SAINT MARY'S STUDENTS, staff and faculty gathered in the McNally Theatre Auditorium to celebrate the success of this year’s LEAP Program and to hear the announcement of a generous gift that will allow Saint Mary’s to take this proactive two-year pilot program to the next level. Universities have a range of programs to support first year students who face academic difficulties. The LEAP Program (Learning, Engagement, Achievement and Peer Mentors), addresses these difficulties before they occur through dynamic First-Year Learning Communities that help new students establish the academic, social and life skills essential to a successful transition from high school. Click here for more.

Helping cut the ceremonial first piece of cake during the LEAP celebration Feb. 3 are mentor Novaliyando Endryko, students Paige Pedersen and Cristina Gilbert and The Windsor Foundation Board member Larry Hayes

KAREN MINER, a sustainable development specialist and a board member with the Nova Scotia Nature Trust, has been named the new Managing Director of the University’s Master of Management, Co-operatives and Credit Unions program.  She replaces Tom Webb, the program’s founding member, who recently retired. Ms. Miner says she is lucky to be starting in the position during the International Year of Co-operatives, given the enhanced opportunities for collaborations and the many exciting events that will occur. Ms. Miner hopes her experience in business management, governance and corporate responsibilities will be reflected in the work she does with students. She begins as Managing Director on February 27.

A SPECIAL CEREMONY hosted by the Confucius Institute was held February 3 to mark the end of Chinese New Year's and welcome the Year of the Dragon. The Lantern Festival offered guests a taste of traditional Chinese festivities and an introduction to several Chinese cultural activities. Three students treated the crowd to a special piece of music The Present Night . The composition is traditionally played in China at the time of the New Year. The Chinese New Year is marked by a Spring Festival that begins each year on the first day of the first month in the traditional lunar calendar.  This year that celebration was held on January 15th in the McNally Theater Auditorium.   The holiday ends 15 days later with a Lantern Festival.

Students at Saint Mary's University play a traditional piece of Chinese music to mark the end of the New Year's celebrations.

HEATHER FITZPATRICK, Saint Mary’s Director of Development, shared etiquette tips with Sobey School of Business students at the recent Accounting Society Etiquette Dinner. The event, attended by 75 people, provided attendees with  a do and don’t guide when attending a corporate dinner or being interviewed at a restaurant. Tips included everything from determining which roll is yours at the table to the proper use a napkin.

Heather Fitzpatrick shares etiquette tips with Sobey School of Business students.

THERE ARE ALWAYS GREAT SPEAKERS coming to speak at Saint Mary's functions, but there are several of special note coming in the next six weeks. Snap up your tickets before these events are sold out.

DR. IRWIN SIMON (BA '79), President and Chief Executive Officer of Hain Celestial Group Inc., a leader in natural and organic food, and personal care will be the keynote speaker at the 38th Annual Commerce Society Business Dinner. Dr. Simon's company was named one of Fortune Magazine’s 100 Fastest Growing Companies in 2000 and one of the 200 Best Small Companies in 2004 by Forbes Magazine. The dinner will take place March 5 at the World Trade and Convention Centre. The Annual Commerce Society Dinner gives students and members of the business community the opportunity to interact. To buy tickets.

THE SKY WILL BE THE LIMIT for the Annual Sobey Leadership Forum when guest speakers, Robert J. Deluce, President & CEO, Porter Airlines, and Peter Spurway, Vice President Corporate Communications, Halifax International Airport Authority, share their insights on business and leadership on Thursday, March 8 at  Casino Nova Scotia.

An innovator in the airline industry, Mr. Deluce founded Porter Airlines in October 2006.Since then, ‘the little airline that could’ has delivered more than 2 million passengers to popular destinations in Canada and the US and was rated second in the world in Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers' Choice Awards in the Top Small Airlines category. For more details on the event click here.

Barb Stegemann, The Chief Executive Officer of The 7 Virtues Beauty Inc and author of The 7 Virtues of a Philosopher Queen, now in its third edition, will be the featured speaker at Saint Mary’s University Sobey Executive MBA Program dinner presentation.

The event will occur on Friday, February 17, at The World Trade & Convention Centre. Stegemann will share how she built her company on the belief that business is the missing link to building peace .

