UPEI Men's Hockey Head Coach Forbes MacPherson is pleased to announce that Halifax Mooseheads star forwards Darcy Ashley and Brent Andrews have committed to join the Panthers for the 2014-15 season.

'Our UPEI Men's hockey program is very proud to add top quality individuals and players like Brent and Darcy,' said MacPherson. 'These two guys are winners, they are strong and responsible players in all facets of the game, and they are proud Islanders. This is a great announcement for the future of our program.'

Ashley, a native of Alberton, and Andrews of Hunter River, are completing their final season in the QMJHL with Halifax. The two were key contributors to the Mooseheads' QMJHL Championship and Memorial Cup Championship wins last season.

For Andrews, choosing UPEI for the next step in his hockey career was a decision that came down to a desire to help build a championship team in his home province.

'It will be great to be part of something special at UPEI. Islanders are hard working hockey people and true hockey fans that deserve a championship,' said Andrews, a 6'2,' 205 lb centre and a 7th-round draft choice of NHL's Nashville Predators. 'It will be nice to be able to play at home after five years of being away.'

Ashley said playing with the Panthers is an honour and is hoping to add to his championship résumé.

'After winning (the Memorial Cup), you are always left with a taste for it and the will to keep winning,' said the 5'5,' 175 lb right winger who has scored over 20 goals in each of the past two seasons with the Mooseheads. 'It would be great to win a championship at home and play in front of family and friends on a regular basis. The team has been taking great steps forward and I hope to be a big part of the next steps.'

As for fitting in at the university level, Ashley said he is willing to play whatever role the coaching staff demands of him.

'The AUS is a gritty, fast-paced league. Hard work will take a person a long way and I plan on being ready to produce and help bring the team success,' said Ashley, who was named 2012-13 'Hardest Working Player' in the QMJHL.

Both forwards are in the midst of career-best seasons in the QMJHL. Andrews has 16 goals and 37 points, while Ashley has contributed 14 goals and 41 points. Though they will remain focused on the remainder of their junior season, the pair will be keeping a close eye on the Panthers.

'The Panthers have a lot of talent and character and are an exciting team to watch. Darcy and I often talk about it, and we are excited to be part of it all next season,' said Andrews.

'We are pleased that Darcy and Brent have both committed to UPEI and to Panther Hockey. Having followed both of their careers, there is no doubt that the addition of these two quality individuals will have a significant impact not just in the arena but on the UPEI campus as well,' said UPEI Athletics and Recreation Director Bill Schurman. 'This opportunity to add quality individuals with character, talent, and experience, combined with deep Island roots will contribute to a bright future.'

Special holiday offerings are now available from UPEI Athletics and Recreation for a UPEI Men's Hockey season pass for the remaining regular season games for only $99. Purchasers get to pick their seat and have first option on playoff seating. For more information, visit Panther Central or call 566-0368.

For information:
Ron Annear
UPEI Athletics & Recreation
(902) 566-0991
annear@upei.ca

The University of Prince Edward Island and the College of Comparative Study at Japan's University of Tsukuba signed an agreement earlier this year that provides students with worthwhile international exchange opportunities.

Rose Leger, fourth-year arts student at UPEI, was selected for the exchange program and will spend a semester in Japan, before returning home in February. Leger was also the lone student selected by the University of Tsukuba to receive the Takase Scholarship for visiting students, which will help support her stay in Japan. She will be focusing on gender and cultural studies and she is thrilled to have the opportunity to be exposed to Japan's culture.

'I do not know if my slight understanding of Japanese culture is Hollywood based from movies and TV shows, so I am looking forward to experiencing the culture firsthand,' said Leger before departing for Japan.

Japanese students Aya Jonen and Koudai Kai arrived in PEI for the Fall semester and immediately noticed the friendliness of both UPEI and PEI. For fourth-year student Jonen, her love for Anne of Green Gables brought her to PEI, as she is currently working on an honours thesis on Lucy Maud Montgomery's fictional character. Kai, a third-year student who studied religion, politics, history, and women's studies while on PEI appreciated UPEI's course structure as it fit in nicely with his schedule, and provided him with the opportunity to get involved in campus-life activities.

'This is the beginning of a longstanding relationship, with plenty of opportunities for students from Canada and Japan, now and in the future,' said UPEI International Partnerships Coordinator Sherilyn Acorn-LeClair.

The UPEI and University of Tsukuba agreement has been in effect since the Fall semester, and will remain in effect for an initial five-year period. Interested students are asked to contact Sherilyn at (902) 894-2837 or sdacorn@upei.ca.

UPEI congratulates Panther curling skips Veronica Smith and Kyle Holland who claimed the PEPSI Provincial Junior (Under 21) Curling Championships with their respective teams on Monday, December 23, 2013. Smith defended her title while Holland beat the defending champion Tyler Smith and his Montague Curling Club team. These wins certainly boost the teams' confidence as they get set to take part in the 2014 Atlantic University Curling Championship (AUCC), January 3-5, 2014 at the Capital Winter Club in Fredericton, New Brunswick.

