UNews - Dr. Mike Mahon

U of L students log more than 7,500 volunteer hours

caroline.zentner — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 16:56:24 +0000

Almost 600 ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge students have volunteered more than 7,500 hours at community organizations as they learn first-hand about civic engagement through the UVolunteer program.

Since 2015, the U of L has operated UVolunteer in partnership with Volunteer Lethbridge to match and track students working with non-profit groups in the city. The initiative came about through the efforts of Dr. Mike Mahon, U of L president and vice-chancellor. Part of his vision was ensuring that students contribute to Lethbridge and surrounding communities.

To date, 583 students have registered with the program and they’ve logged 7,741 hours. During the 2017-2018 academic year, 89 volunteers contributed 2,296 hours.

Bryce Baker spent a co-op term marketing the UVolunteer program.

Each year, a U of L student has been hired through a cooperative education placement to help develop the partnership. This past year, Bryce Baker, a fourth-year Dhillon School of Business student, has further marketed the program, established connections with several faculty and student groups and collaborated with the School of Liberal Education, which now oversees the UVolunteer program.

“My first task with UVolunteer was to organize the UVolunteer fair last fall at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ,” says Baker. “It was a wonderful event and we had about 30 non-profit organizations attend. It was a great way to raise awareness right off the bat about the UVolunteer program. And it was a way for me to connect more with the non-profit organizations in the community and establish the link between the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the community.”

To spread the word about the UVolunteer program and its benefits to students, Baker conducted class presentations in every Faculty. He was also the point of contact for students and student clubs interested in the program.

“Students are more likely to receive scholarships if they clearly communicate how much they are volunteering,” says Baker. “More and more employers are looking for volunteerism, too.”

The cooperative term opened his eyes to the generous and giving nature of U of L students and what it’s like to work in the non-profit sector.

“It was an amazing experience. I wouldn’t change anything,” says Baker. “There is such a diverse range of career opportunities in the non-profit sector that I don’t think a lot of students consider when they’re in school.”

For the summer, Baker has taken a position with Volunteer Lethbridge as a Project Paintbrush coordinator.

Largest gift of cultural properties in ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge history given by Dr. Margaret (Marmie) Perkins Hess

caroline.zentner — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 16:29:46 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Art Gallery today unveils an unparalleled bequest of more than 1,000 works of art valued between $4 and $5 million from the estate of Dr. Margaret (Marmie) Perkins Hess (DFA ’04).

“This is the largest gift of art and cultural properties to the U of L in its 51-year history,” says Dr. Mike Mahon, U of L president and vice-chancellor. “We are honoured to become the home for these iconic works of art. Marmie was truly a renaissance woman; she was highly educated and committed to the arts, education and the community.”

The diverse collection is like a hidden treasure — most of the works haven’t been seen in public since Hess acquired them, including Cliffs Near Petawawa by Tom Thomson, a contemporary of the Group of Seven. It alone is valued at more than $1 million. The collection also contains more than 400 works by Indigenous artists, primarily Inuit and Northwest Coast First Nations.

“It was important to Marmie that her collection be open and accessible to the broadest audiences possible and also be used to support education, teaching and research. Given these wishes, we find it so satisfying that the Hess collection has found a new home at the U of L,” say Dale Boniface and Richard Haskayne, co-executors of the Hess estate. “Recognized nationally for the quality of its art collection and the standard of care and stewardship it provides to the collection, we take great comfort in knowing that Marmie would be absolutely thrilled with the new home and plans for her collection.”

Cliffs near Petawawa, Tom Thomson

Together, these works help tell the story of Canadian art in the 20th century from both settler and Indigenous perspectives. A.Y. Jackson, a member of the Group of Seven and a personal friend, advised Hess on her Canadian art purchases, which include works by Lawren Harris and Emily Carr. Another friend, the late photographer Roloff Beny, advised Hess on her purchases of international art, which include artists such as Picasso and Chagall.

