UNews - Knud Petersen

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community saddened by passing of Dr. Dennis Connolly

trevor.kenney — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 19:22:55 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has lost one of its most endearing community members, retired mathematics professor Dr. Dennis Connolly (LLD ’17), who passed away Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, at the age of 81.

Dr. Dennis Connolly receiving his honorary degree in 2017.

Connolly was one of the longest serving employees of ULethbridge, signing on with the Department of Mathematics in 1967 and only retiring in 2021, marking just over 54 years of teaching, mentoring, volunteering, supporting, cheering and generally embodying the spirit of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

“Since meeting Dennis in the stands at the old ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ gym cheering on Pronghorns basketball, we became good friends and I consider him an icon, not only at ULethbridge, but in the larger community,” says longtime ULethbridge supporter Knud Petersen. “His enthusiasm, kindness and generosity were second to none and he left a positive effect on thousands of students and community members.”

Connolly’s arrival at ULethbridge is the stuff of legend and befitting of the man who would become an institutional cornerstone. Having just completed his master’s degree at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Western Ontario (now Western ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ) in the spring of 1967, the Australian-born Connolly had a friend from his homeland join him on a celebratory cross-North America road trip. The duo happened to arrive in Lethbridge during the historical April 27, 1967, snowstorm and literally had their car buried on the road. Forced to wait for the snow to melt, Connolly saw in the Lethbridge Herald that a new university was set to open in September, and they were advertising for professors. Connolly walked over to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ (which was then at the site of Lethbridge Polytechnic), and spoke to the head of the math department, Laurence Hoye, and put in an application. He started full-time teaching in September of that year.

Dennis (right) with his good friend Knud Petersen, supporting the Horns.

“Dr. Dennis Connolly’s unmatched commitment to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and its students over the past 58 years is an inspiration to us all,” says Dr. Matt Letts, Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science. “From the time of his appointment, thanks to an April 1967 snowstorm that disrupted his North American road trip, Dennis valued the importance of getting to know each and every one of his students, mentoring them in their academic, artistic and athletic pursuits. Dr. Connolly’s meaningful impact on well over 10,000 students will never be forgotten.”

Connolly was born in Wagga Wagga, Australia in 1944, and was the eldest of four siblings. A strong student in school, he excelled at mathematics and English literature. Shortly after turning 17, he began his undergraduate studies at Sydney ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, focusing on atomic physics. He switched to mathematics in his second year and upon graduation, earned a Commonwealth Scholarship, allowing him to begin his graduate studies in Canada. Following completion of his master’s and two years of work at ULethbridge, he was granted study leave, allowing him to complete a PhD in mathematics at ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of York, England. It was there he met his wife, Catherine. They married in England in the summer of 1972 and later welcomed children David and Helen (currently an instructor in the ULethbridge Academic Writing Program).

Dennis always had a smile on his face and a warm greeting.

Over the course of Connolly’s accomplished career, he taught more than 36 different courses (a total of 225 classes) in the math department to both undergraduates and graduates — teaching more than 10,000 students in total. His accolades were many, including recognition as the Students’ Union Excellence in Teaching Award winner in 2019, the 2009 Senate Volunteer Award, an honorary Doctor of Laws in 2017, and the honoree of the 2019 Wine & Dine: Arts & Science Scholarship Dinner. In 2017, as part of Homecoming Weekend and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s 50-year celebrations, Connolly was gifted the Blackfoot name Itiiomaahkaa, which fittingly means Long Journey.

An exemplary scholar, Connolly published works on statistics, probability and casino gambling. He lectured on numerous and varied topics, including sundials and projectiles and wrote about predicting the tides, mortgage renewals and league schedules. In 1994, he utilized his advanced knowledge of statistical analysis to assist in a monumental Australian legal case involving radiation poisoning of 20,000 servicemen and women who had been involved in the British Department of Defence’s nuclear testing program near Maralinga, Australia.

Connolly’s approach to teaching was an extension of his approach to life, marked with empathy, understanding and kindness.

“I take a photo of each student on their first day in class and ask them to write a little summary about themselves,” he said at his Arts & Science honoree dinner in 2019. “It helps me to learn more about them and that way it’s easier when I’m marking papers because I think: ‘David has done much better this time around or Emma is well on her way to graduate school with these marks!’ It’s much easier and more interesting to mark papers if you know a bit about the student.”

One of the founders of the Supporting Our Students (SOS) initiative, Connolly was engaged in every aspect of the ULethbridge experience. He was a staunch supporter of Pronghorn Athletics and could be seen at virtually every game played, even traveling to support the Horns women’s rugby and men’s basketball teams at national championship events in Trent, Ont. and Halifax N.S, respectively. He was also a patron of the arts and a constant presence at ULethbridge Opera Workshops and Faculty of Fine Arts productions.

Connolly was an ardent and generous supporter of multiple scholarships and programs in athletics, the arts and more. In addition to his commitment to SOS, he also supported the PUBlic Professor Series. The Dr. Dennis Connolly Scholarship Fund was established in 2019. In recognition of his life and achievements, please consider making a donation to the fund on the Tribute and Memorial Gifts page.

A celebration of life for Connolly will be held on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, 2 p.m., at the Martin Brothers Funeral Services Chapel, 610 4th St S, Lethbridge. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge will lower its flag on the day of his memorial. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ will also host an event to celebrate Connolly's life on Friday, Dec. 5, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. in Markin Hall Atrium.

