Robertson is one of the most trusted faces in TV news, spending 35 years as Chief Anchor and Senior Editor of the country’s most-watched national newscast, CTV National News. A broadcaster since 1952, Robertson is a three-time Gemini award winner, and member of both the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame and the Order of Canada.

“Lloyd’s efforts as a journalist and communicator have made Canada a better place,” says BU President and Vice-Chancellor Deborah Poff. “We applaud his career, his contributions and his national pride.”

In addition to television work, Robertson was honourary chairperson of the Terry Fox Run. In 2006, he received an honourary degree from Royal Roads University in Victoria, BC.

Robertson will receive his BU degree next month, along with 600 BU graduating students.

Brandon University, founded in 1899, promotes excellence in teaching, research, creation and scholarship; educating students so that they can make a meaningful difference as engaged citizens and leaders.

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Kayla Koivisto, a third year student in BU’s Applied Disaster and Emergency Studies program, will attend University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, returning to BU for graduation in the spring of 2014.

“This is a great opportunity for me to gain new experiences and meet new people,” says Koivisto, who hails from the Prince Albert area in northern Saskatchewan. “Coming to Brandon for university is the farthest I have ever travelled, so I’m really looking forward to this.”

The National Student Exchange (NSE) places 2,000 students each year among universities and baccalaureate-granting colleges within Canada, the US, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands and Guam.

NSE students can access programs not offered at their home institution, research grad schools, or simply experience living away from home.

BU’s Dean of Students, David Rowland, says students end up all over the world through these institutional partnerships. “This year, one of our NSE students is going to England,” says Rowland. “In the past, BU students have attended universities in the US, Australia, Germany and India. They do so at a terrific cost-savings because our students pay BU tuition which is often substantially more economical than other institutions.”

Brandon University, founded in 1899, promotes excellence in teaching, research, creation and scholarship; educating students so that they can make a meaningful difference as engaged citizens and leaders.

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Michael Decter is President and CEO of the investment company LDIC Inc., author of eight books and popular lecturer with the National Speakers Bureau. A former Deputy Minister of Health for Ontario and Cabinet Secretary in the Government of Manitoba, Decter was the founding Chair of the Health Council of Canada and continues to serve with numerous non-profit health care organizations.

“Michael brings incredible depth to BU, through both his career experiences and vast network,” says University President and Vice-Chancellor Deborah Poff. “We welcome Michael and anticipate that his leadership will help us grow as an institution during his term as Chancellor.”

The BU Senate ratified Decter’s appointment this week. He will be officially installed May 31^st during Convocation, taking over from Henry Champ who passed away in September 2012 during his second term as Chancellor.

Decter, a native Manitoban and recipient of the Order of Canada, served on the Brandon University Foundation and as Chair of the Stanley Knowles Distinguished Professorship Endowment Campaign in the 1980s.  He now resides in Ontario.

Brandon University, founded in 1899, promotes excellence in teaching, research, creation and scholarship; educating students so that they can make a meaningful difference as engaged citizens and leaders.

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Figures released today by BU’s Admissions Department show that 636 persons have applied to attend the University as new students beginning this fall. That compares to 528 in February 2012, 619 in 2011 and 567 in 2010. BU’s overall annual enrollment exceeds 3,000.

“This year to date, we have seen a substantial increase in student applications,” says Murray Kerr, Director of Admissions. “This number includes international and domestic, graduate, undergrad and EAP students – anyone considering BU.”

BU President and Vice-Chancellor Deborah Poff says the numbers show a strong commitment to higher education and, in particular, Brandon University. “Students, parents and alumni recognize that we offer a quality of education unavailable at other institutions. We are proud of that and welcome each student who chooses BU.”

Students wishing to be considered for BU’s substantial scholarship program must apply by March 1^st. Over the past year, the University has awarded more than $1.4-million dollars in scholarships.

Brandon University, founded in 1899, promotes excellence in teaching, research, creation and scholarship; educating students so that they can make a meaningful difference as engaged citizens and leaders.

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“In Washington,” says Lyne Milette, “I saw that education and ability to communicate are essential to success at a high level. I observed that first-hand, watching public figures inspire huge crowds. It was incredible.”