“Marmie had a really good eye and she was ahead of her time with her strong interest in learning from Indigenous people and their art,” says Dr. Josephine Mills, U of L Art Gallery director and curator and Fine Arts professor. “This collection is an amazing addition for us.”

The U of L Art Gallery, in addition to renaming the main gallery space as the Dr. Margaret (Marmie) Perkins Hess Gallery, will focus on researching the works and providing access to them through exhibitions and public programs.

“The U of L Art Gallery is the perfect home for this gift because of our emphasis on creating in-depth engagement for students, scholars and the public,” says Mills.

Dr. Margaret (Marmie) Perkins Hess (DFA '04). Photo courtesy of The Alberta Order of Excellence.

Margaret (Marmie) Perkins Hess, a community leader, internationally recognized art historian and lecturer, businesswoman, rancher and philanthropist, was born in Calgary on May 3, 1916, an only child whose father was president of the Revelstoke Sawmill Company. She attended high school in Calgary and began her post-secondary education at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta in 1934. Hess completed a Bachelor of Arts at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto in 1938 and post-graduate studies at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Iowa in 1947. During her time in Toronto, she met several members of the Group of Seven and they encouraged her love of art.

During the Second World War, she returned to Alberta to teach art history at what are now the Alberta College of Art and Design and the Banff Centre, replacing male instructors who had enlisted. When she lived in Banff, she hosted parties that were attended by the likes of A.Y. Jackson and Lawren Harris. Hess may have met the renowned Canadian photographer, Roloff Beny, during this time. They became lifelong friends and, following Beny’s death in 1984, Hess served on an advisory committee to his estate that determined his collection should come to the U of L.

In the 1950s, Hess travelled extensively in the Canadian north. These journeys, and later visits to the West Coast, inspired her love of Indigenous art. In 1970, Hess opened Calgary Galleries Ltd., which was one of the first galleries in Canada to showcase Indigenous art. Recognized as a world authority on Inuit and First Nations art, she willingly shared her knowledge with students and scholars.

Hess was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1993 for her research, writing, exhibitions and lectures on Canadian Indigenous art. She also received many other awards, including the Alberta Order of Excellence and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal. In 2004, the U of L awarded Hess with an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts, one of several honorary degrees she received from universities.

Generous with her time and expertise, Hess supported students through scholarship and endowment funds and she volunteered on many community organizations, including the U of L Senate and the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede. She was appointed by then-premier Peter Lougheed to the Kananaskis Citizens Advisory Committee tasked with developing a provincial park for the 1988 Winter Olympics. Hess was given an honorary membership in the Ranchmen’s Club long before the organization officially allowed women to join in the early 1990s.

Hess passed away on Sept. 2, 2016 at 100 years of age.

Native Awareness Week to include pipe ceremony

caroline.zentner — Thu, 02 Mar 2017 18:54:30 +0000

This year’s Native Awareness Week from March 6 to 10 will pay tribute to the long-held relationship between the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and Indigenous peoples.

Among the many events taking place, the U of L, currently celebrating its 50th anniversary, will be unveiling its own ceremonial pipe, made by an elder from the Piikani First Nation and engraved with a pronghorn.

“The offer of prayer with a pipe is very significant and powerful for the Blackfoot people,” says Ryan Crosschild, a U of L program specialist. “It is a form of Blackfoot law making and therefore, when the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ offers prayer for the pipe, it is for the university community so they can continue to be successful.”

“During our 50th anniversary year, the U of L is honoured to receive the ceremonial pipe,” says Dr. Mike Mahon, U of L president and vice-chancellor. “In the years ahead, the pipe will serve as a symbol of the special relationship that exists between First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.”

Native Awareness Week provides a reminder for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community, Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples alike, to learn more about Indigenous culture and practices and reflect on the history, sacrifices, contributions and culture of FNMI peoples.

“This week reminds us that we have to also acknowledge the tough subjects and negativity that have come from years of colonization and to re-emphasize the importance of reconciliation,” says Crosschild. “Native Awareness Week is one of the ways to showcase culture and bring awareness to the issues identified by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and to start a dialogue to figure out the best way to move forward.”

