UNews - Wilma Winter

Wilma G. Winter Hall dedicated in honour of founding faculty member

trevor.kenney — Fri, 12 Oct 2018 20:35:49 +0000

Recognizing the significant contributions of founding faculty member Dr. Wilma Gail Winter, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has dedicated a space in her legacy.

Dr. Wilma Gail Winter was a true trailblazer, assuming leadership roles on campus at a time when very few women were afforded such opportunities.

As one of the last orders of business to conclude the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s 50th anniversary, the U of L’s Board of Governors passed a resolution in December 2017 to name the area that encompasses the offices, classrooms and laboratory spaces of the Department of Kinesiology as Wilma G. Winter Hall.

“I think she’d be embarrassed, and I think she’d be very moved,” says Dr. Dayna Daniels, a retired professor from the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education and a longtime colleague and friend of Winter, who passed away in 2009. “She was a very quiet leader, a great colleague to me and just one of those real unsung women changemakers on campus.”

Winter obtained a Bachelor of Education at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta and a Master of Education and a Doctorate of Education at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Oregon before becoming a founding faculty member of the U of L. She coached the U of L’s first ever national championship team, the 1971 women’s basketball Chinooks, and played an integral role in shaping the delivery of physical education at the U of L, both as a faculty member and Chair of what was then the Physical Education Department.

A trailblazer, Winter was one of the first faculty members to sit on the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s Board of Governors. At a time when few women were afforded leadership roles, Winter made her mark as a member of the General Faculties Council, was Chief Marshal of Convocation and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s first female Athletic Director.

“I think she was a quiet feminist,” says Daniels. “She recognized the importance of women’s contributions to things. She always kept pushing forward and didn’t ever want anything for herself. She was funny, hard-working, a creative thinker, and really cared about the students.”

Winter’s contributions went beyond campus and into the community. Her enthusiasm and leadership qualities led to her involvement in many charitable endeavors. She was a Chair of the Provincial Special Olympics Games, Co-Chair of the Provincial Senior Games, and Chair of the Kiwanis Music and Speech Arts Festival.

At the time of her passing, she was President of the Lethbridge Duplicate Bridge Club and past board member of the Lethbridge Country Club, the YWCA, and the 1st Choice Credit Union.

In 2005, The Province of Alberta honoured Winter with the Alberta Centennial Medal for her community involvement and she was also chosen as the YWCA Woman of Distinction for her volunteerism and leadership skills.

“The thing that I find interesting right now is that there are only one or two people left in the department who would even remember her. People don’t know her and I think that’s a little sad,” says Daniels. “I’m quite grateful that her legacy on this campus won’t be forgotten, that there will always be a building space named after her. People are always still asking who’s Hepler, who’s Turcotte, who’s Anderson and I think that’s very good. Now they’ll be saying who’s Winter – and her legacy will live on.”

1971 Chinooks get their due

trevor.kenney — Wed, 18 May 2011 21:50:13 +0000

Long before the Pronghorns men's hockey team skated away with a national title on Maple Leaf Gardens ice, another group of young athletes brought glory to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

The 1971 U of L Chinooks women's basketball team won the institution's first national crown, the Canadian Junior Women's Basketball Championship, 23 years before Mike Babcock and company claimed the school's second. It was a monumental achievement that went relatively unnoticed, both then and over the ensuing years.

Only now are we beginning to realize just what this motivated group of small-town overachievers accomplished and fittingly, their induction into the Pronghorns Hall of Fame is finally shining a spotlight on their legacy.

The 1971 U of L Chinooks, coached by Wilma Winters, consisted of Dixie Dow, Linda Dogterom, Leona Voth, Minne Van Dieren, Sharon Giduk, Marge Moore, Linda Voth, Rosemary Brodrick, Joan Cannady and Linda Dow.

"The very best fans we had were the janitors at the Civic Centre," laughs Joan Langille (Cannady) (BASc, BA '73). "We didn't have a lot of people come to our games. What really struck us though, was when we arrived back in Lethbridge from winning the championship, the only people at the airport to greet us were the boyfriends, the parents and the janitors; they supported us right to the end."

With a roster stocked by southern Alberta products, the Chinooks proved that small could play big if given the opportunity.

"Basketball was a comfort zone for many of us from the smaller communities," says Langille, a Taber native. "Those of us from high school, it seemed pretty daunting to make a university team but we managed."

Linda Joncas (Dogterom) (BEd '72) grew up in Broxburn, went to McNally School as a youngster and then finished high school at Lethbridge Collegiate Institute. The majority of the rest of the team came from the Coaldale area and the powerful Kate Andrews program.

"It was really neat because we all kind of knew each other growing up, either playing with or against one another and then we reunited once we got to university," says Joncas.

"For me, it was a struggle to go to school. I ended up being in a single parent home after my parents divorced, and I had to get student loans and an academic scholarship to get me through. Basketball and the team meant so much to me, it really helped me through what was a tough time for my family."