Milette was asked to attend the inauguration by the Gold Key International Honour Society – one of 800 Society members invited from around the world and the only representative from Manitoba. She spent five days in Washington culminating in the swearing-in of the President before an estimated crowd of 800,000 near Capitol Hill.

In her third-year of an Arts degree and enrolled in BU’s Applied Disaster and Emergency Studies program, Milette was particularly interested in the security and crowd management in effect at the inauguration.

Milette plans to share her experiences by talking with students in local high schools. She also hopes to return to Washington for a networking conference.

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For more information, please contact:

Glen Kirby
Communications Officer
Brandon University
204-727-9762
kirbyg@brandonu.ca

]]> http://www.brandonu.ca/news/2013/02/14/bu-student-attends-obama-inauguration/feed/ 0 http://www.brandonu.ca/news/2013/01/28/bu-recruits-new-dean-from-new-mexico/ http://www.brandonu.ca/news/2013/01/28/bu-recruits-new-dean-from-new-mexico/#comments Mon, 28 Jan 2013 19:49:12 +0000 kirbyg http://www.brandonu.ca/news/?p=3158 Brandon University (BU) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Andrew Egan as Dean, Faculty of Science.

Dr. Egan holds a Ph.D. in Forest Science from The Pennsylvania State University and is currently the Executive Director of the New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute at New Mexico Highlands University.  Dr. Egan previously served as Dean of the School of Forestry and Natural Resources at Paul Smith’s College in New York and as a Professor and Canada Industrial Chair designee at Université Laval in Québec.  He is the recipient of several awards for teaching and research excellence, including a Senior Fulbright Scholarship (2004).  Dr. Egan has led the development of a number of new academic programs and has published over 100 papers and book chapters.

“I am very excited to be joining the Brandon University community and honoured to have been chosen to be the next Dean of its Faculty of Science.  Important to me is BU’s diverse student population and commitment to student-centered, liberal education, forming the foundation for the development of broadly educated professionals, citizens, and leaders.  I look forward to working with the faculty, staff and students of the Faculty of Science, as well as across faculties and with the broader Brandon and Manitoba communities.”

As a member of the senior leadership team, Dr. Egan will oversee the Faculty of Science which is comprised of eight departments and serves more than 600 undergraduate students.  He will contribute to the development, implementation and promotion of institutional goals including academic programming and research advancement.

Dr. Egan will begin at BU on June 1, 2013.

BU President and Vice-Chancellor Deborah Poff says, “I am pleased that Dr. Egan will be joining us as the new Dean of the Faculty of Science.  He brings experience from a number of different universities and is committed to teaching and research excellence.  We look forward to welcoming him to Brandon University.”

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For more information, please contact:

Glen Kirby, Communications Officer
Brandon University
270-18th Street
Brandon, MB R7A 6A9
T: (204) 727-9762
kirbyg@brandonu.ca

BRANDON, MB — At the end of each day, after the cowboys had wowed the record-breaking crowds, fireworks lit up the skies at Calgary’s 100^th annual Stampede and two Brandon University students were on hand to ensure everyone’s safety. The fourth-year students in Applied Disaster and Emergency Services (ADES) — Greg Bartlett and Kristy Hill — were assigned positions in the launch site or “hotzone”, to oversee that all safety precautions had been taken and that rules were being followed. Bartlett discovered this chance for real-world experience through the International Association of Emergency Managers, Canadian Students’ Chapter.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It’s huge! This has been absolutely exhilarating. It’s made my Stampede!” said Bartlett, who was the safety coordinator for the fireworks shows and is also working with the Calgary Fire Department for the summer. “I was asked by the Stampede (organizers) to be the agency rep in the emergency operations centre. That’s been the icing on the cake.”

Bartlett is a mature student who returned to post-secondary studies after several years of working as a firefighter, a fire-training specialist and a wildfire prevention officer.   

“Being an ADES student at BU has been the best decision,” he said. “The program is so needed in the community. We (BU students) are able to walk in and fit into an emergency operations centre and take direction without needing a lot of clarification.”

Having taken a leave from her practicum — working as a volunteer fire fighter in her hometown of Warren, MB — Hill really enjoyed putting into practice the theory she learned in her ADES courses.

