News

StFX hosts Atlantic undergraduate history and classics conference

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:28:44

Undergraduate history and classics students from around Atlantic Canada will converge on St. Francis Xavier University March 2-4 to share their research and take part in friendly scholarly debate with peers from around the region.

StFX will host the Atlantic University Undergraduate History and Classics Conference, a student-led, faculty-advised event, now in its sixth year.

“We expect between 20 to 30 presenters, all upper-year students, mostly all honours students,” says organizer Tom Richards, a fourth year honours history student from Regina, SK and president of the StFX History Society.

Presentations will offer much diversity in topic matters, he says, running the spectrum from talks on evolution in post-war British identity to the use of animation in media.

The presentations are scheduled to take place in the Gerald Schwartz School of Business, Rooms 205 and 215, and the public is encouraged to attend. Event details will be available on the StFX History Department webpage.

Other events planned for the conference include a Celtic ceilidh in Dennis Hall, faculty book launches, and a banquet.

Mr. Richards says the conference helps show students they can get serious about academics and gives them a taste of what academics do.

“It’s nice to show and present your work to others, and it gives you an idea of what it’s like if you want to further your degree in that field,” he says.

GASHA and StFX sponsor Park Bench Players performance

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:25:49

The Park Bench Players will be coming to StFX’s Immaculata Hall on Thursday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. thanks to a partnership between the Guysborough Antigonish Strait Health Authority (GASHA) and StFX.

The Park Bench Players are a community-based theatre troupe consisting of adults with a chronic mental illness. The play “With a Little Help From My Friends” aims to debunk the myths and to celebrate all the meaningful contributions those who live with a chronic mental illness make to our communities each day.

“GASHA is proud to be a co-sponsor of this event,” says Liz Millett, GASHA’s interim CEO. “Each year, the GASHA ethics committee hosts an ethics education event for the public and this play, because of its subject matter, is quite a nice fit. Ethics is, fundamentally, about how we treat each other and we know that people with mental illness are not always treated well. I think people will enjoy the performance because of the balance of honesty and humour on what can be a very serious topic.”

The GASHA ethics committee is a confidential resource available to help patients, their families, and health care workers with ethical health care issues or questions. The committee accepts referrals from anyone concerned about ethics in patient care and policy issues.

The play, written by Jim Mulcahy, a former English and drama teacher in Antigonish, was performed to a sell-out audience at the Clare Marie Gathering Place this past fall and as a result has been requested by various community groups, educational institutions and government departments.

Following the performance, a facilitated discussion with members of the audience will be lead by Dr. Marika Warren, Nova Scotia Health Ethics Network, and StFX philosophy professor Dr. Will Sweet, chair of the GASHA ethics committee.

StFX Human Rights & Equity Officer Marie Brunelle says the play is a great way to create awareness and help people realize mental illness is in our community. “Once I saw the play in November, I knew I wanted to bring it to campus,” says Ms. Brunelle. “The Antigonish community is very open to those with mental disabilities/challenges but there are still taboos. I want to help achieve a similar level of acceptance and understanding for people with a mental illness.”

There is no admission to the play, but donations are welcomed to help the Players with production expenses.

Peer Mentor program continues to grow, adding junior high mentorship program, ESL Cafe

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 07:51:45

StFX’s Peer Mentor program continues to grow and expand, this year adding several innovative offerings including a similar style mentorship program at the local junior high school.

StFX Peer Mentor coordinator Jamie McCarthy says one of the biggest projects this year has involved the mentor program – comprised of about 60 upper class StFX students – teaming with St. Andrew Junior High School guidance councillor Theresa MacNeil and teacher Dave Kearney to develop mentorship training for 52 Grade 7 and 8 students.

The idea is that these older students help the younger students successfully transition to a new school, Mr. McCarthy says.

“There’s some stress about going into a new school. It can be a big jump for students to move from elementary school into junior high in Grade 5.”

Feedback they’ve received so far on the program is excellent, he says.

Several of the StFX Peer Mentors who helped with the junior high school program

Mr. McCarthy says implementing the program has also provided an excellent opportunity for the peer mentors, many of whom are interested in careers in education, to gain hands-on experience developing programming and working with youth.

He says they will be looking at talking to the local high school about offering something similar there.

Another new initiative comes in the form of an English as a Second Language (ESL) Café. Run by international peer mentors, the café’s focus is on improving conversational English in a fun setting. The program has proven popular and plans are to offer it on a weekly basis.

Other recent events have included the annual pancake breakfast for international students held in January. “It’s a good chance to re-introduce ourselves to students and to meet any new or transfer students,” Mr. McCarthy says. “We talk about our services, and availability.” Students were also presented with pre-paid postcards.

In February, a sold-out crowd planned to venture to the maple sugar woods for the group’s annual trip to Sugar Moon Farms in Earltown, NS.

