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��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge team brings home hardware in North American finance competition

caroline.zentner — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 23:15:31 +0000

Coaching sessions and simulated trading exercises helped a student team from the Faculty of Management place second overall at the recent 2014 ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Trading Challenge in New York City.

The U of L team, consisting of Matthew Helfrich, Devin Phalen, Michael Kawchuk and Ashley Tymburski, were among 80 students from 12 universities to participate in the North American trading competition that started Oct. 13 and finished in New York City on Nov. 14. They were accompanied by Dr. Shamsul Alam, a finance professor and team coach, and Lynda Thai-Baird, manager of the Centre for Financial Market Research and Teaching facility known as the trading floor.

This is the first year the U of L has participated in the contest. To finish two points behind the first-place finisher, Fordham ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, was a big achievement considering the U of L was the only Canadian team and the only undergraduate team to compete.

“It was definitely exciting to place with all those top schools,” says Tymburski.

“I was pretty excited. The team we lost out to is pretty accomplished, so I don’t feel bad losing to them,” says Helfrich.

“They did a fantastic job,” says Alam. “I’m very pleased we came second against all the graduate students. The U of L trading room helped them learn how to trade and the competition was in a trading room like ours, so they were confident when they went into it. I’m very proud of them.”

In the three weeks leading up to competition in New York, individuals from each team participated in a real-time market trading exercise based on daily news events. Tymburski came in first in the competition, with Phalen placing a close second.

U of L team members are, left to right, Lyndai Thai-Baird and Ashley Tymburski (seated) and in the back row from left to right are Dr. Shamsul Alam, Michael Kawchuk, Matthew Helfrich and Devin Phalen.

“I haven’t actually traded personally. The other team members all have a little bit of trading experience so I was a little bit nervous about that. But it ended up turning out well for me,” says Tymburski, a fifth-year student working on a combined bachelor of management and bachelor of science degree.

At the competition, teams presented their investment strategies for two cases, one involving a methanol production company and the other for a gold exploration and mining company. The final part of the competition was a simulated trading exercise.

“We had a really good team. We all got along really well and we were dedicated to putting in the work and the hours to make sure we were successful,” says Helfrich. “The school offers a lot of these simulated market training programs and we do a lot of portfolio management projects, so we’re quite used to it. I think that gave us an advantage there.”

“We are a lot more confident now after going through this competition and are way more comfortable going forward,” says Phalen.

“I think we all took something out of it to help build ourselves and our personal portfolio,” says Kawchuk. “We were all very driven students going into it and I think that gave us the extra drive to do well in the competition. It was a fantastic team to be a part of.”

For Thai-Baird, the team’s performance is a solid indicator of the value of the trading floor.

“For us, as an institution, it shows that the things that we’re doing, especially with the investment that the Faculty of Management and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has made in this facility to give students the practical experience they need, really does translate to how we’ve done in the competition,” says Thai-Baird. “I hope we can continue to provide these types of experiences for students because it appears that it has really changed their outlook and their confidence level. Hopefully we can continue to bring home additional hardware in the future.”

Hendsbee embodies spirit

trevor.kenney — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:07:38 +0000

It didn't take long for Blaine Hendsbee to see something special in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. Similarly, when the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ was looking to introduce operatic performance to its undergraduate student body, Hendsbee was a particularly perfect fit for the role.

"When I first came to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ I was primarily an opera singer and I had a small private voice studio in New York City," says Hendsbee. "The job was looking for someone who had a strong interest in operatic voice performance and someone who was eager to develop an undergraduate voice operatic workshop."

Faculty of Fine Arts faculty member Blaine Hendsbee is a wonderful example of how the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and its faculty have matured over the past 45 years.

Hendsbee was that eager body, having gained an appreciation for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the Faculty of Fine Arts from a guest performance he'd made previously.

"I was giving a solo recital in Lethbridge about 12 years ago and I was immediately struck by the spirit and energy of both the students and faculty, as well as the incredible facilities," he says.

Hendsbee is a wonderful example of how the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and its faculty have grown over the past 45 years, with instructors that push research boundaries, are active in their field of study and who put great value in the undergraduate student experience.

