UNews - McGill ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ

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.

Parkinson discovers a mentor, launches a career

trevor.kenney — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 20:18:01 +0000

Thinking back, Emma Parkinson (BMus '08), up-and-coming mezzo-soprano with Opera de Montréal, remembers growing up in a household filled with music.

"My dad (Brian Parkinson) is a drama professor at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and my mom is an elementary school teacher. My older sister and I grew up playing piano, taking dance lessons and putting on little plays for our family. I loved it, the performing, the singing, the dancing, all of it really," recalls Parkinson. "My parents always had music of all different genres going on in the house, but I actually hated opera when I was growing up. It was the one type of music that would make me run out of the room."

Emma Parkinson followed her father, drama professor Brian Parkinson, to the U of L.

Parkinson spent her high school years singing with the LCI Chamber and Jazz choirs. During her last year of school, the choir went to Europe, singing its way through the south of France, Italy and Austria, an experience she describes as fantastic. After graduation, she enrolled in music at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, but remained unsure if she would enjoy studying solo voice until a summer workshop at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia turned her aversion of opera into a passion.

"It was a one week workshop filled with people of all ages, many of whom were more advanced singers. My eyes were opened seeing all these different pieces of opera coming to life. It was at that point that I realized opera was such a perfect combination of theatre and music," she says. "It just sort of came together for me and I remember thinking, 'wow, I really want to do that. I need to do that'!"

With this newfound passion, Parkinson continued her musical journey as a voice student at the U of L, working under the direction of well-known tenor and music professor Blaine Hendsbee. Hendsbee turned out to be the perfect mentor for Parkinson, balancing high expectations with great support.

"I had taken a couple of voice lessons with Blaine before I auditioned for studio at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, so when I found out that he selected me for studio I was really happy. He is my mentor forever and always. He is so passionate about opera; he really inspired me to stretch and grow, and he helped me come out of my shell and find my voice as a soloist. He has a professional quality and is very encouraging but still firm. He demands a very high standard, which is exactly what you need when you are pursuing any sort of art form," says Parkinson, who made the most of her time as an undergrad, participating in several music and drama co-productions and singing with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Singers.

"Because the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has a smaller program in terms of numbers, I was able to grow and blossom as an individual. I received opportunities that a larger school wouldn't provide, which put me at an advantage when I started my graduate studies. I got my first role in the U of L's production of Mikado. My dad was the director; I felt very privileged to work with him. He was very professional and it was nice to watch him work," says Parkinson. "I remember the first time performing Mikado on stage; I was ecstatic because we had these incredible costumes and an orchestra and I loved the overdramatic, evil-witch character I got to play. We had worked so hard to get to opening night that I wanted to go out there to have fun and entertain. I felt over the moon when the curtain dropped!"

Parkinson, singing Carmen in La Tragedie de Carmen from the Banff Centre Opera as Theatre Program in 2009. Photo by Donald Lee

It is a feeling that has stayed with her throughout her busy musical career. Parkinson graduated from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ with a BMus in 2008. She earned her master's of music in opera performance in 2010 from McGill ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, during which time she starred in multiple operas and oratorio concerts. After her master's she auditioned for a two-year young artist training program, Atelier Lyrique of Opera de Montréal, one of only four such training programs available in Canada. She will complete the program with them in June. This summer she is excited to fulfill her first international professional contract in Berlin, where she will spend two months playing Mercedes in a new production of Carmen.

"The marriage of music and theatre is like nothing else and I really love it. I feel so lucky to spend my day working on beautiful music, singing beautiful music and performing it. At the end of the day, I can't imagine working on anything else."

GET THE FACTS

Parkinson has performed as a soloist or character role in more than 25 productions

In December 2011, she participated in a 14-day concert tour of China, singing with the Montreal Youth Symphony Orchestra

In 2011, she was awarded the Prix Jeune Espoir Lyrique Canadien, as well as the Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques Laureate honours

This year, she is preparing for roles as a soloist in Rossini et Ses Muses (with Atelier Lyrique), and Siebel in Faust (with Opera de Montréal)

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

Parkinson discovers a mentor, launches a career

trevor.kenney — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 21:53:15 +0000

Thinking back, Emma Parkinson (BMus '08), up-and-coming mezzo-soprano with Opera de Montréal, remembers growing up in a household filled with music.

