The Island Lecture Series kicks off its 2018–2019 season with a discussion on how the addition of a fixed link affects “the Island way of life.” The event features the  research of Master of Arts in Island Studies graduate Janice Pettit and takes place Tuesday, October 16, at 7:00 pm in the Faculty Lounge of UPEI’s SDU Main Building.

Politicians began talking about building a fixed link between Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick in the late 1980s, and while this was not the first time the topic was broached, the premier of the day suggested a plebiscite to determine Islanders’ interest. Both those opposed and those in favour of the link rallied at public meetings prior to the vote to ensure their messages were heard. The “no” side raised a number of issues, but their main concern centered on the perceived loss of the “Island way of life.” During the 1989 plebiscite, Islanders voted almost 60 per cent in favour of a fixed crossing, and in 1997, the Confederation Bridge opened to the public.

Given all that was said and written regarding concerns about the loss of “islandness”, it is somewhat surprising that, until now, research had not been conducted to determine if the bridge has, in fact, had this impact. Have Prince Edward Islanders lost their “island way of life”? This presentation, drawn from Pettit’s exploratory thesis research, provides some insight into whether Prince Edward Island residents still consider themselves islanders and if their island identity has been affected by the fixed connection to the mainland.

Janice Pettit graduated from the MAIS program in May of 2018 and is a Senior Policy Advisor with the Government of Prince Edward Island.

Admission to the lecture is free and everyone is welcome to attend.

For more information, please contact Laurie Brinklow at iis@upei.ca or (902) 894-2881.

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.

It’s one of the busiest home weekends of the fall season for the Panthers. Men’s Basketball hosts the annual Mickey Place Basketball Tournament (see the full release for schedule). Women’s hockey plays its home opener. Rugby and soccer hosts games as well.

The weekend starts with the UPEI Women’s Hockey home opener, Friday evening at 7:00 pm against St. Thomas University.

“We have had a strong week of practice, firming up our rotation and getting everyone ready for the weekend,” said Bruce Donaldson, coach of the women’s hockey team. “STU is always a hard team to play against; they give you very little room and are very strong on the stick.”

Saturday, the day begins with a celebration of UPEI’s 76 U SPORTS Academic All-Canadians. The celebration begins at 10:00 am in McMillan Hall of UPEI’s W.A. Murphy Student Centre.

A busy afternoon begins with a 2:00 pm match between UPEI Women’s Rugby and Saint Mary’s University.

“Saint Mary’s are a well coached, tough team,” said coach John LaBoyne. “Any team that takes them lightly will be in for a shock. Our away game against them earlier this season was difficult—we had to come from behind at the half to get the win. They are tough and persistent.  Their defence is hard, especially in the close quarter play.”

Men’s Hockey hits the ice at 7:00 pm against the University of New Brunswick.

“This is another big weekend for us,” said coach Forbes McPherson. “We are coming off of very difficult trip to the U.S. playing NCAA teams. We battled very hard against Moncton Wednesday. It will be important for us to have a good couple of days of preparations and get dialled in for UNB.”

Sunday, the women’s hockey team is back in action, this time against the Université de Moncton. The puck drops at 2:00 pm.

“While we have not seen U de M this year, they always have a very strong skill set, with lots of speed and execute well on the power play,” said Donaldson.

Both UPEI soccer teams host St. Francis Xavier University Sunday afternoon. The women’s game begins on the artificial turf at 2:00 pm.

“We need to be focused tactically against a fluent and dynamic St. FX team,” said coach Graeme McDonald. “Training has been intense this week and the players understand how important this game is as we go into last few games of the season.”

The men host St. FX at 4:15 pm.

“The team had a chance to regroup and recharge over the Thanksgiving break,” said coach Lewis Page. “We will be fired up for the visit Sunday of top-ranked St. FX.”

Go Panthers Go!

U SPORTS, the national governing body of university sports in Canada, gives special recognition to student-athletes across the country with an academic standing of 80 per cent or better. UPEI is proud to announce 76 of its 184 student athletes in the 2017–2018 season have been named U SPORTS Academic All-Canadians. That’s more than 41 per cent of the student-athlete population, and one of the top rates of Academic All-Canadians at universities in the country.

UPEI student-athletes strive for excellence in sport, academics, and in the greater community. This level of academic achievement speaks volumes about their work ethic and the quality of our coaches, faculty, staff, and varsity programs.

UPEI Athletics and Recreation will celebrate its Academic All-Canadians at a ceremony Saturday morning at 10:00 am in McMillan Hall at UPEI’s W.A. Murphy Student Centre.

Congratulations to our Academic All-Canadians! Go Panthers Go!

