Your University Magazine No. 42 Winter 2014 BISHOP’S Canada’s largest online retailer Roger Hardy ’93 helps the world see. Easily and affordably. 2013-14 Bishop’s Annual Fund YOU MAKE IT HAPPEN for Matthew Robinson A second year International Studies and Charitable donations to the Annual In my short time here, I’ve had Sociology student on scholarship, Matthew Fund touch every aspect of campus life. so many opportunities, and I dove right into campus life. Among his They play a crucial role in providing the am looking forward to the rest extensive list of activities, Matthew has excellent classroom environment and of the discoveries“ in store for participated in volunteer blood drives, the enriching extracurricular experiences me at Bishop’s. SRC, the Bishop’s University Singers, the students like Matthew are able to take Thank you so much! Sociology Club, a student leadership retreat advantage of on a daily basis. Matthew Robinson and a fundraising phonathon team. Matthew When asked to support the Annual 2nd year from North Bay ON is the RA responsible for the Leadership Fund this year, please consider Development Block in Abbott and is helping responding generously to help Bishop’s first year students define the mark they want maintain its position as a leader in to leave on the BU community. undergraduate education. To make an important difference to the lives of BU students, visit ubishops.ca/gift or contact Liz Mazurek ’08: 1-866-822-5210, [email protected] 18 18 7 6 8 9 20 20 Contents Regular features 6 Alumni Profiles Four grads working in cutting-edge technology: 5 Principal’s Page The power of an idea. Bruce Stamm ’87, Raphael van Lierop ’01, Naomi Black ’95 U4 League gains momentum. and Todd Jamieson ’96. 11 Campus Notes A new VP Academic, 10 A collection worth preserving The University’s art collection the Quebec Charter of Values, Donald comprises over 300 pieces. Lecture Series, the school song, student demographics and more… Cover story: Canada’s largest online retailer. Roger Hardy ‘93 14 16 Turner Studio Theatre turns 25. helps the world see. Easily and affordably. My Space 22 Alumni Events & Recognition 17 A tale of two theatres Prof. George Rideout talks about Centennial (1967) and Turner Studio (1989) Theatres. 25 In Memoriam & Tributes 18 My B.E.S.T. Experience Sonam Choekyi Dekhang and Emilie 26 Marriages Bowles go to India and the NWT. 27 Births 19 A sense of responsibility Steve ’65 and Kathie Prest talk about 28 Through the Years their charity. 30 Alumni Perspectives Peter Nixon ’83 on 20 Gaiters Fall season in review. What a difference a year makes! adventures in dialogue. 21 RBC Wall of Distinction 1986 Gaiters football team joins the Wall. Bishop’s University Magazine is published three times a year by the University Advancement Office. 24 Fall Homecoming Photos capture the purple spirit. 866-822-5210; [email protected] Edited and designed by Pam McPhail Cover photo by Richard Schmonn WINTER 2014 BISHOP’S UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE 3 Now available. Bishop’s like you’ve never seen it before, in a fine art collection Bishop’s is pleased to announce the release of its first collection of 50 fine art prints by Toronto-based photographer Mark Nicholas Burack ’79. Mark created this exquisite collection to help support the Alumni Association. He first captured the images with super high resolution photography and then employed a wide variety of techniques to transform the style and look. He prints the images on the best fine art grade paper so they look hand-painted but retain their incredible detail. Alumni and Bishop’s supporters can order signed and numbered fine art paper prints of historic University buildings and interiors, the campus and local spots. All in a variety of sizes. Proceeds over production costs will support your Alumni Association. You can view these stunning prints online: www.architecturalfineartphotography.com. To place your order visit: www.ubishops.ca/alumni www.architecturalfineartphotography.com For inquiries: Mark Burack, 416-938-2489, [email protected] IT’S THE MOST wonderful time OF THE YEAR Shop Bishop’s University Bookstore for Gaiter gear for the whole family SHOP ONLINE BISHOP’S UNIVERSITY BOOKSTORE Marjorie Donald Building | www.bishopsshop.ca 4 BISHOP’S UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE WINTER 2014 Principal’s Page The power of an idea U4 League gains momentum ess than a year has passed since talks at Bishop’s at the end of our Bishop’s joined with Acadia, mental health week. That many who L Mount Allison and St. Francis participated in our event last January Xavier to form the U4 League, an alli- are returning in 2014 serves as testa- ance designed to promote and enhance ment to the value of our U4 activities. our shared model of undergraduate During the event at