UNews - Governor General

Dr. Bryan Kolb appointed Officer of the Order of Canada

caroline.zentner — Wed, 04 Jan 2017 23:22:01 +0000

Dr. Bryan Kolb (LLD ’15), one of the world’s leading neuroscientists, has been recognized for his work to increase understanding of the brain and brain development.

He is one of 100 people appointed to the Order of Canada by Gov. Gen. David Johnston on Dec. 30 and named an Officer of the Order of Canada.

“My first reaction is to be pretty overwhelmed because there’s a whole team of us here and what sets you apart is really not obvious to you. It’s pretty special, obviously. Not very many ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ are awarded these things,” says Kolb.

Kolb will receive his Officer of the Order of Canada at a ceremony to be held later this year. The Order of Canada was established in 1967 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to recognize outstanding achievement, community dedication and service to the nation.

While his first response to the news was disbelief, his second was to wonder why he had been selected, given the expertise of other team members at the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN). Kolb joined the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge in 1976 and is a professor of neuroscience and one of the founders, along with his friend of 50 years, Dr. Ian Whishaw (DSc ’08), of the CCBN. Kolb has built an impressive set of credentials since then, including publishing six books and writing more than 400 articles and chapters about his areas of expertise. He and Whishaw have written two textbooks, the first of which is now in its seventh edition (Fundamentals of Human Neuropsychology) and the second of which is now in its fifth edition (Introduction to Brain and Behaviour).

“One of the things we did when I first came here was to write a book. I had this idea that we needed a book on how the human brain worked because there wasn’t one and I had invented a course (Human Neuropsychology) that needed a book. Whishaw initially thought we were crazy. I said this was a good thing to do and convinced him that we would not get rich but maybe famous! We had a lot of trouble getting it published because publishers said there was no such field so therefore no such course and thus, no such book. Anyway, at the end of the day, it was published by Freeman & Co and now it’s in its seventh edition and it’s in many languages and is used all over the world. So, I think that sort of started things off and changed the way we thought about our research as to how it related to the human brain rather than studying the rat brain for the rat brain. We don’t really care much about how the rat brain works except that it tells us something about ours,” he says.

Kolb’s primary interests are in brain development, brain plasticity, and brain changes over time, including after injury. These areas of inquiry gained a foothold with the public and Kolb has been asked to speak at both scientific and public gatherings across the globe. One of his most memorable talks was at a public lecture in Lac La Biche where many First Nations elders were in attendance. Kolb spoke about how stress and abuse in childhood can lead to epigenetic changes in the brain, which refers to the processes whereby certain genes are turned off or on. These epigenetic changes can be passed from one generation to another, altering the brain and behaviour of the offspring.

“One elder said ‘You’ve just given us an explanation for the problem of residential schools. Why hasn’t anybody told us that before? This makes everything different.’ I think that was the most stunning reaction I’ve received,” says Kolb.

Animal research by Kolb and colleague Dr. Robbin Gibb and their students has shown that fathers’ experiences before conception and mothers’ experiences while pregnant can change the brains of their offspring and those of subsequent generations.

“That gives us an explanation for how severe stress, for example in residential schools, could cross generations and cause all kinds of problems later. Now that we know this, we recognize a cause of the residential school effect. It’s not that that these are faulty people or losers or anything of the sort. It has a biological explanation. So how can we change this? I think the place to start is recognizing why it’s happening,” says Kolb.

Kolb’s studies with Gibb using rats have shown that tactile stimulation has the power to change the brain. Baby rats with a brain injury were stroked with a brush for 15 minutes three times a day. The skin and brain come from the same germ cell during development so the stimulation of the brush stroking the skin increased the production of chemicals which cross into the brain and had a healing effect. They have shown this to be effective in treating perinatal brain injury and believe that it could have similar benefits in treating effects of early stress and trauma.

“It’s simple-minded but it seems to be working in our lab studies and it makes sense,” says Kolb.

