UNews - Queen's ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ

Nicol appointed ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Librarian

trevor.kenney — Fri, 05 Jul 2013 16:11:57 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has named Dr. Christopher J. Nicol as its new ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Librarian, an appointment that took effect on July 1, 2013.

Nicol, the former Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science, had been serving as Acting ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Librarian since Sept. 1, 2012. He took that position in the wake of former ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Librarian Alison Nussbaumer's move to the role of Interim Dean, Internationalization.

"Chris Nicol's service to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge as Dean of Arts and Science has been both remarkable and exemplary," says Bob Boudreau, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Vice Provost. "His contributions in advancing the Faculty of Arts and Science will be felt for years to come. Building on this legacy, we are absolutely thrilled that Chris will continue to serve and lead the U of L in his new role of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Librarian."

A native of Scotland, Nicol earned his master's and PhD in economics at Queen's ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in Kingston, Ont., before spending 16 years as a professor of economics at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Regina. He arrived on the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge campus in 2001 and assumed his duties as a professor in economics while also serving as the Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science. He will continue on as a professor of economics in the Department of Economics while serving as the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Librarian.

An esteemed researcher, Nicol's interests are in econometrics, applied econometrics and the theory of consumer behaviour. He is also keenly interested in macroeconomic policy debates, especially those arising in the wake of the financial crisis of 2008.

Nicol is also an accomplished swimmer, having competed internationally and at the post-secondary level for Queen's ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. In 1985, Nicol won both the 100-metre and 200-metre breaststroke events at the inaugural World Masters Games in Toronto.

Lasting Images - Kenojuak Ashevak

trevor.kenney — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 21:58:20 +0000

Kenojuak Ashevak was born in Ikirasaq, Baffin Island in 1927. Her father was a shaman, who clashed with other members of the community who had recently converted to Christianity, and he was killed when Ashevak was six years old. After his death, her family moved to live with Ashevak's maternal grandmother, who taught her traditional craft techniques including sealskin repair and caribou hide preparation.

In 1946, Ashevak married and began to have children, but was separated from her family from 1952 to 1955 by a stay in Quebec City's Parc Savard hospital, where she convalesced from tuberculosis. Upon her recovery, Ashevak began working with Inuit art promoter James Archibald Houston, and in 1959 she and a group of other Cape Dorset artists formed the West Baffin Eskimo Cooperative workshop. Throughout her artistic career, Ashevak produced thousands of drawings, etchings, stone cut prints and soapstone sculptures, often featuring brightly coloured, stylized representations of animals and mythical beings.

She was the subject of a National Film Board documentary in 1963, made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1967, awarded honorary doctorates from Queen's ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto, and her work is held in numerous private and public collections across Canada and internationally.

Ashevak died on January 8, 2013 in Cape Dorset.

This story first appeared in the February 2013 edition of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Kenojuak Ashevak, Summer Owl, 1979. From the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Art Collection. Gift of an anonymous donor, 1986.

Kenojuak Ashevak, Talelayu, 1979. From the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Art Collection. Purchased in 1988 with matching funds provided by the Alberta Advanced Education Endowment and Incentive Fund, as a result of the gift of an anonymous donor.

Kenojuak Ashevak, Multifeathered Bird, 1961. From the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Art Collection. Gift of Toni Onley, 1988.

Basketball nets weekly awards

trevor.kenney — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 21:35:21 +0000

Basketball players Erin Skippon and Julian Spear Chief-Morris were recognized with Subway Pronghorn Athlete of the Week awards following their strong weekend performances against the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Saskatchewan Huskies.

Skippon is a fifth-year transfer from Queen's ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ who has been a huge reason why the Horns women's basketbal team has opened with a strong 3-1 start to the Canada West season.

During the 'Horns 67-61 win over the nationally ranked Huskies, Skippon led all scorers with 20 points and narrowly missed out on her first double-double in a Pronghorn jersey, grabbing eight rebounds. A post player, Skippon has provided the 'Horns with exceptional leadership and helped with the team's transition to a new system under new head coach Erin McAleenan.

Through two weekends of the conference schedule, Skippon is averaging 11.5 points per game and just under six rebounds a night.

On the men's side, Spear Chief-Morris, a senior forward, has played a prominent role in the 'Horns 3-1 start to the season, even though he has been asked to learn a new position in his final year of eligibility.

