Students innovate retail at Market Price Hackathon

Students pitching their ideas for Market Price’s business strategy in winter

A team of students who won the first place at the Hackathon with Matthew Smith BComm’18 and Lauren Ferguson BComm’20

Matthew Smith BComm’18 and Lauren Ferguson BComm’20 kicking off the event with their presentations

Lauren Ferguson BComm’20 working with students

Students brainstorming for presentations

More than 30 undergraduate students from Saint Mary’s, Dalhousie, Mount Saint Vincent and NSCAD gathered for the two-day Market Price Hackathon held on October 30 and November 6. The event brought together talented students to take on an engaging challenge: boosting foot traffic during the winter months for an alumni-owned retail business, Market Price.  

In collaboration with the David Sobey Retail Centre and the Experience Ventures team at the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre, this hackathon offered students the unique chance to dive into the world of retail innovation. They were mentored by Market Price’s own dynamic founders, Matthew Smith BComm’18 and Lauren Ferguson BComm’20, who provided hands-on guidance from start to finish, as well as by retail expert Rameesh Venkat, Director of the David Sobey Retail Centre. Market Price's unique branding, inspired by a fish market, tells a visual story that students thoughtfully integrated into their Hackathon concepts. This narrative, woven into Market Price’s space and branding, served as a critical design anchor for student teams as they developed ideas. 

Students tackled their task with innovative ideas, ranging from immersive in-store experiences to community-driven events. They used entrepreneurial thinking to craft strategies that would draw in customers despite Halifax’s chilly winter. One unforgettable idea came from a student team who proposed an attention-grabbing “Break the Ice” event. Their concept? Encasing a pair of Market Price’s signature sneakers in a giant block of ice displayed outside the store during winter. Shoppers and passersby would have the chance to chip away at the ice, with the lucky first person to fully break through winning the shoes. The idea sparked excitement among mentors and students alike, showcasing the team’s creative approach to engaging the community and drawing in new customers. 

“The Market Price Hackathon was incredible!” shared one student participant. “Being able to work with real business owners like Matt and Lauren while getting direct input on our ideas really gave us a taste of the entrepreneurial world.” 

"It was great to be part of it. We learned a lot from the students, and it was really nice to get involved with the community and our alumni connection [at Saint Mary’s University]," says Lauren. “I definitely recommend other businesses participate in the Experience Ventures Hackathon, especially small businesses in the community—it really gets you involved and sparks some great ideas,” Ferguson added. 

More opportunities are coming for you! Spots are limited—find our upcoming events and sign up today here. 

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Experience Ventures, powered by the Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking at the University of Calgary, enables post-secondary students to make an impact alongside real-world innovators through entrepreneurial thinking placements. Experience Ventures is funded by the Government of Canada and is delivered in partnership with post-secondary institutions nationwide. Saint Mary’s University’s Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre is the Regional Lead Atlantic Canada partner in Experience Ventures. 

Read more: Experience Ventures program brings 152 new experiential learning opportunities for students in Atlantic Canada  

Celebrating Women in Business: Highlights from the 2024 Conference

Women in Sport Business conference panel

Panellists with moderator Cheryl MacDonald

Shannon Susko opened the event

Keynote speaker Signa Butler shares with the crowd

Audience members participated in a Q&A

Signa Butler with conference attendees

The 6th Annual Women in Business Conference, held on October 3, was a remarkable gathering that celebrated the achievements and contributions of women in the sport business landscape, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of women in varsity sport at Saint Mary's. Drawing over 120 participants, including student-athletes, alumni, former SMU women athletes, and community partners, the event created an inspiring atmosphere filled with energy, collaboration, and a shared commitment to empowering women.

Under the theme "Game On! Celebrating Women in Sport Business," the conference featured an impressive lineup of speakers. Keynote speaker Signa Butler BA'96, a seasoned CBC sports and Olympics commentator, captivated the audience with her compelling stories and insights. She shared her journey from athlete to working in the sport business world, breaking barriers as a woman in a male-dominated field. Accompanying her was special guest speaker Shannon Byrne Susko BComm'89 BSc'92, a serial entrepreneur and leadership coach, who shared invaluable lessons on resilience and empowerment in the business world.

