UPEI students show high degree of satisfaction with their education
The 2008 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) shows that first- and fourth-year students attending the University of Prince Edward Island have a high degree of satisfaction with their experience at the university.
Of 1,513 first-year and fourth-year students invited to fill out the survey last spring, 53 per cent responded, well above the Canadian average response rate of 39 per cent. And the news is good for UPEI!
The survey reveals that UPEI provides its students with more opportunities for interactions and collaborations among students, faculty, and staff, and for community involvement. It also shows that UPEI students care about their education and are more “engaged” in shaping their own educational experience.
Eighty-three per cent of first-year students and 88 per cent of fourth-year students rated their entire educational experience at UPEI as “good” or “excellent.” And 83 per cent of first-year students and 85 per cent of fourth-year students would pick UPEI again if they could start their university education over again. Eighty-one per cent of first-year students and 78 per cent of fourth-year students rated the quality of academic advisement they received at UPEI as “good” or “excellent.
First- and fourth-year UPEI students also fared well in the NSSE benchmarks used to rate effective education practices; they were more engaged than, or as engaged as, average students in NSSE-participating institutions in Canada. The benchmarks are: Level of Academic Challenges (LAC), Active and Collaborative Learning (ACL), Student-Faculty Interaction (SFI), Enriching Educational Experiences (EEE), and Supportive Campus Environment (SCE).
This year’s NSSE results also show the progress UPEI has made since 2006 when the university participated in the survey for the first time. For example, the 2006 NSSE identified the Level of Academic Challenge for first-year students as an area for improvement. This year’s survey reports a significant increase in first-year students’ scores for this benchmark.
The survey provides feedback about curriculum, student services and campus life. In the months to come, the campus community will work together to examine the NSSE results and identify areas to address to further improve students’ experience and student engagement at UPEI.
Institutional research officer Yuqin Gong will give presentations about the NSSE data to the campus community this fall. Please contact Yuqin at 566-0361 or ygong@upei.ca if you wish to receive more information.
Of 1,513 first-year and fourth-year students invited to fill out the survey last spring, 53 per cent responded, well above the Canadian average response rate of 39 per cent. And the news is good for UPEI!
The survey reveals that UPEI provides its students with more opportunities for interactions and collaborations among students, faculty, and staff, and for community involvement. It also shows that UPEI students care about their education and are more “engaged” in shaping their own educational experience.
Eighty-three per cent of first-year students and 88 per cent of fourth-year students rated their entire educational experience at UPEI as “good” or “excellent.” And 83 per cent of first-year students and 85 per cent of fourth-year students would pick UPEI again if they could start their university education over again. Eighty-one per cent of first-year students and 78 per cent of fourth-year students rated the quality of academic advisement they received at UPEI as “good” or “excellent.
First- and fourth-year UPEI students also fared well in the NSSE benchmarks used to rate effective education practices; they were more engaged than, or as engaged as, average students in NSSE-participating institutions in Canada. The benchmarks are: Level of Academic Challenges (LAC), Active and Collaborative Learning (ACL), Student-Faculty Interaction (SFI), Enriching Educational Experiences (EEE), and Supportive Campus Environment (SCE).
This year’s NSSE results also show the progress UPEI has made since 2006 when the university participated in the survey for the first time. For example, the 2006 NSSE identified the Level of Academic Challenge for first-year students as an area for improvement. This year’s survey reports a significant increase in first-year students’ scores for this benchmark.
The survey provides feedback about curriculum, student services and campus life. In the months to come, the campus community will work together to examine the NSSE results and identify areas to address to further improve students’ experience and student engagement at UPEI.
Institutional research officer Yuqin Gong will give presentations about the NSSE data to the campus community this fall. Please contact Yuqin at 566-0361 or ygong@upei.ca if you wish to receive more information.
UPEI top undergraduate university in research income growth over six years
The University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) was the top Canadian undergraduate university in research income growth from 2002 to 2007, according to Canada’s Innovation Leaders 2008, a report published by Research Infosource.
From 2002 to 2007, research income at UPEI rose from $5.2 million to $13.2 million, an increase of 153.8 per cent, says the report. Research Infosource is Canada’s premier source of research and development information.
"UPEI’s surge in research funding is based in faculty excellence and strong partnerships,” says Dr. Katherine Schultz, vice-president of Research and Development. “Our positioning as first in our category is a clear reflection of UPEI’s research focus and the energy with which we pursue our goals. UPEI's researchers are to be commended for this achievement.”
