This weekend will mark the fourth swimming competition for the UPEI Panthers this season. The meet will be hosted by UPEI at the CARI Complex Aquatics Facility, January 17-18. Teams from Dalhousie, Memorial, Acadia, UNB, and Mount Allison Universities will descend on Charlottetown for the two-day swim competition. The meet is an opportunity for AUS swimmers to test their preparation leading into the AUS Championships, February 6-8, at Dalhousie University.

The UPEI Panthers will field a team of seven strong swimmers for the upcoming meet. All swimmers will use this meet as a development opportunity for their swim events. They will look to improve on starts, turns, and general race strategies being developed in practices. Team captain Rebekah Nitschmann will lead the squad in the pool with top performances in the freestyle events. On the men's side, Joël Legault will tackle the butterfly and individual medley events. All seven swimmers are looking forward to displaying their skills in front of the hometown crowd.

This weekend will also involve the dedication and naming of the swim competition after a longtime swimming coach in Charlottetown, Dave Mills. Mills, affectionately known as 'Millsy,' was a builder of competitive swimming in both Charlottetown and Prince Edward Island. As the Charlottetown YMCA Aquatics and Fitness Director, Mills took it upon himself to organize and develop the Charlottetown YMCA Bluephins Swim Club. Mills was much more than a coach; he was a true friend, mentor, father figure, and life coach to hundreds of Island swimmers. Without his leadership and vision, Island swimming would not be what it is today. The UPEI Panthers Swim Team is honoured to dedicate its UPEI invitational meet to Dave Mills.

A reception and naming ceremony will take place at 3:00 pm on Saturday, January 17 in the CARI Complex lobby. Light refreshments will be served. The swim events will take place immediately following the ceremony. The events are free of charge and all are welcome to attend. Come out and support your UPEI Panthers! Go Panthers Go!

Schedule:

Saturday, January 17
4:00 pm racing starts

Sunday, January 18
10:00 am racing starts

For information:
Ron Annear
UPEI Athletics and Recreation
(902) 566-0991, annear@upei.ca

Congratulations to Island Studies Press and author Katherine Dewar for her book, Those Splendid Girls: The Heroic Service of Prince Edward Island Nurses in the Great War, making into Indigo's top picks for non-fiction!

In Those Splendid Girls, Katherine Dewar tells the story of the more that 115 women from PEI who served as nurses in the First World War. They were full-blooded, complex women living in a tumultuous time in our history, doing their duty on distant battlefields. The author was granted rare access to personal scrapbooks, letters, private diaries, and wartime photo albums of Island nurses. By combining their voices and experiences with their military records, Dewar delivers this riveting story of mud, blood and courage that tells the story of Canadian nursing in the First World War.

At war's end, many Island nurses were unwilling to swap their wartime autonomy and authority for housework or poorly paid nursing positions on PEI; instead, they accepted senior appointments in nursing schools and in hospital administration, most often in the 'Boston States' and in California, and through these, made lasting contributions to the profession of nursing in North America. Those Splendid Girls features a 35-page biography section detailing each nurse's life: her family, education, military service, plus work and family after the war.
Ed MacDonald, History professor at UPEI, comments: '[this book] does more than restore a measure of gender balance to our understanding of that shattering conflict; it tells a ripping good yarn about women at war.'

Those Splendid Girls contains many wartime b/w photos reproduced for the first time. The book is available at all bookstores, and also at: http://thosesplendidgirls.ca

The UPEI Human Performance lab seeks volunteers for a study on the protective effects of Curcumin (an ingredient in some curry spices) against muscle fatigue. Volunteers must be healthy, relatively fit, and between the ages of 18 and 45. The team is examining the effect of Curcumin and inflammation-inducing exercise on recovery after repeated bouts of downhill running. Participants must be able to commit to nine visits to the Human Performance Lab at UPEI over the course of the study.

For more information, or to learn about how to participate, contact Matthew Boulter at msboulter@upei.ca or (902) 393-2845.

The Premier of Prince Edward Island, along with the premiers of Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, announced on January 19, 2015 that they have signed a ten-year interprovincial funding agreement for the Atlantic Veterinary College.

The Atlantic provinces have agreed to share in the funding for the ongoing operating and maintenance costs of educating students at the AVC. The biggest change in the agreement from past ones is that it is for a ten-year period, which will provide for more consistent and stabilized funding.

Vice-President Academic Christian Lacroix said, 'It provides us with a very stable window of funding, long-term funding. And also it's a testimony that our Atlantic provinces continue to support and value the work of the AVC.'