"Working at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has enabled me to combine all facets of what I love about singing and performing and teaching, all in one wonderful package," says Hendsbee. "I am able to still perform as an operatic solo performer as well as share that gift and love of operatic singing with a wonderful new generation of singers at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ."

In fact, it was that particular aspect of his position, creating a new operatic culture on campus, which peaked his interest in the job.

"That I could bring forward my professional experiences in operatic performance to help open doors and opportunities for young singers who wanted to explore the genre was very appealing," he says.

He has helped nurture the artistic scene throughout southern Alberta and is thrilled to bring a new initiative to Lethbridge audiences this spring with Mozart's The Magic Flute.

"It's an exciting new collaboration with the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra, conducted by maestro Glenn Klassen," says Hendsbee of the Feb. 3-4 performances. "It's an incredible opportunity and exciting new venture for both the symphony and the U of L Opera Workshop as we'll be bringing this partnership to the wider community of Lethbridge to enjoy."

Hendsbee's active research centres on solo creative performance with a focus on English language repertoire. On Saturday, Jan. 14, he headlines the Faculty Artists and Friends Series when he presents Blaine Hendsbee & Friends at 8 p.m. in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall.

Ask him what his most memorable moment at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is and it has nothing to do with his own performances, but rather the growth of his students.

"I remember sitting at a performance of The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart, and it was the final curtain call," he says. "The students were all coming out to take their bows before a wonderfully appreciative audience, and to see the radiant joy on their faces as they accepted this show of gratitude from the audience was wonderful. This was a culmination of so many hours of work, and to see how happy they were from that experience was something I'll always remember."

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

Alumnus sees giving as a responsibility

trevor.kenney — Thu, 19 May 2011 17:48:34 +0000

Fundraising is not a taboo topic for JJ Machalski (BMgt '09).

As a student, he and his fellow ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Model United Nations members collectively raised nearly $40,000 over the course of three years in order to attend several Model UN conferences in Ottawa and New York City. This fundraising allowed all students in the club, regardless of financial situation, the opportunity to expand their learning. Now an alumnus, Machalski finds himself on the other side of fundraising.

Alumnus JJ Machalski, with his fiancé Christa Klapko, also a U of L alum, sees the value of giving back to future generations of students.

This spring, Machalski received a call from a student at the U of L Call Centre. When asked if he would like to support the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Machalski was happy to do so – knowing that with his help, current students could overcome financial barriers and gain unique learning opportunities just as he and his fellow Model UN members did.

"Money should never be a barrier to education," he emphasizes. "The more we can help those who can't afford to get an education, the better."

A 2009 graduate, Machalski earned a degree in accounting at the U of L. Leading a busy student life, he was president of the Model UN club for two years and acting president for a third, as well as Students' Union Management Representative and Director for two years. Machalski enjoyed the close-knit community at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

"I enjoyed the relationships I was able to develop with students, faculty, and staff," he says. "The accessibility to professors was amazing. I was never a number at the U of L."

Although he now lives in Calgary working as an accountant at Encana, Machalski continues to be an engaged member of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community. He regularly attends alumni events in Calgary and occasionally returns to campus.

"Last year I attended convocation," he says. "Walking around the school gave me goosebumps, seeing the blue and gold flags and everyone in their gowns. I'm very proud to be an alumnus of the U of L."

Giving to the U of L is another way Machalski stays connected to his alma mater. Machalski supports the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ out of both gratitude and responsibility.

"I feel that it's my duty to give back to the institution that has given me so much," he says. "I think it's the responsibility of all alumni to support the U of L in order to enable current students to have the same experience they had – and maybe even better."

Machalski is proud to support the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and hopes that others will join him.

"I encourage other alumni to do what they can to support this wonderful institution," he says. "The U of L has a great reputation. Let's work to give it an even better one."

Passion for film drives Poliquin

trevor.kenney — Thu, 19 May 2011 17:25:15 +0000

Do you remember when the family video camera was a rare and valuable piece of bulky equipment brought out of its protective case to record little more than holidays and birthdays? Fast-forward a decade or more and video cameras, found in everything from cell phones to laptops, are a common and well-used technology that we can no longer imagine living without.

