The UPEI Music Department Recital Series presents “Compelling Works for the Contemporary Saxophone Duo,” featuring duo Nicole Strum and Tristan De Borba on Friday, March 1, at 7:30 pm in the Dr. Steel Recital Hall of UPEI’s Steel Building. Saxophonists Nicole Strum and Tristan De Borba will perform works by Monnakgotla, Stockhausen, Lauba, Labadie, Scelsi, Fournier, and Lemay using soprano, alto, and tenor saxophones.

Tristan De Borba, an applied saxophone instructor at Acadia University, is one of Canada’s preeminent classical and contemporary saxophonists and is quickly gaining a reputation as an innovative and engaging musician with versatility and sensitive musicianship, orchestral saxophonist, and pedagogue across Canada. De Borba is a founding member of the Brogue Saxophone Quartet and half of the recently founded Strum-De Borba duo with fellow saxophonist Nicole Strum. He has a strong interest in the music of our time.

Canadian saxophonist Nicole Strum was awarded the Diplôme Professionel de Perfectionnement Musical from the Conservatoire de Bordeaux, where she studied with Marie-Bernadette Charrier. While in Bordeaux, she collaborated with composer José-Luis Campana on a premiere for saxophone quartet and percussion, which was featured in the September 2005 edition of the Association des Saxophonistes Les Cahiers du Saxophone. She is a graduate of the Université Européenne de Saxophone in Gap, France, where she studied with Claude Delangle, Jean-Denis Michat, Arno Bornkamp, and Vincent David. In North America, she studied with Stan Fisher, Jeremy Brown, and Steven Stusek, earning a DMA from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, in 2012.

Tickets are $25 or $10 for students and are available at the door.

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.

Dr. Charlie Pye, veterinary dermatologist at AVC, will give a public workshop on Tuesday, March 19, at 7 pm, on common medical conditions that can cause excessive scratching in our canine companions and explain what treatments can be used to help them. The workshop will take place at the Atlantic Veterinary College at UPEI in Lecture Theatre A. Everyone is welcome. Admission is free, and refreshments will be served. For information, contact (902) 566-6786.

The Master in Global Affairs cohort, which started at UPEI in September, 2018, is now taking classes at Universidad Rey Juan Carlos in Madrid. The students were received in the Spanish Parliament this month for a discussion with former Secretary of State for International Cooperation and Member of Parliament María Soraya Rodríguez Ramos. In this enriching meeting, the MGA students were able to discuss with MP Rodríguez about the geopolitical implications of Brexit, Catalonia, the upcoming European elections, and how to address the challenges of globalization by promoting multilateralism and sustainability.

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.

Students from 16 of the world’s top international business schools converged on UPEI for the 24^th Network of International Business Schools (NIBS) Worldwide Case Competition championship. Over a week of intense competition, students drew on every ounce of skill, training, and teamwork they had to prove they are the best of the best.

NIBS is a worldwide association of business schools united by a belief in the importance of global perspective, cultural insight, and international experience in management education. Founded in 1993, the organization has more than 70 member institutions in over 30 countries.

Following a qualifying round that took place in November 2018, the top 16 teams advanced to the championship round last week at UPEI. Teams competed in a series of head-to-head matches, with as little as three hours between the time they received their cases and the moment they presented their solutions to expert judges.

“The 2019 Championship Round of the NIBS worldwide case competition provided us with the opportunity to showcase the UPEI Faculty of Business, the City of Charlottetown, and the Province of Prince Edward Island to over 80 students and team coaches from nine different countries,” said Dr. Jurgen Krause, dean of the Faculty of Business at UPEI. “The week-long event opened with a welcome by the Honourable Wade MacLauchlan, Premier of Prince Edward Island, included a tour of the Island, and closed with a gala reception at the Confederation Centre of the Arts. NIBS 2019 was a resounding success, and the competitors, their coaches, and other attendees were full of praise for the event organizers here at UPEI, our guest judges, and the overall event program. It is not surprising, then, that many of them want to return to experience what PEI has to offer in the summer!”