Mr. McCarthy says the program is now looking to recruit mentors for next year. Anyone interested in learning more, can email him at jmccarth@stfx.ca

Craig Kielburger delivers inspiration, leadership during keynote at McKenna Leadership Centre Encounter at StFX

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:58:32

Creating Tomorrow’s Leaders Today

Inspiration. Leadership. Wow.

That’s what Craig Kielburger, co-founder of the internationally known, youth-driven charity, Free The Children and of Me to We, an innovative social enterprise, delivered at StFX on Feb. 2 during his keynote address in the inaugural McKenna Leadership Centre Encounter.

Students – from StFX, other universities, and high schools – gathered with community members, StFX faculty and staff to fill the Gerald Schwartz School of Business Auditorium to capacity. People watched webcasts live in overflow classrooms and across the country via stfx.ca as Mr. Kielburger used humour and inspiration to deliver his message.

“More than anything else, please do something, please find a cause,” he told those gathered during his keynote address Me to We: How Students Can Create Positive Social Changes.

“We can redefine what is possible.”

Mr. Kielburger was on campus as part of a two-day Service Learning workshop, Creating Tomorrow’s Leaders Today.

The workshop continued Friday, Feb. 3 with Dr. Sara Dorow, a service learning expert and associate professor of sociology at the University of Alberta, where she is also founder and academic director of the Community Service Learning Program, helping lead a full slate of panel presentations from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Frank McKenna Centre for Leadership at StFX.

Craig Kielburger meets with StFX's Free The Children student society.

In opening the event, StFX President Dr. Sean Riley told the crowd the theme behind the McKenna Leadership Centre Encounter is to offer students the complete package – academic excellence, community, and interactivity with the global world in which we live.

Leadership, activism, and community are all part of the DNA of StFX, he said.

StFX Academic Vice-President and Provost Dr. Mary McGillivray said the keynote not only helps empower all those gathered to become leaders, it kicks off a day-and-a-half of dynamic discussions on service learning and how to share and expand the power of leadership.

With humour and poignancy, Mr. Kielburger enthralled the crowd, starting with the story of how, in 1995 at age 12, he co-founded Free The Children, now an international charity and renowned educational partner that empowers youth. He spoke of how a journey into Sierra Leona, and seeing the need for social entrepreneurship to empower change, helped inspire the basis of Me to We.

Students can be the change, he said.

“We need more young people to push forward the boundaries of social change. Bring your enthusiasm, bring your ideas.

“We need more innovation in the non-profit space.”

In giving the crowd three lessons from three journeys, he talked about how anyone can change the world; how social entrepreneurship is necessary; and how we should all come together to effect change.

So often, out of our good intentions, we’re so focused on crisis response, we don’t look at how we can prevent the crisis in the first place, he said. Look not only at how to give aid, but how to give jobs.

For those considering careers in for-profit businesses, he challenged these young people to help drag those businesses into the advance for social change.

He challenged everyone to come together, to make better choices for a better world, and to make social action a part of daily lifestyle.

Mr. Kielburger also recognized StFX – “this campus is amazing when it comes to social change,” he said – and thanked the members of the StFX Free The Children student society for their work.

He left the crowd with parting words from a question he once asked Mother Teresa in Calcutta. He wanted to know, “How do you do it, when you know you can’t help everybody?”

“You have to realize in our lives,” she replied, “we do no great things, but we can do small things with great love.”

ABOUT CRAIG KIELBURGER

Craig Kielburger co-founded Free The Children in 1995 at only 12 years of age. Today, he remains a passionate full-time volunteer for the organization, now an international charity and renowned educational partner that empowers youth to achieve their fullest potential as agents of change.

Free The Children delivers innovative programming to more than 3,500 youth groups and hundreds of thousands of young people in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. As the world’s largest network of children helping children through education, the organization has worked in 45 countries and built more than 650 schools and school rooms in developing regions, providing education to more than 55,000 children every day.

Free The Children has a proven track record of success, having formed successful partnerships with top school boards and leading corporations—including Oprah’s Angel Network, KPMG and Research In Motion.

Craig is also the co-founder of Me to We. An innovative social enterprise, Me to We provides people with better choices for a better world, including socially conscious and environmentally friendly clothes and accessories, as well as life-changing international volunteer trips, leadership training programs and materials, a speakers’ bureau and books which address issues of positive social change. In addition, half of Me to We’s net profit is donated to Free The Children, while the other half is reinvested to grow the enterprise and its social mission.

Each year, both Craig and Marc Kielburger organize Free The Children’s We Day, the organization’s signature domestic event which reaches 70,000 students in person and more than 5.4 million through televised broadcasts.

