UNews - Halifax

Pianos as you've never heard, or seen, before

trevor.kenney — Tue, 17 Sep 2013 17:03:42 +0000

Hear two pianists, with very different backgrounds and styles, coming together on two grand pianos integrated with electronics and computers - a chance to see each pianist shine and to see the synergy of live collaboration.

Aaron Collier will perform a set of piano improvisations utilizing live sampling, looping and layering techniques with a computer. Jesse Plessis will play a handful of modern works, some with computer, by electronic-music pioneer Karlheinz Stockhausen, one of Canada's greatest composers, Ann Southam, the young American, Nico Muhly, and one robot-inspired work by Radiohead. The duo appear in Two Pianos + Computers, Saturday, Sept. 21 at 8 p.m. in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall Atrium.

Two Pianos + Computers promises to be one of the more unique musical offerings to hit the stage this year.

The duo will wrap up this unique evening with what they describe as a “turbo-rad collaborative piece”.

Aaron Collier

Aaron Collier may be known as one of Atlantic Canada’s most consistently innovative keyboardists, but the Prince Edward Island native is most recently calling Lethbridge home. Collier studied the piano privately in Prince Edward Island until his graduating year of high school before embarking on 14 years of national and international touring and recording with various rock, pop and jazz artists.

In 2001, Collier became the keyboardist for international touring and recording artists The Jimmy Swift Band. In the following decade the group released four studio albums and two live recordings. In 2006, Collier along with JSB frontman Craig Mercer created the “looping madness duo” Scientists of Sound, a theatrical and high-energy electro project which continues to create intense live shows for eager audiences worldwide.

In 2008, Collier released his first full-length album of electronic music, Love, and in September 2010 he released the improvised piano+computer recording Neo.

Collier is an award-winning sound designer in theatre and recent credits include the world-premiere of Daniel MacIvor’s I Animal at the Supernova and Summerworks festivals in Halifax and Toronto, as well as Jay Whitehead and Daniel Judes’ UNSEX’d in Lethbridge, Dublin, and Halifax. He is presently creating a new show called The Myth of Canada under his alter-ego Chandelier, and is workshopping the work as one of CASA’s inaugural resident artists in November.

www.aaroncollier.ca

Jesse Plessis

Pianist and composer Jesse Plessis recently obtained a Master of Music degree (Performance and Literature) from Brandon ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ where he studied piano with Megumi Masaki and composition with Patrick Carrabre. His Bachelor of Music degree is from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge where he studied piano with Deanna Oye and composition with Dr. Arlan Schultz and Dr. Rolf Boon.

Plessis has been awarded prizes both in piano and composition. His own works have been broadcast on CBC, and he has performed as a guest artist with several ensembles including the Musaeus String Quartet, the Land’s End Chamber Ensemble, and the International Piano Ensemble. He was recently one of 12 pianists admitted to the London Masterclasses, a program held each July at the Royal College of Music.

He has had the opportunity to give the Canadian premieres of works by Marcel Bergmann, Kaija Saariaho, John Corigliano, Nico Muhly, and Kjartan Olafsson. Recent performances include those with New West Theatre, at the Casalmaggiore Festival in Italy, the Dark Music Days Festival in Iceland and at the Banff Centre.

Plessis is also one half of the Hansen-Plessis Piano Duo (alongside Bente Hansen, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge) which explores the possibilities of popular music in the concert hall alongside the classical repertoire.

A sometime conductor, Plessis has directed performances with the Brandon ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ New Music Ensemble (BUNME), the Brandon ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Orchestra and several musical theatre productions.

Tickets to Two Pianos + Computers are available by calling the Box Office at 403-329-2616 or online at www.uleth.ca/tickets.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ a key WOTS festival partner

trevor.kenney — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 16:20:13 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is a partner with the Lethbridge Public Library and a host of other community organizations who are presenting the community's first-ever Word on the Street Festival, which takes place Sunday, Sept. 25.

