2026 Huskies Sport Hall of Fame Inductee: Dr. James "Skip" Oliver BA'67 LLD'02
2026 Huskies Sport Hall of Fame Inductee: Megan Kinsman BComm'07, Rugby
185 learning opportunities connect Atlantic students with real-world challenges through Experience Ventures
Students across Atlantic Canada will have access to 185 opportunities to tackle real-world challenges with innovative businesses and organizations while building the problem-solving, collaboration, creativity and adaptability skills needed to thrive in a changing world.
For the third year, the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre at Saint Mary's University is bringing 185 experiential learning opportunities, offering honorariums to students across Atlantic Canada through its continued partnership with Experience Ventures for the 2026–27 program year.
Powered by the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking at the University of Calgary and funded in part through the Government of Canada's Innovative Work-Integrated Learning Initiative, Experience Ventures connects post-secondary students with businesses and organizations through hands-on learning experiences. Students apply their knowledge to real challenges, develop entrepreneurial thinking and contribute meaningful solutions while earning an honorarium.
The renewed partnership will expand opportunities for students at universities and colleges across Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador. At the same time, businesses gain access to talented students who bring fresh perspectives, creative ideas and new approaches to complex challenges.
Student Success
Experience Ventures gives students the opportunity to take what they’ve learned in the classroom and put it into practice through real-world projects with businesses and organizations.
For students like Subhan Nadeem, a Saint Mary’s student who took part in the Fall 2025 Project-Based Experience, the program provided an opportunity to apply his computer science knowledge to a real business challenge. During his placement, Subhan developed a tool for lead generation and email automation, using his knowledge of algorithms, APIs and AI systems to create a practical solution for a client.
A student presents at the Sustainable Retail Hackathon, an Experience Ventures event at Saint Mary’s in 2025
“The most impactful part of my Experience Ventures placement was developing an AI-driven solution for a business. It allowed me to combine my technical knowledge with real-world problem-solving, directly contributing to a client’s business growth.”
For Subhan, the impact extended beyond the placement itself. The hands-on experience strengthened his interest in technology development, AI and entrepreneurship, while giving him practical experience he can carry into his future career.
“I would gladly participate again. This experience helped me apply my technical skills to real business challenges … and gave me valuable hands-on experience for my future career.”
Stories like Subhan’s demonstrate the value of experiential learning: students gain more than experience for their resumes. They develop the confidence, adaptability, problem-solving skills and entrepreneurial mindset needed to navigate an evolving world of work.
The Impact of Experience Ventures
Experience Ventures continues to create meaningful connections between students, businesses and organizations across Atlantic Canada. Through hands-on projects and paid experiential learning opportunities, students gain practical experience while organizations benefit from fresh perspectives and new ideas.
Impact from 2024–26
Students engaged: 335
Businesses and organizations engaged: 84
Atlantic provinces served: 4
Honorariums awarded: $198,350
Student satisfaction: 96.4%
These results highlight the growing impact of experiential learning across the region and the strength of the partnerships that make these opportunities possible.
“The broad reach of the Experience Ventures program is only possible through the strength of our national partner network. We are delighted to have our regional lead school, Saint Mary's University, leading the expansion of our program across Atlantic Canada,” said Sarah Topps, Senior Director, Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives (Acting), Experience Ventures.
Through its continued partnership with Experience Ventures, the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre is helping bring these opportunities to more students across the region while strengthening connections between post-secondary institutions and the business community.
“Experience Ventures gives students the opportunity to move beyond the classroom and tackle real challenges alongside innovative businesses. These experiences help students build confidence, strengthen their entrepreneurial mindset and develop the skills employers value most: the ability to collaborate, adapt, take initiative and find creative solutions. We're excited to continue expanding these opportunities across Atlantic Canada,” said Michael Sanderson, Director, Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre.
Students participated in a Engineering Hackathon in partnership with Qalam Health Solutions in 2025
Learning by Doing
Experience Ventures is built around entrepreneurial thinking, identifying opportunities, approaching challenges creatively, taking initiative, collaborating with others and developing innovative solutions.
