The family of H. Wade MacLauchlan has made a leadership gift to the University of Prince Edward Island to create a major program of awards for student writing. The gift is to honour MacLauchlan's twelve years of service as UPEI president and to recognize the importance of effective writing as a foundational skill for academic success and lifelong learning. The MacLauchlan Prizes for Effective Writing will be the largest such student-oriented program in Canada, distributing more than $30,000 annually in awards.

On behalf of the family, Mrs. Marjorie MacLauchlan said, 'We are proud of what UPEI has achieved over the past twelve years, and to honour Wade's part in that success. We are especially pleased to encourage the writing skills of UPEI students and graduates through this gift.'

UPEI President Alaa Abd-El-Aziz expressed appreciation to the MacLauchlan family for their generosity, saying, 'The MacLauchlan family has a remarkable history of leadership giving at UPEI and we are extremely grateful for this further, significant gift that supports the development of such an important skill as writing in our students. This donation will enrich the exceptional quality of education that we offer to our students and lead to their lifelong success.'

Dr. Barbara Campbell, director of the Webster Centre for Teaching and Learning, which houses the UPEI Writing Centre and other academic support programs, said, 'We at UPEI recognize the need to enhance the writing ability of our students, to enable them to compete and excel.'

Campbell added, 'This generous gift from the MacLauchlan family in Wade's name encourages student writing throughout our programs, and will provide incentives for effective writing as the foundation of teaching and learning.'

Beginning in the fall of 2012, there will be 60 MacLauchlan Prizes for Effective Writing awarded to students who have demonstrated writing achievement in a variety of formats, in their academic programs and in community-oriented work, as well as to UPEI faculty or staff members for leadership and innovation in writing instruction and program development.

UPEI's Vice-President Academic Jim Randall said, 'Writing is often such a natural extension to our lives, we may not realize the tremendous role that this form of communication plays in our personal and professional growth. Moreover, success as a knowledge-based society depends on a population that is able to communicate effectively. By celebrating writing excellence, these awards send a powerful signal to our students and our province regarding the collective importance of writing.

The MacLauchlan family has made previous contributions to the Harry W. MacLauchlan Scholarships in Entrepreneurial Leadership, MacLauchlan Arena, Robertson Library, athletic scholarships, and student prizes in mathematics and entrepreneurship. Wade MacLauchlan completed his tenure as UPEI's fifth president and vice-chancellor on June 30, 2011.

Gary Bradshaw, vice-president, finance and facilities at the University of Prince Edward Island, has been named associate vice-president at the Grenfell Campus of Memorial University of Newfoundland, announced UPEI President Alaa Abd-El-Aziz.

'Gary is returning to Memorial after completing nine successful years at UPEI. The Grenfell position offers him a great opportunity to apply his proven skill set at a respected post-secondary institution in his home province,' Abd-El-Aziz said. 'UPEI is grateful for Gary's significant contributions to our campus, and we know that he will continue to be a valued colleague and ambassador for the University of Prince Edward Island.'

During his tenure at UPEI, Bradshaw oversaw tremendous growth in the physical infrastructure of the campus, managing the planning and development of approximately $120 million in capital expansion and renewal. As UPEI's lead on the budget process, he also guided the University to nine consecutive years of balanced budgets.

Bradshaw is a director with Interuniversity Services Inc. and Capital Area Recreation Inc. and immediate past-president of the Canadian Association of University Business Managers (CAUBO). Born and raised in Newfoundland, Bradshaw's mother, partner Gerilyn, one of his daughters, and other members of his family reside in the province.

'I certainly have mixed feelings about leaving the UPEI family and I will regret missing the opportunity to work with Alaa, our new president,' said Bradshaw. 'However, the prospect of returning to the other ‘island' and joining the Grenfell and Memorial University team in such a pivotal role is one that excites me, and brings me closer to my family.'

Bradshaw will assume his responsibilities at Grenfell on September 1, 2011. Information about the process to find his replacement at UPEI will be released shortly; Phil Hooper, executive director of finance and comptroller, will serve as acting vice-president, finance and facilities during the interim.

Link to Memorial University of Newfoundland news release.

The Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (CCAE) has awarded three silver medals to the University of Prince Edward Island through its annual Prix d'Excellence awards program. The awards were presented to UPEI at the recent CCAE national conference in Quebec City, where former UPEI President Wade MacLauchlan spoke to delegates on the ‘Value of Brand for Universities,' and participated in an executive leadership panel discussion.

UPEI was awarded second place for ‘Best New Idea: Creativity on a Shoestring' for its ‘Win with UPEI' contest; ‘Best Annual Fund Initiative' for the UPEI Annual Fund Campaign; and ‘Best Community Outreach' for the Atlantic Veterinary College's Community Workshop Series.

Glenda Clements, director of UPEI Integrated Communications, said, 'UPEI staff, across the entire campus, understand the importance of creatively and professionally supporting our students and faculty as we advance the profile and outreach of the University. It's an honour for UPEI to be recognized among its peer institutions for such important initiatives.'

The ‘Best New Idea: Creativity on a Shoestring' category recognizes innovative solutions or new and imaginative ideas that are modest in cost and make the work of professionals in alumni, development, public affairs or student recruitment offices easier or more effective. Clements' department was recognized in this category for creating the ‘Win with UPEI' contest in 2010 in an effort to best use limited advertising dollars to highlight UPEI's numerous achievements and the wide variety of UPEI student involvement in community projects within PEI, nationally, and internationally.

‘Win with UPEI' handed out $10,000-originally slated to purchase advertising-in student bursaries by asking visitors to the contest website to vote on their favourite student community project, with faculties/programs receiving a percentage of bursary dollars based on the percentage of votes cast. A second component of the contest site allowed anyone with a connection to UPEI to enter a text, photo, or video story for a chance to win prizes.

The silver-medal-winning UPEI Annual Fund Campaign entry included a clear goal statement and evidence of effective planning, innovative ideas, and the initiative's success. During the 2009/10 campaign, new strategies were implemented resulting in an overall fund increase of 26 per cent, a 186 per cent increase in young alumni donors, 232 per cent more alumni making their first gift to UPEI over the previous year, and 78 per cent more reactivating their support after missing one or more years of giving.

Rose Barbour, information and annual fund coordinator for the Department of Advancement said, 'It is wonderful to be recognized with this prestigious honour after implementing new campaign strategies.' She added, 'One of these was to spend more time on training and educating our passionate student-employees on the importance of the Annual Fund and how, through the resources raised, it enhances overall student experience. This allowed them to relay that message properly to our alumni and definitely led to our success.'

The Atlantic Veterinary College's Community Workshop Series was awarded a silver medal for ‘Best Community Outreach Initiative.' By involving internal and external community members in the life and work of the institution, AVC continues to enhance the town-and-gown relationship. The series began in 2008, and features public presentations focusing on the health and well-being of animals. This year marked the third time in which AVC was recognized in this category, having won gold in 2008 and 2010 for the Dr. Tim Ogilvie AVC Vet Camp.

'We are very pleased to receive this prestigious honour,' says Dr. Don Reynolds, dean of the Atlantic Veterinary College. 'Awards such as this one are a testament to the knowledge and expertise that AVC brings to the Atlantic provinces as the veterinary school serving the region. Our dedicated experts provide members of the public with a unique opportunity to increase their knowledge about animal health and welfare through programs such as the Community Workshop Series.'

About the CCAE
The Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education is the professional association for educational advancement professionals. CCAE is the primary source of information, professional development, connection and support for advancement professionals working at universities, colleges, institutes, independent schools, and cégeps across the country.

The UPEI Women's Hockey program confirms that Hockey PEI's ‘Player of the Year,' Laura Bradley, will be lacing up her skates with the Panthers this September. Bradley recently graduated from Morell Regional High School and will study in the health field.

The daughter of Adrian and Rinnie Bradley of St. Teresa, Bradley started playing hockey at the age of six and, over the years, has played on both male and female teams.

Under the coaching of Craig Jenkins and Jill MacPhee this past season, Bradley further developed her offensive skills, enabling her to finish second in scoring in her final year of Midget hockey. Laura was chosen captain of the Kings County Kings and credits her teammates for having the determination and work ethic required to win the Island Midget AA League title, and go undefeated at the Atlantic Midget AA Championship.