Men’s Basketball: Matt Connolly, Stefan Vujisic; Men’s Cross Country: Lucas Clow, Stephen David Paul Seviour, Jacob Daniel Ezeard, Alec Dunstan Brown, Lee Wesselius; Men’s Hockey: Darcy Darrell Ashley, Brent Colin Andrews, Connor Morgan Wilkinson, Austin Levi, Ryan Patrick Mackinnon, Nathan Ronald Yetman, Marcus Timothy Power, Matthew Terrence Mahalak, Chad Morgan Labelle, Sam Aulie, Tanner McCabe, Beni Sam Berisha, Bobby Gaither Zinkan, Riley West Whittingham, Cody Adam Payne; Men’s Soccer: Ben Keefe, Ignacio Sanchez, Jesse Cameron, Nathan John Bruce Ford, Noah Najib Bitar, Austin MacKenzie, Jake David Deighan; Men’s Track and Field: Jordan Donald Bruce MacIsaac.

Women’s Basketball: Kiera Rigby, Leah Dawn Robinson, Jane C McLaughlin, Julie Elizabeth Campbell, Victoria Lynn Barbour, Jennifer Newman, Annabelle Charron; Women’s Cross Country: Emma Caroline Moore; Women’s Curling: Veronica Alice Smith, Chloe McCloskey; Women’s Hockey: Emma Katherine Martin, Megan Michelle Sullivan, Emma Dianne Weatherbie, Madison Faith Clarke, Rachel Lucia Colle, Emily Louise March, Gabrielle Frances Gray, Kristen Michelle Ca Macintyre, Jenna Pellerin, Caroline Daoust, Sophie Vandale, Camille Scherger; Women’s Rugby: Alysha Corrigan, Sidney Corrigan, Amy Hickey, Terrisa Lynch, Frances MacWilliam, Anneke Julianne Dykerman, Madeline Beatrice Shea, Nicole Caroline Davies, Tara Margaret Campbell, Taylor MacDonald, Elizabeth McQuaid; Women’s Soccer: Jennifer Balderston, Kelly Rebecca Green, Courtney McRorie, Danielle Leslie Younker, Tyffanie Bordage, Andrea Dawn Mahoney, Amanda Stanyer, Laura Burge; Women’s Swimming: Kelsey Bolivar; Women’s Track and Field: Kylee Jane Wallace, Megan Ann O'Hanley, Danika Korail Atchia, Kelly McCardle.

Every week, UPEI Athletics and Recreation recognizes student athletes for their achievements and dedication to their respective sports. Congratulations to Danielle Younker and Jack MacAulay, the UPEI Panther Subway Athletes of the Week for October 8–14.

Danielle Younker is a fourth-year science student from Charlottetown and a left-back on the UPEI Women’s Soccer team. The Panthers tied St. Francis Xavier over the weekend, and Younker was named Subway Player of the Game. “Danielle put on a fantastic defensive display and scored a terrific goal from 40 yards out,” said coach Graeme McDonald.

Jack MacAulay is a third-year business student from Charlottetown and a guard on the UPEI Men’s Basketball team. The Panthers hosted the Mickey Place Memorial Basketball Tournament over the weekend, dropping a game a piece to the University of Regina and McMaster University, and beating Humber College. MacAulay scored 41 points over three games and shot 65% from the three-point line. “Jack’s a pure shooter and an important player for us, it was great to see him have a successful weekend,” said coach Darrell Glenn.

Go Panthers Go!

The University of Prince Edward Island congratulates Chief Brian Francis of Rocky Point, PEI, on being appointed to the Senate of Canada. He is filling a PEI seat that has been vacant since the Honourable Libbe Hubley retired from the Senate in September 2017 and will be sworn in on Tuesday, October 16 in Ottawa.

A graduate of UPEI’s Certificate in Conflict Resolution Studies program, Senator-Elect Francis holds a Bachelor of Social Work from Dalhousie University and most recently served more than 11 years as Chief of the Abegweit First Nation. He is a formal signatory to the Canada–Prince Edward Island–Mi’kmaq Partnership, and is an executive member of the Fathers of Confederation Building Trust.

“I was so excited to hear that Chief Francis was recommended for appointment to the Senate of Canada, and, on behalf of the University of Prince Edward Island, I extend my sincere congratulations to this great leader,” said Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, President and Vice-Chancellor. “This is wonderful and historic news for Indigenous Peoples, Prince Edward Islanders, and Canadians, and I am honoured to count him as a colleague and advisor.”

In 2016, Chief Francis was recognized by the University of Prince Edward Island as a Founder on behalf of the Indigenous Peoples of Prince Edward Island. He also serves on the President’s Indigenous Advisory Council.