The success of the week was thanks in no small part to Mary Whitrow, Case Competitions Program Coordinator at UPEI. Whitrow was honoured with the NIBS Distinguished Service Award in recognition of her outstanding contribution as organizer of the 24th NIBS competition.

“Hosting NIBS was an amazing experience for all involved,” said Whitrow. “The organizing committee and volunteers put their heart and soul into this event and made it memorable for everyone attending. The sense of community created and fostered at each NIBS competition is truly special. Thank you to the NIBS board for their encouragement and guidance in this process. We are honoured to have hosted this once-in-a-lifetime event with their support."

UPEI’s NIBS team, made up of Faculty of Business students Hani Mayaleh, Taylor Meek, Alec Brown, and Olivia Lantz, gave a spectacular effort, but the championship this time around went to worthy competitors from the University of Guelph-Humber.

“NIBS was my biggest academic challenge in my university years, as well as the most valuable experiential learning experience so far,” said Lantz, a fourth-year student from Charlottetown.

“NIBS was a tough and fun experience all at the same time,” said Brown, a Charlottetown native in his fourth year of the BBA (Accounting) program. “The week was filled with hours of analyzing cases and preparing presentations, as well as meeting and eating with others from around the world.”

“NIBS was perhaps the most challenging week of my university career, but also the most rewarding in terms of the international friendships that were made and the learning experiences,” said Hani Mayaleh, a native of Syria currently in his third-year of the BBA program, specializing in Finance and Accounting.

“I am beyond grateful for my experience at NIBS!” said Taylor Meek, a fourth-year BBA student from Charlottetown, specializing in Accounting. “The opportunity to network at an international level and compete against the best resulted in an unforgettable week.”

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.

Twenty years after winning their last championship, UPEI’s women’s basketball team is hoping to repeat history this weekend.

The Panthers had their most successful regular season in more than two decades, finishing with an impressive 17-3 record. For the first time in 30 years, they had a perfect 10-0 home record, while capturing a bye in the opening round of the playoffs.

UPEI’s impressive season was headlined by their smothering defence. Leading the way was third-year centre Carolina Del Santo, who earned her second straight AUS Defensive Player of the Year award, as she led the country in rebounds (265) and blocks (48). She was also named an AUS first-team all-star for the first time. Teammate and floor general Jenna Mae Ellsworth was also recognized for her stellar season, capturing her third consecutive AUS second-team all-star nod. She led the team in scoring with 16.7 points per game.

The team is two wins away from a championship. If they can continue to play with the same defensive intensity and get big performances from key players, there’s a real chance that a title will make its way back to Prince Edward Island.

For students, there are 30 floor tickets ($10) remaining. Please contact Leigh Read at lread@upei.ca or (902) 394-0927.

All other tickets can be purchased online at www.ticketatlantic.com.

Go Panthers Go!

Submitted by Thomas Becker

It’s a sweet full circle for Emma Weatherbie, a fifth-year science major from Frenchfort, PEI and captain of the UPEI Women’s Hockey team. Next week, she and the Panthers compete on home ice as UPEI hosts the 2019 U SPORTS Women’s Hockey Championship.

“It’s pretty surreal to get to play my last game on the rink I grew up playing in,” said Weatherbie in an interview on CBC Radio’s Island Morning. “I don't get to do it next year, so I’m putting all the eggs in the basket this year and hoping we can make a run.”

The Panthers will have their hands full March 14–17 as the top eight university women’s hockey teams in the country come to compete. Two teams will represent each conference across Canada: Atlantic University Sport (AUS), Réseau du sport étudiant de Québec (RSEQ), Ontario University Athletics (OUA), and Canada West (CW).

In 2018, the University of Prince Edward Island bid on and was awarded the rights to host the U SPORTS Women’s Hockey Championship for both 2019 and 2020. While 2019 will mark the first time the national women’s hockey tournament will be in Charlottetown, UPEI has a proven track record in successfully hosting three U SPORTS national championships: men’s soccer in 2005 and 2014, and women’s soccer in 2010.

