UNews - Kali McKay

Recognizing the winners of the 2022 President's Awards for Service Excellence

caroline.zentner — Thu, 15 Sep 2022 19:44:34 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President's Office is pleased to announce the 2022 recipients of the President's Award for Service Excellence.

AUPE recipient — Rebecca Gray

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is extremely pleased to present the President’s Award for Service Excellence (AUPE) to Rebecca Gray, a student loan advisor with Scholarships & Student Finance.

Part mentor, part advocate and part cheerleader, Gray has consistently demonstrated an ability to tackle students’ loan challenges with compassion and resolve. As a student loan advisor for the past 10 years, Gray is the first person to greet visitors to the Scholarships & Student Finance office. With her quick British wit and keen sense of humour, she puts others at ease. Gray is well aware of the financial stressors students can face and she’s quick to offer both emotional and practical support.

As someone who believes finances should never be a barrier to education, Gray goes above and beyond to help students access the maximum funding available to them by finding sources of support they never thought possible. Rather than simply providing advice to students, she goes a step further to work on students’ behalf with government representatives and loan lenders. Gray’s ability to empathize, coupled with her vast knowledge of student finance options, makes her a highly valuable support for both students and the ULethbridge community.

In addition to her front-line work as a student loan advisor, Gray also worked with Information Technology staff to improve departmental operations, specifically the automated student loan confirmation process. Before being rebuilt, the process required many hours of manual labour by staff in Student Finance and the Cash Office. Gray’s knowledge of the inner workings of the current system were critical in the process.

In addition to that knowledge, the project required someone who could adapt and advocate for changes in the functional and technical realms. Gray handily demonstrated these skills while implementing the new system as she spent countless hours testing and trouble-shooting the complexities of the rebuild as it related to the Student Finance office. This work was done in addition to her normal day-to-day tasks and she helped keep the project moving forward by putting in extra time towards its successful completion. Despite the demands, Gray kept a positive attitude throughout the project and her humour helped everyone involved in the project stay upbeat.

To her colleagues and students, Gray is the go-to person who has and continues to make a difference.

Team award recipients — Suzanne Atkinson, Brenda Bell, Jaime Iwaasa, Nicole Spence, Kyra Svrcek and Kelly Vaselenak

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is proud to recognize the Faculty of Education’s Student Program Services (SPS) and Field Experiences (FE) teams with the President’s Award for Service Excellence.

From left to right are Nicole Spence, Jaime Iwaasa, Kyra Svrcek, Kelly Vaselenak and Suzanne Atkinson. Missing from the photo is Brenda Bell.

In a post-secondary year defined by the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, these teams have provided exceptional service and care to both students and faculty.

FE team members, Jaime Iwaasa (BMgt '22) and Kelly Vaselenak, and SPS team members, Suzanne Atkinson (BFA ’00), Brenda Bell (BA ’95, MA ’99), Kyra Svrcek (BHSc ’16) and Nicole Spence, often work in tandem to ensure undergraduate students are well supported in the Faculty of Education from pre-application to graduation. These teams are responsible for multiple tasks related to marketing, recruitment, admissions, advising, communications and setting up practicums in many school divisions across Alberta or in other provinces. In addition, the teams help students meet graduation requirements and subsequently navigate the teacher certification process. They also ensure faculty have all they need to successfully supervise students within schools.

The COVID-19 pandemic presented these teams with exceptional circumstances. The FE team is responsible for placing between 900 and 1,000 students in schools every year as they complete their professional semesters. The pandemic posed many challenges in terms of placing student teachers into their classrooms. Further complicating the situation was the fact ULethbridge students were learning remotely, many of them from communities outside Lethbridge. As a result, the FE team negotiated working with new schools and divisions to adapt to the changing practicum environment. Some practicum placements were outside the province where COVID restrictions were different. In the 2020-2021 year, the FE team placed more than 600 students into new practicums where, at times, they worked in a virtual or hybrid teaching environment.

