OXFAM Canada representative to speak about women as global citizens on November 15
Corrie Melanson, of OXFAM Canada, will give a presentation called “From Poverty to Power: Women as Active Global Citizens” at The Guild on November 15 at 7 p.m.
Melanson’s talk is part of the University of Prince Edward Island’s international women’s speaker series. In conjunction, Resilience and Dreams: Women as Global Citizens, an exhibition of photographs by social documentary photographer Carlos Reyes-Manzo, will be on display at The Guild from November 15 to 29. The exhibition was on display at UPEI and Holland College earlier this fall.
“OXFAM believes that ending global poverty and injustice begins with women's rights,” says Melanson. Her interactive presentation will examine women's rights and active citizenship in a global context - sharing stories and images of resilient women from around the globe.
In his photographs, Reyes-Manzo showcases realities that women in developing countries face on a daily basis, highlighting their successes and challenges. The exhibition will be also featured at The Eptek Art and Culture Centre in Summerside from January 6 to 26 with Kristin Roe speaking on January 6, from 6 to 7 p.m. Donations will be accepted for Women Making Waves, a partnership between Farmers Helping Farmers and Roe in support of African women.
The speaker series continues at UPEI in 2009, with a presentation by Frances Moore Lappe, founder of the Small Planet Institute Speaker, on January 7 from 7 to 9 p.m. A student symposium featuring Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Chair of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, will be held on February 5 from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. And Maude Barlow, national Chair of the Council of Canadians, will speak on March 5 at 2:30 p.m. The talks by Lappe and Barlow will take place in the Don and Marion McDougall Hall, and the student symposium in the Student Centre.
The exhibitions and presentations are free, and everyone is welcome. For more details, go to upei.ca/internationalization or contact Emily Gorman at exhibition@upei.ca, or (902) 566-0576.
Melanson’s talk is part of the University of Prince Edward Island’s international women’s speaker series. In conjunction, Resilience and Dreams: Women as Global Citizens, an exhibition of photographs by social documentary photographer Carlos Reyes-Manzo, will be on display at The Guild from November 15 to 29. The exhibition was on display at UPEI and Holland College earlier this fall.
“OXFAM believes that ending global poverty and injustice begins with women's rights,” says Melanson. Her interactive presentation will examine women's rights and active citizenship in a global context - sharing stories and images of resilient women from around the globe.
In his photographs, Reyes-Manzo showcases realities that women in developing countries face on a daily basis, highlighting their successes and challenges. The exhibition will be also featured at The Eptek Art and Culture Centre in Summerside from January 6 to 26 with Kristin Roe speaking on January 6, from 6 to 7 p.m. Donations will be accepted for Women Making Waves, a partnership between Farmers Helping Farmers and Roe in support of African women.
The speaker series continues at UPEI in 2009, with a presentation by Frances Moore Lappe, founder of the Small Planet Institute Speaker, on January 7 from 7 to 9 p.m. A student symposium featuring Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Chair of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, will be held on February 5 from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. And Maude Barlow, national Chair of the Council of Canadians, will speak on March 5 at 2:30 p.m. The talks by Lappe and Barlow will take place in the Don and Marion McDougall Hall, and the student symposium in the Student Centre.
The exhibitions and presentations are free, and everyone is welcome. For more details, go to upei.ca/internationalization or contact Emily Gorman at exhibition@upei.ca, or (902) 566-0576.
Inuit leader to give talk about Canadian sovereignty at UPEI on November 20
Mary Simon, national leader of the Inuit and president of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), will give a talk called “Inuit and the Canadian Arctic: Sovereignty Begins at Home” at the University of Prince Edward on Thursday, November 20.
Simon’s talk at UPEI will take place in Room 242 of the Don and Marion McDougall Hall, from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. Her visit to P.E.I. is part of a national speaking tour to help Canadians become better informed about contemporary issues facing Inuit in the Canadian Arctic, such as climate change, sovereignty, and social and economic challenges.
