scotian, to celebrate our roots
and history. And of course, come
toget her a rou nd a good, home
cooked meal!”
T
hanks to the generosity of the
late Katherine MacGillivray
Maloney, a graduate of the
former St. Martha’s School of Nursing,
nursing students at StFX – throughout
all years – are now eligible for new
awards and bursaries.
A sizeable fund was established
in spring 2012 from the Estate of
Katherine MacGillivray Maloney,
originally from Antigonish County,
who had lived many years in the U.S.
before returning to Antigonish.
One of these awards was presented
Dec. 8, 2012, following Fall Convocation to StFX post-graduate nursing
student Marie Hélène Bond, the
inaugural recipient of the Katherine
MacGillivray Maloney Nursing Award.
“Marie embodies the nursing qualities that are at the core of the School of
Nursing at StFX. She has demonstrated
excellence in clinical practice, dedication to learning, and consistently pro-
vides compassionate and competent
care to clients,” a spokesperson from
the School of Nursing said.
Ms. Bond, a resident of Antigonish
County, NS, is also an active volunteer
in her community and has maintained
Dean’s list status throughout her nursing program.
The Katherine MacGillivray Maloney Nursing Award provides awards
and bursaries to students in the StFX
Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Preference is given to students from
Antigonish town or county and Guysborough and St. Mary’s municipalities.
The award funds annual renewable
entrance awards of $4,000 to firstyear students, as well as bursaries to
a continuing student at each level of
the program who meets the criteria. .
Recipients must demonstrate
financial need, be enrolled full-time
in the B.Sc. Nursing program and be
a Canadian citizen. Award applicants
Peter (r) and Mary Anne MacGillivray
(l) make the presentation to award
recipient Marie Hélène Bond.
must have an entrance average of
80 and maintain a strong academic
standing to be eligible to receive the
award in second, third, fourth years.
All applicants must demonstrate a
commitment to the values of nursing
including qualities of caring, kindness,
respect for diversity, compassion and
excellence in clinical practice.
december 15, 2012
3
St. FRANCIS XAVIER UNIVERSITY
Ocean acidification will
impact Atlantic lobster
larvae, StFX Marine
Ecology Lab study finds
I
ncreased global CO2 production
from anthropogenic sources is
causing a slow, but sustained,
acidification of ocean waters. Elise
Keppel, a recent M.Sc. student at
the StFX Marine Ecology Lab of
Dr. Ricardo Scrosati, Canada Research Chair in Marine Ecology, has
found that Atlantic lobster larvae
grow smaller and take more time to
molt throughout larval stages due to
ocean acidification.
“These results suggest that, by being smaller and spending more time
in the water column before settling
in the sea bottom as juveniles, lobster
larvae may suffer a higher predation
from pelagic organisms under the
ocean conditions predicted for the
future,” Dr. Scrosati says. “Investigating effects on the survival and
reproduction of adult lobsters would
further clarify possible outcomes due
to climate change.”
Dr. Ricardo Scrosati and Elise Keppel.
The study has just been published
in the Journal of Northwest Atlantic
Fishery Science.
Ms. Keppel is now starting a PhD
program at Dalhousie University,
where she will deepen her studies
about climate change effects on
coastal marine fisheries in Atlantic
Canada, including lobster.
StFX business professor
Mary Oxner named
CA of the Year
C
on g r at u l at ion s t o S t F X
business professor Dr. Mary
Oxner who has been named
the 2012 CA of the Year Award by The
Institute of Chartered Accountants of
Nova Scotia (ICANS).
Dr. Oxner receives the 2012 Ross L.
Towler CA of the Year Award.
Named after Ross L. Towler, FCA,
upon his retirement in 1997, after
28 years of service as the Institute’s
executive director, this coveted
award is presented a nnua l ly to
a CA who embodies the spirit of
community volunteerism. “And,
while volunteerism is a proud and
renowned characteristic of our Nova
Scotia culture, what might be less
well known is the how many CAs
graciously donate their time and
expertise to making a difference
in communities throughout the
province and beyond,” information
from ICANS states.