Research Infosource has ranked UPEI fourth out of 17 primarily undergraduate Canadian universities in its undergraduate research universities of the year category. UPEI is the only university from the Maritimes in the top ten of the undergraduate category.
Schultz says that as one of the top ten research-intensive universities in Canada, UPEI is well-situated to be a leader in research in the region and the country.
In 2008, external grants and contracts for all research areas at UPEI rose to $16.4 million in 2008, with a goal of reaching $40-million within 10 years. This translates into greater opportunities for UPEI faculty and students to participate in ground-breaking research, and in the establishment of state-of-the-art research facilities on the campus.
Take, for example, biology student Ashleigh Allen, one of 26 undergraduate students who received awards from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council last summer for research projects. Allen spent her summer working with her supervisor Dr. Robert Hurta, investigating the possible protective effects that natural “bioactive” compounds extracted from two species of seaweed may have against cancer cells. Under Hurta’s guidance, she learned about working in a cancer research lab, something she is interested in pursuing in the future.
UPEI now has seven faculty members who hold prestigious Canada Research Chairs in the sciences, and the social sciences and humanities. Their research covers the study of small islands; development of natural compounds from marine organisms; population health; the role of inflammation in diseases such as Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's; development of a research and training program to understand challenges faced by youth; watershed ecology; and the development of minimally invasive techniques to monitor and treat disease such as prostate cancer.
Researchers are also contributing to discoveries related to school health, immigration, stroke, infectious diseases in marine life, cultural engagement, invasive species, animal movement, “green” chemistry,” and learning in a virtual environment, among others.
As well, UPEI researchers collaborate with the PEI BioAlliance, the federal and provincial governments, and the local business community to move their research from the lab into the community and the economy.
The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada recently released a report that found Canadian universities performed 36 per cent of the country’s research and development, well above the average of other developed countries. The report also notes that university research is estimated to have contributed as much as $60 billion to the country’s gross domestic product in 2007.
From 2002 to 2007, research income at UPEI rose from $5.2 million to $13.2 million, an increase of 153.8 per cent, says the report. Research Infosource is Canada’s premier source of research and development information.
"UPEI’s surge in research funding is based in faculty excellence and strong partnerships,” says Dr. Katherine Schultz, vice-president of Research and Development. “Our positioning as first in our category is a clear reflection of UPEI’s research focus and the energy with which we pursue our goals. UPEI's researchers are to be commended for this achievement.”
Research Infosource has ranked UPEI fourth out of 17 primarily undergraduate Canadian universities in its undergraduate research universities of the year category. UPEI is the only university from the Maritimes in the top ten of the undergraduate category.
Schultz says that as one of the top ten research-intensive universities in Canada, UPEI is well-situated to be a leader in research in the region and the country.
In 2008, external grants and contracts for all research areas at UPEI rose to $16.4 million in 2008, with a goal of reaching $40-million within 10 years. This translates into greater opportunities for UPEI faculty and students to participate in ground-breaking research, and in the establishment of state-of-the-art research facilities on the campus.
Take, for example, biology student Ashleigh Allen, one of 26 undergraduate students who received awards from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council last summer for research projects. Allen spent her summer working with her supervisor Dr. Robert Hurta, investigating the possible protective effects that natural “bioactive” compounds extracted from two species of seaweed may have against cancer cells. Under Hurta’s guidance, she learned about working in a cancer research lab, something she is interested in pursuing in the future.
UPEI now has seven faculty members who hold prestigious Canada Research Chairs in the sciences, and the social sciences and humanities. Their research covers the study of small islands; development of natural compounds from marine organisms; population health; the role of inflammation in diseases such as Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's; development of a research and training program to understand challenges faced by youth; watershed ecology; and the development of minimally invasive techniques to monitor and treat disease such as prostate cancer.
Researchers are also contributing to discoveries related to school health, immigration, stroke, infectious diseases in marine life, cultural engagement, invasive species, animal movement, “green” chemistry,” and learning in a virtual environment, among others.
As well, UPEI researchers collaborate with the PEI BioAlliance, the federal and provincial governments, and the local business community to move their research from the lab into the community and the economy.
The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada recently released a report that found Canadian universities performed 36 per cent of the country’s research and development, well above the average of other developed countries. The report also notes that university research is estimated to have contributed as much as $60 billion to the country’s gross domestic product in 2007.
Marketing expert to speak to Global Issues students at UPEI on November 6
Debra Sandler, worldwide president of McNeil Nutritionals LLC, a Johnson and Johnson company, will speak to students in the Faculty of Education's Global Issues course on Thursday, November 6.