“We want Canadians in the south to understand our issues and take them up with their local politicians,” says Simon. “We are asking Canadians throughout this wonderful country to help us Inuit in our efforts to improve the Arctic, our communities and society and hence make this a better Canada.”
Simon’s presentation will underline the importance of taking a comprehensive approach to sovereignty. She is urging Canadians to write to members of Parliament in support of the Inuit approach to the issue, which is positive, progressive, collaborative and participatory.
“We are thrilled that Mary Simon will share her deep knowledge of, and experience with, the Inuit community with us,” says UPEI education professor Fiona Walton. “UPEI has a strong connection to Nunavut, offering the first-ever graduate degree program in the territory. In the spring of 2009, 21 Inuit students will proudly receive their Master of Education in Leadership and Learning degrees, providing them with the knowledge and skills to lead improvements in education in Nunavut.”
Simon has devoted her life’s work towards gaining further recognition of Aboriginal rights and to achieving social justice for Inuit and other Aboriginal peoples nationally and internationally. In 2006 she was elected president of the ITK, the national organization representing Canada’s 45,000 Inuit.
She has held numerous high-profile positions, including Canadian ambassador for Circumpolar Affairs from 1994 to 2003, and concurrently, ambassador to Denmark from 1999 to 2001. She was a member of the joint public advisory committee of NAFTA's Commission on Environmental Cooperation from 1997 to 2000, and chairperson from 1997 to 1998. She served as chancellor of Trent University from 1995 to 1999.
Simon has received many honours for her leadership in developing strategies for Aboriginal and Northern Affairs, including the Order of Canada, National Order of Quebec, the Gold Order of Greenland, the National Aboriginal Achievement Award and the Gold Medal of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. She is a Fellow of the Arctic Institute of North America and the Royal Canadian Geographic Society. She holds honorary degrees from McGill, Queen's, Trent and Memorial universities, and has published a book called Inuit: One Arctic - One Future.
Simon’s talk at UPEI will take place in Room 242 of the Don and Marion McDougall Hall, from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. Her visit to P.E.I. is part of a national speaking tour to help Canadians become better informed about contemporary issues facing Inuit in the Canadian Arctic, such as climate change, sovereignty, and social and economic challenges.
“We want Canadians in the south to understand our issues and take them up with their local politicians,” says Simon. “We are asking Canadians throughout this wonderful country to help us Inuit in our efforts to improve the Arctic, our communities and society and hence make this a better Canada.”
Simon’s presentation will underline the importance of taking a comprehensive approach to sovereignty. She is urging Canadians to write to members of Parliament in support of the Inuit approach to the issue, which is positive, progressive, collaborative and participatory.
“We are thrilled that Mary Simon will share her deep knowledge of, and experience with, the Inuit community with us,” says UPEI education professor Fiona Walton. “UPEI has a strong connection to Nunavut, offering the first-ever graduate degree program in the territory. In the spring of 2009, 21 Inuit students will proudly receive their Master of Education in Leadership and Learning degrees, providing them with the knowledge and skills to lead improvements in education in Nunavut.”
Simon has devoted her life’s work towards gaining further recognition of Aboriginal rights and to achieving social justice for Inuit and other Aboriginal peoples nationally and internationally. In 2006 she was elected president of the ITK, the national organization representing Canada’s 45,000 Inuit.
She has held numerous high-profile positions, including Canadian ambassador for Circumpolar Affairs from 1994 to 2003, and concurrently, ambassador to Denmark from 1999 to 2001. She was a member of the joint public advisory committee of NAFTA's Commission on Environmental Cooperation from 1997 to 2000, and chairperson from 1997 to 1998. She served as chancellor of Trent University from 1995 to 1999.
Simon has received many honours for her leadership in developing strategies for Aboriginal and Northern Affairs, including the Order of Canada, National Order of Quebec, the Gold Order of Greenland, the National Aboriginal Achievement Award and the Gold Medal of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. She is a Fellow of the Arctic Institute of North America and the Royal Canadian Geographic Society. She holds honorary degrees from McGill, Queen's, Trent and Memorial universities, and has published a book called Inuit: One Arctic - One Future.