“This was a good opportunity to see emergency management in use, at a big event. I don’t think people understand all the things that could go wrong when  (thousands of) people attend, especially in the heat,” Hill said. “This experience has really opened my eyes. Even after studying emergency management, I didn’t really understand the full capacity of what has to be done for an event such as this. There really is a lot of planning and a lot of behind-the-scenes work that goes on, especially in risk management. I feel that my classes have prepared me for this and I’ve felt confident with what I know.”

Joining Bartlett and Hill for both weekends of the Centennial Stampede is Linda Pic, a graduate of the BU ADES program, who had previously studied atmospheric science. Originally from Virden, Pic’s focus during the Stampede was to determine if there are lightening strikes within 50 kilometres of the five fireworks launch sites — from the Stampede grounds as well as each of the city’s four corners. Her expertise lies in the monitoring of radar levels, the newest of satellite imagery as well as a specialized program from the Weather Network and Environment Canada that combines Google Earth with atmospheric lightening detection.

“We shoot (the fireworks) both weekends and the only issue we had was Thursday night (July 5), during the dry run. We had two cracks, then we were fine,” said Pic, who is now an emergency response coordinator for Visser Consulting in Calgary and who helped out Bartlett in his first year when she was a teacher-assistant in the ADES program. “The Stampede’s been a little unreal. There are hundreds of thousands of people. I’ve run a lot of events, but nothing’s compared to this. Knowing that I tried to make the Stampede that much more memorable made it worth the long nights.”

Dr. Balfour Spence, of the ADES program at Brandon University, was thrilled to hear about Bartlett, Hill and Pic and their work at the Calgary Stampede.  

“I think this is absolutely fantastic. This was an excellent opportunity for them. In fact, it’s something that we, in the department, encourage. That allows them to have the kind of hands-on experience that they don’t necessarily get in the classroom,” he said, adding that the connection between the three students is also valuable. “That kind of networking is critical for what we do. It augurs well for the department and reflects well on the University also.”

The 100^th edition of the Calgary Stampede came to an end on July 15, at which time the remaining fireworks were set off to entertain attendees with an unprecedented 25-minute show. Throughout the Stampede, Bartlett, Hill and Pic managed their roles very well, even tackling additional tasks to help out, and made sure the viewers’ memories were wonderful ones.

“Everything went without a hitch. This was probably the biggest fireworks show in Canada — not just in the park, but also four locations in the city. There were thousands of fireworks. We were in the seven figures for fireworks. So, the (ADES) students proved to be very, very helpful,” said Kevin Stanger, the Stampede’s environment and event safety manager, who added that though this was the first time BU ADES students participated in fireworks safety, he hopes to invite other students in the program to help out in the future. “They were instrumental in making my side of the (event) a success.”

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Honorary Doctorate Recipients

• Annette Thorimbert Osted: A dedicated psychiatric nurse, Mrs. Osted also held the position of Executive Director/Registrar of the College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Manitoba (CRPNM) for more than 30 years. Throughout her career, she also devoted time to volunteer, gravitating to organizations that help those afflicted by a mental illness.

• Anton Kuerti: An Officer of the Order of Canada, Mr. Kuerti is acclaimed for his performances of Beethoven’s music and has appeared with many of the world’s top orchestras. With more than 25 discs to his credit, he is also avid chamber musician has collaborated with other remarkable instrumentalists, the likes of Yo-Yo Ma and the Tokyo String Quartet.

Distinguished Teacher Award Recipients

• Dolores Hardy: Born in Rossburn, Manitoba and raised in Mississauga, Ontario, Ms. Hardy is a Brandon University alumna. She spent her first year teaching in Alexander, followed by 21 years at King George School in Brandon.

• Brigit Lavallee: Raised in Winnipeg, MB, Brigit graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1994. She taught for 10 years in Roblin, MB and is now teaching History and English in Rossburn Collegiate.

• Sherryl Maglione: Born and raised in Alberta, Miss Maglione is currently working on her MEd at Brandon University, with a focus on indigenizing the high school English Language Arts curriculum. She has been teaching for 15 years, and in the past five, her focus as been senior English Language Arts at the Sioux Valley High School.