Kolb first became interested in the brain when he was an undergraduate student studying at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary. The field of neuroscience did not really exist yet so he was able to get into it from the beginning.

“I tell the students that until they understand what the questions about the brain are, they can’t even possibly understand what the answers are. As a student, it had never occurred to me that there was a question as to how we appreciate music. Once you understand what the question is, you say ‘How is it that we appreciate music? Why do we like music?’ And then you realize it’s got something to do with the brain. Once you start going down the ask-a-question route, you get more and more sucked in to the big picture as to how this is working and why we are the way we are. I just kept at it and kept asking questions,” says Kolb.

Kolb obtained bachelor and master degrees at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary and a doctorate at Pennsylvania State ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. He completed two post-doctoral fellowships before joining the U of L.

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada, will invest 10 Officers and 34 Members into the Order of Canada during a ceremony at Rideau Hall, on Friday, November 17, 2017, at 8:30 a.m. (MDT)

Centre for Oral History and Tradition assists nationally-recognized community project

trevor.kenney — Fri, 18 Sep 2015 22:20:29 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s Centre for Oral History and Tradition (COHT) has played an integral role in a project that has been recognized with a national honour.

The Picture Butte Museum and its Coyote Flats Pioneer Village has been awarded the 2015 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Community Programming.

The Governor’s General award recognizes community projects that tell stories about Canada’s past in unique and innovative ways. Coyote Flats was selected as the 2015 award recipient for an oral history project that saw seniors share their life stories and memories on video.

“Local high school students interviewed more than a dozen seniors about their connection and memories to four historic buildings at our pioneer village – a school, a church, a mail-order house and a train station,” explains project coordinator Kimberley Lyall. “Additionally, we also interviewed another approximately 40 seniors and captured their life history and memories on video.”

The project resulted in not only a growing collection of oral history videos, but also an ongoing partnership with Picture Butte High School and the U of L’s Centre for Oral History and Tradition, numerous opportunities for seniors to mentor youth, and increased appreciation within the community for its own history.

“The stories told by Picture Butte seniors not only commemorate local heritage but also create links between generations,” says Janet walker, president and CEO of Canada’s History Society, which administers the award. “”Hearing seniors’ stories about being a child or teenager long ago provides today’s students with insights into themselves and their own lives.”

The Centre for Oral History and Tradition was launched in 2013 as a means to advance research disciplines pertaining to oral history in the academic world, but also to collaborate with community organizations across southern Alberta to help preserve, study and understand the region’s oral history.

Coyote Flats Pioneer Village will be presented a gold medal by His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, at Rideau Hall on October 16, 2015.

Academic excellence recognized

trevor.kenney — Wed, 29 May 2013 17:55:32 +0000

This year, 15 deserving ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge graduands will receive medals that acknowledge their significant academic achievements, including the Governor General's Gold and Silver Medals for overall academic excellence, along with medals from specific Faculties and the School of Graduate Studies.

The diverse group of medal recipients come from around the world, across Canada and close to home, including:

- Lethbridge, Calgary, Enchant, Rocky Mountain House and Medicine Hat, AB
- Jaffray and Cranbrook, BC
- Herbert, SK
- Winnipeg, MB
- Kingston, ON
- Milton, ON
- Les Sables d'Olonne, France
- Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

Meet the students who will receive their academic medals of achievement at the 2013 Spring Convocation ceremonies:

Governor General's Gold Medal
Lori-Ann Rosalind Sacrey – Rocky Mountain House, Alta.

Governor General's Silver Medal
Fern Megan Violet Leavens – Jaffray and Cranbrook, B.C.

School of Graduate Studies Medal of Merit (Doctor of Philosophy)
Chad Robert Laing – Lethbridge, Alta.

School of Graduate Studies Medal of Merit (Master of Arts)
Rachel Holly Shields – Lethbridge, Alta.

School of Graduate Studies Medal of Merit (Master of Science)
Samantha Jane Dawson – Kingston, Ont.

