UNews - Goldie Morgentaler

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Singers to premiere two works

caroline.zentner — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 17:19:22 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Singers, under the direction of Dr. Janet Youngdahl and assistant conductor, Jaimee Jarvie (BMus ’13), present a spectacular evening of choral works, including the premiere of two important pieces.

How Can I Keep from Singing takes place Saturday, March 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570).

The Singers will premiere OKI, a choral work by Winnipeg-based composer Andrew Balfour with Blackfoot translation by Elder Francis First Charger. They will also premiere Sweet Hour of Serenity by Lavinia Kell Parker with text by Holocaust survivor, Yiddish novelist and honorary degree recipient, Dr. Chava Rosenfarb (LLD ’06). Parker says Rosenfarb’s text exudes music and it was a gift to work with the literary piece.

Dr. Chava Rosenfarb (LLD '06)

“On first reading of Rosenfarb’s poem A Prayer, I was breathless with the beauty of these words. A Prayer conveys a sense of inner peace amidst a time of terror,” Parker says. “My choral work, Sweet Hour of Serenity, takes its title from the first line of this poem. With the exquisite interpretation by Dr. Youngdahl, soprano soloist Jaimee Jarvie and the ULethbridge Singers, audience members will be able to experience this serenity for themselves.”

The composition was originally going to premiere in March 2020, but was postponed until 2021, when The Singers were able to make a recording of the work.

“It is very exciting that this work will now finally receive its live premiere three years later! I hope that the presentation of this choral work is another tribute to her remarkable life and legacy,” Parker adds.

OKI by Balfour is a song originally done in Cree. YoungdahI received permission from Balfour to get his popular choral piece, Ambe, translated into Blackfoot.

“At ULethbridge, we received help from Drs. Monique Giroux and Inge Genee, and then Elder Francis First Charger to get the piece translated,” Youngdahl says. “First Charger has come in and worked with the choir on their pronunciation several times, to their great delight. It is a real honour to get to sing this work in Blackfoot.”

The U of L Singers is a talented ensemble of emerging vocalists. Since their establishment in 1982, the U of L Singers has graced stages throughout the community and across Canada, performing a wide variety of styles and has premiered several works by notable Canadian composers.

Tickets for this event are available at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Box Office and online at ulethbridge.ca/tickets. Tickets are $20 adult, $15 alumni and senior, $12 students and children.

Background
Chava Rosenfarb (1923–2011) was a Holocaust survivor and Jewish Canadian author of Yiddish poetry and novels. Identified as a major contributor to post-Second World War Yiddish literature, Rosenfarb was a survivor of the Lodz ghetto, Auschwitz and Bergen Belsen. The city council of Lodz, Poland has decreed 2023 to be the Year of Chava Rosenfarb in celebration of her centenary.

In 2006, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ bestowed on Rosenfarb her first degree, a doctor of laws honoris causa, making her the first Yiddish writer to be honoured in this way by a Canadian post-secondary. Rosenfarb’s daughter is ULethbridge English professor emerita Dr. Goldie Morgentaler, an expert on 19th-century British and American literature and award-winning translator of many of Rosenfarb’s works. In 2019, Morgentaler was awarded a Canadian Jewish Literary Prize for a collection of essays by Rosenfarb, titled Confessions of a Yiddish Writer.

Lavinia Kell Parker is an award-winning composer with performances and premieres all over Canada. Parker’s use of improvisation with traditional compositional elements has garnered her the New Genre Award from the International Alliance of Women in Music, and top prizes in choral composition including from the Association of Canadian Choral Communities, the New York Treble Singers, Vancouver Bach Choir and the Ruth Watson Henderson Choral Composition Competition.

Her choral works have been performed by elite choirs internationally and over the airwaves with CBC Radio Canada and PBS television. An educator of 20 years, she has focused on bringing the joy of music to children and is the founder of Coulee Composers, a composition club for children in southern Alberta. Parker is an Associate Composer of the Canadian Music Centre and an instructor at the ULethbridge Conservatory of Music.

Morgentaler revels in the beauty of literature

trevor.kenney — Thu, 17 Nov 2016 22:35:43 +0000

Dr. Goldie Morgentaler will never pass up an opportunity to discuss the works of Charles Dickens. Given the opportunity to present as part of the PUBlic Professor Series of community lectures, she sought to address a topic close to her heart – the importance of the written word and how it continues to influence society. Through Dickens’ classic novella, A Christmas Story, she’ll do just that.

A true lover of books and the written word, Morgentaler is fearful books are being left behind in today’s fast-paced digital world.

Dr. Goldie Morgentaler examines Dickens' classic novella A Christmas Carol in the latest PUBlic Professor Series lecture.