UPEI Celebrates its Panther Sport Heroes
It takes a heroic effort by people at every level of the community to support dynamic athletics and fitness programs that build community pride and develop youth leadership across the province. Today, the University of Prince Edward Island held a public celebration to recognize that heroic effort.
“On the field, court, or rink, or in the pool; as a coach or fan; as a supporter or donor, heroes are all around us,” said Ron Annear, UPEI Athletics Director. “We're very fortunate to have so many of them here in Prince Edward Island—and at UPEI.”
He introduced the 20 “Corporate Heroes” who are partnering with the University in its pursuit of sports excellence. The businesses are supporting UPEI’s push to enhance teams, programs, and community outreach activities though a new initiative called the Heroes program.
UPEI’s Corporate Heroes are supporting much more than the University Athletics program, said Annear. Emphasizing his department’s vital role in developing leaders, and providing the resources to promote healthy and active lifestyles for all Island communities, he highlighted UPEI’s latest outreach efforts. These include providing complimentary season's passes to all PEI students in grades one to 12, and to all members of the PEI Newcomers’ Association. In addition, UPEI attracts more than 6,000 children, from across the Island, to its sports camps every year.
“Panther Sport leads AUS universities in community outreach, supporting a wide range of activities that raise thousands of dollars every year. They include the Tim Horton’s Food Drive, the Junior Diabetes Research Foundation, the Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, and much more,” he said.
UPEI is becoming recognized as a provincial and regional leader in sports facilities, events, fitness, and health and wellness, said Annear. This growing reputation for sports excellence attracts the Island’s best prospective student-athletes as well as elite student-athletes from out of province, and it adds to the success of the University’s recruitment efforts.
“UPEI, with its Panther Sports program, is fast becoming the destination of choice for student-athletes from across Canada to pursue excellence in academics and athletics. Our goal now is to further enhance the experience of students and all individuals who take part in our programs,” said Annear. “Thanks to the support of volunteers and corporate partners at every level of our PEI sports community, I am very optimistic that we can achieve that goal.”
More information about Panther Sport’s community outreach activities and the UPEI Heroes program is available by contacting Lynn Boudreau at 566-0991 or lboudreau@upei.ca.
UPEI Honours Nursing Education Champion Vera Dewar
The University of Prince Edward Island recently paid tribute to a woman whose wisdom and tenacity have led to significant advancements in nursing education in PEI.
Vera Dewar’s efforts contributed to the opening of the UPEI School of Nursing in 1992, making PEI the first province in Canada to set the baccalaureate degree as the entry-level requirement for nursing. Throughout her long career, she has inspired students and colleagues to strive for excellence in nursing education and practice.
In recognition of her legacy to the nursing profession and her generous support to UPEI through current and planned giving, UPEI has named the School of Nursing’s main teaching and learning area as the Dr. Vera E. Dewar Learning Resource Centre.
“I can’t think of a more appropriate person to honour in this way,” said UPEI Dean of Nursing Kim Critchley. “Vera has exemplified leadership in nursing education to hundreds of students and countless nursing colleagues. Her 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.”
The Dr. Vera E. Dewar Learning Resource Centre includes approximately 2,140 square feet of open teaching space furnished with state-of-the-art laboratory equipment and teaching aides. Using innovative teaching strategies, instructors guide students in acquiring clinical skills for safe, competent clinical practice.
Vera Dewar grew up on the family farm in Brudenell and graduated from the PEI Hospital School of Nursing in 1956. Two years later, she obtained her Diploma in Teaching and Supervision in Schools of Nursing from Dalhousie University and, in 1967, she graduated with a Bachelor of Nursing degree. Her nursing education career spanned more than four decades and included positions from clinical instructor to Assistant Director of Administration at the PEI School of Nursing, a post she held until the school closed in 1994. She still makes presentations to students and faculty, and attends nursing meetings where she continues to advocate for a graduate program in nursing on PEI.