Government of PEI news release

CBC News story

The UPEI Panther Athletes of the Week for the week of January 12-18 are Terrilyn Herrick, Women's Basketball; and Ellis Ffrench, Men's Basketball. UPEI Athletics and Recreation showcases these talented athletes to recognize their hard work and dedication to their respective sports. UPEI 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: Terrilyn Herrick, Women's Basketball; and Ellis Ffrench, Men's Basketball

What: UPEI Panther Athletes of the Week

When: Week of January 12-18

Where: University of Prince Edward Island

Why: Herrick, a fourth-year Bachelor of Arts student from Kinburn, Ontario, had a solid weekend for the Panthers averaging 10 points and six rebounds in the split with Memorial. During Sunday's comeback loss, Herrick finished with 12 points and seven rebounds, hitting three big baskets late in the game to give the Panthers a chance.

Ffrench, a fifth-year student from Wolfville, Nova Scotia, played a key role in the Panthers' two wins over Memorial this past weekend. Ffrench held Memorial's leading scorer to 9.5 points per game while posting great stats including 14.5 points per game, six rebounds, seven assists, and a perfect 9 for 9 from the free throw line.

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

Terrilyn Herrick, Women's Basketball

The Dr. Frances Gray Music Performance Competition 2015 Finals concert will be held Thursday, January 22nd at the Dr. Steel Recital Hall, UPEI at 7:30 pm. This annual competition was recently renamed in honour of Dr. Gray's retirement from the UPEI Music Department.

The six students chosen from the preliminary round to perform in the finals are: Rebecca Apps, soprano; Jillian Clow, mezzo soprano; Leah Inman, piano ; Lucas MacPhail, alto saxophone; Kailey Norris, clarinet and Hannah Rollwage, mezzo soprano.

Originally from St. Catharine's, Ontario, Rebecca Apps is currently in her final year of the Bachelor of Music program at UPEI, majoring in voice under the tutelage of Prof. Sung Ha Shin-Bouey. She holds a Diploma in Musical Theatre Performance from St. Lawrence College (2010). Rebecca has been a featured soloist with the UPEI Concert Choir, the UPEI Chamber Ensemble, the UPEI Jazz Ensemble, the Kirk of St. James Senior Choir, and the Charlottetown Jazz Ensemble. Rebecca's master-class experience has allowed her to work with some of Canada's top classical musicians. Her hard work and dedication to the craft have led her to numerous competitive opportunities, including the CFMTA National Voice Competition (2013), the Atlantic Young Artist Tour Competition (2014) and the UPEI Music Performance Competition.

Jillian Clow is a mezzo-soprano in her fourth year as a UPEI voice major. Originally from New London, she attended school in Kensington where she played trumpet in the Jazz and Concert bands. She was a cast member in the Confederation Centre of the Arts Young Company production of Les Feux Follets in 2012. She has also performed with the UPEI Concert Choir as a featured soloist in works such as Vivaldi's Gloria and Bach's Christmas Oratorio. In 2014, Jillian was invited to compete at the provincial level of the Kiwanis Music Festival after being awarded the Robert C. Schurman Memorial Trophy for being the most outstanding individual performer at the East Prince Music Festival. She also had the pleasure of being featured in the Indian River Festival as a part of the Youth Legacy Program.

Leah Inman, originally from Augustine Cove PEI, is a 4th year piano student studying under the instruction of Dr. Frances Gray. Leah is the pianist for the UPEI Wind Symphony and has been performing annually in the PEI Kiwanis music festival for over 10 years. She has represented this festival multiple times on the provincial level in both piano and vocal categories. Leah is also passionate about art, musical theatre and animals.

Lucas MacPhail, a native of Warren Grove, PEI, is in his fourth year of the Bachelor of Music program at UPEI, studying Saxophone Performance with Kevin MacLean. He is currently the Principal Alto Saxophonist for the UPEI Wind Symphony and a member of the UPEI Jazz Ensemble. Through the PEI Kiwanis Music Festival, Lucas was the recipient of the Suzanne Brenton award to perform with the PEI Symphony Orchestra in the 2014-2015 season and was the winner of the 2014 UPEI Music Department Performance Competition. Lucas has competed twice in the FCMF National Music Festival, where he received the Honourable Mention in Woodwinds in the 2014 competition. This past summer, he attended the American Saxophone Academy at the Eastman School of Music, where he had the opportunity to work with six saxophone professors from the United States. Upon graduation from UPEI, Lucas intends on pursuing graduate studies in saxophone performance.

Kailey Norris is a fifth-year clarinet student in the Bachelor of Music Education program at UPEI. From Long Creek, PEI, Kailey has been playing the clarinet for eleven years and has taught intermediate music both as a senior instructor with Cadets Canada and as director of the Bluefield High School Choir. Kailey has studied under Dr. Karem Simon for five years and is currently the principal clarinetist with the UPEI Wind Symphony. Her future plans include teaching music internationally, and eventually returning home to Prince Edward Island as a public school instrumental and choral instructor.