The event also included an engaging panel discussion that showcased dynamic women making significant strides in the sport industry. 

Panelists included:

• Keisha Turner BA'12, Co-founder of Starberry Drink Co. and Akwekon Enterprises Inc.

• Justine Colley-Leger BComm'14, Director of Athletics at Halifax Grammar School

• Meghan Chayka, Co-Founder/CEO of Stathletes, a hockey data and analytics company

• Brittany Burke, Co-founder, CEO, and Manager of JUST Cycle

The panel was moderated by Cheryl MacDonald BA'10, CEO of Sport New Brunswick, who facilitated a rich discussion on their journeys and the future of women in leadership roles.

This year's conference not only celebrated women's remarkable achievements but also set the stage for future collaboration and innovation among women in sport business. The event highlighted the incredible power that women hold in business, leaving a positive impression on those present.

We are grateful to our sponsors for their invaluable support, including:

• Metromonics – Champion Maker Sponsor

• The Sobey family, the Sobey Foundation, and Sobey Inc. – Cheer Master Sponsors

• Scott McCain & Leslie McLean Centre for Sport, Business and Health and Vallis Law and Strategic Solutions – Sideline Super Supporter Sponsors

• Evolve, CIBC Wood Gundy, and O'Regans – Fabulous Fan Sponsors

• In-kind sponsors included Halifax Wanderers, Halifax Tides, and Evolve.

As we reflect on this year's conference's success, we eagerly anticipate next year's event and look forward to continuing this vital conversation about empowering women in the business world.

Kane Writers Award: Apply by November 30

2023 recipient Trayvone Clayton with Edna Kane

The Edna and Velma Thomas Kane Writers Award supports aspiring writers of African Nova Scotian and Black/African descent. Valued at $30,000, the award will be presented to an undergraduate student in the Faculty of Arts upon graduation from Saint Mary’s.

2025 award criteria

To be eligible, undergraduate BA and BES students must:

• be graduating from Saint Mary’s in 2025,

• be Canadian citizens or permanent residents,

• identify as Black/African descended, with priority going to African Nova Scotian students,

• have good academic standing,

• have demonstrable financial need, and

• aspire to a career in writing, broadly defined. 

This award was established through the generosity of alumnus Floyd Kane BA’92, a writer, lawyer, filmmaker and creator of the acclaimed TV series, Diggstown. It aims to reduce financial roadblocks for graduating students by supporting them in pursuing further studies, training or self-directed projects to advance their writing aspirations.

Broadly defined, a career in writing can include (but is not limited to) creative writing, poetry, songwriting, spoken word performance, film/television writing, multimedia creation, or an academic career path in the arts and humanities.

Application deadline: Saturday, November 30, 2024

Related reading

• Class of 2024: Kane Writers Award recipient Rheannon Richards BA'24

• Embracing the power of writing with new Kane Award

• Removing barriers to increase access to education

Saint Mary’s introduces Star Finder - The David Lane Astronomy Outreach Program

Saint Mary’s is proud to announce the creation of a new initiative called Star Finder - The David Lane Astronomy Outreach Program.  

Star Finder is a new educational program that will enable teachers from across Nova Scotia to deliver an astronomy-focused curriculum to grade six and nine students. The program will focus on space exploration and astronomy, with a special emphasis on creating opportunities for those teaching in rural and underserved communities. The goal is to foster enthusiasm and understanding of astronomy among schoolchildren. 

David Lane at the Burke-Gaffney Observatory’s 50th anniversary event in September 2022  

The new program is funded by a $250,000 philanthropic gift from the late David and Michelle Lane. It will build on decades of successful outreach at the Burke-Gaffney Observatory, which was driven primarily by David Lane, the former Astronomy Technician in the Department of Astronomy and Physics at Saint Mary’s and the Director of the Burke-Gaffney Observatory. During his 29-year career at Saint Mary’s, Dave single-handedly automated the observatory, making it available to users worldwide through X (Twitter) and Facebook. Dave also created the Earth Centred Universe, an easy-to-use planetarium and telescope-control program which allowed institutes to operate their own educational astronomy platforms.  

