UNews - Steve Brodrick

Residence students give back to community through multiple initiatives

trevor.kenney — Mon, 28 May 2018 15:28:35 +0000

A host of local community organizations are in a better place today, having been bolstered by the generosity of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge residence students.

The Lethbridge Soup Kitchen was one local organization assisted by campus residence students.

As the spring semester closed and residence students moved out of their campus apartments, both clothing and food drives were held to benefit the area’s less fortunate, capping off a year of fundraising and community outreach initiatives that connected students with their adopted community.

“We placed food donation bins in all of the residence buildings during the last week of classes,” says Steve Brodrick (BMgt ’09), director of Housing Services. “Students donated non-perishable food items and we made arrangements with the Lethbridge Soup Kitchen to have these picked up. Our staff then sorted and boxed it all up and we were able to donate a ton of food.”

Residence students and Pronghorn Athletics also teamed up for a clothing drive that netted a large donation to Value Village, who in turn sponsors Pronghorn Athletics throughout the year. These were just two of a number of initiatives undertaken by residence students throughout the year that benefited the southern Alberta community.

“We recognize how much the community at large helps students and we are always looking for new ways to show our appreciation for this and to reciprocate that generosity,” says Brady Hornung, past president of the Organization of Residence Students (ORS). “Whether through our Staches for Cashes fundraiser, clothing and food drives, weekly trips to walk foster puppies, or donations to national and international organizations, it is important that we give back in any way we can.”

Residence students jumped at the opportunity to volunteer walk rescue puppies.

Hornung says students coming to Lethbridge are looking for new experiences and are eager to connect with their new community.

“The more our students can see themselves as contributing members to the greater Lethbridge community, the more comfortable they are,” says Hornung. “��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is a time to try new things, and for many students that also includes trying community outreach and volunteering for the first time. The more we can do to facilitate this step, the more we are able to create mutually beneficial relationships between our students and the community.”

The Pies 4 Lives fundraiser helped raise money for local mental health initiatives.

Some of the group’s outreach programs included raising more than $2,400 for the Below the Belt Cancer Fundraiser, $500 for the Canadian Mental Health Association, clothing for the Canadian Diabetes Association, $450 each to the Alberta Mortgage Brokers Association Community Key Tree Ornament program and Days for Girls Canada, and weekly walks for rescue dogs from Prairie Pitbull Rescue.

“ORS has always been about fostering a sense of community and belonging for students staying at the U of L,” says residence assistant Hailly Harder. “It’s important for ORS to give back to the community because it creates an environment where students can feel like they are making a difference in the world, and they can choose where and how they would like to do so.”

Brodrick remains engaged

trevor.kenney — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 23:22:56 +0000

When Steve Brodrick (BMgt '09) thinks back on his time as a student at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, a myriad of memories emerge – resident student activities, volunteering as a mentor for new students, taking part in the first-ever Fresh Fest – just to name a few.

"I sat on the General Assembly for the Students' Union and was president of the Organization of Residence Students. I lived in residence the whole time I was a student and had a great experience," says Brodrick, who is grateful for the opportunities he had to engage with the broader U of L community.

He recognizes that many of those opportunities would not have been available had it not been for the financial support offered through scholarships and bursaries.

"As a student, receiving scholarships meant that I could work less and get involved on campus more," says Brodrick, who credits his time at the U of L as a formative period in his life.

Steve Brodrick made the most of his time as a U of L student.

The sense of belonging he felt at the U of L was only enhanced when he learned about the number of faculty and staff who support student awards through the Supporting Our Students (SOS) campaign.

"I would be in administrators' offices and see SOS stickers on the wall. When I walked around campus, I saw people that taught and mentored me on SOS banners. That kind of leadership made a big impression on me," says Brodrick. "Knowing that the people around me cared about my student experience meant a lot. It really stuck with me."

Following the lead of U of L faculty and staff, Brodrick established the ORS Council Excellence Award while he was still a student. The scholarship emphasizes leadership, something near and dear to his heart.

