New ULAA president looks to further engage alumni

trevor.kenney — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 15:50:08 +0000

The new ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Alumni Association president understands the value of a community.

“I love growth, development and opportunity. Anything I can do to make things better for my community, for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ or my neighbourhood, I try to get involved in,” explains Grant Adamson (BSc ’03), who was elected as the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Alumni Association’s 26th president in July.

“Community involvement has been an unwritten part of my family philosophy forever; that goes back to growing up on a farm. Being on a farm is not a place where you can grow or develop on your own. You need community,” says Adamson. “About 10 years back we received a farm century award. It was pretty important to our family and community, but when I graduated from high school I wanted to see who I was away from the farm. Someone suggested I would be a good teacher, so I researched and found that the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge had an excellent program for teachers and chose to come to Lethbridge.”

Grant Adamson, with his wife Rebecca, at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s Donor Gala

Adamson, however, discovered he had no desire to teach, so in his second year he switched his studies to biology. That same year, he developed a severe case of mononucleosis and was subsequently unable to take a full course load for the next several years. It was then that he truly experienced the fellowship and support found within the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community.

“I was a very strong student academically going into university, but when I found myself suffering academically due to my health, I relied on services provided by the U of L. I sought out help when I needed it and I found it all over the place,” he says. “I became involved with the Organization of Residence Students, the Students’ Union and the curling club. My residence experience was particularly impactful because I got to be a part of governance and make a difference, which I loved. I also met my wife Rebecca (BA/BEd ’99, MEd ’09) and her friend Janet, who would later become my sister-in-law. Being involved in extra-curricular activities was very fulfilling and kept me going until I was well enough to take on full course loads.”

As he began to take more advanced theoretical courses, Adamson could not imagine himself being confined to working in labs for the rest of his life. He began to wonder if it was time to take a small turn in his academic direction once again.

“After exiting from the C-stairwell on 7th, I’d always turned left toward the bio-tech labs. One day, I felt drawn to the geography labs so I turned right instead! I sat there for about an hour reading the presentation boards about the projects and research going on in the department. I saw displays about things I cared about and it played to my roots. That fall, I switched my program to geography. Finally, I could look to the future and visualize what my life would look like.”

Adamson graduated in 2003 and began his career in the oil industry, working in environmental sciences. After the project he was working on shut down, he spent several years pursuing an interest in real estate investment, but his agricultural heritage always beckoned. In 2007, everything came together when Adamson began working with hybrid canola seed production at Monsanto Canada Inc. It was the perfect combination of biotechnology and agriculture all in one. Three years later, Adamson accepted a position at Dow AgroSciences where he continues to work as their lead agronomist for canola seed production in southern Alberta, the Pacific Northwest and Chile. One of his secondary duties is liaising with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, recruiting students to work with Dow AgroSciences as summer interns and potentially as long-term employees.

“The hybrid canola seed industry relies heavily on student interns in the summer, as it is extremely busy during this season,” says Adamson, who is happy to support students through his work and as a member of the ULAA. “The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is a great supplier of excellent students who have a background in, or knowledge of, agriculture, or who are willing to learn about it.”
Adamson became involved with the ULAA in 2005. He has served as a director, treasurer and vice-president and was elected as president in July.

“I got involved with the association because I missed the connection with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. Participation with the ULAA is a great way for alumni to foster and maintain that link. As part of the executive, I have seen the association become increasingly involved in the community and take on a more formal role. My goal is to lead the maturation and formality process. With 36,480 alumni coming of age in the workforce, we are at a tipping point. I encourage alumni to reconnect and get involved. We want to hear about your stories, your successes and your adventures.”

GET THE FACTS

• Adamson is very proud of his family connection to the U of L – his wife Rebecca (BA/BEd ’99, MEd ’09), sister-in-laws Janet Adamson (BA/BEd ’00), Lauren Adamson (BSc ‘ 04) and brother Lowell Adamson (BSc ’04) are all a part of the alumni family

• Adamson has been a member of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Senate since 2011

• A former member of the board of directors for the Youth Federation of Canada, Adamson also serves as a construction volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, of which his wife is the organization’s local vice-chair

• The 2013 ULAA Executive consists of Adamson as president, vice-president Randy Kobbert (BMgt ’86), past president Kathy Lewis (BN ’83, MEd ’99), treasurer Jason Baker (BMgt ’02) and secretary Sharon Malec (BEd ’73)

Healthy common ground

trevor.kenney — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 16:42:06 +0000

What do a former Olympic rower and a pilot have in common? If they are Zoe Hoskins Light and Brent Stock, they are both students in the new After Degree Nursing Program at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Designed to increase opportunities for people interested in pursuing jobs in health care, the program is an accelerated course of study available to anyone who has previously earned a degree in any discipline or field of study. The 80-credit program is offered over six consecutive semesters and leads to a Bachelor of Nursing degree. Once complete, students have the option to write the Canadian Registered Nurse Examination to become Registered Nurses (RN).

The After Degree Nursing Program was a perfect fit for Zoe Hoskins Light.

"There is a growing shortage of Registered Nurses working in clinical, research, and teaching positions," says Jean Harrowing, assistant professor. "The After Degree program was created to address the urgent need for nurses in provincial, national, and global practice."

For Hoskins Light, the transition from athletics to nursing was a natural evolution, although the first degree she earned was far removed from anything related to health. Hoskins Light graduated from the School of Journalism at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Southern California in 2002. A profession in health care, however, always held appeal. Her father and brother are both physicians, and Hoskins Light developed an appreciation for the dynamics of the human body as an athlete. She attended USC on a rowing scholarship, and after graduation, went straight into training with the Canadian National Rowing Team leading up to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. After taking a few prerequisite science courses, Hoskins Light enrolled in the After Degree program in 2009.

"My own interactions with health care got me interested in nursing," Hoskins Light says. "The dynamics of how the body works drew me to the profession, but I really like the human aspect of it – caring for people."

For Stock, the path to the program was slightly more practical. As the father of four young children, Stock was looking for a career that not only interested him, but also offered a high level of job security. Stock originally attended university in Utah, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Aviation Professional Pilot degree. The events of September 11, 2001 put his dream of flying for a living on hold indefinitely. Stock then moved his family to California to pursue a career in real estate. He worked in construction and owned a real estate investment company for several years, but after the market crash, he needed to switch gears again.

"I needed something that was recession proof," Stock says. "I moved my family to Canada with the intention of becoming a paramedic firefighter, but a friend told me about the After Degree program and I found it to be a perfect fit."

Hoskins Light and Stock are just two among a cohort of first-time nursing students in the program, and their diverse backgrounds are a microcosm of the balance of the students on the enrollment roster.

"Our students have degrees in sciences, humanities, arts and fine arts," says Harrowing. "They've worked in many different professions and disciplines, and bring a rich variety of experience to the program, as well as a certain level of maturity and wisdom."

Application deadline for the fall semester is May 1, 2010.

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