June 5, 2008
Thompson Rivers University Trade Students Crowned Tops at National Skills Canada Competition
Three Thompson Rivers University students are among the country’s top trades and technology students, bringing home gold and silver medals from the National Skills Canada competition.
After winning the annual Skills BC competition in April the three went on to compete with at the National Skills Canada competition held in Calgary last week; Jonathan MacInytre won gold in automotive, post-secondary; Mike Gatey, gold in carpentry, secondary and Evan Butchart, silver in welding, post-secondary.
Ralph Finch, Dean School of Trades and Technology, is extremely proud of his students' achievements. “This is an incredible result for our students and our instructors. Not only have these students won top honours for their trades in Canada, next year they qualify for the World Skills competition next year.”
For Residential Construction transitions student Mike Gatey, the gold medal winner in the secondary division, the buzz of 500 high school and post secondary students from all regions of Canada competing in over 40 trade and technology events did little to distract him from the task at hand—to turn a pile of materials into a playhouse in 14 hours.
“I knew what to expect from the provincials, Calgary was set up the same way,” Gatey said. It also didn’t hurt that the competition was in Cowtown, a city he called home just three years ago.
About to graduate from South Kamloops Secondary, Gatey has six weeks left in his trade transition program at TRU and is confident earning gold provincially and nationally will help him land a plum apprenticeship with a local construction company. After three more years at TRU he’ll become a journeyed carpenter. His ultimate goal is to have his own construction company.
Next year, he’ll be back in Calgary competing against 38 other countries in the World Skills event as a post–secondary student.
Although Jonathan MacIntyre’s age will make him ineligible to compete at the world’s next year, being crowned the best automotive student in Canada confirms that his decision to switch from computer sciences to automotive technician was the right one.
“The competition was challenging and nerve wracking,” the 22-year-old from Lytton said. “There was no way to get through all the problems they presented, but that was part of the competition, telling the judges how you’d solve the problem if you had the time.”
With 6,000 more hours of work experience and some time back at TRU to complete his trade qualifications, MacIntyre’s goal is to set up his own automotive shop.
Source: Thompson Rivers University, British Columbia
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May 10, 2008
Thompson Rivers University Tourism Student Wins Dream Job Contest
The Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council announced that Thompson Rivers University student, Erin Pietrasik is the winner of the Discover Tourism Win a Dream Job contest. Pietrasik, will advance her tourism career experience at the Delta Sun Peaks Resort as a Banquet Server in the Food and Beverage Department. A student in the Resort and Hotel Management diploma program, she has worked a several hotels in Kamloops and is eager to build on that experience at the Delta, working the summer between her first and second years at TRU. “I feel truly honored for the opportunity to work for Delta Sun Peaks,” said Pietrasik, who received gas vouchers, instead of airfare, to offset travel cost to work, as part of the prize package. “I look forward to not only the experience and professionalism that comes from working with an industry leader, but also developing great memories with my future coworkers and guests alike.”
“Erin’s education, experience and attitude stood out among hundreds of applicants across the country,” Dr. David Twynam, TRU Tourism chair said. “It’s very prestigious that she was recognized by Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council, it’s the largest liaison council for our tourism industry.” With 300,000 new tourism-related jobs projected across Canada over the next five years, winning this contest provides Pietrasik with a position in a thriving and exciting sector, with an employer who is consistently named one of “The 50 Best Employers in Canada.” The Delta Sun Peaks will benefit from Pietrasik’s enthusiasm and experience in the hotel industry. Delta is the largest full-service hotel and conference centre at Sun Peaks, a four-season destination resort in the interior of British Columbia. The resort will offer Pietrasik learning and training opportunities, while gaining an employee who is passionate about tourism. “Sun Peaks Resort Corporation is very excited to have had the opportunity to participate in the Win a Dream Job competition,” says Jennifer Crawford, Personnel Coordinator for Sun Peaks Resort. “We are proud to have been able to showcase the job opportunities we have to offer.”
Source: Thompson Rivers University, British Columbia
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April 28, 2008
Trinity Western University Announces Biotechnology Major
Are the foods you eat safe? Will dinosaurs roam the earth once again as in Jurassic Park? Are we moving towards a superhuman race as in Gattaca? Biotechnology can help to answer these and other compelling questions but while it is the furthest reaching and fastest growing area of science it remains largely unknown. Trinity Western University hopes to change that and is pleased to announce that it is offering a new biotechnology major. Led by Program Director and Assistant Professor of Biology Dr. Julia Mills, the biotechnology major offers students superior knowledge in the areas of science and business. With more laboratory components and smaller class sizes, biotech majors can count on one-on-one time with their professors, while meeting the entry requirements for medical school and other professional schools. Mills says, "Our program offers biotech majors the opportunity to not only study intense science and business courses in the classroom but also take part in paid internships and co-op programs where they can work alongside biotechnology experts conducting critical and important research. This program allows students to wear the hat and explore career options that they may not have even considered. It allows our students to be job-ready." Simply stated, biotechnology is really the combination of science and technology, using living organisms to produce goods and services. Applications of biotechnology are far reaching and include food production, forestry, agriculture, medicine and the environment. Things like genetically altering food such as potatoes and corn to make them resistant to certain insects - commonly known in some circles as "Frankenfoods," the creation of environmentally friendly fuels, DNA fingerprinting in forensic sciences and in extreme cases genetically modifying animals to produce "glow in the dark kittens" and "super salmon." Biotechnology also underlies the "omics" revolution (genomics, pharmacogenomics, transcriptomics) and has greatly improved our ability to diagnose and treat human disease. With this new ability to harvest genomic information and mutate creation, questions and concerns on ethics abound. Mills says, "At TWU we address the ethics involved with biotechnology, asking tough questions. Just because something is viable is it always acceptable to do? Being able to address these ethical issues in the context of a Christian world view makes for very open and thought provoking dialogue. Our graduates are not only able to excel in the Health Sciences but will also be aware of the risks as we progress in this industry. It is important that we keep ahead of the sciences where ethics is concerned." Mills own research interests lie within adult stem cell and Alzheimer's disease research. With numerous refereed publications in prestigious journals such as the Journal of Neuroscience and Molecular Biology of the Cell, Mills comes to TWU with a wealth of professional and academic success. As well as possessing a breadth of teaching and research experience from UBC, Queen's University and University of Toronto, Mills was coordinator of the Careers in BioMedical Science Seminar Series at the University of Toronto and worked as a consultant for a biotech company and pharmaceutical recruiting organization. Dean of Natural and Applied Sciences, Dr. Jack VanDyke says, "One of the greatest strengths of our faculty is the level of integration that occurs between the faculty in various programs throughout the natural sciences. This is a tremendous asset for a multi-disciplined program such as Biotechnology. One example of the potential benefit is that we plan to strengthen the partnership between Biotechnology and Environmental studies to create a greener campus." One of the studies that Mills is hoping to pursue with biotechnology students is examining how different types of compostable cutlery break down and the rate in which they do. It is hoped that TWU will have a 0% cafeteria waste by 2009. This type of integration and connection within disciplines is what makes graduates from Canada's foremost Christian university so successful. Mills strongly believes in the mission of TWU and in the quality of students it produces saying, "We as instructors have the chance not just to aid in the intellectual instruction of students but also to speak to the entire person as a whole. Within biotechnology, a highly dynamic field, I feel that it is important to develop transferable skills in the students such as communication skills, teamwork, flexibility and initiative. The liberal arts education and the campus life that TWU offers help fulfill these qualities in our students."
Source: Trinity Western University, British Columbia
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April 28, 2008
Emily Carr Institute: B.C. to Establish Emily Carr University of Art and Design
The Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design will become a university, to be called the Emily Carr University of Art and Design (ECUAD), Premier Gordon Campbell and Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell announced today. “The kind of leading-edge education programs offered at Emily Carr are an important part of building the highly skilled workforce we need here in B.C.,” said Premier Campbell. “In the throne speech, we committed to expanding B.C.’s public university system and creating new opportunities for higher learning. Emily Carr is already known as a leading institution in Canada for programs such as visual arts, design and media arts, and becoming a university will help to expand on that reputation.” Pending amendments to B.C.’s University Act, the new Emily Carr University of Art and Design (ECUAD) will focus on providing students with exceptional programs in visual arts, including drawing, painting, photography and digital arts; media arts, including animation, gaming, filmmaking and video and television; and design, which focuses on sustainability and new forms of product and process design. “The consultations conducted as part of the Campus 2020 process clearly identified that British Columbians want access to more university degree programs,” said Coell. “The Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design is the only public post-secondary institution in the province solely dedicated to the visual arts, media arts and design. As a university, it will be able to do even more.”
“We are extremely proud to see that our innovative institution will become a university,” said Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design president Ron Burnett. “This new status means we can increase opportunities for students to participate in professional degree programs leading to bachelor’s and master’s degrees in visual art, design and media studies.” The Emily Carr Institute began in 1925 as the Vancouver School of Decorative and Applied Arts. It went through several name changes before becoming the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design in 1995. The Emily Carr Institute has an enrolment of 4,040 students, including 214 international students. Since 2001, the Province has increased operating funding for Emily Carr by $2.7 million and invested $2.3 million in capital projects, including construction of the interdisciplinary digital studio of art, media and design.