They share the stage, and their voices, with Nobel Peace Laureates, heads of state, celebrities, rock bands, actors and pop icons, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Former President Bill Clinton, Queen Noor of Jordan, Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Sir Richard Branson and many more.

Along with his brother Marc, Craig writes Global Voices, a weekly column about the pressing issues of our time, syndicated in the Vancouver Sun, Halifax Chronicle Herald, Edmonton Journal, Victoria Times Colonist, Waterloo Region Record, Winnipeg Free Press, Huffington Post and Huffington Post Canada online. Also, the Kielburgers are weekly Globe & Mail columnists for a weekly advice column “Ask the Kielburgers”.

Craig is also a New York Times bestselling author, who has written seven books.

Craig has a degree in peace and conflict studies from the University of Toronto and is the youngest-ever graduate of the Kellogg-Schulich Executive MBA program. He has received 10 honorary doctorates and degrees, The Roosevelt Freedom Medal, The World Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child (often called the Children’s Nobel Prize) and is one of the youngest recipients of The Order of Canada. He serves on a number of boards and award committees, including the Board of Governors of Scouts Canada. Craig’s work has been featured on multiple appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, 60 Minutes and The Today Show; and in People, Time and The Economist.

ABOUT DR. SARA DOROW

Dr. Dorow teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses in the fields of globalization, family, qualitative methods, and race and culture.

Her research has been on transnational adoption, critical pedagogy, and more recently, sociocultural issues in Alberta's oil economy. She holds a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) grant for the latter project entitled The Social Landscapes of Neoliberal Growth: The Case of Fort McMurray, Alberta.

Dr. Dorow is the recipient of the Confederation of Alberta Faculty Associations (CAFA) Distinguished Academic Early Career Award, which recognizes "outstanding contribution to the wider community beyond the university."

Second year music student receives $4,000 grant to produce first full-length album

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:50:41

StFX music student Breagh MacKinnon will be heading into the recording studio this spring to produce her first full-length album of original music thanks to a $4,000 grant from the Nova Scotia Department of Communities, Culture and Heritage, through its ‘Emerging Music Business Program.’

“I was surprised, and happy to receive the grant. I’m really excited to do some recording,” says the second year student from Sydney, NS who is majoring in piano at StFX.

“It definitely gives me the opportunity to create a good, quality recording.”

She says another plus is the album can also be used to launch other opportunities from playing gigs to showcases.

Ms. MacKinnon, an emerging singer-songwriter, will record the CD at Cape Breton’s Lakewind Sound Studios in April and May. She hopes to release the album and tour in July and August.

Describing her style as folk and pop, she says the CD will feature her singing original work, accompanied mostly by guitar, but also with a few piano tracks.

The recording will follow a popular self-titled EP she produced a few years ago after winning recording time as the victor of the talent search, “Cape Breton’s Next Big Thing.”

“That got some attention and I got a showcase at the ECMAs (East Coast Music Awards).”

Raised in a musical family, Ms. MacKinnon started playing piano at age six. She expanded her repertoire in high school, adding guitar and singer-songwriter to the mix.

Since then she’s played a number of gigs, particularly in the Cape Breton and Halifax areas. She was part of a group of young writers invited to attend Gordie Sampson’s Songwriter Circle in Ingonish.

Ms. MacKinnon says her time in the StFX music program is really helping.

“I love the program. I love the professors. I’m learning so much about music.”

Public invited to attend day of panel sessions during two-day Service Learning workshop, Creating Tomorrow’s Leaders Today

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 07:59:49

Service Learning will be front and centre during a two-day workshop, Creating Tomorrow’s Leaders Today, taking place at StFX on Thursday and Friday, Feb. 2-3, 2012.

From learning how to enhance academic learning, community engagement and leadership to a discussion on leadership, the two-day event features a full schedule of activities. Students, faculty, staff, and the general public are invited to attend all events

Craig Kielburger, co-founder of the internationally known, youth-driven charity, Free The Children and of Me to We, an innovative social enterprise, will be at StFX on Thursday, Feb. 2 to deliver the keynote address in the McKenna Leadership Centre Encounter.

His talk, Me to We: How Students Can Create Positive Social Changes, takes place at 7 p.m. in the Gerald Schwartz School of Business Auditorium. The talk is open to the public.

Dr. Sara Dorow, a service learning expert and associate professor of sociology at the University of Alberta, where she is also founder and academic director of the Community Service Learning Program, will help lead the workshop as it continues the next day, Friday, Feb. 3, with a full slate of panel presentations, scheduled from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Frank McKenna Centre for Leadership at StFX.

Each panel will run for 55 minutes. Faculty, staff, students, and community members are invited to participate in as many sessions as they wish.