Congratulations, Chief Francis!
 

The next writer in the Winter’s Tales Author Reading Series is a bright new star in Canada’s literary sky. A multi-talented artist, Christine Higdon is a graphic designer and rug hooker, as well as writer and editor. She will give a public reading from her debut novel, The Very Marrow of Our Bones, on Tuesday, October 30, at 7:30 pm in the Faculty Lounge of UPEI’s SDU Main Building.

Higdon describes herself as “A sister. A mother. A feminist. Daughter of a Newfoundlander and a British Columbian, I grew up surveying the world from the tops of trees near the Fraser River Delta. I learned design from my mother’s clothesline and my father’s garden. Winnie-the-Pooh and Stuart Little made me want to write.”

Now living in Mimico, near Toronto, she reconnects with her Atlantic Ocean heritage by visiting Nova Scotia. “When I am not writing, designing, or editing...I hook rugs, worry about the bees, and long for either ocean.” Speaking of what formed her, she says, “The Pacific Ocean taught me reverence. A nation of dedicated women and men taught me about social justice.”

As The Very Marrow of Our Bones opens in November 1967, two women, Bette Parson and Alice McFee, vanish without a trace from a working-class town on the Fraser River. Even the egg seller, Doris Tenpenny, whom everyone tells their secrets, hears nothing. Ten-year-old Lulu Parsons finds a note her mother left her father on the kitchen table. Lulu tells no one and buries the note in the woods. For the next forty years Lulu chooses solitude and detachment. But as novelist William Faulkner said, “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” At age fifty, joined with Doris Tenpenny by odd circumstances, Lulu faces more than her own secret.

Higdon’s reading, with a reception and book signing, is sponsored by the UPEI Dean of Arts and Department of English, with generous support from The Canada Council for the Arts.

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 UPEI Board of Governors approved several major policies at its October 4, 2018 meeting.

In a message issued to students, faculty, and staff, Vice-President Administration and Finance Jackie Podger wrote,  “I sincerely thank the many faculty, staff, and students who contributed to the development of, or revisions to, these important policies.”

One of the new policies is the Alcohol and Drug Policy, which was developed in concert with revisions to the former Tobacco-Free Policy, now called the Smoke-Free Campus Policy.  Both are based on the University’s commitment to providing a safe, healthy workplace and learning environment for members of the campus community and visitors. They incorporate language to reflect the legalization of cannabis in Canada.

Another new policy is the Service Animal Policy. The policy was created to provide guidelines around the growing presence of service animals on University-owned or operated premises. The policy states that the UPEI encourages the full participation of campus community members in all aspects of university life and strives to ensure fair and consistent treatment and access.

As a result of a partnership with the UPEI Student Union, UPEI established the Cross-Campus Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Task Force in 2017 to build on previous protocols and develop a formal, stand-alone policy on sexual violence prevention and response. The Sexual Violence Policy is now in place and UPEI has hired its first Sexual Violence Response and Education Coordinator, Eileen Conboy. Her office is located on the third floor of Kelley Memorial Building and she can be reached at 902-620-5090 and econboy@upei.ca.

UPEI Board-approved policies can be viewed at upei.ca/policy

Dr. David Mowat will present a public lecture at UPEI in advance of his keynote presentation at the 2018 PEI Health Promotion Conference. The lecture will be held at 7:00 pm on Monday, October 22 in UPEI Health Sciences Building (Room #104). The lecture is free and is presented by the UPEI Faculty of Nursing, in partnership with the PEI Department of Health and Wellness Chief Public Health Office. All are welcome!

Childhood and youth is a time for growth and development; it is also when the foundation is laid for health later in life. Dr. Mowat will look at some of the health challenges facing families and will argue society needs to move “upstream” in preventing disease. Only action on how we live, work, and play has the potential to impact the prevalence of many diseases at the population level. Dr. Mowat will provide practical examples, including healthy eating and physical activity interventions.

Dr. David Mowat is a public health physician whose career has spanned positions at the local, provincial, and national levels. He has a particular interest in the prevention of chronic disease through action at the population level, especially policy change and developing healthy environments, including the built environment.

In Ontario, Dr. Mowat served as Medical Officer of Health for Peel Region and for Kingston and area and served two terms as Chief Medical Officer of Health. He was also Deputy Chief Public Health Officer at the Public Health Agency of Canada and has worked for the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador for the Canadian Partnership against Cancer.

Dr. Mowat received his medical training at the University of Edinburgh and a Master’s degree in public health from the University of California at Berkeley. He is also a fellow in public health and preventive medicine of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

Dr. Mowat is now engaged part-time in consulting and teaching.

