The Legend February 2012

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V O L U M E 11

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ISSUE SIX

Creating opportunity

the UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

The night the SU president was hauled away by police Christie-Dawn Ladouceur (left) and Audrey Poitras, president of the Métis Nation of Alberta, celebrate the creation of a scholarship fund to support graduate and undergraduate Métis students at the University of Lethbridge.

Lauren Taal continues a family tradition, caps off career

Dr. Roy Golsteyn investigates how cancer cells evade treatment

Fiat Lux Alumni Ring unveiled

The U of L Legend is published monthly during the academic year by the communications unit within University Advancement. Submissions, comments and story ideas are always welcome. The Legend reserves the right to refuse any submitted advertisement. The Legend can be found online at issuu.com/ulethbridge.

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University of Lethbridge 4401 University Drive, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4 www.ulethbridge.ca

BY BOB COONEY

C

hristie-Dawn Ladouceur is used to helping people resolve challenges – she works as an employment counsellor – but receiving the inaugural Métis Scholar Graduate Studies scholarship helped her solve a very significant challenge of her own: how to fund the balance of her master’s degree studies.

On Wednesday, Jan. 25, officials from the University of Lethbridge welcomed members of the Métis Nation of Alberta to campus to jointly announce the creation of a scholarship fund for Métis undergraduate and graduate students, including Ladouceur, who is completing her master’s degree in counselling psychology through the U of L’s Faculty of Education and Campus Alberta.

The $500,000 gift will be endowed in perpetuity and will, through matching funds, support the creation of a $1 million endowment fund. This will help ensure more students of Métis heritage complete their post-secondary education.

Originally from the Lac la Biche area in northern Alberta, Ladouceur is now based in Edmonton, and works as a project manager for a not-for-profit Aboriginal organization where she develops employment and education training programs for youth to improve their

career and employment prospects.

“I have three more semesters to complete, and this award will ensure that I can focus on my studies and finish my research,” says Ladouceur, moved to tears during her comments at the launch event.

Ladouceur is producing a manual that other counsellors can use to properly identify the challenges faced by urban aboriginal youth, and the gaps and barriers in the various counselling models used to support them.

“I am focusing on the differences that are often overlooked by counsellors if they do not accurately understand the culture of a First Nations, Métis or Inuit student.

My hope is that counsellors will be able to better identify and assist young people with their needs, and recognize that the different cultures require different approaches.”

Ladouceur says that her master’s degree will enable her to move forward within a profession she loves, and deal more directly with young people.

There is $25,000 in scholarship funding available this year – six $2,500 awards to undergraduate students and $10,000 awarded to graduate student Ladouceur.

“The Métis Nation of Alberta, through the Métis Education Foundation, has set up nine endowment funds that total more than $13.3 million,” says Audrey Poitras, the

president of the Métis Nation of Alberta. “These are more than gifts or donations. These endowments are investments in Métis students.”

“Education is a necessary tool for Métis people to prosper and grow, and the U of L is committed to ensuring Métis students will have the financial means and the opportunities to achieve success in their education and their lives,” says U of L President, Dr. Mike Mahon.

“There are approximately 100 Métis students currently enrolled at the U of L. We would like to see this number grow as we continue to increase access and support programs. This gift from the Métis Nation of Alberta is a significant step in that direction.”

The inaugural Métis Scholar undergraduate recipients are: Jared Anderson, (Raymond, Alta.) enrolled in a Bachelor of Science program, Aaron Hamonic, (Lethbridge, Alta.) enrolled in a Bachelor of Health Sciences program, Charlene Lambert, (Lethbridge, Alta.) enrolled in a PreBachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Education program, Jolan Naismith, (Leduc, Alta.) enrolled in a Bachelor of Management program, Nicole Robinson, (Lethbridge, Alta.) enrolled in a Bachelor of Nursing program (NESA), Amy Smith, (The Pas, Man.) enrolled in a combined Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Education program.

NATIVE AWARENESS WEEK 2012 ACTIVITIES The University of Lethbridge is proud to host Native Awareness Week, from Feb. 27 – Mar. 2.

(All events in University Hall Atrium unless otherwise indicated) Monday, February 27 11 a.m. – Opening Ceremonies Noon to 1 p.m. – Welcome and Presentations; Keynote Speaker – Douglas Cardinal; Pow wow.

1 p.m. – Grand Entry Master of Ceremonies, Travis Plaited Hair Tuesday, February 28 10 a.m. – Ramona Big Head: Walking Together Presentation 11:30 a.m. – Berry Soup and Fry

Bread lunch, hosted by the First Nations Transition Program 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. – Create your own Medicine Bag Wednesday February, 29 10:30 a.m. to noon – Strathmore High School Native Club – Napi Play Noon to 1 p.m. – Jason Baerg, Art Now, University Recital Hall 1 p.m. – Faculty of Management Guest Speaker – Jennifer Campeau, Markin Hall Atrium Thursday, March 1 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. – Native American Students’ Association (NASA) 35th Birthday Celebration, Music and Games

Students’ Union Building Ballrooms A&B 6 p.m. to 12 midnight – OUTTA THE BOX! Hosted by the Native American Student Association. A fusion of contemporary and traditional First Nations music. Students’ Union Building Ballrooms A&B Friday March 2 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon – Blackfoot Digital Library Presentation – Adrienne Heavy Head Noon to 1 p.m. – Arthur Renwick Art Now, University Centre Recital Hall

the Legend

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UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

OPENMike University of Lethbridge President Dr. Mike Mahon chats about what’s happening in the University community It has often occurred to me how fortunate we are to have a campus so deeply connected to the Blackfoot Nation and the rich Aboriginal culture of southern Alberta.

It is a heritage we both respect and celebrate, and one that has played and will continue to play a key role in shaping the strategic priorities of the institution as we move forward.

Just recently, the University announced an exciting collaboration with the Métis Nation of Alberta, creating a $1 million endowment fund for students of Métis heritage. With close to 100 Métis students currently enrolled at the University, this fund will not only support those

already on campus, but it will encourage future generations of Métis students to pursue postsecondary education.

This week, another major announcement in support of our First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) students is forthcoming.

This has long been a priority of the University of Lethbridge, and as we look forward, it is essential we create a campus wide framework for recruiting and supporting Blackfoot and FNMI students.

The U of L can be proud of the fact it established the first Department of Native American Studies in the country, and that we have initiated the Niitsatapi First Nations program in educa-

tion, the First Nations Governance Program in management and the First Nations Transitions Program in arts & science. It is now time to harness that energy and develop an overarching strategy that creates support for FNMI students, faculty, staff and community members.

Dr. Leroy Little Bear and Dr. Jane O’Dea, with support from Roy Weaselfat of Red Crow College, have been exploring that model. They have been talking to people across campus about what support systems for our FNMI population need further expansion with the goal of making the U of L a highly inclusive and highly welcoming campus.

We also want to create an

CAMPUS Tanya Harnett (Art/Native American Studies) was one of 30 Canadians invited to select a work by Edward Burtynsky for his exhibition Encounters, which is at Calgary’s Glenbow Museum until Apr. 9. On Mar. 9 she presents The Other Photographer at the Glenbow’s Out for Lunch Speaker Series, discussing how her practice as a photographer engaged her in this curatorial process and how her own photography shaped her decision when selecting a Burtynsky photograph for the exhibition. She also recently presented her paper The Dynamics of an Indian Artist in Academia: Retaining a sense of place and identity at the University of Ottawa’s Aboriginal Conference Series. Harnett currently has two exhibitions in Edmonton. Narrative Quest appears at the Royal Alberta Museum and features a selection of artworks by 22 Aboriginal artists from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, and is on display until Apr. 29. Our Wilderness is Wisdom . . . is a three-person show with Curtis Johnson, Alex Janvier and Harnett at the Art Gallery of Alberta.

Dr. Ed Jurkowski (Music) recently presented his paper The Aurora borealis harmony as structural design in Eduard Tubin’s ‘Northern Lights’ piano sonata no. 2 at the international

multidisciplinary conference, Musiques et imaginaire du Nord et du froid, at the Université du Québec à Montréal.

Trudi Mason and Keith Griffioen (trumpet); Dr. Thomas Staples (horn); Gerald Rogers (trombone); and Nick Sullivan (bass trombone) performed as the U of L Faculty Brass Quintet at the LSO Chamber Series concert in Lethbridge recently.

Several U of L researchers and staff were recently involved in the Discover Diversity conference, a City of Lethbridge and University–supported event that took place Feb. 2 and 3. The two-day program was designed to make people and community organizations more aware of the increasing level of diversity in the community, and to identify opportunities to work together.