The natural guard has made a seamless transition to a forward position and combined to score 38 points in the 'Horns weekend split with the nation's seventh-ranked Huskies.

Friday night, Spear Chief-Morris led the 'Horns in scoring with 23 points in a 98-89 loss. The next night, he scored 15 points, while adding six rebounds and two assists in the 'Horns 99-87 win.

On the season, Spear Chief-Morris is second on the 'Horns in scoring, averaging 14.5 points per game.

5 Questions With Dr. Martin Lalumiere

trevor.kenney — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 22:03:02 +0000

Dr. Martin Lalumiere is an associate professor in the Department of Psychology. He studies the etiology of sexual aggression, the development of atypical sexual preferences, the physiological assessment of sexual arousal, sex differences in genital arousal, the effect of birth order on development and the determinants of risk taking.

Prior to joining the U of L, he was a research psychologist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and associate professor of psychiatry and criminology at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto (1997-2004).

Lalumiere teaches courses on criminal behaviour, psychopathology and evolutionary psychology and is a past Chair of the Human Subject Research Committee.

Dr. Martin Lalumiere is a foremost expert on sexual aggression and the development of atypical sexual preferences.

What first piqued your interest in your research discipline?

As an undergraduate student at the Université de Montréal, I signed up to be a research participant for a study on the Pavlovian conditioning of sexual arousal in humans (how can one not be curious about a study like that!). I had a long chat with the PhD student who was running the study, and soon thereafter I applied for a research assistant position in that laboratory. I immediately started running similar studies and discovered that the study of human sexuality was fascinating, complex and extremely rewarding.

How is your research applicable in "the real world"?

I will say that sex is pervasive, important to people and associated with important health and life satisfaction outcomes. Increasing knowledge about sex is bound to have important impacts on things like sex education, prevention of sexually transmitted infections and sexual and relationship satisfaction. In our lab we also study the link between sexual preferences and crimes, with the hope of better preventing sexual crimes.

What is the greatest honour you have received in your career?

I would say the Governor General's Academic Gold Medal, for best graduating student at Queen's ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. As a graduate student I didn't even know that such a prize existed, and all I was trying to do was to learn English and become a good scientist.

How important are students to your research endeavours?

I spent the first nine years of my career working in research institutes, without much help from students. I was sufficiently productive but felt that something was missing. Since arriving at the U of L in 2004 and establishing the Human Sexual Arousal Laboratory, I discovered the joys and benefits of having undergraduate and graduate students involved in my research. They are very important to my research program. In fact, most of my recent successes are a direct result of having very qualified students in my lab. Their work has shaped the direction of my own research activities.

If you had unlimited funds, which areas of research would you invest?

Currently, my students and I are spending most of our energies attempting to discover why women's genital arousal is not quite consistent with their experience of sexual arousal. It is a great mystery that fascinates us. Is it the most important research question in the world? Probably not. Is it an important question that is likely to lead to concrete answers? Very likely. Will those answers allow us to better understand women's sexuality (a mostly neglected topic in human science)? Very likely.

Already we have received emails from women who have been the victim of rape, and who were tortured by the memory of experiencing genital arousal during the event. We are now able to provide them with a possible explanation, and they find it quite reassuring.

The most important areas of research are those where questions are answerable and can lead to improvement in human welfare.

Having said all this, I think the most important research question for human research has to do with the effects of economic and health inequalities, and the measures needed to diminish those inequalities. We have done some research on this topic and I hope that we will continue to do so.

Each month, the Legend will present 5 Questions With . . . one of our researchers. For a look at the entire catalog of 5 Questions With . . . features, check out the Office of Research and Innovation Services website at www.uleth.ca/research/research_profiles. If you'd like to be profiled, contact Penny Pickles at pickpj@uleth.ca

This story first appeared in the October 2012 issue of the Legend. To see the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Alumna Thomas earns ULSU honour

trevor.kenney — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 15:20:20 +0000

Melanee Thomas, who led the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union as President in 2002-03, is the recipient of the Students' Union Alumni Achievement Award for 2012.

Thomas, originally from the Granum area, graduated from the U of L in 2003 with a degree in political science (Great Distinction)

She went on to achieve her masters in political science with a specialization in Canadian Politics from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary in 2006, and completed her PhD in political science at McGill ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in 2011.