“It ’s rea l ly a n honou r to be
recognized by your profession,” Dr.
Oxner says. “This is really in terms of
community support and I very much
appreciate it. I really learn a lot from
our community and get more out of
than I give.”
D r. O x n e r ’s c o m m u n i t y
involvements have been extensive.
Recipient of StFX’s Outreach
Award, she has a long history of
giving back to the community. Her
wide-reaching involvements include
chairing the Antigonish Diocese
Financial Council, past chair of
the Antigonish Guysborough Early
Ch i ld hood boa rd of d i rec tors,
A StFX McKenna Center for Leadership Encounter
Hundreds of participants converge on
StFX to discuss public health
M
ore than 550 people converged on StFX Nov. 1920, 2012, to attend a Frank
McKenna Leadership Encounter, about
public health, which included six student-focused seminars, a book launch,
and two interactive public forums.
The events brought local public
health practitioners and StFX and
community members together with
public health leaders from across
Canada in conversations about health
for everyone.
“We were very pleased to see the
mixture of participants who came to
these events, students, faculty, community leaders, and public health staff
from at least four counties. People
told us that the seminars and forums
validated their belief that community
work, work that enriches people’s lives,
is health work,” said Karen Fish of the
National Collaborating Centre for
Determinants of Health, one of the
event organizers.
The event drew student participants
from all disciplines. And reaction was
good.
“You can read it in a book, but when
you hear it in real life it just means
so much more,” one StFX nursing
student said.
Highlights from the two days included six well-attended studentfocused seminars presented by wellknown researchers and health professionals from across Canada on topics
ranging from feminization of poverty,
to housing, chronic disease prevention, marginalized populations, and
sexuality.
Carol Timmings, director, Chronic
Disease and Injury Prevention, and
Chief Nursing Officer, Toronto Public
Health kicked-off the series on Monday with “River Deep, Mountain High
- Determinants of Health and Chronic
Disease Prevention,” which 150 people
attended.
Other presenters throughout Monday included faculty from the Uni-
versity of Prince Edward Island,
Université de Montréal, and University
of British Columbia, and the executive
director of the REACH Community
Health Centre in Vancouver.
Monday night’s presentation on the
determinants of Aboriginal health and
education with Don Fiddler, District
Principal for Aboriginal Education,
Vancouver School Board; Elders
Murdena and Albert Marshall; and
Cheryl Bartlett, Canada Research
Chair in Integrative Science was
attended by more than 70 people.
Mr. Fiddler spoke about the unique
determinants that affect Indigenous
youth’s health and education.
The Tuesday evening began with
the launch of the book “Oppression: A
Social Determinant of Health,” edited
by StFX nursing professor Elizabeth
McGibbon.
The finale event, Let’s talk about
health… for everyone filled the Frank
McKenna Centre for Leadership with
more than 90 people. A participant
from the community was overheard
to remark, “This is the right room
for these conversations. It will take
leadership to bring partners together
to improve people’s health.”
GASHA premiered its video “Let’s
start a conversation about health and
not talk about healthcare at all,” which
StFX teams wind down AUS action
treasurer of the VON Charitable
Foundation and board member
of the Creative Wellness Project
which organizes the Friendship
Corner and mental health workshops
and peer groups in Antigonish.
Along with numerous professional
organizations, she gives extensively
of her time at StFX, ser ving on
University Senate, acting as faculty
advisor for the Student Investment
Society, coordinating the Dr. Trudy
Eagan Women in Business Speakers’
Series, and as treasurer of the StFX
Association of University Teachers.
She attributes her strong volunteer
ethic to her parents and family
members. “I grew up with the thought
it’s an important part of your life.”
The importance of community also
finds its way into her classroom, where
she offers a Service Learning option.
the 15 of each month. Copy
th
H
eading into t he holiday
break, the X-Women hockey
team is currently ranked
sixth in the country. With a 10-1-0
record they currently sit in first place
atop the AUS standings. They will
host Windsor in a pair of exhibition
games on December 28th and 29th at
the StFX Keating Centre, with AUS
games taking place January 5th and
6th also at the Keating Centre.