Ministry of Advanced Education, British Columbia
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April 23, 2008
Thompson Rivers University Instructor Named as One of BC’s Most Influential in Residential Construction
Thompson Rivers University Construction Trades Instructor Hank Bangma has been recognized by BC Homes Magazine as one of BC’s Most Influential People in Residential Construction. Bangma is featured on the cover of the April/May issue along with Premier Gordon Campbell and three others from the group of 20 deemed most influential by the magazine published for the Canadian Home Builders’ Association of BC. “I have a lot of respect for the other people that were recognized,” Bangma said. “The premier obviously, but also Jim Thomson (owner of Plainsman Construction and chair of the Southern Interior Development Trust) and M.J. Whitemarsh (chair of the Residential Construction Industry Training Organization). To be placed among this group is really humbling.” Tim Kasten, first vice president, Canadian Home Builders Association BC, nominated Bangma for the honour, having worked with Bangma and TRU Trades Students on the training house for the past eight years. It’s an award-winning collaboration that gives TRU’s Residential Construction Foundations students an opportunity to build a real home as part of their first year of studies and a key fundraising initiative for the Kamloops YMCA.“He goes above and beyond what is required to train young people in the trade. Hank sets a high standard and he demands a lot from his students, instilling in them a real pride for doing a quality job,” said Kasten, who has hired several TRU students for his company Hillside Contracting. Besides his full-time responsibilities as instructor Bangma sits on the Provincial Carpentry Articulation Committee (9 years: 4 years as chair) and is currently reviewing 80 plus chapters of content for the first Canadian revision of the textbook Carpentry.
Source: Thompson Rivers University, British Columbia
Print News
April 18, 2008
Thompson Rivers University: New Research and Development Opportunities for Kamloops
The Government of Canada is helping to strengthen Thompson Rivers University’s (TRU) research and development innovation and technology commercialization capabilities through federal funding toward research infrastructure. Federal funding of $954,000 was announced for two projects at TRU today by Betty Hinton, Member of Parliament for Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo, on behalf of the Honourable Rona Ambrose, President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of Western Economic Diversification. “Thompson Rivers University is an important centre of learning and applied research. This funding will help TRU students, faculty and industry access the essential infrastructure needed to research, develop and commercialize sophisticated new technologies,” said MP Hinton. “These projects will benefit the University, and support knowledge creation and innovation in Kamloops and across British Columbia.” The first project will see a federal investment of $621,000 toward the purchase of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) equipment that will be used to train students and carry out applied research with industry. The new equipment will also provide analytical chemistry support to firms in various industry sectors in B.C. including mining, forestry, agriculture, nutraceuticals, and industrial biotechnology. The second project involves a federal investment of $333,000 to purchase equipment for the University’s creation of a new Centre for Innovation in Ranching, Range and Meat Production. The equipment will be used to facilitate research and development to help ranchers, producers and suppliers adopt new technologies that support sustainable ranching practices. “Western Economic Diversification’s significant support of these two projects will enhance TRU’s ability to support industry in the Interior of BC, fostering innovation leading to new products and enhancing business productivity and competitiveness through improved processes and relevant training. TRU is pursing the sustainability of the cattle industry as a strategic research direction to help working ranches maintain profitability, and the NMR will have important applications for businesses across the spectrum,” said TRU President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Roger Barnsley. TRU has demonstrated strength in maintaining linkages between trades, technology and academic programs. TRU serves a broad geographic region with two campuses, one in Kamloops and the other in Williams Lake, and includes a strong distance and open learning capacity. Research is an important and growing component of the university's priorities, with a strong focus on community-based applied research and knowledge transfer. “We are encouraged by this generous investment by Western Economic Diversification because it honours the excellence of our faculty and students in conducting ground-breaking research. The new facilities and analytical tools enabled by WED greatly expand the capacity and potential of TRU and our region for discovery, innovation and invention in predictable ways, and ways we cannot even imagine,” said TRU Associate Vice-President Dr. Nancy Van Wagoner. Western Economic Diversification Canada is a department of the Government of Canada that works in partnership with various provinces, industry associations and communities to encourage diversification of the western economy, as well as to represent the interests of the West in national decision-making.
Source: Thompson Rivers University, British Columbia
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April 7, 2008
Thompson River University: New International Double Degree Option for Geography Students
Thompson Rivers University is pleased to announce the signing an agreement with the University of Gävle in Sweden that will allow students to simultaneously earn a degree from each university in the fields of Geography and Geomatics. TRU students completing a Major in Geography in the Bachelor of Arts degree will be able to add the University of Gävle's Bachelor of Science degree, Major in Geomatics to their resume with just one more year of study. The agreement also allows students to simultaneously earn two diploma-level credentials: an Associate of Arts degree (2 years) from TRU and a Geomatics Technician diploma (1 year) from the University of Gävle. The Geography-Geomatics degree program is believed to be the first of its kind in Canada and one of only a handful of international double degree programs in the country. Ross Nelson, a TRU faculty member who recently spent a year as a visiting researcher at the University of Gävle (pronounced Yev-le), about 2 hours north of the capital city of Stockholm, says the city provides a great base for TRU students to study and experience Europe. "The University of Gävle is one of the leading centres for geomatics education in Scandinavia and is perhaps the only one to offer its whole program in English. In addition to the Department of Geomatics, the university also houses a Geographic Information Systems Institute while the headquarters for Sweden's mapping and land information agency and a GIS industry centre are a short walk away." Geomatics is the technical branch of geography. It involves the collection, analysis, and display of spatial information about the earth - satellite imagery and computer based maps are two of the most common forms of geomatics information. According to Uli Scheck, TRU Associate VP Academics and Dean of Arts, these new double degree and diploma options present "an exciting opportunity for our students to internationalize their educational experience. Both options will be of great interest to students from across Canada and will set the stage for developing further international degree opportunities in the Faculty of Arts." The double degree and double diploma provide an attractive career pathway. Graduates of the programs will find work, for example, as planners, land managers, location analysts (people who determine where stores should locate), surveyors, cartographers, GIS technicians, and database managers. The combination of technical abilities and a solid knowledge base will make TRU students attractive to employers who value multi-skilled and adaptable problem solvers.
Source: Thompson Rivers University, British Columbia
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April 7, 2008
Trinity Western University Hosts the World Vision One Life Experience
Trinity Western University is pleased to host the World Vision One Life Experience from April 11th through to the 20th. The One Life Experience is a 2000 square-foot interactive village that transports visitors to the heart of Africa. Through a captivating audio tour and powerful imagery, viewers will experience the impact of HIV and AIDS by stepping into the life of an African child, gaining a new understanding of the greatest humanitarian crisis of our time. Brandon Foreman, Tour Representative for World Vision Canada, approached TWU administration and facilities earlier in the year to see if the University could be the host site for the exhibit in the Fraser Valley, and TWU was honoured to host the event. The original World Vision One Life Experience travelled across the U.S. including stops in Seattle, Nashville, Pittsburgh, Sacramento and New York City's Grand Central Station. In August 2006, it was featured in Toronto during the International AIDS Conference where more than 5,000 people visited the exhibit. In August 2007, a new Canadian World Vision One Life Experience was built and began a cross-Canada tour. Since August, it has been featured in Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Regina, Kelowna, Montreal, Kitchener and St. Catharines and more than 18,000 Canadians have visited this moving exhibit. The One Life Exhibit is free to attend and will be open to the public from April 11th through the 20th (Monday - Saturday 9am - 7 pm., and Sundays 12 pm - 7 pm.) TWU will also be supporting World Vision's kick off of the 30 Hour Famine, VIP media event with actress Gabrielle Miller (CTV's Robson Arms, Corner Gas) and a pastoral breakfast featuring Tony Campolo. For volunteer opportunities contact http://www.worldvision.ca/onelife and click on "Join the Team" to register. World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. Motivated by our Christian faith, we serve all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. Trinity Western University, in Langley, B.C. is an independent Christian liberal arts and sciences university enrolling approximately 4000 students. TWU offers undergraduate degrees in 40 major areas of study ranging from biotechnology, education, nursing, theatre and music, to psychology, communications and biblical studies. TWU's 16 graduate degree programs include counseling psychology, business, theology and leadership, and offers interdisciplinary studies in English, philosophy and history. TWU holds Canada Research Chairs in Biblical Studies, Biology and Interpretation, Religion & Culture.
Source: Trinity Western University, British Columbia
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April 7, 2008
Trinity Western University: Lively Spring Concert Comes to Langley
A selection of triumphant and springtime works will be featured when musicians from Trinity Western University perform in Langley on April 11. Members of the TWU Orchestra will play the Russian Easter Overture by Rimksy-Korsakov and the "Unfinished" Symphony by Schubert. As well, the Concert Band will perform the Second Suite by Gustav Holst and the William Byrd Suite by Gordon Jacob. "We're playing a lively program, which highlights the talent and calibre of our music students," says Jon Thompson, conductor of the Orchestra. "This program is a fitting way to end another year of study, practice and performance." The concert will be held at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Langley on April 11. A repeat performance will take place at Peace Lutheran Church in Abbotsford on April 12. Both the Concert Band and Orchestra are comprised mostly of TWU music students, although local musicians are included in their ranks.