The schedule for Friday, Feb. 3 includes:

9 a.m. Welcome
Dr. Mary McGillivray, Academic Vice-President and Provost

9:10 a.m. Who needs Service Learning?
Introduction: Dr. Richard Nemesvari, Dean of Arts
Presentation: Dr. Sara Dorow, University of Alberta

10 a.m. Break

10:15 a.m. Panel: Building on Experience
Service Learning as a way to enhance academic learning, community engagement and leadership
Introduction: Dr. Leo Gallant, Dean, Schwartz School of Business
Panel members:
• Blaine Chisholm (Celtic Community Homes)
• Brad Long (StFX Gerald Schwartz School of Business)
• Alexis MacDonald (StFX alumnus, by video)
• StFX student

11:15 a.m. Discussion
Resource people (faculty, students and community partners and Dr. Dorow)

12 p.m. Lunch break (on your own)

1:15 p.m. Panel: Thinking Forward
Multidisciplinary and multi-year approaches: Increasing the impact of Service Learning on leadership (students, faculty and communities)

Introduction: Dr. Robert van den Hoogen, Dean of Science

Panel members:
• Kevin Bekkers NS Department of Agriculture)
• Doris Gillis (StFX Department of Nutrition)
• Edwin DeMont (StFX Department of Biology)
• StFX Student

2:15 p.m. Discussion
Resource people (faculty, students and community partners and Dr. Dorow)

3 p.m. Panel : What does leadership look like today? StFX alumni give us a perspective
Introduction: Dr. Jeff Orr, Dean of Education

Panel members:
• Pendle Dewhirst (Alumnus, Psychology, by video)
• Rory Campbell (Alumnus, Sociology & History, by video)
• Chris Stothart (Alumnus, Human Nutrition)
• StFX student

3:45 p.m. Conclusion

Music professor Paul Tynan invited to play major gig at Glenn Gould Studio; receives ECMA nomination

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:00:16

StFX music professor Paul Tynan will be playing at one of Canada’s top performance halls this spring thanks to a prestigious invitation from the Jazz Performance and Education Centre (JPEC).

Prof. Tynan says he is thrilled to be invited to play in the concert series JPEC stages at the Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto. The concert performance takes place March 16.

The studio, described as the “jewel of the Canadian Broadcasting Centre,” continues to be one of Toronto’s favorite venues for concert-goers. It’s also a superb recording facility, offering the sound isolation, state-of-the-art recording facilities and acoustics that are ideal for classical and jazz recordings.

“I was very excited to receive the invitation. It’s supposed to be the best concert facility in all of Canada. I’m very excited to play there,” Prof. Tynan says.

The Paul Tynan Quintet -- which features (visiting StFX professor) David Braid on piano, Jon Maharaj on bass and (former StFX student) Ethan Ardelli on drums – will play a lot of Prof. Tynan’s original music during their 45-minute to one-hour set. Their style is described as modern jazz.

Prof. Tynan says he is also excited to share the bill that evening with a jazz master, Tom Harrell. “He’s considered to be a living jazz legend so to be on the same bill as him is really an honour.”

Prof. Tynan received more good news in late January when he learned he’s received an East Coast Music Award (ECMA) nomination for Jazz Album of the Year for his latest CD “Ocean Sounds Quartet Live at the Ship’s Company Theatre.” The awards will be announced in April in Moncton, NB.

At StFX, Prof. Tynan teaches first-year jazz history, advanced jazz arranging, jazz trumpet, and 4th year style and literature.

Creating Tomorrow's Leaders Today: Craig Kielburger to lead McKenna Leadership Centre Encounter at StFX

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:27:29

Mark your calendar:
Watch Craig Kielburger's address live via webcast:
Thursday, February 2nd, 7pm AST
www.stfx.ca

Craig Kielburger, co-founder of the internationally known, youth-driven charity, Free The Children and of Me to We, an innovative social enterprise, will be at St. Francis Xavier University on Feb. 2, 2012 to deliver the keynote address in the McKenna Leadership Centre Encounter.

Mr. Kielburger’s address is part of a two-day Service Learning workshop, Creating Tomorrow’s Leaders Today, taking place at StFX on Feb. 2-3, 2012.

His talk, Me to We: How Students Can Create Positive Social Changes, takes place at 7 p.m. in the Gerald Schwartz School of Business Auditorium. His talk is open to the public.

The Frank McKenna Centre for Leadership, opened on campus last May with Mr. McKenna and former U.S. President Bill Clinton in attendance, is designed to broaden the leadership environment that already exists at StFX by providing a global-based learning platform attracting emerging and established leaders on a national and international scale.

Dr. Sara Dorow, a service learning expert and associate professor of sociology at the University of Alberta, where she is also founder and academic director of the Community Service Learning Program, will help lead the workshop as it continues the next day, Feb. 3, with a full slate of panel presentations, scheduled from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Frank McKenna Centre for Leadership at StFX.