For students like Subhan, these experiences show how classroom concepts translate into solving real business problems. Working directly with organizations helps students navigate ambiguity, communicate across disciplines and apply their knowledge in practical settings.
These capabilities are increasingly valuable across every industry and help prepare students for their careers from day one.
Five Ways to Gain Experience
Students can participate in one of five experiential learning opportunities:
Hackathons – One- or two-day intensive events where teams solve real business and social innovation challenges.
Challenges – Multi-week interdisciplinary projects where students develop solutions for partner organizations.
Project Experiences – Part-time placements where students complete defined projects with businesses over up to 80 hours.
Student-in-Residence Placements – Opportunities to work with multiple businesses during a term, gaining diverse industry experience.
Interdisciplinary Team Projects – Collaborative placements where students from different academic backgrounds work together to solve complex business challenges.
The 2026–27 program includes 185 opportunities across these five streams. Recruitment began in the summer for Project Experiences, Interdisciplinary Team Projects and Student-in-Residence Placements, while Hackathons and Challenges will launch throughout the fall.
Why Businesses Participate
Experience Ventures helps organizations access talented students from a wide range of disciplines who bring curiosity, creativity and fresh perspectives to real business challenges.
By working alongside students, businesses can explore new ideas, advance projects and gain insight from the next generation of innovators, while helping shape the skills and experiences students need to succeed.
“We're not hiring students just yet, but if an opportunity arose, we would hire the intern who worked on our project. It's a great way to get to know someone in a professional capacity in a very low-risk environment,” said Kevin Buchan of Novastorms Data Analytics Inc.
For businesses, Experience Ventures is more than an opportunity to get support on a project. It provides a chance to build relationships with emerging talent, see students in action and discover potential future employees
Get Involved
Students and businesses interested in participating are encouraged to submit an interest form to receive updates on upcoming opportunities and application dates.
Eligible participants must be undergraduate students enrolled at a Canadian post-secondary institution and legally entitled to work in Canada. Students may participate in one Experience Ventures placement during the 2026–27 program year.
Through its continued partnership with the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking, the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre is creating meaningful experiential learning opportunities that empower students, strengthen businesses and foster entrepreneurial thinking across Atlantic Canada.
Welcoming our newest professors in the Faculty of Science
With the excitement of a new academic year, Saint Mary’s is pleased to welcome new professors to the Faculty of Science who bring research expertise in psychology, biology, earth science, environmental science, mathematics, and computing science. Read below to meet our new faculty members!
Dr. Mark Bowler
Department: Psychology
Specialty: Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Classes: Graduate Statistics
Hometown: Detroit, Michigan, USA
PhD: University of Tennessee
Research focus: My primary area of investigation is in Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) as an indicator of employees’ willingness to advocate for their organization by examining its relationships with employee attitudes, individual differences, job demands and resources, well-being, leadership, and workplace behaviors. My secondary area of research examines how health-oriented and health-promoting leadership shape employee health, well-being, recovery behaviors, and work engagement, with particular attention to the individual and contextual factors that determine when these leadership approaches are most effective.
Awards/funding: My notable awards and funding include the ECU Distinguished Doctoral Faculty Mentor Award (2021), ECU Honored Instructor Awards (2022, 2023), and the BB&T Faculty Leadership Scholar Fellowship, co-PI on a $1.999 million NSF-funded project, along with publishing 26 peer-reviewed articles including work in the Journal of Applied Psychology and Organizational Research Methods, and chairing 11 doctoral dissertations and 35 master’s theses.
Dr. Thamali Kariyawasam
Department: Biology
Specialty: Synthetic biology, microalgal biotechnology, living biomaterials, regenerative medicine, and sustainable biomedical applications.