Source: Trinity Western University, British Columbia
Print News
April 7, 2008
Trinity Western University Announces Biotechnology Major
Are the foods you eat safe? Will dinosaurs roam the earth once again as in Jurassic Park? Are we moving towards a superhuman race as in Gattaca? Biotechnology can help to answer these and other compelling questions but while it is the furthest reaching and fastest growing area of science it remains largely unknown. Trinity Western University hopes to change that and is pleased to announce that it is offering a new biotechnology major. Led by Program Director and Assistant Professor of Biology Dr. Julia Mills, the biotechnology major offers students superior knowledge in the areas of science and business. With more laboratory components and smaller class sizes, biotech majors can count on one-on-one time with their professors, while meeting the entry requirements for medical school and other professional schools. Mills says, "Our program offers biotech majors the opportunity to not only study intense science and business courses in the classroom but also take part in paid internships and co-op programs where they can work alongside biotechnology experts conducting critical and important research. This program allows students to wear the hat and explore career options that they may not have even considered. It allows our students to be job-ready." Simply stated, biotechnology is really the combination of science and technology, using living organisms to produce goods and services. Applications of biotechnology are far reaching and include food production, forestry, agriculture, medicine and the environment. Things like genetically altering food such as potatoes and corn to make them resistant to certain insects - commonly known in some circles as "Frankenfoods," the creation of environmentally friendly fuels, DNA fingerprinting in forensic sciences and in extreme cases genetically modifying animals to produce "glow in the dark kittens" and "super salmon." Biotechnology also underlies the "omics" revolution (genomics, pharmacogenomics, transcriptomics) and has greatly improved our ability to diagnose and treat human disease. With this new ability to harvest genomic information and mutate creation, questions and concerns on ethics abound. Mills says, "At TWU we address the ethics involved with biotechnology, asking tough questions. Just because something is viable is it always acceptable to do? Being able to address these ethical issues in the context of a Christian world view makes for very open and thought provoking dialogue. Our graduates are not only able to excel in the Health Sciences but will also be aware of the risks as we progress in this industry. It is important that we keep ahead of the sciences where ethics is concerned." Mills own research interests lie within adult stem cell and Alzheimer's disease research. With numerous refereed publications in prestigious journals such as the Journal of Neuroscience and Molecular Biology of the Cell, Mills comes to TWU with a wealth of professional and academic success. As well as possessing a breadth of teaching and research experience from UBC, Queen's University and University of Toronto, Mills was coordinator of the Careers in BioMedical Science Seminar Series at the University of Toronto and worked as a consultant for a biotech company and pharmaceutical recruiting organization. Dean of Natural and Applied Sciences, Dr. Jack VanDyke says, "One of the greatest strengths of our faculty is the level of integration that occurs between the faculty in various programs throughout the natural sciences. This is a tremendous asset for a multi-disciplined program such as Biotechnology. One example of the potential benefit is that we plan to strengthen the partnership between Biotechnology and Environmental studies to create a greener campus." One of the studies that Mills is hoping to pursue with biotechnology students is examining how different types of compostable cutlery break down and the rate in which they do. It is hoped that TWU will have a 0% cafeteria waste by 2009. This type of integration and connection within disciplines is what makes graduates from Canada's foremost Christian university so successful. Mills strongly believes in the mission of TWU and in the quality of students it produces saying, "We as instructors have the chance not just to aid in the intellectual instruction of students but also to speak to the entire person as a whole. Within biotechnology, a highly dynamic field, I feel that it is important to develop transferable skills in the students such as communication skills, teamwork, flexibility and initiative. The liberal arts education and the campus life that TWU offers help fulfill these qualities in our students."
Source: Trinity Western University, British Columbia
Print News
April 3, 2008
Next Major Construction Project Given Green Light at Thompson Rivers University
The next major capital construction project to expand learning resources on the campus of Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops has been given the green light with the announcement today of funding approval from the Ministry of Advanced Education. With a commitment of $18 million from government, the TRU Board of Governors has approved the business plan for funding the balance of the $29.3 million project that will incorporate the new library, the learning commons, and space for Aboriginal programs and services. The TRU Board of Governors has decided that the new facility will be known as The House of Learning. The overall size of the new building is approximately 58,000 sq. ft., providing expanded library, study and learning space that includes a tiered lecture theatre, and various dedicated spaces. It will also be the first TRU facility to be LEED Gold Certified. The new building will provide a significant addition to library and learning space for all students on campus, and also incorporate features and facilities to enhance the learning needs of Aboriginal students. Within the House of Learning, the concept of a learning commons will allow for more student group work and social interaction. With new space for expanding the library collection and student access to information through technology, the project also includes the creation of more space for quiet study and research in the existing library facility. TRU President and Vice-chancellor Roger Barnsley expressed his delight that this much anticipated addition to the academic life of the campus is moving ahead. "Not only will the House of Learning project significantly change and enhance the educational opportunities for students on our Kamloops campus," said Barnsley. "It will mark TRU as a leader as we become the university of choice for environmental sustainability, Aboriginals and First Nations and for student engagement." Ron Olynyk, Chair of the TRU Board of Governors, expressed the Boards' appreciation for the generous support of the Ministry of Advanced Education and the British Columbia government for this important project. Preliminary timelines for the project would plan to see some initial ground work begin later this year on the building site on the campus common, just east of the Campus Activity Centre, with a preliminary target completion date of Winter, 2010.
Source: Thompson Rivers University, British Columbia
Print News
March 27, 2008
UNDERGROUND: The Senior Art Show (Trinity Western University)
Alma Visscher stands beside her work, entitled unlived things: given//taken. The graphite composition, made up of two 3' by 8' sheets of Mulberry paper, is just one of the works that will be on display from April 11 to 12 as graduating art students from Trinity Western University and special guests put on UNDERGROUND: The Senior Art Show. The show features a wide variety of styles and mediums ranging from sculptural installations and drawn works, to photography and painting. This is the first senior art exhibit in several years exhibited at TWU. Assistant Event Coordinator Christina Welsh feels that this is a significant move that will contribute much to the neighboring artistic community. She says, "In the past this event was held at a Vancouver venue. Having the TWU Senior art exhibition on campus will provide a space for dialogue between TWU artists, other members of the TWU community, and local artists." The exhibition, featuring a year's worth of work, is being installed in an unconventional gallery space - an underground parkade at the University's Langley campus. Visscher, who is also UNDERGROUND's Event Coordinator says, "In terms of the particular choice of an underground parking lot, we wanted something other than a typical gallery space to challenge where art is viewed and/or found. We also wanted to challenge ourselves to create work for display in a larger space. This also allowed for more installation works which expands the potential for expression. Moreover, it is an interesting space which several artists are working with both conceptually and visually." Visscher's own work explores the relationships between individuals and the materials they encounter. Working from objects given to her as gifts, she addresses both the broader community as well as her own more closely connected relationships. She says, "Initially I was interested in what separates us from what is around. Eventually, I was just startled again by seemingly mundane objects in my everyday life. By using objects given to me I wanted to magnify both the ordinary and the lives that stood behind that. In the end it came to reference a sort of medieval reliquary - but almost a subversion of them in the sense that it is only the individual choices - the choice to give and, in mine, the choice to draw them - that made them important." Visscher and Welsh are two of ten artists spotlighted at the show, which will offer diverse mediums and subject matter. Assistant Professor and Chair of the Art Department, Doris Auxier says, "This year's show draws from TWU's rich liberal arts context. Concerns from other disciplines such as psychology, culture and religion, and sociology evoked the visual responses seen in several of the pieces. This show is impressive to me because of the depth of caring and integrity found in the students. They are compassionate and care deeply about other people and the environment; they seek to use their visual voices to speak to issues of concern or to respond honestly in a visual way to a slice of life that intrigues them." This diversity can been seen in forth year art majors like Andrea Wilburn and Chelaine Neufeldt, who are both creating a series of acrylic paintings that address the human figure. Wilburn is dealing with the human body in motion and the relationship of movement to still photography. Neufeldt is creating a series of bold gestural paintings that challenge the ability of the human form to be contained within the rectangle of the picture plane.
Large installation works will also make up a significant component of the show. Patricia Rapske, a double major in both art and psychology, is working with the stages of life through empty forms of the human figure while Christina Welsh plays against the context of the underground parking lot, creating a sculptural line drawing with wire and light.
