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s B R A N D O N U N I V E R S I T Y S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 0 9 d n e i r f | s r o n o d | i n m u l a ALUMNI N E W S INSIDE THIS ISSUE Honorary Degrees Award Winners Renaissance Couple Keeping in Touch A tribute to Louis & Mary Visentin Alumna Profile Homecoming 2009 REGISTRATION INSIDE! INSIDE THIS ISSUE V O L U M E 1 1 0 I S S U E 0 1 THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS EXECUTIVE EDITORS FEATURES Carla Eisler – [email protected] Lisa Thomson – [email protected] 7 Honorary Degrees WRITERS Carla Eisler, Shawna English, Kelly Stifora 8 Award Winners & Lisa Thomson 9 Feature Story: Renaissance Couple PHOTOGRAPHY Sandy Black, Ken Frazer, Kelly Stifora & Lisa Thomson 17 Ciao Visentin!: Memories and Farewells GRAPHIC DESIGN Angela Andrey of Webber Printing PRINTER Leech Printing This magazine was printed on FSC Certified stock at Leech Printing Limited, a COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) chain of custody certified printer. For more information go to www.fsc.org. 4 President’s Message FEEDBACK OR LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 5 BU News and Highlights [email protected] 19 ADVERTISING Alumni Association Greetings 204.727.9762 [email protected] 20 Keeping in Touch/In Memoriam SEND US YOUR STORIES 22 Fall Homecoming 2009 A personable and friendly place like Brandon University (BU) no doubt harbours a multitude of heart-warming 24 Alumna Profile: Kimberly Spears stories. As alumni, you have much to tell about the relationships that you developed 25 Brandon University Foundation while at BU. Was BU the meeting ground for you and your spouse, a business partner, or best friend? Perhaps you 27 In Your Words: Di Brandt developed a lifelong mentorship with a special faculty member. If you have any suggestions, or know of an outstanding alumna/alumnus you believe we should feature, please contact the Alumni Office. We look forward to hearing your ideas, suggestions and feedback. Alumni News is published twice a year and reaches more than 13,000 alumni and friends of Brandon University world-wide. To date, thousands of alumni have supported the Brandon University Alumni Association (BUAA) through participation in alumni programs and affinity product and service offerings. If you do not wish to be provided with such product or service offers, or do not wish to receive Alumni News in the future, please contact us. ALUMNI WEAR ALUMNI WEAR BRANDON UNIVERSITY 270 – 18th Street & MEMENTOS Brandon, Manitoba R7A 6A9 Clothing • Rings • Watches • Degree Frames Phone: 204.727.9697 Fax: 204.727.4674 Email: [email protected] Available from the www.alumni.brandonu.ca BRANDON UNIVERSITY Publications Mail Agreement #40064061 Return undeliverable Canadian ALUMNI ASSOCIATION addresses to Lower Level of Clark Hall, Brandon University BRANDON UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 204.727.9697 270 – 18th Street [email protected] Brandon, Manitoba, Canada R7A 6A9 S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 0 9 3 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Presidents of universities serve a number of important functions, not the least of which is fundraising. If done properly, fundraising can benefit the institution in many ways. The prelude to good fundraising is good friendraising, which takes an enormous amount of energy and time. It helps, of course, if you are surrounded by a team of people who know how to do both. In that context, I have been blessed. Part of my Scope 20/20 plan for the University included fundraising initiatives which ultimately resulted in money being raised for programs, scholarships, buildings and general campus beautification. Most interesting for me was meeting the people behind the dollars. These included alumni and friends of the University with incredibly generous hearts and fond memories of their years here. Indeed, I spent a lot of time persuading, arguing, defending, signing, smiling, shaking hands and eating rubber chicken. It was a joy to do it because I love the University and I loved my time in Brandon. Now it is time to say “Ciao”. For those of you who are not familiar with the term, it is a Venetian word that can mean hello, goodbye and various other sundry things. It was derived from the Venetian phrase “s-ciáo vostro” meaning I am your slave. This was not meant to be literal, but rather a promise of goodwill among friends, like, “count on me”. It is still used in Venice by my relatives and it is probably the best way to end my final message to you as BU’s President. Ciao! Louis P. Visentin, Ph.D. President & Vice-Chancellor 4 S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 0 9 BU NEWS & HIGHLIGHTS Brandon University appoints Dr. Deborah Brandon University welcomes Dr. G. Bruce Poff as 16th President and Vice-Chancellor Strang as Dean