Beginning at 11 a.m. in the parking lot and street surrounding the main branch of the Lethbridge Public Library (810 5th Ave. S.), Word on the Street is a national, one-day celebration of all things book and literacy related. The Lethbridge event is the only festival in Alberta and Lethbridge is the smallest community in the country to participate. Other cities include Toronto, Vancouver, Halifax, Kitchener and Saskatoon.

Admission to all the events associated with the festival is free.

The U of L Bookstore will be on-site as the official sales venue, while students from the Literature Club and the Education Undergraduate Society are volunteering as mascots, author hosts, readers and entertainers. The Art Gallery team and Faculty of Fine Arts students will also be on-site in various venues.

For more information, as well as a schedule of events, from the Word on the Street Festival, follow this link.

Celebrating 100 years of the AUCC

trevor.kenney — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 16:37:08 +0000

By PAUL DAVIDSON
President, Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada

In the coming weeks, Canada's universities will be sharing their visions and priorities with readers through this column, in conjunction with the 100^th anniversary of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada.

One hundred years ago, leaders from 15 of Canada's universities met face-to-face for the first time to discuss the day's pressing issues.

There were no Blackberries. No women either. Telephones were still new. ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ leaders traveled by train and ship to McGill, where the meeting was held. Canada was just turning 44 years-old. Later that year, Sir Robert Borden's Conservatives would win the "free trade" federal election, sweeping Sir Wilfred Laurier's government out of office after 15 years.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ leaders were brought together by Sir William Peterson, principal of McGill ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, and Sir Robert Falconer, president of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto to discuss admission requirements, student mobility and graduate education. This is how universities first came together to work for the benefit of Canadians. So pressing were these issues, they decided to meet again, regularly, but in a reflection of the different pace at the time, the next meeting would be four years later."

While times have changed, university leaders still meet regularly to address these kinds of issues. Today's Canada may be very different from 100 years ago but universities continue to help address challenges, improve our quality of life, and position our country as a leader in the years ahead.

As AUCC marks its centennial in 2011, it is an opportunity to commemorate the pivotal role universities have played and continue to play in making Canada what it is and what it can be. At this year's meeting in October, today's university leaders will focus on the future needs of Canadians.

AUCC will also host a unique panel discussion entitled, Smart healthcare: The role of Canada's universities in addressing our healthcare challenges. This panel will draw on expertise from across the country to discuss how Canada's universities can respond directly to the upcoming health care needs of an aging population.

Another centennial initiative is an online dialogue on the future of university education in Canada which began last month. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Commons blog (www.aucc.ca) offers diverse perspectives on what university education should look like in the years ahead and how it can meet the needs of a nation.

Canada's universities are also focused on enhancing the undergraduate experience in Canada. AUCC led a national workshop on undergraduate education in Halifax last March, attended by many presidents and other university leaders, as well as students. This workshop reflected a growing consensus that university leaders must do more to strengthen the undergraduate experience. One of the results was the development of a new online tool to help strengthen undergraduate education, which will be officially launched later this month.

AUCC's fun, social media-based centennial project involves a small, carved, wooden polar bear named Ursula. She has been on a whirlwind tour of campuses across Canada since May. Throughout the year, Ursula is capturing a slice of life of Canadian universities on Facebook, Twitter and her own blog, www.ursulaontour.ca.

Rounding off AUCC's centennial year, Canadian universities will open their doors to visitors Nov. 4-13. Open Doors, Open Knowledge, is a series of open house events on campuses across the country to showcase the new and improved research and learning facilities made possible through investments of the federal and provincial governments and other parties.

From 1911 to 2011, the story of Canada is reflected in the story of universities. As we mark 100 years of achievement, Canada's universities invite all Canadians to be a part of the celebration. Learn more at www.aucc.ca.