Along with presentations by Dr. Glenda Bonifacio (Women’s Studies), Dr. Carly Adams (Kinesiology), Dr. Atif Khalil (Religious Studies), Dr. Patrick Wilson (Anthropology), Charlene Janes (International Centre for Students), Gabrielle Weasel Head (MA candidate), Kale Cummings (Addictions Counselling), Taylor Webb, Leah Webb, Clinton Bishop (City Youth Advisory Council, Political Science), Jesse Peever (City Youth Advisory Council,

environment across the university that understands the importance a supportive atmosphere can play in the lives of faculty, staff and students.

A report about their findings is forthcoming, and I anticipate one of the recommendations to be the establishment of a centre grounded in the ideals and values of the Blackfoot Nation. This centre would come with significant support and guidance from Blackfoot elders, and its vision would be integrated into the next Strategic Plan as it is developed over the coming months.

This is a responsibility that the University takes very seriously. We are a community

kudos

Philosophy), Thabit Alomary (Anthropology), members of the organizing committee and volunteers included Dr. Catherine Kingfisher (Anthropology), Trish Jackson (International Centre for Students), Bob Cooney (Media Relations) and several U of L students.

Dale Ketcheson (Music Conservatory) performs a Valentine Special at Mocha Cabana on Tuesday, Feb. 14.

FQJVWVM For more information on the survey or this project, contact Curator Wendy Aitkens at 403320-3907 or via e-mail wendy. aitkens@galtmuseum.com Mark Richards’ (Music) article titled Beethoven and the Obscured Medial Caesura: A Study in the Development of Style has been accepted by Music Theory Spectrum and will be published in the fall 2013 issue of the journal.

Taras Polataiko (Art) is part of the international touring exhibition Rearview Mirror: New Art from Central and Eastern Europe at the Art Gallery of Alberta until Apr. 29. In addition, he had work in the recent exhibition Bon À Tirer at Barbara Edwards Contemporary Gallery in Toronto.

Adam Mason (Music) has been accepted as a Yamaha Artist. Yamaha is supporting his future activities including upcoming clinics in Japan, Louisiana, Edmonton, Calgary and the Alberta Day of Percussion, here on campus.

Bethany Gustafson (Art History/Museums Studies student) is working on a unique applied study at the Galt Museum and Archives. Gustafson is helping to develop exhibits for the Galt’s 2012 season, and is focusing on archaeology in southwestern Alberta. In particular, she is seeking public input on the topic to make sure the exhibit aligns with the community’s interest or curiosity about what life was like here long, long ago. A brief survey can be found here: surveymonkey.com/s/

The University Advancement team (Communications, Alumni Relations and Development/Fundraising) recently received a Gold award in the Special Events category from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District VIII for its work on the announcement and launch of the Coutts Centre for Western Canadian Heritage.

The U of L’s CASE entry was up against stiff competition from major universities and colleges in western Canada and the Pacific

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leader, and it is important we accept our role as such. It is one of the reasons we so willingly co-sponsored the recent Diversity Lethbridge conference, to not only push the ideal of a welcoming on campus environment, but to extend that thinking to the community as a whole.

With Native Awareness Week on the horizon, I encourage you to take some time to explore this rich heritage and understand the role we can all play in creating a campus atmosphere that both encourages FNMI students to come to the University of Lethbridge and supports their academic pursuits while they are here. Such is an environment that benefits us all.

Northwest United States. This is the second gold and the 13th bronze, silver or gold award for the group over the past 10 years.

Emma Parkinson (BMus ’08) made her Montreal Symphony Orchestra debut in December singing the alto solos in Handel’s Messiah. Parkinson then embarked on a concert tour with Orchestre Symphonique des Jeunes de Montréal. The tour travels to Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhengzhou, Luoyang, Xi’an and Lanzhou.

Chad Patterson’s (BFA ’11, U of L Art Gallery technician) exhibition Covers is at the Bowman Arts Centre Music Room Gallery until Feb. 25.

Local band The Record Holder recently released its first six-song EP To Sea. EP cover art was crafted by John Granzow (BA ’99, MSc ’10) and six songs were written by John and Michael Granzow. Clayton Smith (current student) and Nicole Hembroff (BA ‘07, MA ’11, Fine Arts admissions & portfolio adviser) are also in the band. The EP was produced, recorded and engineered by Jesse Northey (Digital Audio Arts major) of Esper Records.

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the Legend

UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

Protest puts SU president Wutzke into custody

BY TREVOR KENNEY

A

combination of youthful enthusiasm, righteous indignation and an activist student culture led to one of the most significant nights in the early history of the University of Lethbridge and the young life of Richard Wutzke (BASc ’72).

It was May 1968 and determining the future site of the fledgling university was the topic of the day. While University administration, faculty, students and the City of Lethbridge all agreed that a westside location matched the vision of the University’s founders, the provincial government did not originally accept this recommendation, and instead proposed a local referendum to determine the site.

With philosophical lines drawn, University students took to the streets, and on one fateful night, to the avenue in front of Lethbridge MLA John Landeryou’s house. It wasn’t long before Wutzke, the Students’ Union president, was being hauled away by police, to be joined later by his right-hand man, Arthur Joevenazzo.

“Looking at it from the age of 63 and looking at it from the age of 18 are two different perspectives entirely,” says Wutzke, now an artist living in the Laurentian Mountains north of Montreal.

“Now when you look at it and you see a campus with 8,500 students and a third of the city’s population is on the westside, it all seems so obvious that this was the right direction to go. But if you were picking up the tab for some kind of a pipe dream like this, I think you might say, “Wait a minute now”.”

ORAL HISTORY PROJECT BRINGS PAST TO LIFE

BY MIKE PERRY

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n January 2009, Dr. James Tagg, Professor Emeritus of the history department, initiated a project to conduct, collect, digitize and make accessible interviews with individuals intimately connected with the early years of the University of Lethbridge.

With the assistance of Graham Ruttan, a student in the Faculty of Education, the number of interviews conducted with faculty, staff, administrators, students and friends of the University has grown to 70. The interviews are between one and three hours long and provide a

University faculty and students marched in protest of a proposed referendum to decide where the U of L campus would be located.

Student politics of the day had grown more and more confrontational and Wutzke admits he was elected SU president as an activist candidate. He says that as the debate ramped up, a culmination of factors led students out into the streets that evening.

“We were really keen on this type of activity,” he says, noting that he and Joevenazzo were the debate champions of Alberta at the time. “There’s a lot of testosterone pumping away in your veins and you’re just looking for a scrap somewhere.”

Fueled by what he calls “hearsay” and inspired by “the struggles of Mahatma Ghandi and the readings of Henry David Thoreau”, an evening meeting with University faculty was the impetus for a placard-waving group to descend upon Landeryou’s home.

“Today I’d be embarrassed

to go forging out on an expedition like this with the kind of information we had,” chuckles Wutzke. “We felt that somehow Mr. Landeryou was in cahoots with landowners surrounding the junior college who all stood to make very handsome profits by the expropriation of their property. Now, like I say, that is what we believed at the time and that’s the information we acted on and we did so with righteous indignation.”

When police arrived, they quickly identified Wutzke as a ringleader and put him in a police cruiser.

“I was taken into the police car and then the car was surrounded by students,” says Wutzke. “Everybody sat down on the asphalt to prevent the police car from moving. Finally they basically threatened to run people over and they left with

me. As soon as I was taken off the scene, my most able henchman, Arthur Joevenazzo, took up the charge and started the chanting again. They came back and picked him up too.”

Wutzke and Joevenazzo were actually never arrested, as lore would have it. They were never charged, fingerprinted or put into a cell. University President Sam Smith got out of bed, drove down to the police station and vouched for the duo’s character and Wutzke’s father eventually came to drive him home.

Two days later, following the University’s first convocation, a street march was held, culminating with a rally at Galt Gardens.

Days later, with provincial eyes now on Lethbridge and its rebellious students, the government backed off and the westside plan was ratified.

“If I hadn’t been there, somebody else would have been there,” says Wutzke modestly.

“What’s important is that in that time in history, the students, even though they would not be the recipients of this glorious new campus, acted and didn’t sit on their hands and change occurred. When I look back at that, there is a sense of pride.

Not only that I had some personal role in it but that I was part of a student body that really had the guts to get up and be heard.”

It’s a spirit he continues to see today, and one he applauds.

“Sometimes students really get on your nerves because they are always agitating about something, but it shows you it’s a very essential part of the democratic process.”

wealth of engaging and informative storytelling of the lives of individuals who experienced the University of Lethbridge during its infancy.

According to the Oral History Association, “Oral history is a field of study and a method of gathering, preserving and interpreting the voices and memories of people, communities, and participants in past events. Oral history is both the oldest type of historical inquiry, predating the written word, and one of the most modern, initiated with tape recorders in the 1940s and now using 21st-century digital technologies.”

The University Archives, together with the Department of History, has taken on the important role of ensuring that the collection is preserved and accessible to the University community. Dr. Heidi Macdonald has assumed responsibility

for the collection and has been instrumental in ensuring that the project continues to grow.

