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.”

— Dennis Gillis, Senior Director of Facilities Management

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.”

— Carlos Aguilar Estavillo, SMU Engineering student

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

---

[1] CER – Renewable Energy in Canada – Nova Scotia

Mapping the system: Beyond the waitlist

Jonah Crowther, Katie Brooks, Julia Faloon, Anna Streeter and Luke Pound represented the Sobey School of Business at Map the System in the UK

Sobey MBA Team recognized for mapping Nova Scotia’s family physician shortage

Last week, a team of Sobey MBA students received a Systems Mapping Excellence Award in a competition called Map the System (MTS), held at Oxford University, UK. It was the first time a Saint Mary’s University team had entered the competition. Julia Faloon, Anna Streeter, Luke Pound, Jonah Crowther and Katie Brooks analysed and presented on the systems around Nova Scotia’s family physician shortage.

Founded in 2016, the Map the System competition, held at the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, builds a community of practitioners, educators and students around systems thinking, an approach to entrenched and intractable social and environmental problems that examines both mitigating and exacerbating factors. The competition stands apart from most others in that participating teams are not tasked with building solutions and recommendations. Instead, they are evaluated on how well they have mapped and analysed the contributing factors to a problem, their ability to translate data into a compelling story, and their understanding of root causes and potential leverage points for change.

The team received a Systems Mapping Excellence Award for their analysis of the Nova Scotia family physician shortage

In the SMU team’s analysis, some of the factors were immigration trends, rural versus urban realities, career perceptions of family medicine, public expectations, burnout and isolation. During the analysis, retention of doctors and perceptions about the attractiveness of family medicine as a career option appeared as weaker areas in the system.

In addition to traditional research, Anna said, “We got to listen to a lot of different perspectives throughout our entire project, whether they were from different organizations or different levels within the organization, but they all helped reveal something different about the system we were looking into, which we may have overlooked if we didn't reach out to them.”

Systems thinking in MBA

Annika Voltan teaches an MBA course called Sustainable Change Leadership, where she introduces systems thinking as an essential skill for future leaders. This past winter, students in her class participated in the campus-level Map the System competition.

In reflecting on why she feels that systems thinking and systems mapping are so important, she noted: "In today's busy world, we're often evaluated based on efficiency and productivity measures, which leads us to jump into solutions when faced with problems. But the complex challenges we're facing require deeper understanding of contributing factors, power dynamics and interconnections if we're going to be able to shift toward better outcomes. Systems thinking is increasingly being recognized as an essential skill set for navigating the wicked problems of our time."

Camaraderie and support

The team were impressed by the collegial and supportive atmosphere associated with the competition, all the way through. They received advice and encouragement from several Sobey professors, as well as from staff at the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre and Executive and Professional Development. MTS assigned the team three judges. Here in Halifax, they connected with a health researcher named Sam Petrie who competed at MTS in 2020. The others were Ishaw Sharma (Toronto) and Mariana Cardenas Marquez (Montreal). Even the judges were supportive, said Katie: “They were rooting for you to succeed in the questioning. They wanted to give you the opportunity to share more, if you missed anything and really show your understanding.”

Jonah added that after complimenting another team on their presentation, that team commented about the SMU team being all MBA students. Jonah said, “I kind of took a step back and thought, wow, they view almost us as the experts.” While the team may not be experts in healthcare, they were the people in the room who knew the most about the Nova Scotia healthcare system, thanks to their research and analysis.

Coming into the competition, Julia noted they had expected it to be intense and perhaps more rigid. “The camaraderie that we all felt, the gratitude that was in the room for everyone being there was super cool to experience.”

The team is excited to share their report findings at Lead With Purpose Day in November

Looking forward

Looking ahead, the team is excited for another SMU team to participate next year so they can share some of what they learned.

“How do you even articulate to the class that comes in next year? Like, how do you get people to feel like we feel right now about it, because we're so in it,” said Katie.  Anna noted they hadn’t expected the breadth or complexity of some of the issues being mapped.