Source: Trinity Western University, British Columbia
Print News
March 11, 2008
TRU Students Win the Tourism - Hospitality BC Student 2008 Case Competition
A team of first and second year Tourism students from Thompson Rivers University has taken first prize in the recent 2008 Tourism - Hospitality BC Student Case competition. Jenn Pallett, Raizy Marmorstein, Andrea Smith and Fredrik Elf won the case challenge that was "How to Attract and Retain Generation Y Employees", taking top honours in the diploma level, tourism category over competing teams from University of Victoria, BCIT and Capilano College. The students won a $1000 prize and the recognition of the industry attendees. "The experience of competing was very valuable, winning was just a bonus," said Raizy Marmorstein a second-year Tourism events and conventions management diploma student. "As Generation Y (people born between 1980-1995) we reflected on what we want and expect from an employer." What is their advice to the BC tourism industry looking to attract, train and retain the elusive Generation Y? "Offer a Mentor Match program within the whole tourism industry as well as within individual organizations," Marmorstein said. "Being able to continuously learn and develop through education is key." The group will be offering their award winning insight to employers at TRU's Job Fair on Thursday, March 13 at 11:00 am and 1:30 pm (Campus Activity Centre, C130). Even though the degree team did not win in their category, they worked very hard as well. Leah Peden, Natasha Howell, Shannon McKee, Jenny Liang and Niki Yim, along with their student coach Jamie Mayes made a good presentation on how BC can double tourism revenues in a sustainable manner.
Source: Thompson Rivers University, British Columbia
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March 7, 2008
The University of British Columbia Celebrate 100TH Anniversary of University Act
Premier Gordon Campbell and UBC president Stephen Toope celebrated the centenary of the 1908 University Act that created UBC as B.C.'s first post-secondary institution today, signing a rededication of the act exactly 100 years after its original March 7, 1908 signing. "For 100 years, the University of British Columbia has played an important role in the personal growth of thousands of students, and in the growth of B.C. as a province," said Campbell. "Today we honour a century of accomplishments and milestones. At the same time, we look towards new frontiers for UBC students and faculty to explore, and to a bright future for this distinguished institution."
"We are honoured and delighted to celebrate the centenary of UBC," said Toope. "UBC's founders set us on the path we walk today, and we are daily in the debt of the provincial government for its ongoing support." Construction at UBC Vancouver began in 1914 but halted due to World War I and didn't resume until 1923, following the historic Great Trek of 1922 when 1,200 students marched from a temporary campus near 12th and Cambie to the Point Grey campus, urging the provincial government to continue building UBC. In honour of the centenary, UBC has launched a new audio tour to guide campus visitors through the university's past and present. Commissioned by the Alumni Association, it enables visitors to take self-guided cell phone tours of 15 campus landmarks, including the new Irving K. Barber Learning Centre and the University Centre -- site of the 1968 Faculty Club student invasion. "UBC is one of the world's great universities, but I believe its greatest contributions have yet to be realized," Toope added. "In our first century, we have built the foundation necessary to propel a great city, a great province and a great nation into a new century of challenges and opportunities." Other upcoming centenary events include a visit by 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner and microfinance pioneer Muhammad Yunis, who will receive a UBC honorary degree and participate in a colloquium on corporate social responsibility; UBC Celebrate Research Week, a public showcase March 4-13 that focuses on UBC research that touches lives and communities, and the Dream Healer opera and accompanying mental health symposium.
Source: The University of British Columbia
Print News
February 8, 2008
TWU English Professor, Dr. Barbara Pell, Wins Leading Women Award
On March 1st, Trinity Western University Professor of English Dr. Barbara Pell will receive a 2008 Leading Women Award in the category of Education, Training and Development. The yearly awards, created in 2001, are presented at the National Christian Leadership Conference for Women held in Toronto. The awards celebrate women that have made an "extraordinary contribution to the success of the work and ministry in their area." Nominated by colleagues Dr. Holly Faith Nelson and Professor Lynn Szabo, Dr. Pell is considered one of the best-known Christian scholars of Canadian literature in the nation. Completing her Ph.D. in Canadian literature at the University of Toronto in 1981, Pell has had an impressive career teaching at the university level and publishing numerous articles and books. She has served as an external reviewer for several journals, academic publishers, and graduate theses from other institutions. She is President of the Board of Vancouver's Pacific Theatre and co-founder and Emeritus Chair of the Christianity and Literature Study Group (CLSG) where scholars present papers on religion and literature every year at the Congress of Humanities and Social Sciences. She also co-founded the Women's Faculty Caucus at Trinity Western University. "Dr. Pell has served as a role model for her colleagues and her students. When I first came to Trinity Western University as a new faculty member, it was Dr. Pell who mentored, encouraged, and guided me both personally and professionally, who made manifest the possibility that a Christian woman could be a successful wife, mother, scholar, and leader - regardless of the obstacles with which we are daily confronted," says Nelson. "She has enhanced my life, changing it for the better, as she has done for so many of her colleagues and students." Professor Pell has taught for over 21 years at TWU and has seen more than 2000 students come through her doors. Amber Butler Rock recently completed her Masters in Interdisciplinary Studies in English and had Dr. Pell for a teacher in many courses while studying at TWU. Now employed as a writer in Seattle, Washington, Butler Rock is putting what she learned into practice. Rock says, "Dr. Pell's strong, passionate personality infused her approach in the classroom. Sitting through her English lectures, I never stopped writing-by the end of each class, my hands would be so sore. She evinced an amazing breadth of knowledge in her field; she knew every critics' opinion and every accepted interpretation of the literature she presented. But what also impressed me was her equally strong desire to help students succeed." The Leading Women Awards cover eight categories with only one winner from each. The award won in the Education, Training and Development category is awarded to an individual that best demonstrated a "Distinctive achievement in formal or informal education, employee training and development and/or research in leadership and personal and professional development." Trinity Western University, in Langley, B.C. is an independent Christian liberal arts and sciences university enrolling approximately 4000 students. TWU offers undergraduate degrees in 39 major areas of study ranging from biotechnology, education, nursing, theatre and music, to psychology, communications and biblical studies. TWU's 15 graduate degree programs include counseling psychology, business, theology and leadership, and offers interdisciplinary studies in English, philosophy and history. TWU holds Canada Research Chairs in Biblical Studies, Biotechnology and Interpretation, Religion & Culture.
Source: Trinity Western University, British Columbia
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February 7, 2008
Thompson Rivers University: President's Lecture Series to Feature Olympic Motivator
Thompson Rivers University is pleased to announce that three time Olympic medalist Silken Laumann will be the next guest in the President's Lecture Series, Tuesday, Feb. 26 at 7 pm in the Grand Hall. Tickets are not required for her presentation, "An Olympic Story-The Courage to Dream," and admission is free, although seating is limited. The TRU President's Lecture Series was created to give both campus and community members an opportunity to hear world-class speakers and thinkers. Laumann is best known as the athlete who suffered a devastating injury weeks before the 1992 Barcelona games, and then went on to win the Bronze Medal for Canada. She captured the hearts of a nation with her story of determination and her warm and friendly presence. In addition to her Olympic accomplishments Laumann is a two-time winner of the Canadian Female Athlete of the Year award; recipient of the Lou Marsh award in 1992 for Canada's top athlete; and winner of the Wilma Rudolph Courage Award in 1997 - the first time this award was ever given to a non-American. Now more of a writer than a rower, Laumann has written for the Globe & Mail, Chatelaine, Today's Parent and Parents Canada magazines. Her book Child's Play, about re-discovering the joy of play in our families, became a national bookseller last spring. Laumann is an active member of the International Board of Directors for the Right To Play, an international development agency dedicated to reintroducing play into the lives of children in refugee camps around the world. She is also the founder of Silken's ActiveKids Movement, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to bringing back unstructured play time for Canadian children. In November 2006, The Globe & Mail named Laumann to their 2006 list of Canada's most Influential Women. She has also recently been named as one of Canada's most influential women in sport. The TRU President's Lecture Series sponsors one or more speakers each academic year on topics of global importance. Over the past four years, TRU has welcomed such international figures as Stephen Lewis, Romeo Dallaire, Lloyd Axworthy, Severn Cullis-Suzuki, David Frum and Buffy St. Marie. Some of these highly regarded presentations have generated local and international responses that include the founding of the CanGo Grannies and motivating many TRU students to become actively involved in a variety of developing world projects.