Jacob Cameron, a technical specialist in the University Library and working in the University Archives has done most of the work required to design and facilitate the easy access to these recordings.

Karissa Patton, a student in the history program, has also contributed to this project by assisting with the biographies and transcripts first worked on

by Ruttan. Ruttan spent two summers on this project, interviewing former students, creating written transcripts and conducting the research for the short biographies of the participants.

While the project is largely complete, it is still a work in progress. It can be accessed on campus from two online locations. From the University Library’s homepage under the

Resources tab, choose “U of L’s Digital Collections” and follow the link to the collection. It is also located on the University Archives web page at digitallibrary.uleth.ca/cdm/singleitem/ collection/oralhistory/id/44/ rec/1.

Dr. Tagg joined the Department of History in 1969. During his tenure here, he served as assistant dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science. Tagg, who retired in 2003, devoted much of his time to the advancement of liberal education here at the University. In recognition, the U of L has honored him and a fellow Professor Emeritus, Dr. Ron Yoshida, with the Tagg-Yoshida Lectures, which emphasize the importance of liberal education to the University and to the southern Alberta community.

In addition, the Dr. James D. Tagg Citizenship Award is avail-

able to continuing graduate students for academic achievement and community involvement.

This oral history project provides the University with a distinctive and valuable way to capture the early history of our institution. Together with all the interviewees, Tagg has captured the lived experiences of individuals forever linked to the U of L. It will serve as an enduring legacy to our institutional memory.

Mike Perry is the University Archivist.

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UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

Unlocking student potential

BY ERICA LIND

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r. Robin Bright (BASc ’79, BEd ’82, MEd ’88) is not only a dedicated faculty member, she’s a proud University of Lethbridge alumnus who fondly remembers her time as a U of L student and sees so many possibilities in the students she teaches today.

“The best part of being here is the students – their enthusiasm, fresh ideas and willingness to learn,” says Bright, a professor in the Faculty of Education who specializes in language and literacy. “This job wouldn’t be what it is if it weren’t for the amazing calibre of students we have.”

Although Bright has been a professor at the University for almost 20 years, her time as a student is still fresh in her mind.

“It’s important to never forget what it felt like to be a student,” says Bright, who earned three degrees here and was one of the U of L’s first graduate students. “Sometimes you feel vulnerable, scared or worried, and other times you feel empowered and confident.”

Bright understands the mixed emotions that students experience, and strives to support students in every way she can.

“Faculty and staff can make or break a student’s day,” says Bright, who believes students are dependent on the University community not only for their educational needs but also for their well-being. “As a student I was supported by faculty and staff in a number of ways, and it really made my experience a positive one.”

Bright is co-Chair of this year’s Supporting Our Students campaign and has been a long-time contributor to the program.

“Supporting Our Students is a way of showing my students that I remember what it’s like to be in their place, and that I care

Donors Shirley Hughes, far left, and Dr. David Hughes, far right, get a tutorial on the new multimedia computers in the library.

HUGHES GIFT SUPPORTS LIBRARY

BY WENDY MERKLEY AND JESSE MALINSKY

Dr. Robin Bright is co-Chair of the Supporting Our Students campaign and a long-time contributor to the program.

about their success as learners,” she says.

She remembers benefitting from scholarships as a student and how it enhanced her opportunity to succeed.

“I can say without a doubt that scholarships make a difference,” she says. “‘We believe in you’ is the message it sent to me, and that’s the message we send to current students when we support this campaign.”

As the campaign co-Chair, Bright is passionate about the cause, seeing each student as an individual in need of the community’s support.

“Every student has a story, and many students have had to sacrifice to get here,” she says.

“When you give to this campaign, you can look into a student’s eyes and know that you’ve helped them to be successful.”

Supporting Our Students is an annual faculty and staff campaign that raises money for student awards. Since its launch in 2005, U of L faculty and staff have generously donated more than $1 million to the campaign, sending a strong message to students that the University community stands behind them.

For more information on the Supporting Our Students campaign, please visit www.uleth. ca/giving/SupportingOurStudents or call 403-329-2582.

It is said that “no man is an island” and neither is the University of Lethbridge Library. Many initiatives undertaken in the library are collaborations with individuals and groups that allow the library to expand the services provided to meet the needs of its patrons. One such collaboration is the recent addition of multimedia computers.

The specialized computers, installed in October 2011, provide students with equipment that can produce professional-quality multimedia projects. In addition to the computers and software, Peer Assisted Technology Support Students (PATSS) provide a human component to assist users of the stations.

The official launch of the multimedia service, honoured Dr. David and Shirley Hughes, whose generous donation helped to make the service possible. Hughes has long

A look at Project Channel, on the 11th floor of the University Library.

PROJECT TURNS ON

100%

of employees in the History Department supported student awards for the third year in a row. Thank you for your continued support.

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been active in the University community, serving as Chair to the University Finance Committee from 1976 to 1982 and as a member of the Board of Governors from 1989 to 1995. He was also part of the Library Information Network Centre campaign that was instrumental in establishing the structure that currently hosts the library.

“He got excited about the fact that we were talking about responding to student needs for new services in a new era,” said University Librarian Alison Nussbaumer at the opening ceremony. “We weren’t talking about building with bricks and mortar, and weren’t talking about adding layers to existing services.

We were talking about some transformational services.”

In times when budgets are leaner, the library continues to work in a collaborative manner to further augment and expand the services available to U of L students. It is through the valued and visionary contributions made by patrons of the library, such as the Hughes, that the library is able to respond quickly to the changing needs of students.

Located on the 11th floor of the University Library, Project Channel is the U of L Art Gallery’s satellite space to provide access to a range of local, national and international video art.

“For decades, artists have used the low cost possibilities of video to experiment with technology, mimic popular mass media, and tell stories that are often missed by the mainstream,” explains Dr. Josephine Mills, curator/director, U of L Art Gallery. “The gallery will curate selections

of video art for Project Channel’s set of touch-screens.

Many of the videos will also be purchased to build up a collection.”

Viewers can either watch the latest selection or browse through the holdings on the three screens.

“The U of L Art Gallery Project Channel’s innovative approach combines the strengths of curated screenings with on-demand library viewing to create easy-to-use access to video art,” she says.

“We want to thank the U of L Library and V Tape for their assistance with this project.

We invite everyone to come check it out.”

athletics AT T H E U

Taal family influence a Pronghorn tradition

BY TREVOR KENNEY

W

hen Lauren Taal chose to attend the University of Lethbridge and play for the Pronghorns women’s basketball team, to everyone looking in, it seemed like the easy decision.

But make no mistake, beginning with that decision and the ensuing five years that followed, Taal’s time as a Pronghorn has been anything but easy – and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I am happy that this is the path I chose,” says Taal, a third generation family member to attend the U of L. “I don’t think it turned out the way I thought it would but as you grow up, I guess you realize that things aren’t always what you expect.”

Taal’s family tree has an indelible University of Lethbridge branch to it, beginning with her grandfather Jack Lilja Sr., who coached the Horns women’s team for four seasons in the 1970s. Her mother Lynette Taal (Lilja) played for the Horns from 1978 through 1983, while her aunts Lorell (1973-77) and Leslie (1974-79) also wore the blue and gold. Her uncle, Jack Lilja Jr., played both basketball and soccer for the Horns and her father Clarence Taal is another U of L alumnus.

Given the family lineage, it seemed natural that Lauren would choose to attend the U of L, yet she seriously entertained offers from both the Uni-

G E T T H E FA C T S • Taal set a Canada West

single-game record for steals recently, nabbing 13 steals against the University of Manitoba Bisons

• Taal has already dabbled

in coaching, teaming up with former Horns women’s head coach Dori Johnson to guide a youth league team last summer

• Her grandfather Jack

Lilja Sr. played for Canada’s 1963 World Championship Men’s Basketball Team. He wore jersey No. 7, as did Taal’s mother Lynette and as she wears today for the Horns

• Her mother Lynette was

a two-time Canada West all-star and named Pronghorn Female Athlete of the Year in 1983

• The Lilja family was

inducted into the Pronghorn Hall of Fame in 2002

Horns’ guard Lauren Taal drives the lane in a recent Canada West game.

versity of Alberta and University of Saskatchewan.

“It was a difficult decision for me because I knew how important it was and I knew how long the family tradition was to come here,” says Taal. “At the same time my parents would have supported me any place I went.”

In Taal’s time at the U of L, the Horns have never finished above the .500 mark and made just one playoff appearance.

Teammates have come and gone, she lost a close friend and mentor, suffered a major knee injury that cost her the second half of her fourth season and veered away from her intended major.

Only now, in her final year, can she see the all their hard work starting to pay off and the team making huge strides forward.

