Every week, UPEI Athletics and Recreation recognizes two student-athletes for their hard work and dedication to their respective sports. Congratulations to Maria Clinton (Women’s Hockey) and Tyler Scott (Men’s Basketball), the UPEI Panther Subway Athletes of the week for January 9-15!

Maria Clinton is a first-year forward on the UPEI Women's Hockey team and a Bachelor of Arts student from Souris, PEI. Clinton shone over the weekend, scoring two goals and two a assists as the Panthers split a pair of games, losing 8-3 to STU and beating U de M 4-2. “Marie had a very strong weekend,” said coach Bruce Donaldson. “She led the team in shots on net versus STU with six and had a even +/- in a game we lost 8-3. It was her best game to date in terms of battling for the puck, and she made a great defensive play in the second period to nullify an odd man situation with a strong back-check effort.”

Tyler Scott is a fifth-year forward on the Men’s Basketball team, and a Bachelor of Arts student from Halifax. The Panthers had two wins over the weekend, beating Cape Breton University 90-81 and St. Francis Xavier University 95-94. Scott averaged 22.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. “In Saturday night’s victory at X, Tyler scored all 19 of his points in the second half,” said coach Tim Kendrick. “He hit the game winning shot with one second remaining! He also scored 11 of his 26 against  CBU in the final 5 minutes of the game!”

The Panthers have three home games this weekend. The Men’s Hockey team plays Acadia Friday at 7:00 pm. The Women’s Hockey team plays U de M on Saturday at 1:30 pm, and the Men’s Hockey team plays once more at home that evening against Saint Mary’s University. The puck drops at 7:00 pm. Find more details at gopanthersgo.ca.

Join Royal Road University graduate students Rebecca Gass and Meghan Miller Cronkite for a screening of the films Letter to a Terrorist and Keep Walking Forward, followed by a presentation and panel discussion with UPEI staff and faculty, on Tuesday, January 24 at 7:00 pm in Lecture Theatre A, AVC, UPEI. This event is sponsored by the Student Diversity Office at UPEI.

Letter to a Terrorist was produced in response to the November 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris, France, as well as in Lebanon and Turkey, and was shared using social media. It depicts five Muslim youth speaking to the terrorists who committed the attacks, explaining their frustration, hurt, sadness, and hope for peace.

Cultural researcher Meghan Miller Cronkrite recently sat down with Manitoba Muslim activists Nilufer Rahman and Ayat Mneina to reveal their perspectives on recent terrorist attacks carried out by so-called Muslims and the resulting need for solidarity across cultural and religious divisions. Miller Cronkrite has presented her short film titled Keep Walking Forward to local community members and organizations to share these stories and build cultural understanding. Her presentation involves a screening of Keep Walking Forward as well as Nilufer and Ayat’s short film Letter to a Terrorist, which highlights the current political climate, Islamophobia, and how sharing stories that challenge the misrepresentation of Muslim people can help build community. An important aspect of this presentation is personal reflection and group dialogue, where participants can share their visions for a stronger community.

“In a world so divided, we need to hold each other's hand and keep walking forward,” said Meghan Miller Cronkrite.

The University of Prince Edward Island prides itself on people, excellence, and impact and is committed to assisting students reach their full potential in both the classroom and community. With roots stemming from two founding institutions—Prince of Wales College and Saint Dunstan’s University—UPEI has a reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and creating positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. UPEI is the only degree granting institution in the province and is proud to be a key contributor to the growth and prosperity of Prince Edward Island.

The CBC recently featured a story about Paige Matthie, the registrar at the Confederation Centre Art Gallery and a 2009 Honours History graduate of UPEI. Matthie, through some creative sleuthing, was able to reassign credit for six works by 19^th-century painter Caroline Louisa Daly which had been attributed for more than a century to two other artists.

“We were able to piece the story together with enough historical proof to say 'no these are actually all Caroline Louisa Daly,’” Matthie said to the CBC.

Read the whole story here.

The University of Prince Edward Island prides itself on people, excellence, and impact and is committed to assisting students reach their full potential in both the classroom and community. With roots stemming from two founding institutions—Prince of Wales College and Saint Dunstan’s University—UPEI has a reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and creating positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. UPEI is the only degree granting institution in the province and is proud to be a key contributor to the growth and prosperity of Prince Edward Island.

Greg Gould, coach of the UPEI Women’s Basketball team, is pleased to announce Lauren Fleming has committed to the Panthers for the 2017–18 season.

Fleming, a 5’11” forward from Sussex, New Brunswick, is the leading rebounder and one of the top scorers for the Sussex Regional High Sonics team, which is one of the top high school teams in the Maritimes. Fleming was also selected this year as a starting forward on New Brunswick’s U–17 provincial team.

“I chose UPEI because it’s the perfect fit for me,” said Fleming. “PEI has such a great feel to it, Charlottetown is a beautiful city, and the people are very friendly. UPEI has a beautiful campus, small class sizes, and a great program that I am interested in to start my career.  I’m looking forward to working towards my degree at UPEI. I have played against a few of the current Panthers during my high school career and respect their skills and intensity. The youth and talent that UPEI has right now are building towards something special, and I can’t wait to be a part of it!”