“David and Michelle Lane's gift exemplifies the community outreach that Saint Mary's University is famous for," said Dr. Vincent Hénault-Brunet, Director of the Burke-Gaffney Observatory. “The Star Finder program will give young people in rural and underserved areas access to the type of scientific discovery associated with big cities and major universities. The program enables students and teachers to have hands-on participation in cosmic discovery.” 

Thanks to Dave’s efforts, tens of thousands of children and university students were introduced to astronomy at the Observatory, located at the top of the Loyola building on the Saint Mary’s campus.  

Dave Lane passed away in March 2024 at the age of 60. He is survived by his wife Michelle, who shares Dave’s dream of launching this educational project as a way to keep giving back and share David’s passion for astronomy with a wider community.  

“Dave brought the wonders of the night sky to people of all ages and walks of life; he especially loved sharing his passion with students, fellow astronomers and members of the general public,” said Michelle Lane. “Star Finder will now build on Dave's life's work and greatly expand the circle of people who will benefit from mentorship and outreach in exploring the night sky.”  

The Star Finder project is being developed with Saint Mary’s University alumna Andrea Misner BSc’06. Uniquely suited to this task, she studied astrophysics at Saint Mary’s and later earned a master’s in education degree from the University of Manitoba. Misner teaches high school general sciences, physics and astronomy in Winnipeg, and is a recipient of a 2024 Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence.  

Star Finder will build teachers’ astronomy knowledge and skills by remotely using the BGO and mini-robotic observatory (MRO). Teachers and their students will also be provided access to the extensive archive of data and images at the Burke-Gaffney Observatory, strengthening their engagement with and excitement for astronomical understanding and discovery.  

“This is a deeply personal project, one that Dave and I planned together before his death as a way of leaving a legacy that reflects Dave’s lifelong passion for education and astronomical discovery,” said Michelle Lane. 

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To honour Dave’s legacy, members of the Saint Mary’s community and public can make a gift to Star Finder - The Dave Lane Astronomy Outreach Program.

Building women’s hockey at Saint Mary’s…and beyond

Lisa Haley with Athletic Director Scott Gray and President Rob Summerby-Murray at the SMU Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in 2019 (credit: Mona Ghiz)

Lisa (Jordan) Haley didn’t have an ounce of coaching experience in 1997 when Athletic Director Larry Uteck asked her to start up a women’s hockey program at Saint Mary’s. But that didn’t stop her from saying yes. And she’s never looked back. For the last 27 years, Lisa has been a Head Coach at the university level, making her the longest-standing varsity coach in the history of  U Sports women’s hockey.

Born and raised in Westville, Nova Scotia, Lisa and her twin sister Lesley followed in the footsteps of two older brothers, starting their hockey journey when they were just four. At 16, and in the first year that Women’s Hockey was offered at the Canada Games, both sisters tried out and made the team, representing  Nova Scotia at the 1991 Canada Winter Games.

Not long after, both Lisa and Lesley were recruited to play varsity-level hockey at Concordia. Lisa was named Rookie of the Year in 1991 and finished as an Assistant Captain in her final year. Their team was legendary, and the whole 1995-1996 team has since been inducted into the Concordia University Sports Hall of Fame.

In Montreal, Lisa studied to be an Athletic Therapist and was drawn to the “on the field” aspects of the profession rather than the clinical rehab. In fact, she chose athletic therapy as her educational path because she felt that it was the only way to stay in sports. “As a female, there were no opportunities to play professionally, and I didn’t see any women as professional hockey coaches - all of my hockey coaches were men.”

Upon graduating from Concordia in 1996, she needed to complete a certain number of practical hours in order to be able to write her licensing exam. She decided to return to her home province and did her entire practicum at Saint Mary’s, acting as a Student Athletic Therapist for all of the varsity sports teams. This is where Larry Uteck comes in.

A year after Lisa came to Saint Mary’s, CIAU (now U Sports) began offering a national championship for women’s hockey. Larry asked Lisa if she’d be interested in starting up the women’s hockey program and being the coach.