Langille and Joncas were co-captains of the Chinooks in 1971, both playing out their final years before graduation. Each used their U of L degrees to carve out satisfying careers, Langille as a longtime provincial government employee and Joncas as a teacher and guidance counsellor. They both laud the personal learning environment the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ offered.

"There's really something to be said for small schools and it was exciting to be a small school playing against the big universities. In terms of education, it was also such a great experience and years after, I would recognize that both in my career and when I would see other U of L graduates applying for positions in the provincial government," says Langille. "More often than not, they were very successful."

Joncas says she is an unabashed supporter of the U of L experience, and was for years in her role as a high school guidance counsellor.

"I remember coming back to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ 10 years after I'd graduated and as I was walking down the hall, somebody called my name and it was Dr. Petherbridge and he remembered me," she says. "That was very significant to me, 10 years after this man still knew who I was. There's a real student-centred focus at the U of L and in my experience, there's nothing much that compares."

That the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has now recognized the Chinooks for their significant contribution to the school's sporting history, brings the team back into the fold.

"We're very appreciative, honoured and in a way humbled," says Joncas. "You don't realize at the time that it was a big deal. We were all young and it was fun and it was a "Wow, we did it" feeling, but in terms of the bigger perspective, I don't think we really understood the way we do now."

The only regret the two have is that their coach, the late Wilma Winter, is not around to reconnect with her team and enjoy the long overdue accolades they are receiving.

"It just breaks my heart actually," says Joncas before pausing to gain her composure. "She should have been here because she was some lady. She would have loved to be honoured, she would have loved it from a coaching perspective and been proud that her institution recognized her girls."

GET THE FACTS

· The Chinooks only adopted the Pronghorns name in the fall of 1971 when the campus moved to its westside location.

· They very nearly won consecutive national titles, losing in the championship game the year before when Lethbridge hosted the event.

· The Chinooks won the 1971 provincial title with a 66-29 rout of Red Deer College and a 71-25 blowout of Mount Royal College.

· In the national championship tournament, hosted by UBC in Vancouver's War Memorial Gymnasium, the Chinooks beat UBC 46-45, topped ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Ottawa 70-59, and then won the national title with a 52-40 decision over ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Victoria.

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

Alma Matters

trevor.kenney — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 21:54:27 +0000

What's new with our alumni? Let your classmates know what you are up to by sharing a note about your life. Share your news with us through e-mail (alumni@uleth.ca), or by phone (toll free 1-866-552-2582).

Check out the latest news from our alumni below.

1970

Kinahan holds community focus
Brian Kinahan (BMgt '79) believes his time spent at the U of L was foundational for his career. "At the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ I gained the ability to think through problems and come up with solutions, to expand my mind and think beyond more than just one focus," he says.

Now the president and CEO of 1st Choice Savings, Kinahan has played an integral part in the growth of the credit union, which currently boasts a balance sheet in excess of $400 million. While helping to build a successful financial institution is something he is proud of, he is also grateful for the opportunities he has to serve his community.

"My goal is to continue building on the success of 1st Choice Savings, guiding it to be a viable and important part of the financial world that focuses on being a community-minded institution that cares about individuals."

1980

Nancy Walker BMgt '82
Walker was awarded a Fellow of Chartered Accountants (FCA) from the Alberta Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Bill Neudorf BEd '88
"In memory: some of you may remember the little three-year-old girl who would come to class with her dad and spend the time colouring or playing with dolls. Her name was Bobbi Renee Neudorf. Bobbi later suffered from Crohn's disease through her time at university but finished a BSc in Occupational Therapy at the U of A and worked for three years in the QEII hospital in Grande Prairie. Bobbi succumbed to complications from the disease and passed away from a massive blood clot on Sept. 21, 2009. She was 25 years and two months old."

Pamela Zollner BEd '86
After graduating from the U of L, Zollner taught for a couple of years in Alberta before developing a taste for international travel by backpacking around Australia and New Zealand. Zollner incorporated this love for travel into her work by teaching in Singapore and India. Zollner completed her Master of Education in June 2008 and is currently teaching Grade 2 in Calgary.

1990

Winner of the $10,000 Alberta Readers' Choice Award
Michael Davie (BMgt '94) won the inaugural $10,000 Alberta Readers' Choice Award for his first novel

Author Michael Davie

, Fishing for Bacon. The Alberta Readers' Choice Award is modelled on the very popular Canada Reads prize. Five books, each one championed by a celebrity, vie to win a popular vote. With $10,000 going to the winner, the competition is on the same financial level as the Governor General's Awards.

Aaron Berg BSc '95, MSc '97
Dr. Aaron Berg was recognized as GeogNews' (News Digest of the Canadian Association of Geographers) Geographer of the Week. Berg is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Guelph. He completed a BSc and an MSc degree in Geography at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, an MS in Geological Sciences at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Texas at Austin and his PhD in Earth System Science at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of California, Irvine. His research focuses on hydrology and hydro-climate simulation. Areas of current research interest include: macro-scale modeling of hydrological states and fluxes; climate change and water resources; the spatial scaling of hydrological properties; and evaluating the impact of land use change on regional hydrologic cycles.