School of Graduate Studies Medal of Merit (Master of Counselling)
Erika Pauline Kewley – Milton, Ont.

Graduate Studies Medal of Merit (Master of Education)
Leslie Anne Waite – Calgary, Alta.

School of Graduate Studies Medal of Merit (Master of Science, Management)
Olufemi Oladimeji Aiyegbusi – Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria (now a Lethbridge, Alta. resident)

Faculty of Arts and Science Gold Medal (Arts)
Joanna Waszkiewicz – Les Sables d'Orlonne, France (now a Lethbridge, Alta. resident)

Faculty of Arts and Science Gold Medal (Science)
Ashlee Eleanor Matkin – Lethbridge, Alta.

Faculty of Health Sciences Gold Medal
Twyla Lyndell Doyle – Herbert, Sask.

Faculty of Education Gold Medal
Hailee Brianne Virostek – Enchant, Alta.

William Aberhart Gold Medal (Education)
Joanne Christine Collier – Medicine Hat, Alta. (now a Lethbridge, AB resident)

Faculty of Fine Arts Gold Medal
Joelle Esther Strang – Winnipeg, Man. (now a Lethbridge, AB resident)

Faculty of Management Gold Medal
Michael Stephen Despres – Calgary, Alta.

2013 Alumni Honour Society inductees

trevor.kenney — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:54:29 +0000

Introduced in celebration of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's 35th anniversary in 2002, the Alumni Honour Society recognizes the achievement of successful alumni within the global community. The alumni inducted into this prestigious group have served as role models to our students and the broader ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community through success in their vocation, outstanding community service or superior accomplishment in their avocation.

Sarah Amies (BASc '88)

A vigorous and compassionate human rights advocate, Sarah Amies has more than 20 years of experience in the not-for-profit and education sectors. Since becoming the program director of Lethbridge Family Services – Immigrant Services in 2001, Amies has had a positive impact on new immigrants in the Lethbridge community. Under her leadership, Lethbridge Family Services has grown in programming and services, and expanded its resources. She has worked closely with many volunteer boards, such as the Alberta Association of Immigrant Services Agencies, the Canadian Coalition of Municipalities Against Racism and Discrimination, Family Violence and Elder Abuse Awareness and Prevention Committee and Social Housing in Action. The YWCA recognized her in 2012.

Sylvia Campbell (BEd '79)

Through her many years as an educator and mentor, Sylvia Campbell has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to environmental issues and human rights. She has served on numerous committees and boards, including the Lethbridge branch of the Canadian Federation of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Women, the Southern Alberta Group for Environment and the Lethbridge Network for Peace. Campbell was a longtime member of the Raging Grannies, a group through which she worked to raise awareness of social justice issues related to peace, the environment, gender, human rights, world equality, Canadian unity and social programs. In 2003, she was recognized by the YWCA.

Frank Gnandt (BASc '74, BEd '79)

Frank Gnandt has been an exceptional educator in Lethbridge School District No. 51 for more than 30 years and has instilled a passion for the arts in many students. Gnandt, currently the choir director for Chinook High School in Lethbridge, is recognized by his peers as an accomplished adjudicator, instructor and conductor. His influence and passion for music have spread to students and audiences locally, provincially, nationally and abroad. Gnandt has been a guest conductor and performed at numerous prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall and at the Vatican. Gnandt is a recipient of both the Governor General's Award for Community Service and the ATA Teacher of Excellence Award.

Michelle Hogue (MEd '04)

An assistant professor and co-ordinator of the First Nations Transition Program at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, Dr. Michelle Hogue has helped ensure the success of many students at university, particularly in science-related programs. Hogue's research blends required curricular and institutional demands with narrative and arts practices that, with holistic knowledge, have the potential to change science education for Aboriginal learners. In addition to her research, Hogue develops new and innovative teaching practices with high school students, educators and administrators on the Blackfoot (Kainai) Reserve in southern Alberta. Hogue has been the recipient of many awards and scholarships, including most recently the Canadian Education Association Pat Clifford Award.