“Larry had a lot of foresight and decided that he wanted Saint Mary’s to be a leader in Women’s Hockey,” says Lisa. “He recognized the importance of putting females into leadership roles, and he must have seen some leadership potential in me.”

The only catch was that the position was a volunteer gig. Back then, there were very few women working as paid varsity coaches. Despite not being paid, Lisa fell in love with coaching from the first practice she ran. All that hard work paid off when the inaugural team won the first-ever AUAA Championship and went to the first-ever Nationals.

1997 Women's Hockey Team poses for a team photo with their AUAA (now AUS) trophy in the Alumni Arena. Women's university hockey became a U Sports (then CIS) sanctioned sport in 1997, and was Saint Mary's University Sport Hall of Fame - 2019 Inductee - Lisa Haley's first year as Head Coach of the program.

Lisa would eventually go on to be hired in a double-duty position as the Assistant Athletic Therapist/Head Coach of Women’s Hockey. But it wasn’t until 2005 that she was able to drop her athletic therapist duties and was named a full-time Varsity Coach.

In her 14 seasons with the Huskies, Lisa amassed one of the best winning records in CIS (now U Sports) women’s hockey history. The team made it to the Atlantic University Sports (AUS) finals eight times, capturing the league title in 1998, 2003, 2004 and 2010. Lisa herself earned the title of AUS coach of the year twice and was also named CIS coach of the year.

“Lisa did an incredible job of getting the women’s hockey program up and running and making it a real success,” says Kathy Mullane, the first female coach ever hired by Saint Mary’s in the 1970s. Kathy added that Lisa had proved herself by working hard to achieve her hockey coaching credentials over the years. “She is widely recognized as a tremendous coach who has a talent for recruiting very skilled players and who continues to be a strong voice for promoting women in hockey.”

In 2011, Lisa left Saint Mary’s for a new challenge. Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), formerly Ryerson, was starting a women’s hockey program from scratch and knew they needed a strong leader with a proven track record. Lisa has spent the last 12 years building TMU’s hockey program. She has brought them from last place in the Ontario University Association Conference in 2011 to a national ranking of 8th in recent years.

She’s also excelled internationally with Hockey Canada’s High Performance program, helping them win six World Championship medals, including two golds. As the assistant coach for the Canadian Women’s Hockey Team at the 2014 Sochi Games, she earned an Olympic Gold.

While the moment of achievement—the championship title or the gold medal—feels amazing, Lisa is also fulfilled by the role she plays as a mentor, helping her players reach their full potential, both on and off the ice. “I love supporting the leadership potential in the young women I coach, helping set them up to be good role models for other young women down the road.”

Mission accomplished when she sees what the remarkable women who were a part of the first-ever Huskies Women’s Hockey program have gone on to do with their lives. “They have created amazing careers for themselves and are serving as incredible leaders in their fields.”

Lisa herself was inducted into the Saint Mary’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2019 for her great contribution to SMU sports and Huskies Women’s Hockey. Although she loves her job at TMU and has grown to enjoy Ontario, she misses Nova Scotia and still cheers for the Huskies. “Except when they’re playing TMU,” she laughs.

By Renée Hartleib

Breaking records: Omena Babalola MBA'92 sprints towards success

Omena Babalola, center, runs at a university track event

Omena Babalola's story is all about pushing limits and reaching for the stars. The MBA'92 alum started on the tracks of Saint Mary's University and later made a big splash as a leader and role model in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Her time at SMU wasn't just about snagging a degree—it was about smashing records, setting the bar high and building a legacy that keeps on inspiring.

When she arrived in Canada in the fall of 1989, Omena was all about soaking up the culture, and she figured getting an MBA at Saint Mary's was the perfect shot at doing just that. Choosing Saint Mary's for its friendly vibe, top-notch outdoor track, and being close enough to family in Prince Edward Island, she kicked off an adventure that would forever stamp her mark on the university's history books.

Omena earned Athlete of the Week, shown here in a 1991 edition of the SMU Journal

Omena handled her sports career with great grit and grace. The fact there weren't any other women sprinters didn't get her down. If anything, it made her push even harder, often training with the guys who backed her up and pushed her forward. Her outstanding performances in the 60m and 300m sprints broke records that are still standing, showing just how unstoppable she is.