Each panel will run for 55 minutes. Faculty, staff, students, and community members are invited to participate in as many sessions as they wish.

“StFX is thrilled to have Craig Kielburger on campus. His style is perfectly aligned with our vision of what the McKenna Leadership Centre Encounter is all about,” StFX President Dr. Sean Riley said.

“We are also very proud to highlight our Service Learning Program, which was the pioneer service learning program in Canada.”

CRAIG KIELBURGER

Craig Kielburger co-founded Free The Children in 1995 at only 12 years of age. Today, he remains a passionate full-time volunteer for the organization, now an international charity and renowned educational partner that empowers youth to achieve their fullest potential as agents of change.

Along with his brother Marc, Craig writes Global Voices, a weekly column about the pressing issues of our time, syndicated in the Vancouver Sun, Halifax Chronicle Herald, Edmonton Journal, Victoria Times Colonist, Waterloo Region Record, Winnipeg Free Press, Huffington Post and Huffington Post Canada online. Also, the Kielburgers are weekly Globe & Mail columnists for a weekly advice column “Ask the Kielburgers”.

Craig is also a New York Times bestselling author, who has written seven books.

Craig has a degree in peace and conflict studies from the University of Toronto and is the youngest-ever graduate of the Kellogg-Schulich Executive MBA program. He has received 10 honorary doctorates and degrees, The Roosevelt Freedom Medal, The World Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child (often called the Children’s Nobel Prize) and is one of the youngest recipients of The Order of Canada. He serves on a number of boards and award committees, including the Board of Governors of Scouts Canada. Craig’s work has been featured on multiple appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, 60 Minutes and The Today Show; and in People, Time and The Economist.

DR. SARA DOROW

Dr. Dorow teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses in the fields of globalization, family, qualitative methods, and race and culture.

THE FRANK MCKENNA CENTRE FOR LEADERSHIP

The goal of the McKenna Centre for Leadership is to enhance the leadership environment that already exists at St. Francis Xavier University. Its aim is to deliver more international and more comprehensive in promoting leadership development, supporting experiential learning, and increasing opportunities for international student involvement through funding and cross-institutional coordination.

The StFX Service Learning Program has played, and continues to play, a key role in achieving such objectives. The purpose of this event is to provide participants with the chance to hear about, and discuss, the challenges and opportunities involved with experiential learning in all of its facets, and thus to conceptualize ways to further engage with place of service learning in the future of StFX, the Atlantic region, and in the national and international arenas of innovative pedagogy.

Mock Interview Day sets students up for post-graduate interview success

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 09:23:39

Human kinetics student Craig Jennings wants to apply to medical school following StFX graduation. Thanks to a unique StFX offering, he now knows what it’s like to go through the nerve-wracking, all-important admission interview process.

Mock Interview Day, an annual event organized by the StFX Career Centre and StFX biology professor Dr. Edwin DeMont, gives science students a chance to hone their interview skills – a key part of the admission selection process – before going through the real thing.

“Most of the programs students apply to, the interview can constitute up to 40 per cent of the decision on admission. The issue is many of our students have never gone through a formal job interview,” says Dr. DeMont.

He came up with the idea to help students applying to post-graduate programs such as medical, veterinary sciences, dentistry as well as many direct entry jobs and other programs by offering a mock interview.

He spoke with Jane MacDonald, manager of StFX’s Student Career Centre, about setting up a day where faculty, staff, and local professionals could join together to act as interviewers. The partnership was born.

Students apply to take part (there is no charge) and questions are customized to suit each interview.

Results have been impressive.

Dr. DeMont says about 80 per cent of students who have gone through the process were admitted to the program to which they applied.

Student feedback has also been quite positive.

“This type of situation is great for students to be placed in and should be practiced more often,” says Mr. Jennings, co-president of the campus pre-med society, who liked the chance to think on his feet in the interview.

“Additionally, when the interview was over, they provided very constructive feedback.”

He also thanked the volunteers who gave freely of their time on a Saturday. “They did a great job.”

“I really think it helps the students to prepare,” says local dentist Dr. Paul Cameron, a StFX alumnus, and immediate past president of the Nova Scotia Dental Association.

“The types of questions and hypothetical situations that are presented to them, are ones they would not normally encounter.”

Dr. Cameron says he personally knows a few very qualified dentistry applicants who had high academic averages, played sports, volunteered, and seemingly had everything needed for successful admission into dental school. “But they did poorly on their interview and that's what kept them out. So the more prepared a student can be for that interview, I believe is crucial for their application.”

The Mock Interview Day provides students the opportunity to practice their skills in a welcoming, learning environment, Ms. MacDonald says.

“Having local professionals contribute to the event gives students a first-hand experience of the profession and what competencies and attributes contributes to professional success. Mock Interview Day is one event that contributes to the unique learning environment that StFX has to offer.”

