Each year, hundreds of international students come to UPEI. Currently approximately 750 students, or 18% of the student population, are international students. These students enrich the learning experience for all UPEI students, widen the horizons of domestic students, and increase cross-cultural exchange.

For many international students, adjusting to a new culture can be difficult, and knowing that you have an entire family to help with the transition is reassuring, especially for those who have never been away from home before. That’s where Homestay comes in.

Homestay is a program that allows students to rent rooms from local families. But Homestay is much more than room and board. Ideally, Homestay includes the new student becoming part of the host family as a visiting family member. They go on outings together, help the student practice their English-language skills, and provide a safe and welcoming home base for their international guest.

“I participated the Homestay program when I first arrived as a student six years ago, and I stayed with the same homestay family for two years,” said Freya Qi, who now works as a student recruiter and international student advisor at UPEI. “They picked me up from the airport on my first day in Canada and welcomed me with open arms and smiles. We would have supper together every evening, and we would have dinner conversation together. They would ask me about my classes, my day, and other things—just like what your parents would ask you at home too. Even after I moved out from their house, we are still friends. I was so lucky to stay with them and spent two years together. 

Richelle Greathouse, UPEI’s new Homestay co-ordinator, understands why the program is also attractive to many parents. A mother of a teenager herself, she acknowledges that sending your child halfway around the world can be stressful. Knowing that your child will be living in a home that has been inspected can help parents feel a bit more relaxed about this time of transition. “I know that if it was my son travelling to China, I would feel so much better if I knew that the university had helped arrange a suitable place for him to live,” she said.

While many Homestay families have a high level of interaction with their student guests, that is not always the case. “Sometimes we also have mature graduate students coming to UPEI,” said Greathouse. “They have busy schedules, and the idea of having someone else at home to help prepare your meals, can be really appealing. That is the great thing about Homestay, there are lots of variations, and we can help match students and hosts with similar preferences.”

For more information about the application process, remuneration, and host home requirements, please contact Richelle Greathouse at rgreathouse@upei.ca, 902-894-2850. Former hosts interested in continuing with the program are also asked to contact Greathouse. Students and potential hosts can also drop by the International Relations Office in the Robertson Library, room 226.

The UPEI Cross Country team looks forward to competing in its first-ever AUS Cross Country Championship this weekend at Odell Park in Fredericton, N.B. The men’s and women’s teams have been working hard all season long and are excited about the opportunity to compete against the top runners in Atlantic Canada.

On the women's side, the Panthers will be sending two Nursing students, Rebecca Doyle and Jenna Pye, to the 6 km event.

On the men's side, the team will be led by Andrew Wong and Brandon Higginbotham, who have both had solid results throughout the season. Jeremy Thompson, Alec Brown, Steve Seviour, Patrick Fletcher, and Dylan Terstege will also follow up on strong season-long showings at the 10 km championship event.

Coach Mike Peterson says, ”Since we only came together as group in August, I am very proud of our student-athletes. The squad is doing very well and is competitive. We welcome newcomers as the goals for next year are lofty.”

Read more about the Atlantic University Sports Cross Country Championship.

About UPEI Athletics and Recreation

• Nine varsity sports and six club team programs
• Proud member of the AUS and CIS
• Athletic facilities include: Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre, UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place
• Home of Panther Sports Medicine
• Other facilities available to students and the community at large include: fitness centre, squash and racquetball courts, competition and leisure pool with hot tub, and two ice arenas

With a high-octane offence fueled and ready to go, the UPEI Men’s Basketball Panthers are hoping to capture that elusive Atlantic University Sport (AUS) championship.

For fifth-year coach Tim Kendrick, adding tough, gritty players that fit his style of play may be the answer he’s been looking for.

During his tenure as head coach, Kendrick and the Panthers have finished third three times and second just once—a trend he is hoping will change. A change that begins with the players, he said.

“I think we’re pretty deep, I think we’re fairly tough, and I think we’re athletic and offensively talented.”

In the backcourt, the Panthers added Jake Kendrick, Zachary Usherwood, and first-year guard Amin Suleman out of Toronto, who Kendrick believes is a star in the making. They will help solidify a backcourt that includes Lorenzo Parker and second team all-Canadian, Tyler Scott, who finished second in the country in scoring, averaging 23.9 points per game.

Kendrick’s perimeter-oriented team will look for their offence early and often with an emphasis on taking good shots, reminiscent of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors or the NCAA’s Kentucky Wildcats, Kendrick said.