Classes I’m teaching/planning to teach: Biology 2321 (Cell Biology)
Hometown: Kelaniya, Sri Lanka
PhD: University of British Columbia
Research focus: My research focuses on engineering photosynthetic microalgae as programmable cell factories for the production and delivery of therapeutic biomolecules. I develop living biomaterial systems that combine genetically engineered microalgae with advanced biomaterials to provide localized oxygen and sustained delivery of bioactive molecules for tissue regeneration and wound healing, while advancing sustainable healthcare solutions.
Dr. James Steenberg
Department: Environmental Science / Geography and Environmental Studies
Specialty: Trees and forest ecosystems
Classes: GEOG 3386, ENVS 3410
Hometown: Halifax
PhD: Toronto Metropolitan University
Research website: https://sites.google.com/site/jamessteenberg
Research focus: My research is focused on the ecology and sustainable management of both urban and commercially managed forests. This research leverages geomatics, statistics and spatial statistics, ecosystem modelling, and empirical field research to characterize, analyze, and monitor forests to inform sustainable management.
Awards/funding: NSERC Alliance (current), Killam Postdoctoral Fellowship, Fulbright Award
Dr. Carson Kinney
Department: Earth Science
Specialty: Metamorphic Petrology and Geologic Mapping
Classes I’m teaching/plan to teach: ERTH 1204, ERTH 2400, ERTH 3305, ERTH 4301; Generally how to make geologic maps
Hometown: Petawawa, ON
PhD: University of Waterloo
Research focus: I love to study how the Earth’s crust is formed, the rocks which comprise it, and how it records the cooling of our planet using numerical models to pair with field observations.
Notable awards: Dr. Kinney has recently received the Jack Henderson Best PhD Award from the Canadian Tectonics Group as well as the W.B Pearson Medal for the most creative earth science PhD thesis from the University of Waterloo. He is excited to share his love of making maps and recording which rocks make constitute the continental crust on which we live.
Dr. Jillian Kendrick
Department: Earth Science
Specialty: Metamorphic and Igneous Petrology
Classes: Understanding the Earth (ERTH1200), Mineralogy (ERTH2301), Igneous Petrology (ERTH3312), Metamorphic Petrology (ERTH3313)
Hometown: Shag Harbour, Nova Scotia
PhD: University of Waterloo ‘22
Research website: www.jilliankendrick.ca/
“I have a particular interest in early Earth, and have been working to understand how continental crust was formed and how it has evolved through geologic time.”
Notable awards: Dr. Kendrick has recently received an NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship and a W.B. Pearson Medal, and was a Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship winner as a graduate student. She is an enthusiastic contributor to science outreach initiatives including science fairs and workshops.
Dr. Jake Chinis
Department: Mathematics and Computing Science
Specialty: Analytic Number Theory
Classes: Introduction to Analytic Number Theory
Hometown: Montreal, QC
PhD: From McGill University
Research website: https://sites.google.com/view/jakechinis/home
Research focus: Means values and correlations of multiplicative functions.
Notable awards: Cat Dad of the Year (*in perpetuity, self-nominated)
Dr. Nikita Neveditsin
Department: Mathematics and Computing Science
Specialty: Natural language processing, health informatics, artificial intelligence
Classes: Advanced Computer Programming and Problem Solving, Exploring Generative AI, Natural Language Processing and Large Language Models, Artificial Intelligence
PhD: Saint Mary’s University
Research focus: Small language models, neuro-symbolic AI, low-resource AI, text representations.
Awards: AARMS junior researcher travel award, NAACL SRW grant.
About the Faculty of Science at Saint Mary’s:
Home to nine academic units that offer a range of undergraduate and graduate programs, the Faculty of Science at Saint Mary's University prepares students for a future in science. Our students have found success in careers across Canada and around the world in professional fields such as health care, engineering, teaching, research and more.
Saint Mary's science and engineering students have access to a range of academic student supports to help them succeed, including the SNAP Centre which offers free academic tutoring by Dean’s List students, and Science Advisors who guide students on their academic journey.
Thanks to our small, community atmosphere, many of our undergraduates participate in their professors’ research projects—a valuable experience that can be hard to come by at larger institutions.