During the Atlantics, Laura tied for the honour of top scorer, and was named tournament MVP. The win at the Atlantics earned the Kings a berth at the Nationals in St. Albert, Alberta. At this tournament, she earned three 'game star' awards and scored two goals. Her confident, defensive style, along with her play-to-win attitude, has contributed to her success.

Bradley looks forward to playing with the UPEI Women's Panther Hockey team this year, and can't wait to hit the ice, saying, 'I hope my hard work will pay off, that I will earn ice time, and make a difference for the team.'

Panthers coach, Bruce Donaldson, is very pleased that Laura has made the decision to attend, and play for UPEI. He adds, 'I watched Laura lead the Kings County Midget AA program all year, winning the Island Provincials, Atlantics, and competing well at the Esso Nationals out in Alberta. Laura has learned so much this past year and has used this as her motivation to demonstrate the amount of potential that she possesses. The coaching staff sees Laura as a big addition to the program.'

The UPEI Women's Hockey team opens its season at home on October 29 when they host Université de Moncton at 3:00 pm.

Twelve University of Prince Edward Island students, along with UPEI associate professor and chair of Modern Languages, Dr. Doreley Coll, arrived in Salamanca, Spain, June 30, as part of ‘Spanish 203,' a four week immersion language and culture course.

Offered at the University of Salamanca, one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Europe, the course seeks to broaden language skills acquired in first year Spanish (Spanish 101 and 102). During the four week program, students study at the university that was founded in 1227, but will also experience Spain's civilization and culture through field trips to Madrid, Toledo, Avila and El Escorial. Students are billeted with Spanish families.

The course is designed to consolidate grammar, common idiomatic expressions, and to increase active vocabulary, and features classroom study, daily oral-cultural session in authentic settings, and local excursions and sightseeing tours on weekends.

For more information on Spanish 203, click here.

This weekend, July 22 to 24, UPEI will play host to 45 senior women's, boys', and girls' soccer teams from around the Maritimes, that will compete in 12 different divisions for the First Annual Godfrey Soccer Cup.

The Godfrey Cup is named after the late Alan Godfrey who was a builder of the Sherwood Soccer Club back in the early 1980's-holding positions of president, director of fields and equipment, coach, technical director, and various others at the club level.

As the sport grew, so did Godfrey's involvement. He became a member of the Charlottetown and District Youth Soccer Association and worked continually with this group until the Island Club System was put into play in 1988-89. Godfrey continued in many roles, always bringing his enthusiasm and professionalism, until his untimely passing in December 2002.

Mike Redmond, tournament director and head coach for the UPEI Women's Soccer Panthers, said, 'His passing has left a great void in the soccer community, Island-wide, but he has also left behind great accomplishments, opened doors for the future of soccer, and memories of what an outstanding person, friend and volunteer Alan was.'

Redmond added, 'We are very proud to name this tournament after Alan Godfrey and hope that the teams enjoy the competition and the friendships that players will make along the way.'

Games for the tournament will be played at UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place, UPEI turf field, and East Royalty, Simmons and Co-op fields.
Admission to the games is free. The full schedule of games can be found at gopanthersgo.ca. For more information on the tournament, please contact Mike Redmond at wsoccer@upei.ca.

The first group of students in a special cohort for college educators in the Master of Education in Leadership and Learning program offered by UPEI, in collaboration with Holland College, wrapped up their final assignments recently during a research forum held in Holland College's Centre for Applied Science and Technology on the Prince of Wales Campus.

The program is designed to provide experienced adult educators with the knowledge and skills required to become effective educational leaders. The overall aim of the program is to promote and support educational scholarship, research, and practice.

The 15 students in the group are staff members or former staff members of the College of the North Atlantic, Holland College, and Nova Scotia Community College. Their final projects encompassed many topics that are of concern to community colleges, including an investigation of the transition of international students into Holland College, creating seamless student mobility through articulation agreements, evaluating and changing instructional leadership to meet students' needs, and changing perceptions while fostering gender neutrality in nursing.