The pipe will be unveiled during the opening ceremonies that begin at 11 a.m. on Monday in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall Atrium. The Grand Entry Mini Powwow is scheduled to begin at noon.

Other highlights of the week include a public lecture by Dr. Linda Many Guns, a professor in the Faculty of Native American Studies. The talk, entitled The Indigenous Collective Mind, is scheduled for Wednesday, March 8 from 3:05 to 5 p.m. in Room B660, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall. On Thursday from 10 to 11 a.m., Jackson 2Bears, a Mohawk multimedia artist based in Victoria, B.C., will present FNMI Art & Creative Cultural Praxis. A full schedule is available on the U of L Notice Board.

Fiat Lux address challenges U of L community to envision the future

caroline.zentner — Mon, 16 Jan 2017 22:31:09 +0000

A 50th anniversary calls for some reflection and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, set on traditional Blackfoot territory, has much to be proud of.

“It’s amazing to see what has been accomplished in the last 50 years,” said U of L President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Mike Mahon, at the annual Fiat Lux address.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has gone from consisting of one person—acting president Dr. Russell Leskiw (LLD ’93)—on Jan. 1, 1967 to a bustling comprehensive and research-focused post-secondary institution with more than 8,500 students and more than 40,000 alumni who are making their mark in the world.

However, 50 years in the life of an institution represents adolescence and Mahon urged the university community to cast its gaze to the future.

“We need to discuss who and what we want to be in our adulthood,” he said.

Just as Dr. Sam Smith (LLD ’90), the first U of L president, didn’t impose his views on what the fledgling U of L should hold as its philosophy and values, Mahon invited everyone to engage in discussion about what the U of L’s next 50 years might look like.

Leading the way, Drs. Erasmus Okine, vice-president research, and Andy Hakin, vice-president academic and provost, proposed five broad topic areas to help focus those discussions: student environment, academic programming, research culture, connection to community and facilities development.

“Notwithstanding the economics of current times, it’s time to think about what the future holds,” said Hakin. “We feel that there is a sense of growing momentum within the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ—we are hitting our stride.”

Dr. Andy Hakin

“I have been most impressed by the collective effort to begin the conversations about how to achieve the vision where the U of L will be renowned for excellence in teaching, research and service,” said Okine. “We should all be willing to engage in this conversation. How do we produce accomplishments that transcend individual faculties and orient us as a Destination ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ?”

Regarding student environment, conversations could centre on what it means to be a university focused on the student experience. How can the U of L produce the best possible environment for student growth?

Building the student experience is paramount, said Hakin, and it can start at a science camp or any one of the many activities that bring people to campus. Each and every interaction can help build a positive student environment. The U of L is also a global institution, with students from more than 80 countries and U of L students furthering their studies at institutions in all corners of the world.

Hakin went on to say the best way to retain students is to give them learning experiences that involve and engage them in their academic programs. With liberal education as a foundational value of academic programming, the U of L community also needs to ponder possible future directions for professional programming.

With respect to research culture, Okine affirmed an unwavering commitment to liberal education and preserving the breadth of scholarship that distinguishes the U of L academic community and confirms the U of L identity in the Albertan and Canadian landscapes.

Dr. Erasmus Okine

“The new research plan is transformative, further emphasizing and connecting academic directions with research objectives to grow in quality, impact and capacity of research and creative enquiry,” said Okine.

Preparing the next generation will mean providing students at all levels with high quality research experiences through enhancing community outreach, industry engagement and knowledge mobilization.

The U of L was built by community and the future will further build on the strong connections established over the last 50 years. The ties to community include the Coutts Centre for Western Canadian Heritage in Nanton, the Centre for Oral History and Tradition, the Pronghorns, sport and recreation services, relationships with Indigenous communities, health and wellness initiatives and the many connections created through our Faculty of Fine Arts. In line with the recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the U of L will continue to strengthen its relationships with Indigenous communities. U of L research expertise positions it to offer innovative services and programs in physical and mental health, education, music, drama, art and science.