Saint Mary’s students showcase their social enterprises in Mexico
Saint Mary’s Enactus students with other Enactus members in Mexico City
Enactus Saint Mary's was invited to represent Enactus Canada at the Enactus Mexico 2026 National Exposition, bringing Saint Mary’s student entrepreneurs to an international stage in Mexico City.
Held August 23–24 at Centro Banamex, the event brought together approximately 500 students from 15 schools, showcasing nearly 50 projects across three competitions: Next Gen Leaders, Mentoractus and the National Competition. Teams presented innovative ideas that combined technology, entrepreneurship and sustainability to address real-world challenges.
Members of the Enactus SMU team representing Canada
Alongside Saint Mary's University, students from the United States, Puerto Rico and Colombia also showcased their projects alongside teams from Enactus Mexico, creating an opportunity to exchange ideas, learn from different approaches and connect with students across the Enactus network.
Representing Canada in Mexico was more than a competition; it was a chance to learn, connect and bring the Saint Mary’s perspective to an international audience. For Mia Makhlouf, Co-President of Enactus SMU and an Engineering student, the experience was an exciting opportunity to connect with students and entrepreneurs from around the world.
The event gave students the opportunity to apply business and entrepreneurial skills to meaningful social and environmental challenges in their communities.
Learn more about Enactus SMU and get involved in student entrepreneurship through the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre’s website.
Sobey School research secures $219,000 SSHRC Grant to tackle Canada’s productivity challenge
Dr. Mohammad Rahaman
Saint Mary's University’s Sobey School of Business continues to advance high-impact, policy-relevant research with a major national funding success.
Dr. Mohammad Rahaman, Canada Research Chair in International Finance and Competitiveness, has been awarded a prestigious Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada Insight Grant valued at $219,000 over three years (2026–2029).
The funded project, “Banking on Intelligence: The Role of Private Credit Markets in Advancing AI Investment, Innovation, and Productivity,” addresses one of Canada’s most pressing economic challenges: lagging business-sector productivity relative to other advanced economies.
Although Canada is a global leader in artificial intelligence research, firms have struggled to translate innovation into widespread productivity gains. AI adoption remains uneven and resource-intensive, requiring sustained investment in data infrastructure, R&D and talent.
This research introduces a new perspective by focusing on private credit markets, banks and non-bank lenders, the primary source of financing for most firms. The project will examine how access to credit shapes AI adoption, the economic channels linking financing to innovation, and how lenders act as governance mechanisms by disciplining misleading AI-related disclosures.
“This project is about understanding how we finance the future of the Canadian economy,” said Dr. Rahaman. “AI has enormous potential to drive productivity, but without the right financial infrastructure, that potential will remain unrealized. Our goal is to identify how credit markets can unlock that transformation.”
The research is conducted in collaboration with Dr. Najah Attig of Dalhousie University, highlighting strong regional partnerships within Atlantic Canada.
By combining large-scale financial datasets with advanced econometric and natural language processing techniques, the project aims to generate actionable insights for policymakers, financial institutions, and business leaders.
This award underscores Sobey School's commitment to rigorous, business-focused research that addresses real-world challenges, reinforcing its role as a leader in advancing Canada’s innovation and competitiveness agenda.
Eclipse-viewers gather for Saint Mary’s event
On August 12, astronomers and curious community members gathered in front of the Burke Building at Saint Mary’s to view the partial solar eclipse. Researchers and staff from SMU’s Burke-Gaffney Observatory (BGO) set up solar telescopes and provided eclipse glasses to anyone who wanted a safe glimpse of the event.
Halifax observed a partial eclipse with about 30% coverage, according to Tiffany Fields, Astronomy Technician for the BGO. In an interview with CBC News about the viewing event, Tiffany said, “Sharing this excitement, enthusiasm and wonder with the public is so vital and so important and also so fun. […] there’s sort of always that wonder of what’s going on in space. And so I really enjoy being able to share that with people.”