In 2005, Vera Dewar joined the UPEI Visionary Society, an organization that celebrates individuals and families who have chosen to support university education. She has also established a post-graduate nursing scholarship that UPEI awards annually.
The University of Prince Edward Island’s tribute to Vera Dewar provides a new highlight in an impressive list of awards that reflect the esteem of her colleagues in PEI and beyond. They include the Rotary Club of Hillsborough vocational service award, the Association of Nurses of Prince Edward Island outstanding achievement award, and the Atlantic Region Canadian Association Schools of Nursing’s honorary lifetime membership award. She received the degree of Doctor of Laws honoris causa from UPEI in 2003.
Vera Dewar’s efforts contributed to the opening of the UPEI School of Nursing in 1992, making PEI the first province in Canada to set the baccalaureate degree as the entry-level requirement for nursing. Throughout her long career, she has inspired students and colleagues to strive for excellence in nursing education and practice.
In recognition of her legacy to the nursing profession and her generous support to UPEI through current and planned giving, UPEI has named the School of Nursing’s main teaching and learning area as the Dr. Vera E. Dewar Learning Resource Centre.
“I can’t think of a more appropriate person to honour in this way,” said UPEI Dean of Nursing Kim Critchley. “Vera has exemplified leadership in nursing education to hundreds of students and countless nursing colleagues. Her 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.”
The Dr. Vera E. Dewar Learning Resource Centre includes approximately 2,140 square feet of open teaching space furnished with state-of-the-art laboratory equipment and teaching aides. Using innovative teaching strategies, instructors guide students in acquiring clinical skills for safe, competent clinical practice.
Vera Dewar grew up on the family farm in Brudenell and graduated from the PEI Hospital School of Nursing in 1956. Two years later, she obtained her Diploma in Teaching and Supervision in Schools of Nursing from Dalhousie University and, in 1967, she graduated with a Bachelor of Nursing degree. Her nursing education career spanned more than four decades and included positions from clinical instructor to Assistant Director of Administration at the PEI School of Nursing, a post she held until the school closed in 1994. She still makes presentations to students and faculty, and attends nursing meetings where she continues to advocate for a graduate program in nursing on PEI.
In 2005, Vera Dewar joined the UPEI Visionary Society, an organization that celebrates individuals and families who have chosen to support university education. She has also established a post-graduate nursing scholarship that UPEI awards annually.
The University of Prince Edward Island’s tribute to Vera Dewar provides a new highlight in an impressive list of awards that reflect the esteem of her colleagues in PEI and beyond. They include the Rotary Club of Hillsborough vocational service award, the Association of Nurses of Prince Edward Island outstanding achievement award, and the Atlantic Region Canadian Association Schools of Nursing’s honorary lifetime membership award. She received the degree of Doctor of Laws honoris causa from UPEI in 2003.
Master of Education program celebrates a decade of leadership-building
Strong leadership is an essential ingredient of a successful education system. School principals, academic program developers, and informal educators such as media and communications personnel become more effective when they strengthen their leadership skills, and this directly benefits the many constituencies they serve—that was the key message during a special celebration on November 14 to mark the first decade of UPEI’s Master of Education in Leadership and Learning program.
The guest speakers included the Honourable Gerard Greenan, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development; the Honourable Richard Brown, Minister of Innovation and Advanced Learning; and Katherine Schultz, UPEI Vice-President of Research and Development. The celebration was hosted by Tim Goddard, UPEI Dean of Education.
“Our 10-year celebration has provided a valuable opportunity to reflect on the positive impact that this graduate program has had on educators and education in Prince Edward Island and beyond,” said Dean Goddard.
More than 200 people have completed the MEd program since UPEI introduced it in 1998 to accommodate a stronger emphasis on the professional credentials of educators. Two graduates, from the classes of 2001 and 2002, made presentations that highlighted the program’s influence on their work.
