UNews - Brenna Scott

Buy A Student A Breakfast campaign a simple gesture with immeasurable impact

trevor.kenney — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 22:08:38 +0000

Students are the focus of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s annual Giving Tuesday campaign — Buy A Student A Breakfast (BASAB) — which kicks off Tuesday, Nov. 28.

Students across the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s Lethbridge and Calgary campuses are getting ready for final exam season. Long hours in the library, study groups and power reading require extra fuel and perseverance. As the most important meal of the day, a healthy breakfast can be just the boost students need to start their busy day off right.

“The initiative has been running since 2018 and we’re proud to say our community continues to step up with stronger support every year,” says Diana Letts, an educator and a teaching development facilitator in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s Teaching Centre and Co-chair of the ULethbridge Food for Thought program. “Our alumni donors have been especially supportive and we’re once again looking to provide more than 1,000 student breakfasts at a really crucial time of year.”

A pledge of just $6 buys a breakfast for a ULethbridge student. The gesture is small, but the impact it can have on a student’s day is immeasurable.

“It’s more than a breakfast coupon, it’s a way to show our students how much our community values them and is behind them as they pursue their academic goals,” adds Letts. “Many of our students are a long way from home and, during a stressful time of year, a reminder that there’s a community here supporting them is really meaningful.”

Brenna Scott (BA ’16), a former ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students’ Union president, gives to the campaign annually and identifies with the stress students are feeling as final exams approach.

“I remember what it felt like to be a student during this time of year, and you need that little extra push,” she says. “Giving Tuesday is a great way to show students you care. They can use their coupon to buy a breakfast and then get back into the library to study and make sure they have a great end to their semester.”

The BASAB campaign begins Tuesday and runs through the end of the week. Each $6 donation buys a coupon redeemable for one breakfast sandwich and one coffee or tea at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s Tim Hortons or Urban Café (Lethbridge campus) while Calgary campus students will receive Tim Hortons gift cards. Coupons will then be distributed by volunteers including ULethbridge alumni and members of the Food for Thought committee throughout the first week of the final exam period, Dec. 4-8.

To make a gift and share an encouraging message for a student, visit go.uleth.ca/Buy-Breakfast.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge supporting Green Shirt Day, president Mahon named as ambassador for plasma donor centre

trevor.kenney — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 17:28:25 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is following the lead of the courageous Boulet family and working to turn tragedy into life-saving support for generations to come.

U of L President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Mike Mahon is joining the effort as an ambassador for Canadian Blood Services’ new Lethbridge Plasma Donor Centre.

Marking the three-year anniversary of Logan Boulet’s death in the Humboldt Broncos bus accident, April 7, Green Shirt Day, has become synonymous with raising awareness for organ and tissue donation across Canada. Only five weeks prior to the crash, Logan had signed up to be an organ donor, inspired by the passing of his family friend and trainer Ric Suggit, who was also the Pronghorns Women’s Rugby coach. Logan was able to save six lives, and affect so many more across Canada. Within a month of his passing, Canadian Blood Services reported that just shy of 100,000 people had signed up to be organ donors. The Logan Boulet Effect was born.

Boulet’s parents, Bernadine (BEd ’98) and Toby (BEd ’89, MEd ’04), and sister, Mariko (BSc ’17), continue to triumph the message of organ and tissue donation, as well as blood and plasma. Today, U of L President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Mike Mahon is joining the effort as an ambassador for Canadian Blood Services’ new Lethbridge Plasma Donor Centre.

“We have all been touched by this tragedy and the selflessness of Logan and how many people he was able to positively impact,” says Mahon. “For us at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, this was particularly jarring as it hit so close to home. As a community, we came together to support the Boulet family and through this initiative, we look to continue that legacy of support and provide hope to other families in need.”

Canadian Blood Services opened the doors of the Lethbridge Plasma Donor Centre in December 2020. Plasma is the protein-rich liquid in our blood that can be used to make specialized medicines and therapies. Collecting more plasma will help the thousands of Canadian patients who depend on these therapies to survive, including those right here in Lethbridge.

“We are grateful for the generosity that local residents, businesses and organizations, including the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, have shown at our plasma donor centre,” says U of L alumna Brenna Scott (BA ’16), business development manager, Canadian Blood Services’ Lethbridge plasma donor centre. “We have welcomed members of the Boulet family to donate plasma several times. It’s truly a testament to the spirit and memory of Logan and we are thankful to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ for their support of Green Shirt Day.”

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is also running an internal campaign to spur plasma donations. Throughout the next few months, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ groups are challenging their members and other units across campus to book appointments at the local plasma clinic — and, of course, wear their green shirts.

“The need for blood, tissue, organs and plasma never subsides, and for very little effort, our actions can positively affect so many people,” says Mahon. “I encourage everyone to find a way to support the efforts of the Lethbridge Plasma Donor Centre and those in our community who are in need of their lifesaving services.”

To book an appointment, please visit blood.ca/Lethbridge.

