UNews - Maureen

Fun Run supports KidSport Alberta

trevor.kenney — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 20:04:04 +0000

President Mike Mahon and his wife Maureen will be leading the way for the second annual Getting to Know U Fun Run/Walk.

"We wanted it to be a local charity and something that fits with the theme of physical fitness and promoting an active community," says Dr. Jennifer Copeland, Chair of the run organizing committee. "We also want to continue to foster that community relationship the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has established with Lethbridge and southern Alberta."

The inaugural event drew participants from both the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ as well as the community as a whole. Copeland says the course is designed to give runners a look at the entire ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ campus, possibly showing people areas they've never seen before.

"People often come to campus for a very specific reason, and they rarely ever wander around. We designed the course to take in parts of campus that they might not usually get to, like the Breezeway and around Aperture Lake and so on," she says. "We also wanted to feature our new buildings such as the Alberta Water and Environmental Science Building, Markin Hall and the new addition to the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, so it gives people the opportunity to see what's new on campus."

Registration for the event is $15 per person and can be done by contacting Sport and Recreation Services (403-329-2706, www.uleth.ca/sportrec).

Copeland says to keep in mind that the event is a fun run/walk and is open to everyone.

"Lots of people walked the course last year and had a great time with it," she says, adding there were a number of strollers being pushed around the course. "It's not a super-competitive event. We will have a clock this year so that people can chart their times but we're not issuing any official times. It's whatever you want to make of it."

Live music will be featured at the finish line, along with refreshments and, if last year was any indication, a number of excellent draw prizes. As well, the first 75 registrants will receive a special Fun Run hat.

"It's a lot of fun, a great way to really see the campus and a reason to get out and be active for a good cause."

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

Fun Run to benefit local KidSport

trevor.kenney — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 19:18:00 +0000

The Get to Know You Fun Run gains status as an annual event this fall when the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community gathers Saturday, Sept. 24 to challenge the scenic 5K campus course.

The run debuted as an installation event for President Mike Mahon and his wife Maureen last year and proved to be very popular, with more than 80 people taking part. It prompted organizers to look at the run as an annual opportunity to gather the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community for an activity that promotes health and wellness, all the while lending support to a local charitable organization. This year, all proceeds raised will go to support the local chapter of KidSport, an organization that provides support to children in order to remove financial barriers that prevent them from playing organized sports.

"We wanted it to be a local charity and something that fits with the theme of physical fitness and promoting an active community," says Dr. Jennifer Copeland, Chair of the run organizing committee. "We also want to continue to foster that community relationship the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has established with Lethbridge and southern Alberta."

The inaugural event drew participants from both the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ as well as the community as a whole. Copeland says the course is designed to give runners a look at the entire ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ campus, possibly showing people areas they've never seen before.

"People often come to campus for a very specific reason, and they rarely ever wander around. We designed the course to take in parts of campus that they might not usually get to, like the Breezeway and around Aperture Lake and so on," she says. "We also wanted to feature our new buildings such as the Alberta Water and Environmental Science Building, Markin Hall and the new addition to the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, so it gives people the opportunity to see what's new on campus."

Registration for the event is $15 per person and can be done by contacting Sport and Recreation Services (403-329-2706, www.uleth.ca/sportrec).

Copeland says to keep in mind that the event is a fun run/walk and is open to everyone.

Dinner helps bridge gap

trevor.kenney — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 21:22:18 +0000

Christmas, like many other holidays, can be a difficult time for international students to be away from family and friends. With events like the annual International Christmas Dinner, the International Centre for Students (ICS) helps ease that feeling of isolation, all the while introducing international students to Canadian customs and traditions.

Charlene Janes, the international liaison officer at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, plays a major role in assisting international students as they adapt to campus life socially, academically and culturally.

"I represent international student interests at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, act as an advocate on behalf of international students on both academic and welfare issues, and provide advice, support and referral to students," says Janes.

Janes and the ICS encourage students to participate in the social and recreational activities the office provides. These include the monthly International Café gatherings, where birthdays are celebrated, stories are shared, games are played and students are presented an opportunity to build friendships. Potluck dinners and the annual Christmas gathering are also popular events.

