Drs. Trudy Corbett and Jeff Bales have given $100,000 towards the completion of the 24.3 million dollar project, which opened to the public in January with construction to be finished this spring.

“Health and wellness have always been a big part of our lives,” says Dr. Corbett, “and we are big believers in post-secondary education so this donation is a perfect fit for us in terms of giving back to the community.”

Drs. Corbett and Bales are partners in Smiles Specialty Centre, a Brandon business providing periodontic and orthodontic services. BU President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Deborah Poff says the husband and wife team are long-time supporters of the University. “In addition to their financial contributions,” says Dr. Poff, “I want to thank Jeff for his many years of service on the BU Foundation Board, including a term as Chair. Both Jeff and Trudy are true community builders.”

“Brandon University is important for Brandon,” says Dr. Bales. “We are not a large city, so having a University is a real feather in our cap, a real asset, especially since the Healthy Living Centre is available and accessible to the community at-large.”

As a Canadian woman of Asian heritage who wants only to write and direct thrillers, horrors and action, I’m kind of a weird duck,” Karen said. “Funnily, I’ve become the inadvertent poster girl precisely because of my “dark side.” Women in leadership roles in film and television are nearly non-existent and women are even less prevalent in this genre. Apparently, we’re not supposed to like horror, action or other so-called “male” movies. Personally, I hate romantic comedies — I think they’re insipid — and definitely prefer Saw over Sex in the City.”

A frequent visitor to the campus — her father Dr. Jack Lam taught in the Faculty of Education — Karen had spent a great deal of time at Brandon University as a teen. Being a piano student, for instance, she often attended recitals at BU featuring music majors and on occasion, she was one of the performers.

“And every Sunday night, art films and foreign films were played in the Little Theatre or the Evans Theatre, giving me a lifelong appreciation for Bergman, Fellini, and the foreign films I had to read,” she said. “I may not have understood The Seventh Seal in high school, but it sure made Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey that much better!”

Unlike many young people, she was not in a rush to leave her hometown. So, after high school, Karen enrolled at Brandon University, where she majored in English, with a double minor in history and religion. Along the way, she had the opportunity to spend summers in different universities — of Victoria, of Western Ontario and of Toronto. As well, she followed her studies at BU with a year in the fashion design program at Ryerson University, then in a completely new direction, she went to the University of British Columbia for a law degree.

“I had a deep terror that I was going to be a professional student, but I wouldn’t have traded my educational experiences for the world,” she said. “It really taught me to appreciate what a special place Brandon University is. After experiencing six universities and various programs of study, I can honestly say that BU was probably the best experience I ever had in post-high school education. The campus is small but convenient, the professors know you by name, and you really feel like you’re part of campus life. Because the class sizes are manageable, even in first- year introductory classes, I always felt that the instructors were accessible and that they cared enough to push you to excel.”

She recalls a few particular experiences at BU that have helped shape the professional she is today. Originally wanting to major in music, Karen’s plans shifted after a conversation with Dr. Lorne Watson. A gifted pianist, she was asked if she had the ambition and dedication to become a professional musician.

“At the time, it was a devastating conversation, but he was right in questioning me. I didn’t have the drive, but was merely coasting and it wouldn’t be good enough to succeed on a professional level. It was important to acknowledge it immediately, rather than a few years down the line when I had wasted everyone’s time, including my own,” she said. “It was a difficult decision, but I switched into the English Department and have never regretted it. I owe a big debt of gratitude to Dr. Watson. The most important life decisions we make aren’t the ones that are easiest, and I’m grateful for his astute assessment.”

Another lesson learned at BU stands out in her mind to this day. Though it was also unpleasant at the time, receiving a “B” for an essay she had written for Dr. Trevor McNeely was a pivotal experience.
A demanding teacher, he had nevertheless graded her previous work much more favourably.

“I immediately went to see him to figure out what was wrong. He admitted that there was actually nothing wrong with the paper per se, but that he knew that I had turned in a much better paper for my mythology class with Dr. Susan Medd. In short, he knew I could do better,” Karen said. “Of course, I was incensed. As far as I could see, this wasn’t fair.”

However, she discovered this lesson was invaluable. She eventually realized that her professor cared about her and her learning, and that he judged her by her own standards. There was no getting away with passable work.

“He measured me against my own yardstick, and it’s an experience that has stayed with me throughout my working life. I never ask: ‘Is this good enough? But, have I done my best?’” she said. “I asked that of myself again recently when it came to my film career: Did I want to write and direct badly enough to deal with all the sacrifices? And there are a lot of those! If I couldn’t answer “yes”, then I have no reason to succeed. If you’re going to try to succeed in the arts, there are no half measures.”

