Join us Wednesday, January 16 for a celebration of the culture of writing and publishing from UPEI's Faculty of Arts. We'll launch eight new books by six author/editors that were published in 2012. The event begins at 4:30 pm in the Faculty Lounge of UPEI's Main Building. Books will be available for sale and for signing.

The University of Prince Edward Island announced today that seasoned sport promoter Bill Schurman will become its new Director of Athletics and Recreation, effective February 4.

Schurman most recently has been General Manager of the Greater Summerside Chamber of Commerce and Management Consultant for the Summerside Storm professional basketball team, but is best known for having worked with the Moncton Wildcats and Lewiston MAINEiacs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and for his tenure with the City of Summerside as Director of Community Services and Public Relations (1994-2002) and Director of Recreation and Parks (1981-89). Schurman replaces Ron Annear who served as athletics director for the last eight years.

'UPEI is excited to welcome Bill to campus at a time where both the varsity program and recreation and wellness initiatives are well poised to move to the next level. We are confident that Bill has the right blend of vision and experience in sport administration to drive Panther Sport to new heights,' said Vice-President Administration and Finance Jackie Podger. 'We sincerely thank Ron for his leadership and are pleased that he will remain with the Department and continue to play a significant role.'

Schurman brings a wealth of knowledge in event and community development and management across several sectors and sports. He played an active role in the initial planning and the opening of Credit Union Place, in establishing Summerside's reputation as 'Canada's tournament town,' and for leading major events in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island such as the Memorial Cup, International Hydroplane Regatta, and numerous national hockey, golf, and baseball championships.

'It is an honour and a privilege to have the opportunity to serve the UPEI community and to become a part of its rich athletic history. Throughout my career, I have been privileged to wear the logos representing many outstanding organizations committed to excellence. I will be excited to wear the Panther emblem and to continue the mission to be the very best,' said Schurman.

Panther Sport has a long tradition of achievement that began with its predecessor institutions, Saint Dunstan's University and Prince of Wales College, and that continues today. Award-winning coaches and tireless staff support student-athletes participating in nine varsity sport programs and who excel in athletics and academics. Last year, a record 57 UPEI student-athletes were named Academic All-Canadians by Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS).

UPEI Athletics and Recreation supports the University mission by providing leadership in the promotion and delivery of athletic excellence and of quality physical activity programs and University to meet its diverse physical activity needs, integral to the educational experience.

With first-rate sport and recreation facilities second-to-none, UPEI has hosted national, and regional events including several CIS national championships, the 2009 Canada Summer Games, a variety of Atlantic University Sport championships and is the province's most comprehensive community sport facility and destination.

The University of Prince Edward Island has learned that, for the first time, both male and female Subway Atlantic University Sport Athletes of the Week are UPEI Panthers - and both happen to be hockey goaltenders.

A news release issued today from AUS announced that Marie Soleil Deschenes, from the UPEI Women's Hockey team, and Wayne Savage, from the Men's Hockey team, are the top athletes in the AUS for the week ending January 13, 2013. Click here for the full AUS news release.

Deschenes is a first-year goalie from Ile-Perrot, Quebec, and had back-to-back road wins this past weekend as the defending AUS championPanthers improved to 10-6-1 on the season and moved to within one point of third place in the Atlantic conference standings.

Savage, a third-year goalie from St. Thomas, Ont., also led UPEI to a pair of wins this past weekend over CIS top 10-ranked teams as the Panthers won their fourth game in a row, improving to 10-9-1 on the season.

Each Subway Atlantic University Sport Athlete of the Week receives a $50.00 Subway Card and a framed certificate courtesy of Subway Restaurants and Atlantic University Sport.

The University of Prince Edward Island congratulates President Emeritus Wade MacLauchlan, CM, who was recognized this week by Canada's Public Policy Forum as one of three influential Atlantic Canadians.

Canada's Public Policy Forum's first Atlantic Dinner & Awards held on Thursday, January 17, in Halifax, Nova Scotia recognized MacLauchlan; the Honourable Margaret Norrie McCain, former Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick; and John Risley, President, Clearwater Seafoods for their inspirational work in improving government, business, and civil society in Canada.

MacLauchlan, who was UPEI's President and Vice-Chancellor from 1999-2011, was actively involved in provincial, regional, and national collaborations showing great leadership and passion, in addition to serving as the University's fifth president for 12 years.

'While at UPEI, Wade was dedicated to collaborating with other universities and partners in the region to cultivate integrated teaching and research, both locally and globally,' said Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, UPEI President and Vice-Chancellor. 'Wade was also passionate about supporting our students in their pursuit of excellence and that continues to this day through his many endeavours. On behalf of the entire UPEI family, I congratulate Wade on this well-deserved and prestigious honour.'