Dr. Miles Turnbull, UPEI's Coordinator of Graduate Studies and Associate Dean of the Faculty of Education, said the quality and scope of the students' projects were very high.

"It was rewarding to witness these students' action research project presentations - a capstone to their 27-month masters journey together. The quality, diversity and relevance of the projects completed were impressive indeed," he said.

Dr. Audrey Penner, Director of Adult Education Learner Support and Applied Research at Holland College, said participation with UPEI in the program is part of the college's ongoing commitment to providing staff with meaningful and relevant opportunities to further their education.

"It has been a pleasure to work on such a collaborative and ground-breaking project with Dr. Turnbull and the faculty of education at UPEI. This fills a capacity need at the college level for leadership in education, and this program is tailored to the leadership needs of college faculty and administration," she said.

For more information about the Master of Education in Leadership and Learning at UPEI, click here.

The University of Prince Edward Island will have a new face behind the bench to coach the men's basketball Panthers, the Island university announced today. Tim Kendrick, from New Minas, Nova Scotia and long-time coach of the Horton High School division 1 men's basketball team, will begin his new post immediately.

Ron Annear, director of athletics and recreation at UPEI, said, 'We are definitely excited to have Tim join us at UPEI. His coaching record speaks for itself, but after seeing him in action at the 2009 Canada Games, meeting with him during the selection process, and now getting to know him better in the last few weeks, I know he will be the right leader and motivator to take the Panthers to new heights in both the AUS and CIS, and in our community.'

Kendrick coached the Nova Scotia men's team to a dramatic silver medal finish at the Canada Games in Summerside in August 2009. The fully certified NCCP level III coach was the 2010 recipient of Basketball Nova Scotia's Coach of the Year Award, and in 2009, the Frank Baldwin Award, and has a number of great coaching achievements including having over 40 high school players go on to play CIS basketball, and being nationally recognized for a 73-game unbeaten streak in 2006-2008 (unofficial Canadian record). His overall record at Horton High School is 707 wins, 189 losses.

In addition to his high school coaching duties, Kendrick has been a regional account specialist for Prodigy Sports, and owner and director of basketball operations for Coach Kendrick's Basketball World, a company he formed that offers camps and clinics and coordinates speaking engagements, tournaments, and leagues.

Kendrick said, 'It will be an absolute thrill and honour to coach the Panthers. I relish the thought of living year-round in PEI, becoming involved in the high school and minor programs on the Island, and working with Basketball PEI. I am confident I can help build the Panther program and add to a very loyal UPEI fan base through running camps and clinics, and by reaching out to alumni and the community.'

His playing career in the eighties included a stint with the University College of Cape Breton where he was named 'All-Conference,' but his highest accolades came when playing for the Nova Scotia Teachers College. In both 1984 and 1985 seasons, Kendrick won Nova Scotia College Conference championships, was conference MVP, was named "All-Canadian," and was the leading scorer in the country in the Canadian College Athletic Association.

One of Kendrick's first tasks will be meeting and communicating with current student-athletes as well as new recruits in anticipation of the official AUS winter sport start date of September 9 when tryouts begin. The UPEI Men's Basketball team will see game action at the Mickey Place Tournament on October 14, hosting its first regular season home game on November 12, 2011 against Saint Mary's University. For the season's schedule, visit gopanthersgo.ca.

The St. Dunstan's University (SDU) class of 1961 will celebrate its 50th anniversary at this year's UPEI Summer Reunion Weekend, July 28 to 31. Alumni who have reached this special milestone will be joined by SDU class of 1951, UPEI classes of 1971 and 1981, and Prince of Wales College (PWC) alumni, for a fun-filled weekend.

'Reunion Weekend is a great opportunity for alumni from UPEI and its founding institutions, SDU and PWC, to reconnect with each other, take a trip down memory lane and see the wonderful changes that have taken place on campus,' says Perlene Morrison, president of the UPEI Alumni Association.