“It does scare me. I wanted to do this talk precisely because this is a very important facet of our education and we shouldn’t let it sort of slip into oblivion,” she says of the written word.

Morgentaler’s love of reading was cultivated early in life. She discovered Dickens’ work as an undergraduate student while on a work study program in New York City. Alone and on a meagre student budget, reading helped her pass the time.

“I was pretty lonely and there was this book shop right across the street from me, so I spent a lot of time there,” she says. “It happened to be right around the anniversary of Dickens’ death, so there was a lot of stuff out on him. I had never read him before, just vaguely heard the name, so I picked up Great Expectations and I loved it. From there, I just read everything that I could.”

Since then, Dickens has become somewhat of a life’s work. Morgentaler, who has been at the U of L since 1997, teaches 19th-century British and American literature, as well as modern Jewish literature. She is the author of Dickens and Heredity and of numerous articles on Dickens and Victorian literature. She is a past president of the Dickens Society and a current member of the Dickens Quarterly Editorial Board and the Dickens Society’s Board of Trustees. She is currently at work on an essay about Dickens and dance for a volume of collected essays on Dickens and the Arts to be published by Edinburgh ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Press.

Also a literary translator, mostly from Yiddish to English, Morgentaler has translated much of the work of her mother, Chava Rosenfarb, the great Yiddish novelist, who was given an honorary degree by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge in 2006.

When choosing a topic for PUBlic Professor, Morgentaler knew she needed a title that would resonate with a public audience and A Christmas Carol, in the lead-up to Christmas, was a natural fit. Of course her talk, How Dickens Invented Christmas and Why it Matters, will likely open some eyes to the classic story we think we already know.

“I wonder how many people have actually read A Christmas Carol. Or have they just ever seen it on stage or gone to a movie?” she asks. “The problem with not actually reading the story is he’s such a wonderful writer and you miss all the puns and all the fun he has with language. Reading is a different experience.”

It’s that experience she doesn’t want to see lost on a young generation. While Dickens will live on in some way, shape or form because his work has entered the public consciousness, what she doesn’t want lost is the actual literature itself.

“What worries me is that people know the story but they don’t know it from Dickens,” she says. “They know it from television or from Scrooge McDuck or something like that, and my students, sometimes they are surprised because the actual story is a little bit darker than they realize. It grew out of Dickens’ outrage at the social conditions of his time.

“A Christmas Carol is easily digestible, so that’s part of its popularity and why it persists today, but there are a lot of great writers who are not read anymore, and that’s a shame.”

Morgentaler’s PUBlic Professor event takes place Thursday, Nov. 24 from 7 to 9 p.m. at City Hall.

Morgentaler earns SSHRC grant to study life of Rosenfarb

trevor.kenney — Wed, 09 Oct 2013 16:40:44 +0000

Dr. Goldie Morgentaler (English) has received a $21,230 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Insight Grant to further her work on the life and writings of Dr. Chava Rosenfarb, a world-renowned Yiddish author, poet and Holocaust survivor who happens also to be Morgentaler’s mother.

Morgentaler is looking to bring greater awareness of the world-renowned Yiddish author, poet and Holocaust survivor to English-speaking audiences.

Rosenfarb’s work has won many international awards, as well as an honorary degree from the U of L, but it is little known outside the sphere of Yiddish literature.

Morgentaler is looking to bring a greater awareness of her mother’s work to English-speaking audiences, as well as to chronicle the dramatic events of her mother’s early years in Poland, her incarceration in the Lodz ghetto and in the Nazi concentration camps of Auschwitz, Sasel and Bergen Belsen.

As well, Morgentaler will be gathering information on the people in Rosenfarb’s life following the war, her marriage to Henry Morgentaler, and her relationships with members of the Montreal writing community in the 1960s and 1970s.

She will further chronicle the correspondence relating to her mother’s life-long friendship with a British soldier (now deceased) who liberated Rosenfarb from the Bergen Belsen concentration camp in 1945. Rosenfarb passed away in 2011 at age 88.

Insight Grant funding illustrates breadth of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's humanities research

trevor.kenney — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 20:55:14 +0000

Five social science and humanities researchers at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge have received grants from the Federal government’s Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Insight or Insight Development Grant program with a total value of almost $675,000 ($674,152).

Dr. Dan Weeks, the U of L’s Vice-President, Research, says the funding illustrates the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s growing prominence in social sciences and humanities research.

“The SSHRC grants we received this year reflect a breadth of scholarship across the social sciences and humanities, and they demonstrate the potential our faculty have for making a clear impact in terms of both academic research and knowledge mobilization,” he says.

Weeks adds that with the support of institutional funding provided by SSHRC, the U of L has been able to support researchers with internal development grants that help to move projects forward, increasing their competitiveness at the national level.

