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Scotiabank helps launch FNMI mentorship

trevor.kenney — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:30:40 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge welcomed Scotiabank officials to campus on Tuesday, Feb. 7 to announce a major gift in support of First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) students.

The $150,000 investment will help launch a mentorship program aimed at post-secondary students, as well as students in junior high and high schools in Lethbridge and reserve communities throughout southern Alberta.

"This gift demonstrates Scotiabank's incredible commitment to education and the FNMI community, and sets a strong example for others to follow," says U of L President Dr. Mike Mahon.

"This gift also represents a partnership. The U of L is committed to working with Scotiabank to ensure FNMI students will have the resources they need to be successful and realize their post-secondary education aspirations. The mentorship program is a great addition to our support programs for FNMI students. We are proud of what it's accomplished already and look forward to growing this program in coming years."

There are two key elements to the program that make it unique, says U of L Faculty of Management Dean Dr. Robert Ellis.

"U of L First Nations, Métis and Inuit alumni will serve as mentors to Aboriginal students in the management and pre-management programs. The alumni will support, give advice, and help to instill confidence in the students."

In turn, the U of L Aboriginal management students being mentored will provide guidance to junior and senior high students in the local city and reserve schools. "This program will allow U of L students to act as role models for the Aboriginal students who are at the high school level.

"Education is one of five pillars of Scotiabank's global philanthropic program known As 'Bright Future'," says Shannon Burch, the VP of southern Alberta/Kootenays for Scotiabank. "We have always believed in contributing to communities in which we live, work and do business. Scotiabank takes tremendous pleasure in supporting important institutions like the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge."

Chillin' 4 Charity benefits United Way

trevor.kenney — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 17:40:12 +0000

More than 60 people are scheduled to jump into an ice-cube-filled pool of freezing water on Thursday, all in support of the United Way.

The U of L's JDC West team — a hardy and enthusiastic group of Faculty of Management students who participate in the Jeux du Commerce Games a national Canadian business competition — are once again hosting Chillin' 4 Charity, a few hours of frozen frivolity to support the United Way of Lethbridge and Southern Alberta.

Students, U of L administration members and faculty jumpers — including Faculty of Management Dean Bob Ellis, VP Academic Andy Hakin, faculty member Mike Madore, and Assistant Management Dean Richard Perlow — will hit the water beginning at 11 a.m. at a large patio on the south side of the Students' Union Building. The event is expected to last until 2 p.m.

Over the past five years, their efforts have resulted in more than $50,000 in support to the United Way.

Chillin' 4 Charity originated at the U of L in 2006, and is now part of many JDC-sponsored events across Western Canada.

A Provost's Philosophy

trevor.kenney — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 17:51:38 +0000

Dr. Cheryl Misak (BA '83) never intended to go into academia. When she began her education at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, Misak's goal was to become a lawyer.

As fate would have it (if fate does in fact exist – a question Misak has certainly pondered and discussed at length with hundreds of students over the course of her long and illustrious career) Philosophy 1000 was the only course that fit a gap in her schedule that first semester. You could say the rest is history, but in Misak's case, it's far more appropriate to ask whether certain things in life are just meant to be.

Taking a look at Misak's resumé, which brims with esteemed accomplishments, culminating in her current position as vice-president and provost at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto, it's easy to buy into the notion that things have a way of working out the way they should. That first course in philosophy that Misak added to her schedule simply out of practicality, set her life on an extraordinarily successful and interesting trajectory that she might not otherwise have pursued.

"I was immediately taken by it," Misak says of philosophy. "I agonized over what to do – it seemed that degrees in philosophy wouldn't lead to much of a career, but eventually I took the plunge."

Dr. Cheryl Misak (BA '83) was the 2009 recipient of the Alumnus of the Year award.

Misak followed her passion, earning a BA in Philosophy with great distinction, and the coveted Faculty of Arts and Science Gold Medal to go along with it. While she had her sights set on a Rhodes Scholarship that year, it was at Columbia ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ that Misak earned an MA. Even so, Oxford was never off the radar. Misak reapplied for the Rhodes Scholarship while in New York, was accepted and went on to earn her PhD in England.

Since then, it's been one step after the other for Misak. She's been a lecturer at Oxford, graduate co-ordinator and assistant professor at Queen's, and then steadily moved up the ranks at U of T, advancing from professor to chair to dean to VP and principal – all the way to the top of the institution as vice-president and provost. It's an impressive succession that even Misak herself sometimes has trouble recognizing as her own career.

"It's a constant object of amazement to me," Misak says. "I had to be convinced to do each successive job. Each time I moved on, I found I was enjoying it more and more. People kept asking me to do things, and I just kept saying yes."