The passion and storytelling of the finalist teams made a strong impression on Jonah. “I think what I really appreciated was not just learning about the issues happening in those countries, but also just seeing the passion they brought when they were presenting on those topics.”

What happens now with the report? They will be bringing it to the PRME research expo at the Sobey School of Business’ Lead With Purpose Day on November 20. Katie says, “You can do a lot with this. So many people in the community now want to read our report and our findings.”

From supporting founders to becoming one: David Campbell BComm’24

David Campbell BComm’24

For David, entrepreneurship wasn't always part of the plan. In fact, he says he never considered himself a naturally entrepreneurial person. But after spending years surrounded by founders and innovative ideas at Saint Mary's University, his mindset began to change.

Today, David works at the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre, where he supports student founders and helps create entrepreneurship programming. Outside of work, he's building his own startup, Recordium, alongside co-founders Harpreet Jaggi, an experienced B2B sales professional, and Max Mascini, a Dalhousie University master's student specializing in AI ethics, neuroscience and machine learning.

The team recently received a major boost after being accepted into the AI2Market Launch incubator, earning $10,000 in funding to help bring their business to life.

Recordium was born from a real-world problem. After hearing about the challenges Harpreet faced while attending sales conferences, the team realized that many professionals invest significant time and money into events without having the tools to prepare effectively or capture valuable conversations afterward.

David and Harpreet, Co-Founders of Recordium

"There's no real system for remembering who you spoke to, following up or learning from those interactions," David explains.

That's why the team is developing a comprehensive conference assistant that helps users prepare before events, identify the right people to meet and use AI-powered note-taking and CRM updates throughout the day.

For David, building Recordium has reinforced many of the lessons he shares with aspiring entrepreneurs every day.

Working at the Entrepreneurship Centre taught him the importance of validating a problem before investing time into building a solution. Now, experiencing customer discovery, product pivots and pitching firsthand has also made him a stronger mentor for students.

“I’m now able to help students by using my lived experience,” he says.

David’s previous ventures included a drive-thru wood-fired pizza business

His own entrepreneurial journey has included previous ventures, from a drive-thru wood-fired pizza concept to a woodworking business. While neither succeeded in the long term, each experience taught valuable lessons and helped build confidence to pursue his latest venture.

Looking ahead, the Recordium team is focused on getting the platform into the hands of sales professionals who regularly attend conferences and networking events. With support from AI2Market Launch and fresh funding behind them, they're eager to discover where the product can create the greatest impact.

David's advice for aspiring entrepreneurs is simple: talk to people before you build anything.

"The actual problem people are facing starts to emerge quickly when you're having real conversations," he says. "And just start, even if you think the idea is bad or you don't fully believe in yourself yet. What you learn along the way will be well worth it."

Discover how the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre supports entrepreneurs like Recordium. 

Sociology grad receives prestigious SSHRC Research Scholarship

Sarah Delorme BA’26

Sarah Delorme, a Sociology Honours graduate from Saint Mary's University, was recently awarded a $27,000 Canada Graduate Research Scholarship – Master's (CGRS-M) from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). The scholarship will support her Master of Arts in Sociology at Concordia University beginning in Fall 2026. In addition, Sarah has been awarded a $6,000 Graduate Special Entrance Scholarship from Concordia University.

After completing the first two years of her Bachelor of Arts at Laurentian University in Ontario, Sarah transferred to Saint Mary's University, where she became deeply involved in academic and campus life. She first served as Secretary and later as Co-President of the SMU Sociology Society, helping to organize both small- and large-scale events for students.

Sarah also gained valuable research experience through several projects. She worked as a research assistant and newsletter assistant editor for the GBV-MIG Canada Research Program under the supervision of Dr. Evangelia Tastsoglou, contributing to research on gender-based violence and migration. Her broad interest in sociological issues also led her to work as a research assistant on Dr. Rui Hou's research on digital mental health interventions for Asian immigrant youth and on Dr. Pauline Hoebanx's research exploring misogynistic online movements.