“It was a life-changing experience and sent me on a journey of leadership in the public education system on PEI,” said Ken Gaudet, Principal of West Royalty Elementary. “As I look around the educational landscape, I see many of my classmates in leadership positions in schools, school boards, and the Department of Education. We became close knit as a group and have maintained that personal relationship over the years."
“The Master's of Education in Learning and Leadership represented, for me, an opportunity to achieve something I had always dreamed of doing,” said Audrey Penner, Director of Adult Education, Learner Supports, and Applied Research at Holland College. “I love to learn and I love to lead; this was the ideal program for me?a perfect fit.”
MEd Program Co-ordinator Miles Turnbull said that graduate and other advanced professional programs benefit the province in numerous ways.
“It is very important to build leadership capacity in our own province and in a wide variety of educational domains. Studies show that Islanders who do advanced degrees on the Island tend to stay here,” he said. “Programs such as this are an important way to keep our best and brightest people right here where we need them.”
In 2002, the University also introduced an innovative outreach component to this Master’s program that has attracted MEd students from as far afield as Grand Prairie and Fort McMurray in Alberta, and in Nunavut.
The Faculty of Education’s success with graduate studies had led to the development of a PhD program in educational studies that the UPEI Senate accepted earlier this year. This program is currently under review by the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission.
For further information, please contact Dr. Miles Turnbull at 902-566-0341 or mturnbull@upei.ca.
The guest speakers included the Honourable Gerard Greenan, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development; the Honourable Richard Brown, Minister of Innovation and Advanced Learning; and Katherine Schultz, UPEI Vice-President of Research and Development. The celebration was hosted by Tim Goddard, UPEI Dean of Education.
“Our 10-year celebration has provided a valuable opportunity to reflect on the positive impact that this graduate program has had on educators and education in Prince Edward Island and beyond,” said Dean Goddard.
More than 200 people have completed the MEd program since UPEI introduced it in 1998 to accommodate a stronger emphasis on the professional credentials of educators. Two graduates, from the classes of 2001 and 2002, made presentations that highlighted the program’s influence on their work.
“It was a life-changing experience and sent me on a journey of leadership in the public education system on PEI,” said Ken Gaudet, Principal of West Royalty Elementary. “As I look around the educational landscape, I see many of my classmates in leadership positions in schools, school boards, and the Department of Education. We became close knit as a group and have maintained that personal relationship over the years."
“The Master's of Education in Learning and Leadership represented, for me, an opportunity to achieve something I had always dreamed of doing,” said Audrey Penner, Director of Adult Education, Learner Supports, and Applied Research at Holland College. “I love to learn and I love to lead; this was the ideal program for me?a perfect fit.”
MEd Program Co-ordinator Miles Turnbull said that graduate and other advanced professional programs benefit the province in numerous ways.
“It is very important to build leadership capacity in our own province and in a wide variety of educational domains. Studies show that Islanders who do advanced degrees on the Island tend to stay here,” he said. “Programs such as this are an important way to keep our best and brightest people right here where we need them.”
In 2002, the University also introduced an innovative outreach component to this Master’s program that has attracted MEd students from as far afield as Grand Prairie and Fort McMurray in Alberta, and in Nunavut.
The Faculty of Education’s success with graduate studies had led to the development of a PhD program in educational studies that the UPEI Senate accepted earlier this year. This program is currently under review by the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission.
For further information, please contact Dr. Miles Turnbull at 902-566-0341 or mturnbull@upei.ca.
UPEI student Joshua Darrach selected to attend UN conference on climate change
Joshua Darrach, a fourth-year student at the University of Prince Edward Island, has been chosen to be one of 25 youth attending the next UN climate change conference in Poznan, Poland, in early December of this year.
Darrach was chosen to attend the conference by the Canadian Youth Delegation (CYD) to Poznan through a highly competitive process that drew an outstanding roster of applicants. The CYD to Poznan is joining over 500 youth from around the world to voice their concerns about climate change and advocate for stronger measures to fight it.