Eddie Sottie, an international student from Ghana and PhD candidate in biomolecular science, has been studying at the U of L for the last 15 months. He says he makes an effort to attend all the events planned by the International Centre.

"The events they organize for us have really helped me to learn so many things about the way Canadians relate to people and treat foreigners," says Sottie. "International students are treated with so much respect, and I am so impressed with the way Charlene pays attention to our needs."

The traditional Christmas dinner was held on Dec. 3 in the Students' Union Ballroom. Students were invited to bring a Canadian guest as well as any family members to the event. In addition, four international alumni also attended.

"My kids were showered with Christmas presents," laughs Sottie. "The event and the dinner mean a lot to us as a family because it helps us feel at home."

The tradition of the International Christmas Dinner started three years ago, and serves as the last major international student event for the fall semester. Its rise in popularity, over the past three years, has been remarkable. The first dinner had just 35 attendees, while the second ballooned to 72. This year, the number doubled once again, with 150 people taking part.

"Many of our students go home or travel at Christmas so this has provided a wonderful opportunity for us all to connect prior to the Christmas break," explains Janes.

"We had two very special guests this year as Dr. Mike Mahon and his wife Maureen attended. They talked with each student and barely had time to eat. It seemed every student wanted their picture taken with the new president and his wife."

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

Mahon assumes leadership role

trevor.kenney — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 18:30:52 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is officially under the leadership of Dr. Michael James Mahon.

On Friday, Oct. 15, Mahon was officially installed as the U of L's 6^th President and Vice-Chancellor. He begins his tenure as President by addressing the students, staff, faculty and supporters of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. Following is his Installation address.

Presidential Installation Address

Welcome and Greetings

YOUR HONOUR Chief Justice of Alberta Catherine Fraser, CHANCELLOR

New ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Michael James Mahon.

RICHARD DAVIDSON, BOARD CHAIR ROBERT TURNER, SPECIAL GUESTS, MEMBERS OF OUR CAMPUS COMMUNITY, VISITORS TO OUR CAMPUS, and EVERYONE WATCHING ON THE WEB

It is an honour and a pleasure to stand before you today as the sixth president and vice-chancellor of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Thank you for being here as we celebrate the future of our great ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. In doing so, we reflect on the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's past, the foundation the institution was built on and the many people who have contributed to the emergence of this world-class institution.

Our history begins with the Blackfoot people and the sacred land on which the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ sits. I would like to begin my address with a thank you to the Blackfoot community and the role they have played in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's rich history.

To the Blackfoot People:

NIII TSI KSI NII YII TSI PA, NII TSI TA PII WAH SINI

(Loosely translated, this means "I am grateful and thankful for the Blackfoot way")

Since its founding in 1967, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has evolved from a small and very successful primarily undergraduate university to a research-intensive, comprehensive university with a focus on both undergraduate and graduate studies.

This is a place where ideas ignite thanks to inspired teaching combined with superior research. A place where a collaborative community of scholars and researchers has built a culture of support – for students, both undergraduate and graduate, for each other and for the broader communities of southern Alberta and beyond. Everyone at this university and in this community contributes to our success.

Today, more than 8,500 students from approximately 85 countries call the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's campuses in Lethbridge, Calgary and Edmonton home. Our student-body has grown by more than 50% in the last 10 years. Despite this growth, we have remained true to who we are – a community focused on the student and grounded in liberal education.

There is no doubt that the history of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is one of community.

The success of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is a reflection of the many people who have played a role in its development. More than four decades of students, faculty, boards of governors and senate members, administrators, employees, community supporters and 32,000 alumni have contributed to the emergence of a world-class institution.

Without question, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has exceeded the expectations of its most optimistic founders.

As I begin my first year as president, I assure you, our university will continue to provide each and every student with the most vital and engaging learning environment in the country.