“Lauren will be a great fit for our team as she is a multi-skilled player who suits our style of play,” said Gould. “She rebounds well, attacks the basket, and is a good mid-range shooter. Lauren also defends her position extremely well. She comes from a winning program, and she will bring that winning intensity to our program. I feel Lauren will continue to improve and develop as a player. I look forward to working with her to help her achieve her goals on and off the court.”

Fleming will study in UPEI’s Bachelor of Kinesiology program.

The Panthers have three home games this weekend. The Men’s Hockey team plays Acadia Friday at 7:00 pm. The Women’s Hockey team plays Université de Moncton on Saturday at 1:30 pm, and the Men’s Hockey team plays once more at home that evening against Saint Mary’s University. The puck drops at 7:00 pm. Find more details at gopanthersgo.ca.

It’s Alumni Weekend as both Panthers hockey teams pay homage to all the Panthers who came before them.

On Friday, the UPEI Men’s Hockey team plays Acadia at 7:00 pm in the MacLauchlan Arena. Before the game will be a ceremony to honour the 1987 and 1988 championship teams.

“This is a big weekend for our team and program,” said coach Forbes MacPherson. “Each year our schedule is highlighted by our Alumni Weekend. This year is even more special with the celebration of the 1986-87 and 1987-88 Atlantic conference championships teams. Aside from that excitement, we are in a heated battle to retain a play-off spot and chase down home ice. We are on the home stretch of regular season play and are focused on trying to make the play-offs.”

Saturday, the UPEI Women’s Hockey team plays at 1:30 pm against Université de Moncton. “Saturday we finish up our back-to-back games against U de M,” said coach Bruce Ferguson.

“Last game we were able to kill off a 5-on-3 opportunity early and score one of our own on the power play. All our games this year against U de M have been very close and have come down to a goal either a late in the third period goal or in overtime. Moncton will be ready, and it will be important for us to match their speed and intensity right from the start.” 

The men play again Saturday evening at 7:00 pm against Acadia University. Before the game, the Panthers will celebrate all UPEI Men’s Hockey alumni with a small ceremony.

Find more details at gopanthersgo.ca.

Every week, UPEI Athletics and Recreation recognizes two student-athletes for their hard work and dedication to their respective sports. Congratulations to swimmers Stephanie Hatayama and Pieter VanLeeuwen, the UPEI Panther Subway Athletes of the week for January 16-22!

Stephanie Hatayama is a third-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine student at UPEI’s Atlantic Veterinary College and a member of the UPEI swim team. At this weekend’s Acadia Invitational Swim Meet, she claimed an impressive “sprint double,” winning the women’s 50-metre and 100-metre freestyle events.

“Swimming seasonal best times with only a few weeks until the AUS Championships will put Stephanie in a great position to challenge at the championships,” said coach Tony Theriault. 

Pieter VanLeeuwen is a first-year student in UPEI’s School of Sustainable Design Engineering and a member of the UPEI swim team. VanLeeuwen set a new UPEI record in the men's 100-metre breaststroke with a time of 1:13.03. He also placed second in the men’s 400-metre freestyle and third in the 200-metre freestyle.

“Pieter is a very well rounded and talented athlete,” said Theriault. “He can swim and be competitive in a multitude of events from sprints right up to distance events. He is a valuable member to our squad.”

“Stephanie and Pieter are strong swimmers that embrace hard work and have shown consistency all season,” said head coach Tom Ponting. “Both of them meet the hard sets and tough demands put on them with a grin. Fierce competitors, both are always ready with quick words of encouragement for their teammates.”

The Subway AUS Swimming Championships will be held at the Bell Aliant Centre on the UPEI campus February 10-12. Find more details at gopanthersgo.ca.

Wednesday, January 25 is a big night for the UPEI Men’s Hockey team. The Panthers take on Université de Moncton at 7 pm in MacLauchlan Arena and participate in the #PanthersBeKind challenge as part of Bell Let’s Talk Day. As one big act of kindness, the Panthers have invited members of Prince Edward Island’s growing Chinese population to the game.

The Panthers, AUS, and Bell have teamed up to support Bell Let’s Talk. Inspired by the AUS’s theme of “Be Kind,” UPEI’s Bell Let’s Talk Ambassadors, Jerika Gimpel and Olivia Murphy, began the #PanthersBeKind challenge. The challenge is simple: surprise someone in your community with a small act of kindness. Capture it on video, post it on social media, and challenge two others to do the same!

An estimated 350 members of the Chinese community in PEI are expected to Wednesday’s game, where there will be a showcase of their culture. After the game, there will be a family skate and opportunities to meet members of the team.

“Another big game with play-off implications,” said coach Forbes MacPherson. “With only six games remaining and four on the road, we have to take care of home ice and continue to build towards a playoff position. We are also excited to participate in Bell Let's Talk. Many Canadians are affected by mental illness during their life. This initiative helps support overcoming the stigma and get people talking.”