“Looking back now, I’m still really glad that I came here,” she says. “I don’t think I would have learned as much going to programs that have seen more

success. I think the people I’ve met here and the experiences I’ve had through the school and through basketball, playing with all the people I’ve played with, they’ve all had a great influence on me.”

Taal has grasped adversity and made it work for her, learning more about herself in times of challenge than she ever learned as a high school star at Lethbridge Collegiate Institute.

“I had been pretty fortunate before coming here,” says Taal.

“I’d always played on teams that were pretty good and always been one of the better players, thanks a lot to my mom’s influence. Then to struggle the way we did as a team and to get injured – when you lose something that’s been such a big part of your life it makes you stop and realize all the things you need to be grateful for because just like that, they can be taken away from you.”

Losing her friend Krista

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Heidinger (née Robson) tragically, a former Pronghorn her mother had coached, and whom she knew and looked up to since she was four years old, was another tough blow. Yet Taal, approaching her final games in a Horns jersey and ready to graduate with a degree in kinesiology this spring, is still thankful for the opportunity to have played in her hometown for the family program and with her younger sister Cassidy (second year).

“After we lost against University of Calgary this year, making it tough for us to get into the playoffs, I was pretty upset,” says Taal. “I remember coming out of the dressing room and my little cousins were there saying, “You played so well” and they were so excited. Knowing they support me and come out to games and look up to me and Cassidy, I’m very grateful to have a family that is behind me, that I’m getting an education and playing the game I love. It really

PHOTO COURTESY OF PAULA GORMAN

puts things into perspective.”

After convocation, Taal will explore professional basketball opportunities in Europe, with plans to eventually pursue a master’s degree in sports management or administration.

There’s also a good chance she’ll follow another family tradition and turn to coaching.

“I’ve gotten so much from this game, I feel a responsibility to give back to it,” she says.

“My granddad passed it on to my aunts and my mom, and she passed her love of the game on to me. Lots of people might not understand that just because they haven’t had the same upbringing but I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have basketball, so I can definitely see myself coaching.”

Whether it leads her back to the U of L once again remains to be seen.

the Legend

F E B R UA RY 2 012

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UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

Harrison assumes director’s role

BY BOB COONEY After years as a volunteer supporter, researcher, advocate and co-director at the Parkland Institute, Dr. Trevor Harrison (Sociology) has moved into the director’s chair of the Edmonton-based, but province-wide, research organization.

The Parkland Institute studies economic, social, cultural and political issues facing Albertans and Canadians, using the perspective of political economy.

“The institute shares the results of its research widely and promotes discussion of those issues,” Harrison says. “Within post-secondary institutions, Parkland Institute includes

those who are involved in interdisciplinary and sociallyengaged thinking.”

With a diverse board and support from members, Harrison says the Parkland Institute is serving a niche purpose.

“One of things that makes the Parkland Institute unique is the connection with the community,” Harrison says. “We spend a lot of time trying to get away from complex wording and jargon while preserving the intent of the research, and we try to communicate with the community at large. “ Harrison says the Parkland Institute works with religious organizations, professionals, trade unionists, the arts community, non-profit organiza-

tions, environmentalists, feminists, social movement activists, private sector individuals and other interested individuals.

Harrison cites ongoing research into disparity – economic and social – as being typical of how the Parkland Institute’s work has acted as a catalyst for social change. Alongside other research that outlined the challenges of royalty rights in the oil and gas industry, Harrison says the vastly different projects affected change and drew attention to issues common to all Albertans.

A broad base of members who pay a donation-based individual membership supports the organization, and number more than 700 – a figure Harrison

hopes to increase.

“We don’t want to be connected to any one particular group, and have found that individual members provide a good base of support. We view this as a two-way conversation, and many research topics have evolved from what our members tell us.”

New to the U of L are two awards aimed at faculty and graduate studies candidates, which Harrison hopes will spawn even more research ideas.

To learn more about the Parkland Institute, visit its website at parklandinstitute. ca or e-mail Harrison directly at trevor.harrison@uleth.ca

Lawrence Yamamoto creates a flambé for crêpes at the 7th Annual Donor Gala, held February 2 in the University Hall Atrium.

PARKLAND INSTITUTE ESTABLISHES NEW RESEARCH AWARDS The Parkland Institute is sponsoring two new awards for faculty and graduate students at the University of Lethbridge.

Worth $5,000 each, the awards reflect a desire by the Parkland Institute to broaden its research base and provide opportunities for faculty members and graduate studies candidates to work together. Contact Trevor Harrison (trevor.harrison@uleth.ca) for more information.

Parkland Institute Faculty Research Grant The Parkland Institute Faculty Research Grant (PIFRG) aims to support small-

GREAT VALUE IN RECOGNIZING AWARD WINNERS The University of Lethbridge celebrated the achievements of 21 graduate students recently at the 2012 Graduate Student Research Awards reception.

Dr. Robert Wood, dean of the School of Graduate Studies (SGS), says it is important the University recognizes the efforts of their exceptional students.

“I don’t think we do enough celebrating of our successes here, and a night like this is very important,” says Wood. “I’m not sure we always realize how many stellar researchers and outstanding students we have. The fact that they have won these awards places them among the highest calibre students in the country.”

The students recognized all received external recognition, either provincially or nationally, with grants that exceeded

scale research by University of Lethbridge faculty and their research teams, including students, in areas of public policy.

We encourage research associates to build research teams, possibly interdisciplinary teams, which could include colleagues at the U of L or elsewhere.

Eligibility

The Principal Investigator (PI) must be a University of Lethbridge Research Associate of Parkland Institute, though members of the research team may come from other institutions.

$5,000. The only internal award recognized at the ceremony was the SGS Fellowship, a $15,000 award chosen after an application process and adjudication by a selection committee.

“These are all highly competitive, very exclusive awards,” says graduate awards advisor Deirdre Coburn. “In many cases, our students are competing with students from much larger schools for these grants and scholarships, and faring extremely well.”

Wood says that not only do awards nights serve as validation for students’ efforts and achievements, they bring an external awareness to the work that is being conducted on campus.

“In terms of our own sense of pride, and in terms of enhancing our external reputation and how the broader community perceives the U of L, it’s absolutely crucial to recognize these students for their achievements,” says Wood.

“We’re proud of these students, they are academic exem-

A member of Parkland Institute’s Research Committee is eligible to apply but cannot participate in discussions related to evaluation of the proposals.

Parkland Institute Graduate Research Award The Parkland Institute Graduate Research Award (PIGRA) aims to encourage research and advance training of graduate students from all faculties.

The program facilitates research advancement by providing students with a suitable research training experience with a Parkland Institute Research Associate at the University of

plars, and they are ambassadors for the U of L.” Following is a list of the 2012 award winners.

Alberta Innovates Health Solutions Erin Zelinski (Robert Sutherland) Neuroscience Corinne Sidler, (Olga Kovalchuk) Biological Sciences Alberta Innovates - Technology Futures Aaron Mullin (Craig Coburn) Geography Alberta Cancer Foundation Lidiya Luzhna, (Olga Kovalchuk) Biological Sciences Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship Doctoral (NSERC) Patrick Barks, (Robert Laird) Biological Sciences Andrew Hudson (Cameron Goater & Tony Russell) Biological Sciences

6

Lethbridge dealing with public policy research.

Eligibility

At the time of application the student must: • be a full-time graduate student • have a cumulative GPA of 3.60 or higher • plan to return to full-time graduate studies at the University of Lethbridge in the semester immediately following the award.

Jenni Karl (Ian Whishaw) Neuroscience

Daniel Rutledge (Sameer Deshpande) Management

Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship Master (NSERC) Kathryn Kuchapski, (Joseph Rasmussen) Biological Sciences

Rachel Shields (Jason Laurendeau) Sociology

Kirsten Rosler (Hans-Joachim Wieden) Chemistry and Biochemistry

School of Graduate Studies Fellowship Darcy Best (Hadi Kharaghani) Mathematics & Computer Science

Aaron Mullin (Craig Coburn) Geography Natalie Freeman (Louise Barrett & Peter Henzi) Psychology Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship Master’s (SSHRC) Gillian Ayers (Claudia Malacrida) Sociology Leslie Bush (Robbin Derry) Management Stacey Leavitt (Michelle Helstein & Sean Brayton) Kinesiology & Physical Ed

Mark Bruce (Dawn McBride) Education

Health Quality Council of Alberta Shannon Vandenberg (Judith Kulig) Health Sciences endMS Brietta Gerrard (Artur Luczak) Neuroscience Alberta Gambling Research Institute Scott Oberg (Matthew Tata) Neuroscience

F E B R UA RY 2 012

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the Legend

UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

Announcements to set stage for future

BY RICHARD WESTLUND This week will be very telling for Alberta’s post-secondary sector as Alberta’s Speech from the Throne is read (Feb. 7) and the Government of Alberta’s budget is released (Feb. 9).