Under MacLauchlan's leadership, UPEI embarked on a very successful ‘Building a Legacy' capital campaign, rose in Maclean's annual university rankings, and saw unprecedented growth in research funding. He was instrumental in developing partnerships such as with the National Research Council and in establishing events like the Palmer Conference on Public Sector Leadership to increase the debate and dialogue on topics important to Islanders and other Canadians.

Since 1987, the Forum has recognized leaders who have helped advance public policy and good governance in Canada. Each year, public servants, business leaders, elected representatives, and journalists are honoured at a Testimonial Dinner & Awards, Western Dinner, and Gordon Osbaldeston Lecture. The new Atlantic Dinner & Awards builds on this tradition.

The Honourable Robert Ghiz, Premier of Prince Edward Island, and the Honourable Darrell Dexter, Premier of Nova Scotia, delivered opening remarks at the Atlantic dinner and ceremony.

The UPEI Music Department is proud to present the 2013 Music Performance Competition Finals Concert on Thursday, January 24 at 7:30 pm. The concert will feature six UPEI music students who were chosen by a panel of Music Department faculty members during the preliminary round of the competition.

The judges for the final competition, Christie Beck, Alan Dowling, Don Fraser, Ron Murphy, and Claire Caseley Smith, are all well-known musicians and educators in the PEI musical community.

Tickets are $15/$10 (students/seniors). For tickets and information, contact Susan Stensch at 566-0507 or music@upei.ca

Good luck to all finalists!

More about the student performers:

Neuromuscular neurologist and author Dr. Kevin Nelson will be on campus on January 28 and will present 'In the Borderlands of consciousness: spirituality arising from the brain in crisis' from 7-9 pm in AVC's Lecture Theatre A.

He is the director of medical affairs, assistant dean for clinical affairs, and professor of neurology at the University of Kentucky located in Lexington. Nelson has a PEI connection as he's married to Rustico native, Dr. Anne Steele (nee Gallant). Steele, who is a child psychiatrist, is also a UPEI alumna. Nelson and Steele enjoy vacationing at their summer cottage in Cymbria, PEI.

He is the author of The Spiritual Doorway in the Brain: A Neurologist's Search for the God Experience. Oliver Sacks, physician, best-selling author, and professor of neurology at the NYU School of Medicine explains that Nelson's book 'gives us a sense of how evolutionarily based mechanisms in the brain can serve the highest religious functions' and describes the book as 'an eloquent and compassionate landmark in our understanding of human nature.'

Nelson has practiced clinical neurology and neurophysiology for more than 25 years and has been published in scientific journals including Muscle and Nerve, Neurology, the New England Journal of Medicine, and in the popular publication Psychology Today. Currently, Nelson oversees the medical and surgical practice of 1,300 University of Kentucky Healthcare Enterprise physicians and healthcare providers. He is also active in the national society devoted to the study and practice of neuromuscular medicine.

Nelson will discuss the remarkable phenomena of near-death experiences and life-altering events, and how the brain is working during these moments. The lecture is free and all are welcome to attend.

This lecture is hosted by the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Science with assistance from the departments of psychology, philosophy, and religious studies.

In response to recent media coverage, the UPEI Board of Governors has issued the following statement.

'The University of Prince Edward Island takes allegations before the Human Rights Commission very seriously, and considers all employee matters confidential. We are cooperating fully with the Human Rights Commission and expect the matter to be resolved to the satisfaction of all parties involved,' said Tom Cullen, chair of the Board of Governors.

'The University of Prince Edward Island endeavours to provide a safe and harassment free work environment for all employees, faculty and students,' he concluded.

On Saturday, January 26, UPEI will host the sixth annual UPEI Men's Hockey Alumni Night. Former Panthers from across generational lines will lace up and compete in ‘Green and White' games starting at 4:00 pm in the MacLauchlan Arena. Due to overwhelming numbers, both ice surfaces will be used, and more than 40 players will be broken up into four strong teams.

The alumni action wraps up around 5:30 pm as everyone gets set to watch the UPEI men's hockey team take on Saint Mary's University at 7:00 pm, while the women's hockey team hosts St. Thomas University at 7:30 pm.

Before the men's game, Michael O'Brien (SDU'63), former SDU hockey player who has since helped to build the men's Panther hockey program will be honoured. O'Brien will drop the celebratory puck and will be joined on the ice by the current and former Panther players as his jersey is raised.

An alumni reception will take place during the UPEI Panther games in the viewing area of Arena 'A' and is open to all UPEI alumni. This is a great chance to re-connect with former classmates, teammates, and chat with former Panthers!

The weekend hockey action begins on Friday, January 25, with the UPEI men's team facing off against the St. FX X-Men at 7:00 pm in the MacLauchlan Arena. The UPEI women's hockey team will play the St. FX X-Women on Sunday, January 27 at 4:00 pm in Antigonish.

The UPEI Wind Symphony, under the direction of Dr. Karem J. Simon, will perform on Sunday, January 27 at 3:00 pm in the Homburg Theatre at the Confederation Centre of the Arts. This special performance is done collaboratively with the PEI Intermediate Honours Band.

