Winter 2008-2009 Grande Prairie Regional College Magazine Essential China Undergrad Research Donor Profile Brad Mates Combining our Strengths July 1, 2009 Grande Prairie Campus Fairview Campus The merger of Grande Prairie Trades and Agriculture pro- Certificates, Diplomas Regional College and the Fairview grams effective September and Degrees Campus is an opportunity offering 2009: benefits for both campuses, and Grande Prairie Campus Fairview Campus • Academic Upgrading – certificate enhancing our joint position as the • Animal Health Technology - diploma • Arts – university transfer, associate portal for opportunities in • Apprenticeship Programs - Automotive diploma advanced education for our Service Technician, Carpenter, Heavy • Business and Commerce – certificate, Equipment Technician, Motorcycle diploma, university transfer, degree region. Mechanic, Parts Technician, Plumber, completion Steamfitter-Pipefitter, Welder. • Computing Science – certificate, • Cooperative Trades Orientation diploma, university transfer, degree Together, we are a strong • General Mechanic, Pre-Employment completion Comprehensive Community • Harley-Davidson® Technician • Early Learning and Child Care – College offering broad program- • Heavy Equipment Service certificate, diploma • Industry and Continuing Education • Education – university transfer, degree ming including apprenticeship, Programs completion prepared to meet the full range of • Motorcycle Mechanic, Pre-Employment • Engineering – university transfer • Outdoor Power Equipment Technician, • Fine Arts – certificate, diploma, our mandate. Pre-Employment university transfer • Power Engineering Certificate • Fitness – certificate, diploma The strengths of the individual • Transitional Vocational • Hospitality and Tourism – diploma • Turf-grass Equipment Technician • Nursing – degree completion, Post-RN institutions will create benefits for certificate both, and expanded opportunities Grande Prairie Campus • Office Administration – certificate, • Apprenticeship Programs - Electrician, diploma for our learners. Instrument Technician, Millwright • Physical Education – university transfer, • Machinist, Pre-Employment degree completion • Millwright, Pre-Employment • Science – university transfer, associate • Power Engineering Certificate diploma, degree completion • Welder, Pre-Employment • Social Work – degree completion • Workforce Development Safety • Teacher Assistant - certificate Programs • Unit Clerk - certificate www.gprc.ab.ca NAIT’s Fairview Campus will become Fairview Campus of Grande Prairie Regional College (GPRC) effective July 1, 2009. All programming currently offered by NAIT in Fairview and in the Grande Prairie Region will therefore will be under the auspices of GPRC after that date, and all processing and managing of student applications, registrations, pay- ments and financial aid for programming beginning July 1, 2009 will be assumed by GPRC effective November 1, 2008. For information about these programs, please contact the Registrar, Fairview Campus, 1-877-299-1623, Fairview Alberta. To apply, please contact the Office of the Registrar, Grande Prairie Regional College, 1-888-539-4772. In Our WisdomDon Gnatiuk Inside Change from the Front THIS ISSUE When a mem- 3 In Our Wisdom ber of senior Change from the Front administration – Don Gnatiuk utters the words: “We 4 Donor Profile are going to Brad Mates change the – Lynne Ness way we do things,” or 14 Faculty Profile “We are Essential China embarking on a transitional man- – Dr. René R. Gadacz agement strategy for the future,” the hallways and lunchrooms 20 Sharing Knowledge immediately echo with the sounds Weixing Tan of anxious discussion between people from all departments and levels of the organization. 24 Alumni Profile Naturally so – each of these Joe Pagé people has heard these words 8 A Sense of Community before and usually they were not involved in determining the new 10 2008 Community strategy or direction, and that Recognition Event strategy or direction may not have 19 Recent Achievements been positive for them or their col- leagues ! But it might have been 26 Alumni Mailbag predictable! - Yet again, a new direction is set by the folks in the corner office without the input of those most affected by this suppos- edly brilliant new plan for improved efficiency, morale and service. Within days the new edict appears on posters and is pub- lished in promotional materials, leaving the corporate masses ques- tioning: What does all this mean? Why did things change? What does it mean to me and to my department? But there’s no time to ask these questions – everyone – continued on page 22 Wisdom is published three times annually as a service to the many Wisdom invites your advertising, letters, and comments