“We’re not slow and methodical, we want to get up and down. We want to push the basketball and catch defences off guard.”

In the frontcourt, the Panthers used a productive off-season to address their need for more length and physicality. The additions of forwards Dut Dut and Tevin Sutton-Stephenson will make opponents think twice about driving in the paint. They will join European big men Stefan Vujisic and AUS all-rookie Milorad Sedlarevic, along with the athletic Brad States.

“We wanted tougher forwards and I think we accomplished what we set out to do.”

For a team that has no issue scoring, averaging 92.6 points per game in 2014–15, Kendrick and his coaching staff have been developing a defensive scheme two years in the making that caters to the team’s skillset.

“We’ve been researching and looking at different systems. What we’ve done is blended a few things into the system we’re trying to use.”

With the goal to bring a championship to UPEI, Kendrick always keeps an eye on the future, consistently bringing in young talent to help the savvy veterans.

“The expectations here are never low, we want to contend for a title every year. We want to build a program that’s going to be able to sustain itself year after year,” he said. “We reload instead of rebuild.”

And as the season quickly approaches, Kendrick said he cannot think of a better group of men to go into battle with.

“It’s an exciting week for us and we’re ready to go.”

The Panthers play host to the St. Francis Xavier X-Men in their home opener on November 6 at 8 pm at the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre.

Contributed by Thomas Becker
 

Prince Edward Island lost an average of 46 centimetres of coastline to the sea last year, according to the results of a new annual study conducted by the University of Prince Edward Island’s Climate Research Lab. 

“I did not expect this amount of coastal erosion across PEI during this past winter as no major storm surges impacted our shores,” said Dr. Adam Fenech, director of the lab. “The average loss across the island is 28 centimetres, so to see 46 is quite surprising.”

Coastal erosion on PEI has been tracked in the past by comparing aerial photographic surveys of the island, taken every ten years by the provincial government. To provide new annual data, Dr. Fenech’s research team of associates and graduate students established more than 100 measuring sites across the province. They have driven marker pins into the ground from which they can measure erosion from year to year. This kind of annual tracking can assist in planning, risk assessment, and research.

Graduate student Andy MacDonald points out that of the sites measured this year, “about nine sites had no change at all, while five sites had losses of over two metres, including sites at Governor’s Island, Naufrage Lighthouse, Panmure Island, Seaview, and Wood Islands Lighthouse.” 

Previous studies led by the Climate Research Lab concluded that more than 20 square kilometres (about 5,000 acres) of PEI were lost to coastal erosion from 1968 to 2010. The study showed more than 1,000 coastal homes and cottages across PEI are vulnerable to coastal erosion. In addition to the residences, more than 40 garages, 8 barns, and almost 450 outbuildings (baby barns, and other larger buildings that were clearly not a garage, residence or barn) were found to also be at risk. Even 17 lighthouses, PEI’s maritime cultural icons, were found to be at risk, as well as six PEI golf courses. The study concluded almost 45 kilometres of roads are also vulnerable to coastal erosion on Prince Edward Island. 

The study is funded by the climate change unit of the PEI Department of Communities, Land and Environment, and builds on measurements taken by the department more than thirty years ago.

UPEI’s Executive MBA program offers a high-quality learning experience for working business professionals. The program is designed for those working in, or aspiring to work in, a management or leadership position. Classes are offered bi-weekly on Fridays and Saturdays with the option to complete the program in 20 months.

Central to the program design is an evidence-based management approach, which helps students develop the skills and knowledge to make better-informed and well-supported decisions both in the program and in applied situations in their workplaces.

To learn more about this exciting opportunity in business graduate studies, UPEI’s School of Business invites you to attend one of the following information sessions. Learn more about the program and application process, have your questions answered, and meet with staff from the School of Business.

Tuesday, November 17, 5 pm

Beanz Espresso Bar and Café, Charlottetown

Monday, November 23, 5 pm

Empire I, Loyalist Lakeview Resort, Summerside

To reserve a seat, call (902) 566-6474 or email: mba@upei.ca. For more information about UPEI’s Executive MBA program, please visit upei.ca/business/emba, or contact the MBA co-ordinator at (902) 566-6474.

The UPEI Women’s Basketball Panthers will look a little different from the team that lost in the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) championship game last spring.

A total of eight new faces will sport the green and white in an effort to bring championship glory to UPEI.

“When you have eight new players, it takes a little bit of time for it to come together,” said head coach Greg Gould, who decided to return as coach after taking a year off. “I thought I wouldn’t miss it, but I did.”