The last four months have validated all of my impressions of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the southern Alberta community. The experiences my wife Maureen and I have had have brought the U of L to life for us. As part of my introduction to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, I was given the opportunity to meet with every unit on campus and participate in activities that form part of their daily lives. I spent an early morning with the dedicated staff in care-taking vacuuming and cleaning classrooms. I drove a street-sweeper, delivered a baby and got lost in a corn maze, we visited classes in drama, critical thinking and poetry and learned to line dance again, which brought back memories of our disco years in the 70's. Through these experiences, Maureen and I have been made to feel very quickly that we are members of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge family.

I am struck by how often that term is used as people reference the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge – family. This has truly reaffirmed our decision to join the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, as family is foundational to us.

I was born in Winnipeg into a very close-knit family of five children. My mother Lucille and two siblings Susan and Patrick are here today and my dad Jim and siblings Kathy and Paul are watching on streaming-video back in Winnipeg.

Growing up in Winnipeg I came to appreciate cold, heat, wind, rain and snow. During our first summer in Lethbridge we have experienced all of this and thus feel right at home.

Maureen and I met in Edmonton in 1981 and have been married for 27 years. Our careers have led us to Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and North Carolina. I have however, lived in Western Canada for all, but three years of my life, and as a result have a fundamental and deep-rooted connection to the West.

We are fortunate to have three wonderful children in Katie, Brennan and Seann, who are here today, as are a number of Maureen's family members including her mother Cathy.

The support of Maureen, our children, and my extended family has enabled and empowered me throughout my career. I will bring this fundamental belief in the multiple contributions of a family to my new home.

My parents were dedicated to education, volunteerism and diversity. They were role models to me as volunteers, dedicated to community building and in particular supporting the needs of those who are vulnerable. This commitment to service has been instilled in me since my childhood. I believe I am here to support and serve the people who make up this ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. I believe in collaboration, in trust, in foresight, listening and empowerment. My first commitment to you as President is that my role as leader of this ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ will be to serve and to help enable the dreams and aspirations of all who work, learn, create, and study, at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. I make this same commitment to the community that we as a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ serve and are accountable to.

The foundation of our culture and identity as a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is a commitment to this community of people. Regardless of whether they are students, faculty, staff or alumni, people form the basis of our strength. They define the character of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. As we strive to realize our aspirations as a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, we cannot lose this defining feature of who we are and what we value.

I believe this includes creating an environment that supports healthy living and balanced lifestyles for students, faculty and staff and takes seriously its role in promoting this in the broader community.

Since its inception, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has made a promise to provide a very personal experience to our students. This promise will be continued and indeed enhanced as we go forward.

We must commit all aspects of our university to taking a Student First approach.

Whether it is in academic programs and research, how we recruit and orient our students, our class sizes, our residences, recreation and sport opportunities, health services, or the environment of our campus, we will all ensure that we bring to life this moniker of the Student First.

A note I received in September from a parent of one of our first year students' sums up the essence of our Student First approach and the value of the people who make up this ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ:

This Mother Wrote –

"From the first contacts we had with the university last fall through the orientation day, each and every piece of correspondence and every phone call, I have been overwhelmingly impressed with the caliber of the individuals and the overall feeling of satisfaction I have with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge as an institution and a community … I remain a proud parent of an alumnus and a student at an institution that is, in my mind, a national treasure and truly committed to the individual student thriving in and beyond your campus."

Individual people working towards a common goal are an important theme at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. It is the story of our founding, and it is the story that has and will continue to lead us to greater success. Much of this success has been rooted in the principles of interdisciplinary collaboration. It is this concept that Dr. Arthur Erickson sought to foster through his design of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall.

And it is this concept that U of L faculty have used to build research teams and conduct their works of creativity and inquiry. The importance of research across the academy and the potential for multiple disciplines working together to unlock many of the important questions in our world and to contribute to the furtherance of our society cannot be emphasized enough. Our future as a comprehensive university will continue to be rooted in interdisciplinary research and discovery across the academy.

It is the bridge however between teaching and research - to both inform and support undergraduate and graduate education - that is the underlying principle of a comprehensive university.

I arrive at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, with an abiding respect and enthusiasm for working across our academy, to build our capacity as a comprehensive university but to do it in a way that is respectful of our history and identity. We must rededicate our university to high quality, student-centered undergraduate liberal education. In doing so we must also encourage and nurture the research aspirations of our colleagues and their graduate students.