Student speakers take the challenge

trevor.kenney — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:04:08 +0000

The discourse was lively, the questions pointed and the answers unscripted – just what you'd want out of a public debate.

The second incarnation of the now annual Student Speaker Challenge kicked off in early January as a field of eight students began quarter-final rounds en route to determining a champion in March. For participants James Falconer and Selin Bilgin, the challenge serves as an opportunity to engage in a timeless and pure form of education.

"It's the old style, classic Greek conception of the university," says Falconer, a fourth-year sociology major. "The stadium, the discourse, the back-and-forth dialectic, that's what I thrive on and this is a wonderful example."

This year's question, "What is the value of post-secondary education to the world?" is especially relevant to students and attracted Bilgin, a first-year education student, to the competition.

"I know that there is a prize for the winner but more than anything, I wanted to do it for my personal experience," says Bilgin. "I do want to be a teacher so I have to get used to talking in front of a bunch of people, and it's a topic I care about and something I knew I could talk about."

The Student Speaker Challenge is a collaboration of the Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA), the Lethbridge Public Interest Research Group (LPIRG), and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union (ULSU), with support from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

"We've been trying to make inroads on campus for a few years now and this idea, having a speaker challenge, works for us because it involves students and will hopefully attract some attention to what SACPA does in the city," says spokesperson Knud Petersen.

The format is simple, pitting two speakers against one another as they present their views on a predetermined topic. Each participant is given 15 minutes to speak, after which they answer questions from both the audience and the three-person judging panel. Following both presentations, the judges vote on who prevails and advances to the next round. A $500 award goes to the eventual champion, with $300 and $100 awards handed out to the second and third place finishers respectively.

"It's great to see off campus groups like SACPA join on campus organizations like LPIRG and the ULSU in presenting this because we all are interested in educating the public on important policy issues," says ULSU Vice-President Academic Alex Masse. "We do it much better collaboratively than we would be able to alone."

Falconer defeated Bilgin in their quarter-final matchup but she was roundly praised for taking on such a daunting task in just her second semester of post-secondary study.

"It was definitely tough and a little scary, especially when you make a mistake," says Bilgin. "I learned that the people here are very supportive. When I looked out I could see smiling faces, and they were paying attention to me, so that made me a lot more comfortable. It was definitely a great experience."

Masse says the challenge benefits everyone who takes part, including the audience.

"It's a great learning experience. I know I learn a few things from every speaker I hear because they present arguments I hadn't thought of before."

The challenge continues through to the Mar. 9 final at Andy's Place. Check the Notice Board for session dates and times.

Community value in Operation Red Nose

trevor.kenney — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 17:02:24 +0000

It's the red light drivers actually look forward to seeing around the holidays.
Operation Red Nose, the national designated-driving service celebrating its 25th anniversary, will hit the roads for the 14th year here in Lethbridge, thanks to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and Pronghorn Athletics.
With that longevity comes a level of recognition in the community and an expectation that as the snow flies and the holiday cheer flows, the Red Nose tradition is renewed.
"You can't help but recognize the big red vests," Pronghorn track athlete and longtime Red Nose volunteer Jim Steacy says.
"I have people asking me in September when we're going to start up again. A lot of them wish we did it all year."
Created in 1984 in Quebec City, the program offers holiday revelers the opportunity to be driven home in their own vehicles, free of charge. While donations are readily accepted, and for Pronghorn Athletics that amounts to some $25,000 per year, the essence of the program is providing a valuable service and connecting the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ with the southern Alberta community.
"This was a perfect program," Sandy Slavin, executive director, Sport and Recreation Services, says of its inception in 1994. "It was a great way for us to get out and give back to the community that contributes so much to us."
While the financial impact on the program has become substantial over the years, Slavin says if it were just a money matter, the program could probably devote its manpower to a more lucrative pursuit.
That, however, is not what providing Red Nose is all about.
"If you broke it down, it's a lot of work per hour, but when you look at everything else you get out of it, the service in the community, the recognition in the community, it becomes a very valuable fundraiser for us," she says.
Knud Petersen, past president of the Pronghorn Booster Club, says it took some doing to get the first program launched.
"It was a lot of work and a lot of convincing people in the beginning," Petersen says, noting taxi companies were initially against their proposal.
But Red Nose has proven to fill a void the taxi companies could not address and it has meant fewer impaired drivers on roads.
"I think it's a fantastic program," Jeff Haley, government affairs manager for the Insurance Bureau of Canada, says. The Bureau is a major national sponsor.
"I can't really speak to the numbers (of people it takes off the road) but the commitment we have made to this each of the last four years is simply because it makes a difference."
The Lethbridge Regional Police Service agrees.
"It absolutely does make a difference in our community," sergeant Craig Deimuth says. "It once again gives people another option of how to get home safely after an evening of celebrating the Christmas season.
"Everybody is always concerned about leaving their vehicle behind but with this option, where not only they but their vehicle can get home safely, it's a fantastic program to have available."
Staffed by more than 600 volunteers (all of which are screened by the police service), the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge program connects Pronghorn Athletics to the community in a unique and personal manner. For Steacy, it's a great way to show off the Pronghorn logo, making the volunteer hours worth the work.
"I know the tournament teams — the rugby, track and field and swimming teams — realize that this is our main source of income as far as funding goes," Steacy says.
"But beyond that, it's kind of an honour to be part of a program like this. I'm helping people out, giving them a safe avenue home."

UNews - Knud Petersen

��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ community saddened by passing of Dr. Dennis Connolly

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