A family of graduates

trevor.kenney — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 20:19:05 +0000

Every path to a convocation procession is unique, even when it involves three siblings who are all graduating from the same discipline at the same time. Brian, Alan and Shari Ward all completed their bachelor of science (neuroscience) degrees this spring, and all three did it in their own way.

For Brian (24), his was a path that included leaving the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ for a year of study at Lethbridge College, the realization and subsequent conquering of a condition of exam anxiety and a revelation that neuroscience was his true calling.

Brian, Shari and Alan Ward all earned their bachelor of science (neuroscience) degrees at Spring 2011 Convocation.

Alan (23) took more of a direct route, knowing from the onset of his university career that neuroscience was his vocation. This did not preclude him from learning that the approach he took in high school would have to be replaced by much stricter study skills to succeed, leading to an extra year of study as he drove up his GPA with a medical school future in his sights.

Shari (21), the youngest of the graduating trio and the last of five Ward children, is a product of her older brothers' experiences as she only joined the neuroscience stream in her third year at the U of L. She came to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ thinking biochemistry was her inclination but after seeing the spark that neuroscience had given her brothers, she too made it her focus.

In fact, if one principle is consistent between the three, it is that once they showed an interest and aptitude for the discipline, the neuroscience professors embraced their willingness to learn.

"I took one semester with two neuroscience courses and I absolutely loved it," says Brian, about his return from Lethbridge College. "The prof I had, Dr. Deb Saucier, basically opened my eyes to the world of neuroscience. After that I almost tripled my GPA. It now comes to me and it comes to me easily."

He'd had the impression that the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN) was strictly a research facility but soon found, after getting guidance from Saucier, that he could not only take classes in the CCBN but also, as an undergraduate student, participate in independent study research activities with the professors/researchers.

"I discovered I'm very much a science guy," says Brian. "I love how different parts of the brain and nervous systems work. I love how the central nervous system interacts with the peripheral nervous system and vice versa. I love how stimuli can affect different pathways and so on. It might sound weird but I want to spend $200 on a textbook just to read it because it floors me."

Alan had considered attending Dalhousie ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in Halifax but decided to stay at the
U of L because its neuroscience department was more suited to his interest in the behavioural aspects of study. He also saw the independent study opportunities as a huge opportunity.

"That was a strong selling point for me," says Alan. "If you show a little initiative and put your best foot forward, you have a good chance of doing an independent study. That's something I knew about before I came, but then once I got into it, I definitely appreciate it so much more now."

Shari sees herself as a hybrid of her brothers' interests. She excels at the behavioural aspects that Alan loves, but is also intrigued by the pharmacological bent that Brian takes. Her initial misconceptions of neuroscience were quickly dispelled when she spoke with Saucier and found out all she could do within the CCBN.

"The profs here just love it when somebody shows an interest," says Shari. "After taking some classes and then getting the chance to learn techniques in an actual hands-on environment, it became so much more interesting to me. I could see what they were talking about and how it could be used and it really made it exciting."

They all agree that neuroscience isn't as daunting as it sounds, and the faculty cultivate that success.

"It's not what people make it out to be, and I've known students who won't take it because they think it'll be too hard. They're interested in it but they head off to do something else because they're intimidated by the sound of it," says Brian. "I firmly believe that the people in neuroscience, and at the CCBN, are the friendliest and most supportive profs I've ever had."

Evidence of that came on June 2, when the three Ward siblings marched in Spring 2011 Convocation.

"It is interesting, all of us graduating together; it is nice that we get to do it all at once. I think our parents were especially happy because they only had to come for one ceremony," laughs Alan. "But at the same time, none of us are really done."

He alludes to a future that sees him pursuing a medical degree and eventually becoming a surgeon; while Brian is intent on achieving a master's degree that may lead to a PhD and medical school; and Shari eyes a nursing after degree and maybe further study following that. It's safe to say, their passion for education has been ignited.

GET THE FACTS

· In all there are five Ward children, including older brother David, who started at the U of L and is currently a Doctor of Medicine in his second year of residency at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary. Cindy, the eldest, is a stay-at-home mom.