Following a 35-40 minute interview, panelists provide feedback to the students shortly after the interview.

To participate, students must submit an application form and resume before the application deadline. All questions are customized to the program the student plans to apply to. Questions can range from situational, behavioural, to those that arise from the application package. Students are to prepare the same way they would for a real interview.

Information on the Mock Interview Day and an application form is available on the StFX Student Career Centre website at http://sites.stfx.ca/scc/Mock_Interview_Day

2nd annual Dr. Agnes Calliste African Heritage Lecture Series takes place Jan. 30

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 07:51:30

A Toronto-based visual artist, viewed as a leading and prominent Black History Month ambassador, will deliver the second annual Dr. Agnes Calliste African Heritage Lecture Series at StFX on Monday, Jan. 30 at 7 p.m.

Robert Small, creator of the African Heritage “Legacy” Posters, will deliver the lecture, Creating a Legacy! The Challenge for African-Canadians, in the Schwartz School of Business Auditorium. A reception will follow.

Robert Small

The Faculty of Arts lecture series honours the career and contributions of sociology professor Dr. Agnes Calliste who retired last year. Colleagues wanted to not only continue and maintain the African Heritage Month lecture Dr. Calliste ran for over a decade, but to name it for her.

“We wanted to acknowledge her. Her contributions are massive,” sociology professor and committee member Dr. Patricia Cormack, said in introducing the lecture last year.

Dr. Calliste joined the StFX faculty in 1984. She is a nationally and internationally celebrated academic. Her scholarship has focused on the complex interrelation of work, race, ethnicity and gender in Canada. Her groundbreaking research with African-Canadian railway porters and Caribbean-Canadian nurses has explored previously unexamined dimensions of our social history. Dr. Calliste has studied the institutionalized oppression of such communities, but also their organized resistance.

Dr. Calliste is also one of five African-Canadians celebrated by Mr. Small this year on the 2012 Legacy poster.

Mr. Small has made it his work to ensure that African-Canadians gain ‘full knowledge’ of their rich contributions and powerful legacy to Canada, through his artwork.

Dr. Calliste (top right) is one of five featured on the 2012 Legacy Poster

The posters are a visual juxtaposition of diverse, successful and inspiring, contemporary and historic African-Canadians that showcases Mr. Small’s signature portrait style. His posters are found in classrooms, libraries, community organizations, churches, banks, homes and a variety of places across Canada.

Mr. Small is also the first African-Canadian artist in history to appear on many mainstream media outlets, including TVO, TSN, CBC Newsworld, CBC Radio, and MuchMusic

Sustainability Week Jan. 23-28 focuses on raising awareness

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:53:34

Creating visibility and awareness of sustainability issues will be the focus of StFX’s second annual Sustainability Week, taking place on campus Jan. 23-28.

The week is filled with events to help draw awareness to the important issue, say Chelsea Fougere and Rachel Mitchell, environmental officers with the Students' Union, and members of StFX’s Sustainability Committee, which is comprised of representatives from Facilities Management, faculty, and the Department of Communications and Marketing.

“We’re both really passionate about the environment,” says Ms. Mitchell, an aquatic resources student majoring in economics.

“It’s my life. I would be doing this anyway,” says Ms. Fougere, an environmental sciences student who played a large role in organizing events for Sustainability Week.

Thanks to a $3,000 grant from TD Friends of the Environment to help stage the week, the students will be giving away 400 reusable mugs at events. The giveaway is an initiative to draw attention to the impact disposal cups have on the environment, and how bringing your own mug can reduce this impact.

Other events through the week include a panel discussion, a documentary, a coffee house, and a challenge to residences to come up with a creative environmental documentary. The winning residence will receive a cash donation in their name to the charity specified in their video.

"It's a great opportunity to celebrate the success StFX has had with sustainability, in waste streaming, energy management, water consumption, and other areas. We can still do a lot more, but it's important to have opportunities to celebrate what we're doing, to increase momentum and achieve more," says Leon MacLellan, director of Facilities Management, and chair of the Sustainability Committee.

StFX’s Sustainability Committee focuses on various issues and initiatives on campus from waste management to energy consumption.

“Facilities Management is amazing. The work they are doing is incredible,” Ms. Fougere says.

“They are really passionate about it, and they want to make it better,” says Ms. Mitchell. “They’re addressing issues before we can even bring them up, and they are really supportive.”

The week’s schedule includes:

MONDAY, JAN. 23
* A sustainability ‘new year’s resolution’ pledge wall will be on the 3rd floor SUB
* News articles concerning cultural, community, environmental, and economic sustainability will be posted in the SUB and on the Sustainability facebook page daily for the duration of the week
* Panel discussion: Climate Change and Canadian Perspectives, 7-9 p.m., Gerald Schwartz School of Business, Room 289

TUESDAY, JAN 24:
* The Aquatics Society will be on the 3rd floor SUB from 12-5 p.m. as they draw attention to the new water fountain, sell water bottles, and try to convince people to not use plastic water bottles.