Douglas McArthur (Certificate in Mgt '90)

Douglas McArthur is well known for his enthusiastic support of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and particularly the U of L Alumni Association (ULAA). An investment advisor by profession, McArthur served as ULAA president from 2003 to 2005. His leadership played a key role in advancing the ULAA, strengthening its affinity with alumni and establishing a foundation that the association has continued to build upon. McArthur remains an active member of the ULAA and is currently serving on the U of L Board of Governors. McArthur has invested in his community by volunteering his time with organizations such as Rotary, Crime Stoppers and the Lethbridge Symphony Association.

Diane Randell (BN '91)

Throughout her career, Diane Randell has worked diligently to make a difference in her community. Since beginning her career in nursing in the 1970s, Randell's care and compassion for others has expanded from individual patients to entire communities. Currently the manager of the community and social development group at the City of Lethbridge, Randell's work addresses large-scale issues such as social policy, homelessness, poverty and racism. Randell is a founding member of the Abreast of Bridge Dragon Boat Team, a founding board member and past Chair of the Lethbridge Dragon Boat Festival and a member of the U of L Senate. She has been recognized by Rotary International, the YWCA and is a recipient of the Queen's Jubilee Medal.

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

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.

Coat of Arms introduced

trevor.kenney — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 15:17:57 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has an official Coat of Arms.

Unveiled at the October 13, 2012 Fall Convocation ceremony by ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Board of Governors Chair Gordon Jong and Deputy Chief Herald Bruce Patterson, (representing the Canadian Heraldic Authority) the Coat of Arms draws inspiration from previous representations and has been designed to reflect signature elements of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

In 2008, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's Board of Governors gave approval for the development of armorial bearings from the Canadian Crown under the powers exercised by the Governor General.

A group of individuals from across the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community worked with the Canadian Heraldic Authority, in particular Deputy Chief Herald Bruce Patterson and heraldic painter Robert Grey, to develop a coat of arms that would accurately represent the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ now and into the future.

In January 2012, during the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's 45th anniversary celebrations, Chief Herald of Canada Claire Boudreau granted the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge an official coat of arms, which is entered in volume VI, page 100 of the Public Register of Arms, Flags and Badges of Canada.

Description of the images and symbolism:

The arms features a blue shield with white edging and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's signature sun in the centre, representing intellectual enlightenment.

The eagle feather and the Alberta Wild Rose on the crest above denote the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's location on traditional Blackfoot land in southern Alberta, while the books are enduring symbols of education.

The shield and crest are flanked on the left by a pronghorn, representing the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's athletic teams, and on the right by a mule deer, a native inhabitant of the area. Together, they also represent the men and women who make up the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community.

The coulee landscape and rough fescue (the official grass of Alberta) are characteristic of southern Alberta, and the sun-grass-animal connection represents the flow of energy that supports all life and reminds us of our own connection with the landscape.

The rock below the shield recalls the name "Medicine Rock" bestowed on the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ by Blackfoot Elder Bruce Wolf Child in 2002. It also alludes to glacial erratics, large rocks deposited in the area when the glaciers receded.

The miner's lantern, an artifact of the early coal-mining history of Lethbridge, recalls the idea of the illumination of knowledge and symbolizes the achievements of the more than 34,000 ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge alumni.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's motto Fiat Lux (Let there be light) appears at the bottom of the coat of arms.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's official flag, in use since 1988, was also registered as part of this process.

NOTE: Research through the U of L Archives and other sources indicated that the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ had a Coat of Arms upon its founding in 1967, designed by then-student Don Matisz, but it had never been formally granted and the original design was used very sporadically by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

Some elements transitioned over the past decades into other logos, or different versions of a Coat of Arms / ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Shield design -- all which led to this current version and the more contemporary ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge logo currently in use.