"I wanted to see more students get involved and take initiative towards improving our campus," explains Brodrick, who has also since established the ORS Family Award for students raising children and a Healthy Living Bursary for students living in residence.

Having been immersed in a variety of campus activities as a student, it's no surprise that Brodrick, continues to be involved today, in his role as associate director of housing services at the U of L.

"For students to have that extra push in the right direction is like running a marathon and someone handing you a water bottle at that halfway mark," he says. "It's just one little thing that will help them get through."

Brodrick now proudly displays his own SOS stickers – and students walking the halls as he once did will soon see his face on a banner. Brodrick is proud to be a part of the campaign and hopes he's inspiring the next generation of U of L donors.

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For more information on Supporting Our Students or to make your contribution today, visit www.uleth.ca/giving

This story first appeared in the November 2012 issue of the Legend. To view the full issue online, follow this link.

Steve Brodrick continues to stay engaged with his university

trevor.kenney — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 21:23:33 +0000

When Steve Brodrick (BMgt '09) thinks back on his time at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, a myriad of memories emerge – resident student activities, volunteering as a mentor for new students, taking part in the first ever Fresh Fest – just to name a few.

He recognizes that many of those opportunities would not have been available had it not been for the financial support offered through scholarships and bursaries. "As a student, receiving scholarships meant that I could work less and get involved on campus more," says Brodrick, who credits his time at the U of L as a formative period in his life.

The sense of belonging he felt at the U of L was only enhanced when he learned about the number of faculty and staff who support student awards through the Supporting Our Students (SOS) campaign.

"I wanted to see more students get involved and to take some initiative towards improving our campus," explains Brodrick, who has also since established the ORS Family Award for students raising children and a Healthy Living Bursary for students living in residence.

Having been immersed in a variety of campus activities as a student, it's no surprise that Brodrick, continues his involvement in his role as associate director of housing services at the U of L.

A clear focus on students

trevor.kenney — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:45:25 +0000

There's no doubt you've heard the buzz about a student portal or seen the campus-wide campaign about a U of L learning commons and study centre, while just recently the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ broke ground on another student residence.

If there are common threads to these initiatives, it's that they embody the student-centred ideal that is embedded within the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Strategic Plan; an ideal that is articulated in part by the activities of the Recruitment & Retention Integrated Planning (RRIP) team.

In 2009, in response to a dramatic shortfall in student application numbers, a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ wide Strategic Enrolment Management (SEM) program was formed to create a competitive advantage in recruitment by collaborating and sharing resources across campus.

Members of the RRIP team, including (Back Row L to R) Steve Brodrick, Heather Mirau and Trevor Flexhaug. (Front Row L to R) Dan Kazakoff, Nicole Leusink, Alice Miller and Karen Clearwater.

"It was designed as a vehicle that would pull the faculties together to support and have a more structured approach to recruitment techniques," says Vice-President (Academic) and Provost Dr. Andy Hakin.

Recognizing that getting students in the door was only half the solution however, Hakin began thinking about how the institution could keep its new students. RRIP was subsequently created to compliment the work of SEM and to drive student retention initiatives.

"RRIP basically looks at how we need to support our students once SEM has done its work in bringing students to the U of L," says Hakin. "They ask the basic questions about the student experience, about how students get into the institution and what supports students use when they are here."

Karen Clearwater, the lead on the RRIP team, brought members of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community together from a number of different areas of the institution.

"We did not necessarily want all unit managers, we looked at those people that work directly with students on a day-to-day basis or that have been directly involved in providing services to students," says Clearwater.

The team includes faculty members, APO's and AUPE membership and all have been very dedicated to the RRIP project. The team started its work with focus groups and unit presentations, as well as an environmental scan.

"We collected information from as many sources as we could," says Clearwater.

From the information compiled, certain subject themes took on greater priority than others. It was at that point Subject Matter Teams (SMT) were established. Currently 85 faculty, staff and students are working toward the completion of priority projects. Student leaders on campus have played a critical role in these SMTs.