“Our vibrant research culture supports our commitment to liberal education, and our goal is to provide assistance to social science and humanities researchers at the U of L, faculty members whose research and teaching contributes to our strength in liberal arts education.”

The recipients are Dr. Claudia Malacrida (Sociology, $318,278); Dr. John Harding (Religious Studies, $258,659); Dr. Craig Monk (English, $63,570); Dr.Goldie Morgentaler (English, $21,230); and Dr. Mickey Vallee (Sociology, $12,685).

The diverse projects are funded over three to five-year periods.

Morgentaler brings Rosenfarb's work to surface

trevor.kenney — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 16:01:43 +0000

After discovering unpublished poetry translations of her own poems by her late mother - internationally recognized Yiddish novelist and Holocaust survivor Chava Rosenfarb - ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge professor Dr. Goldie Morgentaler is sharing these poems, along with previously published poems, in a new book entitled Exile at Last.

In her lifetime, Chava Rosenfarb was recognized internationally for novels, poems and plays about the Holocaust, including The Tree of Life: A Trilogy of Life in the Lodz Ghetto, one of the seminal works on the Holocaust. Her international awards include the Prize of the Congress for Jewish Culture, the Sholem Aleichem Prize, the Atran Prize, the John Glassco Prize for Literary Translation and the Manger Prize - Israel's highest award for Yiddish literature.

Included with the poems is an introduction Rosenfarb had written for a poetry collection she was planning to publish in the early 1970s. For unknown reasons this collection was never published.

"My mother began her writing career as a poet. She published three books of poetry in Yiddish during her lifetime. She had always wanted this poetry to be available to English readers as well, which is why she translated most of the poems into English," says Morgentaler. "It is not clear to me why she never published these translations, but now that she is gone, I feel it is important for me to complete the job for her."

Rosenfarb was 16 when she and her family were interned in the Lodz ghetto after the Nazis invaded Poland in 1939. When the ghetto was liquidated, she was deported to Auschwitz and later Bergen Belsen, before being liberated by British forces in 1945. After spending many homeless years in Europe, she moved to Canada in 1950, settling in Montreal.

As a child, Rosenfarb's father encouraged her to write about her experiences. Considering the impact of the years she spent in occupied Poland and in concentration camps, these themes became central to her life's works.

Exile at Last contains poems from all three of Rosenfarb's poetry books, including Di balade fun nekhtikn vald (The Ballad of Yesterday's Forest), Rosenfarb's first published collection of poems, composed when Rosenfarb was incarcerated in the Lodz ghetto. The book also contains more personal poems from Rosenfarb's last collection of poetry, Aroys fun gan eydn (Out of Paradise]. The poems are arranged to follow the chronological order of the events of Rosenfarb's life.

"My mother and I were more than mother and daughter. We were a team, a translating team. She did the writing in Yiddish and then we worked closely together on the translations," says Morgentaler. "I feel that I owe her a debt and that debt can only be repaid by publishing her work in English – something she clearly wanted, despite her love of and fidelity to Yiddish, the language of her lost, annihilated home."

Morgentaler is a Professor of English at the U of L where she teaches 19th Century British and American literature, as well as Jewish literature. She is the translator of much of Rosenfarb's work including the play The Bird of the Ghetto, which was staged by the Threshold Theatre of Toronto in the fall of 2012. She was the translator in collaboration with the author of the three volumes of Rosenfarb's The Tree of Life: A Trilogy of Life in the Lodz Ghetto. Her translation of Rosenfarb's book of short stories, Survivors: Seven Short Stories, won the Helen and Stan Vine Canadian Jewish Book Award in 2005 and the Modern Language Association's Fenia and Yaakov Leviant Memorial Prize in Yiddish Studies in 2006.

The book, published by Guernica Editions, is now on sale at Chapters and at the U of L bookstore, and can be ordered from amazon and directly from the publisher at: michaelmirolla@guernicaeditions.com.

NOTE: Chava Rosenfarb was recognized by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge in 2006 when she was presented with an honorary degree. Rosenfarb delivered an incredibly powerful address which can be viewed by following this link.

Long Service & Retirement Recognition Ceremony

trevor.kenney — Wed, 09 May 2012 17:44:43 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is holding its annual Long Service Awards and Retirement Recognition Ceremony on Wednesday, May 9 at 1 p.m. in the Students' Union Ballrooms.

A total of 103 employees, including 20 retiring employees and those who have completed 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 years of service, will be honoured.

All employees are invited to the ceremony and reception to honour the award recipients listed below. The reception will include light refreshments.

