UNews - L's Calgary campus

U of L celebrates its Calgary presence at Bow Valley College

trevor.kenney — Thu, 09 May 2013 22:28:01 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is celebrating the new location of its Calgary Campus with its post-secondary, community, alumni and government partners, as Bow Valley College officially opens its South Campus today.

In addition to the introduction of a beautiful building that will be utilized by four of Alberta's post-secondary institutions, a new partnership between Bow Valley College, Olds College, Athabasca ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is being celebrated in front of dignitaries that include Premier Alison Redford, Deputy Premier Thomas Lukaszuk and Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi.

Since 1996, the U of L has served a critical role in Calgary by offering university degree level programming through its Faculty of Management in the evenings and on weekends.

"By meeting the needs of busy, working adult learners, U of L students can earn a degree in a manner that accommodates their busy lifestyles," says ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President, Dr. Mike Mahon. "This niche, combined with our Campus Alberta partnership with Bow Valley College, Olds College and Athabasca ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ will create new, important laddering opportunities for Alberta's students."

The U of L's original Calgary Campus was located at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. Significant student growth occurred from 1997 to 2001, primarily due to the post-diploma program offered in Calgary. Today, the U of L's Calgary Campus is home to approximately 700 students in Calgary.

"The success of the programming we offer in Calgary can be attributed to the quality of a U of L degree, but also to the efforts the U of L has made in making a university degree accessible to adult learners," says Dean of the Faculty of Management, Dr. Bob Ellis.

When combined with the many students from Calgary who choose to attend the U of L's Lethbridge campus, Calgary and its surrounding areas become the U of L's most significant source of students. Calgary students make up 38 per cent of the U of L's total student body.

Since its inception, more than 1,460 students have graduated from the Calgary Campus. Overall, Calgary and area is home to more than 7,000 U of L alumni.

"The U of L is very proud of the role it plays in creating access for Alberta students, whether they attend our Lethbridge, Calgary or Edmonton campuses. Further, we are extremely proud of the role our alumni are playing in building communities across Alberta, Canada and internationally," says Mahon.

Melnyk enthused about role with Calgary chapter

trevor.kenney — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 17:46:18 +0000

Enthusiastic, positive and goal-oriented, Brock Melnyk (BMgt '06), president of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Alumni Association (ULAA) Calgary Chapter and financial advisor for ATB Securities Inc., is thrilled that his life is going as planned. He thanks, in part, the education he received at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's satellite campus in Calgary.

"The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is providing such an amazing opportunity for students. I am indebted to them because if it wasn't for the flexibility and the evening classes at the Calgary campus I would likely not have graduated from university and I probably would not have the job I have now," explains Melnyk. "I had a goal to be married at 30 and have this job. I am getting married at 29 and I have my dream job. I am the happiest person in the world."

Brock Melnyk and his fiance, Terri-Lynn Good, plan to be married this summer.

Melnyk originally began his post-secondary educational career at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary. In 2002, he began working full time as a teller at ATB to pay for his classes, switching majors from economics to finance. He then made another switch, finding the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge a better fit for his educational needs. With additional financial assistance from ATB, he transferred to the U of L's Calgary campus for his final two years, took evening classes and continued to work full time.

"In comparing my education to those of my friends at other institutions, I found that the liberal arts focus of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ was a much more balanced approach," says Melnyk. "The majority of professors are industry professionals and they are able to tell you real life experiences, which is fantastic. They are there, dedicating their time in the evening to educate and give back to their community and they are so passionate about the students and the material.
"I remember doing a project with my friend Jeff Wilson, who is now the vice president of the ULAA Calgary chapter. Basically, we predicted the whole income trust issue a few years before it happened. It was one of those moments that you don't realize until after you graduate how your professors led you to these types of conclusions and how good your education really was. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ was such a tight-knit community with really high-level class discussions; that really pushed me forward and prepared me for my future."

After graduating in 2006, Melnyk continued to advance his career with ATB. For the next several years, his career and volunteer activities kept him quite busy, but he felt disconnected with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community. With that in mind, he attended his first alumni event in 2007, the Calgary Alumni & Friends Golf Tournament.