The Burke-Gaffney Observatory at Saint Mary’s is open to the public and focuses on education in the Department of Astronomy and Physics along with public outreach, including open houses and tours. Check the Burke-Gaffney Observatory website to learn more about upcoming solar and lunar events.
See videos below for news coverage of the event.
CBC News
CTV News
Dr. Laura Weir named Interim Dean of Science
Dr. Laura Weir
Saint Mary’s is pleased to announce that Dr. Laura Weir will serve as interim Dean of Science for the next year.
An accomplished scientist and Associate Professor in the Department of Biology since 2016, Dr. Weir researches fish behaviour and evolution, and collaborates with government scientists to identify the effects of climate change on fish population size and structure. She has received research funding from international, federal and provincial agencies to support her work. During her time at SMU, she has mentored over 40 students through undergraduate, graduate and postdoc research.
In the classroom and lab, Dr. Weir is an enthusiastic and thoughtful professor who has taught Biology courses at all undergraduate levels at SMU. She is particularly passionate about creating a positive experience for new students in first-year courses; her teaching focus this year is guiding students through their first-year biology laboratory activities.
“Dr. Weir is a highly respected professor and administrator,” says Dr. Sam Veres, Interim Provost and Vice-President Academic and Research. “Laura is passionate about ensuring that Saint Mary’s students receive an exceptional educational experience, and as a colleague, Chairperson, and Associate Dean, I have seen her dedication to supporting faculty to help achieve this. The Faculty of Science is in excellent hands with her appointment as Interim Dean for the next year.”
Most recently, Dr. Weir was Acting Associate Dean, Student Affairs and Supports, and previously served as the Chair of the Department of Biology.
Making Waves: SMU alumni building careers with Halifax Tides FC
Katelyn Power BComm’23 MBA’25, Julie Naugler BA’20 MBA’23 and MBA student Ben Broadbent are working with the Halifax Tides FC, Halifax’s professional women’s soccer team
Walking through the office of the Halifax Tides FC on any given day, you might be surprised at just how many familiar faces you see. Saint Mary’s graduates are everywhere, from the field to the office, helping to drive the growth of professional women's soccer and the sport business ecosystem in Atlantic Canada. What seems like a coincidence at first glance is much more than that: it’s a testament to the sport and business education programs connecting SMU grads to the growing world of professional sports.
Since launching in 2024 as a founding club of the Northern Super League, Halifax Tides FC has created new opportunities for athletes, business professionals and students looking to build careers in sport.
Julie Naugler BA’20 MBA’23, Katelyn Power BComm’23 MBA’25, and current MBA student Ben Broadbent tell us all about their journey from SMU to the Tides—and how their time on campus prepared them for the working world of sport.
Julie Naugler
Senior Sales Lead
When Julie Naugler decided to add a Certificate in Health, Wellness and Sport in Society (HWSS) onto her BA in Anthropology, she didn’t anticipate how useful it would be in her day-to-day life post-graduation. As a varsity athlete and flyhalf with the SMU Women’s Rugby team, Julie was drawn to the HWSS certificate because it piqued her interest, and as a student-athlete, that passion for sports was just as prevalent in the classroom as it was on the field.
“I think sport is a really unique industry. You can do marketing, but marketing in sport is different. The same goes for sales and partnership management. There are all kinds of sales roles, but applying those skills in the sport industry is unique. There aren't many courses that directly prepare you for that environment, so having the opportunity to study it while in school is a huge asset.” - Julie Naugler
“I got more directly involved in sport coursework in my undergrad days. The relevance to my future career wasn’t clear at the time, but I took a course on the football family of sports—so soccer, rugby, American football, all those sports, because it interested me and it was relevant to the HWSS program. Now, I use elements of that course more in my day-to-day than I ever would have thought.”
Getting even more involved with sports academic opportunities at SMU, Julie took a position as a Marketing and Promotions specialist with the Scott McCain & Leslie McLean Centre for Sport Business and Health in 2023—while completing her MBA at the Sobey School of Business—and started working in the professional sports industry right after graduation.