Emma Parkinson followed her father, drama professor Brian Parkinson, to the U of L.

Parkinson, singing Carmen in La Tragedie de Carmen from the Banff Centre Opera as Theatre Program in 2009. Photo by Donald Lee

GET THE FACTS

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

Celebrating 100 years of the AUCC

trevor.kenney — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 16:37:08 +0000

By PAUL DAVIDSON
President, Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada

In the coming weeks, Canada's universities will be sharing their visions and priorities with readers through this column, in conjunction with the 100^th anniversary of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada.

One hundred years ago, leaders from 15 of Canada's universities met face-to-face for the first time to discuss the day's pressing issues.

There were no Blackberries. No women either. Telephones were still new. ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ leaders traveled by train and ship to McGill, where the meeting was held. Canada was just turning 44 years-old. Later that year, Sir Robert Borden's Conservatives would win the "free trade" federal election, sweeping Sir Wilfred Laurier's government out of office after 15 years.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ leaders were brought together by Sir William Peterson, principal of McGill ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, and Sir Robert Falconer, president of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto to discuss admission requirements, student mobility and graduate education. This is how universities first came together to work for the benefit of Canadians. So pressing were these issues, they decided to meet again, regularly, but in a reflection of the different pace at the time, the next meeting would be four years later."

While times have changed, university leaders still meet regularly to address these kinds of issues. Today's Canada may be very different from 100 years ago but universities continue to help address challenges, improve our quality of life, and position our country as a leader in the years ahead.

As AUCC marks its centennial in 2011, it is an opportunity to commemorate the pivotal role universities have played and continue to play in making Canada what it is and what it can be. At this year's meeting in October, today's university leaders will focus on the future needs of Canadians.

AUCC will also host a unique panel discussion entitled, Smart healthcare: The role of Canada's universities in addressing our healthcare challenges. This panel will draw on expertise from across the country to discuss how Canada's universities can respond directly to the upcoming health care needs of an aging population.

Another centennial initiative is an online dialogue on the future of university education in Canada which began last month. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Commons blog (www.aucc.ca) offers diverse perspectives on what university education should look like in the years ahead and how it can meet the needs of a nation.

Canada's universities are also focused on enhancing the undergraduate experience in Canada. AUCC led a national workshop on undergraduate education in Halifax last March, attended by many presidents and other university leaders, as well as students. This workshop reflected a growing consensus that university leaders must do more to strengthen the undergraduate experience. One of the results was the development of a new online tool to help strengthen undergraduate education, which will be officially launched later this month.

AUCC's fun, social media-based centennial project involves a small, carved, wooden polar bear named Ursula. She has been on a whirlwind tour of campuses across Canada since May. Throughout the year, Ursula is capturing a slice of life of Canadian universities on Facebook, Twitter and her own blog, www.ursulaontour.ca.

Rounding off AUCC's centennial year, Canadian universities will open their doors to visitors Nov. 4-13. Open Doors, Open Knowledge, is a series of open house events on campuses across the country to showcase the new and improved research and learning facilities made possible through investments of the federal and provincial governments and other parties.

From 1911 to 2011, the story of Canada is reflected in the story of universities. As we mark 100 years of achievement, Canada's universities invite all Canadians to be a part of the celebration. Learn more at www.aucc.ca.

Tidsbury helped create Olympic memories

trevor.kenney — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 19:33:34 +0000

It has already been one year since we came together as a nation to watch the world's elite athletes strive for glory at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. For many of us, the excitement of watching the world's top athletes compete for gold will forever be linked to the inspiring theme song, "I Believe".

For Josh Tidsbury (BSc '03), systems specialist, Creative Technology Systems with CTVglobemedia, the song represents one of the highlights of his career.

Working as a score producer and engineer as well as post-production technical lead for CTV during the games, Tidsbury played an integral part in bringing the sounds and music of the Olympics alive. Tidsbury, together with Mike Nunan, began creating the musical theme package in mid 2009, working with a composer and writer then executing the strings, brass, percussion and choir recordings before mixing and editing for the final musical score.