Retirees

Nola Aitken, Pat Anderson, Bill Cade, Maria Draper, Carol Gaetz, Mary Anne Hellinga, John Johnston, Cindy Kabelka, Frank Klassen, Michael Kubara, Christina Lastuka, Rita Law, Kathy Lee, Marg McKeen, Bruce McMullin, Shari Platt, Charlene Sawatsky, Richard Tedesco, Barbara Wolstoncroft and Joan Zimmer

Long Service Recipients

40 Years

Lois Boras and
Jean Mankee

35 Years

Barbara Dickinson, Heather Mirau and Brian Parkinson

30 Years

Rene Barendregt, Annette Bright, Peter Heffernan, Barb Hodgson, Kurt Klein, William Krysak, Judy Lacey, Phill Lema, Valerie Richardson, Kim Selk and John Vokey

25 Years

Candace Dueck, John Eng, Frank Klassen, Sheila Lowe, Fiona Randle, Thomas Staples, Greg Tompkins, Kelly Vaselenak, Peter Visentin and Diana Young

20 Years

Lynn Ambedian, Robin Bright, Naomi Cramer, Mary Dyck, Rod Gelleny, Michael Kern, Judith Kulig, Rick Peter, Robert Runte, Sandy Slavin, Maxine Tedesco and Jeff Vucurevich

15 Years

Dwayne Armstrong, Mara Baldwin, Kerry Bernes, Lesley Brown, James Clark, Tom Doyle, Larry Flanagan, Carolyn Gaebel, Cam Goater, Bradley Hagen, Rob Johnson, Ed Jurkowski, Angela Luck, Goldie Morgentaler, Dan O'Donnell, Kent Peacock, Brent Selinger, Marlo Steed and
Nicole Wilson

10 Years

Peter Alward, Christine Anderson, Ebenezer Asem, Roberto Bello, Shawn Bubel, Kris Caldwell, Michael Campbell, Connie Chaplin, John Claassen, Melanie Collado, Dagmar Dahle, Alesha Farfus-Shukaliak, Bev Garnett, Daya Gaur, Joanne Gedrasik, Betsy Greenlees, Trevor Harrison, Linda Janz, Sharon Kanashiro, John Kometz, Igor Kovalchuk, Olga Kovalchuk, Bette Jo Kulak, James Linville, Douglas MacArthur, Claudia Malacrida, Kyla McFadden, Jacqueline Montain, Mandy Moser, Bob Muskovich, Janice Newberry, Tammy Paskuski, Jill Payant, Wilf Roesler, Edward Sandzewicz, Daryl Schacher, Darren Schell, Arlan Schultz, Daniela Sirbu, Debbie Tarnava, John Usher, Derek Vincent, Bernie Wirzba and Cindy Yee

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ mourns loss of Rosenfarb

trevor.kenney — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 17:32:45 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge community offers its most sincere condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the late Dr. Chava Rosenfarb, a U of L Honorary degree recipient (2006), noted Yiddish author, Holocaust survivor and mother and mother-in-law of Dr. Goldie Morgentaler (English) and Dr. Jonathan Seldin (mathematics and computer science).

The woman known by her family to have the warmest heart and the sharpest mind passed away in Lethbridge on Sunday, Jan. 30 at age 88.

A survivor of the Lodz ghetto, of Auschwitz and Bergen Belsen, Rosenfarb transmuted her experiences into fiction, specifically into her major novel, The Tree of Life: A Trilogy of Life in the Lodz Ghetto.

Her novels, Bociany, and, Of Lodz and Love, are also available in English, as is a collection of short stories called, Survivors.

She was the recipient of numerous literary awards, including Israel's Manger Prize and an honorary degree from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Born in Lodz, Poland in 1923 she married Henry Morgentaler in 1949, shortly before their arrival in Canada. They divorced in 1975. Her second husband was Bono Wiener of Melbourne, Australia.

She is survived by her two children, Dr. Goldie Morgentaler of Lethbridge, Alta., and Abraham Morgentaler of Boston, Mass., as well as by her grandchildren, Maya and Hannah Morgentaler and by her sister Henia Reinhartz of Toronto, Ont., niece Adele Reinhartz and nephew Abraham Reinhartz and their families.

Rosenfarb received an Honorary Degree from the U of L in 2006, delivering one of the institution's most memorable convocation adresses. An excerpt follows.

"My university was the Second World War. My classroom was the Lodz Ghetto, my teachers were my fellow inmates there — and especially the poets, painters and intellectuals of the doomed writers' community, incarcerated between the barbed wire walls of the ghetto, who accepted me at a very early age as a member. So I am a graduate of the Holocaust, of the death camps of Auschwitz and Bergen Belsen. I have matriculated in one of the greatest tragedies known to man. I have a degree from no other university. At least, not until today."

To view the full address, follow this link. To read the full text of her convocation address, follow this link. To read more about Rosenfarb and her amazing life, visit her website by following this link.