Her presentation, "The Global Consumer: Transforming Markets and Brand Communications," will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. in McDougall Hall 242, with overflow seating in Kelley 237, and again from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Duffy Amphitheatre. Members of the public are welcome to attend one of the sessions.
Sandler has had a distinguished career in consumer product marketing and brand management, including international management responsibilities with Johnson & Johnson, Pepsi Co., and others. She was responsible for the highly successful consumer launch of SPLENDA in the U.S. Today, SPLENDA is the number-one selling sugar substitute in the United States.
She holds a BBA. in International Trade from Hofstra University and an MBA from the Stern School of Business at New York University. She also has an honorary degree from Long Island University’s School of Pharmacy. She has been recognized for her marketing and leadership success, including Advertising Age’s Power 50 Marketers Award for Excellence in Marketing (2004), by Ebony magazine as one of the “Top 15 African American Female Executives in Corporate America,” and by Black Enterprise as one of the Most Powerful African Americans in Corporate America.
Her presentation, "The Global Consumer: Transforming Markets and Brand Communications," will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. in McDougall Hall 242, with overflow seating in Kelley 237, and again from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the Duffy Amphitheatre. Members of the public are welcome to attend one of the sessions.
Sandler has had a distinguished career in consumer product marketing and brand management, including international management responsibilities with Johnson & Johnson, Pepsi Co., and others. She was responsible for the highly successful consumer launch of SPLENDA in the U.S. Today, SPLENDA is the number-one selling sugar substitute in the United States.
She holds a BBA. in International Trade from Hofstra University and an MBA from the Stern School of Business at New York University. She also has an honorary degree from Long Island University’s School of Pharmacy. She has been recognized for her marketing and leadership success, including Advertising Age’s Power 50 Marketers Award for Excellence in Marketing (2004), by Ebony magazine as one of the “Top 15 African American Female Executives in Corporate America,” and by Black Enterprise as one of the Most Powerful African Americans in Corporate America.
UPEI hosts public forum on P.E.I.’s environment on November 13
The Environmental Studies program at the University of Prince Edward Island is hosting a public forum called “State of the Island Environment 2008: Looking Back, Looking Ahead” on Thursday, November 13, at 7 p.m. in Don and Marion McDougall Hall, Room 242.
“The aim of these forums is to bring together a diverse panel of knowledgeable and concerned people from environmental organizations and government agencies to discuss important local environmental issues that have included water quality, waste and GMOs,” says Dr. Don Mazer, the former coordinator of the Environmental Studies program.
“Public education is an important part of the mission of our program,” says Dr. Darren Bardati, the new Director of Environmental Studies at UPEI. “UPEI is an ideal place to bring together members of the university community and the broader Island community to hear different perspectives on the critical issues that face the Island.”
This is the fifth forum on environmental topics that has been hosted by the program; it revisits the theme of the first forum in 2000, which was called “The State of the Island Environment.”
“Given the many significant developments in the past decade related to issues such as water quality, nitrates, fish kills and climate change, it seemed important to us to revisit this general theme in order to offer some historical perspectives on these issues, as well as to look at visions for a sustainable future,” says Bardati.
The panel will include a number of participants from the early forums who will offer a variety of informed perspectives. They include Diane Griffin, Nature Conservancy of Canada; Daryl Guignion, a wildlife biologist and retired UPEI biology professor; Sharon Labchuk, Green Party of Canada; and Gary Schneider, Environmental Coalition of PEI and Macphail Woods Ecological Forestry Project. They will be joined by the Honourable George Webster, Minister of Environment, Energy and Forestry. UPEI President Wade MacLauchlan will be the moderator for the forum.
The panelists will offer their views on the current state of the Island environment, how things have changed in the eight years since the first forum, their analysis of the key factors that contribute to environmental issues on PEI, and their ideas about how to move toward a sustainable future. A question period will follow the presentations. Bardati has also emphasized the forum as an important part of students’ course work in Environmental Studies, and encouraged their involvement in the discussion.
“We look forward to an evening of informative presentations and lively exchange that will give us all a chance to reflect on how we can preserve and enhance the ecological well-being of the Island and of Islanders,” says Bardati.
Admission to the forum is free, and everyone is welcome. For more information, please contact Darren Bardati at (902) 620-5066.
“The aim of these forums is to bring together a diverse panel of knowledgeable and concerned people from environmental organizations and government agencies to discuss important local environmental issues that have included water quality, waste and GMOs,” says Dr. Don Mazer, the former coordinator of the Environmental Studies program.
“Public education is an important part of the mission of our program,” says Dr. Darren Bardati, the new Director of Environmental Studies at UPEI. “UPEI is an ideal place to bring together members of the university community and the broader Island community to hear different perspectives on the critical issues that face the Island.”