The area of facilities development brings many exciting possibilities beyond the completion of the first phase of the Destination Project. Waiting in the wings is Phase II, the redevelopment of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall. Okine envisions establishing a dedicated place to support social science and humanities research as well as supporting creativity and research in the Fine Arts to create a community brought together through new collaborations. More residence spaces will further help to build the campus community. Hakin mused about additional tools like AGILITY or having a one-stop shop for all student services.

“Our people, our creative explorers, are our strongest resource,” said Hakin. “Where do we go from here? We need your vision for our future.”

Hakin and Okine welcome all ideas, comments and suggestions and they encourage members of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community to send an email to provost@uleth.ca.

U of L’s 50th anniversary plans promise to engage community

caroline.zentner — Fri, 09 Dec 2016 17:57:14 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge will soon be 50 years old, an anniversary that will be marked all year long with activities to spark a sense of nostalgia, fuel the imagination for a shiny future and to simply enjoy.

“We look forward to celebrating this milestone in our history with the community of Lethbridge and southern Alberta,” says Dr. Mike Mahon, U of L president and vice-chancellor. “Fifty years ago, our ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ began as a vision held within the hearts of many southern Albertans. This determined group of individuals, who were very forward looking, imagined a university that could be different. Fifty years later, I’d say that vision has materialized. Today, the U of L is widely recognized as one of Canada’s top-ranked universities and a leading research institution.”

The 2017 year will be filled with special events and activities. First on the calendar is the Founders’ Day Weekend on Jan. 13 and 14.

“We have many reasons to celebrate, chief among them are all the people who have been a part of our journey for the past five decades,” says Dr. Chris Hosgood, dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and co-chair of the U of L’s 50th anniversary committee. “We hope everyone with a connection to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ will come and join us for a fun-filled weekend of activities.”

As part of Founders’ Day, the U of L will announce some of the special initiatives and activities planned for the year, says Chris Horbachewski, vice-president of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Advancement and co-chair of the U of L’s 50th anniversary committee.

“I hope people will join us and participate in as many of the activities as they can,” says Horbachewski. “We have a great lineup of events throughout the weekend and many are family friendly.”

The Founders’ Day Weekend begins at noon on Friday, Jan. 13 with a free barbecue lunch for the first 800 guests, complete with a birthday cake built to remember. John Wort Hannam (BA/BEd ’96), songwriter and musician, will premiere the U of L’s 50th anniversary song. The U of L tartan will be unveiled and a special U of L label for a locally made beer will be revealed. A variety of additional projects will also be announced. Other highlights include themed campus tours, indoor tailgate parties, Pronghorn games, Frost Fest and the True North Cabaret on Saturday night, featuring the talents of Wort Hannam, the Groove Apostles and The Blue.

More information about anniversary activities can be found at the UL50 Years website.

Malawi teacher sees new possibilities through U of L studies

caroline.zentner — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 21:01:52 +0000

Travelling halfway around the world to take classes in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s Faculty of Education has opened Wyson Ndhlovu’s eyes to the possibilities. Now, he looks to bring this new world of potential to his homeland and create opportunities for the young Malawi girls he teaches at the Atsikana Pa Ulendo Girls Education Project.

Through a collaborative agreement between the Rotary Club of Lethbridge, the U of L and the Malawi school, Ndhlovu has spent the past seven months in Lethbridge taking a full load of classes designed to give the deputy headmaster a new perspective on teaching and education.

Wyson Ndhlovu, centre, walks through the coulees with U of L President Mike Mahon, right, and Pat Killoran, past president of the Rotary Club of Lethbridge.

“The purpose of the whole thing is for me to have an educational and cultural experience and to take back home what I feel is appropriate and applicable at our school,” says Ndhlovu, who has ventured away from Malawi for the first time in his life. “I didn’t know what I’d learn but now that I’m here, there’s so much.”

“Having Wyson in our education classes has provided our students with an alternative perspective on teaching and learning across the world,” says Dr. Richelle Marynowski, an education professor. “The students really took him in as one of their own and coordinated book donations and a fundraiser event to support the students at his school."