There will be a gathering in Montréal, Que. to remember her on Thursday, Feb. 3, at noon at Paperman's Chapel, 3888 Jean Talon West, Montréal, Québec H3R 2G8.

Condolence messages may be sent to Dr. Morgentaler via e-mail at goldie.morgentaler@uleth.ca

Campus Kudos - December

trevor.kenney — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 17:56:32 +0000

Dr. David Renter (music) Trio performed at Southern Alberta Art Gallery on Dec. 3 as part of the second event organized by the brand new Lethbridge Jazz Society.

Dr. Goldie Morgentaler (English) was featured in the Fall 2010 issue of Pakn Treger magazine, the magazine of the Yiddish Book Center. Published in Amherst, Mass., the Pakn Treger story details Morgentaler's teaching of Yiddish literature in what is referred to as the "Canadian Bible Belt".

Lisa Doolittle (Theatre & Dramatic Arts) was a plenary speaker with ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary professor Anne Flynn and U of L alumnus Troy Emery Twigg (BFA '03) at the American Society for Theatre Research and Congress on Research in Dance international joint conference in Seattle in November. They presented the paper, Performing Negotiations: Blackfoot Dance in Colonial and Multicultural Canada. Doolittle also presented, Dance Research on the Move: Connecting across the academy and engaging with community, to graduate and PhD students at York ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Senate member, Paul Gale Pharo, was appointed to the Alberta Provincial Court Bench. Pharo is also the incoming president of the Rotary Club of Lethbridge and has three children attending the U of L.

Taras Polataiko (Art) recently exhibited his new work at the 5th International Biennale of Video Art in Israel.

Leanne Elias (New Media) recently had a chapter published in the book, Mobile Learning: Pilot Projects and Initiatives. The chapter is, Using Smartphone Technology to Extend the Educational Experience.

Nick Wade (Art) spoke at the Alberta Public Planners Institute in Lethbridge on the subject of art in the public realm.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge home page, www.uleth.ca, was selected as one of the Top-30 Outstanding Websites of Higher Education by Vandelay Design (http://vandelaydesign.com/blog/galleries/higher-education/). It was mentioned along websites from Johns Hopkins ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Virginia Tech ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Southern California.

Emily Luce's (New Media) exhibition, Parallel Park (Lab Space), is showing in the Helen Christou Gallery until Jan. 14, 2011.

Catherine Ross's (Art staff) exhibition, Field Sightings, is currently showing in Lethbridge's Mueller Art Gallery.

Dr. Josie Mills (U of L Art Gallery director/curator) presented, Deaccessioning: The Root of All Scandal, as part of the Southern Alberta Art Gallery's, Articulations: Art Appreciation Lecture Series, in November.

Matthew Blackburn (BMus '09), winner of the 2009 Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition, performed with Musaeus String Quartet as part of the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra's Chamber Series.

For a look at the full issue of the December Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Suriano looks to engage an online generation

trevor.kenney — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 20:36:02 +0000

Coming out of high school, Jason Suriano (BA '01) was focused on the fast track to a law degree. Now, 14 years later, he's navigating a museum gallery with a group of 10 year-old kids as they banter about video games – and he couldn't be happier.

Recently, Suriano launched Seek Your Own Proof, a new online game at Discoverykids.com. The game targets 6-12 year-olds and follows the story of three investigative siblings – Aidan, Milanie and Heiko Munro – who discover a secret underground agency known as the Central Institute for Exploration (CIE).

The teens are quickly drawn into a chase through time and history against enemy agents who are plotting to rewrite the past, change the present and alter the future. Online users can play the game in traditional form but also have the option of taking field missions to real museums and landmarks.

After debuting at the Discovery Times Square Exposition in New York, Suriano brought his game home to the Galt Museum.

"To start with, we're trying to make the history in your backyard the most relevant," says Suriano. "It's neat if kids get a little bit enlightened about their own surroundings. We're also trying to make it available in as many cities as possible, so that if I take my kids to Calgary or Edmonton on the weekend, a place like the Edmonton Art Gallery is a part of it."

Considering Suriano laughs about being one of the last of his generation to begin using a computer, there is no lack of irony in the fact he now designs computer games for a living.

"In Grade 12 I was still submitting hand-written essays," says Suriano, a Catholic Central High School graduate. "I always had a real interest in technology, it was always one of the things that I liked, I just didn't know how to get into it."

He began his post-secondary career at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta but decided to come home to the U of L after one year. It was in Lethbridge that he laid the foundation for his future.

"I'm a firm believer in the "things-happen for-a-reason" train of thought," he says of abandoning his legal aspirations.

Embracing the liberal arts philosophy at the U of L, Suriano discovered his passion. His humanities focus would then serve him well as he transitioned back to the U of A for a second degree, an MA in Humanities Computing with specialization in comparative literature.