Beyond her academic work, Sarah has contributed to the Saint Mary's community in numerous roles, including as a Sociology Teaching Assistant, Assistant for the Sobey School of Business Research Newsletter, Secretary of the SMUSA Board of Directors, Game Day Ticketing staff with Athletics & Recreation, and Peer Notetaker for the Fred Smithers Centre for Student Accessibility.

A consistent Dean's Honour List student, Sarah received a Bursary Award in 2022 and an Academic Excellence Award in 2023 from Laurentian University. At Saint Mary's University, she earned an Academic Achievement Award and several other merit awards. In 2026, she was awarded the Outstanding Graduating Sociology Student Award by the Canadian Sociological Association (CSA).

Inspired by her work with the GBV-MIG project, Sarah completed her Honours thesis on the resilience of migrant and refugee women who have experienced gender-based violence in migration contexts.

Sarah at Convocation in May 2026

Reflecting on the award, Sarah said she is grateful for the opportunities and mentorship she received throughout her time at Saint Mary's.

"Receiving this scholarship is incredibly exciting and affirming. My experiences at Saint Mary's gave me the opportunity to explore a wide range of sociological topics, work alongside inspiring faculty members, and contribute to research that addresses important social issues. Through those experiences, I discovered a passion for research and a desire to better understand how people navigate complex challenges. I'm excited to continue that work at Concordia and build on the foundation I developed at Saint Mary's."

Dr. Evie Tastsoglou, Professor of Sociology cross-appointed in Political Science and Global Development Studies, said Sarah's success reflects both her academic abilities and her commitment to meaningful research.

Dr. Evie Tastsoglou

"Sarah has distinguished herself through her intellectual curiosity, strong work ethic, and commitment to understanding issues that affect marginalized communities. Whether as a student, research assistant, or campus leader, she has consistently demonstrated thoughtfulness, professionalism, and a desire to make a positive contribution. This SSHRC award is a well-deserved recognition of her achievements and potential as a scholar."

As she prepares to begin her master's studies at Concordia University, Sarah looks forward to continuing her research and contributing to important conversations in sociology. Her achievements reflect a strong commitment to academic excellence, community engagement, and meaningful social research.

Automating for the future

Michael Toner has a restless drive to streamline and improve data analysis through AI automation

When Michael Toner completed his Screen Arts and Cultures degree at the University of Michigan, he didn’t anticipate that every job he would get would end up being about data.

The Los Angeles native says, “Whether it was ingesting footage for reality TV, mapping demographics for the city, or managing financial accounts at LA Metro, I kept finding myself automating the work and eventually realized that was the part I actually loved.”

He set out to identify a Master’s program that would let him focus on the intersection of business and data. A factor he had to consider was that he did not have a traditional STEM background, something many programs were looking for.

The Sobey Master of Business Analytics (MBAN) program was the right fit for Michael.

“Saint Mary's stood out in a narrow field. Only a handful of universities offer an MBAN program — most institutions go the MBA or Master of Data Science route,” says Michael. He plans to pursue a career in financial automation. He notes, “Financial data is unusually clean and structured compared to most domains, which means someone with the right skills can move fast and have real impact. And the demand is everywhere. Every company has a finance function.”

Testing his mettle

During the program, Michael has enjoyed competition opportunities to explore his enhanced skillset with coding and AI, developing promising innovative solutions for long-term intractable problems like food insecurity and emergency department wait times.

“At RBC Hubhacks, my team built an AI-powered financial engineering solution for food insecurity in Nova Scotia. We did well enough that we were invited to present to Halifax Partnership and then to Feed Nova Scotia directly. At CGI Datajam, we placed third out of 30 teams with an AI screening tool that cut emergency department wait times by roughly two hours per patient.”

Bringing automation to research insights

In January 2026, professor Chantal Hervieux hired Toner to work with the Centre for Leadership Excellence as a research assistant. CLE had built a relationship with a company called TrendAI, which was looking for background and industry research. TrendAI is an AI-powered demand planning and supply chain tool aimed at small to medium fashion retailers in Canada. It was founded by longtime friends, one with a background in textile manufacturing, the other in software-as-a-service.