Alumni Profile - Brenna Scott

trevor.kenney — Tue, 24 Apr 2018 17:26:27 +0000

Alumni have always played an important role in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community and the U of L Alumni Association (ULAA) has been key in that process. Whether at ULAA executive meetings, or board and senate meetings, this diverse group represents U of L alumni around the world.

But just who are they? Get to know your ULAA council members through this series of profiles.

Meet Brenna

Brenna Scott with her beloved dog, Waffles.

She’s a passionate volunteer with a penchant for organization and a dog named Waffles. U of L Alumni Association Vice-President Brenna Scott (BA ’16) shares these and other things you might find interesting.

Name: Brenna Scott

Role on the ULAA: Vice President

Hometown: Calgary, Alta.

Degree: Bachelor of Arts

Major: English

Student Clubs/Activities: ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students’ Union

Current Job: Administrative Assistant at Select People Solutions

Favourite U of L Memory: Advocating on behalf of students during my time as Students’ Union President

What is the first thing you want people to know about you? I am passionate about writing and volunteering in the community; I have Crohn’s disease; and I have a wheaten terrier named Waffles who I am absolutely obsessed with. (I also could not pick just one thing to share).

What is an unusual habit or an absurd thing you love? I absolutely love organizing and sometimes have to restrain myself from organizing someone else’s desk during meetings.

What is your favourite fail? (A time when an apparent failure was for the best). My favorite fail is definitely when we bought our puppy Waffles. At the time, my spouse and I lived in a basement suite that had a clear “no pet policy” but, unfortunately, I wasn’t able to follow the rule because I fell in love with the dog (and who can say no to love?). As a result, we ended up buying the puppy and, in turn, for the first month he came absolutely EVERYWHERE with me. It all worked out in the end though because our landlord at the time was a realtor and ended up finding us our first home. We always joke that we bought our first home not for us, but for our dog.

What is the best investment you’ve ever made? (Can be money, time, energy, etc.) The best investment I’ve ever made was definitely my degree. I learned so much in those five years, not only through my classes, but through the experiences I had that helped shape me into the person I am today.

What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your life in the last six months? I bought entry to the Colour Fun Run when my work decided to enter a team and it was definitely a great use of my money! I have always wanted to do a Colour Run. We had a blast getting colour thrown at us and took loads of photos once we were all colourful. If you haven’t participated in the run before I would highly recommend it!

What belief, behaviour or habit has most improved your life since graduation? Always being open to meeting new people. You never know how those connections will positively impact you down the line. Find something you are passionate about and get involved! That is the best way to meet like-minded people.

Fall reading break approved for 2016

trevor.kenney — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 18:13:22 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge continues to introduce initiatives that address the mental health and well-being of its students, approving the implementation of a fall reading break for the 2016 Academic Schedule.

The break will run Nov. 7-10 and, with Remembrance Day included, amounts to a full week away from classes in the midst of the Fall 2016 Semester. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has traditionally incorporated a spring reading break into its academic schedule, and will continue to do so.

Mental health and well-being of students is at the heart of implementing a new fall study break. The 2016 break will run Nov. 7-10.

“The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s students and faculty saw this as a priority and we are pleased that we have a solution that is so well supported,” says Susie Kennedy, U of L registrar. “We are always looking at strategies to better support our students and put them in the best possible position to succeed in their studies.”

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s General Faculties Council initiated discussions on whether a fall reading break should be added to the academic schedule and a work team was created that included faculty members, graduate and undergraduate student representatives, as well as stakeholders from the U of L’s northern campuses, the registrar’s office and ancillary services.

Further consultation through the Strategic Enrolment Management Committee and open meetings resulted in overwhelmingly positive feedback to implement the fall break.

“This break will have a positive impact on students and is consistent with the Students’ Union goal to advocate on the importance of student mental health,” says Brenna Scott, president of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students’ Union. “The first semester can be a stressful one for students, especially new students that are still adjusting to the transition to university life. This break will not only give students the breather they need mid semester, but will help them in achieving academic success. I am thrilled to have the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s support of this initiative and glad to see this break becoming a reality.”

The U of L has been active in enhancing its student supports in recent years, specifically highlighting student mental health and wellness. The creation of the Student Success Centre was one such initiative and just this fall, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ became the first Canadian post-secondary institution to join The Jed & Clinton Health Matters Campus Program in support of student well-being and mental health.

“Student demand for counselling services has never been greater,” says Dr. Mark W. Slomp, manager of Counselling and Career Services and acting director of Student Services. “A fall reading break will bring much needed relief to students at a time when it is most needed.”

Dr. Judith Lapadat, associate vice-president (students), adds that the approval of a fall break is in keeping with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s overarching philosophy towards mental health.

“I am very pleased that the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has committed to student wellness in such a significant and concrete way,” says Lapadat. “The addition of a fall reading break builds on a lot of excellent work that is being done under the auspices of the provincial Mental Health Grant to support student mental health.”

UNews - Brenna Scott

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