“The conference in Poznan is potentially the largest and most important international meeting on climate change in the past 10 years,” he says. “With the Kyoto Protocol set to expire in 2012, discussions must start now to decide how countries will address the issue of climate change. The time to take action is now!”
The CYD has done groundbreaking policy and communications work at UN climate conferences in the past, and it has been influential in the process of these international negotiations. Youth attending the Poland conference with the CYD will coordinate a variety of influential activities, including policy research and writing, creative outreach events, and writing and blogging about the conference.
“Canadian youth expect a lot from the negotiations in Poland, and I feel very privileged to represent them,” he says.
Darrach, who will graduate from UPEI this spring with a degree in philosophy and environmental studies, will attend the negotiations as a youth observer. He has been working with local, national, and international groups to solidify tangible action on climate change for the last four years and has been a member of the CYD to the UNFCCC conferences in both Nairobi and Bali. Last year he received public speaking training from Al Gore and David Suzuki as a way of empowering his local community to demand real domestic action about the climate crisis.
Launched in the fall of 2006 to engage youth in international climate change negotiation processes, the CYD is a project of the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition. For information about the current delegation, please visit www.cydpoznan.org.
For more information, contact Darrach at (902) 940-6291 or josh.darrach@me.com.
Darrach was chosen to attend the conference by the Canadian Youth Delegation (CYD) to Poznan through a highly competitive process that drew an outstanding roster of applicants. The CYD to Poznan is joining over 500 youth from around the world to voice their concerns about climate change and advocate for stronger measures to fight it.
“The conference in Poznan is potentially the largest and most important international meeting on climate change in the past 10 years,” he says. “With the Kyoto Protocol set to expire in 2012, discussions must start now to decide how countries will address the issue of climate change. The time to take action is now!”
The CYD has done groundbreaking policy and communications work at UN climate conferences in the past, and it has been influential in the process of these international negotiations. Youth attending the Poland conference with the CYD will coordinate a variety of influential activities, including policy research and writing, creative outreach events, and writing and blogging about the conference.
“Canadian youth expect a lot from the negotiations in Poland, and I feel very privileged to represent them,” he says.
Darrach, who will graduate from UPEI this spring with a degree in philosophy and environmental studies, will attend the negotiations as a youth observer. He has been working with local, national, and international groups to solidify tangible action on climate change for the last four years and has been a member of the CYD to the UNFCCC conferences in both Nairobi and Bali. Last year he received public speaking training from Al Gore and David Suzuki as a way of empowering his local community to demand real domestic action about the climate crisis.
Launched in the fall of 2006 to engage youth in international climate change negotiation processes, the CYD is a project of the Canadian Youth Climate Coalition. For information about the current delegation, please visit www.cydpoznan.org.
For more information, contact Darrach at (902) 940-6291 or josh.darrach@me.com.
Science in Journalism
Students within the Holland College journalism program took part in a mock media conference recently to learn more about science in journalism.
Hosted by the Atlantic Veterinary College, the event provided journalism students with the opportunity to participate in a realistic media conference while gaining experience in gathering and reporting on science-based stories.
Atlantic Veterinary College researchers Dr. Jean Lavallée (Clinical Research Scientist, AVC Lobster Science Centre), Dr. Michael Cockram (Chair in Animal Welfare), and Dr. John VanLeeuwen (Professor of Health Management) participated in the media conference. AVC researchers provided overviews of their research as it appears in the Atlantic Veterinary College’s 2008 Research Report – Creating Knowledge, and took part in interviews with the journalism students.
The journalism students then prepared science-based stories for review by their instructor and the Atlantic Veterinary College.
Thank you to everyone who volunteered their time for this great learning experience!
Hosted by the Atlantic Veterinary College, the event provided journalism students with the opportunity to participate in a realistic media conference while gaining experience in gathering and reporting on science-based stories.