"I went to the tournament and Karen Filbert, ULAA president at the time, proceeded to recruit me as a director. When I joined the board I joined to help out with the golf tournament and then I fell back in love with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and with being involved and wanting to do more," says Melnyk. "Since then we have almost quadrupled the attendees at the tournament, and with the funds we raised from that we have doubled the scholarship we give to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. Our focus right now is to have well-attended, high-end events that will appeal to all alumni, help them stay interconnected and feel proud of their ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. We want to increase the prestige of the U of L and its alumni here in Calgary and encourage alumni to get involved and give back to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the community and I think the new campus that we have here, Campus Alberta, is only going to support that."

Although being president of the ULAA Calgary chapter keeps Melnyk busy right now, he strongly believes in the value of continuing education. He says he has learned that if you set your mind to things, you can always find the time for life-long learning and for helping others.

"I am beginning my MBA at Dalhousie ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in September 2012. I believe if you want to succeed you have to further your education," he says. "Similarly, as university graduates we are likely in a better position than the majority of Canadians, and I think it is important that we give back, whether it is financially or with our time. There is always someone who needs it more than we do and it is nice to be able to lend a helping hand."

GET THE FACTS

· Melnyk is a self-professed Gleek (fan of television show Glee) and amateur chef.

· He earned his Certified Financial Planner qualification in 2010 and anticipates being named a Fellow of the Institute of Canadian Bankers this year.

· Organizes the Brock Melnyk Invitation Golf Tournament. Part of ATB Financial's Teddy for a Toonie Campaign, the tournament supports the Alberta's Children's Hospital.

· He is also an organizing committee member for the annual United Way Day of Caring.

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

U of L's Calgary campus now at Bow Valley College

trevor.kenney — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 22:12:23 +0000

More than 700 students at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's Calgary Campus have started their January term in Bow Valley College's (BVC) newly renovated downtown North Campus.

This move builds on the efforts of both institutions to collaborate and provide better access to post-secondary education in Calgary.

"By increasing access to quality education in downtown Calgary, the U of L and BVC are working together to meet the needs of Calgarians," says U of L President Mike Mahon. "By providing options for individuals interested in pursuing post-secondary education, our two institutions help ensure that more students will have the knowledge and skills to be successful."

The U of L has been offering Faculty of Management programming in Calgary since 1996, and for the past 15 years has steadily increased its enrolment and course offerings. There has also been a continual progression of transfer agreements, which allow even more Albertans to take advantage of convenient evening and weekend course offerings.

"We're delighted to welcome the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge into our newly refurbished campus," says Sharon Carry, president and CEO, Bow Valley College. "This partnership is a significant step in the creation of Campus Alberta South — a set of principles developed by the Ministry of Advanced Education and Technology to provide a seamless and unified system of lifelong learning for Albertans."

Program growth, both at the U of L's previous location at SAIT, and at the U of L, spurred the move to larger facilities at BVC.

"To best serve our growing number of students – from BVC, SAIT and elsewhere in Calgary – the U of L decided that moving was a viable option," says Lorne Williams, director of the U of L's Calgary campus. "In turn, this allows SAIT to expand its on-campus space to serve its students. We've had an excellent relationship with our Calgary students over the past 15 years, and it will continue, but in a different location. We already feel very much a part of the BVC family, and look forward to growing our new partnership."

U of L's Calgary campus leaves SAIT location

trevor.kenney — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 17:41:04 +0000

Members of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Calgary Campus recently capped off a very positive 15-year relationship with SAIT Polytechnic by establishing a new transfer scholarship.

The scholarship program is for graduates from SAIT who choose the U of L, and will be made available to transfer students registering at the U of L in the Fall 2011 semester.

The U of L is relocating its offices to a downtown Calgary location in partnership with Bow Valley College beginning in January 2011. Program growth spurred the move, both at SAIT and the
U of L.

"To best serve our growing number of students – from SAIT and elsewhere in Calgary – the
U of L decided that moving was a viable option," says Lorne Williams, director of the U of L's Calgary campus.

"In turn, this allows SAIT to expand its on-campus space to serve its students. We've had an excellent relationship over the past 15 years, and it will continue, but in a different location."

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Calgary Campus was established in 1996 to meet the changing needs of a working student population who wanted classes during evenings and weekends. What started as a small satellite campus for the Faculty of Management, now offers courses across several disciplines. Close to 700 students were registered in classes this semester.