Alberta Finance Minister Ron Liepert has hinted that the budget will not include any large expenditures or adversely any deep cuts, and that the health and education sectors remain priority areas for the government.

The U of L has spent a great deal of time over the past year advocating for stable and predictable funding that reflects the institution’s mandate. Any budget documents from this week’s release will be available on the Government Relations blog (blogs.ulethbridge.ca/ government-relations).

Cabinet tour hits U of L

In late January, Alberta cabinet ministers took part in an outreach tour of the province. Minister of Culture and Community Services, Heather Klimchuk, along with Advanced Education and Technology Minister, Greg Weadick, spent some time on campus looking at various facilities.

Considering the cultural component to Klimchuk’s responsibilities, she was shown the Digital Audio Arts facility as well as some of the Art Gallery’s storage areas. Klimchuk had the opportunity to see some amazing pieces from the U of L Art Collection while on a tour last year as well. She understands

the uniqueness of the Art Gallery’s program as a valuable teaching resource for our students, as well as a cultural resource for the broader public.

Ministerial Decks

In an effort to make both elected and non-elected government members more aware of the University’s teaching and research strengths, the Government Relations Office is creating general briefings, or Ministerial Decks.

These general briefings are sent directly to managers, directors, assistant deputy ministers, deputy ministers, elected members and their staff, as well as made available on the U of L’s Government Relations website (www.uleth.ca/president/government-relations).

In recent months, briefings related to the U of L’s relevance in the agriculture industry and issues related to water and the environment have been created and released. The third installment, focusing on health and wellness, will be available shortly.

One of the challenges of this project is including only a few of the many compelling stories the U of L has to offer in these areas. The goal of these publications is to ensure the U of L is viewed as an institution that has a significant role to play in issues that resonate with the government and citizens of Alberta.

Richard Westlund is the University’s director of government relations.

INGRID SPEAKER

N O M I N AT I O N S Medal for Distinguished Research, Scholarship, or Performance The award is open to all full and part-time members of the academic staff currently employed at The University of Lethbridge.

Deadline for nominations and supporting documents:

February 29, 2012

Nominations are welcome from any member of the University community, including faculty, alumni, staff, students, Senate and Board of Governors.

FOR NOMINATION FORMS, CONTACT THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT:

403-329-2286 http://www.uleth.ca/awards/ingrid-speaker-medal

Roy Golsteyn is an associate professor of biology and an Alberta Ingenuity faculty member at the University of Lethbridge.

He directs the Cancer Cell Laboratory where his team studies the problem of how cancer cells escape a cancer treatment. The majority of cancer patients in Canada will receive some form of treatment, such as chemotherapy or radiation, and unfortunately these treatments are not as successful as we would like them to be.

To improve them, we need to understand all the steps that occur after a treatment. Golsteyn’s research team has developed a new experimental system that uses microscopes and special biological tools to study how cancer cells react to treatments. They have found that after a treatment, cancer cells will divide one more time, a “double-or-nothing” gamble called checkpoint adaptation that may produce cells that are resistant to future treatments.

Golsteyn’s laboratory studies checkpoint adaptation in collaboration with biotechnology companies and the pharmaceutical industry, with the goal of helping doctors improve treatments for cancer patients.

What first piqued your interest in your research discipline?

I actually recall clearly when I first became interested in cancer research. I was a research fellow at the Institute Curie. At that time, a medical research laboratory had pub-

7

lished the results of a clinical trial in which a new anticancer drug was tested. The trial was deemed to be successful, and yet upon studying the results I was stunned to learn that many of the patients in the clinical trial succumbed to the disease. It was then that I realized just how difficult the disease is, and that doctors and patients need better treatments.

train them, we quickly see the weak points in our own knowledge. When they become autonomous, they think of questions that we had not yet even imagined and thus they push at the old barriers in science. Finally, the best students have incredible energy and an open mind, something that we seem to lose as we get older. We need students in research.

How is your research applicable in “the real world”?

If you had unlimited funds, which areas of research would you invest?

I am a basic research scientist who studies cancer cells. In my laboratory, our goal is to contribute to the cure. Cancer is a major disease that touches many people, including indirectly our family and friends. We sometimes collaborate with biotechnology companies and with the pharmaceutical industry, in which case we focus on real world problems such as improving existing cancer drugs.

What is the greatest honour you have received in your career?

The greatest honour is leading research projects that are funded by charitable donations. People generously give their money without asking precisely how it will be used. We try to meet this honour by doing the best research that we can and by sharing our knowledge as quickly as possible.

How important are students to your research endeavours?

Students are the lifeblood of research. When we

Very simple. Rather than funding an area of research, I would fund scientists who are very motivated and propose a well thought-out question. Motivated people get things done, so it seems natural to help them go to work. Our best ideas come from the imagination, not from instructions. Our knowledge about how cancer cells divide came from someone who studied cell division in sea urchin eggs. It was not expensive research, but it was amongst the most valuable and that made it an excellent investment.

Each month, the Legend will present 5 Questions With . . . one of our researchers. For a look at the entire catalog of 5 Questions With . . . features, check out the Office of Research and Innovation Services website at www.uleth. ca/research/research_profiles. If you’d like to be profiled, contact Penny Pickles at pickpj@uleth.ca

OUR

alumni

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UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

Fiat Lux Ring an iconic symbol of maturing University

BY STACY SEGUIN

W

hether intricately crafted from precious metals and gems, delicately carved out of stone or meticulously woven of grass, the ring has become a familiar symbol worn throughout history, signifying everything from love and commitment to fellowship and achievement.

On Jan. 26, at the University of Lethbridge’s 45th anniversary celebration, the University of Lethbridge Alumni Association (ULAA) was delighted to announce the creation of a brand new University symbol, the Fiat Lux alumni ring.

“The beauty of the ring is that it says everything we wanted to say.”

KATHY LEWIS

“I think this is a wonderful initiative,” says Maureen Schwartz, director, Alumni Relations. “The Fiat Lux ring is a great tradition to begin, and my hope is that it will tie all alumni together in a common bond for their alma mater.”

The ring is a culmination of several years of hard work. It began in 2008 when the Students’ Union approached the ULAA with the idea of an alumni ring.

“It just seemed to be the right idea at the right time.

There was a nice mix of older alums and fairly recent graduates on the council and we all agreed that it was something that everyone wanted,” says ULAA President, Kathy Lewis.

“We sent out a call for designs

SCHOLARSHIP DINNER TO HONOUR ALLEN

BY ZYNA TAYLOR The University of Lethbridge’s Faculty of Management will celebrate its 25th anniversary, in the U of L’s 45th year, by honouring a man who has devoted his life to his family, career and the community.

The Faculty will honour Del Allen, the founder of D.A. Electric and a well-known community volunteer, entrepreneur, supporter of post-secondary education, sport and youth programming in the city, at its

The Fiat Lux Ring is now available for purchase through the Alumni Association website.

and in the end we agreed on a beautiful design created by one of our students, Eric Klempnauer.”

Klempnauer, a second year new media student at the time, was sitting in an introductory 3D modelling class when he first learned about the competition in the fall of 2010.

“I designed the ring on a 3D modelling program on the computer. It was my first experience with this. I just thought it would be good practice for me. I wasn’t really that serious at first

Thursday, Apr. 5 Management Scholarship Dinner. Proceeds from the event will support the Del Allen Scholarship.

Allen established D.A. Electric with his brother Don in 1975 and it quickly grew into a successful regional enterprise. His son Doug now manages the daily affairs of the business. The success of D.A. Electric, combined with Allen’s values and sense of community, have allowed him to support and help provide direction for many local groups, including the Boys and Girls Club of Lethbridge and District, Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce, Lethbridge Construction Association, the Interfaith Food Bank and numerous sports organizations.

because I didn’t think I would ever get chosen, but my friends kept telling me that it looked really good, that they would love to wear it. That was when it became quite a serious competition for me,” explains Klempnauer who, ironically, received word that his design had been chosen the following spring while he was sitting in an advanced 3D modelling class.

“The design is something that isn’t too bulky so it works well for men and women. It is a simple band with slightly

Del Allen

Allen has also generously supported further education through donations to post-secondary institutions, including funding for Univer-

8

raised edges. On the front is the University’s crest – the sun – surrounded by the University’s motto, Fiat on one side and Lux on the other (let there be light). I felt it was important to get the motto and crest in the design because they represent the University so well. The idea for the raised edges came from the design of University Hall and how it seems to rise out of the coulees. I am really proud of the ring and I believe others will be proud to wear it,” says Klempnauer. “I am very excited to

sity of Lethbridge athletics and academic scholarships, and a sizeable financial commitment to the library in 1995.