This is the fifth forum on environmental topics that has been hosted by the program; it revisits the theme of the first forum in 2000, which was called “The State of the Island Environment.”
“Given the many significant developments in the past decade related to issues such as water quality, nitrates, fish kills and climate change, it seemed important to us to revisit this general theme in order to offer some historical perspectives on these issues, as well as to look at visions for a sustainable future,” says Bardati.
The panel will include a number of participants from the early forums who will offer a variety of informed perspectives. They include Diane Griffin, Nature Conservancy of Canada; Daryl Guignion, a wildlife biologist and retired UPEI biology professor; Sharon Labchuk, Green Party of Canada; and Gary Schneider, Environmental Coalition of PEI and Macphail Woods Ecological Forestry Project. They will be joined by the Honourable George Webster, Minister of Environment, Energy and Forestry. UPEI President Wade MacLauchlan will be the moderator for the forum.
The panelists will offer their views on the current state of the Island environment, how things have changed in the eight years since the first forum, their analysis of the key factors that contribute to environmental issues on PEI, and their ideas about how to move toward a sustainable future. A question period will follow the presentations. Bardati has also emphasized the forum as an important part of students’ course work in Environmental Studies, and encouraged their involvement in the discussion.
“We look forward to an evening of informative presentations and lively exchange that will give us all a chance to reflect on how we can preserve and enhance the ecological well-being of the Island and of Islanders,” says Bardati.
Admission to the forum is free, and everyone is welcome. For more information, please contact Darren Bardati at (902) 620-5066.
Popular poet and novelist Anne Simpson gives reading on November 20
Anne Simpson, one of Atlantic Canada’s finest poets and novelists, and a popular creative writing teacher, returns to PEI with a new novel, Falling. She will give a reading on Thursday, November 20, at 7:30 p.m., at the Confederation Centre Art Galley in Charlottetown. A reception and book signing will follow.
Simpson lives in Antigonish, where she teaches part-time and coordinates the Great Blue Heron Writing Workshop at St. Francis Xavier University.
In Falling, on a Nova Scotian shore, a young woman makes a mistake that claims her life, while down the beach, her brother Damian is unaware she is drowning. Beginning with this shattering event, Simpson’s mesmerizing novel takes us to Niagara Falls, where Damian and his mother Ingrid scatter Lisa’s ashes and visit Ingrid’s estranged brother, once a famous daredevil of the Falls, now blind and mentally disabled. Old wounds and new misunderstandings collide.
Her first book of poetry, Light Falls Through You, won the Atlantic Poetry Prize and the national Gerald Lampert Award for best first poetry book. Her second collection, Loop, won Canada’s prestigious Griffin Poetry Prize and was a finalist for the 2003 Governor General’s Award. Quick, her third poetry book, won the 2007 Pat Lowther Award for best poetry collection by a Canadian woman. Her first novel, Canterbury Beach, was shortlisted for the Thomas Raddall Award in Nova Scotia.
Anne Simpson’s reading is sponsored by the UPEI Department of English, the Confederation Centre Art Gallery, and The Canada Council for the Arts.
Simpson lives in Antigonish, where she teaches part-time and coordinates the Great Blue Heron Writing Workshop at St. Francis Xavier University.
In Falling, on a Nova Scotian shore, a young woman makes a mistake that claims her life, while down the beach, her brother Damian is unaware she is drowning. Beginning with this shattering event, Simpson’s mesmerizing novel takes us to Niagara Falls, where Damian and his mother Ingrid scatter Lisa’s ashes and visit Ingrid’s estranged brother, once a famous daredevil of the Falls, now blind and mentally disabled. Old wounds and new misunderstandings collide.
Her first book of poetry, Light Falls Through You, won the Atlantic Poetry Prize and the national Gerald Lampert Award for best first poetry book. Her second collection, Loop, won Canada’s prestigious Griffin Poetry Prize and was a finalist for the 2003 Governor General’s Award. Quick, her third poetry book, won the 2007 Pat Lowther Award for best poetry collection by a Canadian woman. Her first novel, Canterbury Beach, was shortlisted for the Thomas Raddall Award in Nova Scotia.
Anne Simpson’s reading is sponsored by the UPEI Department of English, the Confederation Centre Art Gallery, and The Canada Council for the Arts.
PEI Health Research Institute holds Café Scientifique November 20
Remember when you and your friends spent hours debating the “big questions” of the day? Well, here’s your chance to take part in an interactive discussion about a topic that affects many people.
