Join for a presentation and dialogue with Pablo Aránguiz Mesías, a visiting research fellow of UPEI’s Young Lives Research Laboratory (YLRL). The presentation is us Thursday, June 8 at 10 am in room 246 of UPEI’s Don and Marion McDougall Hall. Aránguiz will be presenting about the the Wekimün Chilkatuwe School in Chiloé, Chile—a collaborative project of the YLRL and the General Council of Williche Chiefs of Chiloé.

“We are pleased and honoured to have Pablo with us as a Visiting Fellow,” said Dr. Kate Tilleczek, director of the YLRL. “He has been a central part of the team in our international and collaborative work to build and develop this unique intercultural school and curriculum with, for, and by the Williche youth and communities of southern Chile. Pablo’s visit will heighten our collaborations even further as we forge additional links with Indigenous communities on PEI and share together our respective lessons and questions about education and sustainable development in First Nations communities. The Wekimün School project has been a tremendous honour and learning experience. It is our hope that the YLRL and the Willche Council of Chiefs will witness many new roots taking hold from the foundations we have created together.”

Wekimün School, funded by Global Affairs Canada, aims to improve the quality of life of the Indigenous Williche youth, their families, and territories through intercultural educational initiatives. Its educational model seeks to integrate traditional-Indigenous and western-scientific knowledge into curricula and project-based learning programs.

Aránguiz, a professor at Wekimün School, holds a master’s degree in analysis and management of ecosystems from the University of Alicante in Spain. Aránguiz contributes to the development of a unique intercultural curriculum at Wekimün, teaches, and manages the school’s community-based education and sustainable development projects.

“It has been a privilege to be a direct witness and participate in the dialogue between the systems of traditional Williche and modern scientific knowledge. Wekimün, the new knowledge, has been possible thanks to the humility of those who have made available their life experiences to face the global problems that affect to all of us today,” said Aránguiz.

Professor Aránguiz will be visiting Prince Edward Island June 5-10. During his time, he will meet with and learn from scholars and members of the Indigenous communities on the Island. His presentation Thursday will give an overview of Wekimün School, including a multi-media display of photographs and video. There will be time for open questions and answers, and a dialogue about next steps in the collaboration.

The Young Lives Research Laboratory conducts qualitative research in the area of reimagining schools for and with marginalized youth, youth and technology, and youth and mental health. For more information on the lab, visit katetilleczek.ca.

The University of Prince Edward Island prides itself on people, excellence, and impact and is committed to assisting students reach their full potential in both the classroom and community. With roots stemming from two founding institutions—Prince of Wales College and Saint Dunstan’s University—UPEI has a reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and creating positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. UPEI is the only degree granting institution in the province and is proud to be a key contributor to the growth and prosperity of Prince Edward Island.

UPEI Women’s Hockey coach Bruce Donaldson is pleased to announce Leah Byrne, a forward from Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, has committed to play for the Panthers. Byrne recently won the Nova Scotia Female Midget AAA scoring title, notching 21 points in 18 games for the MacIntyre Chevy Panthers.

“Leah is not the tallest player in the program, but she competes very well and loves to win,” said coach Donaldson. “Leah has great vision for the game. She executes very well while moving the puck consistently to create better scoring opportunities.”

“I'm very excited to be attending UPEI and play for the women’s hockey team,” said Byrne. “It has always been a goal of mine to be able to play CIS women’s hockey and I am grateful to have this opportunity.”

The Insider’s Guide to Writing and Publishing for Young Readers is just a month away! Join us July 13-15 on beautiful Prince Edward Island for a workshop filled with practical suggestions and writing inspiration. Presented by Humber College and the University of Prince Edward Island with support from the Access Copyright Foundation, this workshop offers the inside scoop on the world of publishing and self-publishing in Canada.

Created by facilitators Cynthia Good and Rick Wilks, the workshop first ran in Charlottetown in 2015 as a partnership between Holland College and Toronto’s Humber College, home to the renowned Humber School for Writers and Creative Book Publishing program. This summer, UPEI and Humber are joining forces to offer an expanded workshop, building on the strengths of the original. More time will be devoted to writing feedback, and a special session has been added with kids’ book marketing expert Tom Ryan to highlight what every writer needs to know about getting their books into the hands of readers.

Each workshop day is divided into writing and publishing segments. The hours devoted to writing will provide the opportunity to get feedback on a work in progress, or to develop an outline for your book if you are in the development stage.

The publishing segments will look at the current Canadian book industry, explore traditional and self-publishing models, provide business details, and help you to construct a query letter for publishers and literary agents.

Each participant will leave the workshop with new directions for their manuscript, enriched knowledge of publishing, and an effective query letter.

You should attend if you find yourself asking these questions:

• Where can I get feedback on my kids’ manuscript?
• What’s the best way to publish my book?
• Which Canadian publishers may be interested in my work?
• How does self-publishing work and is it for me?
• What literary agents represent kids’ books?
• How can I market myself and my book?
• Can I learn about the publishing process for kids’ and adult books?
• How can I get a job in publishing?
• Where can I find help for my writing process?
• How can I find time to write?