Allen was also a member of the Lethbridge College Wind Turbine Advisory Committee, helping the College develop its wind generation program. In addition, he made a major donation toward the construction of the Trades Building on the college campus.

While Allen’s business has wired a massive number of homes, businesses and industrial projects over the years, one of his brightest ideas, and most visually spectacular projects, was the lighting of the High Level Bridge in September 2009 during its centennial celebrations. He also

become an alumnus, especially now with the ring, because when you become alumni you become part of a family. The ring is a reminder of your time here and the friends you made; it is a way of connecting, and staying connected, with other people.”

Lewis agrees, saying she believes that the ring is also a symbol of growth and maturity.

“We are 45 years old and 33,000 alumni strong. The ring is an iconic symbol of a University that is coming of age. We have reached a critical mass and we are everywhere in the world.

We want alumni to be able to identify each other by the rings on their fingers. We would like people to be curious and ask about the ring to create a worldwide awareness of the University,” says Lewis. “The beauty of the ring is that it says everything we wanted to say. I think it will be very nice to have something on my finger that reminds me, let there be light.”

Cast in brushed silver, the ring is available in both wide and narrow bands. Each will be numbered sequentially and alumni can request a specific number. The rings will be made in partnership with Tompkins Jewellers and pictures of the ring as well as information on how to order one can be found on the alumni website (www.uleth.ca/ alumni).

“We are going to begin a new tradition and have a special Fiat Lux ring ceremony in May at the annual Alumni Honour Society event just prior to convocation, to present the rings to all those who have ordered them,” explains Schwartz. “We will then have another ceremony again in the fall. We have had so many people inquire about the ring and have had so many positive comments. I am absolutely thrilled.”

helped bring the illuminated Christmas Train for a stop on the bridge that December. Allen and D.A. Electric most fittingly won the Spirit of Lethbridge Award that year.

The Management Scholarship Dinner traditionally sells out quickly, so for those wishing to attend, ensure you reserve individual tickets or a table as soon as possible. Tickets, priced at $125 may be purchased online at www.uleth.ca/conreg/scholarship_dinner.

If you wish to learn more about sponsorship opportunities, reserving corporate tables, ordering tickets by phone or making a donation to the Del Allen Scholarship Fund, call 403-329-5181.

H E A LT H

& wellness

Health Sciences producing ready grads

BY TREVOR KENNEY

T

he best testimony as to whether a program works or not is to see the end result. Christine Knaus, soon to be a graduate of the University’s Faculty of Health Sciences Public Health program, is that end result – and yes, the program does work.

Knaus, who is set to convocate this spring, is already employed as an infection control practitioner with Alberta Health Services (AHS), having turned her practicum placement into a full-time job. The only downside is that she now has to finish her Registered Nurse designation online.

“I would have loved to finish my nursing training at the U of L too but because they did such a good job training me, I got a job right out of school and couldn’t come back,” laughs Knaus, the AHS infection control site lead for the southwestern portion of the province.

“My professors played such a big role impacting my life and inspiring me.”

CHRISTINE KNAUS

Knaus started her postsecondary career at Lethbridge College, taking two years of nursing. Her interests however were in the public health portion of the program. When the University debuted its public health degree, she jumped at the opportunity to pursue her passion.

“When this program opened, it was the right time to move into it,” says Knaus, a native of Lanigan, Saskatchewan. “I enjoyed nursing but public health allowed me to help those people who are not yet in hospital to be healthy and prevent them from future visits to the hospital.”

She and her classmates reveled in the opportunities afforded them with a brand new program, including the chance to shape how it would be delivered.

“Because there were so few of us we really got to give a lot of input into curriculum, what was working and what wasn’t working,” she says. “We were often referred to as the guinea pigs of the program. It was a trial but we got an amaz-

LEARNING THE TRUTH ABOUT HEART DISEASE

BY SUZANNE MCINTOSH

Infection control practitioner Christine Knaus assists Faculty of Health Sciences Dean Dr. Chris Hosgood in demonstrating proper gowning techniques.

ing education because they did a great job of finding classes for us and even making classes that would help us as practitioners in the public health field.”

Knaus credits the faculty for engaging its students in discussions about classes, the hiring of professors and the program’s delivery. In fact, as the first group neared completion of the program, they lobbied for change to one of its most difficult, and what they deemed impractical, courses. It was subsequently changed to better serve future students.

“That’s one of the aspects I give the Faculty of Health Sciences so much credit for,” says Knaus. “When you give them feedback, they take it seriously and you always feel as though you’re a part of the decision-making.”

Knaus excels in such an environment. She grew up admiring her grandmother’s efforts in changing the world through volunteerism in a family that championed the ideal of being an active part of your community and given the chance, grasped the opportunity to take control of her education. In 2010, she was the only undergraduate student who had an abstract accepted to the Canadian Society for Epidemiology and Biostatistics Student Conference, and she developed a stroke resource guide for patients and caregivers that is now being implemented in facilities in both Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Her practicum placement allowed her the chance

G E T T H E FA C T S • In 2011, Knaus was

nominated for the City of Lethbridge Leaders of Tomorrow Award

• She has two younger

brothers (one who attends University of Saskatchewan and another in high school) as well as a younger sister

• Knaus does not want

to single out any specific professors because, “They were all so good to me, and although they taught us a lot to do with school, they also taught us so much in terms of life lessons.”

• Knaus was co-president

of the Public Health Students Association and was co-Chair for the Health Sciences Haiti Benefit earthquake fundraiser that raised over $5,000

• She coaches pee wee

and bantam level female hockey, and is currently working on developing a summer hockey school program designed to give access to those who could not otherwise afford to participate

to work under Dr. Vivien Suttorp, the medical officer of health at Alberta Health Services.

9

“I learned so much in that role,” says Knaus. “I was thrown right into the position, and got to go with environmental public health to see things such as hoarding houses, water leaks at various facilities, review environmental services cleaning at Chinook Regional Hospital, it really took me everywhere.

And it was essentially my practicum that got me my current job with AHS.” As an infection control practitioner, Knaus says she is a resource for hospitals.

“Any time there is an outbreak in a hospital or an Alberta Health Services facility, we assist with that. Infection control is dedicated to the prevention of healthcareassociated infections. Practitioners use surveillance to improve patient outcomes. We focus on reducing the transmission of microbes through patient care practices, sterilization, disinfection cleaning, outbreak management and environmental design, and the most important being hand hygiene.”

Knaus accepts her role as a pioneer of the program, and wants to continue to shape its future. She comes back to campus to speak to current students and eyes returning as a master’s student and possible lecturer.

“I would like to end up teaching here at some point, maybe an evening class or two,” she says. “My professors played such a big role impacting my life and inspiring me, I’d really like to give that back to the next generation of students.”

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women in Canada and the United States.

The various forms of heart disease include coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, heart failure and heart attacks. Heart disease accounts for 35,000 deaths per year among women in Canada, and of these deaths, 54 per cent were due to ischemic heart disease, 20 per cent due to stroke, and 23 per cent due to myocardial infarction (heart attacks).

These are sobering statistics that deserve our attention.

So, exactly what is heart disease?

Your heart is a muscle that gets energy from blood carrying oxygen and nutrients. Having a constant supply of blood keeps your heart working properly. Most people think of heart disease as one condition. In fact, heart disease is a group of conditions affecting the structure and functions of the heart and has many root causes.

The positive is that heart disease is both preventable and manageable.

While you cannot control your age, gender, ethnicity and family history, risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, stress, excessive alcohol consumption, physical inactivity and being overweight are all readily modifiable.

For more information on women and heart disease, visit www. heartandstroke.ca and www.myhealthcheckup.com or call Building Healthy Lifestyles at 403-388-6675.

If you’d like to find out more about your risk of heart disease, register for this semester’s Health Check for U session, a 15-minute confidential free screening program.

It includes cholesterol and blood sugar level checks, blood pressure, height, weight and waist circumference measurements and a follow-up consultation.

Check out your heart’s age – take charge of your health and put your Heart into it! To register send an e-mail to wellness@uleth.ca. Past participants are welcome to come back for a second or third screening to see if there have been any changes.

In other Wellness news, minimassages are available through March, as provided by Lethbridge College Massage Therapy students.

Drop in for a 10 to 15 minute massage or register at wellness@uleth.ca. The next session is Feb. 27, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. in AH117.

The February Wellness Lunch and Learn session is Thursday, Feb. 16 at 12:05 p.m. in AH100. 3 Secrets to Stress Management will feature a presentation from chiropractor Dr. Pierre Gaulin.