“Our goal is to develop stronger connections with our ever expanding PEI populations and community,” said Chris Huggan, director of UPEI Athletics and Recreation. “By reaching out and being kind, we hope to make the PEI Chinese community more aware of, feel more welcome at, and ultimately become more connected with both UPEI and UPEI Athletics and Recreation.”

Game tickets are now available for purchase online at panthertickets.universitytickets.com

Find more details at gopanthersgo.ca.

Both of UPEI’s basketball teams have a two-game home stand this weekend in the UPEI Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre.

Friday night, the Panther women host Acadia University at 6:00 pm. The men take the court at 8:00 pm. On Saturday night, the women play Saint Mary’s at 6:00 pm. The men play at 8:00 pm.

“The team is excited to be playing a pair of home games after a weekend off,” said UPEI Women’s coach Greg Gould. “Acadia is an up-tempo team who press and play a lot of zone defense. Saint Mary’s is a great defensive team that is very disciplined on offence and are very good three-point shooters. We will need to defend and rebound well to be successful against both teams.”

“We have a huge weekend in front of us,” said UPEI Men’s coach Tim Kendrick. “Acadia sits four points up on us, so a win for us would vault us into a tie for the final play-off spot. SMU handed us a beating at their place in November, so we are looking to bounce back in a big way. We are going to have to be at our best if we hope to take points from either of these two strong teams!”

Find more details at gopanthersgo.ca.

The Atlantic Council for International Cooperation (ACIC) will hold the 27^th annual International Development Week (IDW) February 6-11. UPEI is a proud member of the ACIC and will host two events for IDW.

IDW brings together the PEI members of the ACIC and development groups from across the country. 2017 also marks the 42^nd anniversary of the ACIC.

Cinema Politca Charlottetown will screen The Real Thing: Coca, Democracy and Rebellion in Bolivia Monday, February 6 at 6:00 pm in room 246 of UPEI’s Don and Marion McDougall Hall. The film explores the United States’ “war on drugs” and how it has affected the people of Bolivia. The screening is free, but donations will be accepted in support of student Fallon Mawhinney’s forthcoming trip to Bolivia with Uniterra and WUSC. There will also be a raffle basket and popcorn for sale.

Thursday, February 9 from 5:00-7:00 pm, there will be a panel discussion on the topic of violence against women. Panelists include:

• Sally Armstrong, a three-time Amnesty International award winner and member of the International Women’s Commission at the UN
• Masuma Asad Khan, a third-year IDS student at Dalhousie University, campaigns and outreach coordinator for the Equity and Accessibility Office for the Dalhousie Student Union, and president of the Dalhousie Muslim Student Association

The discussion will be held in Lecture Theatre A of the Atlantic Vetrinary College.

Timothy’s Café in Charlottetown will host presentations by NGOs and youth representatives of the ACIC on Sunday, February 11 from 2:30-4:30 pm. Timothy’s will also host displays from NGOs during the entire IDW.

For more information, see the ACIC website or contact Selvi Roy at selvi@acic-caci.org.

The University of Prince Edward Island prides itself on people, excellence, and impact and is committed to assisting students reach their full potential in both the classroom and community. With roots stemming from two founding institutions—Prince of Wales College and Saint Dunstan’s University—UPEI has a reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and creating positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. UPEI is the only degree granting institution in the province and is proud to be a key contributor to the growth and prosperity of Prince Edward Island.

The University of Prince Edward Island supports the concerns expressed by Universities Canada and is troubled with the United States government’s executive order issued Friday, January 27, 2017 and its impacts. This action may affect students, faculty and staff at UPEI from several countries as it prevents them from entering the United States for 90 days.

UPEI champions our Prime Minister’s recent statement that “diversity is our strength”. UPEI values diversity and welcomes all of our international students who represent over 65 countries. “We are proud of our University and Island communities that embrace diversity and welcome students, faculty, and staff from around the globe,” says President and Vice-Chancellor Alaa Abd-El-Aziz. “This inclusivity enriches our campus and we are stronger because of it.”

Falling on the heels of the United States executive order, the entire country is reeling from news of an attack on a Quebec City mosque and on some of the most intrinsic values shared by Canadians, diversity and freedom of religion.

“Respect and collegiality is the foundation of our value compass, making the horrific events in Quebec City unfathomable. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of those killed in the terrorist attack,” said Abd-El-Aziz.

UPEI’s highest priority is the well-being of students, faculty, and staff and the University supports them to the fullest extent possible. Students needing support, please contact Treena Smith, Manager of Student Affairs, at trlsmith@upei.ca or Nathan Hood, UPEI Student Union President, at president@upeisu.ca.

For faculty and staff members who may require support with regards to travel or other services, please contact Robert Gilmour, Vice-President Academic and Research, at rgilmour@upei.ca or Sue Connolly, Associate Vice-President of Human Resources and Legal at smconnolly@upei.ca.