Entering his forty-fifth year of coaching, third as the Panthers’ bench boss, Gould has his work cut out for him. But he isn’t shying away from the challenge ahead. Gould said he’ll deploy a read and react-style offence focused on reading what the defence gives them and reacting accordingly.

“It’s not something that comes real quick, so you can’t diagram it. It will be a learning process and you can’t really speed that process up.”

Gould’s perimeter-oriented read and react scheme will allow each player to showcase their skills—an advantage that will make scouting a nightmare for the opposition.

“You can watch all the tapes you want, but you don’t know what they’re going to do,” he said.

Gould will lean heavily on six familiar faces to execute his game plan, and they’ll get every opportunity to lead the Panthers back to the postseason.

Jane McLaughlan and Kiera Rigby are expected to jump in the starting lineup alongside fifth-year players Katelynn Donahoe, Anne Kiberd and Tamara Tompkins.

“We expect them to be solid as they all have experience playing at the AUS level.”

At 6’2”, Elysia Drost will come off the bench and add length to a lineup that lacks size. While Chicago, Illinois native, Angenay Williams, will add a scoring punch in the second half of the season, when she becomes eligible to play.

The final seven roster spots will be filled by freshmen looking to make their mark on a young team.

The culture of winning is there, said Gould. The key is getting the young players to buy in to his system.

“If we can get our younger players up to speed quickly, we feel we can compete with most teams in the AUS.”

After a 4-4 preseason, the Panthers had their home opener on November 6 against St. Francis Xavier X-Women, followed by a second game against them on November 7, ending with impressive results both times for UPEI.  

The Panthers were victorious in both games, winning 66-65 on Friday, and 75-66 on Saturday. High scorers in Friday’s game for UPEI were Anne Kiberd with 33 and Jane McLaughlin with 12 points while Katie Donahoe led with 25 points and Anne Kiberd with 14 in Saturday’s matchup.

“It came down to a battle of two different styles of play. They’re very post-oriented and we’re very perimeter-oriented, and our style won out in this round,” Gould said.

Contributed by Thomas Becker

The UPEI Panther Subway Athletes of the Week for the week of November 2-8 are Anne Kiberd, Women’s Basketball and Tyler Scott, Men’s Basketball.

UPEI Athletics and Recreation recognizes athletes’ hard work and dedication to their respective sports by naming them as athletes of the week. Athletes of the Week are also nominated to Atlantic University Sport and Canadian Interuniversity Sport for possible recognition in the region and/or country.

Who:  Anne Kiberd, Women’s Basketball; and Tyler Scott, Men’s Basketball

What: UPEI Panther Athletes of the Week

When: Week of November 2-8

Where: University of Prince Edward Island

Why:  Kiberd, a fifth-year Bachelor of Science (Nursing) student from Halifax, NS, enjoyed a great offensive opening weekend for the women’s basketball team. During the Panthers’ two wins over St. FX, 66-65 on Friday, and 75-66 on Saturday, Kiberd averaged 23.5 points on 47% shooting from the floor, and 91% from the free throw line, and had 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals.

Scott, a fourth-year Bachelor of Business Administration student, also from Halifax, NS, led the Panthers to two-season-opening victories over St.FX on the men’s side. In the 102-71 and 95-91 wins, Scott

About UPEI Athletics and Recreation
• Nine varsity sports and six club team programs
• Proud member of the AUS and CIS
• Athletic facilities include: Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre, UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place and UPEI Turf
• Home of Panther Sports Medicine
• Other facilities available to students and the community at large include: fitness centre, squash and racquetball courts, competition and leisure pool with hot tub, and two ice arenas

Dr. Roger Gordon, retired UPEI professor, former Dean of Science, and author will join members of the MacLauchlan family and the UPEI campus community to celebrate the achievements of students, faculty, and staff at the fourth annual MacLauchlan Prizes for Effective Writing Celebration.

The Celebration will take place on Friday, November 13 at 1:30 pm in Schurman Market Square, Don and Marion McDougall Hall.

Dr. Gordon will speak about and read from his captivating memoir, “Starting To Frame,” that details his life growing up in post-war Sheffield, England, amidst the turmoil of mental illness.

The Prizes recognize of the importance of effective writing as a foundational skill for academic success and lifelong learning and were established in 2011 by the MacLauchlan family to honour H. Wade MacLauchlan's contributions to the University and his 12 years of service as President and Vice-Chancellor from 1999-2011.  Up to $30,000 are distributed annually in awards.