The X-Men hockey team closed
out the first half of the season with a
9-5-2 record and are fourth overall in
the tight AUS conference, as only five
points separate first through fourth
places. The X-Men are idle over the
holiday break but will resume regular
season action at home on January 4th
and 5th.
On t he vol leyba l l cou r t, t he
X-Women sit in the middle of the
EDITOR/
WRITER
deadline is seven working days
stfx.ca/today
Carol Timmings
shows the impact of the social determinants on the health of people in the
GASHA area.
Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia’s
Chief Medical Officer of Health, chair
of the NCCDH advisory board, spoke
about the province’s incorporation of
health equity practices in its public
health renewal process. He spoke
of the need to resist the pressure to
spend more on health care, but rather
to invest in the social and economic
conditions that keep people healthy.
Dr. Lynn McIntyre from Community Health Sciences, University
of Calgary described how Canadian
food insecurity has increased with
an increase in energy prices. She also
noted that the coming increase in the
age at which Canadians are eligible for
Old Age Security and Canada Pension
will have a serious impact on food
security for seniors. Louise Potvin from the Department
of Social and Preventive Medicine,
Université de Montréal argued that
vibrant communities have a pivotal
role in promoting health.
Dr. Watson-Creed, Medical Officer
of Health, Capital District Health Authority, told the story of how Capital
Health in Halifax has been working
to advance health equity through
community engagement. She referred
to their community engagement and
intersectoral work as “primordial”
prevention, coming even before public health’s traditional primary health
care focus.
This encounter was organized by
the National Collaborating Centre for
Determinants of Health and co-sponsored by the Guysborough Antigonish
Strait District Health Authority (GASHA), the Public Health Association
of Nova Scotia, and StFX University.
For more, visit www.nccdh.ca for
resources on the social determinants
of health and health equity. You can
also check out the conversations from
the two days on Twitter at #nsforum.
Athletics & Recreation News
StFX News is published on
P.O. BOX 5000,
ANTIGONISH, NOVA SCOTIA
CANADA
B2G 2W5
WWW.Stfx.ca/today
StFX News
prior to publication. Comments
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comments to [email protected]
PRODUCTION/
LAYOUT
SPORTS
INFORMATION
pack in fourth place with a 3-6 record
in AUS competition. They will be off
until AUS regular season action resumes in 2013. The X-Women will be
on the road to Memorial on January
12th and 13th.
In basketball action, the X-Women
are enjoying a 4-3 record as they are
currently tied for second place in the
AUS conference. They will be participating in the Saint Mary’s Holiday
Classic December 28-30th in Halifax
then begin regular season action
January 5th at Dalhousie.
The X-Men basketball squad is in
third place in the AUS conference, also
with a 4-3 record to start the first half of
the season. They will be competing at
SHELLEY CAMERONMCCARRON
Communications Writer
Email: [email protected]
the annual Rod Shoveller tournament
at Dalhousie University December
29th-31st in Halifax and will be back
at Dalhousie on January 5th to resume
AUS regular season play.
The X-Women and X-Men track
and field teams begin their indoor
season in the new year. The first
meet is scheduled for January 12th in
Moncton.
For completes schedules of all StFX
varsity teams, visit www.goxgo.ca. For
all the latest news and scores, fans can
like our Facebook page or follow us on
Twitter (stfxathletics).
sports@stfx
men’s hockey
Jan. 4 vs Moncton
Jan. 5 vs St. Thomas
7 pm
7 pm
women’s hockey
Dec. 28 vs Windsor Dec. 29 vs Windsor Jan. 5 vs Moncton
7 pm
2 pm
2 pm
men’s basketball
Dec. 29-31 Rod Shoveller Tourn.
Jan 5. vs Dalhousie
8 pm
jonathan selig
Graphic Designer
Email: [email protected]
KRISTA MCKENNA
Email: [email protected]
Daniela Falconio in action.
Women’s basketball
Dec. 28 vs Acadia 4 pm
Dec. 29 vs Lakehead 4 pm
Dec. 30 vs Manitoba 12 pm
Jan. 5 vs Dalhousie
2 pm