The Calgary campus office is moving to Rocky Mountain Plaza (Suite 1100, Rocky Mountain Plaza, 615 Macleod Trail SE, T2G 4T8), effective Dec. 20. Starting in January, all classes will be held at Bow Valley College.

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

U of L departs SAIT campus for new location

trevor.kenney — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 17:16:41 +0000

Members of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Calgary Campus recently capped off a very positive 15-year relationship with SAIT Polytechnic by establishing a new transfer scholarship.

The scholarship program is for graduates from SAIT who choose the U of L, and will be made available to transfer students registering at the
U of L in the Fall 2011 semester.

The U of L is relocating its offices to a downtown Calgary location in partnership with Bow Valley College beginning in January 2011. Program growth spurred the move, both at SAIT and the U of L.

"To best serve our growing number of students – from SAIT and elsewhere in Calgary – the U of L decided that moving was a viable option," says Lorne Williams, director of the U of L's Calgary campus.

"In turn, this allows SAIT to expand its on-campus space to serve its students. We've had an excellent relationship over the past 15 years, and it will continue, but in a different location."

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Calgary Campus was established in 1996 to meet the changing needs of a working student population who wanted classes during evenings and weekends. What started as a small satellite campus for the Faculty of Management, now offers courses across several disciplines. Close to 700 students were registered in classes this semester.

"Our Calgary campus at SAIT is a great example of partnership," says U of L President Dr. Mike Mahon. "When SAIT opened its doors to the
U of L 15 years ago, the two institutions joined together to meet the needs of students and the community. We continue to partner together, ensuring continued opportunities for students through complementary programming and transfer credit."

Mahon adds that the U of L receives many bright and talented transfer students from SAIT.

"These students are building upon the strong foundation offered by SAIT's diploma program to complete their university degree, and we wish to reward them by creating a new scholarship for SAIT students who choose to continue their education at the U of L."

The Calgary campus office is moving to Rocky Mountain Plaza (Suite 1100, Rocky Mountain Plaza, 615 Macleod Trail SE, T2G 4T8), effective Dec. 20. Starting in January, all classes will be held at Bow Valley College.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ continues to welcome government guests

trevor.kenney — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:17:25 +0000

The Alberta Water and Environmental Science Building (AWESB) has been a popular tour for elected and non-elected government members over the past few months. Considering the magnitude of environmental challenges facing governments around the world, it should not be surprising that decision makers are taking time to learn more about the important research taking place here at the U of L.

In October, Alberta's Minister of Environment Rob Renner spent a full day at the U of L, with the AWESB serving as a primary focus. Minister Renner engaged with researchers and graduate students. The minister is acting on a mandate letter from Premier Stelmach that includes implementing the renewed Water for Life strategy to "ensure the province has the quality and quantity of water needed now and into the future to support environmental, economic and social needs of Albertans".

It provides a background for Minister Renner, who is now taking the time to understand the expertise that can be found at Alberta's universities.

Renner's visit occurred a week after his deputy minister, Jim Ellis, also toured the AWESB. Deputy Premier of the Northwest Territories Michael Miltenberger (BASc '75) spent two days on campus near the beginning of October, while Alberta's Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Sustainable Resource Development, Evan Berger, took the tour and spoke to researchers in September.

The expertise housed in the AWESB is well known. Certainly it was the quality of research here at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ that led to the building being funded by the Alberta government in the first place.

It is essential that government officials and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ researchers continue to dialogue and maintain positive working relationships. There is little doubt that the discoveries and ideas shaped at the U of L are informing good public policy as well as helping governments balance economic growth with environmental stewardship.

On Oct. 23, Provost Andy Hakin and I met with a number of Calgary MLAs. The message we delivered was that the U of L plays a big part of the solution when it comes to addressing Calgary students' access to post-secondary education.

The numbers are impressive. Thirty-five percent of our total enrolment comes from Calgary, with enrolment at the U of L's Calgary campus at an all-time high of 538 students. Not only is the U of L providing access for traditional students, whether they are right out of high school or transfer students, but the program in Calgary also offers access to students who might not otherwise be able to achieve a post-secondary education. Every Calgary MLA we spoke to in Calgary was appreciative of our efforts.

The U of L needs to be focused on Calgary because the demographics inform us that future student demand is going to come from this market.