· Both their parents have bachelor of commerce degrees with a major in accounting from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta. Mother Debbie is a stay-at-home mom with a graduate diploma in post-secondary education, while father Ross owns and operates Wards Rentals.

· Shari was initially nervous about working with the CCBN rats, saying, "I thought that I was going to hate rats and Brian told me, once you meet the rats you're going to love them. I tell everybody that now, if you could meet the rats, you'd love them because they are so cute."

· All three attended Lethbridge Collegiate Institute before enroling at the U of L, and give credit to the teachers at Lakeview Elementary for igniting their passion for the sciences.

This story first appeared in the Legend. For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Women's Scholar award provides opportunity

trevor.kenney — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 17:54:54 +0000

Faculty and staff at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge take pride in their students and believe in giving them quality education with as many opportunities as possible to succeed in their chosen career path.

Established by the Women's Scholar group in collaboration with Dayna Daniels and Claudia Malacrida, the Women's Scholar Award gives female students the power to achieve their goals and reach their full potential.

Kristal Frank is one recipient of the Women's Scholar Award.

The scholarship, funded through faculty and staff giving, is based on a combination of academic achievement and financial need and is intended to support either female graduate students studying in non-traditional fields or graduate students studying gender-related issues.

"What was exciting is how quickly the members of the group agreed that it was something worth contributing to," says Daniels. "We saw an area that was underrepresented and realized we could do something to help

Kristal Frank is a recipient of the annual Women's Scholar award.

change that."

Kristal Frank, an MSc student majoring in policy and strategy, won the award this fall along with a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) award. Her proposed research is titled, Managerial Perceptions of Eldercare:

Implications for Managerial Work-Family Policy Allowance Decisions and the Adoption of Work-Eldercare Programs.

"It was amazing," Frank says of receiving the awards. "It was definitely a huge confidence-booster – it kind of reinforced that what I'd chosen to study had practical significance as well."

Frank has chosen to focus her research efforts on issues surrounding work-family conflict, organizational culture and gender issues at work, with the help of supervisor and mentor
Dr. Mary Runté.

"I chose to go with her primarily because that's her area of research as well," she explains. "For me, she's a big inspiration because not only does she research it, but she really lives it."

Frank graduated from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) in 1998 and worked in the IT industry for eight years before coming to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. She says the decision to go back to school took a lot of reflection and she chose to pursue her degree at the
U of L because of its excellent reputation and the flexibility to do evening and weekend courses. Frank commenced her studies at the Calgary campus in 2006, transferred to the Lethbridge campus in 2007 and graduated with her bachelor of management degree, with Great Distinction, in 2008.

After completing her graduate studies at the U of L, Frank hopes to move either to Edmonton or Halifax to pursue a PhD in management and plans to use her skills to become a university professor.

"I really want to teach; to encourage and empower students."

To learn more about the Faculty of Management at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, visit this link.

Campus Kudos

trevor.kenney — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 19:56:22 +0000

Mary Dyck (Kinesiology and Physical Education) and Ard Biesheuvel (BEd '90, MEd '98) authored a book, Coaching Volleyball Champions: Principles and Practices of Successful Coaches. Each chapter in the book includes a biography of one of North America's outstanding volleyball coaches, followed by an in-depth interview and the coach's five favorite drills. Dyck also co-authored, Everybody Move: A multimedia package for daily physical activity, published by Human Kinetics in November 2009.

Denton Fredrickson (Art) and Catherine Ross (Art Technician) have been awarded the Public Art commission for the Southern Alberta Art Gallery. Applications were received from around the world and the selection committee consisted of representatives from the Allied Arts Council and the SAAG, a community member, an artist and a technical expert. Ross and Fredrickson proposed to create a giant stringed instrument responsive to the day-to-day wind and light levels in Lethbridge. Visually, the installation reflects a flock of birds both at rest and in flight, appearing to move seamlessly from exterior to interior. The work should be installed by fall 2011.