Thomas Latta BMgt '97
"I am currently working as the manager, Operations Accounting and Business Solutions for Enerplus Resources Fund and have been with Enerplus for a year and a half. Prior to that, I was with ConocoPhillips Canada and its predecessor companies for 15 years."

2000

Amos Altman BA '04
Altman's play FORTITUDE is part of Fuse 2010 (The Enbridge New Play Development Program) at Theatre Calgary. This heartwarming and hilarious play emerged from the 2008/09 FUEL Playwrights' Circle at Theatre Calgary.

Ryan Epp BA/BMgt '05
Epp, former captain of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns men's hockey team, is now a constable with the Lethbridge Police Department.

Barry Gergel BSc '05, MSc '07
"I'm currently working toward my PhD in the Department of Computing Science at the U of A."

William Katelnikoff BMgt '05
"I received my chartered accountant designation in January, and I am currently assistant coach with the Pronghorns men's hockey team."

Matthew Berrigan BEd/BA '06
Lethbridge College announced their 2010 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients and recognized U of L alumnus Matthew Berrigan with the Rising Star Award. Since completing his education degree, Berrigan's rise as a teacher has been meteoric. Named best new teacher by the Foothills School Division for his work in Cayley, Berrigan is now a lead teacher in Turner Valley. The success of his teaching is reflected in his students' achievement results.

Angela Kastelic BN '06
"I am currently pursuing a Master of Nursing (Family/All Ages) with intent to become a family nurse practitioner."

Keely (Kavanagh) Semenuik BEd/BA '09
Following graduation in April 2009, Semenuik was married and travelled to France. She is now excited to begin her teaching career with École St. Mary School in Lethbridge, teaching French immersion kindergarten.

Kinley passes on the inspiration
After attending a presentation by guest speaker John Carr from Pixar, Brad Kinley (BFA '04) remembers telling a friend that the talk was life-changing.

"Seeing what he does and his approach to the whole process of character animation crystallized what I wanted to do," says Kinley.

Now, after being a key player in the design of Mass Effect 2, one of the most popular and highly rated games ever made for the Xbox platform, Kinley returned to the U of L this spring and gave a presentation to the next generation of new media students.

"I know how influential my exposure was to somebody actually working in the business," he says. "If I can lend a little knowledge or inspiration to someone else, hopefully it will help them the way it helped me."

Congratulations
Daniel Wong (BFA '03), Mary-Anne McTrowe (BFA '98) and Robyn Moody (BFA '00) have made the long list (Prairies and North region) for the 2010 Sobey Art Award.

Munton & Co. chartered accountants recently announced that Curtis Michaelis (BMgt '03) and Michael Quinton (BMgt '04) have been admitted to partnership.

Susie Martin (BEd '81), Judy Lynn Miller (BA '91, BEd '93), Matthew Berrigan (BA/BEd '06) and Tracy Inaba (BEd '92) were among 23 outstanding Alberta teachers selected to receive the prestigious 2010 Excellence in Teaching Award.

Sports Hall of Fame

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Chinooks women's basketball team (1970/1971) was inducted into the Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame at this year's celebration. The team won the provincial and national championships and represented Lethbridge with pride.

Members of the team included: (Back row, L-R) Wilma Winter (coach), Dixie Dow, Linda Dogterom, Leona Voth, Minnie Van Dieren and Sharon Giduk (BA '73, BEd '75). (Front row, L-R) Marge Moore, Linda Voth, Rosemary Brodrick, Joan Cannady and Linda Dow (BEd '71).

Andrea Hlady (BEd'93) and Sharon Chmielewski (BEd'75) were also inducted at this year's celebration. Hlady was recognized in the athletes category. She was a two-time All-Canadian basketball player with the U of L Pronghorns. Chmielewski, recognized in the builder category, was honoured for building high school and high-level curling in Lethbridge with her work as an official, instructor and coach.

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

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ mourns loss of 'Founding Mother'

trevor.kenney — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:28:02 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community lost a valuable member of its family Wednesday with the passing of Wilma Winter, a founding faculty member of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge (Kinesiology and Physical Education), who was a good friend and mentor to many and a tireless community volunteer.

Winter was the beloved wife of Wayne and mother of sons Hal Winter of Lethbridge and Glen (Kerry) Winter of Medicine Hat, and grandmother to Lindsay and Ben Winter.

Described as the "Founding Mother" of the U of L, Winter was a pioneer in many ways. She was a member of the Lethbridge Junior College staff, and transitioned to the U of L in 1969. For a time the only woman faculty member on campus, she was instrumental in hiring women to join the faculties as the university expanded.

She was a strong supporter of physical activity and athletics, and coached the women's basketball team, among other duties.

Following her retirement in 1999, she was active in the community as a co-organizer of the 2000 Alberta Seniors Games, as a well-known bridge player, and as as a key volunteer for the Kiwanis Music Festival among many other community service activities.

UNews - Wilma Winter

Wilma G. Winter Hall dedicated in honour of founding faculty member

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