Hannah Rollwage, mezzo soprano, is in the fifth and final year of her Bachelor of Music degree at UPEI. Originally from Toronto, she moved to PEI in 2006 and attended Colonel Gray Senior High School. She has been featured as a soloist in many recitals in the UPEI Music Department and in programs across the Island. In addition to her studies in the classical field, which have involved performances in UPEI ensembles and the PEI Symphony Orchestra, Hannah enjoys performing in folk, roots, and jazz capacities. A multi-instrumentalist, Hannah has studied piano, cello, and string bass. She works as a session musician, private instructor, church music director, and choral conductor. Hannah was proud to be the recipient of the Lynn Grishko Memorial Bursary at the 2013 Metro Credit Union Music PEI Week. She was selected as the alto representative for P.E.I. in the 2014 National Youth Choir which included a tour of Atlantic Canada. Hannah studies with Sung Ha Shin Bouey and Stephen Bouey.

Judges for the competition are well-known PEI musicians and educators: Reg Ballagh, Peter Bevan Baker, Ken Fornetran, Karen Graves and Anne White.

Tickets are $15 / $10 for Students & Seniors and are available at the door or in advance online at www.upeirecitals11.bpt.me or by calling 902-566-0507 or by email at music@upei.ca.

UPEI Music Department contact: Sue Williams, 902-626-8059

This weekend, UPEI Athletics and Recreation will honour the 1964-65 and 1984-85 Men's Hockey teams at a pre-game reception, in addition to having players participate in the opening face-off at the UPEI-St FX game on Friday at 7:00 pm. This celebration is in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the SDU 1964-65 Maritime Championship and the 30th anniversary of the UPEI 1984-85 AUAA Championship.

The Friday night events are in the lead up to the annual UPEI Hockey Alumni Night which takes place on Saturday, January 24. For more information on Panther action, visit gopanthersgo.ca.

Read the special to The Guardian written by volunteer Alf Blanchard, Friends of UPEI Hockey.

A case team, made up of UPEI business students Trevor White, Luke Gaudet, and Kaitlyn Lord, recently won third place at an international competition at Queens University in Kingston, Ontario. The Inter-Collegiate Business Competition (I.C.B.C.) is Canada's longest-running undergraduate business case competition.

UPEI's team competed in the Business Policy category against teams from 26 schools from around the world in the preliminary round of I.C.B.C. in October, 2014. The competitors analyzed a case detailing real-world problems that a business was experiencing and provided a written case analysis. Their strong showing in the preliminary round earned them an invitation to the final round competing against Concordia University, the University of Calgary, the University of New South Wales, Chulongkorn University in Thailand, and Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

'It is refreshing to see UPEI go toe to toe with such large schools from across the globe and get results like this,' said Mary Whitrow, coach of the UPEI case team. 'The students worked tirelessly and represented UPEI well. The support they received from faculty and the School of Business has been remarkable.'

'Being able to compete against schools from Thailand and Australia was amazing,' said team member Trevor White. 'To top that off with having industry professionals from the Boston Consulting Group judging your presentation is something that I will never forget. There is no doubt that this UPEI team put in so much work to be our best and I am proud of my teammates for what we were able to accomplish this weekend.'

White's teammate Kaitlyn Lord said I.C.B.C. was an incredible experience. 'It was fascinating to watch groups from all over the world present and to understand their thought process when analyzing a case. I'm excited to take what I've learned and improve my own abilities.'

Team member Luke Gaudet agreed. 'It was a privilege to be able to represent UPEI against schools both throughout Canada and across the world. I am grateful for the support our faculty gave us to have had such an experience, and I am proud to have done so alongside a fantastic coach and teammates.'

The final round of I.C.B.C. took place January 15-17 at Queens University. Students were tasked with assessing a case, analyzing available information and crafting a strategic solution in only 5.5 hours. They then had 20 minutes to present and defend their recommendations to a judging panel of industry professionals.

"The Inter-Collegiate Business Competition at Queen's School of Business in Kingston, ON, counts as one of today's most prestigious business case competitions,' said Dr. Juergen Krause, Dean of UPEI's School of Business. 'For our team to qualify as a top 6 finalist for the championship round in the business policy category was a great achievement. To win the third place against such strong competition is another great success for UPEI and makes us very proud of our great students and their coach in the School of Business."

Find out more about the Inter-Collegiate Business Competition at the I.C.B.C website.

Congratulations, team!

The UPEI Men's Soccer team will be awarded "SCORE! Team of the Year," Sport PEI announced this week. The provincial sport federation also announced that UPEI Men's Soccer player Jared Murphy is a finalist for "Intercollegiate Male Athlete of the Year". He will find out if he wins the award at the annual Sport PEI Amateur Sport Awards presentation on Wednesday, February 4 at the Rodd Charlottetown Hotel.

The UPEI Men's Soccer team earned the nod based on its CIS bronze medal performance at last November's CIS Men's Soccer National Championship. The team made history as the first Panther soccer squad to win a national CIS competition medal, defeating the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) Citadins 2-1.

Murphy, a fifth-year business student from Charlottetown, PEI was one of two Panthers named to the tournament's all-star team in addition to be being named UPEI Athlete of the Week three times during the 2014 regular season.

For more information on the awards, read Sport PEI's official release and The Guardian article.