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 next concert in the UPEI Department of Music Recital Series will feature mezzo soprano Julie Nesrallah, accompanied by Robert Kortgaard on piano. The performance is Thursday, November 1 at 7:30 pm in the Dr. Steel Recital Hall of UPEI’s Steel Building. Tickets are $30 for adults, $20 for students and are available at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/profile/573446, by calling (902)-566-0507 or emailing music@upei.ca.

Julie Nesrallah is a sensational singer, actress, and broadcaster captivating audiences with her engaging personality and her rich, expressive voice. She is regularly engaged by leading opera companies, symphonies, festivals, and chamber music ensembles across North America and around the world.

Nesrallah is a proud recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for her cultural contribution to Canada as a singer and as the host of CBC Radio 2’s national classical music program Tempo.

She sang God Save the Queen in the presence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during Canada Day festivities in Ottawa on Parliament Hill in a performance that was viewed by millions of people around the world, and has graced the stage of Kurt Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall with classical harpist and Juno nominee, Caroline Léonardelli.

Nesrallah is the executive producer and star of Carmen on Tap, a company she created that performs Georges Bizet’s opera Carmen as dinner theatre. Carmen on Tap has thrilled audiences at the Stratford Music Festival, the Prince Edward County Music Festival, the Hamilton Arts Crawl, the Ottawa International Music Festival, Lula Lounge in Toronto, and the Velvet Room in Ottawa.

She has made several recordings, including Elements Eternal with Canada’s illustrious Gryphon Trio, Noël Nouvelet and Sospiro with Caroline Léonardelli.

Pianist Robert Kortgaard was born in Regina, Saskatchewan and grew up in Calgary, Alberta. He completed his Bachelor and Master’s degrees at the Juilliard School in New York City. As a recipient of arts awards from the Canada Council, he furthered his musical studies in Italy and England. Kortgaard has performed as a soloist with major Canadian orchestras and has given recitals throughout Canada and the United States, as well as in England, Finland, Portugal, Italy, Indonesia, the Czech Republic, China and Japan.

He is a favourite collaborator of many of Canada’s finest instrumental soloists, vocalists, and chamber groups. His performances are frequently heard on CBC Radio, and he has recorded for the Centrediscs, Marquis Classics/EMI, CBC Records, Teldec and ATMA Classique labels.

Kortgaard is artistic director of the Indian River Festival on Prince Edward Island (nominated “Event of the Year” by the East Coast Music Awards), and the Leith Summer Music Festival in Ontario. He was musician-in-residence at the University of New Brunswick from 1993–1998, and has given piano master classes at universities and festivals in Canada, Indonesia, and China, also serving as an adjudicator at many national music competitions. He has performed with sopranos Isabel Bayrakdarian, Sumi Jo, Jane Archibald, Adrianne Pieczonka and Erin Wall, mezzo soprano Susan Platts, violinist Joshua Bell, and with prima ballerina Veronica Tennant on a production entitled Invitation to the Dance. He has recorded French and German Cabaret programmes with mezzo-soprano Jean Stilwell for CBC Records.

His CD with soprano Wendy Nielsen was nominated for both Juno and East Coast Music Awards. Kortgaard tours with flutist Susan Hoeppner, cabaret artist Patricia O’Callaghan. baritone Brett Polegato, mezzo soprano Julie Nesrallah, renowned music theatre actress/singer Rebecca Caine and with piano duo partner Peter Tiefenbach. A CD of the music of Olivier Messiaen, recorded with soprano Suzie LeBlanc, was released on the ATMA Classiques label and has received an Opus Award for best recording of 20th century music.

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.

UPEI’s School of Mathematical and Computational Sciences sent a team of 29 students and six faculty members to the 2018 Conference for Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science. The conference was held this past weekend in Moncton and was sponsored by Science Atlantic, the Atlantic Association for Research in the Mathematical Sciences (AARMS), and l'Université de Moncton.

UPEI’s team competed in a number of categories, performing very well against its Atlantic Canadian competition. Chao Qian and Ben Wang won second prize in the Mathematics Problem Solving Contest. Ali Raisolsadat took second prize in the Statistics Presentation category. Stephanie Cairns won first place in the Computer Science Presentation category.

“We are very proud of our student speakers and competitors,” said Dr. Shannon Fitzpatrick, interim associate dean of UPEI’s School of Mathematical and Computational Science. “Their success is result of their hard work and willingness to challenge themselves. We are also grateful for our funding from TD Bank, which supports student experiential learning through conference participation.”

Congratulations!

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.