Like most of his generation, 24-year-old John Poliquin (JP) (BFA '08) grew up using digital media to capture the everyday moments of his life. Unlike his peers, however, this up and coming music video director took it to another level, building a creative and promising career using the common technology.

"In high school I was into skateboarding and my friends and I were always making videos for that. I also took graphic design and was into flash animation and Photoshop. I designed a lot of posters for plays and parties, but it was just for fun. I really wasn't thinking about new media as a career," recalls Poliquin. "Then my mom read about the New Media program at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge in Macleans magazine."

Alumnus JP Poliquin at work in the studio.

After recommending the program to a friend, Poliquin visited her on campus, saw the facilities and enrolled himself.

Although Poliquin's initial intent was to focus on graphic design, he fell in love with film production during his second semester at the U of L. As a child, he'd acted in several commercials and spent time on set with a childhood actor friend. Taking Terry Gallie's film production course reminded Poliquin of how much he loved the energy and activity on a film set.

"After my first assignment in film production, I was so excited with it that I realized I really liked the aesthetic of film and working in that medium. I also really liked learning about effects and about how I could bring my design
experience into that," says Poliquin. "The New Media program at the U of L is really good. I know a lot of other directors that went to film school but I am really glad that I have a full university degree. It is so much broader in terms of the media we learned. The fact that I have different skill sets that a lot of people in my field don't, that I have experience with sound design and editing and graphic design and web editing, it just makes it a lot easier for me to market myself and not be pigeonholed into one thing."

Following his first year at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Poliquin spoke to Gallie and got some advice about how to work in the film industry. He returned home to Vancouver and began working with a production assistant on the sets of The Fog and RV. He continued to spend subsequent summers immersed in the Vancouver film industry, sampling everything from camera assistant and assistant director to working in wardrobe.

Poliquin also brought his passion for film back to campus. He and his friends founded the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Student Film Festival in 2007, premiering the film, Inside Charlie, which they had written and produced. He pulled all-nighters in the new media lab and even had to hide from a security guard once in order to keep working after hours – although he would not recommend doing that today!
Since his graduation in 2008, Poliquin has amassed quite a body of work directing music videos, and is beginning to break into commercial directing and fashion photography.

"I love being a director, writing the ideas and following it through to the editing. It is nice to be able to look back at your portfolio and see these different creations," says Poliquin. "My next goal is to move to New York City; I want to try it out while I am still in my twenties. My goal is to eventually direct high concept commercials, music videos, maybe a feature film or TV episode once a year, and then do fashion photography and editing on the side."

GET THE FACTS

· Poliquin has directed more than 30 music videos.

· He was nominated for music video directing awards for: ill Scarlett featuring Kardinal Offishall (Much Music Video awards); Paper Lions, Tim Chaisson, Morning Fold (East Coast Music Association Awards and Music PEI Awards); Hey Ocean (Leo Awards).

· His film, Inside Charlie, was nominated for Best Short Film at the Calgary International Film Festival.

· To check out some of his work go to: www.johnpoliquin.com.

This story first appeared in the Legend. To view the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Students earn Beny awards

trevor.kenney — Thu, 19 May 2011 17:20:58 +0000

Katie Bruce, Amy Reber and Allison Crop Eared Wolf are the winners of the 2010-11 Roloff Beny Photographic Awards in Fine Arts.

The Roloff Beny Foundation Photographic Awards in the Fine Arts are intended to provide outstanding students with an opportunity for travel in relation to their photographic activity. Any new or continuing students enrolled full-time in any BFA degree program who have a focused interest in Photo-Arts are eligible to apply for this competitive award.

Due to the high quality of applications, three scholarships of $3,333 each are being awarded this year. Following are short synopses of each winner's proposal.

The 2010 Roloff Beny Award winners are (L to R) Allison Crop Eared Wolf, Amy Reber and Katie Bruce.

Amy Reber (third year)

Continuing her self-professed "obsession with human communication and connectivity," Amy has planned a project in New York City whereby she will extensively record her interactions with 14 people in the city. This project will culminate in a publication incorporating photographs and the artist's writing, documenting the conversations verbatim along with a more confessional piece elucidating the affect of these meetings.