The U of L grew up as a primarily undergraduate university renowned for the quality of its teaching, but has provided thousands of undergraduate students with research experience and the opportunity to work with our world-class faculty researchers - an experience that is reserved for masters and doctoral students at most other universities, and one we should continue to embrace. Recently, the U of L has also dedicated itself to creating more opportunities for graduate education. We must use our experience and commitment to excellence in undergraduate education as a springboard for the development and improving access to graduate level programming.We must however ensure that our commitment to and successes in graduate education and research are balanced across all disciplines. There is no model I look to that will guide us in this achievement, we will continue to create our own .

My entire educational experience was rooted in the philosophy of liberal education. These liberal education roots are the same as those of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. This includes a fundamental belief in the importance of community service learning outside of the classroom. I was in grade 11, during a community service-learning experience, when I had a life changing and career-focusing experience. As part of a school-based volunteer requirement, I worked at an institution for children and adults with severe intellectual disabilities. This experience was the impetus for 33 years of work dedicated to understanding and supporting people with disabilities.

My high school volunteer experience and subsequent career in disability studies had a significant influence on my philosophy of education. In keeping with that philosophy, it is my goal to ensure that during my tenure as President and continuing thereafter, each of our U of L students has an opportunity to complete at least one community-based experience during their undergraduate program. We are committed to building a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ culture that promotes social responsibility and community engagement. We have an obligation to give back to the community that supports us, and our students have an obligation to give back to the community that welcomes them and enables their education.

Abigail Adams, an advocate of women's rights and the abolishment of slavery in the 19^th century United States, summarizes this obligation very well by saying, "If we do not lay out ourselves in the service of mankind, whom should we serve?"

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is a treasure: a treasure that is recognized throughout the province and across the country – approximately 70% of our students come from outside of our city. While this is an impressive measure of our reputation, one of our goals must be to ensure that the citizens of Lethbridge and southern Alberta continue to take great pride in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge as their university. That it be the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of choice for their children. At the same time it is important to recognize the opportunity and need to continue to promote the U of L as a university of choice for students from across Canada and indeed the world. Every student we bring from outside Lethbridge, makes significant contributions to this community.

During my tenure as President, I wish to see the U of L truly recognized as a premier Canadian comprehensive university dedicated to providing a second to none student experience for both undergraduate and graduate students. To achieve this vision, we must continue to build our capacity to house students on campus, by increasing residence space. In turn, this will ensure increased access to affordable housing in the city for Lethbridge residents. We must promote ourselves and continue to vocally and publically celebrate the successes of our colleagues in the faculty and staff ranks, of our students and of our graduates and alumni.

We must ensure that we no longer hear that we are, "One of Alberta's best kept secrets." Instead, we will hear that we are one of Canada's top destination universities.

Our journey forward will continue to recognize the importance of internationalization. With over 85 countries represented in our current student population, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is already an international campus. Our goal of becoming a destination university will be achieved in part through our ability to continue to attract international students. These students contribute immeasurably to our campus. They must be made to feel welcome at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and in the city of Lethbridge. Internationalization is also about providing opportunities for Canadian students to grow through an international experience offered as part of select academic programs and to be exposed to an international, multi-cultural campus.

Our Strategic Plan provides an exciting vision for our university; one that has been embraced by our campus community and a vision I completely endorse. As I have heard repeated, it is a path we have chosen to follow, not a set of railroad tracks that will dictate where we will end. It is not a directive – it is a vision we collectively must contribute to or we will be unsuccessful in achieving it. Each of us has a unique role to play in this endeavor. I am committed to doing my part to get us there.

There is a wonderful promise outlined in the academic calendar of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. With slight modification, today I make this promise to you,

To our students, to our faculty and staff and the community of supporters of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, I make a promise:

· A promise to do my best, so you can be your best.

· A promise to foster exploration, to share ideas and information, to teach but also to learn.