Michael describes his research assistant role this way: “I ran background research on the Canadian fashion industry to identify TrendAI's best point of entry, surveyed small and medium enterprises, and from that built the product specifications, business model, development roadmap, and pathway to profitability.”

The survey was challenging. Response rates were so low, Michael needed thousands of contacts to reach statistical significance. When databases available through the library were insufficient, he created a solution: “I wrote Python to pull contacts from the Google Maps API and ended up with about 6,500 emails. The takeaway I'll carry forward is to think about response rates and outreach scale upfront, and to reach for technical solutions earlier rather than grinding manually.  Automating outreach was the only way the research worked at all.”

A glimpse of the future

High school students participated in SMU’s AI co-op

Michael shares that there was a surprise for him in the research. “I interviewed three Canadian business owners running operations out of their garages with fewer than five employees. Twenty years ago, that same output would have required a hundred people. The headline finding from the surveys was that AI is acting as an equalizing force for small businesses, not a threat — and these three were proof. That's the future I want to help build.”

He is already working on building the future – last winter, he was one of the MBAN students who taught a cohort of high school co-op students about AI. Michael is currently doing an internship with JD Irving in Saint John while completing his degree. He will graduate next winter.

How one Saint Mary’s University student balanced school, entrepreneurship and visual storytelling

Prateek Tamta

Prateek Tamta has spent the past two years helping shape the visual identity of the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre while balancing being a student in university, entrepreneurship and leadership roles outside the classroom. 

Originally from India, the Saint Mary’s University arts student is a self-taught photographer, cinematographer and designer who built his creative business, Pixels by Prateek, alongside his studies. Through photography, videography and storytelling, he has helped capture the energy of the Centre’s events, programs and entrepreneurial community while continuing to grow his own brand in Halifax. 

Prateek’s creative journey started long before university. 

“My mom used to buy film cameras when I was a kid and print albums of photos,” he says. “As I grew older, I became very keen on all things tech-related, would take a lot of photos on my phone, draw in my free time and watch lots of tech tutorials to get better at design.” 

What began as curiosity quickly evolved into a passion for multidisciplinary storytelling. Over time, Prateek taught himself photography, videography and design through online tutorials, experimentation and trial and error. 

“The most important skill I learned was how to learn anything,” he says. “Since I am self-taught, most of my skills came from Googling, YouTube tutorials, Skillshare courses and just trying things out.” 

Prateek holds the Enactus World Cup trophy

While building Pixels by Prateek, Prateek was also balancing classes, his role at the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre and leadership responsibilities with Enactus Saint Mary’s University. As VP of Tech alongside Co-VP Maya Campbell, he helped lead the tech team during Enactus SMU’s World Cup win. 

“It was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life,” he says. “We pulled all-nighters, problem-solved and built a system that future tech teams could use as a base. The win felt worth it because everyone worked so hard to get there.” 

At the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre, Prateek’s visual storytelling helped strengthen the Centre’s online presence by capturing authentic moments from events, student ventures and the entrepreneurial community. Through reels, photography and creative content, his work helped showcase the people and stories behind the Centre. 

Balancing so many responsibilities was not always easy, but Prateek credits the Centre with helping him grow both personally and professionally. 

“I was lucky enough to get a job at the Entrepreneurship Centre that let me work more within my skillset while giving me enough time to do well in classes as well as business,” he says. “The EC also introduced me to a lot of people and ways I could find clients for my business.” 

As graduation approaches, Prateek will continue pursuing creative storytelling full-time. Looking back on his journey, he encourages other students to explore different interests and embrace the learning process. 

“Make sure you’re taking care of yourselves,” he says. “It’s very easy to neglect your health when you’re passionate about something. Just make sure you’re not burning out, learning lots and most importantly, having fun.” 