As host, UPEI will be one of the two AUS teams participating in the championship.

The organizing committee for the 2019 championship includes members of the community and university staff. The Honorary Co-chairs are Kathleen Casey, Della Sweet, and Lorna O’Donnell. The Convenor of the event on behalf of UPEI is Chris Huggan, Director of Athletics and Recreation. The committee has secured many local sponsors, and both the Government of Prince Edward Island and the City of Charlottetown are partners.

“We are delighted to have engaged these three women to serve as event co-chairs,” said Huggan. “With their leadership coupled with support from the UPEI administration, the Government of PEI, and the City of Charlottetown, I know we will deliver exciting events that will be centred on student-athletes, fans, and visitors alike.”

Community outreach efforts to engage youth have been successful to date and a number of schools and minor sport organizations will attend games.

Games begin on Thursday, March 14 with UPEI playing its opening game at 7:00 pm. U SPORTS will finalize the eight-team seeding later this week and release the game match-ups on Monday, March 11. Ticket packages for the entire tournament are available for $50. Single game tickets are $10 for regular admission; $5 for under 18, seniors, or UPEI students; free for children under 5. For more information, visit gopanthersgo.ca/uswhctickets, call 902-629-6625, or drop by the Eastlink Centre Box Office (open Monday to Friday, 11:00 am to 5:00 pm).

Go Panthers Go!

The University of Prince Edward Island lost a great friend and champion in Dr. Vera E. Dewar, CM OPEI BN LLD RN, who passed away on March 5, 2019 in Charlottetown.

In a message to the campus community, Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, President and Vice-Chancellor of UPEI said, "I was so inspired by Dr. Dewar's passion for nursing. She truly was one of the pioneers who advocated for university-level education for nurses, and her efforts contributed to the opening of the UPEI School of Nursing in 1992. This resulted in PEI becoming the first province in Canada to set the baccalaureate degree as the entry level for nursing."

He added, "After retiring, she continued to support nursing education on Prince Edward Island through advocacy, mentorship, and philanthropy. She was instrumental in the establishment of the Master of Nursing program at UPEI in 2012 and contributed significantly to the construction of the Health Sciences Building, the home of the Faculty of Nursing, where the Dr. Vera E. Dewar Learning Resource Centre bears her name. She also established the Dr. Vera Elizabeth Dewar Graduate Nursing Scholarship for UPEI graduates pursuing masters’ or doctoral degrees in nursing. On behalf of the entire UPEI community, I pass on my most sincere sympathies to Dr. Dewar’s brothers, Dr. Charles (Frances) Dewar and Preston (Georgina) Dewar, and sister-in-law Flora Dewar."

Dr. Dewar was conferred with an honorary Doctor of Laws from UPEI in 2003, was named to the Order of Canada (CM) in 2011 and Order of PEI (OPEI) in 2013, and was awarded the Queen's Jubilee Medal in 2012.

The flags at the University have been lowered to half-mast in Dr. Dewar’s memory. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Maclean’s Funeral Home. Below is excerpt from Dr. Dewar's honorary degree citation.

Vera Dewar (or Miss Dewar, as she is affectionately known to many former students and colleagues) was raised on the family farm in Brudenell. After high school, Vera was too young to enter the nursing program, so she taught Grade 1–10 in a one-room school for a couple of years. Then she enrolled at the PEI Hospital School of Nursing, graduating in 1956 and, two years later, she obtained her Diploma in Teaching and Supervision in Schools of Nursing from Dalhousie University. In 1967, Vera obtained her Bachelor of Nursing degree from Dalhousie University. Miss Dewar's impressive career in nursing education on the Island spans more than four decades. She has held positions from clinical instructor to Assistant Director of Administration at the PEI School of Nursing, a post she held until its closure in 1994.