Among the highlights of the afternoon, the Wind Symphony will perform 'Mars,' the first movement, from Gustav Holst's orchestral suite 'The Planets.' Since its completion in 1916, it has been widely performed and frequently recorded. Each of the seven movements is named after a planet of the solar system. Subtitled 'the Bringer of War,' 'Mars,' the first movement of the suite, captures the full horror of warfare. The music possesses strong thematic content, pounding rhythms, harsh brass, and percussion.

Virtuoso saxophonist Kevin MacLean will be the featured soloist in a performance of Claude T. Smith's 'Fantasia,' a concertino for alto saxophone and wind ensemble. This work exploits the technical and expressive elements of the modern saxophone. MacLean's commanding performances of this work during the fall semester were met with enthusiastic audience responses.

Comprised mostly of UPEI music majors, the Wind Symphony has been critically acclaimed for its performance standard and innovative programming. During the past 14 years, the Wind Symphony has produced an annual CD featuring selected repertoire from each year's performances. Its 2010 CD, Cathedrals, was recipient of the Music PEI Award for best classical recording. Its two most recent CDs, Freebirds (2011) and The Lord of the Rings (2012) have received much praise. Each year the Wind Symphony tours selected areas of the region to provide its membership with additional performance experiences and share its music with a wider audience. Last semester's performances in Montague and Summerside, and Saint John, NB were well-received.

Since 1992, the PEI Intermediate Honours Band has featured a select group of band students to meet for an intensive weekend of rehearsals under the direction of an acclaimed conductor to advance and enrich their music-making. This year's Honours Band consists of over 100 instrumentalists and will be under the direction of Maestro Jasor Caslor, director of the Memorial University of Newfoundland Concert Band.

Performances of the UPEI Wind Symphony have generated much interest and the opportunity to hear this ensemble at the Homburg Theatre is eagerly awaited. Tickets for this performance ($10 Adults & $5 students) may be purchased at the Confederation Centre Box Office. All are welcome to attend.

The University of Prince Edward Island extends its condolences on the passing of UPEI honorary degree recipient and founder Frank Zakem after learning of his death after a long illness. He was 81 years old.

UPEI President and Vice-Chancellor Alaa Abd-El-Aziz said, 'Our University has lost a great friend in Mr. Zakem. He was a special man and a champion of Prince Edward Island post-secondary education; arts, culture, and heritage; and many community causes. On behalf of the entire UPEI community, I want to pass on my most sincere sympathies to Mr. Zakem's wife Janet, family, friends, and colleagues.'

Frank Zakem received his education at Prince of Wales College and St. Dunstan's University earning Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Arts, and Bachelor of Education degrees. He also spent two years at the Grand Seminary of Montreal and completed the Management Development Program for College Administrators at Trent University.

After working in the family food and real estate business, he spent 26 years in administration and served for ten years as Principal of Holland College. For six years, he was seconded to work in various jobs in the office of Premier Joseph Ghiz.

Zakem's life has always been about leadership and service, as evidenced by his long career in, and dedication to post-secondary education, including teaching at St. Dunstan's University, helping both UPEI and Holland College honour their institutional heritage, and working in cooperation with the SDU Class of 1954. With the Class of '54, he helped secure donor funding from the SDU Board and alumni that allowed UPEI's Robertson Library to launch its digitization program in 2004; this has grown into islandarchives.ca, one of the most ambitious and innovative digital collections' programs in the country.

A well-known municipal politician, Zakem served fourteen years as a councillor, deputy mayor, and mayor of Charlottetown. As Mayor (1975-77), he promoted a set of heritage guidelines for the promotion and development of the cultural legacy of the city, and oversaw the creation of the Charlottetown Development Corporation. Much of the revitalization seen in the city today can be traced to Zakem's initiatives. In the 1990s, he served as director of the Federation of PEI Municipalities. Through his many contributions to community, Frank Zakem has demonstrated a deep commitment to serve the people and the province of Prince Edward Island. He was a recipient of the Order of PEI in 2009, was honoured as Founder of the University of Prince Edward Island in 2011, and received an honorary degree in 2012.

Recent UPEI business graduate Emma McPhail met with Zakem in 2011, and said in the citation she prepared for his installation as a founder, 'For Frank Zakem, such involvements are as natural as breathing. There are three types of people, Frank is fond of saying, ‘Those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who don't know what happened.' Mr. Frank Zakem rightly categorizes himself in category number one. This penchant for ‘making things happen' has earned him our recognition today as a Founder of UPEI.'

Mr. Zakem was married to Janet (Kousaie) and they have four sons: Steven, Kenneth, Bruce, and Albert.

For more information, visit: http://remember.upei.ca/founder/frank-zakem

http://news.upei.ca/media/2012/04/04/upei-award-three-honorary-degrees-may-convocation