The PEI Health Research Institute (PEI HRI) will host its second Café Scientifique on Thursday, November 20, from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Confederation Centre’s Studio Theatre.
Entitled “Battling Brain Disease,” the café will explore the question of whether medical research should take a more integrated approach to understanding and battling brain disease.
The speakers will be Dr. Andy Tasker, Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Atlantic Veterinary College, and Director of the Atlantic Centre for Comparative Biomedical Research, and Dr. Cai Song, Canada Research Chair in Psychoneuroimmunology, University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI), and Visiting Worker, National Research Council. The moderator for this event is Dr. Tracy Doucette, Assistant Professor of Biology, UPEI.
Tasker will give a presentation called “Searching for the Philosopher’s Stone: a new approach to understanding neurological disorders,” and Song will speak about “How the Brain and Body communicate in health and disease.”
“The human brain is extremely complex, and there are many diseases of the brain or impairments of brain function that have traditionally been seen as different,” says Tasker. “With increasing knowledge, however, we are starting to see similarities, common elements and relationships between the mechanisms underlying different conditions.”
Funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Café Scientifique events bring together researchers and members of the public in an informal environment to exchange ideas and opinions. The goal is to engage the public and heighten awareness of the significant role that science and research play in improving the health of Canadians.
Refreshments will be available. There is no cost to attend this event, but you must register in advance. Please contact Susan Hornby at the PEI HRI to register at (902) 894-2812 or peihri@upei.ca.
Located at UPEI, the PEI HRI supports, promotes and enhances quality research related to human health on Prince Edward Island, contributing to the health of Islanders and Canadians, and to the economy of P.E.I.
The PEI Health Research Institute (PEI HRI) will host its second Café Scientifique on Thursday, November 20, from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Confederation Centre’s Studio Theatre.
Entitled “Battling Brain Disease,” the café will explore the question of whether medical research should take a more integrated approach to understanding and battling brain disease.
The speakers will be Dr. Andy Tasker, Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Atlantic Veterinary College, and Director of the Atlantic Centre for Comparative Biomedical Research, and Dr. Cai Song, Canada Research Chair in Psychoneuroimmunology, University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI), and Visiting Worker, National Research Council. The moderator for this event is Dr. Tracy Doucette, Assistant Professor of Biology, UPEI.
Tasker will give a presentation called “Searching for the Philosopher’s Stone: a new approach to understanding neurological disorders,” and Song will speak about “How the Brain and Body communicate in health and disease.”
“The human brain is extremely complex, and there are many diseases of the brain or impairments of brain function that have traditionally been seen as different,” says Tasker. “With increasing knowledge, however, we are starting to see similarities, common elements and relationships between the mechanisms underlying different conditions.”
Funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Café Scientifique events bring together researchers and members of the public in an informal environment to exchange ideas and opinions. The goal is to engage the public and heighten awareness of the significant role that science and research play in improving the health of Canadians.
Refreshments will be available. There is no cost to attend this event, but you must register in advance. Please contact Susan Hornby at the PEI HRI to register at (902) 894-2812 or peihri@upei.ca.
Located at UPEI, the PEI HRI supports, promotes and enhances quality research related to human health on Prince Edward Island, contributing to the health of Islanders and Canadians, and to the economy of P.E.I.
OXFAM Canada representative to speak about women as global citizens on November 15
Corrie Melanson, of OXFAM Canada, will give a presentation called “From Poverty to Power: Women as Active Global Citizens” at The Guild on November 15 at 7 p.m.
Melanson’s talk is part of the University of Prince Edward Island’s international women’s speaker series. In conjunction, Resilience and Dreams: Women as Global Citizens, an exhibition of photographs by social documentary photographer Carlos Reyes-Manzo, will be on display at The Guild from November 15 to 29. The exhibition was on display at UPEI and Holland College earlier this fall.
“OXFAM believes that ending global poverty and injustice begins with women's rights,” says Melanson. Her interactive presentation will examine women's rights and active citizenship in a global context - sharing stories and images of resilient women from around the globe.
In his photographs, Reyes-Manzo showcases realities that women in developing countries face on a daily basis, highlighting their successes and challenges. The exhibition will be also featured at The Eptek Art and Culture Centre in Summerside from January 6 to 26 with Kristin Roe speaking on January 6, from 6 to 7 p.m. Donations will be accepted for Women Making Waves, a partnership between Farmers Helping Farmers and Roe in support of African women.