Dr. Shelley Scott (Theatre & Dramatic Arts) has been elected by acclamation to a second two-year term as the president of the Canadian Association for Theatre Research (CATR).

Merle Fuller (MEd) has been accepted into the PhD in Management program at Sobey School of Business, St. Mary's ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Halifax, N.S. Fuller's project, Living with a cop: A handbook for Police Officers and their Families (a training handbook for police officers addressing work/family issues) was a significant factor in his being accepted into the IO/Pscyh PhD stream of this excellent PhD program.

Dr. Ed Jurkowski (Music) was recently elected to a three-year term as English editor for the journal Intersections, the peer-review bilingual publication of the Canadian ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Music Society.

Bente Hansen (Music), Dale Ketcheson (Music), Nicole Higginson (BFA/BEd) and Jesse Plessis (music major) all performed at For the Love of Music: For the Love of Medicine concert to raise funds for a medical mission to El Salvador being undertaken by U of L pre-medical students.

Katherine Taylor (Psychology) is one of 12 winners of a 2010 NEADS Equity Through Education Student Award. Taylor was selected out of a field of 375 total applicants. Equity Through Education is a charitable initiative launched by BMO Capital Markets in 2005 to help people realize their educational ambitions by giving them the means to pursue those goals.

Ed Wasiak (Music Education) has been appointed to the Editorial Committee of the Journal of Historical Research in Music Education (JHRME). Taking over the Canadian seat, Wasiak joins a body of 16 international scholars on the JHRME Committee.

Don Gill's (Art) exhibition Erratic Spaces/THE LAND is at THE LAND/Gallery in Albuquerque, N.M. from June 5 to 26. The exhibition is an installation based on Gill's February 2010 residency at THE LAND/an art site. www.landartsite.org/exhibitions/index.html

Nick Sullivan (Music) performed as a soloist with the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra during its season finale.

Catherine Ross (Art) has an exhibition of Stella Mere at the Glenbow Museum, Aug. 2. Stella Mere is a spectacular installation made up of 750 shimmering starfish, each individually cast in aluminum and mounted on thin threaded steel rods. Stella Mere took three years and the help of more than 20 people to complete.

Bringing back the groove

trevor.kenney — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 17:09:10 +0000

Music has power – it's a certain fact that few, if any, will deny. From the earliest of our days, our mothers sing us lullabies, and later as children we learn ABC's and nursery rhymes to sweet little tunes. Music has the power to make us believe in something greater than ourselves. It crosses cultural, generational and racial barriers. It is the sure go-to when we're feeling low in spirits or high as a kite, and on more than one occasion has been just the romantic backdrop needed to make heartstrings tug. We each have a certain soundtrack to our lives – rhythms that inspire, beats that blare and grooves that rock.

Considering that music is such an integral part of our modern-day culture, it shouldn't come as a surprise that up-and-coming researchers are looking at its power. But still, the concept that music can help in the healing of those who suffer from Parkinson's disease is oddly surprising.

Working in the lab of Dr. Lesley Brown, U of L neuroscience PhD student Natalie de Bruin (BSc '06, MSc '08)

Natalie de Bruin finds it satisfying to make a difference, through her research, in people's lives.

is contributing to a study on how music affects the gait of people with the degenerative disorder. The study emerged from anecdotal evidence that suggests that listening to music could help people with Parkinson's move with greater control and ease.

"There was an example of a lady who had Parkinson's and was severely debilitated, but when you played ABBA's Dancing Queen, she would go from being almost frozen to dancing with her husband," explains de Bruin.

For people with Parkinson's disease, things most of us take for granted – like grocery shopping or collecting the mail – can become monumental challenges. The disorder causes a shortage of dopamine in the brain, resulting in rigid muscles, tremors and slowed movements.

As a result of these movement challenges, people are at risk of falling and injuring themselves, especially the elderly. It's a disease that robs people of their independence and takes away the joy of movement. But, through the use of music, de Bruin is finding, it doesn't have to remain that way.