About the facilitators:

Cynthia Good has been a leader in the publishing industry for many years. She was appointed the first editorial director of Penguin Books Canada and went on to become president and publisher. Over her twenty years with Penguin, she established a publishing program which grew into one of the most successful in Canada. After Penguin she joined Humber College.

At Humber, Cynthia developed the Creative Book Publishing program and mentored over 300 students. In 2014, she stepped down from that position to take on the newly created role of Director of Student and Industry Initiatives, which allowed her to focus on program and community outreach until retiring in 2016. In recognition of her accomplishments at Humber, she was named director emeritus and was awarded the Humber Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Rick Wilks co-founded Annick Press in 1975 and has been its sole director since 2000. Annick has been recognized as one of the most innovative publishers of fiction, non-fiction and picture books for children and young adults, publishing, among others, Robert Munsch, Sharon McKay, Kathy Stinson, Allan Stratton and Kevin Sylvester. Rick oversees all aspects of the publishing process, with a special emphasis on acquisitions.

His publishing philosophy stresses projects that are dynamic and developed to the highest literary standards. A joy of reading experience is essential to capture the minds and hearts of youth. Annick titles encourage critical thinking and the development of children’s inner resources so that, in addition to becoming confident, contributing members of their communities, they are also engaged with society at large and their peers around the globe. Annick was recently nominated for International Publisher of the Year.

Rick also co-founded the National Reading Campaign, where he has served as co-chair and currently sits as a board member. The Campaign’s goal of advocating for reading as a national public good addresses one of Rick’s highest priorities.

For more information, including details on the workshop, accommodations, and how to register, visit creativearts.humber.ca/pei.

Did you know that bats are the only mammals that fly, and eat about 500 mosquitoes in an evening meal?  Learn more about these important animals with Jordi Segers, of the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, at the Atlantic Veterinary College (Room 286A/287) on Tuesday, June 13, at 7 pm.

Mr. Segers will give an engaging presentation about the bats of PEI and the world. He will share information on why bats are critically important to us and the world's ecosystems, explain why they are our true super heroes and what you can do in your own backyard to help PEI bats.

Everyone is welcome. Admission is free, and refreshments will be served. For information, call (902) 566-0589.

The UPEI Senate and Board of Governors has elevated the status of the UPEI School of Nursing from “School” to “Faculty” effectively immediately. The former School will now be known as the UPEI Faculty of Nursing.

Faculty members were strongly in favour of the status change when proposing it to the University's governing bodies. They cited the expansion of nursing programs, in particular graduate studies, and curriculum grounded in the philosophy of primary health care, and research as reasons for the change.

“This change is in recognition of the excellence in education, research and scholarly endeavours of faculty, and exponential growth of the nursing programs at undergraduate and graduate levels, creating a gold-standard educational journey for our students,” said Dr. Gulrose Jiwani, Dean of Nursing. “Our students enter their profession well-prepared and ready to contribute to the betterment of our communities at home and around the world, with demonstrated leadership and responsiveness to the health needs, cultural values, and diversity of our populations.”

With yearly enrolment exceeding 300 students, the Faculty is now home to 45 professionals, including tenure-track faculty; adjunct graduate faculty; clinical and sessional instructors; coordinators, and administrative assistants dedicated to advancing the UPEI Faculty of Nursing’s mission and vision.

“Over the past five years, the UPEI Faculty of Nursing has garnered more than $15 million in research funding,” said Vice-President Academic and Research Robert Gilmour. “As well, partnership agreements enable our Nursing students to participate in off-island placements across Canada and around the world.”

Founded in 1992, the former UPEI School of Nursing transformed nursing education on Prince Edward Island by moving it from the diploma to the baccalaureate level. With its humble beginnings offering a Bachelor of Science in Nursing to 16 students, the UPEI Faculty of Nursing has evolved to offer two undergraduate nursing-degree programs; a Master of Nursing program with thesis and nurse practitioner streams; post-graduate certificate courses; and an indigenized curriculum.

In celebration of its 25 years of accomplishments, the UPEI Faculty of Nursing will host a reception and gala dinner on June 29, 2017, click here for more information. 

The Department of Athletics and Recreation at the University of Prince Edward Island is seeking nominations for the UPEI Sports Hall of Fame. The nomination deadline is June 23, 2017, at 11:59 pm.

The UPEI Sports Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the athletics programs at the University of Prince Edward Island, Saint Dunstan’s University, or Prince of Wales College. Individual athletes, teams, and builders will be inducted on November 9, 2017 to honour their athletic success and community leadership.

The UPEI Sports Hall of Fame, in co-operation with the University Archives, welcomes donations of PWC, SDU, and UPEI sports memorabilia (photos, programs, clippings, crests, trophies/awards, etc.) on a year-round basis. Selected items will be displayed on site at the Hall of Fame or online.

To nominate or to discuss donations, please contact Ron Annear at (902) 566-0991, annear@upei.ca, or visit gopanthersgo.ca.