Alumnus Josh Tidsbury was back on campus recently, speaking to students in the New Media program about his career path.

"The entire Olympic experience was amazing, a once-in-a-lifetime experience to create the musical theme," says Tidsbury, who fondly refers to his more than 1,500 CTV colleagues as "our own little team Canada". "People have this connection between music and memory that brings them back the way nothing else does. The "I Believe" theme that the nation heard endlessly for 17 days will forever remind people of the extraordinary performances of the 2010 games. It was very humbling and inspiring to be a part of that."

Tidsbury has long been inspired by the world of music production and recording. After graduating from Calgary's Lord Beaverbrook High School, he and his former band teachers
received a provincial grant to build a recording studio and create the first high school recording program in Alberta. Despite his love of music and audio technology, however, Tidsbury came to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and entered the neuroscience program, intending to pursue a career in medicine.

"I was taken on a tour by one of the faculty members. When I got a sense of how student-centered the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ was and how many opportunities there were for undergraduates – things such as working in a lab – it was an easy sell."

Taking advantage of those opportunities, Tidsbury worked in a lab setting with
Dr. Glen Prusky for three years. Tidsbury says the experience kept him grounded in the sciences and gave him a creative outlet outside of the classroom.

"It allowed me to have a hands-on approach to the sciences. It helped shape how I approach my day-to-day work at CTV," he says. "I actually write a lot of software applications now to aid post-production flow, and I find myself taking a more scientific approach, studying what is right and wrong. I ask questions like, how do we make it better and how can we observe things and remove biases? Even though it isn't necessarily a straight line from neuroscience to what I do today, it's all interconnected."

Throughout his undergraduate studies, Tidsbury maintained a connection to music, playing in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's jazz band under the direction of Dr. Ed Wasiak, and recording and mixing music on the side to help make rent. When he graduated in 2003 with a bachelor of science in neuroscience, Tidsbury realized that, despite his love of science, his true passion was with music production and recording. He spent the following year studying and working at the Banff Centre where he earned an audio associate certificate, before being accepted into the exclusive master's of music in sound recording program at McGill ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ on a full scholarship. He graduated from McGill in 2007 and moved to Toronto to begin his career at CTV. Grateful for the opportunities and encouragement he has received over the years, Tidsbury believes in giving back.

"If it weren't for the fact that everyone from my high school band director to the folks at the U of L, the Banff Centre and McGill took the time to help me out and push me ahead, I wouldn't be doing what I am doing now," says Tidsbury, who recently returned to the U of L to talk with students about his experiences. "If there is any way I can give back and bring help, inspiration, or guidance to students who are at the point I was not that long ago, then I want to wherever I can."

GET THE FACTS

· Tidsbury engineered the orchestral soundtrack for the Canadian Film, Just Buried, at Dvorak Hall, Prague, Czech Republic.

· He mixed the musical score for Stake Land, an award winning film that debuted at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival.

· Tidsbury is a member of the Audio Engineering Society (AES), and has been the lead designer of the AES online redevelopment since 2007.

· He is currently an adjunct faculty member at Toronto's Humber College, teaching courses in audio engineering and production.

Glacial retreat a global problem

trevor.kenney — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:49:29 +0000

The issue of glacial recession is of particular interest to Canadians but by no means is the problem unique to our country.

On Friday, Aug. 27, Dr. Jeffrey McKenzie, an assistant professor in Earth Sciences at McGill ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, will be discussing potential impacts of glacial recession on human livelihood in the Andean highlands of Peru.

His talk is from 11 to 11:30 a.m. in room WE2070 of the Alberta Water and Environmental Science Building.

Dr. McKenzie's research is highly interdisciplinary, involving both the latest techniques in groundwater modelling and the use of surveys to improve our understanding of local understanding and adaptive capacity as it pertains to potential impacts of climate change.

The Cordillera Blanca holds the world's largest concentration of tropical glaciers, most of which supply the Callejón de Huaylas watershed, with an area of 4900 km2 and home to 267,000 people. Livelihoods in the region depend on access to water for agricultural and livestock production, as more than 80 per cent of the population is engaged in smallholder production, and more than 50 per cent of the population lives in conditions of poverty, defined as lacking more than one basic necessity.