Her time at SMU was enriched by the wonderful African student community, who she could always count on to cheer her on at each race. Despite being the only woman sprinter on the team, her determination brought more women into sprint events and strengthened the women's sprint team at Saint Mary's.

Omena Babalola MBA’92

After leaving Saint Mary's, Omena brought the lessons of hard work, teamwork and resilience with her as she transitioned to professional and community life in Winnipeg. She has had a remarkable career as a Professional Auditor, earning numerous designations, all while dedicating herself to mentoring young people and supporting her community. Her success off the track is a testament to the excellence she strived for in her athletic career.

Omena is currently an Alumni-in-Residence with the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre and recently hosted a series of events: From New Horizons to Thriving Ventures: The Immigrant Entrepreneurial Odyssey. The final event of the summer series takes place on August 19.

Learn more about her Alumni-in-Residence position with the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre.

Back to B4: Class of '81 Vanier housemates reunite

Reliving glory days and cherished memories

Friends from the Class of 1981 reunited on campus

At the end of June, a few members of the Class of '81 reunited in town and requested a nostalgic tour of their old residence floor and rooms at SMU.

Leading the group was Casey Shouse BA'81, who traveled from New Hampshire. Accompanied by Shauna Prest Higgins BSc'81, Pat Faye Scallian BSc'81 and Heather Grant Rhodenizer BA'81, the group meandered through the familiar corridors of "Hen Alley." They admired the enduring murals and made their way up to Vanier House, where B4 still held a special place in their hearts.

"Not a lot has changed, but at the same time, so much has changed," Shouse reflected as they revisited their old residence rooms. "There are so many great memories."

Casey Shouse in her former B4 residence room

Their visit also included a search for a commemorative tree planted in honour of a classmate who had passed away. After exploring the quad, they eventually identified the now towering tree by the plaque nearby.

The day was a journey down memory lane for the group, whose friendships have stood the test of time since their residence days 43 years ago. They left with a bag of SMU goodies, a gift from the Alumni Office, and a renewed sense of Husky pride.

Campus community fights food insecurity

The shelves are full at the SMU Community Food Room after another successful Annual Food Drive Competition 

Thanks to the generous faculty, staff and alumni who participated in last month’s Food Drive Competition, more than 3,000 pounds of food was donated to the SMU Community Food Room! Hosted annually by the Alumni Office, this year’s food drive results exceeded the 2023 record.

The Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre team “The IncrEDIBLES” won the 2024 Annual Food Drive Competition in support of the SMU Community Food Room

Congratulations to the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre team “The IncrEDIBLES”, who won the competition by contributing 1,207 lbs of food. As the winning team, they receive a trophy and a pizza party! The Accounting Department team “Rounding Errors” and the University Secretariat team “Get on board for food!” placed second and third.

In total, 11 teams participated and raised a total of 3,054 lbs of food, which was weighed in by student volunteers on July 25. Teams were awarded bonus points for collecting the most requested items by Food Room users, such as cereal, rice, and canned goods.

The Alumni Office would like to thank the faculty, staff, and alumni who made financial contributions during the competition. These contributions allowed the Food Room to purchase much-needed items with some flexibility. Members of the SMU community can donate to the Food Room anytime and receive a tax receipt for their donation.

"I am deeply grateful to every department that participated with such enthusiasm in the Annual Food Drive Competition,” says Yeshani Sugunendran, Community Food Room Coordinator. “The passion and excitement each participant brought to supporting this vital cause was incredibly inspiring. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to SMU Alumni for organizing this event and a special gratitude to the volunteers from the SMU Community Food Room, whose exceptional assistance was pivotal to the food drive's outstanding success. Their dedication to collecting, weighing, and stacking an impressive 3,054 lbs of food, compared to 2,100 lbs last year, was truly remarkable."  

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About the Food Room 

The SMU Community Food Room is the on-campus food bank for the Saint Mary’s University community. The food room saw 3,855 appointments booked between May 2023 and April 2024, an increase from 3,248 in the previous year. Students can book an appointment with the Community Food Room.