Source: Thompson Rivers University, British Columbia
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February 6, 2008
Thompson Rivers University Students' Winning Idea About to Help Grade 10 Math Students Across the Province
The winning entry in the Idea Hunt Contest organized by the Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship (ACE) student club at Thompson Rivers University has turned out to be just the solution TRU business student Brandon Lazar needs to make math easy for BC's Grade 10 students. His great idea is an Internet business called EasyMath.ca, an online tutoring program he developed two years ago when he was in Grade 12 at Salmon Arm Secondary School. "There was online help for students in Grade 12, but nothing for students in Grade 10 who also had to write government exams," Lazar said. "ACE's Idea Hunt contest was an opportunity for me to get EasyMath off the back burner," Lazar said about entering the contest in November. "I had done a lot of work developing the program when I was in high school, but since university I just haven't had time to take it to the next level." On EasyMath.ca there are step-by-step instructions, following the British Columbia Math 10 curriculum. Lessons made up of audiovisual animations and video clips, specifically designed to keep the learner interested and focused. After each lesson, the student can test their skills with practice tests. "Brandon had thoroughly thought out the business concept and entered the contest with a fully developed product," said Michelle Jongbloets, a fourth-year marketing student who is TRU ACE's vice president. "We've been meeting weekly since the November win, honing the marketing plan, researching markets, determining price points and target audiences. Now we're ready to take EasyMath out to the world." ACE motives aren't altruistic; the group of business students is looking to succeed with their own competitions against other business students from other universities. The student teams presents audio-visual and written summaries to judging panels comprised of top business leaders who determine which teams did the best job of practicing, teaching and celebrating entrepreneurship. The regional competition is later this month in Calgary, with the nationals being held in Toronto in May. Top national winner goes on to the international competition, the Students in Free Enterprise World Cup in New York. Lazar is the winner of ACE's first Idea Hunt contest, loosely based on the TV show the Dragon's Den. The group's faculty advisor Bernie Warren was impressed with the student entrepreneurs that entered the competition, saying, "the ideas were of a better quality that we expected, some were wonderfully fun and very interesting."
Source: Thompson Rivers University, British Columbia
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February 1, 2008
First of its kind - TWU creates new Religion in Canada Institute
Religion. When one hears the three-syllable word it can either induce fiery conversation or shut down an audience completely. Bands sing about it, politicians leverage it, and wars are even waged because of it. Exploring its central role in Canadian history and in the everyday lives of many Canadians has prompted a group of scholars from Trinity Western University to create the appropriately named Religion in Canada Institute (RCI). This new institute will serve as a nucleus for religious research and scholarly networking in Canada. Newly established in 2007, the RCI is positioned at TWU's faith-based campus as an interdisciplinary research centre and intellectual community of scholars committed to understanding the diverse role religion plays in Canadian lives, culture and social institutions and in all aspects of religion past and future. It will also engage in research projects that will assist religious organizations in Canada conduct their activities knowledgably and thoughtfully. What makes the RCI unique is the broad base of scholars from different disciplines who are working together to understand the historical and socio-cultural significance of religion in Canada. Such topics of investigation include evangelicalism; faith-based social services; Pentecostalism; religion and ethnicity; religion, culture and conflict; religion and globalization; religion, law, and public life; spirituality and health; and women and religion. Michael Wilkinson, Associate Professor of Sociology and Director of the RCI says, "The Religion in Canada Institute is a unique think tank all to its own. We are discovering and addressing important aspects of religion and the interplay it has across Canada's diverse cultural landscape - research that has never been done before in this type of collaboration. Each scholar brings their own expertise to the conversation, making the discussions timely and effective. It is hoped that the Institute will promote further study of religion among scholars and students across our country." The RCI will be hosting its inaugural workshop February 9, 2008. The sold out all day workshop will highlight three prominent religion experts and Canada Research Chairs; Jens Zimmermann (Trinity Western University), Mark Vessey (University of British Columbia) and Lori Beaman (University of Ottawa) and will also celebrate the official opening of the Institute in the public sphere. Funding for the workshop has come from the Aid to Small Universities program of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Workshop panelists will feature the who's who of religious researchers in Canada and will include scholars such as Pamela Klassen (University of Toronto), Solange Lefebvre (University of Montreal), Mark McGowan (St. Michael's College, Toronto), Sam Reimer (Atlantic Baptist University), Peter Beyer (University of Ottawa), and Sheryl Reimer-Kirkham and Paul Rowe of Trinity Western University. Says Wilkinson, "The future of religion in Canada is going to look very different. This is an opportunity for the members of RCI and key scholars in Canada to examine first hand some very important shifts in the religious life of Canadians including personal practices, public institutions, organizations, and new global networks."
Source: Trinity Western University, British Columbia
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January 10, 2008
Thompson Rivers University Undergrad Conference Makes its Own History
The department of Philosophy, History and Politics (PHP) at Thompson Rivers University and the TRU History Club are offering a unique opportunity for undergraduate students to present their research at a conference Jan. 18 through 20 at TRU.
Exploring the Labyrinth is the theme of the conference that has attracted 65 undergraduates from 12 universities from throughout the Western provinces and Washington State. Their research topics range from Salem witch hunts, Doukhobors, Ancient Greeks, sexuality as power and the current state of Pakistan.
It's the first time that students from the History Club and faculty from PHP at TRU have undertaken such a project.
Organizer Jen Busch, a fourth year history major at TRU and president of the TRU History Club says the student volunteers were inspired by their experience as undergraduates at a graduate conference in Qualicum Beach last year.
"The response to the call for presenters has demonstrated just how much of a demand for this type of conference there is," Busch said, estimating that two thirds of the student presenters are from visiting universities. Many are being partially funded by their institutions.
"What we've discovered during our planning is that opportunities for undergrads to present their research at conferences like this are exceedingly rare," said Dr. Annie St. John-Stark, assistant professor history. "There are only two other undergrad conferences in the country that we know of and judging by the quality of the abstracts we've received it's clear many undergraduates are doing cutting edge work."
The conference highlights will include: student paper presentations, a keynote address, banquet and dance. The presentations will allow students at various western universities to share their academic interests with other students and give them the chance to practice presenting their research, a skill required for students going on to grad school.
Source: Thompson Rivers University, British Columbia
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January 9, 2008
Thompson Rivers University: Special Advisor to Speak on Canada's Recent Developments in Afghanistan
Thompson Rivers University will be the venue for a public talk by Diana Youdell, special advisor to the Director General of the Afghanistan Task Force at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade on Wednesday, Jan. 16 at 7pm in the Alumni Theatre.
Youdell has recently returned from Afghanistan where she served as Head of Development Programs for the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) from Aug. 2006 to Sept. 2007. Under her guidance more than $100 million of CIDA funds were disbursed to support Government of Afghanistan national programs including micro-financing, sustainable livelihood, gender equality, and girls' education.
Currently on temporary assignment from CIDA, Youdell's talk in Kamloops is part of a Canadian-wide speaking tour organized by Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT).
Youdell will also be speaking to a number of TRU classes interested in international relations and development and meeting with several TRU departments to find out more about the programs and initiatives the university offers.
"It is great to have Ms. Youdell come to Kamloops," said Nancy Bepple, the TRU Co-op Coordinator who is organizing the visit on behalf of the TRU Faculty Association Human Rights Committee. "It will not only benefit students, but the entire community, to be able to hear her speak on Canada's work in Afghanistan."
Youdell joined CIDA in 1997 as a desk officer in the India/Sri Lanka/Nepal region, she later accepted a position as an education specialist for the South Asia region. Her ability to lead and manage multicultural teams in challenging areas of the world was evident in her supporting role in helping the Government of Pakistan establish technical training schools for unemployed women.
From 2001 to 2006 she worked in Pretoria, South Africa as a development counsellor implementing programs in response to the HIV pandemic, education, and new governance structures.
Source: Thompson Rivers University, British Columbia
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January 3, 2008
Thompson Rivers University: Making the Scene in Kamloops - Public Invited to Share their Stories
Members of the community are being invited to join five participating artists and share their stories and images of Kamloops next Wednesday, January 9 at 7:00 pm, as part of the Making the Scene Exhibition at the Kamloops Museum.
Originally defined as a covered place, a tent or stage, the word “scene” has, over time, accumulated meaning and significance. Technically, in terms of stagecraft, a scene is a part of an act, a division of a play, a poem, or a section of a film; but we also speak more generally of the scene as a setting or locale, a place where any event, real or imagined, might occur: the music scene, the bar scene, the gay scene, the youth scene, the arts scene, the drug scene, the scene of the crime, and so on. To “make a scene” is to call attention to oneself, often in an embarrassing or emotional manner; while “making the scene” means appearing at the cool events and in all the right places.
The Making the Scene Exhibition, currently on display at the Kamloops Museum and Archives, invites reflection upon those places, those scenes, that give small cities like Kamloops their character and identity.
On Wednesday, January 9, at 7pm, the Museum will be hosting a public panel discussion featuring the five participating artists. The artists will explore the spaces and the activities that define our “places” within the community. Understanding the local scene requires intimate knowledge derived from personal experience; and it is a characteristic of scenes that they are always changing, dependent upon membership, interest, and fashion.
Together with the artists, the public is invited to make the scene by sharing their stories and images of Kamloops. What are the key places-the gathering places, stores, markets, bars, clubs, coffee shops, restaurants, institutions, places of refuge, parks, hidden areas, secret spaces, natural settings, etc.-that make Kamloops special to you? What stories do you associate with these key places? Where do you feel most comfortable or uncomfortable? How has “the Kamloops scene” changed over time?
Come and tell your story. Contributions are being sought for a book project sponsored by the Small Cities Community-University Research Alliance at TRU.