In July of this year, the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association will hold its annual conference on PEI, and AVC is proud to be part of this great event. During the conference, the College will host an All-Years Alumni Reunion on Friday, July 14, at 7 p.m., in The McCain Foundation Learning Commons.

In anticipation of the reunion, AVC has launched the first annual AVC Alumni Challenge Cup, a friendly and fun fundraising challenge to recognize the DVM class with the greatest proportion of grads who donate a $25 gift or more to the College. The winning class will be awarded the inaugural AVC Alumni Challenge Cup at the reunion. This is a great way for AVC alumni to show their pride in their class and their school!

At the reunion, alumni will have the chance to learn about the new AVC Alumni Association, a great way to stay in touch with their alma mater and classmates. For more information or to get involved, please contact Anthony Gill, manager of alumni engagement for UPEI, at adgill@upei.ca or Janice MacWilliam, special events coordinator for AVC, at jmacwilliam@upei.ca.

The School of Sustainable Design Engineering (SSDE) at UPEI has been granted accreditation from the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB). The CEAB accredits undergraduate engineering programs to ensure they provide the academic requirements for licensure as a professional engineer in Canada.

Wayne MacQuarrie, national chair of the CEAB, is an alumnus of UPEI and a member of the first graduating class of engineers, receiving his diploma in 1972.

“One of the things that’s unique about this particular program is the whole concept of project-based learning—essentially a move away from your traditional engineering education in a classroom setting,” said MacQuarrie. “And what we’re seeing, when we’re doing our accreditation visits across the country, is more and more moving away from traditional engineering instruction and more and more project-based learning, so UPEI is really on the cutting edge. I think what we’ll find, now that the program is accredited, there will be many more institutions looking at this particular model.”

“This has been a tremendous journey and I am so pleased that our School of Sustainable Design Engineering has been granted accreditation,” said Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, president and vice-chancellor of UPEI. “Our program is second-to-none and it's been a real pleasure working with faculty, staff, and students to create this future-focused school.”

“The accreditation of our program by the CEAB is the final stamp of approval on our unique educational model,” said Dr. Nicholas Krouglicof, associate dean of the SSDE. “This isn't your grandfather’s engineering. Our students learn in an activity-oriented, project-based learning environment. They’re engaged in real-world design projects with external clients for every semester of the program.”

The CEAB exists to ensure Canada’s engineering education system remains amongst the best in the world. It sets national standards for engineering education and provides expertise and efficiency in assessing engineering education on behalf of the provincial and territorial engineering regulatory bodies.

UPEI’s School of Sustainable Design Engineering is for students who are eager to put their skills and knowledge to work. Students are part of a unique learning experience that is hands-on, team-focused, project-based, and industry-linked.

The University of Prince Edward Island prides itself on people, excellence, and impact and is committed to assisting students reach their full potential in both the classroom and community. With roots stemming from two founding institutions—Prince of Wales College and Saint Dunstan’s University—UPEI has a reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and creating positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. UPEI is the only degree granting institution in the province and is proud to be a key contributor to the growth and prosperity of Prince Edward Island.

Samantha Sweet, an MSc student in UPEI’s Department of Chemistry, recently presented her master’s research at the 100^th annual Canadian Chemistry Conference in Toronto. Her presentation, “Fluorescence-based Trace Detection in Natural Waters on Prince Edward Island” was awarded Best Poster Presentation in the environmental division. Sweet is supervised by Dr. Brian Wagner.

Congratulations, Samantha!

The University of Prince Edward Island welcomes Bruce Rainnie as the inaugural Applied Communications, Leadership, and Culture (ACLC) practitioner. Bruce will hold the title of Journalist in Residence, delivering guest lectures and workshops associated with ACLC courses.

Defined by its focus on the transferability of communication skills, leadership training, and cultural awareness, the objective of the ACLC program is to bridge those skills, acquired during the pursuit of a Liberal Arts education, to the world beyond academia.

The program includes the appointment of an individual, well accomplished in their respective field, to serve as an in-house practitioner. As the program’s first Journalist in Residence, Rainnie brings his vast experience as a reporter and broadcaster for CBC and as host of CBC News: Compass, a position he held for 13 years. He has been a CBC Sports announcer for numerous sporting events including seven Olympics.

“Mr. Rainnie will be able to provide insightful, real-life experiences and training to our students. While on campus, he will be able to interact and have one-on-one conversations with students; he will also present the end-of-year ACLC public lecture,” says Vice-President Academic and Research Robert Gilmour.

The ACLC program will strongly encourage students to explore their individual interests and career ambitions. They will also be supported to pursue experiential learning opportunities through international exchange and practicum experiences. Over the course of the degree program, students will build expertise desired by employers to effectively respond to modern workplace demands.

“I am thrilled to serve UPEI and its students in this capacity,” said Rainnie. “I look forward to sharing my skills and experience with ACLC students and serving as a guest lecturer. I couldn’t be more pleased to still be ‘anchored’ to the Island community, thanks to UPEI, and I am very proud to be a part of and contribute to the University.”