Board of Governors Community Service Award Recipient

• Patrick Johanneson: Patrick, who was born and raised in Ste. Rose du Lac, writes science fiction and fantasy, and has been published in On Spec, Tesseracts 14 and Daily Science Fiction. In 1997, he started taking judo lessons. In 2009, he received his shodan (or first degree black belt) and he currently runs the Brandon Judokan club, which practices in the Brandon University gym. Patrick also volunteers at the Evans Theatre.

Brandon University Alumni Association’s Outstanding Young Alumni Award

• Rochelle Rands: Rochelle, who grew up in MacGregor, graduated with a B.Ed. from Brandon University in 1998. She first taught in Portage la Prairie at Yellowquill School. During this time, she completed a Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Education and a Post Baccalaureate Diploma in Education from the University of Manitoba. In 2008, she completed the Masters Program in Special Education at Brandon University and became the Assistant Superintendent/Student Services Coordinator for the Pine Creek School Division. In 2009, she transitioned back to Portage la Prairie, where she is in her third year as the Administrator of Student Services.

Brandon University Alumni Association’s Excellence in Teaching Award

• Dr Wendy McCallum: Dr. McCallum holds a Bachelor of Music degree and a Bachelor of Education degree from Brandon University and completed a Master of Music at the University of North Dakota. She received her Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of North Texas. As a faculty member at Brandon University, she conducts the Symphonic Band and teaches undergraduate and graduate conducting courses, as well as instrumental music methods. She is well respected for her knowledge and conducting skills and has been invited to conduct numerous junior high and high school, among other honours.

Valedictorians

• Jennifer Shead: Born and raised in Winnipeg, Jennifer moved to Brandon to pursue her studies in Music Education after high school. During her time at Brandon University, she performed as a member of the National Youth Band of Canada (NYB) in 2010, worked as a Student Ambassador for Recruitment & Retention, and served as President of the Brandon University Student Music Educators Association (BUSMEA). A multi-scholarship winner, she has been accepted into the flute masterclass program at the Orford Arts Centre in Orford, Quebec for the summer of 2012. She hopes to teach instrumental music in the public school system in Manitoba in the fall.

• Kelsey Grindey: With a lifelong desire to teach, Kelsey left her small rural hometown just outside of Winnipeg and enrolled at Brandon University. During summer breaks, she moved back home to work with Aboriginal youth in Winnipeg’s inner city. She is very proud to be First Nations and is looking forward to starting her career as a Senior Years teacher.

• Natasha Vandamme Born and raised near Baldur, Natasha began her studies at Brandon University in 2008 and is now graduating with a Bachelor of Science (4-Year), with a major in Chemistry and a double minor in Mathematics and Zoology. While at BU, she served several terms as a lab assistant in the Chemistry department as well as was an Academic Residence Advisor. In her third year, she received the Chemical Institute of Canada Silver Medal and she is currently working on an NSERC grant with Dr. Lemaire.

All four ceremonies — at 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on both June 1 and 2 — can viewed via live streaming at:

http://www.brandonu.ca/convocation/video
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“I remember studying John’s recordings and compositions when I was a student at Eastman a long time ago,” said Gatien. “He’s not as well known as he should be, having chosen to settle in Wisconsin, but he is a truly remarkable musician. Hearing him play is going directly to the source. Getting to hear him live, getting to play his compositions here in Brandon is a remarkable opportunity.”

A student of the late, world-famous jazz pianist Oscar Peterson, Harmon co-founded Matrix, a jazz nonet. With that group, he contributed to five recordings and countless live performances. Since the early 1980s, the pianist has also been focused on music education. He has been the Director of Jazz Studies at his alma mater, Lawrence University. For almost two decades, he was the music director of the Fox Jazzfest.

Nicknamed ‘Wisconsin’s Gentle Poet of Jazz’, Harmon’s work underlines his concern for the environment and his interest in Native American culture. He has received many awards for his musical achievements. These include an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts (Lawrence University); fellowships from the Wisconsin Academy of Science, Arts and Letters and Culver Military Academy (IN); Distinguished Service Awards from both the International Association of Jazz Educators and Wisconsin State Music Association; the Jazziz Award, and many others.

Harmon will join the Brandon University musicians on Wednesday, May 30, at 8 p.m., in the Lorne Watson Recital Hall. Admission to this performance is free and everyone is welcome to attend.
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