Working together, the U of L, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary and Dalhousie ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ are collaborating on a number of projects related to music and movement. De Bruin is contributing to a 12-week study with patients from both Lethbridge (which is known for its large senior-citizen population) and Halifax.

In the experimental group, Parkinson's patients were given iPods loaded with songs that matched the rhythm of their own stereotypical walking patterns. Three days a week, participants listened to the music while walking. Those in the control group went about their normal day-to-day activities without music. The project has relied on sophisticated biomedical engineering devices like motion capture cameras (at the U of L) and pressure-sensitive floors (at Dalhousie ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ) to objectively assess changes in how participants walk.

After preliminary evaluation, the results are pointing to the fact that music really does aid in movement. "It's possible that music may offer a safe walking intervention for many Parkinson's patients," says de Bruin. "We want this to be something individuals can enjoy and continue using."

Unlike other modes of physiotherapy for Parkinson's, walking is less repetitive and listening to music adds an element of fun to the activity.

For de Bruin, the most satisfying component of her PhD research has been working with the participants.

"I've had the opportunity to find out how participants have benefited from the research we're doing," she says. "It's gratifying to know that what I'm doing is making a difference for them."

To view the entire issue of SAM in a flipbook format, follow this link.

U of L Health Sciences Researcher Among YWCA Lethbridge Women of Distinction Award Recipients

trevor.kenney — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:30:41 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Faculty of Health Sciences researcher Dr. Bonnie Lee joins Lethbridge College president Tracy Edwards, special needs supporter and community volunteer Nadine Chandler and addictions/recovery advocate Mallory Kristjanson, the YWCA Young Woman of Distinction, as recipients of the 2010 Women of Distinction Awards.

Brief biographies are outlined below.

The Women of Distinction Awards Ceremony 2010 will be held on Friday, March 19 starting at 5 p.m. at the Lethbridge Lodge. The Master of Ceremonies is Kaella Carr, CTV reporter and Young Woman of Distinction 2009.

The guest speaker is Tara-Jean Popowich, winner of the 'So You Think You Can Dance' Canada competition 2009.

Please call 329-0088 or stop by the YWCA for your tickets ($75 with a $50 tax receipt).

YWCA Women of Distinction Awards recognize outstanding women who live and work in Southern Alberta. This year four women have been selected.

Through a competitive process, the honourees are chosen from a group of nominations. The awards are based on the candidate's accomplishments, commitment and leadership. It is important for the YWCA to recognize these accomplishments on an ongoing basis.

The Women of Distinction Awards Ceremony is a wonderful venue to showcase the talent and leadership of women in Southern Alberta. Women honoured have been trail blazers, entrepreneurs, innovators, social advocates, and volunteers.

BONNIE LEE

Bonnie Lee, Ph. D. of Lethbridge is 2010 YWCA's Woman of Distinction in the Spirit of Women category.
Bonnie¹s experiences as a global citizen took her from Singapore where she was born to nine other cities in Asia and North America before locating in Lethbridge in 2005. The positive influence of her mother and early education with the Maryknoll Sisters in Hong Kong is reflected in her values and sense of purpose.

Her undergraduate degree in English Literature is from Smith College, Massachusetts and her Ph.D. and postdoctoral studies from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Ottawa.

Bonnie's life and career have gone through numerous metamorphoses: speech-language pathologist, marriage and family therapist, Unitarian Universalist minister, and now: professor and researcher at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

One theme remains constant, her dedication to draw out people's innate gifts through creating supportive relationships. Her research and clinical contributions using "couple relationship" to work on problem gambling and other addiction issues are gaining recognition nationally and internationally.

In spite of a major loss in her life, Bonnie's zest for living and learning remains strong as she enjoys close relationship with her two adult children. Since moving to Lethbridge, she has grown to love the land and skies of Southern Alberta that inspired her paintings which express her connection to nature and the earth.