· A promise to help build the buildings, acquire the technology, cultivate the partnerships, and welcome the people essential to advancing an environment that excites and ignites learning, teaching, research and creativity, while contributing to the sustainability of the environment within which we live.

· A promise to create an environment where professors and students are colleagues and everyone grows together, an environment that recognizes the power of every student's dream. And helps that dream come true.

We will have many new challenges ahead us but I know we are ready to take them on. Along the way we will be guided by our roots epitomized in the ever-changing light of the prairie landscape. Fiat Lux- Let there be light!

Meet the next U of L president: Dr. Mike Mahon

trevor.kenney — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 20:37:41 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge will embark upon a new era in July 2010 when Dr. Michael J. (Mike) Mahon officially assumes the role of U of L president and vice-chancellor.

Poised to become the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's sixth president, Mahon will succeed Dr. Bill Cade, who has held the post since 2000.

"This is a very exciting opportunity for me and my family," says Mahon, who will come to Lethbridge with his wife, Maureen. The couple has three grown children.

"My greatest impression so far with the U of L is the people. They have been genuine, and they've really wanted to connect with Maureen and myself in a personal way, and that's fundamentally why we're so excited about this opportunity."

Mahon comes to the U of L after serving two terms as dean of the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta. A vigorous proponent of physical activity for people of every age and ability, he holds a PhD in education from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, an MSc in physical education from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta and a bachelor of physical education from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba.

An accomplished researcher, Mahon has worked with, and conducted research for, the Canadian Special Olympics organization and Right to Play, a non-profit group that supplies sports equipment and support to children in developing countries.

"I've always been interested in the extent sport and play influence the social integration and quality of life of people with disabilities," says Mahon.

His reputation as a personable, community-minded individual, coupled with an outstanding research record and proven leadership abilities made him the ideal candidate for the position.

"We were looking for an individual who would not only embrace the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's ideals as a community of scholars and leaders, but who could also continue to engage our students and the broader community on a regional, national and international scale," says Robert Turner, Chair of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Board of Governors.

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

Haiti situation elicits campus compassion

trevor.kenney — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:10:06 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President Dr. Bill Cade chats about what's happening in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community

There are times when we all take aspects of our lives for granted, and we don't necessarily appreciate the fortunate circumstance we have of living in a prosperous country such as Canada. When we then see the devastation of a tragedy like the Haitian earthquake, it quickly brings into focus just how lucky we are.

Last week's gathering in the Atrium in support of the Haitian people was a scene we've replicated far too many times here at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. Whether it is in response to the shootings at Virginia Tech ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ or the terrible tsunami in Thailand, we've come together as a community to support our fellow humans.

The outpouring of support for our Haitian brothers and sisters has been heartwarming but hardly unexpected. We here at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ have always shown a great measure of compassion, and I feel it comes from the global nature of our campus community.

We have a number of groups on campus that make such positive contributions to society, and it is especially evident during times of tragedy. From the International Students' Association who manned a donation table for the Red Cross, to the Rotaract Club and its campaign to collect money for shelter boxes, to Steve Ferzacca's health science students and their Partners in Health program that has a permanent presence in Haiti, our faculty, staff and students consistently give to those less fortunate and in need.

I look forward to celebrating that international spirit at the Feb. 10 International Dinner. Always a highlight of the spring, the International Dinner features wonderful cuisine from all corners of the globe. This year's guest speaker, Kim Phuc, promises to be especially poignant. Known as "The girl in the picture" Phuc is an advocate for children affected by war and terror. Her message of compassion and understanding is always relevant and should make for an excellent evening.

As we approach spring, the word 'transition' is being used often in the President's office. It's a process I feel very good about and one I expect will go very smoothly as we introduce
Dr. Mike Mahon to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and its partners.

This week both Mike and his wife Maureen are here in Lethbridge to take part in a number of events. Mike attended his first President's Executive meeting, accompanied Vice-President Finance and Administration Nancy Walker, Vice-President Advancement Chris Horbachewski, and me to Rotary Club, participated in the annual Donor Gala celebration and took part in a number of other social gatherings. Richard Westlund, our government relations director, also arranged a host of courtesy calls for Mike as he spoke with key representatives from the local, provincial and federal governments.