"Before you work in the technology field, it's essential to have a grounding in the arts. Research and writing are keys, particularly with what I'm doing right now," he explains. "The work I do involves a lot of fact gathering, making sense of blocks of content from museums and distilling it all into worksheets and then online forms."

Once out of school, Suriano began working in the non-profit sector. With both a writing and technical background, he was hard to pigeon hole and found himself working for the Heritage Community Foundation as head of the Educational Learning Objects division.

After a stint where he did consulting work for his company, Hotrocket Studios, he and business partners Ken Bautista and Norman Mendoza struck off on their own and the seeds for Seek Your Own Proof were born. Their big break came when they secured Telefilm Canada and Canadian Film Centre (CFC) Telus Funding, one of only two projects in Canada. It allowed them to flush out the idea and enter it in the Kidscreen PitchIt! Competition in New York, where they won the top prize.

"That was the first sign that we were on to something pretty cool," says Suriano.
"The neat thing is that seed idea we came up with in 2005 is still novel now, there's really not a lot of this going on, especially within our demographic."

Galt Museum executive director Susan Burrows-Johnson says the game is a wonderful way to connect with today's generation of technologically savvy kids.

"Almost no one who works in museums plays games, and everybody under 18 does, so there's this huge generation gap that we've been worried about," she says. "It's not that history isn't interesting to them, because it is, it's the generation gap around the technology that we need to pay attention to. Kids use different tools in their learning process and that's the gap we're trying to bridge."

To come full circle and stimulate learning in his hometown is especially gratifying for Suriano, now a father of two.

"I approached the Galt a couple years ago when we were starting this portion of the project, and Susan was very open to it and supportive of the concept," says Suriano. "It's great we are now ready to bring it back here in this form."

GET THE FACTS

• Suriano now lives in Edmonton with his wife Jen and their children Ethan (4) and Malcolm (1).

• The debut field mission of the game involved facts around the King Tut exhibit at Discovery Times Square Exposition in New York. Officials estimate handing out more than 500 worksheets per week to visiting kids.

• Seek Your Own Proof is available for play or purchase at www.seekyourownproof.com

• CIE and Seek Your Own Proof have been recognized with several awards including: Grand Prize Winner at the TEC VenturePrize competition in Alberta; Best in Show at the Fusion Digital Media Venture Forum in Vancouver; PitchIt! Winner at KidScreen Summit in New York; and Most Promising Company at the Canadian New Media Awards

• Favourite U of L professors of Suriano's included Dr. Paul Viminitz and Dr. Goldie Morgentaler. "Paul's Problem of Evil course was very memorable," he says.

Fond memories & farewells

trevor.kenney — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 17:32:37 +0000

One of my first meetings with Bill Cade came within weeks of taking office as mayor when he called on me to live up to a campaign promise. Throughout the 2001 mayoralty campaign I had promoted the concept of a community-driven economic development model. Bill and several of his friends made it clear that it was not only a good idea, it was one they expected me to implement forthwith. And with Bill's guidance and support, Economic Development Lethbridge moved from vision to reality.

I was deeply moved at the time that a U of L president should be so engaged in his community. As I was to learn, this was just the first of a series of partnerships between the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the city that Bill had a hand in creating.

What kind of president has Bill been? Energetic, charismatic, passionate, considerate and above all, focused on the needs of students. Bill and Elsa have played important parts in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge story over the last 10 years, but they have also earned the respect and love of people they have come in contact with throughout the community. Good luck, my friend!

Robert Tarleck, Ako-taosi
Mayor, City of Lethbridge

What I appreciate most about Bill was that he was a great and enthusiastic supporter of the community and local projects. He considered the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ to be a partner with the Lethbridge community at large, and was always prepared to step up and get involved.

Paul Pharo
President 2009/2010, Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce;
U of L Senate Member

I have watched the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Alumni Association (ULAA) grow into a significant contributor to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. I recognize and thank you for your support, encouragement and participation in the ULAA endeavours to grow within its own parameters and to participate to make the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ better and stronger. Thank you for allowing me to be a friend. Good health as you proceed into the next stage of your active life.

Bob Hironaka (Dsc '02)
Chancellor emeritus

My first meeting with Bill was in my office. He insisted on coming to me. How about that! To me, it was a generous thing to do and indicated his strong character personified by a professional humbleness.

Bill Cade was a great president of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. I thank him and Elsa and won't ever forget them.

Clint Dunford
Former MLA, Lethbridge West

Bill Cade has the best memory for names! He can walk into a room and address each person by their correct name, and if he is meeting you for the first time, you can bet he will remember it the next time you meet. I was on a shoot at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre and Bill walked by and said, "Hi, Dory…Hi, Ted!" Ted, our cameraperson, was completely floored that Bill would remember his name! That is a real gift!