The tournament, hosted by the University of New Brunswick, will see six women's teams and five men's teams compete for the right to represent Atlantic Canada at the national CIS/CCA University Curling Championship.

The UPEI women's curling team consisting of skip Veronica Smith, third Jane DiCarlo, second Emily Gray, and lead Aleya Quilty, will take on Saint Mary's University in their first game of the competition at 7:00 pm on Friday, January 3, 2014. The winner will then compete against St. Francis Xavier University on Saturday, January 4 at 9:00 am. The women's team is coached by Paul Smith.

On the men's side, skip Kyle Holland, third Connor MacPhee, second Andrew Cameron, and lead Taylor McInnis will meet Memorial University in their first match on January 3 at 7:00 pm. The winner will advance to the semifinal match on January 4 at 7:00 pm.

UPEI wishes both teams the best of luck as they compete for one of two spots to represent Atlantic Canada at the CIS/CCA University Curling Championship, March 19-23 in Regina, Saskatchewan.

Go Panthers Go!

For information:

Ron Annear

UPEI Athletics & Recreation

(902) 566-0991, annear@upei.ca

The UPEI Wind Symphony performed its final recital of the Fall semester at the end of November at the St. Dunstan's Basilica in downtown Charlottetown. The change in venue ensured all Wind Symphony patrons were able to attend and can take advantage of the architectural and aesthetic beauty that St. Dunstan's offers.

Under the direction of Dr. Karem Simon, the Wind Symphony performed several symphonic masterworks of the wind band genre-one of the most ambitious Fall programs in its history. Among the featured works was 'Endurance' by the American composer Timothy Mahr. According to the composer, the work is a musical reflection upon the infinite endurance of the human spirit, the religious spirit, and the spirit of the earth. Initial inspiration for the piece came from a book of the same title by Alfred Lansing documenting the amazing story of the ill-fated expedition of the Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton in 1914-1916. His ship, the Endurance, became ice-bound and eventually sank, stranding Shackleton and his crew of 27. They experienced over 15 months of life exposed to the unrelenting, dangerous Antarctic weather, and, miraculously survived to tell it. The strength of character exhibited by these men in enduring incredible hardships is truly awe-inspiring.

Click here for a video of the performance that drew crowds - young and old - as part of the UPEI Wind Symphony's community outreach and engagement.

Over 400 guests were welcomed by a large group of international students and treated to some food from different countries at the University of Prince Edward Island's New Year's Day levee, reflecting UPEI's growing multicultural campus.

UPEI Alumni Association President Bruce Davison, UPEI President and Vice-Chancellor Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, and UPEI Board of Governors Chair Tom Cullen hosted the annual New Year's Day event in Don and Marion McDougall Hall's Schurman Market Square.

At the next Research on Tap, join us for a discussion about gender, sex, and equality. Dr. Ann Braithwaite, associate professor and coordinator of Women's Studies, will lead a discussion titled 'What is equality anyways?'

The event discussion begins at 7:00 pm, Tuesday, January 7 at The Pourhouse, above The Old Triangle Irish Alehouse in Charlottetown.

Sound interesting? Join us.

Research on Tap is a series of public discussions with UPEI researchers. For more information, contact Dave Atkinson at 620-5117, or datkinson@upei.ca

For information:
Dave Atkinson
Research Communications
Officer, UPEI
(902) 620-5117, datkinson@upei.ca

UPEI Athletics and Recreation announced the UPEI Panther Athletes of the Week for the week of December 30-January 5. UPEI Athletics and Recreation showcases these talented athletes to recognize their hard work and dedication to their respective sports throughout the season. UPEI Athletes of the Week are also nominated to Atlantic University Sport and Canadian Interuniversity Sport for possible recognition in the region and/or country.

Who: Women's Curling Team; and Brian Ofori, Men's Basketball

What: UPEI Panther Athletes of the Week

When: Week of December 30-January 5

Why: The UPEI women's curling team won the 'B' pool final at the Atlantic University Curling Championships hosted by UNB on January 3-5. The Veronica Smith skipped team earned the right to represent the Atlantic region at the CIS University Curling Championship in Regina, Saskatchewan on March 19-23. In the championship game, UPEI took two in the 9th and then stole one in the 10th for the win. The team finished with a 3-1 record. Team members include business student and skip Veronica Smith of Breadalbane; science student and third Jane DiCarlo of Charlottetown; science student and second Emily Gray of O'Leary, and science student and lead Aleya Quilty of Charlottetown. All members are enrolled in their second year of study at UPEI.