Allison Crop Eared Wolf (fourth year)

Allison will use her award to travel through First Nations territories during the summer season of cultural celebrations. She will use photography as a tool to challenge stereotypes of the "romanticized, dead or drunken Indians." Allison believes that photography is a medium that can reveal the true identities of the First Peoples and "create dialogue, awareness and knowledge of our contemporary selves."

Katie Bruce (fourth year)

Travel and isolation is the foundation of Katie's proposal. Her two-part project involves recording her experiences with photography and journal entries during a trip through Ireland, Scotland, England, France and Italy. She will stay in one place only as long as it takes to make a connection with the next train and expose one roll of colour film. The second part of the project is to choose a location with which she is completely unfamiliar to create a contemplative space where she can produce a work with the accumulated images from her whirlwind tour.

This story first appeared in the Legend. To view the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Derry offers food for thought

trevor.kenney — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 17:09:42 +0000

One might not be able to see the correlation between a love of cooking and an academic career in business ethics and moral reasoning – that is, until one talks to Dr. Robbin Derry.

After completing an undergraduate degree in French at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, Derry's interest in cooking led her to France to apprentice for a school backed by Julia Childs. She worked in a variety of restaurants upon her return to the United States.

"I learned a lot about labour and management – as well as some things about cooking frozen vegetables and frozen desserts," says Derry, with chagrin. "I eventually ended up back in New York City and what I saw there got me thinking about ethical conflicts in business."

Dr. Robbin Derry teaches management strategy and environmental management.

Derry searched for answers in an MBA, but it wasn't until she began to pursue her PhD in business ethics and gain some teaching experience that she discovered the same satisfaction in teaching that she had felt in cooking and feeding people. An informal meeting at a conference with John Usher, policy/strategy chair in the Faculty of Management, opened up the possibility of teaching at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

"I was intrigued by the U of L because there seemed to be a real faculty-wide interest and commitment to social responsibility. The idea of being at an institution where there were many other people interested in ethics and CSR (corporate social responsibility) helped me see the U of L as a place where I might really fit in and not be swimming upstream."

She has taken her life experiences to the classroom at the Edmonton campus and enjoys watching students come to their own realizations.

"In my environmental management class, the students' first assignment was to do a self-audit on sustainability; to analyze their own patterns of consumption and waste in their households. They found the process surprisingly informative.

They just hadn't thought much about their own consumption patterns and how their own habits had impacts on the environment as well as the practices of large companies. It is this kind of nurturing education that I find satisfying: helping students to recognize the consequences of their choices."

Derry joined the Faculty of Management in 2007 and currently teaches management strategy and environmental management.

Her latest research bridges industries. She is comparing the strategies developed and practiced by the tobacco industry to gain acceptance and legitimacy in society with the strategies used by other industries facing strong public and activist pressure for social accountability.

"Greenwash or CSR window dressing is a lot like fast food. It is only briefly satisfying and fundamentally not a good solution to the real need or hunger. We need a slow food kind of commitment to provide thoughtful solutions to our economic and environmental challenges."

But she says she's always ready to cook for 20-30 people at a moment's notice. Just don't expect fast food.

Hair promises a multi-sensory experience

trevor.kenney — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 19:09:29 +0000

Step back into the 1960s! The music, the passion, the era comes to life, Feb. 9-13 when Hair, a cultural phenomenon that defined a generation, appears in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre.

This colourful rock musical is presented nightly at 8 p.m. on Feb. 9-11 and 13. On Feb. 12 there are performances at 7 p.m. and midnight.

Set in New York City, a tribe of longhaired hippies celebrates their pacifist bohemian lifestyle, vehemently condemning the Vietnam War and embracing the sexual revolution. Through dance and song, Hair exposes the fervor of a contentious era.

"Although this musical is 40-years-old, its themes are still relevant," says choreographer Lisa Doolittle. "Recently revived on Broadway, Hair has a reputation for being controversial, but remains significant today with our consciousness of war and ecological awareness. Hair is about protest and about youth taking over the world. The main plot is about war – for a musical, the theme is sobering, but sends a message of optimism."

The production includes more than 50 musical numbers, each choreographed by Doolittle and directed by drama faculty colleague, Gail Hanrahan.

"The music ranges from doo-wop, to mop-top British rock and psychedelic rock. The choreography has been so much fun to research – to incorporate the different dance styles," says Doolittle.