of the Faculty of Arts The Brandon University Board of Governors is pleased to Brandon University is pleased to announce the announce the appointment of Dr. Deborah Poff as the appointment of Dr. G. Bruce Strang as Dean of the Faculty 16th President and Vice-Chancellor of Brandon of Arts. Dr. Strang comes to BU from Lakehead University, University. Dr. Poff, a Professor of Philosophy, comes to where he is a member of the history department. Dr. Brandon University from the University of Northern British Strang has served Lakehead as Acting Dean of Social Columbia, where she was the founding Dean of the Sciences & Humanities and as the Chair of the Faculty of Arts and Science and served for 10 years as the Department of History. Dr. Strang holds a Ph.D. in History Vice-President Academic and Provost. Dr. Poff’s and an M.A. in History from McMaster University and a appointment at BU will become effective on August 1, B.A. (Honours) in History from the University of Winnipeg. 2009 for a five-year term. Dr. Poff has a Ph.D. in A recipient of the Distinguished Instructor Award (2008), Philosophy from the University of Guelph, an M.A. from the Contributions to Teaching Award (2008) and the Carleton University, a B.A. (Hons.) from Queen’s Contributions to Research Award (2004) at Lakehead University and a B.A. (Hons.) in Psychology from the Dr. Deborah Poff will University, Dr. Strang brings a strong and demonstrated University of Guelph. During her career, Dr. Poff co- Dr. G. Bruce Strang become BU’s commitment to teaching and research to this founded and continues to edit two international peer- was appointed Dean new President & appointment. With a specialization in modern European reviewed academic journals, the Journal of Business of the Faculty of Arts Vice-Chancellor history, Dr. Strang teaches modern Italian and twentieth- Ethics and the Journal of Academic Ethics. Her areas of in March, effective effective August 1, 2009. century European history. His publications include August 1, 2009. research are leadership, business and professional articles on British and Italian foreign policy and he is ethics and healthcare ethics. Dr. Poff is currently the currently working on a new monograph dealing with President-elect of the National Council on Ethics in Italian international relations and economic Human Research. As well, she is currently the Vice- reconstruction during the De Gasperi era. He is also the President of Development with the Canadian Federation author of the book On the Fiery March: Mussolini Prepares for the Humanities and Social Sciences. Dr. Poff will be for War (2003). Please join us in welcoming Dr. Strang to Brandon University’s first female President and Vice- Brandon! Chancellor. Please join us in welcoming Dr. Poff and her husband Dr. Alex Michalos to Brandon! Brandon University hosts its first-ever Senior Colloquium Dany Charlery, Ashley Creighton and Joel On April 9 Brandon University hosted its first annual Small named BU Athletes of the Year Senior Colloquium, which gave BU Arts and Science BU’s Senior Colloquium Fourth-year Men’s Basketball player Dany Charlery, fifth- students the opportunity to present their research was April 9, 2009. year Women’s Volleyball player Ashley Creighton and projects to colleagues, friends, family members and the fourth-year Men’s Volleyball player Joel Small were BU and Brandon community. Some of the presentation named athletes of the year at the Brandon University topics included: “Management recommendation for the Athletic Awards Banquet held at the Great Western reintroduction of bison to Spruce Woods Provincial Park”; Roadhouse on April 6. Charlery and Small were co- “A proposed human remains policy for Brandon winners of the R.J. McCarthy Award for Outstanding Male University”; “Provocation: Rural justifications of domestic Athlete, while Creighton won the Nancy Stanley Award for violence”; “Red Dusk: Communism in Brandon during the Outstanding Female Athlete for the third straight year. The Great Depression”; and “‘I Have a Dream, Too’: The annual celebration of athletic and academic excellence at demise of the Black Panther Party”. BU congratulates all BU was attended by faculty, coaches, supporters, players the presenters on their great work! and family members who saw awards handed out in a Nancy Stanley (right) variety of team-specific and overall categories. presents Ashley Congratulations to all of this year’s honorees! BU and ACC sign historic agreement Creighton (left) with Assiniboine Community College (ACC) and Brandon the Female Athlete University signed the Connect 20/20 Memorandum of of the Year Award. $100,000 contribution creates TD Canada Understanding on March 19, an agreement that breaks Trust Plant Science Greenhouse at BU down past stereotypes associated with universities and Brandon University is pleased to announce a gift of colleges working together.