Dory Rossiter
CTV Lethbridge; former U of L Senate member

I have many reasons to thank Bill Cade, but the one that has meant the most to me is the interest and support he has shown for my mother and her work over the years. My mother is the Yiddish-language writer Chava Rosenfarb. Yiddish and the rich literature and culture associated with it are little known in Alberta. This is not surprising since the language itself is dying, a victim of the Holocaust. Today, there are few speakers and fewer readers. To have someone promote and encourage the work of a Yiddish writer the way Bill has done is truly remarkable and truly praiseworthy. To date, the U of L is the only university in Canada to have given an honorary degree to a Yiddish writer, despite the fact that Canada has been host to a vibrant Yiddish culture for more than a hundred years. I have no words to express how very moving this is to me and how grateful I am.

Dr. Goldie Morgentaler
Professor, Department of English

Bill's attribute of treating everybody with respect has endeared him to friends and business associates alike. When we met with a number of people in Ottawa promoting the U of L he impressed everyone with his passion and demeanour.

The first time I was in his office at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ my questions regarding his collection of crickets quickly led to a lesson on the reproductive machinations of the species.

Bill took great delight in introducing future ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge students to the fascinating world of crickets.

I'm not sure how many people know that Bill is a hot rodder at heart and spent time at the drag strip in his day. I promised to take him for a blast in my 1967 GTX – haven't done that yet but will.

Dr. Cade! Make sure you take the time to reflect on what you have meant to the U of L and to southern Alberta, how much better the institution and all of us are for having you come to town. I hope you and your wonderful bride continue to enjoy peace and happiness.

Rick Casson
MP, Lethbridge; Former U of L employee

I organized a luncheon for a visiting Chinese delegation that Bill attended. Roast beef was served along with a side of horseradish. A dish of horseradish was placed with the starting salad at every seat during the meal. Bill is very charismatic and of course was the focus of our luncheon. As we started the meal, he picked up his dish of horseradish and poured it all over his salad (thinking it was salad dressing). Before we knew it, every visitor from China was doing the same! In the following moments, everyone was digging into their salads and not understanding our instructions of "it's for the beef." Garden salad is not served in China and with the horseradish it must have been an unusual culinary experience for our guests – but a great story for us!

Laurel Corbiere
Manager, International Centre for Students

Bill at convocation is a dynamo.He rises to the occasion and gives a barnburner of a speech. We all feel better about ourselves and stand a little taller.

Dr. John C. Poulsen
Assistant Dean, Faculty of Education

I remember when Bill told the story of the streaker in the new stadium.... After an enthusiastic monologue of the young man's escapade, without cracking a smile, and with his deep Texas accent, he said, "Of course my official stance is I am shocked and appalled." Most of us were nearly in tears laughing by this point.

Mari Daunt
U of L Senate Member

"The thing I appreciated most about Bill was that not only did he understand what his job was and did it well, but he understood what his job wasn't, and he did that well, too. He and Elsa will be missed...."

Richard Davidson
U of L Chancellor

Bill Cade… My heartfelt congratulations on your upcoming retirement from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.
Students, staff and the community of Lethbridge have all benefited greatly from your leadership, ingenuity and success. You can take pride in everything you and this institution have accomplished during your tenure.
Under your leadership, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's offerings have evolved to include the first-time admission of PhD students to the School of Graduate Studies. Program decisions like these will help the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ to continue to prosper as part of Campus Alberta.

Please accept my best wishes for a fulfilling and healthy retirement. Wherever the road takes you, may happiness follow.

Ed Stelmach
Premier of Alberta

It would be impossible to list all of Bill's accomplishments here. For me, his most enduring legacy will be the passion and joy that were always contagious whenever I spoke with him. I will miss working with him in our official capacities, but I'll always consider Bill a personal friend.

Greg Weadick (Bsc '77)
MLA, Lethbridge WEST

Five years ago, when I was being recruited for the presidency of Lethbridge College, I did lots of research on the institution and the community. When I found out that Dr. Bill Cade was a fellow Longhorn (we're both graduates of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Texas at Austin) I gave him a call to find out his perspective on Lethbridge as well as his impression of the relationship between the U of L and Lethbridge College.

I remember I was between flights and Bill spent 30 or 40 minutes with me on the phone, answering my questions and providing his insights. He also directed me to a U of L student who had transferred over from the College who was very helpful in providing further information.

I have very much enjoyed working with Bill. . . He is a colleague and a friend. I hope we'll still have a chance to catch up as he continues with his teaching and research at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. Conversely, I would be happy to visit him in San Antonio, perhaps we could take in a football game at UT. Hook 'em, Horns!