According to Karen, these experiences along with her years of studying at Brandon University have had such a profound impact that she feels that this is the foundation of her film career. In hindsight, she knows that her professors’ encouragement and caring challenged and inspired her to set high standards for herself.

“Ultimately, everything that I’ve been able to achieve in my career stems back to my time at BU,” she said, adding that though she has been living in Vancouver since 1992, she still considers herself to be a Prairie girl at heart. “BU is literally who I am, as is my hometown of Brandon.”

Along with raising her expectations of what she could accomplish, Karen stated that another important element that she traces back to those undergraduate years was the development of critical thinking skills and the exploration of new ideas or interests.

“As a writer and director of fiction films,” she said, “I can thank the faculty at Brandon University for encouraging me in my creative writing, introducing me to opera which I still love, forcing me to read dark and depressing Canadian and American literature, inspiring me to learn about world religions — my horror scripts have a strongly religious bent to them — and introducing me to art films.”

In his final year of the Applied Disaster and Emergency Studies (ADES) Program, Victor wanted to honour the two women he deeply misses. He has done so by establishing The Huijun Yu – Zihui Yang (Grandma) Scholarship in Applied Disaster and Emergency Studies. For Victor, this scholarship serves a dual purpose: It is an opportunity to acknowledge the influence his grandmothers had on his life while supporting deserving students in the Applied Disaster and Emergency Studies Program. “I knew before even coming to Canada that I would someday set up a scholarship in recognition of my grandmothers,” he says. He hopes to pass along this generosity and kindness to the younger generation believing this is the basic way in which society can keep functioning efficiently, while continuing to improve.

“The generous gift we have received from the Kiwanis Club of Brandon brings us one step closer to Brandon University’s goal of providing this city with a modern, accessible space for enhanced wellness, recreation and sport,” said Dr. Poff. “This meaningful support from the Kiwanis is reflective of their commitment to both this University and the City of Brandon.”

The Kiwanis recently committed their support to the multi-purpose space located on the second level of the HLC. The multi-purpose space is set to regularly host recreation, fitness and wellness programming, and will be available for booking through the facility once construction is completed.

“The Kiwanis Club of Brandon raises funds in the City of Brandon and donates it all back to the community,” said Vern Gilbertson, President. “Kiwanis recognizes the importance of Brandon University in our City and are pleased to contribute to the Healthy Living Centre. In addition to funding the Healthy Living Centre, we also support Brandon University Mini U. Program. We’ve had a wonderful relationship with Brandon University over the years.”

Recipients Sheree Blacksmith, currently in her first year of study in the Indigenous Health and Human Services program, and third-year Native Studies and Languages student, Janine Morin-West, were accompanied by their family members and senior administration from Brandon University to honour their achievement in receiving this award.

“It was my pleasure to host this celebration of Sheree and Janine’s student awards. I sincerely enjoyed meeting their families and welcoming our guests from Enbridge to this celebration at Brandon University,” said Dr. Poff. “The student recipients of this award, through their dedication and achievement, will become ambassadors for the program, exemplifying what can be achieved with hard work and commitment to excellence.”

The event marks the beginning of a three-year partnership with Enbridge in support of the Dakota language. Committing a total of $60,000 to Brandon University, Enbridge is the direct funder of the Dakota Language Program in the Native Studies Department, and supports two annual student scholarships valued at $2,500 each.

“Enbridge is proud to partner with Brandon University to support the revitalization of our country’s Aboriginal languages through our commitment to the Dakota Language Program and the Enbridge Dakota Language Awards,” said Jamie Honda-McNeil, Enbridge’s Manager of Aboriginal Affairs. “We’d like to congratulate this year’s award recipients. We hope these awards will enable recipients to foster the preservation of the Dakota language.”

Dr. Bruce Strang, Dean of Arts at Brandon University, was pleased to join the group and celebrate Brandon University’s new Dakota Language Program, as well as the two students’ achievement.

“The Brandon University community warmly appreciates Enbridge’s support for the teaching of the Dakota language,” said Dr. Strang. “We are committed to the preservation of Aboriginal languages, and we are working with elders, the Southern Chiefs, and Manitoba First Nations Educational Resource Centre to train a new generation of Aboriginal learners who can teach languages in an immersion setting in First Nations’ communities. Enbridge’s support enables us to realize this goal.”

“This project is one that I feel will make a huge difference in our community. In fact, that’s why I’ve volunteered to help,” he said recently. “As we move forward in engaging the community in supporting this project, it is critical that people know of the opportunity that this facility makes possible. From fitness training to a space to hold competitive basketball or volleyball games, the addition of this new building to the Brandon University campus is important to the community and to the University.”