“When the sales opportunity at the Tides opened up, I immediately gave it a shot and was so glad I did. The opportunity to work within a women-led organization helping launch professional women's soccer in Atlantic Canada was incredibly exciting. I joined the club during the lead-up to our inaugural season in 2025, which gave me the opportunity to help build something completely new from the ground up.”
With her HWSS certificate and MBA, Julie’s creativity, sales and sport-specific knowledge has prepped her well for her role with the Tides—and the sports industry’s eagerness for this combination of skills helped spark SMU’s creation of the Bachelor of Commerce in Sports Business last year.
Katelyn Power
Stadium Operations Lead
Like Julie, Katelyn Power is “SMU through-and-through,” beginning her journey with a BComm in Management and a minor in Sociology while playing basketball with the SMU Huskies. “I’m jealous that the BComm in Sports Business started after I graduated,” she says, noting the opportunities available in the new program. A Sobey MBA Scholarship recipient, Katelyn’s interest in sport extended beyond her time on the court, and she made her athletics experience a key focus in her graduate work at the Sobey School of Business.
“I think that if you’re an athlete, using the skills you’ve learned during your time in athletics is so important. The leadership, teamwork, resilience, and ability to remain calm under pressure that you develop as an athlete are all highly transferable skills in the sports business world.” - Katelyn Power
“I did a presentation during my MBA on the parallels between business and sports. It’s striking how many there are. The skills that you use on the court are the same skills you use in communicating in the office. The time management, the dedication, the working towards a common goal – my experience as an athlete translated to the office almost exactly.”
During her six years with the Huskies basketball program, Katelyn was part of the three-time AUS championship-winning team, an experience she credits with preparing her for the fast-paced world of professional sport operations.
At the Tides, she “oversees match-day staffing, including ushers, ticket scanners, and event operations crews”, coordinating match-day operations, venue branding, sponsor activations and stadium readiness in the weeks leading up to a game. It’s not exactly slow between games, though, with time between matches dedicated to planning, evaluating, and continuously improving future experiences, a pattern she established with her team during her athletic career with SMU.
Ben Broadbent
Business Development Coordinator
“There aren't many undergraduate sport business programs in Canada. Having more sport-specific education options, especially on the East Coast, is a great opportunity for students to get their foot in the door, especially students from New Brunswick, PEI, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia.”
Ben Broadbent was a varsity athlete at his undergraduate institution, and after graduating with a BA Honours in French Studies and a minor in History, he knew he wanted to pursue a career in sport. He chose the MBA program at SMU to get him there.
The flexibility of the MBA builds on classroom learning to give students a real feel for the workforce, and for a sports business career, there’s nothing that compares to learning on the job. His business education, along with his arts background, gives him a practical toolkit for the sports business world, providing a curriculum that “has been a huge asset” for Ben as the mix of coursework and experiential learning has set him up for success with the Tides.
“This career path is incredibly dynamic. In the lead-up to a match, it's logistics, planning and negotiation. On game day, it's problem-solving, agile management and sometimes crisis management. You're as proactive as you can be and then the reaction starts.”
Having student work experience with a professional sports organization like Halifax Tides FC gives students like Ben a competitive edge once they hit the workforce full time, helping them stand out in the race for the next generation of sports professionals.
Sports Programs at SMU
For incoming students who are looking to launch a sports career right here from the Maritimes, Halifax is proving to be a hub for up-and-coming sports professionals of all sorts. With organizations like Halifax Tides FC helping establish and grow professional women's soccer in Atlantic Canada, and demand for a workforce capable of evolving that presence, the era of sport business success in the city is just beginning.
Behind every match day experience are dedicated professionals helping grow the game both on and off the pitch—and many of them got their start right here at Saint Mary's.
Powering the future from above
McNally East roof renewal turns a 70-year-old building into a clean energy engine
New PV panels on the rooftop of McNally East will generate electricity for the building
For seven decades, the roof of McNally East had exactly one job: keep the weather out. As of this summer, it has a second one—powering the building beneath it.