Atlantic Veterinary College researchers Dr. Jean Lavallée (Clinical Research Scientist, AVC Lobster Science Centre), Dr. Michael Cockram (Chair in Animal Welfare), and Dr. John VanLeeuwen (Professor of Health Management) participated in the media conference. AVC researchers provided overviews of their research as it appears in the Atlantic Veterinary College’s 2008 Research Report – Creating Knowledge, and took part in interviews with the journalism students.
The journalism students then prepared science-based stories for review by their instructor and the Atlantic Veterinary College.
Thank you to everyone who volunteered their time for this great learning experience!
UPEI and Newcomers’ Association to develop immigrant family literacy program
Researchers based at the University of Prince Edward Island are co-operating with the PEI Association for Newcomers to Canada (PEIANC) on a new program called Connecting Families through Community that aims to increase the literacy levels of new Canadians whose first language is not English.
The researchers will work closely with immigrant families in Charlottetown to develop and implement a flexible literacy program that meets the families’ specific needs and is transferable to other newcomers in PEI and across the country. Their findings will strengthen the capacity of service providers to assist new immigrants by providing information, training, and resources on family literacy. The three-year program is funded by a $296,000 award from Human Resources and Social Development Canada.
“The PEIANC is excited to be partnering with UPEI on this important research project,” says Dr. Kevin J. Arsenault, Executive Director of the PEIANC. “This kind of focused research on the language and literacy challenges facing newcomers is very important and much needed. These are the most formidable barriers many newcomers must overcome if they are to successfully integrate and participate in Island life for the long term.”
The UPEI Faculty Coordinator for the project is Dr. Barbara Campbell, Director of the Webster Centre for Teaching and Learning. Campbell’s background is in nursing education. She currently teaches Global Issues at UPEI, and she has worked in the past with the PEI Multicultural Council.
Campbell says, “Connecting Families through Community is an important and innovative project that aims to strengthen newcomers’ abilities to function effectively in Canadian culture and contribute to the Prince Edward Island economy. I am very excited to be part of it.”
The lead researcher is Dr. Vianne Timmons, former V.P. Academic Development at UPEI, and now President of the University of Regina. Timmons’ UPEI-based research team will work in tandem with her researchers in Regina.
“The collaboration of universities in different parts of Canada will ensure that the program developed can be utilized in multiple settings,” says Timmons, who has partnered extensively with rural and Aboriginal communities to develop new family literacy programs across the Atlantic region.
Connecting Families through Community will begin later this year with a needs assessment to determine the literacy goals of members of the ESL community in PEI. In stage two, researchers will develop a family program in close consultation with the families who participated in the needs assessment. This will include an in-depth analysis of “culture shock” factors that affect new Canadians’ readiness to benefit from literacy programs. In the final stages, the research group will deliver and evaluate a pilot program based on the experiences of 20 immigrant families.
The final outcomes of Connecting Families through Community will include: a framework of supports that newcomers need in PEI, a published ESL family literacy program, and recommendations for support for newcomer families in PEI.
The researchers will work closely with immigrant families in Charlottetown to develop and implement a flexible literacy program that meets the families’ specific needs and is transferable to other newcomers in PEI and across the country. Their findings will strengthen the capacity of service providers to assist new immigrants by providing information, training, and resources on family literacy. The three-year program is funded by a $296,000 award from Human Resources and Social Development Canada.
“The PEIANC is excited to be partnering with UPEI on this important research project,” says Dr. Kevin J. Arsenault, Executive Director of the PEIANC. “This kind of focused research on the language and literacy challenges facing newcomers is very important and much needed. These are the most formidable barriers many newcomers must overcome if they are to successfully integrate and participate in Island life for the long term.”
The UPEI Faculty Coordinator for the project is Dr. Barbara Campbell, Director of the Webster Centre for Teaching and Learning. Campbell’s background is in nursing education. She currently teaches Global Issues at UPEI, and she has worked in the past with the PEI Multicultural Council.