Sports have long been of interest to the former hockey player, and not surprisingly, Jared is an avid fan of the BU Bobcats teams. He has translated his support by ensuring that his company is a committed sponsor of the University’s volleyball and basketball teams. So, true to form, getting involved in the fundraising for the HLC was a natural fit for the local businessman.

“We had no stakes in the construction of the building, but yet we definitely support it. It is great for the community, great for the University,” he said of the HLC, adding another reason for his involvement. “I (also) felt that the local alumni awareness for the younger generations was lacking and by getting involved, it may spur some new ideas and new growth to alumni events.”

A lifelong resident of Brandon, Jared was interested in entrepreneurship as a student and chose to focus his studies in business administration at BU. For three generations, his family’s business — Jacobson and Greiner Homes — has thrived in the Wheat City. To ensure this continued into the future, Jared also obtained his certification as a New Housing Professional through the Manitoba Home Builders Association as well as his realtor licence.

Today, his professional life as CEO of J&G Homes is diversified and keeps Jared very busy. Though he remains involved in the home sales end of the business as well as the interaction with customers, he primarily oversees the continued development of the companies in his purview and creates a vision for the future. As a professional in the construction field, he shared his thoughts on the new sport and fitness facility on campus.

“It looks great practically and functionally,” Jared said. “Lots of times major projects are overdesigned for the look and not the practicality, where the HLC is not. I feel this will help the fundraising campaign as donors will have comfort knowing that dollars given are being spent efficiently.”

A professional who is concerned about his city as well as his alma mater, Jared realizes there will be many benefits for everyone — students and community members alike — with the addition of the HLC.

“It will fill gaps. We never had an indoor track or adequate seating for basketball/volleyball. It will be huge, moving forward, for new sporting events and attracting functions to Brandon, relating to healthy living,” said Jared. “With the aging population, I feel this adds another checkmark in the decision-making process for people moving to Brandon, who are wondering what there is to do and what facilities are available. I also think having the new alumni lounge will be attractive for businesses/alumni to host events and should have positive economic impacts on the rest of the community. It rounds out BU and steps it up with the larger schools in Canada.”

With the local campaign now launched, Jared is planning to successfully reach the targets set to complete the financing of the building and associated programs.

To donate to the HLC fundraising campaign, please call (204) 727-7374.

Though his early years were spent in a rural setting, Kobluk’s leap into the global market has been a quick, yet natural progression. After obtaining a degree in Environmental Studies with a focus on forest conservation, Kobluk worked as an assistant manager for the Alonsa Conservation District. However, upon reading a brochure about graduate programs at Brandon University (BU) and after a bit more digging on the University’s website, Kobluk says that he “was hooked.”

“Growing up on a farm near Inglis (Manitoba), I took a special interest in rural development and ways to allow for new environmental economic and business models to bring growth to the region,” he says.

Of his time at BU, Kobluk remembers enjoying the small class sizes and the close personal working relationships with the Professors in the Department of Rural Development.

“Taking the graduate program allowed for more independent thought and discussions,” he recalls. “A highlight was meeting a very diverse group of people from across Canada and Ghana that were in the program. Although we all came from different backgrounds and the issues facing their rural areas were different, our goal to improve people’s lives was the same.”

In his newest role, he works with BDT’s CEO and board members to implement projects that adhere to securities and accounting regulations. One of the developments BDT has introduced is a new technology that increases the efficiency by which water can be used to recycle tires. As a result, BDT recently signed a capital financing contract for the first commercial facility with Insigma Group China.

“Our unique process allows for the recovered rubber to be a direct replacement for virgin rubber and plastic polymers in the manufacturing process,” says Kobluk. “Current technology uses shredding and cracker mills to size reduce tires which is highly inefficient, and the end product does not have the proper chemical and physical characteristic for new rubber products and plastics.”

BDT has set its sights on Asia because the recession that has affected Western economies has not done so there. China, for example, has been a great market for the company to explore. The Chinese are now purchasing vehicles more than ever. The consequences of this, like the disposal of these tires, are of great concern. In the United States, where the population is less dense that in China, it is estimated that there is one scrap tire per person per year. In present-day China there are now more than 310 million car owners and that figure is expected to double in the next five years. Tires alone present a huge problem. So, while North American markets have been slow to respond to BDT’s tire solution, the Chinese authorities bought into their new technology. Within less than a year, the Chinese are building rubber recycling plants based on BDT’s findings.

“It’s domestic consumption that’s rising in China and other Southeast Asian countries,” says Kobluk. “They’re skipping a step that we (experienced). We had to learn through large ecological disasters that we created. The problems they have now took us 30 years to solve, so they can (quickly) solve them.”