Academic award winners announced

trevor.kenney — Wed, 30 May 2012 16:38:29 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is proud to recognize its outstanding students at the Spring 2012 Convocation ceremonies Thursday, May 31 and Friday, June 1.

Following is a list of award winners for the 2011-2012 academic year.

Academic Medals and Student Achievement Awards

Faculty of Health Sciences Academic Gold Medal : Patricia Bonita Poriz

Faculty of Management Academic Gold Medal: Tracy Lynn Fairs

Master of Arts (Individualized Multidisciplinary) Medal of Merit: Auburn Jennifer Phillips

Master of Counselling (Counselling Psychology) Medal of Merit: Jennifer Ann Gerlock

Master of Education Medal of Merit: Maike Luise Horn

Master of Science (Biological Sciences) Medal of Merit: Linda Amy Lait

Master of Science (Management) Medal of Merit: Carolin Kellermann

Governor General's Academic Gold Medal (Graduate Studies)

Master of Science (Chemistry): Cassandra Dolores Marie Churchill

Governor General's Academic Silver Medal (Undergraduate Studies)

Bachelor of Science (Kinesiology): Raiah Lynne Hark

Faculty of Arts & Science Academic Gold Medal (for the Arts): Keith Allan Gardner

Faculty of Arts & Science Academic Gold Medal (for the Sciences): Dominic Mudiayi

Faculty of Education Academic Gold Medal: Trevor Michael James

William Aberhart Gold Medal in Education: Catherine Grace Siebring

Faculty of Fine Arts Academic Gold Medal: Lauren Suzanne Steyn

Mahon's trip aided by Brazilian students

trevor.kenney — Mon, 07 May 2012 17:26:31 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President Mike Mahon was among a group of 30 Canadian university presidents who travelled to Brazil to take part in an educational tour, the largest-ever initiative of its kind. The goal was to showcase Canada and strengthen relationships with Brazil, a rapidly growing economic powerhouse.

Doing business in Brazil is not a new process for the U of L. For several years, recruiters have participated in major trade shows, and a number of Brazilian students have traded Rio and Sao Paulo for Lethbridge. Felipe Ferreira, Guilherme Costa and Daniel Lima are three such students, all in their third or fourth year of study, who have taken advantage of many programs while attending the U of L, including applied studies and international exchanges, as they have worked to complete their degrees.

David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, delivered the opening address at the Conference of the Americas on International Education in Rio de Janeiro as part of the week's activities. Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for Science and Technology, also attended.

U of L President Mike Mahon, left, receives some friendly tips on interesting places to see during his trip to Brazil from a trio of Brazilian students studying at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. Felipe Ferreira (BMgt International Management/French/Supply Chain Management) and Guilherme Costa (BA Kinesiology) are both from Sao Paulo, while Rio de Janeiro native Daniel Lima (BSc Psychology) met Mahon to talk about some of the opportunities the U of L group might have to connect with educational institutions and organizations while in Brazil.

Open Mike - May 2012, Taking advantage of new channels

trevor.kenney — Mon, 07 May 2012 17:20:13 +0000

There are many ways to tell the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge story and to get that message beyond our borders – the last week being a perfect example.

A YouTube video produced by new media student Matthew Lunde has gone viral, giving the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ new media program unprecedented exposure in markets it likely never would have entered through traditional means. The video (Stormtrooper Shuffle) is a parody of Star Wars' evil Stormtroopers dancing to the popular LMFAO hit Party Rock Anthem.

Lunde is one of the program's top students and among the latest to earn an internship with the Canadian Space Agency. The Stormtrooper Shuffle was not a class-related project, nor is it intended as an endorsement of the U of L, but the fact that it has racked up more than 100,000 views means it is reaching people and garnering the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the new media program specifically, a lot of attention.

Exploring new channels to get the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's message out to a worldwide audience is something we can learn from our students.