All are welcome.

Below is a message from President Abd-El-Aziz that was issued to the campus community.

Dear students and members of the campus community,

As our days gradually get shorter, and with the announcement of Prime Minister Trudeau’s cabinet last week, we continue to reflect on the longest election campaign in modern Canadian history. The forty-second general election made headlines for its duration and many ups and downs, but it was the feat at the finish that motivates my message.

Nationally, voter turnout exceeded 68 per cent—our highest result since 1993—and considering Confederation was born here on PEI, it’s appropriate the Island once again led the country with a robust 77.4 per cent. The youth vote certainly had an impact on this increase. Elections Canada hasn’t released official numbers yet, but the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) is predicting a 10 per cent increase in student numbers.

Since the early days of academia, Universities have been where movements are born by citizens who care. Many students here at UPEI worked tirelessly to encourage, remind, and inspire others to vote. Let’s proudly acknowledge this accomplishment.

These are impressive results, but at the end of the day they are just numbers we reflect on once the election concludes. What is behind these numbers, and what follows them in the months and years ahead matter much more.

Elections are just one of countless ways to engage with your community. Expressing your civic voice is a dynamic, ongoing process, not a static moment or isolated action. Voting is part of a greater, broader and perpetual process that is as much a duty as it is a luxury.

If this most recent turnout is the start of a new era in civic and democratic engagement, then we have started to achieve something special and must continue this momentum.

We might be busier and more connected than ever, but it is also easier than ever to stay engaged and aware of what is happening in our town, our province, our country, and our world.

Volunteer. Join groups advancing causes you support. Learn more about topics affecting you or those you care about and bring that knowledge forward. Change never comes for the idle.

To those who voted for the first time on October 19: let it not be your last. To all: let this renewed resolve not be an outlying moment, but a significant step forward to the sustainable, meaningful civic action that real progress requires.

Together, let’s congratulate our recently elected PEI Members of Parliament, Hon. Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food Canada; Hon. Wayne Easter, Mr. Sean Casey, and Mr. Robert Morrissey and wish them our best as they represent the interests of Islanders in the House of Commons.

On a closing note and as we near Remembrance Day, it is also a time to be thankful that we have the democratic system that we do in Canada, and to pay tribute to all of those who have so selflessly defended our peace, justice, and freedom. Lest we forget.

Best wishes,

Alaa 

Dr. Alaa S. Abd-El-Aziz
President and Vice-Chancellor
University of Prince Edward Island

A two-metre tall Afghan war soldier’s memorial created by Canadian troops will be on display at the Nichola Goddard Annual Fundraising Dinner, taking place Saturday, November 14 at the APM Centre, in Cornwall, PEI. Colin and John-Angus MacDonald of The Trews will also be performing at the sold-out event that raises funds for the Nichola Goddard Foundation.

The Afghanistan Poppy Memorial, the centerpiece of the final Remembrance Day ceremony for Canadian troops in Kandahar in 2011, was fashioned from pieces of a Badger armoured engineering vehicle shattered by a Taliban roadside bomb in 2008. The piece bears the names—on a spent shell casing—of the 158 Canadian soldiers and four civilians who have died in the Afghan conflict, including Captain Nichola Goddard, who was killed on May 17, 2006 while serving with the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry as a forward observation officer.

The tribute clearly shows the damage from the blast, including a torn handle from an engine hatch and a maple leaf formed from the vehicle’s armour plate that bears shrapnel marks.

One of the memorial’s keepers, Warrant Officer Renay Groves, said that the memorial is a metaphor of the fate of soldiers, even those who survive. “We left the battle damage on it, you go over there solid and come back different,” she added.

The dinner and silent auction raises funds for the Foundation that was created by Captain Goddard’s parents, Sally and Tim, in fond memory of their daughter’s love of life and learning. The Foundation supports several projects including “The Nichola Goddard Light Up Papua New Guinea" initiative to improve the quality and functionality of health care facilities in rural Papua–New Guinea by installing solar powered LED lighting; the “Captain Nichola K.S. Goddard Memorial Graduate Scholarship" at the University of Calgary; and the “Captain Nichola K.S. Goddard Scholarship” at the University of Prince Edward Island. The latter is awarded to a UPEI student in any faculty who is engaged in a project with focus on issues relevant to indigenous peoples whether in Canada or internationally.

For more information about, or to donate to, the Foundation, visit www.nicholagoddard.com