WEDNESDAY, JAN 25:
* The Coady International Institute will show a documentary, A Thousand Suns (http://www.globalonenessproject.org/videos/athousandsuns), and host a related discussion in Desmond Hall from 7-8 p.m. The trailer of the film is at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bI74bO3zMjI

THURSDAY, JAN 26:
The Off Campus Council will host the 3rd annual Green Gig in the SUB cafe from 8:30-11 p.m. Donations go to Voices Antigonish (http://www.theanthill.ca/wishingwells/2753/Home). As well as music and Sodexo refreshments, the event will involve a ‘Shed Swap’ so bring out any books, clothes, etc. that could be recycled!

FRIDAY, JAN 27:
* All residences are encouraged to create their own original environmental documentary to raise awareness on environmental issues on campus, and around the world. A cash prize will be donated to an environmental organization related to the specific cause of the winning video. These short and creative films must be submitted by the end of the day Friday, January 27.

SATURDAY, JAN 28:
* Reconnect with nature on a walk to the Antigonish Landing. Meet on the 4th floor SUB at 2 p.m.

Leading American theologian to speak on Vatican II and authority in the Catholic Church

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:36:24

American theologian Dr. Richard R. Gaillardetz, the Joseph McCarthy Professor of Catholic Systematic Theology at Boston College, will give the 2011-12 Christian Culture Lectures at St Francis Xavier University on January 27 and 28.

Dr. Gaillardetz will give two public presentations on the legacy of Vatican II, and will meet with students, faculty, and members of the community during his stay in Antigonish. All members of the public are invited to attend his presentations.

Dr. Gaillardetz will speak on Friday, January 27, at 7:30 p.m., on the theme of "What Vatican II Still Has to Teach Us". On Saturday afternoon, January 28, at 3:30 p.m., the subject of his talk is: "Do We Need a New Council?” Both talks will be held in the Schwartz School of Business, Room 156, on the StFX campus. Dr. Gaillardetz will also give an informal presentation at 3:30 p.m. on Friday afternoon on teaching authority in the Catholic Church and the investigation of theologians. The presentation will be held at StFX, Nicholson Hall, Room 156.

Dr. Gaillardetz is an internationally-recognized speaker, author, and teacher, specializing on issues relating to authority in the Roman Catholic Church. The president-elect of the Catholic Theological Society of America, he has received numerous awards, including several from the Catholic Press Association. Among his recent books are A Daring Promise: A Spirituality of Christian Marriage and The Church in the Making.

After receiving a B.A. in humanities from the University of Texas and an M.A. in biblical theology from St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Dr. Gaillardetz went on to complete a masters degree and a doctorate in systematic theology at the University of Notre Dame. Prior to moving to Boston, he taught at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas, and at the University of Toledo, where he held the Thomas and Margaret Murray and James J. Bacik Chair of Catholic Studies.

Dr. Gaillardetz brings a diverse background to his work. Before becoming a university professor, he taught in small urban and rural parishes in the Catholic Diocese of Ft. Worth, Texas, and during his studies worked part-time in a parish as a Religious Education Coordinator. He is also frequently called to lecture on ecumenism, ministry, and marriage and the family.

The Christian Culture Series is an annual set of lectures by internationally-recognized scholars of religion, scripture, church history, and ethics. Speakers give two public lectures on topics related to their scholarly expertise and a seminar or workshop which concentrates on their current research. The series gives particular attention to themes highlighted by Vatican II. Previous speakers include Dr Margaret Somerville, Dr Janet Smith, Dr. Sarah Coakley, Dr. Arthur Peacocke, Dr. Gregory Baum, Dr. Mark R. Schwehn, Dr. Raymond Brown and Dr Stanley Jaki.

Dr. William Sweet, chair of the Christian Culture Lecture Series Committee, says that the breadth and depth of Dr Gaillardetz’s interests and expertise are remarkable, and that StFX is very fortunate to have a person of his stature as part of the Christian Culture lecture series. "Professor Gaillardetz’s interests engage central questions in the contemporary Catholic Church, particularly concerning ministry, ecumenism, and the nature and limits of authority. His reputation as a scholar and as a teacher and his extensive knowledge of the applications of the documents of the Second Vatican Council make him an ideal speaker for the Lecture Series.”

StFX celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 07:18:29

A crowd of around 100 people joined in a celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day at StFX on Jan. 18, 2012. Dr. Henry Bishop, the director of the Black Cultural Centre in Dartmouth, NS, delivered the keynote address, presenting “It Wasn’t Easy,” A Global/Nova Scotia Journey of Civil Rights.