NADINE CHANDLER

Nadine Chandler of Lethbridge is YWCA's Woman of Distinction in the Social Advocate category. Nadine is a pioneer in the integration of special needs students into the public schooling system.

What began as "looking after the interests of her own child" grew to be an international norm in the field of education. She is a role model and a leader in prevention and intervention programs in Lethbridge and all of Alberta.

She grew from being a new mother who reached out for support and education about what was best for her son, to being a visionary and advocate in equality education for children with special needs, a support to other mothers, a resource to teachers, administration and support staff, and a coach and friend to young women with special needs.

While others may have ceased this level of involvement when their child graduated from high school, Nadine has continued to give, staying current of the latest knowledge in the field of special needs, coaching for the Special Olympics and volunteering in organizations that serve the needs of adults with disabilities.

TRACY EDWARDS

Dr. Tracy L. Edwards of Lethbridge is our Woman of Distinction in the Community Commitment category. Originally from Ontario, Tracy worked fifteen years for the Nova Scotia Community College before moving to the United States to pursue doctoral studies.

She has twice been designated as a Kellogg Fellow and is the recipient of numerous scholarships and leadership awards. She was recognized in 2007 as a Distinguished Alumnus of the Community College Leadership program at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Texas at Austin.

Tracy holds Bachelor of Arts and Master of Education degrees from Saint Mary's ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in Halifax and her doctorate is from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Texas at Austin, with a specialization in community college leadership.

She has been the President of Lethbridge College since July of 2005. Tracy and her husband reside in Lethbridge and are the proud parents of four grown children and doting grandparents to five grandchildren.

MALLORY KRISTJANSON

Mallory Kristjanson of Lethbridge is YWCA's Young Woman of Distinction in the Turning Point category.

Mallory was born June 30, 1986 in Lethbridge and attended Wilson Middle School and graduated from Winston Churchill High School. She is deeply involved with a recovery program and sponsors women of all ages through their journeys.

She has volunteered with the Lethbridge Regional Hospital in the pediatrics ward, at the Lethbridge Correctional Centre, working directly with inmates struggling with addiction and other problems; and as a server at the Soup Kitchen.

Mallory loves walking her dog, Timber, in the Old Man River bottom, writing songs, journaling, Hip Hop dancing and swimming. To stay grounded and spiritually filled, she attends the Celebrate Life Recovery Service at Central United Church in Calgary weekly.

The Women of Distinction Awards Ceremony 2010 will be held on Friday, March 19 starting at 5 p.m. at the Lethbridge Lodge.

Master of Ceremonies is Kaella Carr, CTV reporter and Young Woman of Distinction 2009.

Guest speaker is Tara-Jean Popowich, winner of the 'So You Think You Can Dance' Canada competition 2009.
Please call 329-0088 or stop by the YWCA for your tickets ($75 with a $50 tax receipt).

Please feel free to contact Barbara Pittard, Chair: Women of Distinction Committee at 320-2912 or btpittard@shaw.ca if you have any questions.

Celebrating a memorable season

trevor.kenney — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:11:38 +0000

They sold out a gym in 12 minutes. Their act played throughout western Canada for six months and concluded with a command performance in Halifax, N.S. before disbanding. Now, 10 years later, they'll be back on centre stage at the 1st Choice Savings Centre gym.

No, it's not a rock band reunion, although they did play a tune on almost everybody they met that season. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns 1999-2000 basketball team will be honoured at the final Horns regular season basketball games this season, Feb. 13, when the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary Dinos come to town.

It's a huge game for the current edition of the Pronghorns as they need a win to grab the final Canada West post-season berth and look to finish the regular season at 10-10 in the year. If they hit double digits in the win column, they'll be the first Horns team to reach that mark since the magical 1999-2000 season.

The night will also feature a fundraiser for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation that will see the women's basketball team raise money through the 50-50 draw as well as pink t-shirt sales and the buzzer beater halftime competition.