We're making sure Mike has the opportunity to meet people in a social, casual and informal basis as he becomes accustomed to the U of L in advance of July 1, when he assumes the Presidency. He'll officially be installed Oct. 15 and preside over his first convocation ceremony on Oct. 16.

Finally, I have heard through numerous channels that Michael Nolan is coming to town this spring. Nolan is someone who I knew many years ago, and I can't wait to see him once again.

Joining the U of L family

trevor.kenney — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 17:31:21 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge community was introduced to its next President just prior to the Christmas break, and if the enthusiastic reception he received during the announcement is any indication, Dr. Mike Mahon is a very popular selection.

The Winnipeg, Man., native and most recently Dean of the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta, was accompanied by his wife, Maureen, as he symbolically accepted a blue Pronghorns men's hockey jersey from Dr. Bill Cade, whom he will be succeeding officially July 1, 2010.

"I don't think my heart has beaten this fast since the birth of my third child . . . and that was 20 years ago," Mahon said as he addressed a crowded Atrium. "It's good to get the heart going."

Mahon, a vigorous proponent of physical activity for people of every age and ability, would know. He holds a PhD in Education from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a Master of Science in Physical Education from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta and a Bachelor of Physical Education from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba.

The move to Lethbridge and the U of L is one he and his family are anticipating.

"A big part of making such a big decision is where you're going to live. We always said that if we were to leave the U of A, we would only go somewhere that was obviously a good fit academically but also an interesting place geographically. We see Lethbridge as fitting that bill," he says. "Living closer to the mountains is exciting because we both like to ski, we also both run and do all sorts of outdoor things so we see the U of L and Lethbridge as providing a wonderful outlet for those interests."

Mahon is quick to credit departing president Cade for the work he has directed over the previous decade and is enthused about the direction the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is headed and the blueprint laid out by the institution's strategic plan.

"I had always known the U of L as being terrific at educating undergraduate students, but I really learned over the past few months how it has emerged as a research intensive university with a commitment to moving more in that direction," Mahon says. "That's a very important direction for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and something I'm very excited about."

An accomplished researcher, Mahon has worked with, and conducted research for, the Canadian Special Olympics organization and Right to Play, a group that supplies sports equipment and support to children in developing countries.

"I've always been interested in the extent sport and play influences the social integration and quality of life of people with disabilities," he says.

His body of work has included more than 250 presentations, workshops, lectures and publications including more than 90 articles in refereed journals, book chapters and books. His wife Maureen is also a dedicated educator who specializes in early childhood development issues.

Regarded as personable and community-minded, Mahon identifies with the personal approach championed at the U of L.

"My greatest impression so far with the U of L is the people," he says. "They have been genuine and they've really wanted to connect with Maureen and myself in a personal way, and that's fundamentally why we're so excited about this opportunity."
GET THE FACTS

• Mahon and his wife Maureen have three children, Katie (23, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta graduate and assistant manager of a local Edmonton business), Brennan (21, currently studying physical education at the U of A) and Seann (20, currently pursuing a bachelor of arts at the
U of A).

• Maureen has an education degree from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia, a master's in early childhood development from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba and has worked as an early childhood consultant with the Edmonton Catholic School Board the past two years.

• Mahon says he would like to continue his research interests at the U of L but recognizes they may take a back seat as he transitions to the role of President.

• Mahon will continue to supervise his current PhD student through his defence, likely in
Dec. 2010.

• An avid sports enthusiast, Mahon says his sons will reap the benefits of his move to the
U of L. "They're pretty excited because now that I'm a Pronghorn, they get all of my Golden Bear golf shirts."

UNews - Maureen

Fun Run supports KidSport Alberta

Related Topics

Fun Run to benefit local KidSport

Related Topics

Dinner helps bridge gap

Related Topics

Mahon assumes leadership role

Related Topics

Meet the next U of L president: Dr. Mike Mahon

Related Topics

Haiti situation elicits campus compassion

Related Topics

Joining the U of L family

Related Topics