Miss Dewar truly loved her career. For her, nursing was not just a job—it was her life. Over the years, Vera has exemplified leadership in nursing education to hundreds of students and countless nursing colleagues. Vera's expectations of excellence have made a significant impact on nursing education and nursing practice in Prince Edward Island and the many parts of the world where our graduates have lived and worked. Her leadership role also extends to that of mentorship. Over her many years of involvement in nursing education, Vera has encouraged and supported numerous graduates and colleagues—always challenging them to strive for excellence in nursing education and nursing practice.

In addition to her professional career, however, Vera has dedicated much of her adult life to cultural preservation on PEI. In honour of her mother, who had a great love for culture and genealogy, Vera spent many hours with friends working to compile the manuscript for the book called “Perthshire to Three Rivers”, which includes the names of more than 14,000 descendants of the Brudenell River area.

UPEI’s Bailey Smith won the silver medal in the 60-metre dash at the 2019 U SPORTS Track & Field Championships last night in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Smith is a third-year nursing student and a sprinter on the UPEI Track & Field Team. Her time in the final was an impressive 7.498 seconds.

“Bailey had a great run in an extreme situation,” said Colin MacAdam, coach of the UPEI Track & Field team. “She had a shaky start, but an incredible finish. There are more than 500 athletes competing in Winnipeg, but the lone UPEI athlete opened a lot of eyes. A great finish to a great season!”

Smith, who is from Mount Stewart, PEI, was also recently named the AUS women’s track athlete of the year, a feat she has now managed two years in a row. She’s also the three-time winner of the 60-metres in the AUS.

Go Panthers Go!

The UPEI Health and Wellness Centre has recently expanded its hours of operation and will be open five days per week on a year-round basis. The Centre is also providing care to faculty, staff, and immediate family (spouse, partner, and children). With this expansion of service there also comes a number of new faces, including the Centre's first Nurse Practitioner (NP), Lynne Fraser, who joined the team in December. 

“I am thrilled to be joining the team at the UPEI Health and Wellness Centre as we expand our services to improve access to quality health care for all UPEI students, staff and faculty,” says Fraser. “I look forward to working with the entire campus community!”

Originally from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Fraser moved to Prince Edward Island in the spring of 2001, where she worked in a variety of roles as a registered nurse in hospital settings (medical, surgical, intensive care units; clinical instructor). She returned to university in 2011 to pursue her Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner stream) at Dalhousie University.

As an NP, Fraser is able to diagnose and treat illness, order and interpret tests, prescribe medication, and perform medical procedures. She is also able to provide prenatal care to low risk women up to 34 weeks gestation. Over the last five years, she has worked at the Harbourside Health Centre in Summerside, the Polyclinic Professional Centre in Charlottetown, and has provided a clinic at Holland College, providing health promotion education, addressing acute health concerns, and managing chronic diseases while caring for patients of all ages.

“We are very excited to have Lynne join the UPEI Health and Wellness Centre,” said Director Marilyn Barrett. “Her vast experience in a variety of settings will be a great addition to our team and she will play a vital role as we embark on offering primary health care to students, faculty, and staff.”

The UPEI Health and Wellness Centre will be holding an open house on Friday from 1:00–2:30 pm on Friday, February 8 at the UPEI Health and Wellness Centre on the second floor (north) of the W.A. Murphy Student Centre (above the bookstore). Tea/coffee and finger foods will be served. All are welcome!

A research team at the University of Prince Edward Island is seeking clinical study participants for a study of the effects of sedentary behaviour and moderate exercise on glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity.

Participants should be healthy non-smokers between the ages of 18-50. Participants should not be pregnant or diabetic.

This research project has received approval from the UPEI Research Ethics Boards. Contact (902) 620-5104 or reb@upei.ca with questions or concerns. You can also contact the study’s principal investigators, Dr. Travis Saunders at (902) 566-0641 or Dr. Adam Johnston at (902) 620-5225.

For full study details, or to sign-up for this study, please contact Marcellus Campbell at marccampbell@upei.ca or (780) 340-5994.

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.