Game times on Saturday night are 6 p.m. for the women and 8 p.m. for the men.

The 1999-2000 Horns advanced to the national semifinal game before losing a heartbreaking 80-75 decision to St. Francis Xavier. Head coach Dave Crook was prophetic in his post-game analysis.

"Right now it's very difficult to swallow, but in 10 years they're going to look back on all the positives," said Crook at the time. "We didn't win in the end, but it doesn't take anything away from them as people. I'm just so proud of the way they represented me, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the community."

Now, 10 years later, we can all celebrate their accomplishments.

Pronghorn Athletics weekend preview

trevor.kenney — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:22:00 +0000

The Canada West conference sports schedule gets underway this weekend with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's men's and women's soccer teams taking to the pitch.

The Pronghorns women's team opens Canada West play at home at the new ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Community Sports Stadium. The women host the Manitoba Bisons and Regina Cougars on Saturday and Sunday afternoons respectively, while the men head out on the road to face the Fraser Valley Cascades and Victoria Vikes. Both home games kick off at noon.

Meanwhile, the defending CIS champion women's rugby team and men's hockey team are in non-conference action as they prepare for their upcoming conference schedules.

Women's Soccer

The women's soccer team (0-0) looks to rebound after not qualifying for the post-season last year, and will have some big holes to fill with the graduation of key members from last season's club. Gone from last season are stalwart keeper Megan Lumley, offensive catalyst Kelli Sauers and a pair of defenders, Kristen Dow and Jessica Dearlove.

An area of strength for the Horns this season should be the midfield, with a solid core of returning veterans. Fifth-year senior Sam MacMillan, along with Janelle and Jaclyn Groten, expect to provide some stability up front.

A strong group from the team that qualified for the 2007 playoffs is still intact, and they'll look to rely on solid defensive play to be successful this season.

Men's Soccer

The Pronghorns men's team (0-0) heads out on the road to kick off their portion of the conference schedule with a trip to British Columbia.

The Horns return 12 players from last year's squad, but have a couple of big holes to fill on the back line with the graduation of team captain Ryan Conn and Marcus Karpati.

Michael O'Brien , a 2007 second team all-star, is expected to step up and lead the back line along with returnees Steve Brown, Brett Silbernagel and Justin Lariviere.

After a season away from the team, Matt Medoruma returns to anchor the midfield with fellow sophomores Lucas Rajcic and Cristian Lornezoni. Andrew Malcolm, who will look to add to his 10 career goals, and 2007 Horns' leading scorer Jaycee Neufeld will be counted on to generate some offence from the midfield position.

Up front, 5th year striker Greg Remjin looks to add to his team leading five goals from last season and kick-start a Pronghorn offence that scored a conference low seven total goals last season.

Saturday afternoon, the Horns face the Fraser Valley Cascades in Abbotsford, before concluding the road trip Sunday in Victoria versus the Vikes.

Women's Rugby

The women's rugby team sees its first action of the fall, traveling to Atlantic Canada for an exhibition tour that includes three games in three days.

The defending CIS champions kick off the tour on Saturday facing the St. Mary's Huskies in Halifax. Sunday will see a rematch of last year's CIS championship game as the Horns face St. Francis Xavier. Last November, the Horns downed St. FX 29-15 to win their second consecutive national title. St. FX will web stream the game live at http://www.ssncanada.ca/games/. Kick-off is set for 11 a.m. (MT).

The following day, the Horns conclude their trip with a game in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island against the UPEI Panthers.

Men's Hockey

The Men's Hockey team begins its pre-season schedule this weekend with a pair of games. Friday night the Horns travel to Calgary to face Mount Royal Cougars, followed by a game Sunday against SAIT Trojans.

Season tickets to Pronghorn events, as well as individual game tickets are available at the Sport & Recreation Services customer service desk or by calling 403-332-HORN (4676). Tickets will also be available at the door on game day.

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