Campbell says, “Connecting Families through Community is an important and innovative project that aims to strengthen newcomers’ abilities to function effectively in Canadian culture and contribute to the Prince Edward Island economy. I am very excited to be part of it.”
The lead researcher is Dr. Vianne Timmons, former V.P. Academic Development at UPEI, and now President of the University of Regina. Timmons’ UPEI-based research team will work in tandem with her researchers in Regina.
“The collaboration of universities in different parts of Canada will ensure that the program developed can be utilized in multiple settings,” says Timmons, who has partnered extensively with rural and Aboriginal communities to develop new family literacy programs across the Atlantic region.
Connecting Families through Community will begin later this year with a needs assessment to determine the literacy goals of members of the ESL community in PEI. In stage two, researchers will develop a family program in close consultation with the families who participated in the needs assessment. This will include an in-depth analysis of “culture shock” factors that affect new Canadians’ readiness to benefit from literacy programs. In the final stages, the research group will deliver and evaluate a pilot program based on the experiences of 20 immigrant families.
The final outcomes of Connecting Families through Community will include: a framework of supports that newcomers need in PEI, a published ESL family literacy program, and recommendations for support for newcomer families in PEI.
UPEI Panthers Support Food Bank and Toys for Tots
During this final week of Panther Sport at the end of an exciting fall semester, UPEI student-athletes are reaching out to help people in the community who are in need.
They are asking Panther hockey supporters who plan to attend Thursday night's game against SMU to make cash and food donations to the PEI Food Bank. And they are encouraging basketball fans who are going to the women's and men's games against SFX on Saturday, November 29, to show their support by donating to the Toys for Tots program.
In return, the UPEI Athletics Department will distribute Panther gift packages to everyone who contributes to these worthy community services. They include discount coupons and
complimentary tickets to Panther games coming up in January.
“Some of the great corporate sponsors taking part in the UPEI Heroes program are supporting the Panther gift packages,” says Ron Annear, Athletics Director. “The total value of each package is close to $100.”
The Panther community support week wraps up with a float in Saturday's Christmas Parade. UPEI student-athletes, coaches, newcomers to PEI, and young Panther fans are all taking part in the float.
For further information, contact Lynn Boudreau at 566-0991.
Bright future for UPEI in challenging times
MacLauchlan spoke to university students, faculty and staff, and members of the public in the Alex H. MacKinnon Auditorium, Don and Marion McDougall Hall.
Reflecting on 2008, MacLauchlan said that UPEI recorded its largest student numbers ever this fall at a time when total enrolment at universities in the region has declined by about seven per cent since 2005. The 4,245 full- and part-time students registered at UPEI this year represent a 5.5 per cent increase over 2007-2008.
Enrolment of international students continues to increase, and 28 per cent of Island high school graduates consistently come to UPEI, he said. He anticipates that the number of Island students coming to UPEI will grow to 30 per cent or higher in the near future.
The university continues to rank as one of the top ten primarily undergraduate universities in Canada. And it recently was named the top undergraduate university in Canada for research income growth from 2002 to 2007.
UPEI is ahead of the region and the country in the 2008 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) released earlier this fall. The survey revealed that first- and fourth-year students have a high degree of satisfaction with their experience at UPEI.
The university is a leader of development and achievement within the Island community, he said. He highlighted the rejuvenation of the campus, the importance of UPEI’s community partnerships, its involvement in the 2009 Canada Games, and the progress of its Building a Legacy fundraising campaign which will conclude in February of 2009.
He noted that it is important for the Island community to know that they can contribute to the university in many ways, whether they come to see the rejuvenated campus, contribute to the Build a Legacy campaign, support UPEI athletics teams, or participate as research and educational partners.
Looking ahead to the future, MacLauchlan said that while UPEI is doing well, there is room to improve and continue to excel, even in challenging economic times.
“We are true to the culture of this place, which is to live within our means, to achieve the most that we can with the resources we have, and to show the university community and the people of the province that we produce a good return on investment.”
To view details of the University Update, please visit upei.ca and follow the link on the UPEI home page.