Pitch perfect

Meet the three unique women who made up the top Stock Pitch team in Canada

Keira Hennigar, Katelyn Abriel, Laura McAleese and coach/faculty advisor Ross Hallett

A team of three Sobey School of Business women are the top stock pitching team in Canada after competing in Virginia, USA, in March.

Laura McAleese graduated from the Sobey School of Business in 2025 with her Bachelor of Commerce in Finance. She “landed at Saint Mary’s after hip-hopping around a bit,” knowing that the Sobey School was where her mother had gotten her accounting degree. She says she toured SMU when she was a little girl and “vividly remembers the Atrium with the plant wall.”  

From her BComm, she applied to the Sobey Master of Business Analytics “on a whim,” although she adds that the future-facing AI-focused curriculum appealed to her.

Laura is an active participant in the Impact Fund program, which deepened her passion for, as she calls it, “the technical aspect of finance.”  Last year, in her first year on the Impact Team, she competed at the Stock Pitch.

Keira Hennigar is a third-year BComm student majoring in finance. She is a member of Saint Mary’s Equestrian Club and the Investment Society. Katelyn Abriel is also a third-year student, majoring in finance and accounting and aiming to get her CPA designation and pursue a career in accounting. Both are current Research Associates with the Sobey School Impact Fund, Keira for real estate investment and Katelyn for consumer staples.

In March, Keira, Katelyn and Laura entered the women-only Bianca Caragliano Stock Pitch Competition.  

So what is a stock pitch competition?

Participants are tasked with choosing the stock that they hope will beat the market over the next year. “After choosing a stock, we basically do equity research on that stock,” says Laura. “We look at the company, we look at its competitors, industries, and then we try to come up with an implied share price for the stock and see whether or not it's mispriced in the actual market. Then, we give a buy or sell recommendation.”

This preparation paid off. The team competed at William & Mary in Williamsburg, against 21 teams from across Canada, the US and beyond. They landed at number four, topping teams from the Ivey Business School, Memorial University, UBC and University of Regina, making them the highest-scoring Canadian team.

First cohort of Sports Business students prepare to launch their careers

Matthew Lloyd is one of the first students to graduate with the Saint Mary’s Certificate in Sports Business

At Saint Mary’s, preparing students to thrive in agile, competitive careers is a top priority for us—and the Sobey School of Business is one of the faculties leading the charge with innovative programming designed for lucrative, high-demand industries.

Working in tandem with the Scott McCain & Leslie McLean Centre for Sport, Business and Health, the recently unveiled Bachelor of Commerce in Sports Business major was launched last year as part of the Sobey School’s program offerings, with students like Van Bernard coming to SMU specifically for the program. As the only sports business program currently available in Atlantic Canada, we’re committed to developing talent right here at home—giving students the opportunity to build an education that supports their goals.  

The BComm in Sports Business didn’t launch overnight. It started as a Certificate in Sports Business in 2024. It’s still available as a certificate option for students interested in adding it to an existing major, and we’ve heard firsthand from students that it’s a fantastic pairing with other Sobey School programming.

Marketing major Matthew Lloyd is one of the first students set to graduate with the certificate in sports business, and he felt passionate enough about his experience in the program to write a profile of it in the SMU Student Journal.

“I had the option to go out of province for a sports business program, but I wanted to stay in the Maritimes. It aligned perfectly—with the sports business certificate, I was able to get sport-specific education while finishing my degree at Saint Mary’s.”

“The courses required for the certificate—like sports marketing and sports data analytics—have given me extremely relevant experience and allowed me to practice applying my marketing education in sports-specific contexts. ”

— Matthew Lloyd

A longtime fan, Matthew is passionate about every aspect of sports. He played basketball in his youth, and he follows hockey and basketball closely. His dream job would be a marketing role with a team like the Toronto Raptors, and he took full advantage of our sports-related programming, taking that first step toward turning his passion into a lifelong career.  

“Marketing and sports business go hand-in-hand, as sports marketing is a key part of the industry. Between sponsorships, event promotions and broadcast opportunities, having sports-related education under your belt when you graduate gives you a competitive advantage when getting your foot in the door in sports marketing.”  