The speaker series continues at UPEI in 2009, with a presentation by Frances Moore Lappe, founder of the Small Planet Institute Speaker, on January 7 from 7 to 9 p.m. A student symposium featuring Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Chair of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, will be held on February 5 from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. And Maude Barlow, national Chair of the Council of Canadians, will speak on March 5 at 2:30 p.m. The talks by Lappe and Barlow will take place in the Don and Marion McDougall Hall, and the student symposium in the Student Centre.
The exhibitions and presentations are free, and everyone is welcome. For more details, go to upei.ca/internationalization or contact Emily Gorman at exhibition@upei.ca, or (902) 566-0576.
Melanson’s talk is part of the University of Prince Edward Island’s international women’s speaker series. In conjunction, Resilience and Dreams: Women as Global Citizens, an exhibition of photographs by social documentary photographer Carlos Reyes-Manzo, will be on display at The Guild from November 15 to 29. The exhibition was on display at UPEI and Holland College earlier this fall.
“OXFAM believes that ending global poverty and injustice begins with women's rights,” says Melanson. Her interactive presentation will examine women's rights and active citizenship in a global context - sharing stories and images of resilient women from around the globe.
In his photographs, Reyes-Manzo showcases realities that women in developing countries face on a daily basis, highlighting their successes and challenges. The exhibition will be also featured at The Eptek Art and Culture Centre in Summerside from January 6 to 26 with Kristin Roe speaking on January 6, from 6 to 7 p.m. Donations will be accepted for Women Making Waves, a partnership between Farmers Helping Farmers and Roe in support of African women.
The speaker series continues at UPEI in 2009, with a presentation by Frances Moore Lappe, founder of the Small Planet Institute Speaker, on January 7 from 7 to 9 p.m. A student symposium featuring Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Chair of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, will be held on February 5 from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. And Maude Barlow, national Chair of the Council of Canadians, will speak on March 5 at 2:30 p.m. The talks by Lappe and Barlow will take place in the Don and Marion McDougall Hall, and the student symposium in the Student Centre.
The exhibitions and presentations are free, and everyone is welcome. For more details, go to upei.ca/internationalization or contact Emily Gorman at exhibition@upei.ca, or (902) 566-0576.
Inuit leader to give talk about Canadian sovereignty at UPEI on November 20
Mary Simon, national leader of the Inuit and president of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), will give a talk called “Inuit and the Canadian Arctic: Sovereignty Begins at Home” at the University of Prince Edward on Thursday, November 20.
Simon’s talk at UPEI will take place in Room 242 of the Don and Marion McDougall Hall, from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. Her visit to P.E.I. is part of a national speaking tour to help Canadians become better informed about contemporary issues facing Inuit in the Canadian Arctic, such as climate change, sovereignty, and social and economic challenges.
“We want Canadians in the south to understand our issues and take them up with their local politicians,” says Simon. “We are asking Canadians throughout this wonderful country to help us Inuit in our efforts to improve the Arctic, our communities and society and hence make this a better Canada.”
Simon’s presentation will underline the importance of taking a comprehensive approach to sovereignty. She is urging Canadians to write to members of Parliament in support of the Inuit approach to the issue, which is positive, progressive, collaborative and participatory.
“We are thrilled that Mary Simon will share her deep knowledge of, and experience with, the Inuit community with us,” says UPEI education professor Fiona Walton. “UPEI has a strong connection to Nunavut, offering the first-ever graduate degree program in the territory. In the spring of 2009, 21 Inuit students will proudly receive their Master of Education in Leadership and Learning degrees, providing them with the knowledge and skills to lead improvements in education in Nunavut.”
Simon has devoted her life’s work towards gaining further recognition of Aboriginal rights and to achieving social justice for Inuit and other Aboriginal peoples nationally and internationally. In 2006 she was elected president of the ITK, the national organization representing Canada’s 45,000 Inuit.
She has held numerous high-profile positions, including Canadian ambassador for Circumpolar Affairs from 1994 to 2003, and concurrently, ambassador to Denmark from 1999 to 2001. She was a member of the joint public advisory committee of NAFTA's Commission on Environmental Cooperation from 1997 to 2000, and chairperson from 1997 to 1998. She served as chancellor of Trent University from 1995 to 1999.
Simon has received many honours for her leadership in developing strategies for Aboriginal and Northern Affairs, including the Order of Canada, National Order of Quebec, the Gold Order of Greenland, the National Aboriginal Achievement Award and the Gold Medal of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. She is a Fellow of the Arctic Institute of North America and the Royal Canadian Geographic Society. She holds honorary degrees from McGill, Queen's, Trent and Memorial universities, and has published a book called Inuit: One Arctic - One Future.