In the run-up to the Fall 2020 semester, admissions had to be completed before a decision was made about how courses were to be delivered. The SPS team handled numerous questions from students who were worried about how they would begin their post-secondary education. The SPS team responded by holding information sessions, virtual townhalls and open houses to both new and continuing students. They also had to quickly adapt to using digital platforms and developed new skills in data management and electronic forms of record keeping in the process. The team found ways to support students and each other with grace and good humour, despite the volume of emails and concerns from students.

The SPS and FE teams are the foundation of the Faculty of Education program and their steadfast efforts over the past year ensured students had the best year possible.

APO recipient — Kali McKay

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is very proud to present the President’s Award for Service Excellence (APO) to Kali McKay (BA ’06, MA ’10), director of community engagement.

McKay has held numerous roles at ULethbridge, with the first as a student. After completing a bachelor’s degree, she joined the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ as a recruitment officer where she worked until returning to student life to complete her masters. Following the completion of her program, she joined ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Advancement as a communications officer, then as events and protocol officer, and later as manager of constituent engagement. She now brings those varied perspectives to her current position as director of community engagement in the Department of Development, Alumni Relations and Community Engagement. Having worked in these roles has given McKay a holistic view of the workings of a post-secondary institution and it’s those experiences she draws upon in meeting the needs of ULethbridge’s many stakeholders.

Her masterstrokes are evident in many of ULethbridge’s most successful events and programs. McKay sees the big picture from the high-level strategy down to the smallest details. She played a crucial role in organizing both the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s 50th anniversary celebrations in 2017 and the Big Bang Weekend to celebrate the opening of Science Commons in 2019. More recently, McKay led activities to celebrate the conclusion of the SHINE campaign, which raised $100 million and engaged more than 20,000 alumni. She has helped the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s annual Play Day take shape over the last decade and ensured its longevity by securing a donor for the event. Each year, she works to refine the planning and execution of Play Day so it continues to support the needs of families in southern Alberta.

McKay has formed strong relationships with partners across the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and cemented herself as a leader both within the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the larger community. Her eye is always on what’s best for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community and her tendency to dream big allows her to expand ideas. The Nourish program is a perfect example. She played a key role in building a brand for food security initiatives across campus to create a program that supports students and gives alumni and community members a way to give back.

She is also a champion for liberal education and has worked closely with the School of Liberal Education to advance initiatives like the Common Book Project and Volunteer Week. This passion for liberal education also inspired her to secure Margaret Atwood as guest speaker for the 2015 Calgary Alumni & Friends Dinner, an event she organized and helped grow for a number of years. An extraordinary writer, one of the many stories McKay wrote includes The Formidable Margaret Atwood, which was published in Southern Alberta Magazine. Her colleagues fondly remember placing a sign on her office door that read, “Please do not disturb. Interview with MARGARET ATWOOD in progress.”

McKay’s ongoing positivity and drive to make ULethbridge the best it can be has reaped dividends too numerous to count and set a successful path for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ for years to come.

Annual Family Day Play Day celebration to highlight agriculture themed activities

trevor.kenney — Mon, 13 Jan 2020 20:36:34 +0000

The family farm will come to life inside the 1st Choice Savings Centre for Sport and Wellness as the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge hosts its ninth annual Play Day on Family Day, Monday, February 17, 2020, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Presented in partnership with North & Company LLP, Play Day is a free day of family fun featuring all the amenities of the 1st Choice Savings Centre. Bring a swimsuit, gym shoes and comfortable clothing to take part in a variety of agriculture themed activities. Were you born in a barn? Maybe not, but you can come out and play in one!

“When we started working on this concept for our first Play Day in 2012, I’m not really sure we knew what to expect,” says Kali McKay, manager, Constituent Engagement. “The idea then, as it remains today, was to create an opportunity for southern Albertans to come together and celebrate being a family by simply playing with one another. It has obviously resonated with our communities and I think there’s been a boost in Family Day activities all across the region as a result. Family matters, and we’re proud to keep the tradition going.”

North and Company LLP is back for its second year as the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s presenting partner. North & Company LLP has been providing quality legal services to southern Alberta since it was established in 1973. With more than half of their partners and associates having graduated from the U of L, they have built their practice in the Lethbridge community, while providing services to branch offices in Blairmore, Claresholm, Coaldale, High River, Milk River, Picture Butte, Pincher Creek, Taber, Vulcan and Warner.