Source: Thompson Rivers University, British Columbia
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December 20, 2007
Trinity Western University Receives A+ for Quality of Education
For the 2nd year in a row Trinity Western University has garnered an A+ grade in the Globe and Mail's University Report Card for it's quality of education. The annual report surveyed more than 43,000 students on 53 of Canada's universities, asking everything from student's overall satisfaction to food and housing services.
The annual survey which was started in 2002 has steadily increased in popularity. This year alone four new universities were added to the rankings and 10,000 more students were polled. The universities, separated into four groups; large (enrolment over 22,000), medium (enrolment between 12,000 to 22,000), small (enrolment from 4000-12000) and very small (enrolment under 4000) competed for top marks across the country. Trinity Western University, listed in the "very small" group did exceptionally well causing news outlets to remark that TWU is "ranking nationally among the elite."
Trinity Western University President, Dr. Jonathan Raymond comments, "We are continuing to raise the bar on what quality of education means in Canada. We are listening to our students and responding accordingly, providing education that transforms our students, allowing them to impact the world around them after completing their degrees. Our small class sizes and opportunities for students to connect and engage directly with our faculty and staff are key to the satisfaction our students experience here at Trinity Western University."
Besides the A+ for quality of education, the University also received an A+ grade in the following categories:
Class sizes A+
Faculty member's knowledge of subjects A+
Sense of safety and personal security A+
Availability of online course registration A+
Quality of teaching A+
Availability of faculty to students out of classroom hours A+
Other categories where TWU received a grade higher than any other comparable institution were:
Overall course variety and availability
Space in courses necessary to complete your degree
Ease of course registration process
Campus medical services
Services for international students
Overall quality of career preparation
Career counseling services
Career placement services
Reputation for graduate studies
Reputation for conducting leading-edge research
The glossy full coloured 2007 Globe and Mail University Report card which hit news stands yesterday will be one of the most coveted resources for potential students, guidance counselors and those working in higher education this academic year. In edition to the print copy included in the October 16th issue, the news giant also has developed an array of on-line supplemental materials such as video tours, web-only campus profiles, search tools and more.
Source: Trinity Western University, British Columbia
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December 18, 2007
New Program at Thompson Rivers University to Help Meet Demand in Construction Industry
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) will introduce a new apprenticeship training program in the new year, to help meet the need for skilled trades in BC’s booming construction industry.
The TRU School of Trades and Technology will offer a six-week Glazier Apprenticeship - Module A training program, beginning in February, as the direct result of the leadership and support of a local business leader in the field.
“TRU has a long history in the trades and today we are regarded as offering some of the premiere trades programs in the country,” said Dr. Mark Evered, Vice-President and Provost at TRU. “Our industry partners informed us of the high demand for Glaziers, and consistent with our commitment to be as responsive as we can to industry needs, we found a way to meet that demand.”
Frank Luciani, President of Inland Glass and Aluminum Ltd, and chair of the Trade Training Committee for the Glazing Contractors Association of BC (GCA-BC) first approached the Dean of Trades and Technology at TRU, Ralph Finch, about the viability of the glazier program at the university.
“That’s what is so exciting about this glazier program, not only is it driven by the needs of the industry,” Finch said. “But, being able to deliver the program within a year of the beginning of the consultation process demonstrates just how responsive and flexible TRU’s School of Trades and Technology is.”
"We are pleased that TRU is participating in the new modular training program for the training of students to enter the Architectural Aluminum and Glass and Glazing field of work,” said Luciani on behalf of the CGA-BC.
“Through TRU, it’s the first time students in the interior of B.C. will have the opportunity to obtain this training and we look forward to a lengthy relationship with the university.”
Luciani is the owner of Inland Glass and Aluminum Ltd., a recognized leader in the industry, employing approximately 85 people in Kamloops and responsible for some of largest commercial glass installations in the country and abroad.
In addition to being a first for TRU, in terms of the program, this also marks the first time that the new Industrial Training Authority (ITA) educational extension model will be implemented at TRU. The model allows participants to enter a Modular "A" trade entry program directly from school or other backgrounds and with six weeks of training be able to find a job in the aluminum and glass industry and to quickly specialize in the residential or commercial glass field of their choice.
Applications are now being accepted for Glazier Module A, the first of seven modules required for certification as a journeyperson Glazier certified with the Glazer Contractors Association of BC. There are already 11 students confirmed for the February intake, and a second class is scheduled to begin March 17.
Glaziers are responsible for the layout, preparation, fabrication, installation and sealing of all architectural metal that make up the building envelope. Glaziers also fabricate and install custom interior and exterior designs for residential and commercial buildings as well as the glass components for automotive and marine applications.
Source: Thompson Rivers University, British Columbia
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December 7, 2007
Malaspina University-College: Students Receive Canada Millennium Scholarships
The national spotlight continues to shine brightly on Malaspina University-College students.
Laura Booi, Robert Hamilton and Lisa Radetic are each $4,000 richer after receiving 2007 Canada Millennium National In-Course Scholarships.
In-Course scholarships recognize and foster academic excellence and active citizenship in students who have completed second year of a degree program or first year of a diploma program.
Hamilton and Booi, both enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts program (major in Psychology) are active volunteers in Malaspina University-College’s Immunocytochemistry Lab with Psychology professor Dr. Elliott Marchant. They are involved in several research projects relating to how the brain works.
Radetic, a student in the Bachelor of Business Administration program, is president of the Malaspina Business Student Association. She spearheaded a recent leadership conference for post-secondary students at the Nanaimo campus.
The Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation also awarded a $4,000 Excellence scholarship to Malaspina student Tamara Van Den Broek. This award recognizes leadership, community involvement, innovation and academic achievement in high school students beginning their first year of post-secondary study.
Van Den Broek began Malaspina's Bachelor of Science program in September. While completing high school in Tahsis, she was yearbook editor, and student representative on the Parent Advisory Council and School Planning Committee. She was also a member of the Lions Club, Fisheries and Salmon Enhancement group, and other community organizations.
Meanwhile, first year Malaspina Forestry student Wayne Armstrong received a provincial Garfield Weston Merit Scholarship award valued at $2,500. These awards recognize students who combine academic promise with character, leadership potential and a commitment to service.
Malaspina President Ralph Nilson congratulated this year’s group of millennium scholarship winners and the Garfield Weston Merit Scholarship winner at a luncheon in Malaspina’s Discovery Room, adding “these are busy and dedicated student leaders and everyone at Malaspina is very proud of their achievements.”
The Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation is a private and independent organization created by an act of Parliament in 1998. It encourages Canadian students to strive for excellence and pursue their post-secondary studies.
Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded over $1.2 billion to over 350,000 students across Canada. Students in financial need have received more than one billion dollars in bursaries. Students who demonstrate exceptional merit have received scholarships with a total value of almost twenty-one million dollars.
Source: Malaspina University-College, British Columbia
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December 3, 2007
Thompson Rivers University Students Offer HR Help
Human resource management students at Thompson Rivers University are gearing up to offer their expertise to local non-profits.
The business students, now in their final year of studies, have their tools ready: programs to recruit and select employees/volunteers, programs to enhance employee performance and programs which help retain and inspire employees.
“The feedback from former clients has been very positive with most implementing most or all of the students' recommendations,” explained the students’ instructor, Richard Roy, who describes the activity as a win-win situation.
“The students learn the best and latest practices in recruitment, retention, compensation and training and have a great deal to offer. It also provides them with hands-on experience,” he said.
The class is looking for four or five non-profit organizations that need HR help. Projects would start in the new year and wind up in April.
“The process we follow is an initial meeting with the client to identify their HR needs. This could be in recruiting and training volunteers, designing and delivering training programs, designing compensation programs, or what have you. Students then research the literature and look at comparable employers for"best" practices, they compare these practices to their clients' and make recommendations for improvement,” explained Roy.
The project, now in its fourth year, has had very good response. Students have worked on such projects as developing a performance management program for Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and making recommendations for best HR practices for the Multiple Sclerosis Society and Child Development Centre.
“This was an excellent experience for us,” said Doug Gibson, Executive Director of Big Brothers and Big Sisters. “As a small non-profit organization we don’t have the resources to undertake this kind of initiative. The students provided both recommendations and a plan for implementing a performance management program.”
Debra Frolek, Executive Director of the Child Development Centre was similarly enthusiastic about the students’ work.
"I was most impressed with scope and depth of the project. The document they produced is first class and I can't wait to share the information with our directors."
Her remarks were echoed by Marcia Wilson, Executive Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Society, who enthused that “This was an excellent experience for us.”
“As a small non-profit organization we don’t have the resources to undertake this kind of initiative. I was totally impressed with the final outcome. What a treat to look through the document and find everything I need," she added.
Source: Thompson Rivers University, British Columbia
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November 22, 2007
Donor Award Ceremony Celebrates 25 Years of Supporting Students at Thompson Rivers University
Celebrating 25 years of supporting students and programs at Thompson Rivers University, the TRU Foundation hosted its Annual Awards Ceremony, at 5:00 pm in the Grand Hall this evening.
The 250 donors met 293 TRU student award recipients at the ceremony, giving the students a chance to thank their benefactors for contributing the $391,000 that was handed out at the ceremony.