Now back in Alberta, Thomas is an assistant professor at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary in the political science department. Prior to her position at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary she was The Skelton-Clark Post Doctoral fellow in the Department of Political Science at Queen's ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

"The reason we chose Melanee as the recipient for the ULSU Alumni Achievement Award is we were blown away with the success she has had in her academic career, and the fact that she was highly-esteemed by her co-workers and colleagues at the ULSU," says Shuna Talbot, the SU vice-president, internal.

Among numerous awards, Thomas received a Young Woman of Distinction award from the YWCA in 2003 and a Federation of Canadian Municipalities' (FCM) 2005 scholarship for her research into how gender influences the participation of women and men in politics.

She also has direct political and election experience as a candidate for the NDP in the Lethbridge Riding during the 2004 federal election.

Outside of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Thomas is also an accomplished runner and maintains an interest in music, having studied piano at the ARCT level with the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.

Horns coaches support Right To Play

trevor.kenney — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 16:29:44 +0000

This weekend, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorn coaches will join coaches from across Canada who are going shoeless to raise awareness and funds for Right To Play, an international organization that uses the power of sport and play to teach life skills and improve health.

Horns coachesare proud to support Right To Play this season by going shoeless to recognize children around the world who do not have access to sports and proper sporting equipment.

Women's soccer head coach Ilsa Wong will go shoeless for Saturday's game at home versus the Calgary Dinos, and has already raised $420 to donate to the Right to Play cause. Similarly, women's rugby coach Neil Langevin will also go shoeless Saturday in Calgary and has raised $230.

In Prince George on Sunday, men's soccer head coach Randy Bardock and assistant coach Daryl Moore will coach without shoes versus the Timberwolves. During the National Female Hockey Challenge being hosted in Lethbridge this weekend, Horns hea coach Chandy Kaip will go shoeless during Saturday's game versus Queen's ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

While Horns basketball has yet to enter its competitive season, both head coaches will be involved in the initiative Friday afternoon during regular scheduled practice time with the men's basketball team holding a intra-squad game at 4:30 p.m.

Right To Play is a global organization that uses the transformative power of play to educate and empower children facing adversity in more than 20 countries. A pioneer in its field, Right To Play uses sport and play as tools to build essential life skills and create social change, impacting 835,000 children each week. Programming in Canada includes the enhancement of education in priority schools, and the Promoting Life-skills in Aboriginal Youth (PLAY) program in Northern Ontario. Founded in 2000 by four-time Olympic gold medalist and social entrepreneur Johann Olav Koss, their programs are facilitated by nearly 12,000 volunteers.

Right to Play is expected to announce that more than 20 universities across the country and 40 coachesare joining the U of L in going shoeless.

It only takes $50 to enroll a child in weekly Right to Play programs for an entire year. If you would like to make a donation in honour of the Pronghorn coaches, visit this link to see our page and donate.

Journey complete for Mackinnon brothers

trevor.kenney — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 17:15:22 +0000

UPDATE: The Mackinnon brothers completed their journey and dipped toes in the Atlantic Ocean on July 16 before completing their journey back in Comox with a fundraiser barbecue on July 19

Scott Mackinnon (BA '07) understands that the world is so much greater than the space within which he exists. It's a point he undoubtedly learned while watching his once vibrant grandfather slowly lose his battle with Parkinson's disease, and one that was driven home while maturing as a young man at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. Now, as he cycles with his three brothers (Sean, Ross and Ryan) across Canada in memory of his late grandfather Neville 'Baha' Munro, he's reminded of that lesson every day.

"I always told my brothers what a supportive, passionate, loyal and aware community Lethbridge was," says the former Pronghorns men's basketball player and native of Comox, B.C. "It's just pretty cool that they are able to experience that first hand now. My experience here at the U of L definitely led me towards doing something like this – to be more socially aware and more conscious of something way beyond myself and something more important than myself."

Biking for Baha was an idea hatched between the brothers years ago. Their grandfather had wanted to cycle across Canada after being diagnosed with Parkinson's at age 60. A special bike was built for him by his eldest son (their uncle) but his declining motor skills never allowed for the trip to take place. In 2003, Baha passed away but his dream lived on.

"The last few years, riding across Canada became a big interest of mine and it became a huge conversation piece between us," says Mackinnon. "We started talking about it but things always seemed to get in the way. This year, all of a sudden, all four brothers fell into a place where there was time to do it and so here we are."