While the number of 18 to 24 year-olds is expected to drop in southern Alberta (south of Calgary) in the coming decade, this segment of the population will continue to grow in the Calgary area. More and more these Calgary students will be looking for an educational experience that is personal and of the highest quality. We believe these Calgary students will be looking at the options the U of L can provide.

Therefore it is critical that the Alberta government understands the U of L is a pan-Alberta institution that educates students from all corners of the province, from across the country and indeed the world as a whole.

Graduate's life changed by Bali tragedy

trevor.kenney — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:59:49 +0000

Deanna (Thompson) Jokisch (BMgt '09) traveled to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge campus for the first time to attend Convocation in October.

The road to her degree, which she completed at the U of L's Calgary campus while working full time, took more than seven years and came after the former Trochu, Alta., resident traveled and worked internationally – Eastern and Western Europe, Australia, Singapore, and Bali, Indonesia were among her many destinations.

In all the good Jokisch discovered on her many trips, she also encountered the bad – in particular the large-scale devastation brought about by a terrorist bomb at a Bali nightclub in 2002. In an essay Jokisch wrote for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation website, she recounted her story:

"All of a sudden, there was a very loud bang. It sounded like a crash or something very large hitting the wall outside our room. Before I could get the words "what the hell was that?" out of my mouth, the entire room shook with the second explosion, the windows blew in on us and we landed on the floor in the dark. It had to be the most terrifying moment of my entire life.

Unsure of what to do or what just happened, we stayed on the floor listening for a sign of what might be going on outside. That's when we heard a fellow guest yell, "There's been a bomb!" A bomb? Are there going to be more? Has war broken out? How do we get out? These were all the questions that were going through my head. What were we going to do?"

What she did was to stay amidst the ruined hotel and help her friends and the injured. She returned home a changed person, and embarked on a new path – this one involving university studies.

"She spent hours helping the injured, seeing things on such a huge scale, things most rescue workers here (in Canada) would never see (and hopefully never do)," said her mother, Anna Thompson. "She received awards for her efforts that night, one being a bronze medal of bravery. I think that her greatest reward was to fulfill the commitment to go on and live life as it should be, because so many young people lost their lives that night."

Jokisch currently works for Husky Energy in Calgary in their risk management department. Among other activities, she also volunteers for the Alberta Animal Rescue Crew, a charity that rescues abandoned and neglected dogs and helps adopt them out.

A complete account of Jokisch's experiences after the Bali bombing can be found on the CBC website http://www.cbc.ca/news/viewpoint/essays/thompson_deanna030205.html

U of L and Olds to sign agreement

trevor.kenney — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:06:42 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge would seem to have little in common with Olds College but a new cooperative agreement between the two institutions could see a number of Olds graduates headed to U of L campuses.

Bringing much-needed skill combinations to the Alberta workforce, representatives of Olds College and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge will sign off on an agreement ultimately offering additional educational options for students and graduates of the Olds College Land Agent Diploma program. The signing will take place Friday at the U of L's Calgary Campus, located on the SAIT campus.

Land Agents (often called Landmen) are responsible for negotiating access to the land and freehold mineral rights for activities such as exploration, development and transporting of onshore oil and gas, or erecting and maintaining power lines. Millions of dollars in land claims are handled every year, with the oil and gas industry being a significant employer.

Approximately 1,500 land agents are registered in Alberta working for energy companies as well as landowners, and play a vital, irreplaceable role in land access negotiations. Approximately 50 students graduate from Olds College's Land Agent Diploma program per year.

With this new partnership, students who have earned a Land Agent Diploma from Olds College will be immediately eligible to enroll in the U of L's Bachelor of Management Degree Program.

In as little as two and a half years, students can obtain a General Management degree from the U of L at its Lethbridge, Calgary or Edmonton campuses, where they can choose from daytime programs (Lethbridge) or afternoon and evening programming (Calgary and Edmonton).

UNews - L's Calgary campus

U of L celebrates its Calgary presence at Bow Valley College

Related Topics

Melnyk enthused about role with Calgary chapter

Related Topics

U of L's Calgary campus now at Bow Valley College

Related Topics

U of L's Calgary campus leaves SAIT location

Related Topics

U of L departs SAIT campus for new location

Related Topics

��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ continues to welcome government guests

Related Topics

Graduate's life changed by Bali tragedy

Related Topics

U of L and Olds to sign agreement

Related Topics

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ continues to welcome government guests