"Over the last 25 years donors and the Foundation’s members have helped students improve their life through the university experience,” said Daniel Dallaire, TRU Foundation Chair. “These recipients are now, and will be the leaders in our community.”
The 2007 Lieutenant Governor's silver medal was also awarded to Teresa Parisone during the ceremony on Nov. 22. This medal is awarded to a student in a one-year post-secondary program who demonstrates both high marks and community service. Parisone, now a full-time Human Services Diploma program student, is an active volunteer with St. Ann’s Academy, Circle of Friends, The Boys and Girls club, Big Brothers Big Sisters and CFBX, TRU’s campus community radio.
Next week, on Nov. 29 Foundation Board and Society members will handout another $128,000 to 160 more students during the Foundation’s "unrestricted ceremony". Earlier this year, the TRU Board of Governors awarded an additional $480,000 in bursaries and entrance scholarships.
These awards, plus other awards provided by Foundation donors that are given out in the winter and spring, will bring the grand total awarded to TRU students from all sources in the 2007/08 academic year to an estimated $1.3 million.
“When donors give to students who then graduate and contribute to their own communities, the benefits reaped by society by these small contributions are remarkable,” said Dallaire. “It is impressive what a difference a gift at this level can make. Thank you to all those who have contributed."
Established in 1982, Foundation volunteers, mostly through the generosity of community donors, have raised just over $20M to support students, special projects and programs at TRU. The Foundation has 227 endowment funds totaling $7.6M, and another 201 annual funds, for a total of 428 student awards.
Foundation 25-year quick facts:
• 91 individuals have been Foundation board members
• An estimated 1000 volunteers have given of their time and talents
• $12,612,676 has been contributed to student awards, TRU programs and special projects.
• More than 7,600 students have received awards.
The TRU Foundation has a 15-member volunteer board and 64-member volunteer society. Last year the Foundation raised over $1.1 million to support student awards, program needs and special projects at TRU.
To make a donation to the TRU Foundation, to find out more about creating a student award fund or to establish a planned gift or legacy, please call 828-5264.
Source: Thompson Rivers University, British Columbia
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November 9, 2007
Province Celebrates 10,000 Industry Training Authority Employer at Thompson Rivers University
The Industry Training Authority has passed another milestone in its goals to increase the supply of skilled workers in the trades. Economic Development Minister Colin Hansen was at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops today to recognize the 10,000th apprenticeship employer.
“Employers tell us that the value of apprentices to their organization exceeds training costs by the second year of apprenticeship or earlier,” said Hansen. “With 40 per cent of new jobs over the next two decades predicted to be in trades and technologies, the contribution of B.C. employers to trades training is also of vital importance to our booming economy.”
Pacific Coast Heavy Truck was recognized as the 10,000 employer to register an apprentice with ITA. Three other local employers were also recognized for their longstanding support of apprentice training: Highland Valley Copper, Interior Plumbing and Heating Ltd., and James Western Star Sterling Ltd. Together, the four companies have approximately 90 apprentices registered in a number of trades. Most of these apprentices take their technical training at Thompson Rivers University (TRU).
“Our School of Trades and Technology plays a pivotal role in this region’s economy by being able to react to industry’s need for skilled apprentices,” said Ralph Finch, Dean of Trades and Technology at TRU, speaking to TRU’s participation in several industry advisory panels within the region and province.
The recognition event was held at the TRU’s Centre for Trades and Technology. TRU offers diverse apprenticeship training opportunities; construction and mechanical trades, culinary arts and retail meat cutting. Earlier this year, the university became the first in Canada to offer a Bachelor of Leadership in Trades and Technology degree. This fall, an industrial electrical apprenticeship program was added to the school’s offerings, and in February TRU will offer glazier training, a program that only TRU will offer outside the Lower Mainland.
“Committed employers like these are absolutely essential to the success of our industry training system,” said Kevin Evans, ITA’s Chief Executive Officer. “They provide about 80 per cent of an apprentice’s training on-the-job. In return, they are rewarded with a loyal and highly skilled workforce.”
Established in 2004 to oversee and expand B.C.’s industry training and apprenticeship system, the Industry Training Authority works with industry and employers, trainees and apprentices, labour unions and training providers to meet industry’s current and future training needs.
As of Oct. 31 in B.C., there are 37,242 apprentices/trainees registered with ITA, up 154 per cent since 2004; 10,120 employers, up 50 per cent; and 4,948 youth participants taking part in programs such as ACE IT and the Secondary School Apprenticeship program, up 475 per cent since 2004.
Source: Thompson Rivers University; Ministry of Economic Development; Industry Training Authority, British Columbia
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October 17, 2007
Thompson Rivers University Foundation Kicks-off Annual Campaign
The TRU Foundation kicked-off its annual campaign with a breakfast, two major contributions from the province’s mining sector and an emotional testimonial from a fourth-year Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) recipient. Dawn Hatch, a TRU student in her final semester of the BSW program, addressed a capacity crowd at this year’s Foundation Kick-off breakfast sponsored by GE Water & Process Technologies. She spoke of her move to Kamloops with three young daughters, leaving a marriage marred by drugs, emotional abuse and sorrow. The single mom spent months on welfare as she attended counseling sessions at the Phoenix Centre before finalizing her plan to attend university. “I am now married to a wonderful man and we are raising five amazing children. Currently, I am in the last semester of my Bachelor of Social Work degree,” Hatch said. “It has been an amazing journey. If I could express one thing to the people sitting here tonight, it would be the impact that these awards and bursaries have on student's lives. Though most of your influence will be unseen, know that it sometimes means the difference between barely surviving and peace of mind. The awards I have been blessed to receive over the years were more than monetary gifts; they were gifts of hope and security. “Ironically, I am back at the Phoenix Centre. This time, I am doing my fourth-year practicum in the Raven program; specifically, addictions counseling for youth. I feel like I have come full circle, and I know that I could not have done it without the generosity and support of people like you. I thank-you, and I know my children thank-you.” With that, Paul Wright, this year’s campaign chairman, introduced Eleanor Thompson to the audience. Originally set to give $50,000, Ms. Thompson remarked on the inspiration of Dawn’s address and doubled her contribution to $100,000 to establish the Connors Drilling Bursary. Income from the endowment will be awarded annually to two students enrolled in Welding, Heavy Duty Mechanics, Residential Carpentry or Parts Person Trade Entry programs. Ms. Thompson says this contribution to the Foundation today is a legacy that recognizes her late husband Rick, who passed away in 1998, and his company Connors Drilling Ltd., a Kamloops diamond drilling company that conducted mineral explorations throughout the western provinces, northern territories and South America. The company was recently purchased and renamed, Fornaco-Connors Drilling. “By giving this gift to the Foundation, the community will continue to hear the name Connors Drilling at each year’s Foundation Award Ceremony and be remembered,” said Ms. Thompson. Peter Witt, Chair of the South Central BC Branch of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum announced a $30,000 gift from the Canadian Institute of Mining, Kamloops Branch. The funds will be used to establish an endowment that will create two bursaries, one for a student in the TRU Bachelor of Natural Resource Science program and one for a TRU Trades student. “This year the TRU Foundation is celebrating 25 years of providing financial assistance to help TRU students become the leaders of tomorrow,” said Paul Wright. “In these 25 years the Foundation has raised just over $20 million for student awards, programs and special projects at TRU, a remarkable accomplishment.” Last year the TRU Foundation awarded over $1.4 million in scholarships and bursaries to 1,400 students who applied for financial aid through money provided by the TRU Board of Governors and TRU Foundation donors. “Unfortunately, another 800 students who applied for aid, did not get any assistance because there was a shortage of funds available,” Wright continued. “Our goal is to close the gap on this shortage. The vast majority of TRU students have part-time jobs to make ends meet. Many of our students struggle to support families while completing their education, with the intention to make a better life for themselves and their children.” Christopher Seguin Vice-president Advancement spoke of TRU’s commitment to working with industry and the community to double student assistance endowments over the next three years. “Today’s kick-off total of $168,120 is a fantastic beginning to a very long journey.”
Source: Thompson Rivers University, British Columbia
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October 9, 2007
Thompson Rivers University Lecture Series to Feature Renowned Native Activist and Artist
Her presentation of "Science through Native Eyes" will be free, but seating is limited. The TRU President's Lecture Series was created to give both campus and community members an opportunity to hear world-class speakers and thinkers. A multifaceted artist, Dr. Sainte-Marie rose to prominence in the 1960s folk music scene, gracing the musical world with such masterpieces as the influential Universal Soldier and Academy award-winning Up Where We Belong. Her prowess in the musical domain also earned her worldwide recognition for Until It's Time for You to Go, recorded by pop icons Elvis Presley, Barbara Streisand and Cher.