You don’t have to be planning a career in sports to benefit from taking these courses, Matthew says. Each of the sports business courses—Human Resources in Sports and Sports & Sustainability—give students ample opportunity to apply the learning they do to real-world examples through case studies in the sports industry.

“I feel a lot better entering the job market because of my education at Saint Mary’s than I would otherwise. In addition to the education I received, I’m graduating with work experience. With the co-op program I participated in, I have 12 months of experience across three different organizations, so I have projects I can point to on my resume that give me an advantage in a competitive market.”

Matthew will cross the stage with his cohort of Sobey School of Business graduates on May 27 during Spring Convocation. Soon after, he’ll begin his new role with Irving Shipbuilding in Halifax.

With Sports Business now offered at Saint Mary’s, students who want a clear path to a career in the sports industry are able to set themselves up for success. Whether you’re looking to double major, minor, or add a certificate to your education, Saint Mary’s offers flexible opportunities to prepare students like Matthew for a successful start in their chosen field.

TRIUMF triumph: Two Saint Mary’s science students awarded prestigious fellowships

Two Saint Mary’s University science students, Tehya Mohammed and Clara Wrightman-Dillon, will be travelling to Vancouver this summer for the Richard E. Azuma Summer Fellowships at TRIUMF, Canada’s particle accelerator centre.

Only two of these prestigious fellowships are awarded each year to students from TRIUMF’s 21 member universities across Canada, making it extra special that both students will be representing SMU.

The fellowships support promising Canadian undergraduate students in pursuing careers in TRIUMF’s research fields, including accelerator science and technology, detectors and instrumentation, life sciences, molecular and materials science, particle, nuclear, and theoretical physics, and scientific computing.

“Watching students succeed is the greatest reward for an educator. Having two SMU stu-dents win the only two fellowships at TRIUMF, and knowing that they competed against students from much larger institutions makes this a very proud moment.” says Dr. Sam Veres, Dean of Science. “These wins are a testament to Tehya and Clara’s dedication to their studies, and the exceptional education that our faculty and staff in the Department of As-tronomy and Physics provide.” 

Tehya Mohammed

Tehya Mohammed, from East Preston, N.S., just completed her third year of a BSc in Physics with an honours in Chemistry. She is excited to start working on a research project titled “Antimatter Physics with the ALPHA Collaboration” with Dr. Makoto Fujiwara at TRIUMF and at the CERN scientific research laboratory in Switzerland.

When she graduates in spring 2027, Tehya plans to attend graduate school; longer-term goals may see her staying in academia, teaching and doing research, and she credits her experience at Saint Mary’s with helping her land the fellowship this summer.

“I’m grateful for the experiences I’ve had at Saint Mary’s,” says Tehya. “I was able to do research with my professors each summer starting after my first year. There are more opportunities available to undergraduate students at smaller schools like SMU.”

Chemistry professor Dr. Christa Brosseau is Tehya’s honours supervisor; she also worked with Dr. Rob Singer in chemistry, publishing a paper with him. She credits these experiences with helping to round out her resume for the fellowship.

Clara Wrightman-Dillon

Clara Wrightman-Dillon, a physics major from St. Andrews, N.B., will be working with Dr. Adam Garnsworthy and researchers at the University of York. Their project, titled “Decoherence of Quantum Entangled Photons,” will involve the collection, sorting and analysis of data for research that could affect PET medical imaging.

This won’t be Clara’s first visit to TRIUMF; she was there last year thanks to her work alongside Dr. Greg Christian, a professor in the Department of Astronomy and Physics at Saint Mary’s.

After graduating from Saint Mary’s, Clara intends to pursue a Master of Science in physics.

Tehya and Clara have both spent the previous two summers at Saint Mary’s conducting research with their professors in positions funded by the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)’s Undergraduate Student Research Awards program and the Faculty of Science at Saint Mary’s.