Simon’s talk at UPEI will take place in Room 242 of the Don and Marion McDougall Hall, from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. Her visit to P.E.I. is part of a national speaking tour to help Canadians become better informed about contemporary issues facing Inuit in the Canadian Arctic, such as climate change, sovereignty, and social and economic challenges.
“We want Canadians in the south to understand our issues and take them up with their local politicians,” says Simon. “We are asking Canadians throughout this wonderful country to help us Inuit in our efforts to improve the Arctic, our communities and society and hence make this a better Canada.”
Simon’s presentation will underline the importance of taking a comprehensive approach to sovereignty. She is urging Canadians to write to members of Parliament in support of the Inuit approach to the issue, which is positive, progressive, collaborative and participatory.
“We are thrilled that Mary Simon will share her deep knowledge of, and experience with, the Inuit community with us,” says UPEI education professor Fiona Walton. “UPEI has a strong connection to Nunavut, offering the first-ever graduate degree program in the territory. In the spring of 2009, 21 Inuit students will proudly receive their Master of Education in Leadership and Learning degrees, providing them with the knowledge and skills to lead improvements in education in Nunavut.”
Simon has devoted her life’s work towards gaining further recognition of Aboriginal rights and to achieving social justice for Inuit and other Aboriginal peoples nationally and internationally. In 2006 she was elected president of the ITK, the national organization representing Canada’s 45,000 Inuit.
She has held numerous high-profile positions, including Canadian ambassador for Circumpolar Affairs from 1994 to 2003, and concurrently, ambassador to Denmark from 1999 to 2001. She was a member of the joint public advisory committee of NAFTA's Commission on Environmental Cooperation from 1997 to 2000, and chairperson from 1997 to 1998. She served as chancellor of Trent University from 1995 to 1999.
Simon has received many honours for her leadership in developing strategies for Aboriginal and Northern Affairs, including the Order of Canada, National Order of Quebec, the Gold Order of Greenland, the National Aboriginal Achievement Award and the Gold Medal of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. She is a Fellow of the Arctic Institute of North America and the Royal Canadian Geographic Society. She holds honorary degrees from McGill, Queen's, Trent and Memorial universities, and has published a book called Inuit: One Arctic - One Future.
UPEI Celebrates its Panther Sport Heroes
It takes a heroic effort by people at every level of the community to support dynamic athletics and fitness programs that build community pride and develop youth leadership across the province. Today, the University of Prince Edward Island held a public celebration to recognize that heroic effort.
“On the field, court, or rink, or in the pool; as a coach or fan; as a supporter or donor, heroes are all around us,” said Ron Annear, UPEI Athletics Director. “We're very fortunate to have so many of them here in Prince Edward Island—and at UPEI.”
He introduced the 20 “Corporate Heroes” who are partnering with the University in its pursuit of sports excellence. The businesses are supporting UPEI’s push to enhance teams, programs, and community outreach activities though a new initiative called the Heroes program.
UPEI’s Corporate Heroes are supporting much more than the University Athletics program, said Annear. Emphasizing his department’s vital role in developing leaders, and providing the resources to promote healthy and active lifestyles for all Island communities, he highlighted UPEI’s latest outreach efforts. These include providing complimentary season's passes to all PEI students in grades one to 12, and to all members of the PEI Newcomers’ Association. In addition, UPEI attracts more than 6,000 children, from across the Island, to its sports camps every year.
“Panther Sport leads AUS universities in community outreach, supporting a wide range of activities that raise thousands of dollars every year. They include the Tim Horton’s Food Drive, the Junior Diabetes Research Foundation, the Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, and much more,” he said.
UPEI is becoming recognized as a provincial and regional leader in sports facilities, events, fitness, and health and wellness, said Annear. This growing reputation for sports excellence attracts the Island’s best prospective student-athletes as well as elite student-athletes from out of province, and it adds to the success of the University’s recruitment efforts.
“UPEI, with its Panther Sports program, is fast becoming the destination of choice for student-athletes from across Canada to pursue excellence in academics and athletics. Our goal now is to further enhance the experience of students and all individuals who take part in our programs,” said Annear. “Thanks to the support of volunteers and corporate partners at every level of our PEI sports community, I am very optimistic that we can achieve that goal.”
More information about Panther Sport’s community outreach activities and the UPEI Heroes program is available by contacting Lynn Boudreau at 566-0991 or lboudreau@upei.ca.
UPEI Honours Nursing Education Champion Vera Dewar
The University of Prince Edward Island recently paid tribute to a woman whose wisdom and tenacity have led to significant advancements in nursing education in PEI.