Acclaimed multi-sport athlete turned CBC sports broadcaster

Signa Butler BA’96 Hons’98

As a kid, Signa Butler BA’96 Hons’98 was an early and committed sports fan. She read the sports section of the newspaper from front to back and routinely begged her parents to let her stay up and watch Hockey Night in Canada. She was also the only girl talking sports in the schoolyard with all the guys.

“My ultimate choice of career was not a surprise to anyone who knew me back then,” laughs the CBC Sports play-by-play commentator, host, and writer. Her career spans 20 years, 12 Olympic Games, and a long stint as the national morning sports host. Today, Signa is one of the only women on the network who does play-by-play for a growing list of sports, including freestyle skiing, speed skating, diving, volleyball and soccer.

Growing up in Halifax in the 1980s and 1990s, Signa was always a multi-sport athlete. She played soccer and basketball and was a competitive gymnast, all before high school. When she started at St. Patrick’s High, she added indoor field hockey to the mix. For the next three years, she played soccer, basketball and field hockey at the varsity and provincial levels.

Upon graduation, Signa was recruited by several universities but chose Saint Mary’s because it was a school she was already super familiar with. Her parents, Richard and Christine, are both alumni. She’d grown up going to Saint Mary’s sports camps, and their whole family had attended countless Huskies games over the years.

While her goal was to play both soccer and basketball at University, she soon realized that her greater strength and her best potential lay in soccer. And she was lucky enough to have not one but three phenomenal coaches during her five years at Saint Mary’s.

Two of them—Linda Whitehead and Joanne Evans—were head coaches at a time when not many women were in that role. “They fought really hard for resources and equality in those early days,” says Signa, adding that their passion and dedication inspired a group of young women who were student-athletes.

Joanne Evans BSc’89 BEd ’90, head coach from 1995-1997, was similarly impressed with Signa. “She was not only an accomplished soccer player but an excellent team captain, leading with integrity and determination,” says Joanne, who had been a star Huskies soccer player herself. Calling her a “firecracker,” Joanne says Signa was a natural leader, full of the kind of spunk and personality that has made her a success at CBC Sports. “As a Saint Mary’s alumna, I’m so proud to watch Signa advocate for women’s sports across Canada and around the world.”

A firecracker, indeed. During her time on the Huskies women’s soccer team, Signa received numerous awards and accolades. She was a four-time Atlantic University All-Star, AUS MVP, and a first-team All-Canadian in her fifth and final year.

SMU Huskies women’s soccer 1993-1994 team

In addition to making life-long friendships, she fondly remembers the team’s early morning runs at Point Pleasant, the sound of sneakers on the gravel paths as they sprinted up the hills of Halifax’s urban seaside park.  And then there was the Nova Scotia weather during hurricane season when one side of the turf was a lake and the other was a wind tunnel that the ball got stuck in!

Signa credits Saint Mary’s and some of the legendary professors she had in both the English and Political Science departments with creating a foundation for future learning and growth. In fact, it was at Saint Mary’s where some of the building blocks toward her dream of being a sports broadcaster came together. She worked as a writer for the university’s student newspaper, the Journal, covering sports of all kinds, and in her fifth year, took on the role of Editor. She then applied to Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson), earning herself a Masters in Journalism.

Signa and her father Rick at the 2018 Homecoming Soccer Alumni Reunion

Signa marvels at how far female university sports, and women’s sports in general, have come in the 25 years since she graduated. “Being a female university athlete in the 1990s, you were largely invisible. You weren’t in newspapers, you didn’t have access to a lot of resources or the best field times, and you probably had to fundraise or pay for your uniform out of your own pocket,” she says. “We were thought of as lesser than everyone else. And I think I’ve taken that lesson and flipped it.”

In her current job, she uses her position to leverage the stories of women athletes, coaches and women’s teams. In her writing, she makes a point of highlighting the women’s side of sport, often choosing an athlete or a sport that is a little lesser known and sending a little airtime their way. “These women deserve to be in the headlines as much as anyone else.”

She’s especially excited these days about the Canadian Women’s Volleyball team who have a female head coach—the only female head coach in the top 30 nations in the world—and who seem poised to qualify for the Paris Olympic Games this summer.