The paid, four-month fellowship includes travel and a week's stay at TRIUMF House, a “home away from home for TRIUMF’s national and international visitors”. When fellowship winners complete their undergraduate degrees, a $5,000 scholarship is available to any of the 21 TRIUMF schools in Canada.

---

Meson Hall at TRIUMF. Credit: triumf.ca

About TRIUMF

Established in 1968 in Vancouver, TRIUMF is Canada’s particle accelerator centre. The lab is a hub for discovery and innovation inspired by a half-century of ingenuity in answering nature’s most challenging questions.

From the hunt for the smallest particles in our universe to research that advances the next generation of batteries or develops isotopes to diagnose and treat disease, TRIUMF drives more than scientific discovery. Powered by its complement of top talent and advanced accelerator infrastructure, TRIUMF is pushing the frontiers in isotope science and innovation, as well as technologies to address fundamental and applied problems in particle and nuclear physics, and the materials and life sciences. 

New major in Sustainability Management launches at Saint Mary's

“Sustainability is a competitive advantage.” – Mary Barra, CEO General Motors

Environmental responsibility and equity are key career themes for today’s students. A new Sustainability Management major in the Sobey School of Business Bachelor of Commerce program will help students address real challenges, such as climate change, responsible resource use and social impact, through a business career. Students will learn how organizations balance environmental responsibility, community and societal well-being, and economic success.

The program includes courses like Sustainable Finance, Sustainability Accounting, Reporting and Assurance, Business Ethics and Responsibility, and Economics of Sustainability, as well as elective courses in Arts and Science. While the major is a standalone program, it has been specially designed to work well as a second major alongside other disciplines such as Finance, Management or Marketing.

The program will include important experiential learning elements that deepen a student’s understanding outside of the classroom, including opportunities to work hands-on with organizations on real sustainability challenges. Graduates may pursue careers in fields like responsible investing, corporate sustainability management, ESG analysis and sustainability consulting.

The new Sustainability Management major is a natural next step for the Sobey School, as our students and alumni have long demonstrated commitment to environmental and social sustainability, through building social enterprises like Square Roots; societies like Enactus, Women in Business and the new Sustainability Society; and through participating in national and international case competitions themed for ethics, responsible leadership and sustainability.

Commitment to sustainability

The Sobey School of Business is a signatory to PRME, a United Nations initiative. Its focus is ensuring that business schools equip future leaders with the skills needed to balance economic, social and environmental goals, with particular emphasis on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Sobey is a PRME Champion school, signalling a greater commitment and intention to be a thought leader in responsible leadership.

Our research centres focus on topics related to sustainability, including social entrepreneurship and impact, immigration economics, and co-operative businesses.

Saint Mary’s University has a reputation for environmental and social responsibility that is evident in everything from our research endeavours to our academic programs to many on-campus activities and initiatives. The new major joins a number of sustainability-focused undergraduate programs at the university.

Related:

• Certificate in Sustainability Business

• Bachelor of Commerce programs

• Sustainability at Saint Mary’s

A new tradition: Atlantic Sustainable Marketing Case Competition debuts at Saint Mary’s

Students presented compelling pitches at the inaugural Atlantic Sustainable Marketing Case Competition hosted at Saint Mary’s

The Sobey School of Business was buzzing as students from across Atlantic Canada gathered for the inaugural Atlantic Sustainable Marketing Case Competition (ASMCC).

Twelve undergraduate teams from Saint Mary’s University, Dalhousie University, the University of New Brunswick and the University of Prince Edward Island tackled real-world marketing challenges through a sustainability lens, with more than 80 students, faculty, judges, sponsors and volunteers participating.

From idea to reality

Katie and Chris welcome participants to the case competition

ASMCC started as a bold idea from student co-chairs Katie Murray and Chris Nemeskeri, aiming to give students hands-on experience solving real-world business challenges.

"I’m super proud of what Chris and I have built together from scratch," says Katie Murray. "Starting all of it was a learning curve, but it gave me so much experience for my future endeavours."

"Our goal was to create a platform for students to tackle real-world challenges through a sustainable and innovative lens," says Chris Nemeskeri.