The always-popular UPEI Alumni HRA Panther Classic golf tournament takes place on Friday, July 29, at the Green Gables Golf Course in Cavendish. Tee-off time for the participating golfers is 8:30 am.
Transportation on a Trius Tours bus is available to registered golfers on a first-come, first-served basis; it will leave from the W.A. Murphy Student Centre at 7:00 am.

Also on Friday, there will be an open house at SDU Place at 45 Great George Street from 2:00-4:30 pm, followed by the SDU Class of 1961 50th reunion gathering at the Faculty Lounge, Main Building on the UPEI campus at 5:00 pm.

The 27th annual SDU Alumni Mass will be celebrated later on Friday at 7:30 pm, in the Dr. Steel Recital Hall, followed by the SDU All Years reception in McMillan Hall at the W.A. Murphy Student Centre.

The annual PWC All Years Luncheon, will take place on Sunday, July 31, from 1-3 pm, in the W.A. Murphy Student Centre's McMillan Hall.

For more information, contact Sarah MacInnis, alumni outreach coordinator, at (902) 566-0687 or alumni@upei.ca.

For the complete Reunion Weekend schedule, visit upei.ca/alumni.

Royal Dutch Shell advisor to speak at Palmer Conference

Public- and private-sector leaders and influential commentators from across Canada will gather for the Palmer Conference on Public Leadership at the University of Prince Edward Island, August 18 to 19, to follow up on the latest calls for a national energy strategy.

The Palmer Conference, named in honour of noted lawyer and public-policy proponent, James S. Palmer, addresses issues of high priority to the public sector and to Canada. The theme this year, 'Developing a Canadian Energy Strategy,' is currently at the top of the Canadian political and policy agenda. Conference discussions will add value to the meetings of Canadian energy ministers that took place in Kananaskis in mid-July, resulting in a communiqué calling for government and stakeholders to work together to open up new markets for Canadian energy, to streamline regulatory processes, and to enhance energy efficiency.

Limited to 75 delegates in order to promote a high level of participation and interaction, the conference is attracting a stellar cast of presenters including conference chair, Janice MacKinnon, professor at the University of Saskatchewan and former minister of finance in that province, and the Honourable Ron Liepert, Alberta's minister of energy. Wim Thomas, chief energy advisor for Royal Dutch Shell, will give the keynote address; the 'Shell Global Energy Scenarios to 2050' will provide an informed international perspective for Canada's strategic energy choices.

MacKinnon said, 'The Palmer Conference is designed to address tough and timely questions, and to encourage the development of ongoing networks and professional relationships. Given the current national debates about our theme, UPEI will be the perfect setting to address critical issues regarding a Canadian energy strategy and the accompanying challenges for public-policy and public sector leaders.'

Prince Edward Island's minister of environment, energy and forestry, Richard Brown, is the incoming chair of the Canada energy ministers' summit. 'The Palmer Conference is an excellent forum to continue the discussion of the need for a national energy strategy among leaders in the energy sector,' said Minister Brown. 'I look forward to presenting the work from Canada's energy ministers at our recent meeting to develop a shared vision for Canada as a recognized global leader in secure and sustainable energy supply.'

The Palmer Conference agenda is designed to encourage engaged dialogue, and to reflect the diversity of opinion around key issues that have been selected to value to the national energy strategy debate. There will be panels of highly qualified commentators on three questions: leadership skill sets and capacity; R&D and innovation; and public engagement, education, and consensus building. These topics have been selected to enrich the national discourse, to encourage critical thinking, and to focus on the overriding mission of the Palmer Conference to enhance and promote public sector leadership.

For more information, visit palmerconference.com.

About the Palmer Conference
The Palmer Conference is named in honour of James S. Palmer, CM, AOE, QC and is held annually at the University of Prince Edward Island. The inaugural conference in 2010 explored the theme, 'Public Servants and their Relationships with Politicians and the Media.'

Mr. Palmer is a founding partner of the Calgary law firm Burnett Duckworth Palmer. His ancestors include two Prince Edward Island premiers, a representative to the 1864 Charlottetown Conference and several jurists. Mr. Palmer's commitment to public policy is demonstrated through the James S. and Barbara A. Palmer Chair in Public Policy at the University of Calgary.