To say that Signa loves her job is a massive understatement. She feels grateful to have made her dream of becoming a sports commentator come true and has a piece of advice for other young women coming up in sports. It’s something she wishes she’d been able to tell herself during her own university sports career:

“You belong here. You deserve to be here.”

Join Saint Mary’s Alumni in celebrating the 50th anniversary of women in varsity sport at Homecoming this October.

RBC Talent Hub at Saint Mary’s hosts virtual series on immigrant entrepreneurs

Omena Babalola MBA’92

This summer, the RBC Talent Hub is offering a virtual series highlighting the experiences of immigrant entrepreneurs in Canada.

This informative series, led by distinguished professional and Alumni-In-Residence Omena Babalola MBA’92, promises valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs and those interested in Canada's diverse business landscape.

Located within the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre, the RBC Talent Hub is a cornerstone for student success and fostering entrepreneurial spirit. Through co-operative placements, targeted training programs and mentorship opportunities with leading Canadian professionals, the Hub equips students with the skills and experience necessary to thrive in the job market.

Omena Babalola possesses a wealth of expertise in diverse areas such as management, accounting, finance, risk management, audit and information technology. For the past eighteen years, she has lent her auditing expertise to Manitoba Hydro, specializing in information technology, contracts, and operational engagements.

Upcoming events include:

• July 8: Immigrant Entrepreneurs: Driving Innovation and Growth in Canada

• July 22: Resilience and Resourcefulness: Traits of Successful Immigrant Entrepreneurs in Canada

• August 19: The Impact of Diversity: How Immigrant Entrepreneurs Enrich Canada's Business Landscape

Commerce student wins Excellence Award for PRME North America Student Leadership

Adrianna Timmons, center, accepts her PRME award

Adrianna Timmons, a dedicated third-year Bachelor of Commerce student at the Sobey School of Business, has been honoured with the Excellence Award for PRME North America Student Leadership. This prestigious award is presented to a remarkable student leader who demonstrates exceptional commitment to advancing the principles of sustainability and responsible business practices, both on their campus and in the broader community.

Her deep-seated involvement with the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) is at the heart of Adrianna's commendable achievements. This initiative, a pivotal program under the United Nations Global Compact, champions the cause of sustainability and responsible management education.

Adrianna formed the Sustainable Business Society at Saint Mary’s

As one of two Regional Leaders for North America, Adrianna plays a crucial role in expanding the network of students focused on sustainable development. Her responsibilities encompass working with student organizations, identifying new ones to enhance the network and attending global meetings to refine and advance the initiatives of PRME Global Students. As a representative of PRME, Adrianna actively engages with and speaks at events focused on sustainability, responsibility, and development, furthering the mission of creating a sustainable global economy.

Adrianna was inspired to bring sustainability initiatives to more students at Saint Mary's after attending a PRME Student Leadership Global Forum in New York. Her participation in the forum was funded through the Linton Family Sustainability in Business Trust, established through the generosity of Bill Linton BComm’75 DComm’22 and his wife Marilynne Day-Linton. Accelerating a wide range of initiatives for students, faculty and staff, the Linton Family Trust provides critical support to expand and elevate the Sobey School’s leadership in educating the next generation of business leaders committed to sustainable business.  

Adrianna said of her trip to the PRME Global Forum in New York, "Last year, I had the opportunity to attend the forum, where I spoke with students who had successfully started sustainability societies at their schools. This gave me the courage to start the sustainability society here at Saint Mary's."  

In the Fall of 2023, Adrianna launched the Saint Mary’s University Sustainable Business Society, uniting like-minded students from the Commerce Faculty focusing on sustainability. As its founding President, she rapidly expanded the group to over 80 members in its first year. The society aims to spotlight local, sustainable businesses and entrepreneurial efforts, enhancing student engagement with Halifax's business community and fostering real-world sustainability application and networking opportunities. A notable achievement under her leadership was the organization of a "Careers in a Clean Economy" panel, drawing insights from industry leaders on sustainable business careers to 50 attendees. The Society also initiated The Halifax Green Map project, highlighting ethical, sustainable local businesses and promoting responsible business practices.