Dr. Sainte-Marie also took on the role of an Aboriginal-rights activist, and throughout her career she has encouraged people to think and stand up for their rights and cultures through creativity and mutual respect, values that have always been a driving force behind her actions in the public arena. This daunting task was addressed not only through her thought-provoking song lyrics, but also through digital art and her active involvement in community projects and Aboriginal issues. She is the founder of the Nihewan Foundation for Native American Education, launching the Cradleboard Teaching Project, which focuses on providing teachers and students with a curriculum designed to teach school subjects "through Aboriginal eyes" in eighteen of the United States. Through her work with the Cradleboard Teaching Project, in 2003 Dr. Sainte-Marie was invited by the Canadian Commission for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to act as Spokesperson for the UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network in Canada. In recognition of her immense contributions to the Canadian music industry, which include 17 albums, three television specials and five years of regular appearances on Sesame Street, Sainte-Marie was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1995 and the Order of Canada in 1998. She holds a Ph.D. in Fine Art from the University of Massachusetts, and degrees in both Oriental Philosophy and teaching. In 1996 she received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Regina. In 2007 she received an honorary Doctor of Letters from Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design. The TRU President's Lecture Series sponsors one or more speakers each academic year on topics of global importance. Over the past four years, TRU has welcomed such international figures as Stephen Lewis, Romeo Dallaire, Lloyd Axworthy, Severn Cullis-Suzuki and David Frum, whose highly regarded presentations have generated local and international responses that include the founding of the CanGo Grannies and motivating many TRU students to become actively involved in a variety of developing world projects.
Source: Thompson Rivers University, British Columbia
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October 9, 2007
Thompson Rivers University Dean and Engineer recognized as Outstanding Alumni by University of Waterloo
The Dean of Advanced Technologies & Mathematics at Thompson Rivers University, an engineer who has devoted his career to understanding and protecting Canada's natural resources, has been recognized by his alma mater in Ontario. Dr. Donald Noakes was awarded the 2007 Faculty of Engineering Alumni Achievement Medal at the annual University of Waterloo Dean of Engineering's Dinner in Ontario last week. Noakes, who completed his Master of Science (1979) and PhD (1985) degrees in Systems Design Engineering, is a leading researcher in water resources and aquaculture and is recognized as the research scientist who laid the groundwork for sustainable aquaculture in Canada. His expertise includes using mathematics and statistics to examine global issues such as climate change. Beginning his career as a research scientist with the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, he eventually became the director of the aquaculture division and played a key role in developing a sustainable aquaculture industry in Canada. He joined Thompson Rivers University in 2003 as the Dean of the School of Advanced Technologies & Mathematics. Each year, the University of Waterloo recognizes the accomplishments of a select few of its more than 28,000 engineering graduates that have made outstanding contributions in their academic and professional careers either individually or as part of a team. Recipients of these prestigious awards are chosen by a committee comprised of engineering faculty, engineering alumni, and the Dean of Engineering.
Source: Thompson Rivers University, British Columbia
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October 4, 2007
Malaspina College-University: Education Grad Inspires School Children
When Joy Tretick graduated from Malaspina University-College's Education program, she couldn't wait to put her teaching skills to good use. She's doing exactly that as a full-time teacher for the Nanaimo Ladysmith School District. Tretick taught a grade two class at McGirr Elementary School last year and found a unique way to use her interest in art to teach students about environmental sustainability. A talented ceramics artist, Tretick wanted to do something extra special to teach her young charges about their responsibility as citizens to protect the environment. She had a "brainwave" to construct a 40 foot by six foot mural with 425 ceramic hand-made tiles created by students in the school. "The theme of the mural is the environment and the role of children in taking care of our world," explained Tretick. "We spelled out the word 'health' by taking the first letter from the phrase humans, earth, animals, living, together in harmony." The mural covers the entire length of a hallway inside the school. Tretick planned the entire project, from fine-tuning the size and scale, scheduling of parent helpers to roll out eight inch slabs of clay, arranging hours of firings in the school kiln, and choosing colors of glazes to achieve the desired effect. She enlisted the help of local potter Denine MacIntosh as project consultant, and Heather Pastro, an art educator in Malaspina's Faculty of Education, to teach students about working with clay and designing their tiles. "I was delighted to assist," said Pastro. "Joy was my former student in Malaspina's Education program and we've become good friends. "My son was in her Grade 2 class last year, and I was thrilled he could be part of such an exciting art education project." Tretick designated a specific theme from the mural for each class in the school and the children chose what they wanted to draw within this parameter. Each student from grade two to seven made a drawing on paper and transferred that image by carving carefully into a clay tile. Once the tiles were dried, firing and glazing was completed by parent volunteers. Even some of the teachers created tiles. Kindergarten and grade one students created the border around the mural - a three-dimensional relief pattern of sea shells - which in itself is a work of art, added Pastro. Pastro said the most rewarding part of the three-month project was to see the entire school, including parents, teachers and students, collaborating on a project that would leave an important legacy for the school. "In future years, these children will be able to come back and visit their school and the mural will still be there," she said. "It was a wonderful opportunity to teach the children about the importance of public art. It was also rewarding for me professionally, as an art educator, to work with such an enthusiastic and dedicated teacher and a committed and professional potter. We learned so much from each other. It was a very fullfilling experience."
Source: Malaspina University-College, British Columbia
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September 18, 2007
Thompson Rivers University World Lands Third Major Contract for Pre-Olympic Training in China
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) in Kamloops has won a third major contract for training related to the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in China. The contract is with China Net Communications (CNC), the largest telecommunications company in China and the official telecommunications provider to the 2008 Summer Olympics. TRU World, the international education division of the university, put forward the bid that will see TRU develop and deliver an eight-week intensive Media English and Media Terminology training program for three different groups of CNC site managers and high level company officials who will work closely with media agencies and television networks during the 2008 Summer Games in China. In two previous training programs delivered by TRU over the past year, site managers and other officials of China Net Communications have been provided with English language and customer service and hospitality training specific to their upcoming roles with CNC in providing services and support to the world media next summer. “I believe we have exceeded their expectations in the first two contracts, and because of that, we are honoured and delighted to have won this third opportunity to help them prepare for next summer” said Cyndi McLeod, Associate Vice-President of TRU World. “I truly believe that the success of our training programs and the strong relationships we have with clients in China and elsewhere have elevated TRU into the upper echelons of this kind of work in Canada” add McLeod, who this week is negotiating new training opportunities in Chile, where TRU is currently providing language and western education methods training to 160 teachers in the municipality of Vigna del Mar.
Source: Thompson Rivers University, British Columbia
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September 17, 2007
Railway Tour Entrepreneur Accepts Thompson Rivers University Honorary Degree
A leader in the Canadian tourism industry will be recognized with an honorary doctorate degree from Thompson Rivers University next month. Peter R.B. Armstrong, founder, president and CEO of the Armstrong Group, the owner and operator of Rocky Mountaineer Vacations, will accept an honorary doctorate of letters degree at the university’s Fall Convocation ceremony to be held at its Kamloops campus at 3pm on Oct. 4. “Peter Armstrong has been an innovator and leader in the Canadian Tourism industry,” said TRU President and Vice-Chancellor Roger Barnsley. “His Armstrong Group has been a significant economic and cultural contributor for Kamloops, and Thompson Rivers University will be very proud to have him as an alumnus."
“It's a great privilege to receive this honorary degree from TRU,” said Mr. Armstrong. “My company's long standing relationship with Kamloops is one that I value immensely and this award further cements my attachment and commitment to the city and its institutions”. Building on the tourism experience he gained starting out as a 21-year-old doorman at the Hotel Vancouver, Mr. Armstrong founded Spotlight Tours, a precursor to becoming partner and president of Gray Line Vancouver. In 1990 he turned his attention to rail travel, assembling a team to bid on the fledgling Rocky Mountaineer, a two-day all daylight journey through Canada’s West and the Rocky Mountains. Now in its eighteenth year of operations, Rocky Mountaineer Vacations has grown from the entrepreneurial dream of Mr. Armstrong to the successful company that has hosted nearly one million guests on North America’s largest privately owned passenger rail service, including bringing 80,000 visitors to Kamloops each season. The Armstrong Group also owns and operates the Thompson Hotel, Two River Junction Theatre in Kamloops and Gray Line West, a successful motor coach operation based in western Canada. Rocky Mountaineer Vacations was honoured with a World Travel Award as the ”World’s Leading Travel Experience by Train” for the second consecutive year in 2006. Most recently, RMV ranked as one of the 50 Best Employers in Canada for 2007 by the Globe and Mail’s Report on Business magazine.
Source: Thompson Rivers University, British Columbia
Print News
September 14, 2007
Thompson Rivers University: Research Team Releases Results of In-depth Arts Study
Many first learn an appreciation of the arts in school, a recent study forming part of the Thompson Rivers University-based inquiry into the quality of life in small cities shows. The study, part of a five-year research initiative funded by a $1 million Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Community-University Research Alliance (CURA) grant, also found that while people most frequently think of painting and/or drawing when they hear the word 'arts' or the phrase 'artistic activity,' the most frequently mentioned "most important" arts-related activity in the total sample and in each community was music in some form, particularly listening to music and singing alone. Singing in a group, the researchers discovered, gave participa |
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