Music Director Bente Hansen conducts the live 14-piece rock band complete with horns, guitars and keyboards.

"Hair is truly a multi-sensory extravaganza, from the hippie-style sets designed by Jim Wills, to the incredible costumes, designed by Leslie Robison-Greene," says Doolittle. "Based on the way the roof comes off the studio during rehearsals, this show will be high energy and unforgettable."

Hair contains mature content and themes.

Tickets for Hair are available for $15 regular and $10 student/senior at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Box Office (403-329-2616).

Rethinking the future

trevor.kenney — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:53:27 +0000

It's a story that never should have been forgotten. This fall, U of L alumna Ramona Big Head (BEd '96) will take 23 students from the Blackfoot Confederacy with her all the way to New York City to perform "Strike them Hard!" The Baker Massacre – a play that speaks to a long-lost tragedy that many have never heard about.

Big Head wrote the script as her final project while pursuing her master of education at the U of L. It brings to life a piece of history that dates back more than 135 years to a cold day in January.

It was 1870 and U.S. Major Eugene Baker and his troops had been given orders to find a group of troublemakers in the area and "strike them hard." When they came across a Blackfeet camp set up along the Marias River in northern Montana, they mistook it as their target.

Despite a signed declaration from the superintendent of Indian Affairs stating that the peaceful camp was not to be attacked, 217 Blackfeet people – mostly women, children and the elderly – were killed.

When Big Head first learned about the massacre through an Aboriginal Elder mentor program she helped develop, she was shocked to discover that her great-great grandmother, who although only a child at the time, was among a small group who survived.

"I was really angry when I first heard about the massacre, especially when I realized that there was a direct connection to my ancestry," says Big Head.

"But today I can talk about the Baker Massacre and not be angry about it. Why? Because I am doing something about it. I wrote the play to remind my people of what our ancestors endured. We're a testimony to their strength."

Following a recommendation from her master's supervisor, Big Head submitted a proposal for the play to be included in Performing the World '08 – a New York festival that brings together more than 400 activists, scholars and researchers from around the world who share a common goal to use performance to foster growth and development.

Exceeding Big Head's greatest expectations, the play was the first submission to ever be accepted from a First Nations group. Big Head and a cast of students ranging in ages from six to 18 are preparing for a performance of a lifetime on a stage off Broadway.

"While there are many ways to tell a story, for me this is the best way – to have children learn the story, perform it and share it with others. These kids are learning and teaching others about the strength and resiliency of our people. It is something they will never forget."

New theatre lineup another winner

trevor.kenney — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:00:51 +0000

The 2009-2010 theatre season, as presented by the Department of Theatre and Dramatic Arts, promises to be another entertaining and highly varied lineup.

The season opens on a witty and sophisticated note with Noel Coward's Hay Fever, Oct. 20-24. Hay Fever is a comedy about a family whose theatrical excesses torment their unsuspecting visitors. The eccentric Blisses, including Judith, a recently "retired" stage actress, David, a self-absorbed novelist, and their two children, live in a world where reality slides easily into fiction. A group of unfortunate weekend guests – a proper diplomat, shy flapper, athletic boxer and fashionable sophisticate – are thrown into melodramatic scenes where their hosts react to situations that don't exist! The resulting hilarious chaos ends only when the tortured visitors tip-toe out the door.

Next on the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre stage is the dark, turbulent and stark Festen, by David Eldridge, Nov. 24-28. Helge is turning 60 and it should be a time of celebration and a time for the family to gather and smooth over the cracks left by the suicide of Linda, the twin sister to Christian. As Helge's eldest son, Christian raises the first toast. Confined within the family house, guests are rocked by revelations that pierce and destroy the veneer of middle-class respectability.

Seating for Festen is limited and the play has very mature content, with material unsuitable for those under 18.

The cultural phenomenon Hair, by Gerome Ragni and James Rado, with music by Galt McDermot, explodes onto the stage from Feb. 9-13, including an unusual midnight performance on Feb. 12. Set in New York City of the 1960s, a tribe of long-haired hippies celebrates its pacifist bohemian lifestyle, vehemently condemning the Vietnam War and embracing the sexual revolution. Through dance and song, Hair exposes the passionate fervor of a contentious era. Colourful and unforgettable, this rock musical has defined a generation.