Stegemann became a household name after appearing on top rated reality show Dragon’s Den where her innovation and persistence landed her in the history books as the first Atlantic Canadian to land a venture capital deal.  Her ideas also managed to bring the Dragons to tears.  Click here for more.

IT’S OFFICIAL!  On April 18th, you will have the opportunity to dine with a Dragon.   Robert Herjavec has been announced as the keynote speaker for this year’s Halifax Entrepreneurship Expo.  Herjavec, who  is a venture capitalist on Canada’s most popular reality show, Dragon’s Den, is also  one of most recognizable business leaders in North America.  Phil Calvert of Calvert Events made the announcement at Saint Mary’s University on February 7th.
This year’s expo show will once again include an entrepreneur’s  trade show with educational sessions during the day and the signature gala dinner that evening at the World Trade and Convention Centre

Dr. Irwin Simon will be the keynote speaker at this year's Commerce Society Dinner.

Robert Deluce, President & CEO, Porter Airlines

Barb Stegemann, CEO The 7 Virtues Beauty Inc and author of The 7 Virtues of a Philosopher Queen

HERE'S YOUR CHANCE to see the world while earning university credits.  Saint Mary’s University is offering students the opportunity to take advantage of their Exchange Programs.  You can study at one of SMU’s partner universities overseas for a semester, a summer or even a year while transferring academic credits to your degree. There are twenty different countries to choose from including, France, Germany, Brazil, China.  Many of the courses available at these universities are even offered in English.
Worried about the cost of traveling abroad?  Don’t be.  There is funding available through the Mobility Awards.  Deadline to apply is February 10th.   To learn more, click here.

 

STAYING CONNECTED just got a little easier for visiting professors and students.  Saint Mary’s University has just launched a new wireless service called “Eduroam” that will allow students, staff and faculty to connect to a wireless internet service outside of the University without having to set up a guest account on that computer. Eduroam is offered at many universities across the world and can be accessed when visiting other Eduroam affiliated institutions. Members of the Saint Mary’s University community who’d like to use Eduroam when traveling should configure their device prior to leaving.  To learn more, click here. 

CONGRATULATIONS to Professor Jean Helms Mills of the Sobey School of Business.  The management professor has been appointed Senior Research Fellow at the prestigious Hanken University in Helsinki, Finland.   This is the third year in a row Mills has been selected to fill the position.   Mills will travel to Finland throughout the year for guest lectures, collaborations with the Finnish Management scholars and will so some teaching in the PhD program. 

ALMOST 50 students from Saint Mary’s University’s Habitat for Humanity Society are traveling to Laredo, Texas to help build a home for a lower income family.  Laredo is a city that lies on the border of the United States and Mexico and around 30% of its population fall below the poverty line.  The HFH Society will be leaving on February 17.   To help support their endeavor,they will be holding a silent auction at the Khyber on February 10 from 8pm-11pm.  There will be amazing items to bid on, as well as some live entertainment from Scottie Penton and the Cheap Gang.  All are welcome to come out and support.  The HFH Society has the opportunity to change the lives of many families both here in Halifax and around the world. 

IF YOU'RE PLANNING to graduate this Spring with your Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce or Bachelor of Science, then we want to hear from you!  Saint Mary's University is looking for feedback on your student experience at the University. A survey being conducted for Saint Mary's by CUSC/PRA should be arriving in your email inbox shortly.  Fill it out and let us know how being a part of the Saint Mary's community has helped change your life.  For taking part in the survey, your name will be entered into a draw to win one of four preloaded VISA gift cards valued at $150 each!

SAINT MARY'S CURLERS ARE HITTING THE ROAD in search of national recognition. Students Amanda Colter and Laura Kennedy will be representing Nova Scotia at the M&M 2012 Canadian Junior Curling Championships held in Napanee Ontario February 4 - 12.  Both girls play for Team Dwyer.  The event will be carried throughout the week via the internet and the finals will air live on TSN on February 11. As well, the Saint Mary's Women’s Curling team is off the CCA/CIS National Championships in St. Catherines Ontario March 14 - 18 The team is made up of skip Anita Casey, third Sara Safford, second Mackenzie Proctor and lead Julia Williams.