The quest to cross Canada and raise funds for Parkinson's research began May 19 on the B.C. coast and passed through Lethbridge May 30-31. The goal is to dip their tires in the Atlantic Ocean sometime in July (they finished July 16), all the while raising one dollar for every kilometre they cycle, as well as an additional dollar for the distance Baha would have covered for a total of $40,075. The Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research is the recipient charity.

Coming through Lethbridge was a homecoming for Mackinnon and an opportunity to show off the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community he grew so close to during his time as a Pronghorn.

"Coming through Lethbridge was the best thing that could happen to us," he says. "We're pretty inexperienced touring cyclists so once we got through the mountains, Lethbridge was a key morale boost for us. It's been so good to see Travis Grindle and Eoin Colquhoun, coach Dave Adams and a lot of the people I really respect and look up to. The effort they put in to helping us, we're all taken aback by it."

The group spent two nights in Lethbridge, participated in an evening fundraiser, met kinesiology professor Dr. Jon Doan, toured his lab and learned about his work with local Parkinson's patients.

The generosity and open arms that greeted the group was exactly what he expected.

"I absolutely loved the U of L because of the small community," says Mackinnon, who went on to earn a bachelor's degree in education at Queen's ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and just completed his first year of teaching at an international school in Manila.

"I loved how you would be walking through the halls here and everyone would say hi. You have the small class sizes, everyone was friendly, and on the court, the crowds and the community support that you get here is amazing. You just couldn't ask for a better place to go to school and I would recommend to anyone to go here."

The group has now completed its journey, which is chronicled on their blog (bikingforbaha.weebly.com). As well, CBC Halifax created this video upon their arrival.

For Mackinnon, as much as the ride is personal, it continues to drive home the universal lesson he learned long ago.

"I've thought about my grandfather on this ride more than I have in a long time and it's one of the best things about this," he says. "It's really refreshing what an influence he had on our lives and what an inspiring man he was. It's also allowed me to learn so much. Ignorantly, I didn't realize how many people were affected by Parkinson's and it's really cool to be able to know there's that support network out there and that we can help towards finding a cure, towards something that can help these people cope with this terrible disease. It's been very eye opening."

GET THE FACTS

• The Biking for Baha team was greeted by a group of local cyclists as they made their way into Lethbridge. The Lethbridge Lodge provided them with two nights accommodation, while Backstreat Pub and Coco Pazzo's chipped in meals

• Mackinnon played for the Horns over two different stretches, from 2000-2002 and again from 2004-2007, scoring 862 points in 85 career Canada West games

• A true blue Pronghorn, Mackinnon and his brothers were given Horns basketball shirts by head coach Dave Adams. "I'll always be a part of Horns nation," says Mackinnon. "I love this place. If I could get a teaching job in southern Alberta I'd come back in a second."

• Mackinnon will return to Canada to look for a teaching job after one more year in the Philippines

• To donate to Biking for Baha, visit www.michaeljfox.org or www.bikingforbaha.weebly.com

This story first appeared in the June 2012 issue of the Legend. For a look at the entire issue in flipbook format, follow this link.

Mackinnon and brothers honouring Baha

trevor.kenney — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 21:55:38 +0000

UPDATE: The Mackinnon brothers completed their journey and dipped toes in the Atlantic Ocean on July 16 before completing their journey back in Comox with a fundraiser barbecue on July 19

The Mackinnon brothers, left to right, include Ryan, Ross, Scott and Sean. Here they are in Dr. Jon Doan's kinesiology lab after a brief tour of the facilities.

The quest to cross Canada and raise funds for Parkinson's research began May 19 on the B.C. coast and passed through Lethbridge May 30-31. The goal is to dip their tires in the Atlantic Ocean sometime in July (they arrived July 16), all the while raising one dollar for every kilometre they cycle, as well as an additional dollar for the distance Baha would have covered for a total of $40,075. The Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research is the recipient charity.

Coming through Lethbridge was a homecoming for Mackinnon and an opportunity to show off the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community he grew so close to during his time as a Pronghorn.

The group spent two nights in Lethbridge, participated in an evening fundraiser, met kinesiology professor Dr. Jon Doan, toured his lab and learned about his work with local Parkinson's patients.

The generosity and open arms that greeted the group was exactly what he expected.