"The whole process has taken a lot of time and we are pleased to see the results coming forward with some great initiatives," says Clearwater.

Student retention rates have long been an issue for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, and the RRIP initiatives have been aimed directly at improving those numbers.

"The idea is that we have to change what we are doing in respect to the student experience, with the overall goal of reducing that attrition number," says Hakin. "But no success will be possible without maintaining the high quality of our academic programs."

Four major projects are currently in the works, all having been identified as priorities by RRIP. They include the establishment of a student portal, the move from paper to electronic applications for graduate studies, the establishment of a 24-hour study centre with a more robust tutoring and mentor service and the creation of an academic success centre which will house a number of student services. As well, the push for more student housing came through RRIP recommendations, something that will be realized with the construction of Aperture Park Phase 3.

"That was another major piece that came forward from that group," says Hakin. "They identified that we needed more residence spaces, and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ
responded to that because we know that students who are supported in a student housing environment perform better and have a substantially improved retention rate."

Both SEM and RRIP are seen as ongoing initiatives.

"It's a continuous improvement vehicle," says Hakin. "It cannot be one or two projects and we're done, things need to keep improving in terms of how we support our students, how we interact with them and how we improve their academic experience at our ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

GET THE FACTS

· For more information on the RRIP project, check out the website www.uleth.ca/recruitment-retention

· The RRIP team was established in 2010

· In addition to team sponsors Andy Hakin and Nancy Walker and project manager Karen Clearwater, the 10-person team consists of co-ordinator Heather Mirau, Steve Brodrick, Trevor Flexhaug, Dan Kazakoff, Carma Leishman, Nicole Leusink, Heidi MacDonald, Alice Miller, Chris Roberts and Barbara Williams

This story first appeared in the December 2011 issue of the Legend. If you'd like to see the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Supporting the family unit

trevor.kenney — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 21:12:50 +0000

The true measure of any gift is the passion behind it. As a recent graduate who now works on campus, Steve Brodrick's generosity is a natural extension of his student experience and stems from his desire to make a difference.

"I can see myself in a lot of students," says Brodrick with a smile. "I came to the U of L from Calgary with no intention of staying in Lethbridge after I finished my degree. Obviously, I'm still here and that's because of the positive experience I had as a student."

Through involvement with groups like the Students' Union and the Organization of Resident Students (ORS), Brodrick engaged with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community and established lasting connections. These opportunities provided valuable leadership experience, something Brodrick feels could benefit other students.

"I wanted to see them get involved and to take some initiative towards improving campus," explains Brodrick, who set out to establish a scholarship recognizing student leadership. "The ORS Council Excellence Award was established in 2008 and has been given out annually ever since."

Brodrick took this experience with him as he made the transition from student to staff. In his current role as assistant manager of housing services, Brodrick became aware of the unique challenges faced by students living in family housing and established an award that recognizes the achievements of those individuals pursuing an education while raising a family.

"We have 32 families living on campus," says Brodrick, who notes that most people aren't even aware that the U of L offers family accommodations. "These individuals seem almost superhuman in their ability to balance school and other responsibilities, but they weren't being recognized for this incredible work. I wanted to change that."

The establishment of these awards represents a huge accomplishment for the 23-year old, but he's not done yet. Brodrick continues to look for ways to enhance the student experience, believing that the success of our students will ultimately benefit the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ as a whole.

"Our students are our best ambassadors," says Brodrick, who graduated in 2008 and admits he talks often of his alma mater. "I think faculty and staff should feel some responsibility for ensuring that all students have a positive experience because students are the reason the rest of us are here. Supporting student awards is a very tangible way of demonstrating a commitment to our students."

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For more information on how you can make a difference in the lives of students, visit www.uleth.ca/giving/SupportingOurStudents

UNews - Steve Brodrick

Residence students give back to community through multiple initiatives

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