Saint Mary’s University has completed a full renewal of the 70-year-old roof on McNally East, part of the historic McNally complex at the heart of campus. The project pairs modern, climate-resilient construction with a new rooftop photovoltaic (PV) array.
The system will generate approximately 170,000 kilowatt-hours of renewable electricity each year, reducing the university’s reliance on grid power. The installation is expected to cut the building’s carbon footprint by at least 85 tonnes annually.
McNally East after rooftop upgrades
McNally East before
"Every time we build or renovate on this campus, we ask the same question: how can this asset give more back?" says Dennis Gillis, Senior Director of Facilities Management at Saint Mary's. "McNally East needed a new roof either way. Now it keeps the weather out, keeps costs down and generates clean power every day. That's what responsible stewardship looks like in 2026."
The upgraded roof boosts insulation values six-fold, from R-5 to R-30, improving heating and cooling efficiency and eliminating a further five tonnes of emissions each year. Together, the improvements are projected to save at least $28,000 annually in energy costs.
McNally East roof under construction
“Our goal is a campus that produces its own energy, and we are accomplishing that one building at a time.”
The roof and solar array were designed for Halifax’s demanding coastal climate. The panel layout includes dedicated pathways and spacing for safe, efficient maintenance, protecting the system’s performance over the long term. The new roofing system will shield the building for decades to come.
A legacy seven decades in the making
On campus, a digital dashboard inside McNally East displays the building's clean energy production in real time, allowing students, employees and visitors to track solar generation as it happens throughout the day.
The project was funded by the Government of Canada and the Estate of Anne J. and Albert T. Isaacs DipENG'55.
McNally East’s original roof was built around the same time Albert Isaacs was completing his engineering diploma at Saint Mary’s. Seventy years later, his legacy is helping transform that same building into a source of clean power for the campus where the university’s newest generation of engineers will begin their studies this fall.
McNally East is the latest chapter in a clean energy story that has been drawing national attention to the South End campus for years. In 2024, Saint Mary's completed the recladding of the 22-storey Loyola Residence, wrapping the tower's south-facing wall in building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), solar technology that generates electricity while forming part of the building itself.
Loyola Residence was recladded with building-integrated photovoltaic panels in 2024
Rather than simply replacing deteriorating concrete on a 50-year-old residence, the university turned a maintenance challenge into a clean energy landmark. Delivered with Toronto-based Mitrex, the project earned Saint Mary's a Clean50 Top Project Award, recognizing it as one of Canada’s most innovative projects addressing climate change. It also drew national media coverage as the tallest solar-integrated building in North America.
Saint Mary’s has reduced its carbon footprint by 51.7 per cent since 2005 through a deliberate sequence of upgrades, including replacing its steam heating plant with a high-efficiency hot water system, switching from oil to natural gas for heating, converting campus lighting to LEDs, and benefiting from an increasingly renewable provincial electricity supply.
Future sustainability projects include a green roof for the Patrick Power Library, a new roof design for the Homburg Centre for Health & Wellness, and a solar canopy for the Science Building parking lot.
"A university's campus can teach as powerfully as its classrooms and show our values in action," says Dr. Michael Khan, President and Vice-Chancellor of Saint Mary's University. “Saint Mary's is part of the energy transition here in Halifax. We’re building it, measuring it and, starting this fall, teaching it through two brand-new programs."
In September 2026, Saint Mary's will launch two programs that connect the university's sustainability leadership with career-ready education on a campus that doubles as a working laboratory.
The new Sustainability Management major at the Sobey School of Business teaches students how organizations grow while protecting the environment and strengthening communities. Graduates will step into some of the economy's fastest-growing fields, from sustainable finance and ESG reporting to consulting and social enterprise.
The new Renewable Energy Engineering stream, one of two options in the just-launched Bachelor of Engineering in Resource Engineering, will train students to design, build and operate the clean power systems of the future. Coursework will cover solar and wind energy, biomass, grid integration and energy storage, supported by laboratory learning, fieldwork and paid co-op opportunities.