The season ends in March with a 400-year old masterful classic entitled Life is a Dream, by Pedro Calderon de la Barca, which was adapted by Adrian Mitchell and John Barton. Written by a prominent playwright of Spain's Golden Age, it is the story of a king who, on the advice of an astrologer, imprisons his infant son for fear the boy will grow up to rebel against him. When, at age 20, the young man awakens from a drug-induced sleep to find himself on the throne, he behaves rather badly and is returned to prison. His excursion to the palace is said to be merely a dream, but citizens take up his cause and stage a rebellion in support of his becoming their king once and for all.

Set in a fictional Poland, Calderón's play explores illusion and reality, fate and free will, tyranny and kindness. Sometimes violent and dramatic, sometimes thoughtful and even comic, this classic has entertained audiences for nearly 400 years.

Watch for season ticket specials coming in September.

Athletics helped shape Misak's future

trevor.kenney — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:28:44 +0000

To attend or not to attend: that is the question — unless of course you are Interim Vice President and Provost at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto Dr. Cheryl Misak (BA '83). The question then, of course, becomes moot.

"My mother was a school teacher and it was pretty clear that we would be attending the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge," remembers Misak. "Education was very important in our home."

It was a love of athletics, however, that would indirectly change the course of Misak's life. Born and raised in Lethbridge, Misak graduated from Catholic Central High School in 1979, and began attending the U of L with plans on becoming a lawyer.

"In my first term I wanted Fridays off so I could go on the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's ski club trips and play in tennis tournaments, so I only chose Tuesday/Thursday classes," explains Misak. "I had one gap in my schedule and filled it with a philosophy class. I had no idea what philosophy was, but almost from the first day I realized that I really liked it."

Dr. Michael Kubara, Misak's first philosophy professor at the U of L, was very influential in Misak's education.

"He was great; he didn't mince words and was suitably hard on me. It was just what I needed. When I wrote a sentence that didn't make very much sense, he would tell me and then help me re-write it. He taught me how to write. Teaching someone how to write is teaching them how to think," says Misak.

A very dedicated student, Misak was involved in all manner of projects that went beyond the classroom. This gave her more than a valuable education that opened her thinking, but some administrative experience as well.

"At that time the Albertan philosophers would get together for a conference once a year. When it was Lethbridge's turn to host, I ended up doing a lot of administrative things that are unusual for a graduate student to do," recalls Misak. "Without graduate students to compete with, the keen undergraduates got a lot of attention. That was wonderful."

In 1983, Misak graduated with a bachelor of arts in philosophy with great distinction. She also won the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Gold Medal. Following graduation, she moved to New York City and earned her master's degree at Columbia ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. In her second year at Columbia, Misak became the recipient of a Rhodes scholarship, which eventually took her to Oxford ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in England.

"At Oxford I worked with fantastic people and met people from all over the world. I also met my husband there," says Misak.

She and her husband, Dr. David Dyzenhaus, taught briefly at Queen's ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in Kingston, Ont., before moving on to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto in 1990. Since the beginning of her career at the U of T, Misak has quickly moved up the ranks as professor of philosophy, Chair of the philosophy department, dean of the Missassauga campus of the U of T, acting vice-president and principal of the Mississauga campus, and then deputy provost of the U of T as a whole and into her current position.

Kubara is not surprised by her success.

"Cheryl had all-wheel drive with low range for plowing through the roughest going. She had a naturally disarming manner of getting her way," says Kubara. "While still at Oxford, her husband David and I predicted her destiny as a wonderful university administrator — a counter example to The Peter Principle."

It seems that Kubara and Dyzenhaus may have a future in fortune telling, because for Misak there seems to be no ceiling to her ascent.

GET THE FACTS

• Misak and husband, David, have two children, Alex and Sophie, and often travel together on sabbaticals to South Africa, England, Germany and New Zealand

• Misak's numerous academic awards include: U of T Student's Administrative Council Award; Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowship; Recipient of five SSHRC Grants

• She has three published books and is currently writing another on American Pragmatism

UNews - New York City

��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge team brings home hardware in North American finance competition

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