on this Return undeliverable mail to: constituents of Grande Prairie Regional College, by the Department of publication. Please direct your correspondence to Wisdom Magazine Community Relations. Wisdom Magazine, Department of Community Relations Department of Community Relations Grande Prairie Regional College Grande Prairie Regional College Editor-In-Chief Lynne Ness 10726 - 106 Avenue, Grande Prairie AB T8V 4C4 10726 – 106 Avenue Contributors René Gadacz, Don Gnatiuk, Lynne Ness, Grande Prairie, AB Weixing Tan Editorial content 780-539-2951 T8V 4C4 Design and layout Irons Design Advertising 780-539-2908 Photography Rob Ganzeveld, FX Photography, René Gadacz, Fax 780-539-2731 Weixing Tan, Susan Thompson Email [email protected] Printing Menzies Printers Postage for the Wisdom magazine is paid under a Canada Post Corporation Canadian Publication Mail Agreement Number: 40048553 3 4 DONOR PROFILE: Brad Mates STORY BY LYNNE NESS A few days after the sold-out to the students of Northwestern Brad describes his first studio expe- Emerson Drive benefit concert in Alberta. A consulting team including rience as being just the bare essentials Grande Prairie in September, lead the top North American expertise in of recording. “That was in the base- vocalist Brad Mates and the band were the field is providing the perspective ment of GP Music - that was quite a on the road again in Ohio, and about of a wide range of professionals such while ago, but now I can see with the to return to Alberta to do a private as musicians, sound designers, and technology that we do have these days show in Lake Louise. Emerson Drive, acoustic architects to assess the needs for recording – if we had had that the country music band that got its and opportunities for this recording available to us then, I know we could start in Grande Prairie, is firmly placed studio. The resulting studio will be a have made a CD that would have com- among the top groups in country key factor in the development of musi- peted with a lot of bigger names. music, and has dozens of CMT, CMA cal performers and technicians. “That’s what you have to remember and CCMA awards on the shelf. As one “The bottom line I would like to get when you are starting out as an artist, fan puts it, “these guys are 100% Hot across to people is that this can hap- and you want to make a CD or you and 110% Canadian!” pen again,” Brad says, about the suc- want to make a demo song, the music And Brad Mates is 100% Peace cess of Emerson Drive. ”Why not have has to be as good or better than every- Country – and excited about the role a facility ready to use. Grow people thing else that’s on the radio. Emerson Drive now can have in the through that system so they’re not Otherwise – people are going to development of young musicians here having to go to Edmonton or Calgary turn away and you’re going to have to in his home town. “It is very important or Vancouver. .we can do it all in start from zero again. That’s a huge to me to support new artists like we house at the College – that’s a pretty thing, making sure that whatever were. If Emerson Drive can come from important thing to me. comes out of this facility, it has to be a small town in Alberta, I don’t see “With the recording studio you also top notch. If that happens, then peo- why it can’t happen again.” The 2008 set the bar for the music program at ple start looking at Grande Prairie as a concert donated $20,600 in support of the College – students will have a major centre for recording music.” the Emerson Drive Scholarship at GPRC chance to learn the basics, the ground Emerson Drive was not an overnight and an exciting new project to install a roots, learning what the studio is all success in Nashville, but they kept try- top-level recording studio at the about. Re-creating a live sound in the ing and learning until their music was College. studio is such a tough thing to do – I recognized. They went to Nashville for The recording studio now being think if people at a young age can uti- six years, trying to get a record deal, established at GPRC - supported by the lize the studio, use the technology meeting new people, getting feedback funds raised by Emerson Drive as well that’s there, they will be better pre- and criticism, before finally getting a as a donation from Dr. Curtis Smith - is pared for anything that’s going to break and a record deal – and immedi- designed to bring a big-city advantage happen after that. ate recognition. In 2002 Emerson Drive 5 was Billboard’s Top Country Artist of roots that have been laid in the Year and top Group of the Year in GP and throughout the the Canadian Country Music Awards – Peace region, that’s one of and they have never looked back. the top reasons why this Their awards and nominations