Carlos Fernando Aguilar Estavillo had planned to study industrial engineering while attending Saint Mary’s. That changed when he learned about the new Renewable Energy Engineering stream.
“When they announced it, I was super excited,” says Aguilar Estavillo. “I'm especially interested in wind energy here in Nova Scotia, but also battery storage and grid integration. I think universities should not only teach sustainability, but they should also demonstrate it. The new solar panels on campus let students see how renewable energy works in real life."
Carlos, second from right, visits a solar farm on a tour led by SMU alum Karsen Cain with SwitchPace. He’s joined by engineering classmates Aiden Sheppard and Anabella Ferrari. Students will start the new Renewable Energy Engineering program at SMU this fall.
“I think universities should not only teach sustainability, but they should also demonstrate it.”
Saint Mary's sits in Halifax's historic South End, on a walkable peninsula minutes from the Atlantic Ocean, in a province working toward 80 per cent renewable electricity by 2030.[1] As Nova Scotia’s role in the clean energy transition grows, Saint Mary’s is helping shape that future, both through the infrastructure it builds and the students it prepares.
The next time you are in McNally East, look up and then look at the digital dashboard; it will tell you exactly what the sun has done for Saint Mary’s that day.
Learn more at smu.ca/sustainabilty
Entrepreneurship opens new pathways for international students through SEE Bootcamp
The Summer Entrepreneurial Experience (SEE) Bootcamp gave international student entrepreneurs from across Nova Scotia just five weeks to take an idea from concept to a business ready for the spotlight.
From June 16 to July 17, participants from post-secondary institutions including Saint Mary’s University, Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC), Acadia University and Mount Saint Vincent University came together for an intensive summer accelerator focused on building businesses with long-term impact.
Delivered by the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre in partnership with EduNova’s Study and Stay™ initiative and supported by the TD Entrepreneurship Inclusion Initiative, the program combined hands-on workshops, mentorship, customer discovery, financial planning and one-on-one pitch coaching. Along the way, participants explored how entrepreneurship can become a pathway to building both a successful business and a future in Nova Scotia.
One of the defining moments of the program came just two days before the final competition, when every team had to submit a locked version of their pitch deck. The deadline challenged participants to make difficult decisions, refine their storytelling, and prepare for a pitching environment where every detail mattered.
The program concluded in a live pitch competition on July 17, where founders presented their validated business ideas to a panel of expert judges for cash prizes and the opportunity to continue developing their ventures through the Centre’s fall Ignition Program. In addition to the pitch awards, the winning founders will each receive five one-on-one business advising sessions with Irene Saliendra of Digital Flow Consulting, generously provided by program partner EduNova to support the next stage of their entrepreneurial journey.
Riya Ralli, a recent grad from Dalhousie, earned first place and a $2,000 prize for Belong. Second place went to recent SMU grad Vaishali Sachdeva BA’26 (Blyss), Narimene Djamai from SMU (FreshSense) and Yvanna Tchatchoua from MSVU (AdaptWell), while Augustina Tucker from SMU (Maison Lumiere) and Emmanuel Mbachu from NSCC (Profine) received third-place awards.
For Riya Ralli, the experience provided a roadmap for turning an idea into action.
"I can't recommend the Summer Entrepreneurship Experience Bootcamp enough. In just eight sessions, it covered the full arc of starting a business. It all builds toward a pitch competition with real funding and mentorship on the line."
Narimene Djamai said the program reshaped how she approaches entrepreneurship.
"It doesn't hand you a roadmap; it teaches you how to navigate uncertainty. More than anything, it reminded me that entrepreneurship isn't reserved for people who already have all the answers; it's for people who are willing to keep learning."
By the end of the five weeks, participants had gained far more than just pitch decks. They left with validated business ideas, practical entrepreneurial skills, expanded professional networks and the confidence to continue building ventures that contribute to Nova Scotia's growing innovation ecosystem.
Interested in learning more about the SEE program or what other programs the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre has to offer? Check out the website.