We often talk about the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge as a destination university, with a strong majority of our students coming from outside of southern Alberta. We are focused on continuing to grow our reputation throughout the country and around the globe and this video tells me that there is much to be learned from our students.

While it is important to continue to foster relationships through face-to-face methods, this quirky, funny video has shown that our story can be told in a variety of ways and our students are at the forefront of these unique methodologies. And at the end of the day, a student testimonial, or in this case, a showcase of skills learned while studying at the U of L, carries more weight than any advertising material.

Having said that, furthering the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's interests internationally using personal relationship building continues to be very important. Last month I spoke about the work we did in Mexico City, Beijing and Hong Kong, exploring our historic connections with these areas and opening doors for the possibility of future collaborations.

Recently, I visited Brazil as part of a group that includes 30 Canadian university presidents. The goal of the excursion, led by Governor General David Johnston, is to showcase Canadian university opportunities and to strengthen relationships with Brazil, a country identified as a rapidly growing economic powerhouse.

Intriguing to me are the many similarities that exist between Brazil and Alberta, and the commitment by the Brazilian government to expand its academic and research capacity. This is a country that has established a Science Without Borders program, creating over 70,000 scholarships for students to travel and learn outside of Brazil.

With an economy rich in oil and gas reserves that is also working hard to find answers to environmental questions, a commitment to developing aerospace technology, health-sciences, food security and agriculture related issues, and interests around water and the environment, I see the potential of developing a number of connections between Brazil and the work we do here at the
U of L.

It is an exciting time in that the world really is at our doorstep and it is important we continue to reach out and develop relationships that will further internationalize our university.

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

The Madonna Painter a challenge for small cast

trevor.kenney — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 21:58:50 +0000

Religion, sexuality, death and secrets all collide in the small parish of Lac St-Jean, Quebec when The Madonna Painter or the Birth of a Painting by Governor General Award winning playwright Michel Marc Bouchard unravels its tantalizing tale. Playing Mar. 20-24 at 8 p.m. nightly in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre, The Madonna Painter beautifully caps off a captivating Mainstage season.

"It is a collision of ecstasies, a bouquet of lies disguised as a fable," wrote Bouchard. "The Madonna Painter or The Birth of a Painting is writ in scarlet pigments, in holy wine and haemoglobin, all the shades of red that flow though us, from our sex to our souls."

Conveying the poetic essence of the script and capturing its poignant imagery is the challenge confronting MFA candidate and director, Sean Guist.

The Madonna Painter plays nightly at 8 p.m. in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre.

"The play takes place in 1918 in rural Quebec, and I did a lot of historical research, which included a trip to Quebec, to understand the period and its religious influences," Guist says. "The play is loosely based on events that happened in Bouchard's home town when he was young, and he wrote the play many years later while living in Florence, Italy. When he returned to Canada, after the play received critical acclaim abroad, he rewrote and translated the play a couple of times. The translation by Linda Gaboriau is the version we are using."

The story begins as World War I is ending and the Spanish flu is taking hold. A young priest, having recently arrived in the small parish, commissions a wandering Italian painter to create a fresco dedicated to the Virgin Mary to ward off the oncoming plague. As he chooses his model between four local virgins – all named Mary – the Madonna painter changes the fate of the entire community.

"Our cast is small, only seven characters," Guist explains. "Every character in the play has their own journey and their own beauty to discover. In turn, each actor has to go on that journey too; to discover their own beauty."

"The audience will experience great contemporary Canadian theatre that comes to life on a stunning set designed by faculty member and alumnus Roger Schultz (BFA '89), with costumes designed by Leslie Robison-Greene. Bouchard said he wanted the audience to leave with one element from the play: an image, a character, a line or a moment. I know this play both provokes and entertains – it's very beautiful, like a great work of art," says Guist.

Tickets for The Madonna Painter are available at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Box Office, Monday through Friday, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. or by calling 403-329-2616. Tickets are $15 regular, $10 for seniors and students.

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.

UNews - Governor General

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