“We’re a family law firm and many of our associates have young families, so for us, Play Day is the perfect kind of community activity with which we want to be associated,” says Kerry Gellrich (BA ’06), partner with North & Company LLP. “Our people and the work they do is about building community and we do that through our families. We’re excited to be part of Play Day again.”

Activities for the agriculture themed event include the classic Free Build cardboard fort building zone, along with a collection of sporting activities such as basketball, floor hockey and swimming. The U of L’s Ascent Climbing Centre is also available for play, while art activities and science-themed educational areas will be spread throughout the facility. And, of course, the ever-popular face painting zones will be as busy as ever.

The best part about Play Day is the fact that it’s free to everyone, including admission and parking. An added bonus for those who attend Play Day 2020 is 15 per cent off identified regular priced Summer Camp registration fees – Horns Recreation, Destination Exploration, Conservatory of Music.

Check out Facebook for event details.

Open Mike - February 2014, Concern over the prospect of local oil and gas drilling

trevor.kenney — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 22:11:18 +0000

Now that we are once again in full swing, I wanted to take the time to welcome everyone back for the Spring Semester and address a few issues that have arisen since my last Open Mike column prior to Christmas.

Mahon looks forward to welcoming the community at the 3rd Annual Play Day event on Monday, February 17.

One of the most contentious issues that has come to the forefront in the last few months is the prospect of oil and gas drilling within the boundaries of the city of Lethbridge, and more specifically, on the city’s west side.

Just last week I had the opportunity to sit down with our local MLA, Greg Weadick, to share our mutual concerns over the proposed drilling plans. At this point, we are working, as are many of you, to fully understand the risk and safety implications of this activity and how it may affect not only our campus, but our community as well. We have great concern for the safety of our students who live in off-campus housing, for example. It is also troublesome to think of how the proposed drilling activity may impact the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s ability to recruit and retain faculty, staff and students. One of the U of L’s great advantages is the positive quality of life that Lethbridge affords people and it is concerning to see this potentially jeopardized.

As this debate continues to evolve, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ will do its part to advocate for the best interests of our faculty, staff and students.

We speak often of community and its many meanings here on campus because so much of what we do has a community focus, both internally and externally.

A good example of this is the renewal of the Life Bus campaign and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s partnership with the local chapter of Canadian Blood Services (CBS). This is the third year that the U of L has joined forces with CBS and after shattering the modest donation goals we set out for our community the first two years of this relationship, we are seeking 400 total blood donations in 2014. Please contact Patti Leeb at leeb@uleth.ca or at 403-329-5182 to sign up for this very worthwhile program.

Another great example of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s community spirit is the now annual Play Day activity that will be held on Family Day (Monday, Feb. 17).

This is also the third incarnation of Play Day on campus and I can’t understate how well received this initiative has been from the southern Alberta community. The opportunity to invite so many people to experience our campus, if even just for a few hours of play, is invaluable and I thank all those who have assisted as volunteers to help make this event such a success.

I encourage volunteers to sign up by contacting Kali McKay (kali.mckay@uleth.ca) so that we can once again put our best foot forward and offer southern Alberta families a wonderful day of play, and of course we hope many of you bring your families out to play as well.

In the next few weeks, we have two important events that will continue to help shape the future of our institution.

I am looking forward to the opportunity to sit down with our new Minister of Innovation and Advanced Education, Dave Hancock, as we discuss the priorities of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and the importance of continuing to appropriately resource higher education in the province of Alberta.

I am also looking forward to introducing the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s new Strategic Plan on Wednesday, Feb. 12. I encourage everyone to come out to the launch event to share in our excitement as we unveil the plan that will help set the course for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ over the next five years. Your valued input throughout the strategic planning process has given us a clear indication of what we value as Alberta’s Destination ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and where our successes can be best achieved moving ahead.

I hope to see you at this event and don’t forget to take some time to come out and play on Feb. 17.

UNews - Kali McKay

Recognizing the winners of the 2022 President's Awards for Service Excellence

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Annual Family Day Play Day celebration to highlight agriculture themed activities

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Open Mike - February 2014, Concern over the prospect of local oil and gas drilling

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