His trip is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Lethbridge, while the U of L has given Ndhlovu free tuition for the eight courses he was enrolled in over the spring and summer sessions. Rotary and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ have also previously combined to outfit a computer lab at Ndhlovu’s school, an all-girls academy for 400 rural students.

“With so many issues in the world, the fundamental way to improve these is through education,” says Pat Killoran, past president of the Rotary Club of Lethbridge.

He says the club initially considered bringing one or two students from Malawi to Canada to assist in their education but instead decided a greater impact might be achieved by helping the school’s teachers help themselves.

“We saw the Canadian experience, both culturally and educationally, as being something that could add a dimension to the teaching staff and, in turn, impact the students,” says Killoran.

Malawi is a landlocked nation in southeastern Africa that is home to more than 16 million people in an area roughly 20 per cent the size of Alberta. Largely agricultural, its citizens struggle with poverty and educational opportunities are severely lacking, especially for young girls. In 2006, Canadian teacher Christie Johnson joined with Malawi educator Memory Mdyetseni to form Atsikana Pa Ulendo (Girls On The Move), and the school has blossomed ever since. It currently operates thanks to a collaboration between the Atsikana Pa Ulendo Malawi Education Foundation (located in Canada) and the APU Malawi Trust (located in Malawi).

Ndhlovu says a lack of resources is the greatest problem he and his teachers face, but with the help of donors, they are slowly bringing technology into the classroom. While that may not allow his students to participate in scientific experiments, for example, at least now they will be able to watch them on video to gain a greater appreciation for the lesson that cannot be achieved through a textbook.

“When I came here I was exposed to different technologies through the lessons I had,” says Ndhlovu. “My professors would often use video presentations and I also taught practicum at Victoria Park High School and we used these resources and I found I was very motivated by it. This is something we need to adopt in our school back in Malawi.”

He’s also learned some valuable teaching techniques that he looks to incorporate back home.

“The difference I’ve noticed is that in Malawi, I used to plan a lesson that was one-size-fits all. With my experience here, I see that’s not the way,” he says. “You have to plan and teach bearing in mind that the students have different abilities. So, as you plan a lesson, you must think about every student in the class.”

Killoran says the success of Ndhlovu’s school in the 10 years that it has been open is remarkable, and slowly, communities are being changed, along with the future of young girls in Malawi.

“The girls who have graduated are now going back into their communities with education and doing things that weren’t being done before and certainly weren’t being done by girls,” he says. “We’re seeing a number of girls going to university, a number of girls getting jobs, a number of girls taking control of their lives.”

More information can be found on the history of Atsikana Pa Ulendo at the school’s website: http://malawigirlsonthemove.com/.

Enrolment up significantly at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge

caroline.zentner — Fri, 09 Oct 2015 17:45:00 +0000

This fall, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge welcomed one of the largest groups of students in its history. The number of students registered at the U of L totals 8,453, which represents an increase of 2.8 per cent from last fall. Dr. Mike Mahon, U of L president, announced the figure during his annual Fiat Lux address on Wednesday, Oct. 7.

The number of new high school registrants increased by more than 18 per cent from last year. To help ensure students make a successful transition from high school to university, Mahon stressed the need for the U of L community to continue offering their support.

The U of L welcomed more First Nations, Métis and Inuit students this year, with enrolment up 8.1 per cent from last year.

The U of L also saw significant growth in the number of new students starting their classes at the Calgary campus. Enrolment increased by 2.6 per cent to a total of 795 students. Primarily for adult learners who are working full-time, classes are offered in the evenings and on weekends. Through Campus Alberta, students can take advantage of laddering opportunities with Bow Valley College, Olds College and Athabasca ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. In addition to the Bachelor of Management currently offered, the Faculty of Fine Arts has hired a full-time instructor and now offers a minor in New Media in Calgary.

“The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge remains an institution of choice for students across Alberta and beyond because of our high-quality academic programs and a focus on supporting our students,” says Mahon.

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