With support from advisor Dr. Hao Lu and Dean of the Sobey School Dr. Michel Delorme, the team managed everything—from branding and sponsorships to logistics—turning a student-led idea into a full-scale competition

The challenge

This year’s case partner, Sprout Dwellings, challenged teams to rethink their marketing strategy as the company transitioned from business-to-consumer to business-to-business marketing while expanding into larger developments.

Students had just three days to analyze the case, submit slide decks and present their solutions to a panel of judges. The case, designed by Jocelyn Grabke and Yanting Wu, has been submitted to the Sustainability Case Writing Awards through Ivey Publishing.

After preliminary rounds, six teams advanced to the finals, showcasing creativity, strategy and professionalism.

Top honours went to:

• 1st Place – Saint Mary’s University: Vaishali Sachdeva, Trang Truong, Hazza Sujeer, Chloe Pobjoy-Ridolfo

• 2nd Place – Dalhousie University: Ryan Ski, Jaime Mason, Naomi Johnston

• 3rd Place – University of New Brunswick: Rahma Khanes, Domenica Vasco, Natalie Liscuna, Matthew Heans

Judges praised the level of preparation and insight. "The level of preparation and creative thinking was inspiring," said one judge.

First-place team: Saint Mary’s University

Second-place team: Dalhousie University

Third-place team: UNB

Expanding sustainability in the Sobey School of Business

ASMCC highlights Saint Mary’s growing focus on sustainability and experiential learning. Building on the competition’s success, the Sobey School of Business will launch a new sustainability-focused major in Fall 2026.

The Sustainability Management Program will prepare students to integrate responsible practices throughout a business. Students will tackle real-world challenges, develop sustainable solutions and gain the skills to lead organizations with social and environmental impact in mind. Learn more here.

Empowering women through bold ideas

Students from three universities participated in the FemXchange Innovation Sprint

In celebration of International Women’s Month, the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre brought together students and founders for an Innovation Sprint featuring FemXchange, a growing platform designed to help female+ individuals share skills, build connections and support one another.

The sprint welcomed 14 students from Saint Mary’s University, Dalhousie University and Mount Saint Vincent University, all tasked with tackling a real challenge: how FemXchange can grow sustainably through partnerships while continuing to engage the right members and stakeholders. The opportunity came at the perfect moment, as conversations are already underway to deepen collaboration between FemXchange and the Centre, particularly in ways that could better connect students, alumni and existing programming.

“I was blown away by the bright, diverse minds in the room,” said FemXchange Founder Caroline Mastropaolo. “As a solo founder, having such a range of fresh, objective perspectives is incredibly valuable. I’m excited to hit the ground running with all these new ideas.”

Not only were students solving for business growth, but they were doing so for a platform rooted in empowerment and access. As a bonus, all female participants received one year of free access to FemXchange, turning the experience into something that extends well beyond the classroom.

The solutions presented reflected both creativity and strategic thinking. First place went to Saint Mary’s University arts student, Stuti Sandhu, who proposed partnerships with university alumni offices, venture capital firms and small business insurance companies. Her idea also highlighted an important social impact angle, suggesting the platform could support survivors of domestic violence and economic abuse by promoting financial independence.

Second place was awarded to commerce student Isabella Scuse and science student Abdinasir Ali, both from Saint Mary’s University, who developed a multi-partnership approach. Their strategy included collaborations with Etsy to support DIY entrepreneurs, Credly for certifications, Shopify for scaling businesses and RBC for funding and financial literacy.

Third place went to Saint Mary’s MBA students Laura Thompson, Benjamin Broadbent and Noah Zelin-Opps. Their plan focused on partnerships with universities, professional organizations and platforms like PrestaShop, alongside a detailed activation strategy that included chatbot integration and a WhatsApp ecosystem.

Overall, the Innovation Sprint highlighted what’s possible when the right people, purpose and timing come together.

If you’re interested in learning more about the next Innovation Sprint, sign up for our newsletter.