The group has now completed its journey, which is chronicled on their blog (bikingforbaha.weebly.com). As well, CBC Halifax created this video upon their arrival.

For Mackinnon, as much as the ride is personal, it continues to drive home the universal lesson he learned long ago.

GET THE FACTS

· The Biking for Baha team was greeted by a group of local cyclists as they made their way into Lethbridge. The Lethbridge Lodge provided them with two nights accommodation, while Backstreat Pub and Coco Pazzo's chipped in meals

· Mackinnon played for the Horns over two different stretches, from 2000-2002 and again from 2004-2007, scoring 862 points in 85 career Canada West games

· A true blue Pronghorn, Mackinnon and his brothers were given Horns basketball shirts by head coach Dave Adams. "I'll always be a part of Horns nation," says Mackinnon. "I love this place. If I could get a teaching job in southern Alberta I'd come back in a second."

· Mackinnon will return to Canada to look for a teaching job after one more year in the Philippines

· To donate to Biking for Baha, visit www.michaeljfox.org or www.bikingforbaha.weebly.com

This story first appeared in the June 2012 issue of the Legend. For a look at the entire issue in flipbook format, follow this link.

Campus Kudos - May

trevor.kenney — Fri, 13 May 2011 21:18:50 +0000

Dr. Brian Black (Music), Dr. Edward Jurkowski (Music) and Dr. Emily Luce (New Media) all received internal Social Sciences Humanities Research Council grants valued at $4,500 each.

U of L alumnus Christian Darbyshire (BMgt '99) was named one of Canada's Top 40 Under 40™. As a partner with tinePublic Inc., Darbyshire has been instrumental in securing names such as Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, Lance Armstrong and Arnold Schwarzenegger for educational speaking engagements in Canada. It is the second consecutive year that the U of L has had someone recognized by the Globe and Mail's Top 40 Under 40™ program. Dr. Olga Kovalchuk was honoured last year.

Joshua Seerattan, a U of L student from the Faculty of Management, and Courtney Lockhart from the Faculty of Arts and Science, have been awarded a $5,500 USD grant from Alberta Advanced Education and Technology for their participation in The Washington Centre – Alberta Internship Program for summer 2011. Both students will spend six weeks in Washington, D.C. Seerattan will be participating in the Global Trade and Regional Integration program, while Lockhart will take part in the International Affairs program.

Dagmar Dahle's (Art) work is included in the exhibition ANIMAL, at Museum London in Ontario.

Laura Lavigne (BA '06), the co-ordinator, International Programs & Exchange, in the International Centre for Students was awarded a full scholarship ($3,000) to participate in the International Educators Training Program this summer at Queen's ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

Denton Fredrickson (Art) has made the long list for the 2011 Sobey Art Award, Canada's pre-eminent prize for contemporary Canadian art. Following a three-month nomination process, the Curatorial Panel announced the 25 artists vying for this year's award.

Music major Matt Groenheide (percussionist) won the Young Artist Competition presented by the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra. In addition to a cash prize, he receives a guest solo spot with the LSO during their 2011-2012 Masters Series.

Marg McKeen (Office of Research and Innovation Services) is retiring this summer after 33 years of service to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. She began her career at the U of L as an Academic Secretary in the Department of Sociology and was hired by the Office of Research Services in 1986. Since that time, she has served in a number of roles and worked with numerous faculty members and students. A retirement reception will be held on Wednesday, June 8 from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Markin Hall Atrium. Anyone wishing to send written messages of congratulations to Marg can contact Penny Pickles (picpj@uleth.ca). Those wanting to have their live messages taped can contact Jane Allan (jane.allan@uleth.ca).

Jazlyn Dow (BFA '10) has been accepted into the Master of Arts in Visual Culture: Costume Studies program at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development at New York ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Swimming at the heart of Nicol family

trevor.kenney — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 18:57:52 +0000

Rarely a day goes by when Dr. Chris Nicol does not have a busy schedule. And yet, in between the phone calls, meetings and deadlines, Nicol makes a point to keep one window of time open for just himself – call it pool maintenance.

You'll find Nicol in the U of L's Max Bell Regional Aquatic Centre pool nearly every lunch hour, swimming his customary two kilometres before getting back to his duties as dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science. Go a little earlier in the day and you'll likely catch his son, third-year history major, Jeffrey, training with the Pronghorns swim team. It wasn't too long ago that Nicol's wife Lorraine, a research associate in the Economics Department and PhD student in water management, was also a pool regular.