Suzanne McIntosh is the University’s wellness co-ordinator. This article was prepared with the assistance of Marci Neher-Schwengler RN, Heart Function Clinic/Heart Failure Network, Building Healthy Lifestyles.

the Legend

F E B R UA RY 2 012

events C A L E N D A R

Pronghorn Athletics Feb. 10-11 | Canada West Basketball Horns host University of Regina | Women’s game, 6 p.m.; Men’s game, 8 p.m. | 1st Choice Savings Centre gym

Lectures Feb. 8 | Home Depot Information Session Career & Employment Services presents an information session on Home Depot | 10 a.m., University Hall Atrium Feb. 8 | Art Now: Andrew Horrall Noon, University Recital Hall (W570) Feb. 9 | ‘Deathmaking’ and disability: The Case of Robert Latimer | Bruce Uditsky of the University of Calgary discusses the Robert Latimer case and its implications for people with disabilities | 7 p.m., Andy’s Place (AH100) Feb. 9 | CMA Leadership & Innovation Speaker Series | Featuring Don Bell, founder and former executive vice-president of WestJet | 8 p.m., Lethbridge Lodge Feb. 10 | CAETL Talking About Teaching Instructor Perspectives on E-Learning, an online discussion at uleth.adobeconnect.com/ talkingaboutteaching | 2 p.m.

Feb. 10 | CMA Leadership & Innovation Speaker Series | Featuring Cathrine Ann, award-winning entrepreneur and inspirational speaker | 2 p.m., U of L Students’ Union Ballroom Feb. 10 | Department of Geography Speaker Series | Dr. Duane Froese, associate professor and Canada Research Chair in Northern Environmental Change, presents A lost world preserved in underground ice: Discovering Ice Age Beringia | 3 p.m., AH116 Feb. 10 | Department of Philosophy Speakers’ Series | Professor Peter Alward presents Varieties of Photographic Fiction | 3:15 p.m., B650

ULSU CHARITABLE EFFORTS LAUDABLE

BY KYLE DODGSON Life isn’t always a breeze, and every once in a while we are all in need of a helping hand. Students are no different.

Thankfully, there are numerous services offered by the University of Lethbridge and the University of Lethbridge Students’ Union (ULSU) to help students whenever life’s pinch gets a little too tight, but this is only one side of the charitable coin at the University of Lethbridge.

How Important are Fathers to Ending Violence in Families? | 3 p.m., Students’ Union Ballroom A

Feb. 13 | Art Now: Clive Robertson Noon, University Recital Hall (W570)

Feb. 27 | Architecture & Design Now: Architect Douglas Cardinal | 6:15 p.m., M1040

Feb. 13 | Architecture & Design Now: Toronto architect Janna Levitt 6 p.m., M1040

Feb. 29 | Art Now: Jason Berg | Noon, University Recital Hall (W570) Mar. 2 | Art Now: Arthur Renwick | Noon, University Recital Hall (W570)

Feb. 13 | Cade Community Lecture Jonathan Legg of Lethbridge College presents Arts and Design: Body and Soul | 7:30 p.m., Lethbridge Public Library

Mar. 5 | Art Now: Industrial designer Katherine Morley | Noon, University Recital Hall (W570)

Feb. 15 | World Health Information Session | Career & Employment Services presents an information session on World Health fitness | 3 p.m., AH117

Mar. 5 | Architecture & Design Now: Industrial designer Katherine Morley 6:15 p.m., M1040

Feb. 15 | ISN Software Corporation Information Session | Career & Employment Services presents an information session on ISN Software Corporation | 6 p.m., L1168

Performances Feb. 7 | Music at Noon: Sarah Gieck (flute), Bente Hansen (piano) | 12:15 p.m., University Recital Hall (W570)

Feb. 15 | Companion Planting for the Vegetable Garden | The Campus Roots Community Garden Association presents a workshop on the practice of growing compatible plants together, a valuable tool in organic gardening | 7 p.m., AH116

Feb. 9 | U of L Wind Orchestra | Join the University of Lethbridge Wind Orchestra and Calgary’s Sir Winston Churchill High School Symphonic Band for en evening performance 7:30 p.m., College Drive Community Church

Feb. 16 | Wellness Lunch and Learn 3 Secrets to Stress Management with chiropractor Dr. Pierre Gaulin | 12:05 p.m., AH100

Feb. 10 | The Game of Love: Winners and Losers | A short talk followed by a concert featuring music faculty and students | 7:30 p.m., Lethbridge Public Library

Feb. 16 | Chemistry & Biochemistry Guest Speaker | Dr. Andrew Grosvenor, University of Saskatchewan, presents Using synchrotron radiation to shine a light on solidstate chemistry | 12:15 p.m., C640

Feb. 14 | Music at Noon: Musaeus String Quartet | 12:15 p.m., University Recital Hall (W570) Feb. 14-18 | Hamlet by Shakespeare His father murdered and his mother remarried to the uncle he suspects of the killing, Hamlet’s world has been turned upside down. Hamlet is the fullest expression of Shakespeare’s genius 8 p.m. nightly (Feb. 16 matinee at 11 a.m.), University Theatre

Feb. 16 | Agricultural Innovation and Business Speaker’s Series | Current and Future Status of Biofuels as presented by Jim Thacker, director at Kyoto Fuels Corporation 7:30 p.m., Galt Museum & Archives Feb. 17 | Art Now: Painter and printmaker Julie Duschenes | Noon, University Recital Hall (W570)

Feb. 28 | Music at Noon: Dr. Christianne Rushton (mezzo-soprano), Dr. Deanna Oye (piano) | 12:15 p.m., University Recital Hall (W570)

Feb. 27 | Women Scholars Speaker Series: Dr. Katreena Scott | Scott presents

The flip side to the long list of services offered to students are the charitable actions and efforts of students who want to make life just a little easier for those who need it.

The beneficiaries range from those within the University community to the local and provincial communities and as far reaching as beyond international borders.

The University of Lethbridge Students’ Union works diligently to provide an avenue for motivated students to host charitable events on campus. Most recently, Paul Klein and Maxine Saretsky, members of the ULSU General Assembly (GA), organized a shoe drive benefitting Soles 4 Souls. The

Nashville-based organization has been collecting and distributing shoes to disadvantaged persons since 2005 and they currently reach people in need in 127 countries.

Over the course of a frigid week in January, the University community donated 194 pairs of shoes to the organization’s cause.

After this year’s successful showing, Maxine and Paul hope to have the event return next year.

Another annual charitable event by students profiting students is the ULSU and Education Undergraduate Society (EUS) Fashion Drive. Now in its third year, and spearheaded by GA Education Rep Eva Gorny, the EUS

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UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

Mar. 1-3 | TheatreXtra: Wide Awake Hearts | By Canadian playwright Brendan Gall, Wide Awake Hearts exposes love’s deceptions | 8 p.m. nightly (2 p.m. matinee on Mar. 3), David Spinks Theatre

Miscellaneous Feb. 8 | Archaeological Field School in Israel Information Session | Dr. Shawn Bubel hosts an evening session detailing this summer’s archaeological field school in Israel 5:30 p.m., AH117 Feb. 15 | Student Speaker Challenge Quarter-final Session 4 – Danika Jorgensen McGuire vs. Martin Heavy Head | 12:15 p.m., Students’ Union Ballroom A Feb. 27 to Mar. 2 | Native Awareness Week 2012 Feb. 27 | Mini-Massages | Free 15-minute mini-massages from Lethbridge College Massage Therapy Students 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., AH117 Feb. 28 | Student Speaker Challenge Semifinal Session 1 | 4 p.m., Students’ Union Ballroom A Feb. 29 | NFB Film Club: Mighty Jerome A film about the rise, fall and redemption of Harry Jerome, track and field star and one of Canada’s greatest athletes | 7 p.m., L950 Feb. 29 | Cinema Politica: Bananas!

Juan ‘Accidentes’ Dominguez assists 12 Nicaraguan banana workers in a groundbreaking legal battle against Dole Food 7 p.m., Galileo’s Lounge Mar. 1 | New Media Film Series: The Tree of Life | 6:30 p.m., Lethbridge Public Library Mar. 2 to Apr. 6 | Concertino Featuring an electric range of works from the U of L Art Collection that address music and social gatherings focused on music performances, such as dance halls and orchestras | Helen Christou Gallery Mar. 7 | Student Speaker Challenge Semifinal Session 2 | 4 p.m., Students’ Union Ballroom A

Fashion Drive benefits scholarships for Faculty of Education students.

The proceeds raised help to assist future teachers during their third practical semester and their first year in the profession.

The goal of this event is to raise enough money to keep this scholarship going for at least two additional years. Funding will be distributed in $500 increments to education students who qualify.

The collection period for this year’s event takes place from Feb. 6-17 and there will be collection boxes located across campus. The fashion sale will take place on Feb. 28-29 in the Students’ Union Ballroom B (SU200B).

The focus of the sale may be to help education students through their studies but the entire University community benefits from the great prices and items available at the sale. Students will have the opportunity to refresh their wardrobe with minimal impact on their pocketbooks, all the while helping their fellow students – a win-win situation.