L-r, Human Rights and Equity Advisor Marie Brunelle, Pat Skinner, Dr. Henry Bishop, Lorraine Reddick, and StFX Academic Vice-President and Provost, Dr. Mary McGillivray.

Dr. Henry Bishop

The event took place in the Schwartz School of Business Auditorium, and was sponsored by the Office of the Human Rights and Equity Advisor.

3rd Annual Health Matters Expo shines spotlight on health and wellness

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 06:58:03

A new year. A new you. If that was your New Year’s mantra, the 3rd annual Health Matters Expo taking place on campus the week of Jan. 16-20 is the place to be.

The Expo, coordinated through StFX’s Health and Counselling Centre with a committee that represents a broad cross-section of campus, will present a number of events across campus throughout the week.

Events will run the gamut from nutritional planning to stress busters.

“We’re hoping to keep health and wellness at the forefront and top of mind for students heading into the second semester,” says Health Centre director Angela Marshall.

“Health matters to everyone. It’s the baseline for a successful student experience.”

Committee members – it includes representatives from Student Services, faculty, the Peer Mentor program, Students’ Union, and Residence Life – have identified areas of interest to students and looked at health holistically, addressing issues from a number of perspectives.

The 2012 Health Matters Expo schedule includes:

Monday, January 16th, 2012. 7 p.m., 156 Price Waterhouse Room, Schwartz School of Business.
Relationships Matter - To Hook up or Not to Hook Up
The StFX debate team debates the pros and cons of Hooking Up. Special guest will be Dr. Angela Weaver, StFX Psychology Department

Tuesday, January 17th, 2012. SUB Cafe 8 – 10 p.m.
Music Matters
A night of music will be offered at the SUB Café with local artists such as Molly Thomason and others. This musical showcase will promote health and wellness through music.

Wednesday, January 18th, 2012. Wing Night at The Golden X Inn doors open at 8 p.m. and look for ‘ASK” volunteers in residence
Consent is Sexy
"Asking for consent-now that is Sexy"
Come to wing night at the Golden Inn and look for us in residence

Thursday, January 19th, 2012. MacKay Room, Bloomfield time 5 -7 p.m.
Stress Busters
Come have fun with the Peer Mentors - "Minute to Win it" Game Night and helpful information to reduce stress.

Friday, January 20th. Bloomfield, the Schwartz School of Business, and Morrison Hall
Nutrition
Meal Hall is a Ball - Celebrating physical activity and nutrition.
Look for us on campus at the Schwartz and Bloomfield buildings for information on "Portion Distortion" and "Finding Dinner in Your Fridge".

Coach Konchalski hits 800 win milestone

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 07:09:29

StFX men's basketball head coach Steve Konchalski – Coach K – earned his 800th career victory on home court with an 87-68 win over the UNB Varsity Reds on January 7, 2012 at the StFX Oland Centre.

“I am very proud of the accomplishment,” comments the veteran coach. “My original goal when I came to StFX was to produce high-caliber teams year in and year out, so this milestone is a good measurement of the success of that goal.”

Coach Konchalksi's X-Men remain undefeated this season with a 7-0 record and are currently ranked second in the nation. Coach Konchalski continues, “My main focus now is on the remainder of the AUS season. We are off to a strong start this year and it could be a special year, I am really looking forward to it.”

The milestone win came in Konchalski's 37th season, all of which have been spent behind the helm of the StFX X-Men. He currently has an all-time overall career coaching record (regular season, playoffs and non-conference) of 800 wins and 410 losses, coaching in over 1,200 CIS games. He is the winningest coach in CIS history.

Coach Konchalski has led the X-Men to 14 appearances at the CIS championships and has won three national titles (1993, 2000 and 2001). His X-Men have made 35 consecutive AUS playoff appearances and have won nine AUS championship titles.

Coach K was named the 2001 CIS Coach of the Year, has been honoured as AUS Coach of the Year on six occasions, and in 2010 received the CIS Jean-Marie DeKoninck Coaching Excellence award.

Outside of his StFX coaching experience, Coach Konchalski served as the Canadian national team head coach for four years (1995-98) and assistant coach for 16 years (1973-1988), participating in three Olympic Games (1976, 1984, and 1988). He is currently an advisor to the national team program as a member of the Basketball Canada Council of Excellence.

As a player, he led Acadia University to a national title in 1965 where he was named tournament MVP. A native of Elmhurst, NY, Coach K has been inducted into the StFX Sports Hall of Fame (2008, 2001), Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame (2007), Acadia Sports Hall of Fame (1994), Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame (1993) and was honored as the inaugural recipient of the Frank Baldwin Memorial Award for dedication to basketball in Nova Scotia in 1999.