Dr. Tracy Edwards
President and CEO, Lethbridge College

Bill Cade is one of that rare breed who truly understands all of the roles they're expected to play in their position. He's equal parts academic, administrator, scientist and statesman. And he can express his passion in each of those roles in a way that everyone can understand, appreciate and share. He can even make crickets sound exciting!

Never did I ever imagine I would develop such a strong respect and working relationship with someone whose passion is bugs – or, as Bill would say, the Phylum Arthropoda – however, that is exactly what happened. During Bill's presidency, I have come to respect and admire his knowledge, understanding, passion and commitment to post-secondary education. Bill has been a tireless advocate for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and our province's overall post-secondary system. His contributions to improving both are immeasurable. Best wishes, Bill, in your upcoming professional endeavours, and thank you for your guidance and leadership.

Rob Renner
MLA, Medicine Hat Constituency; Minister of Environment

Bill Cade was the right person at the right time to continue the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's progression to an elite comprehensive institution. During his term, the alumni base almost doubled in size. With his encouragement and support, it has become an increasingly important component of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community. Indeed, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, city, province and country will miss Bill and Elsa's involvement, enthusiasm and commitment.

Don Chandler (BA '73)
President, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Alumni Association

Given all that Bill was responsible for, I admired him for always putting the students first and for his infectious passion for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Karen Bartsch
U of L Board of Governors Member

Bill is a very sincere, welcoming man, who converses easily and comfortably with people from all walks of life.
When I mentioned that my daughter had started her first year at U of L , Bill encouraged me to have her give him a call and stop by for a visit sometime. For a few months she procrastinated, thinking he would be too busy and was not really serious. Finally, when she did make an appointment to visit Bill, she found that he was not only the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ president, but moreover he was a friend – a friend from a different walk of life, a friend from a different generation – but someone who made every effort to be a friend.

The world would be a better place if more people were like Bill Cade.

Happy trails, Bill.

Evan Berger
MLA, Livingstone-Macleod

Bill Cade is generous, gracious, kind and clear about his commitment to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the people involved.

Susan Burrows-Johnson
CEO/Executive Director, Galt Museum and Archives

I extend my warmest congratulations to you on your retirement as president of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.
For a decade, you have served as an exceptional visionary, ambassador and innovator for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. Through your guidance, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has developed a reputation for teaching and research excellence, and it has become a key part of Campus Alberta.

Doug Horner
Deputy Premier; Minister of Advanced Education and Technology

Southern Albertans pride themselves on their ability to cope with our climate. Imagine my glee when President Cade went above the call of duty to pace his heavy breathing in preparation for a True North polar bear dip! This man can do it all.

Bridget A. Pastoor
MLA, Lethbridge EAST

from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Bookstore Collegiate Dictionary:

1 Bill Cade 'bil 'kad Texas n (1946) 1: President of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge from 2000 to 2010 2: Husband to Elsa Salazar Cade 3: Devoted father 4: Professor of Biological Sciences 5: Expert of acoustic signals in field cricket mating behaviour 6: Dedicated student advocate 7: Possessor of an amazing memory for names 8: Head cheerleader for the U of L Pronghorns 9: Previous owner of Michael Nolan 10: Slinger of beef at free barbecues 11: Charitable polar bear 12: Wristwatch aficionado

Sample Sentence:
The U of L Bookstore staff wishes Bill Cade the best of luck in his future pursuits.

Dear Dr. Cade,

As you step down as the president and vice-chancellor of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, I am pleased to join with your many friends and colleagues in recognizing your distinguished career.

For the past four decades, you have been an esteemed researcher and educator. As a zoologist and entomologist, your work has brought you great praise, and as an academic leader, your dedication has earned you the respect and admiration of your peers. I know that many colleagues and students have benefited greatly from your counsel and guidance.

In addition to your professional work, you have always been active in the community.

This commitment, coupled with your impressive academic work, has won you accolades from many prestigious provincial, national, cultural and educational institutions. I have no doubt that you will continue to make significant contributions as you turn your focus to new ventures.

On behalf of the Government of Canada, I commend you for your enduring and successful career in research and education. I wish you continued success in all your future endeavours.

Sincerely,
The Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper
Prime Minister of Canada

To view the entire issue of SAM in a flipbook format, follow this link.

UNews - Goldie Morgentaler

��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Singers to premiere two works

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Morgentaler revels in the beauty of literature

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Morgentaler earns SSHRC grant to study life of Rosenfarb

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Insight Grant funding illustrates breadth of ��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ's humanities research

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Morgentaler brings Rosenfarb's work to surface

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Long Service & Retirement Recognition Ceremony

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��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ mourns loss of Rosenfarb

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Campus Kudos - December

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Fond memories & farewells

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��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Singers to premiere two works

Insight Grant funding illustrates breadth of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's humanities research

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ mourns loss of Rosenfarb