While the position of vice-president and provost at U of T is more than a full-time job, Misak makes a point of keeping her hand in research and teaching. She is currently working on research for a book titled The American Pragmatists – a subject matter very much in line with work Misak started while still an undergrad at the U of L. It is fittingly full circle – especially for a philosophy buff.

"Philosophy is about working through problems, getting to the bottom of things and trying to come to an understanding about concepts such as truth, knowledge, justice and the good. Ask a question about an old problem, and you're bound to learn something, if not new, then at least important."

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Alumni Association Distinguished Alumnus of the Year award recognizes individuals for exceptional professional achievements, academic excellence or contributions to society.

Keeping co-op active

trevor.kenney — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 20:29:55 +0000

If you stay with a company long enough, you just may end up running it. Kelly Philipp, the vice-president and CFO of Haul-All Equipment Ltd., can testify to that.

He began with the company during a co-op placement when he was enrolled at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, before his graduation in 1997.

Philipp, who is originally from Prince George, B.C., says he took an early interest in collection vehicles and, as it turned out, they were the same models he now helps produce.

"As a kid I was totally fascinated with this style of garbage truck," he says of Haul-All's unique equipment. "From there it's just sort of clicked."

Philipp, a marketing major, didn't join the co-op program initially, but rather was convinced by a professor to enroll. Now, he says, it's hard to think of not being involved with co-op.

"It's interesting to look back on it today. I got involved with the co-op program, not because I saw the benefits of co-op, but because people in co-op took a real interest in the students. I can't imagine you'd get that in every institution. In my opinion, the U of L is unique in that regard," he says.

Kelly Philipp's positive co-op experience set his career path in motion.

"It was a successful placement because the company had a need to redo its marketing and to promote its products internationally. So that was a good fit for me. It was a really good mentorship that I'll never forget."

Following his co-op, Philipp left Haul-All in order to pursue his MBA, but kept in touch with his superiors there. He ended up being hired as the head of finance five years ago.

Haul-All Equipment Ltd. has two divisions: Haul-All Equipment Systems, which provides containers, collection vehicles and transfer stations; and Sureflame Products, a construction heater manufacturer. As the VP, Philipp oversees the Equipment Systems division but is also the head of accounting and finance on the corporate side.

While working in the marketing and business side, he has travelled all over the world in order to help market the company. Then, following a restructuring of the entire accounting department two years ago, he began incorporating co-op students.

"It is a permanent, rotating, eight-month position where we can reach out to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and pull from the student body to help provide meaningful work experience within the context of corporate accounting," Philipp says.

"We approach it more as a learning experience and try to take on more of a mentorship role. We see it as not just a job for the student, and I believe it's been a really positive experience. It's also been a big benefit for us as an employer."

Philipp says he is trying to create as much of a local angle as possible, as most accounting co-op students have to go to Calgary to find work.

"I really wanted to create something that would give back to the co-op program and provide similar opportunities for students," he says. "I wanted to give back to the community and one way to give back is to support the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ."

For more about the Faculty of Management at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, visit this link.

ULSU elections in the books

trevor.kenney — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 15:40:26 +0000

The battle for ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union president may have been a one-horse race but it didn't stop voters from casting ballots in the 2009-2010 ULSU executive council and general assembly election last week.

Over 21 per cent of students cast their votes in the election as a variety of roles were filled. Jeremy Girard ran unopposed as ULSU president and will take over office in May. He's excited about the upcoming challenge.

"I'm proud to serve as president in the upcoming year," says Girard. "The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has a lot to offer to the community, and the Students' Union has a lot to offer to students."

Girard takes over from outgoing ULSU President, Adam Vossepoel.

"I'm confident the incoming executive team will lead the ULSU down the right path," says Vossepoel. "The organization and the interests of students are in very capable hands, and I leave my presidency with no apprehension about the future of the ULSU."

Following are the results from the 2009-2010 ULSU election.

2009‐2010 ULSU Executive Council: Jeremy Girard, President; Allan Hall, VP Administration; Alex Masse, VP Academic and Cole Lehto, VP Internal.

2009‐2010 ULSU General Assembly: Justine Foy, arts and science representative; Zack Moline, arts and science representative; Eric Hawthorne, arts and science representative; Willis Norrie, arts and science representative; Alecia Fraser, arts and science representative; Cayley Rauw, arts and science representative; Tyler Stewart, fine arts representative; Tyrell DaSilva, management representative; Michael Persinger, organization of residence students representative; Fwanyanga Mate, international representative; Melanie Sam, First Nations, Inuit Métis representative; Jenn Prosser, board of governors representative.

The newly‐elected council members assume their roles May 1, 2009 and remain in office through to Apr. 30, 2010.

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