In addition to her academic and PRME commitments, Adrianna has demonstrated exceptional entrepreneurial initiative and social responsibility through her endeavours outside of the university. Her creation of Accessories for Access exemplifies how she seamlessly integrates her passion for sustainable development with entrepreneurship. This venture is not just a business; it's a mission-driven effort to make a tangible difference in girls' lives in sub-Saharan Africa by funding their education and leadership opportunities.

Adrianna's blend of global perspective and local action truly sets her apart as a leader who envisions a better world and actively works towards creating it.

Dianne Chiasson: forty-plus years of enduring friendship in sport

Dianne Chiasson BA’81

You won’t find Dianne Chiasson BA ’81 Hons sitting around watching other people play sports. She’s a doer, not a watcher. And an adventurous doer at that.

A multi-sport athlete at Saint Mary’s in the late ‘70s, Dianne has remained active right into her retirement years. In the decades since she graduated, she’s taken up running, biking, golf and skate-skiing. She’s completed numerous marathons, including the Boston Marathon, and has participated in many Grand Fondo biking events.

She’s always been this way - active and athletic. As a child with a father in the Air Force, her family moved around a lot—Labrador, Goose Bay, Northern Quebec—but wherever she went to school, she played whatever was presented. “If it was on offer, I tried it,” she laughs.

In Grade 7, the family settled in the Annapolis Valley, in Auburn, near the base in Greenwood. Dianne played volleyball, basketball, softball and field hockey, in addition to running track, but was soon faced with having to choose her favourites due to overlapping schedules. A sports camp in Halifax one summer helped develop her basketball and field hockey skills; these ended up being the two sports she would carry with her to university.

But excelling at certain sports didn’t stop Dianne from venturing further afield. She even tried out for her high school hockey team, even though she couldn’t skate very well. “My basketball coach wasn’t very impressed with that,” she says. “But it was fun - why wouldn’t I try it?"

Dianne displayed the same independent streak when it came time to figure out what to do after high school. She went against the grain for someone living in the Valley: “I didn’t want to choose Acadia because everyone I knew was going there.” She was drawn to the big city, so when Saint Mary’s offered her an academic scholarship, that cinched the deal.

She decided to study Political Science and became a star player on both the Women’s Basketball and Field Hockey teams. She was named Female Rookie of the Year in 1978, as well as MVP of the basketball team, and earned Female Athlete of the Year for three years running. She was also selected All-Conference on numerous occasions for both field hockey and basketball and received All-Canadian honours.

“Dianne was an immensely talented and hard-working athlete, but someone who didn’t draw attention to herself and her own accomplishments,” says Kathy Mullane, who served as the coach of both women’s field hockey and basketball at the time. “She was our top player and won most of the athletic awards in her years at Saint Mary’s, but was incredibly humble. She was someone you wanted on every team, just a consummate team player, fitting in with everyone and so consistent in her play and positive attitude.”

In addition to her accomplishments on the field and the court, Dianne also excelled academically. She earned a full academic scholarship each year at Saint Mary's, accumulating 14 A's in 15 courses and was interviewed for a Rhodes Scholarship.

Once she graduated, she worked for a year in the Registrar’s Office at SMU before moving west to work for a small oil and gas company. After five years in Calgary, the East called her back home, and she returned to Halifax to secure a job with the Office of the Auditor General of Nova Scotia. Her political science degree came in handy, as did the Intro Accounting course she’d taken and liked at Saint Mary’s. Dianne got her accounting designation and spent the rest of her career working as an auditor.

During those years, she stayed connected to Saint Mary’s and enjoyed volunteering her time as a scorekeeper for the women’s basketball games. She marvels at the opportunities that now exist for young women to continue playing sports after university graduation. And she has a piece of advice for the new players coming up:

“Enjoy every minute of it because it goes by so fast.”

Forty-plus years later, the thing that Dianne cherishes the most are the friendships she still has with a handful of the other women on those Huskies sports teams. “After all these years, we still get together, and we still enjoy each other’s company,” she says. “Our friendships are the thing that remain and are something I am most proud of.”

By Renée Hartleib