Swimming has been at the heart of everything the Nicol family has done for the better part of the last 15 years, and with Jeffrey (20) just hitting his prime and younger sister Rachel (17) blowing up on the international scene this past summer, it promises to be a central focus moving forward.

"There wasn't really any grand design to turn them all into competitive swimmers," Chris says of his children. Don't forget 19-year-old Alastair, who also swam competitively before turning his focus to music. "At an early age though, because Lorraine and I were quite often at the pool, it was an obvious family activity to do."

Lorraine Nicol, left, Jeffrey Nicol, centre, and Chris Nicol, right, have been able to balance the demands of both athletics and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

It runs in the genes, as Chris was a highly competitive swimmer in his native Scotland before coming to Canada to compete for Queen's ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ while achieving his master's and PhD degrees. A breaststroker, Chris placed third in the Ontario university championships in the 100m breast and would later win both the 100m and 200m breast events in the inaugural World Masters Games in Toronto in 1985.

By the time he met and married Lorraine, they were working at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Regina and swimming had become a big part of both of their lives. The kids naturally took to the water and when competitive swimming called, the parents, just as naturally, worked it into their routine. When the couple moved to Lethbridge 10 years ago, Lorraine set aside certain career aspirations and made swimming the focus. She was president of the L.A. Swim Club for four years and a member of the board for a total of six.

"For parents who are so connected to their kids through a sport like this, the act of parenting, I think, becomes exceptionally easy," says Lorraine. "I can't remember when I've ever had an argument with my kids.

"You spend so much time with them that they know how much we've supported their sport. I wouldn't call them sacrifices but if I'd made other career choices, I would not have had that flexibility to spend 30 to 40 hours a week with them and their swimming."

The sport has literally taken them around the globe. Switzerland, Luxembourg, England, Spain, Costa Rica, and just this past summer, Singapore and Hawaii, have all been visited to attend various meets and training camps.

"I don't think we've ever taken a holiday that hasn't been connected to a swim meet," says Lorraine.

All the while, the couple has had to balance their own academic careers and instill a work ethic in their children that speaks to both athletics and studies.

"You get efficient at using your time," says Chris. "These guys have picked up on that, having seen how we operate, in terms of if we have work to do, you get down to it."

Jeffrey, who achieved personal best times in each of his long course swims in Victoria this past spring, says the student-athlete balance isn't always easy.

"I'd say the hardest year was Grade 12 when I really had to bear down and focus on my ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ," he says. "My swimming suffered that year, I didn't post any best times, but it paid off in that it got me the marks I needed to get into a good university."

The discipline of elite competitive swimming transfers well into the world of academia.

"You don't always see immediate results in the work you put in," says Chris. "Sometimes you have to put in a bit more time than you thought but you have to stick at it and not give up. They've obviously learned that with swimming. When it comes to the academic side, maybe we have to do a bit more convincing, but I think they're getting the message."

Whether Rachel keeps tradition alive and comes to the U of L next fall remains to be seen, but with Jeffrey still going strong with the Horns and both Chris and Lorraine busy with their roles at the U of L, expect to see the Nicol family as regulars in the pool area for the foreseeable future.

"I can't even describe how incredible a journey this has been, and it has helped both Chris and I grow as individuals and as parents as well," says Lorraine. "And to hear them still say, after so many ups and downs and injuries and highs and lows, that they are still excited to swim – I love hearing that, because then we know the journey is just beginning."

GET THE FACTS

· Jeffrey made huge strides with the Horns program last season. "From my perspective, he made a major transition and ramped things up to a whole new level," says Chris, as Jeffrey jumped from top-20 status to top-10 in the national 200m breaststroke rankings. "In terms of where he was last year to this year, he's gone to another tier on the national scene."

· Rachel exploded as an international star this past summer, winning three medals (gold, two bronze) at the Youth Olympics in Singapore.

· Both Jeffrey and Rachel benefit from work with sports psychologists, while Chris and Lorraine have provided the pair with tutors, many of which are Education students at the U of L, to help with schooling.

· Chris has been dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science for 10 years. Lorraine, who has two master's degrees, is currently in her second year of a PhD studying biosystems and biodiversity.

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