The wellbeing of the University of Lethbridge’s student community remains at the heart of the ULSU’s charitable efforts and they continue to seek out new and innovative efforts to improve the lives of their students and the community.

FINE ARTS

in focus

Shakespeare’s best on stage

Love is in the air!

From its deepest passions to heartbreaking cruelties, all aspects of love are musically revealed during The Game of Love: Winners & Losers on Friday, Feb. 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the Lethbridge Public Library Theatre.

Learn about the many interpretations of love by the masters of music with an insightful lecture by Dr. Brian Black preceding the concert at 7:30 p.m.

The evening’s program, performed by U of L music faculty and students, includes Chopin’s passionate Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23 for piano, Schumann’s Romance for Flute and Piano, and three excerpts from the song cycle Try Me Good King: Last Words of the Wives of Henry VIII by

H

amlet is the culmination of Shakespeare’s profound genius at the height of his career as a playwright. It is synonymous with the classic conception of theatre; from its unforgettable imagery to its moving poetry and poignant plot.

Hamlet takes to the University Theatre stage Feb. 14-18 with performances at 8 p.m. nightly.

Directed by Brian Parkinson, Hamlet is a production that requires tremendous resources, research and creative consideration.

“Hamlet is the pinnacle production in a director’s career; it’s the kind of play on every director’s bucket list. It is the ultimate directing challenge because it is comprised of so many layers,” says Parkinson.

Revenge, deception, incest, love and murder are some of the themes knitted throughout Shakespeare’s script. It is also the longest of Shakespeare’s works, and as such, poses numerous challenges for directors and actors.

“There isn’t a single production of Hamlet that has the same script,” Parkinson says. “Director’s change and cut components of it, making bold choices to keep audiences riveted. In preparation, I worked for many months on the version we are using – a combination of all three editions – First Quarto, Second Quarto and First Folio.

I’m confident we have a script that will engage our audience.”

His father murdered and his mother remarried to the uncle he suspects of the killing, Hamlet’s world has been turned upside down and into uncertainty.

Struggling to understand how this world and his mother are able to move on, Hamlet, tormented with loathing and consumed with grief, plans to

INSTALLATION CREATING STIR IN 1ST CHOICE SAVINGS CENTRE What is red, black, white and causing a stir? It’s the new art installation in the 1st Choice Savings Centre for Health and Wellness.

Entitled Seek Knowledge Even Onto China by London, Ont. artist Jamelie Hassan, the work is a recent acquisition by the University of Lethbridge Art Gallery. It was purchased with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Assistance program, Sam Hassan and an anonymous donor.

MUSICAL GAME OF LOVE Libby Larsen.

“As the title indicates, the texts of the songs are drawn from the last words of Henry VIII’s wives, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour and Anne of Cleves,” says Black. “All are very dramatic – particularly of Anne Boleyn’s – which sets her words on the eve of her execution.”

From Thomas Morley’s madrigal, Though Philomela Lost her Love, sung by the U of L Women’s Choir, to two love songs

by Debussy, the program presents classical compositions devoted to the lighter and darker side of love from the Elizabethan age to the 20th century.

Admission to The Game of Love: Winners & Losers is free and everyone is welcome.

THEATREXTRA DELVES INTO INFIDELITY WITH CANADIAN PLAY WIDE AWAKE HEARTS

Hamlet features revenge, deception, incest, love and murder.

“Seek Knowledge Even Onto China is a deceptively simple work that consists of carrying out the artist’s precise instructions for installation,” explains Dr. Josephine Mills, Director/ Curator U of L Art Gallery.

“Those include painting the wall a specific shade of red and attaching the black and white vinyl lettering, which are scaled to fit the location and repeats the title of the work in Arabic and Chinese characters.”

Seek Knowledge Even Onto China can be displayed either inside a gallery, as it was last year at the University of Lethbridge as part of a touring exhibition surveying Hassan’s career, or in a public location as it is now. The work is a limited edition and thus, despite the technical ease to reproduce it,

avenge his father’s death.

MFA candidate David Barrus designed the world in which Hamlet’s tragedy unfolds.

“Barrus has created a superb setting that can infer multiple places,” says Parkinson. “Our interpretation is modern; from the costumes designed by Leslie Robison-Greene to the modern weaponry, but it all exists on a very neutral stage. We’ve transported Hamlet’s origins from ancient Denmark to an interpretation of a royal family of today.

“What interests me is framing the play in a contemporary context, so that it is relevant and understandable to the audience.”

Tickets are available at the University Box Office, Monday through Friday, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. or by calling 403-329-2616. Tickets are $15 regular, $10 for seniors and students.

there is a limit on the number of works that can exist.

Internationally renowned, with an extensive exhibition history, Hassan’s practice has been distinguished by her use of a wide range of media – ceramics, watercolours, bookworks, photographs, video and installations – from which she selects an approach appropriate to the task at hand.

“Her work is well suited for public art because of her use of text that connects with memory and identity and her interest in exploring cross-cultural exchange and communication,” says Mills. “While travel has a significant influence on Hassan’s creative output, equally important to her practice is her view on the world from her

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When a prodigious young film producer and screenwriter casts his wife and his best friend as lovers in his new film, and their on-screen intimacy spills over into real-life, he has to wonder: did he unwittingly tap into a preexisting affair, or did he write it into existence?

TheatreXtra’s latest production, Wide Awake Hearts, by Canadian playwright Brendan Gall, exposes love’s deceptions and truths in the David Spinks Theatre Mar. 1-3 nightly at 8 p.m. nightly, with a 2 p.m. matinee on Mar. 3.

Recently nominated for a Governor General’s Award, this production of Wide Awake Hearts is the first time the play has been performed since it premiered at Toronto’s Tarragon Theatre in Nov. 2010. For fourthyear drama major and second-

The Hassan work Seek Knowledge Even Onto China as it is being installed.

home in London. Her pioneering practice has steadfastly asserted

time TheatreXtra director Kyle Schulte, this play was the perfect choice.

“I was introduced to Gall’s script by my drama professor, Nicholas Hanson. When I read it, I was on the edge of my seat. The play is very dramatic with hardhitting relationships among four characters, and some unexpected twists,” Schulte says.

Incorporating multimedia projections provided Schulte and his crew with numerous challenges but will dramatically add to the audience’s enjoyment.

“I’m excited to see it all come together,” he says. “I’m thrilled to present a fantastic new Canadian play as part of this year’s season.

It’s a privilege to be directing for TheatreXtra again.”

Tickets for Wide Awake Hearts are on sale at the University Box Office.

that artists have a responsibility to address the critical issues of our time while her geographical location in southwestern Ontario grounds her practice.”

Despite the influence of her home, Hassan’s work is equally influenced by other places: her research and travels in Asia, the Americas, the Middle East and particularly in Lebanon, the homeland of her parents.

This installation is part of a new direction when it comes to public art on the U of L campus.

“I’m interested in expanding the range of what we have for public art on campus,” says Mills. “It can be installations like this work, or other options beyond sculpture or framed works.”

images L ASTING

(TOP LEFT) David Bolduc, Alphabet, 1989. From the University of Lethbridge Art Collection; Gift of Irving Zucker, 1993.

(TOP RIGHT) Mary

(BOTTOM LEFT) John Will,

(MIDDLE RIGHT) N.E. Thing

From the University of Lethbridge Art Collection; Gift of the artist, 1991.

Collection; Purchased in 1977.

Oh Calgary Put Me In Your Art Bank, 1973.

Scott, You are Different, 1983. From the University of Lethbridge Art Collection; Gift of the artist, 1994.

Co., P+L+P+L+P=VSI (VSI Formula No. 10), 1970. From the University of Lethbridge Art

There are 20 basic scribbles that are used in different combinations to create both art and letters. Children can draw single and multiple lines by age two. A code or pattern that uses these lines is taught to children by their caretakers, and the lines gain distinction as being either drawing or writing. Drawing and writing each gain their own language, a language that is expanded by those that come before and after each line-making, always connected by those words: the mark and the line.

Text art serves as a reminder or a bridge that the two are not so different. Text art fuses the writing language with the drawing language to demonstrate, create, enhance or just plain challenge communication. The addition of text to drawing implies that the text will explain the drawing, but comprehending the text part of text art relies on the viewer’s/reader’s knowledge of the written language. The relationships between the text and the drawing and between the viewer and the lines are the subject of comparison between these artworks.

What does it mean? The text should make meaning more obvious, but sometimes it obscures meaning.

Sometimes meaning just comes and goes and we use the lines as an anchor point. Maybe the fusion of text and drawing compares and contrasts forms of communication. Or maybe they simply point back to those 20 basic scribbles.

These selections from the University of Lethbridge Art Collection illustrate the fusion of art and text in a variety of media and concepts.

Bonnie Patton, Museum Studies Intern