Another BDT innovation is an economical, in-line, waste effluent treatment system to filter out human, animal, oil/gas and many other types of contaminants. Kobluk explains that current systems use large scale, expensive batch-handling technology.

“Our system runs in-line, allowing for the removal of nutrients and suspended solids,” he says. “Towns and cities in North America face huge infrastructure costs to upgrade their human sewage treatment systems to meet new environmental regulations of nutrient discharges to the water table. Most notable is phosphorus, which causes algae growth in our waterways. Our system offers an affordable solution to meeting current and new regulations.”

A third endeavour is focused in Vietnam. Kobluk’s company has developed a waste-to-energy project that proposes taking municipal solid waste and converting it into electricity, fertilizer, bio-gas, diesel or ethanol.

“My business partner and I have come across opportunities for (solutions) that are needed in the environment,” Kobluk says. “So what we’ve done is come up with ideas, source out like-minded people and consulting or engineering groups. Then, we’ve raised private equity to fund third-party testing and any further work that we need done.”

Finally, BDT holds a technology that increases the yield and quality of pork in hog processing plants. Like the other three business ventures, this one has gone through extensive research and development, business model building and marketplace investigating.

“The technology compliments current cooling processes in hog packing plants by increasing bottom line yield number and allowing for more product to meet specifications for Asian markets, which command a higher price per pound,” says Kobluk.

Blue Diamond Technologies is incorporated in Manitoba, with subsidiaries located in Asia and the United States. One of Kobluk’s American colleagues, BDT’s Vice President of Business Development, Thomas Ross is based in Phoenix. He first met Kobluk when the latter was still a graduate student at Brandon University.

“What first comes to mind about Devron is his humility, strength and persistence,” said Ross in a phone interview. “Devron is perfectly suited for this company. I’ve seen him provide technical expertise and an eye for detail that I admire. He’s very focused and very devoted.”

Looking to the future, Kobluk anticipates other opportunities to develop new green technologies. Along with continued work toward the success of all four of BDT’s divisions, he and his partners will keep investigating current industrial processes and respond with socially and environmentally alternatives.

“It’s always been said that clean energy and recycling is not profitable,” Kobluk said. “That is simply not true. It’s a matter of having the right pieces at the right to make any business profitable.”

“This generous donation from Vale will help bring researchers and community-partners closer and make a positive impact in the lives of First Nations and Métis children and youth living in Northern Manitoba,” said Dr. Poff. “We are very grateful for Vale’s interest and financial commitment to this important collaborative venture in research and capacity-building.”

The research activities will be aimed at helping First Nations and Métis children and youth achieve educational and career success.

“The extent of our partnerships such as the contribution from Vale is evidence of the commitment that we all have to building success for our children and youth,” said Dr. Karen Rempel, one of the main investigators in this project. “Our research partnership will build local capacity for community-based skills to use research. The project will also help our Faculty of Education programs adjust to better meet the learning needs of today’s children and youth. The project is a tremendous opportunity to make a difference.”

This project is receiving support from Vale’s top Canadian leadership. According to John Pollesel, Chief Operating Officer for Vale in Canada: “Vale is very proud to support the VOICE project and to stand alongside the project’s many forward-looking sponsors. We believe that every Canadian student deserves a high-quality, inspired education so they can achieve personal and professional success, and Vale is honoured to be part of a project that will see this vision become a reality, especially for Canada’s First Nations and Métis youth.”

Vale is a global mining pioneer that discovers and transforms the minerals that are essential ingredients in the products people use every day. Vale is the world’s second largest producer of nickel, with these operations based primarily in Canada. Canadian operations also produce copper, cobalt, platinum group metals, gold and silver. In Sudbury, Ontario and Thompson, Manitoba, Vale operates mine, mill, smelter and refinery operations; in Voisey’s Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador Vale’s assets include mine and mill operations. Vale employs about 6,000 people in Canada.

The presentation was a special one for Sheryl Moose and her father Patrick Moose. Sheryl, who is originally from Thompson, accepted Vale’s contribution on behalf of Brandon University. Her father, a 31-year employee of Vale Mining, presented Vale’s donation to his daughter.

“I am very excited and grateful to be part of such a wonderful study, said Sheryl Moose, a teacher who is a current graduate student at Brandon University and research assistant on the project. “The VOICE project focuses on Aboriginal student and youth success, particularly educational achievement. This success is really important for communities. The VOICE researchers are people who are dedicated to working with communities for our children and youth. Thank you so much for your donation, Vale. We know we can make a difference for all Aboriginal students and communities in the North.”