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Community involvement earns Dymond recognition through ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Volunteer Award

trevor.kenney — Wed, 10 Apr 2019 16:29:35 +0000

Dr. Anne Dymond, an art history professor in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s Faculty of Fine Arts, could not sit idly by as a humanitarian crisis was unfolding in Syria. The fact she had no connection to the country or that it was halfway around the world did not diminish her sense of responsibility. She had to act.

Dr. Anne Dymond receives the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Volunteer Award from Chancellor Charles Weaselhead.

Dymond soon became a central figure in the push to bring people displaced by violence to the city of Lethbridge.

“Anne’s involvement in every aspect of the relocation of Syrian refugees here to southern Alberta represents all that is good in our society,” says U of L Chancellor Charles Weaselhead. “She looked at what was a very large problem and found a way for our community to make a very meaningful difference in the lives of these newcomers to Canada.”

Dymond created a committee at the U of L whose goal was to sponsor people displaced by violence and bring them to Lethbridge. Her involvement included raising awareness around campus, initiating fundraising activities and working with partner groups who would be essential in facilitating the arrival of a new family.

In February 2016, the first family of four Syrian refugees arrived. Dymond and the Refugee Action Committee realized how many government-sponsored refugees could also use additional support, and she knew the community was ready and willing to help. The committee facilitated the donations of literally tons of household goods that were distributed across the newcomer community.

Her belief that, even when the problem is too big to solve, we can change lives by action did not go unnoticed by her students, who looked to Dymond as a mentor and followed her lead. She played a central role in helping a student group establish a World ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Service of Canada chapter at the U of L that sponsored a student refugee. The group lobbied all ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ students to agree to pay $2/term which will allow the club to sponsor a qualified refugee to escape violence and study at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ every year.

Dymond is currently out of the country but will be recognized throughout the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s Convocation week activities, with her award celebrated at the Chancellor’s Dinner, Thursday, May 30, 2019 at the Coast Lethbridge Hotel. Those planning to attend the dinner are asked to RSVP at ulethbridge.ca/convocation or by contacting the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Senate Office (403-329-2482 or senate@uleth.ca). Tickets are priced at $75 per person.

Student refugee program gets a big boost from donor

caroline.zentner — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 16:36:43 +0000

A student-driven initiative to help refugee students achieve their education has received a significant boost from international educator and former ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge professor, Dr. Al Barnhill.

Recently, he donated funds to support refugee students sponsored through the World ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Service of Canada (WUSC) local committee for studies beyond their first year at the U of L. WUSC’s Student Refugee Program sponsors a refugee student for one year but some students may not be financially able to continue their education without some assistance. That’s something that Barnhill knows very well. He has travelled to more than 80 countries, teaching and consulting in 19 of them.

“My experience is that student refugees are incredibly hard working, motivated and have overcome huge obstacles to seek an education,” he says. “In many cases, they are learning a new culture, even a new language, in addition to their studies. Providing a small amount of financial assistance while they build their life in Canada is important to their long-term success.”

The funds will be used to establish an endowment that will help future student refugees continue their education beyond year one.

“I am excited about the continuation of this program because of the impact it has on so many lives,” says Elise Pundyk, one of the students who founded the WUSC Club at the U of L. “It affects not only the refugee students who will benefit and be able to navigate their future differently through increased access to education, but also all the WUSC members who will be touched by the experience of sponsoring a student. The program brings together students of all backgrounds, from all areas of study, under a common purpose. It enables us to truly see how the work we do can make a difference.”

The Syrian refugee crisis that made global headlines in 2015 was the catalyst for Pundyk and other concerned U of L students to act. They joined forces, and with the help of Dr. Anne Dymond, a professor of art history, they formed a local WUSC committee. Their membership grew and within a few months they had raised the $26,000 needed to bring a qualified United Nations refugee student to the U of L for a year.

Members of the WUSC committee at the U of L pose for a photo with Abdullah Mouslli. From left to right are Farah Rajan, Mouslli, Jamie Lewis, Elise Pundyk and Taylor Myndio.

In the fall of 2016, Abdullah Mouslli, a Syrian living in Jordan, began his studies at the U of L. The program was life changing for him and he opted to continue his education following his year of sponsorship. In a 2017 referendum, U of L students voted to support a $2 fee each semester to help sustain the Student Refugee Program. In the fall of 2018, the U of L welcomed a student from South Sudan and plans are in the works to accept another student refugee in the fall of 2019.

The student levy supports a refugee student through their first year and Barnhill’s donation will provide bursaries to help cover costs in subsequent years of study. To make up the difference, the WUSC committee continues to fundraise and has a gala scheduled for Saturday, April 6 at 5 p.m. at the Lethbridge Multicultural Centre. Tickets are available through the WUSC Facebook page.

Barnhill’s experience working around the globe has provided him with vital insights into the advantages of teamwork, the boundless benefits of education and the need for a shared value system where compassion for others is a guiding principle.

“One person can make a significant difference, but when our efforts are combined with others, the results are much great—like playing hockey or other team sports. They’re synergistic,” he says.

To contribute to the WUSC Student Refugee Bursary visit uleth.ca/shine.

Read the full story and watch the video in the Donor Impact Report.

The investment is part of the U of L’s SHINE campaign and highlights the community’s involvement in supporting students and promoting opportunities for them to thrive while working to achieve their academic goals.

Good morning Vietnam!

trevor.kenney — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 21:31:54 +0000

Fourth-year U of L management student Brady Mah spent his summer traveling through Vietnam – dodging motorbikes, touring pagodas, learning a new language and discovering a culture completely different from his own.

Interested in international development, Mah received funding from ConocoPhillips Canada that allowed him to accept a unique co-op placement in Hanoi, Vietnam, with World ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Service of Canada (WUSC), an organization that fosters human development and global understanding through education and training.

"I was initially intrigued by Vietnam's rich history," says Mah. "I was also interested in observing how a developing nation, one that had just entered the World Trade Organization, operated. I wanted to be a part of that."

Once in Vietnam, Mah took on the role of project manager and was responsible for co-ordinating the placements of eight other student volunteers.

"I routinely met with each student and their partner organization to ensure that things were going smoothly and that we were on track to reach the goals we'd set at the start of the internship," explains Mah. "I was actively involved in all of the placements, which covered a diverse range of sustainability and development projects including environmental policy and law, national park preservation, eco-tourism, agricultural development and public health."

As part of his work with WUSC, Mah visited eight cities in Vietnam.

"I've had a chance to explore this crazy country from north to south, mountain to sea," reflects Mah. "I've met a lot of interesting people along the way and learned something new from each of them."

In addition to his official responsibilities, he travelled to Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.

Mah recently returned to Canada and, as he looks to the future, he admits a change in perspective.

"I have grown to appreciate how good I have it in Canada. Some of the Vietnamese people have very little, but they are still living very meaningful lives. I hope to incorporate their sense of purpose, their work ethic and their persistence into everything I do."

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