The potential for severe climate change impacts on water availability for household, irrigation, ore processing and hydroelectric generation is particularly acute in the dry Cordillera Blanca valleys, where glacial melt water services these needs almost entirely during the dry seasons. Dr. McKenzie's work includes the quantification of the extent of anthropogenic water consumption in the region.

His surveys indicate that rural farmers are aware of climate-induced glacier retreat, and that they attribute observed decreases in water availability to glacial recession. Stream discharge measurements, combined with hydrochemical tracing to quantify water source contributions, have revealed a net increase in the relative proportion of glacial melt on an annual basis, in tributaries and major rivers of the Cordillera Blanca, along with a 15 per cent decrease in glacial extent in recent decades. Eventually, a tipping point will be reached in which the negative effect of glacier retreat will exceed the increased flow that occurs in warmer seasons.

During the past few decades, there has been no decrease in the discharge of most glacially-fed tributaries, but river discharge has decreased at the regional scale since the 1980s.

McKenzie's research will contribute to our understanding of adaptive responses required to maintain sustainable and prosperous livelihoods in the face of the challenge of glacial retreat in a seasonally dry ecosystem.

Spots open for Paris Study Trip

trevor.kenney — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:33:07 +0000

For the past several years, the U of L Faculty of Fine Arts has offered students a journey of enlightenment and discovery - a chance to explore the art treasures of Paris with an art historian as your tour guide.

This three-credit course is open to students from all areas of study, as well as non-students. A total of three spaces have opened up for inclusion on this wonderful excursion, giving students the opportunity to apply now to take part.

The course consists of a series of excursions, lectures and walking tours, exploring the history and art of the French capital. Masterpieces of art and architecture are examined as living artefacts, while day trips to small towns offer a chance to see the more tranquil side of the French lifestyle.

David Coman of the Faculty of Fine Arts will lead this year's trip, July 3-18. Coman studied art history at McGill ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto and since 1998 has taught in the Faculty of Fine Arts at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, Calgary campus.

His area of expertise is early 19th-century painting and graphic arts in France and Britain. Coman has led the U of L study tours to Paris from 1999 to the present.

For more information on the trip, contact Coman via e-mail at

david.coman@uleth.ca

Understanding religion - understanding people

trevor.kenney — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 21:14:33 +0000

Religion affects all of us, regardless of our personal beliefs. Lying at the core of human understanding, religion has, and in many instances, continues to both reflect and shape culture, politics and society.

The discipline of religious studies uses a variety of methodologies to try to make sense of what Dr. Hillary Rodrigues calls the "human religious response."
Focusing his research on Hindu religion, Rodrigues strives to address the fundamental, yet elusive responses to how people answer the big questions in their lives – Why are we here? What is the purpose and meaning of life? What happens when I die?

After completing his undergraduate degree in chemistry at McGill ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Rodrigues spent four years traveling in South America and Asia. It was during this time that he discovered his real passion and decided to pursue his academic career in religious studies.

"During my travels, I became more deeply interested in world culture and philosophical questions," explains Rodrigues. "I found religious studies to be an area where I could bring these interests together."

Rodrigues went on to receive a master's and PhD in religious studies from McMaster ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in Hamilton before joining the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge in 1992.

"Tenure-track positions in religious studies are rare," says Rodrigues. "I was pleased to hear about an opening at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge because I was attracted to its relatively modest size and the prospect that I could contribute towards the development of the religious studies program here."

In addition to teaching and developing the religious studies program, Rodrigues has been working on a comprehensive study of a Hindu goddess named Durga. According to him, an inadequate amount of research has been conducted on Durga since gods have traditionally been the focus of study rather than goddesses.

"The idea of God being imagined as female is foreign to many of us in western society," Rodrigues explains. "When we think of goddesses we tend to think of them as part of ancient mythology. But goddesses are still widely worshipped in the Hindu tradition, and Durga is Hinduism's Great Goddess."