Brian Ofori, a second-year arts student from Montreal, Quebec, was selected as an All-Star at the Rod Shoveller Memorial Basketball Tournament. The Panthers placed second with two wins and one loss, where Ofori averaged 11 points and six rebounds over the three games, and was a very physical and defensive presence. Ofori was previously selected as a UPEI Athlete of the Week for the week of October 7-13.

The Women's Curling Team and Ofori will be recognized at this week's UPEI Athletes of the Week Celebration on Thursday, January 9 at 12:45 pm in the W.A. Murphy Student Centre's McMillan Hall. All are welcome.

Panther Action this weekend:
Friday, January 10
6:00 pm (W) Basketball vs. CBU
7:00 pm (M) Hockey @ UNB
8:00 pm (M) Basketball vs. CBU

Saturday, January 11
6:00 pm (W) Basketball @ SMU
7:00 pm (M) Hockey @ STU
8:00 pm (M) Basketball vs. SMU

Sunday, January 12
4:00 pm (W) Hockey @ MtA

Watch Panther games live at http://austv.ca/

Go Panthers Go!

Veronica Smith, UPEI women's curling skip

UPEI's Winter's Tales Authors' Reading Series kicks off the 2014 season with a public reading on February 6 at 7:30 pm in the Confederation Centre Public Library by UPEI writer-in-residence Don Gayton. An ecologist and award-winning nature and science writer, Gayton will be at UPEI from February 3-8, with his residence hosted by the Department of English and the Environmental Studies Program.

Canadian radio broadcaster Stuart McLean describes Gayton as 'having the eye of a scientist and the soul of a poet.'

Gayton will also deliver two public writing workshops on Saturday, February 8, in the UPEI Faculty Lounge, Main Building. The workshops are entitled 'Nature Writing: where do we go from here?' and 'Ecology As Literature: how ecology provides new material for writers of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.'

For further information about his workshops and reading, and to register for workshops, contact the English Department at 566-0389 or tjohnston@upei.ca.

For information:
Dr. Richard Lemm
Professor, Department of English
University of Prince Edward Island
(902) 566-0592
rlemm@upei.ca

The PEI Urban Red Fox Research Project needs Islanders to keep reporting their sightings of red foxes to upei.ca/redfox. Each reported sighting helps us better understand our red fox population, and how it interacts with humans on Prince Edward Island.

Since the launch of upei.ca/redfox in the fall of 2012, Islanders have reported more than 1600 sightings of red foxes. With this valuable data, the research team has discovered areas of high red fox activity in urban areas and has identified possible den sites for further research. More data would allow the PEI Urban Fox Research Team to discover even more about this species, including possible public health concerns.

It takes just a few minutes. If you spot a red fox on Prince Edward Island, visit upei.ca/redfox. Fill out the simple form, and you've made an important contribution to UPEI research.

To report a sighting by mail, request a form by calling 566-0602.

For Information:
Dave Atkinson, Research Communications
(902) 620-5117, datkinson@upei.ca

The UPEI Men's Hockey Panthers will soon have a new face in the lineup with the addition of right-winger Nick Czinder from West Bloomfield, Michigan.

At 6'5" and 235lb, Czinder says his game is at its best when he is using his size and strength to create traffic in front of the net, as well as being strong on the puck along the boards in both ends of the rink.

'The strength of my game is being hard on pucks, working down low on the cycle and creating offensive chances by working hard,' said Czinder, who scored 13 goals last year in the OHL while splitting time between Kitchener and Peterborough. He had 15 goals with the Windsor Spitfires in 2011-12. Czinder finished last season in the East Coast Hockey League with San Francisco.

UPEI Head Coach Forbes MacPherson says he has been was working for a number of months recruiting Czinder and having him enrolled at the University is welcome news for the future of the men's hockey program.

'Nick plays with a high competitive level, plays in the tough areas, will wear down opponents and be a presence in front of the net,' says MacPherson. 'The game he plays will be a great complement to our team's style of play.'

As the power forward has been recovering from injury, MacPherson says he wants to wait until Czinder is fully ready to go before inserting him into the lineup.

'This isn't an easy league to just jump into, so we want to have Nick in game shape and fully ready to go before we put him into uniform,' MacPherson says. 'From what we have seen in practice, we like how he skates and moves the puck. He will be a welcome addition to the lineup.'

Czinder says he is impressed with the high quality of hockey in the Atlantic Conference and he is adapting well to life on Canada's east coast. He says he is adjusting to the routine of being a student while getting back into game shape, but he says the weather is taking some getting used to.

'I've seen more snow in my first week here then I am accustomed to, but everyone has been very friendly and welcoming which has made the transition much easier.'

UPEI Athletics and Recreation Director Bill Schurman praised the addition of Czinder to the UPEI family. 'I would like to welcome Nick to the University of Prince Edward Island. I know he will be a great addition to our men's hockey program and to our friendly Island campus,' says Schurman.

For information:
Ron Annear
UPEI Athletics & Recreation
(902) 566-0991
annear@upei.ca