Vera Dewar’s efforts contributed to the opening of the UPEI School of Nursing in 1992, making PEI the first province in Canada to set the baccalaureate degree as the entry-level requirement for nursing. Throughout her long career, she has inspired students and colleagues to strive for excellence in nursing education and practice.
In recognition of her legacy to the nursing profession and her generous support to UPEI through current and planned giving, UPEI has named the School of Nursing’s main teaching and learning area as the Dr. Vera E. Dewar Learning Resource Centre.
“I can’t think of a more appropriate person to honour in this way,” said UPEI Dean of Nursing Kim Critchley. “Vera has exemplified leadership in nursing education to hundreds of students and countless nursing colleagues. Her expectations of excellence have made a significant impact on nursing education and nursing practice in Prince Edward Island and the many parts of the world where our graduates have lived and worked.”
The Dr. Vera E. Dewar Learning Resource Centre includes approximately 2,140 square feet of open teaching space furnished with state-of-the-art laboratory equipment and teaching aides. Using innovative teaching strategies, instructors guide students in acquiring clinical skills for safe, competent clinical practice.
Vera Dewar grew up on the family farm in Brudenell and graduated from the PEI Hospital School of Nursing in 1956. Two years later, she obtained her Diploma in Teaching and Supervision in Schools of Nursing from Dalhousie University and, in 1967, she graduated with a Bachelor of Nursing degree. Her nursing education career spanned more than four decades and included positions from clinical instructor to Assistant Director of Administration at the PEI School of Nursing, a post she held until the school closed in 1994. She still makes presentations to students and faculty, and attends nursing meetings where she continues to advocate for a graduate program in nursing on PEI.
In 2005, Vera Dewar joined the UPEI Visionary Society, an organization that celebrates individuals and families who have chosen to support university education. She has also established a post-graduate nursing scholarship that UPEI awards annually.
The University of Prince Edward Island’s tribute to Vera Dewar provides a new highlight in an impressive list of awards that reflect the esteem of her colleagues in PEI and beyond. They include the Rotary Club of Hillsborough vocational service award, the Association of Nurses of Prince Edward Island outstanding achievement award, and the Atlantic Region Canadian Association Schools of Nursing’s honorary lifetime membership award. She received the degree of Doctor of Laws honoris causa from UPEI in 2003.
Vera Dewar’s efforts contributed to the opening of the UPEI School of Nursing in 1992, making PEI the first province in Canada to set the baccalaureate degree as the entry-level requirement for nursing. Throughout her long career, she has inspired students and colleagues to strive for excellence in nursing education and practice.
In recognition of her legacy to the nursing profession and her generous support to UPEI through current and planned giving, UPEI has named the School of Nursing’s main teaching and learning area as the Dr. Vera E. Dewar Learning Resource Centre.
“I can’t think of a more appropriate person to honour in this way,” said UPEI Dean of Nursing Kim Critchley. “Vera has exemplified leadership in nursing education to hundreds of students and countless nursing colleagues. Her expectations of excellence have made a significant impact on nursing education and nursing practice in Prince Edward Island and the many parts of the world where our graduates have lived and worked.”
The Dr. Vera E. Dewar Learning Resource Centre includes approximately 2,140 square feet of open teaching space furnished with state-of-the-art laboratory equipment and teaching aides. Using innovative teaching strategies, instructors guide students in acquiring clinical skills for safe, competent clinical practice.
Vera Dewar grew up on the family farm in Brudenell and graduated from the PEI Hospital School of Nursing in 1956. Two years later, she obtained her Diploma in Teaching and Supervision in Schools of Nursing from Dalhousie University and, in 1967, she graduated with a Bachelor of Nursing degree. Her nursing education career spanned more than four decades and included positions from clinical instructor to Assistant Director of Administration at the PEI School of Nursing, a post she held until the school closed in 1994. She still makes presentations to students and faculty, and attends nursing meetings where she continues to advocate for a graduate program in nursing on PEI.
In 2005, Vera Dewar joined the UPEI Visionary Society, an organization that celebrates individuals and families who have chosen to support university education. She has also established a post-graduate nursing scholarship that UPEI awards annually.
The University of Prince Edward Island’s tribute to Vera Dewar provides a new highlight in an impressive list of awards that reflect the esteem of her colleagues in PEI and beyond. They include the Rotary Club of Hillsborough vocational service award, the Association of Nurses of Prince Edward Island outstanding achievement award, and the Atlantic Region Canadian Association Schools of Nursing’s honorary lifetime membership award. She received the degree of Doctor of Laws honoris causa from UPEI in 2003.