Durga's rich and complex mythology has captivated Rodrigues, and she has become his primary research focus. He has written a book entitled Ritual Worship of the Great Goddess in which he discusses an elaborate worship ritual that takes place each year in Durga's honour.

Currently, he is attempting to understand the various ways in which individuals draw empowerment from Durga.

Rodrigues conducts both textual and field-based research, using methodologies that stem from anthropology, sociology, and philosophy.

Although his research is focused on India, it has definite implications for Canadians.

"Since Canada is a multicultural society, my work on Durga will enable us to understand more about the religious and cultural values of some of our fellow citizens," Rodrigues emphasizes. "Such understanding, I hope, will diminish certain forms of prejudice and enable us to live with a greater tolerance and acceptance of, or even a connection with, each other's diversity."

For more on Dr. Rodrigues and the Department of Religious Studies, visit http://www.uleth.ca/fas/relg

Well-grounded, well-rounded

trevor.kenney — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:10:44 +0000

We think we know Mike Babcock by who we see on our television screens. He comes off as a steely-eyed competitor, a taskmaster who pushes and prods his players to strive for an on-ice perfection that, by the nature of the game, is unattainable. In the end, we see a hockey coach and a man who has won at virtually every level of the sport – a champion.

That Mike Babcock is for public consumption. He is the button-down, blazer-wearing Stanley Cup champion and coach of Canada's 2010 Canadian Olympic Men's Hockey Team. He is just a sliver of the true Mike Babcock. For as much as Babcock strives to be at the pinnacle of his sport, his upbringing and family values tell him that true success is measured off the ice.

"My wife always laughs — she sees me wearing a suit behind the bench and wonders who that is because I'm wearing shorts and a t-shirt and ball hat most of the summer; I'm just like everybody else," says Babcock. "It's just that when people see me, they have me in that different light – my kids don't know who that guy is, either."

That guy is the one who never saw himself as a hockey coach but rather an academic and educator. He's the guy who resurrected a seemingly stalled coaching career by rejuvenating an on-the-ropes hockey program at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and guided the Pronghorns to an unlikely 1994 national title.

"I never dreamed I was going to be a coach in the first place. I thought I was going to be in the college world the rest of my life. I thought I'd go on and get a PhD and teach," says Babcock, who has an undergraduate education degree and graduate degree in sports psychology from McGill ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. "I liked being in the college environment. I thought it'd be a great job to be around young, excited people getting better and going places. I thought I'd always be a part of that."

After previously taking Red Deer College to a national final, Babcock accepted a coaching challenge at the U of L. The 1993-94 Pronghorns were not considered a championship contender. The program itself was in trouble and faced the prospect of being cut from the U of L athletic landscape. The Horns had never made the playoffs or even finished a season above the .500 mark.

"When I came to the U of L I had a pretty strong belief in how I thought hockey should be played and what we needed to do to have success; we instilled that from day one," says Babcock.

"I believe there's a right way to play the game and there's a right way to approach life, and I tell that to my kids all the time. I'm not a very cautious person; I'm not a very careful person. I believe in living and getting the most out of every day, and I believe that's also how you play the game."

It's a philosophy that has stood the test of time. Following his one-year stint with the Horns, Babcock guided the Spokane Chiefs for six seasons, twice advancing to the WHL championship series. In 1997, he led Canada to a World Junior Championship gold medal. Two years later, after a brief stop in the American Hockey League, he was coaching the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in the National Hockey League. In his first season he took the Ducks to the Stanley Cup final and in the five years since, he's been to two more Cup finals with the Detroit Red Wings, capturing hockey's Holy Grail in 2007-08.

"You have to get better each and every year if you're going to be successful in all walks of life," he says. "It's all about lifelong learning. The things I did at the U of L, technically I might not do anymore, but believing in people and getting them to work hard, to commit to one another and to the team are exactly the same things we talk about today in Detroit."

With the 2010 Olympic opportunity just around the bend, Babcock's approach will not vary. Why would it?

"What a great thing, eh? I'm excited like you can't believe. It's a dream come true to have the chance to be an Olympian," Babcock says, relishing the expectations of, and pressure from, a nation of rabid hockey fans.