Acadia, Dr. education. I am pleased with the Christopher Stonebanks (Education) momentum so far and want to share and suggested that since each institution celebrate some of our early successes. runs different programs abroad—in The announcement of the U4 League Bishop’s case, projects in Malawi and Michael Goldbloom last spring unleashed a huge amount Thailand—we should open up par- Principal & Vice-Chancellor of energy. People began immediately ticipation to all students from the U4 to make contact with colleagues at the universities. Doing so would represent partner institutions. I was surprised an example of how each institution that, in a sense, they just needed per- can maintain its small size while From the symposium at Acadia University mission to connect. But because the expanding the breadth and depth of on undergraduate research U4 institutions offer a distinct experi- its experiential options. ence, faculty and students instantly In this respect, I believe we could We gained a good sense of recognize what they share in common. also use technology to our benefit. For Instead of viewing one another as com- instance, we could expand our course the research carried out by petitors, we now see friendly allies. offerings by allowing students to take undergraduates“ at the four We’ve discovered value in talking to certain courses at partner universities universities and the positive one another and doing things together. while remaining at their home one. impact of their supervisors. For example, our VP Academic, Dr. We will need to have state-of-the-art Dr. Ariel Edery (Physics) Jamie Crooks, stopped en route to his video classrooms on each campus so cottage in PEI to visit his counterpart that students and professors feel as if The research projects of at Mt. Allison. they are in the same room. Although At the level of governance of the we’re not ready to launch this kind of Bishop’s students were League, we established a Presidents’ exchange, we share an interest in doing generated“ from their group and a steering committee com- so and have put in place resources to particular interests and drives prised of the four VPs Academic. This examine the feasibility. as they chose to undertake year Dr. Crooks and I serve as Chairs, With no marketing budget the U4 inquiries above and beyond but these jobs will be rotated in the has relied on our respective alumni future. We also set up a series of work- magazines and media coverage to the structure of their curricula. ing groups, empowering individuals spread the word. Yet such is the power Dr. Avril Aitken (Education) to confer on a variety of issues such of an idea that the university milieu in as marketing, branding, recruitment, Canada is well aware of the U4 League Our group explored the administration and student life. and our commitment to a teaching opportunities for research in An impressive schedule of U4 model that puts undergraduate edu- professional“ programs such League sponsored events began in the cation first. as Education and how our fall with a symposium on undergradu- In this era, innovation will result ate research at Acadia in October and from people of different backgrounds, projects differ from writing a meeting of Department Chairs and disciplines and experiences interacting Honours theses in other administrators at Mt. Allison in Nov- with one another. Expanding our hori- disciplines. ember. In January 2014, there will be zon beyond our home university will Adam Young a leadership forum involving students be good for our students, faculty and 4th year Secondary and Presidents at StFX, followed by a administrators, for our institutions, Education & English U4 debating tournament and TEDx and ultimately for our country. ■ WINTER 2014 BISHOP’S UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE 5 Alumni Profiles This issue features four graduates (pp. 6-9) with careers in technology. Their degree programs and backgrounds vary, but they share a passion for their work on the cutting edge. Bruce Stamm ’87 graduated with Flight trainers to video games a BSc in Computer Science and Mathematics Minor. He is Moving into a $2.3 billion industry in Canada Senior VP & COO at Babel Media in Montreal. innertime conversations with teenagers can be difficult to Montreal alone. Joining Babel Media made for an “easy fit.” But sustain but not for Bruce Stamm ’87, who often talks with then both CAE and the video game industry use teams of experts Dhis 14- and 17-year old sons about the latest version of a to develop projects by using cutting-edge technology. video game. Being a father who works on game franchises such as “Video game publishers, such as Electronic Arts, Ubisoft and Call of Duty, FIFA, Batman: Arkham City, and Rock Band has Warner Brothers Games Studio, subcontract work to companies like some practical advantages.