"The reason we have expectations is because we have a chance. The tournament now is going to be closer than it's ever been, everybody has a chance to win; we're just big believers that we're going to find a way to get it done. I don't know exactly how we're going to do that, I just know we are."

It's been 15 years since Babcock guided the U of L Horns to that national title, and while everything around him has changed, he still sees himself essentially as the man he was in the fall of 1993, hunting in the foothills every day following practice, looking after his family and striving to be a better person and coach.

"I've always been a little fearful of not being good enough, so that gives me a little bit of drive to try and be better," says Babcock.

Born in Manitouwadge, Ont., Babcock spent much of his childhood in the Northwest Territories, where his father worked as a mining engineer. When Babcock was 12, his family moved to Saskatoon, Sask., where his father still lives today. In the off-season, it's also the area where Babcock, his wife and three children call home.

"I want my kids to be grounded," says Babcock. "My kids are growing up different than I did, but in saying that, we're hoping to raise really good people who are confident and who are going to be difference-makers in the world. That's how my mom spoke to me, and that's how I speak to my kids."

He lost his mother to cancer in 1992, but the lessons she taught still resonate with him today. They are part of the values with which he raises his family and that he also takes to the rink.

"I always say I learned to work hard from my dad, and I learned to talk to people from my mom," says Babcock.

His growth as a coach has garnered the respect of the hockey world and allowed him to work with the most talented players and personalities in the game. Still, despite his rise in professional status, he manages to stay true to the principles by which he was raised.

"It's been a work in progress, and I like to think that I keep getting better, and I'm going to be a better coach next year than I was last year," says Babcock. "You have to be in a constant stage of development if you want to be the best you can be.

"Am I still the same person? I'd sure like to think so. I tell people all the time, the measure of me as a man isn't going to be about the number of games I win, it's going to be about the family I raise."

U of L architect, Erickson, passes away

trevor.kenney — Thu, 21 May 2009 16:37:36 +0000

Dr. Arthur Erickson, a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Honorary degree recipient (1981) and the award-winning Canadian architect who, with partner Geoffrey Massey, designed the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge campus plan and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall in the late 1960s, is dead at age 84.

Erickson passed away surrounded by friends and family on Wednesday. No memorial service is confirmed at this time.

The architect, who had been suffering from Alzheimers, was responsible for a number of Canada's landmark buildings such as Simon Fraser ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in British Columbia, the Vancouver Law Courts complex, and many other significant structures worldwide, including the Canadian Embassy in Washington, California Plaza in Los Angeles and the Kuwait Oil Sector Complex in Kuwait City.

After studying Asian languages at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia, Erickson earned a degree in architecture from McGill ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Montreal, from which he graduated in 1950. He also worked as an associate professor at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia from 1957 to 1963.

Erickson was the first Canadian to win the prestigious American Institute of Architects Gold Medal in 1986. In 1973 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada, and was promoted to Companion in 1981.

The design of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall was considered to be quite radical for the time, and was undertaken during a decade of growth and change for The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. Student enrollment climbed from 650 students in 1967 to more than 1,200 by 1971, creating a need for new and larger facilities and expanded program offerings.

The Aperture sculpture.

In 1972, after three years of construction, Arthur Erickson's uniquely-designed building took over the west side of the river valley on the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's new west side campus.

The nine-level facility provided space for classrooms, laboratories, offices, student services and residence housing. A covered walkway - nicknamed the worm - connected ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall with the Physical Education and Art Building on the west side of campus.

The new ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ campus was officially opened at a three-day event in September of 1972. The event included a special convocation and the unveiling of the Aperture - a 20 foot-high concrete art structure sited at the geographical centre of campus.

For more information on Arthur Erickson and his unique contribution to architecture, please visit these websites:

http://www.arthurerickson.com/index.html

http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090520/bc_arthur_erickson_090520/20090520?hub=BritishColumbia

http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/daily-news/arthur-erickson-1924-2009/5202375.article

http://www.timescolonist.com/Travel/Renowned+architect+Arthur+Erickson+dead/1614035/story.html

UNews - McGill ��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ

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Understanding religion - understanding people

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Well-grounded, well-rounded

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U of L architect, Erickson, passes away

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