Saint Mary’s University welcomes the new Chair & Vice-Chair of the Board of Governors

Alan R. Abraham Jr. BComm'80, Chair of the Saint Mary's University Board of Governors.

Saint Mary's University is pleased to share that Alan R. Abraham Jr. BComm'80 is the new Chair of the Saint Mary's University Board of Governors. Abraham is joined by newly elected Vice-Chair, Mark Gosine BA'95.

The Vice-President at ReGroup, Alan Abraham has over 25 years of management and operational experience in the waste and recycling industry and a background in long-distance and public warehousing. He established Green Waste Systems in 1989 and grew it into a full-service company with over 20 trucks operating in Halifax until its acquisition by Royal Environmental Group, where he continues to lead the environmental services division. Abraham is a proud Saint Mary's University alum whose commitment to community service has involved him on various boards and associations.

"I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the Saint Mary's University community," says Abraham. "I intend to continue advancing Saint Mary's role as an exemplar in social and community leadership, which has always been core to who we are. Thank you to my fellow Board Members for your votes of confidence in me and my commitment to this great institution. It is an honour."

Mark Gosine BA’95, K.C., ICD.D, Vice-Chair of the Saint Mary's University Board of Governors.

Mark Gosine, K.C., ICD.D is an internationally experienced strategic executive and lawyer with a proven track record for facilitating growth through the execution of complex global transactions.  Mark has extensive legal experience both in private practice and in-house, and works closely with boards and management teams on strategic planning, exploring growth opportunities, and risk management.  Mark serves as strategic legal advisor to Mint Road Ltd., IoM Media and Meta Material Inc.  Previously, Mark played a key role in the international growth of WildBrain (formerly DHX Media) where he was Executive Vice President, Legal Affairs, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary. 

"I am proud to welcome Alan Abraham as our new Board Chair," says Saint Mary's University President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. “Alan and our new Vice-Chair Mark Gosine have long been supporters of our university and bring extensive experience across a variety of sectors to the table. They have shown incredible passion and dedication to our university and its mission. Thank you both for your commitment to Saint Mary's University."

Santamarian Ceremony 2022

Student signing the register

Students watching ceremony

President Rob Summerby-Murray speaking

SMUSA VP Advocacy, Kyle Cooke, speaking

SMUSA President, Isobel Tyler, speaking

SMU Alumni, Stéphanie Mrad, speaking

Student signing the register

President Summerby-Murray playing the piano

Student signing the register

All of the attendees

New students receiving a SMU t-shirt

Saint Mary’s University students kicked off Welcome Weeks with the annual Santamarian Ceremony on September 6. University members hosted the event for new students, an opportunity to share the core values of Saint Mary’s and those of a Santamarian: academic integrity, the pursuit of knowledge, responsiveness to community needs, openness to change, and concerns for a just and civil society. 

“This word, ‘Santamarian’, holds a much deeper significance than simply describing someone who attends Saint Mary’s,” says President Rob Summerby-Murray. “Instead, ‘Santamarian’ stands for a distinct way of being, acting and striving to embody a set of collective values.”  

The ceremony involves signing the register of students, which officially begins their journey of intellectual and personal growth at Saint Mary’s. The ceremony represents the university’s bold vision and commitment to the SMUcommunity, Halifax, Nova Scotia and the world.  

“We are known as student leaders. We are known as people who care about others and put it into action,” says SMUSA president Isobel Tyler. “We are known as global citizens. But you don’t have to wait to graduate to be known as a Santamarian. That starts today.” 

46th Annual Alumni and Friends Golf Tournament Photo Gallery

Congratulations to Team Baker Tilly Nova Scotia Inc for winning this year's Tournament. Congratulations to Team Capital Paper and Team SMUSA on 2nd and 3rd places. Also, congratulations to the top 3 Net scoring teams - Molson, SMU President's Team, and TD Insurance.

Thanks to all our sponsors for their generous support of the tournament. With their involvement and your participation, we were able to provide 20 Golf Bursaries to hardworking Saint Mary's students.

Thank you for your continued support of our students, and we hope to see you back at our tournament next year.

Join Saint Mary's Young Alumni Committee

Great News - we are recruiting members for the Saint Mary's Young Alumni Committee(SMUYA) now!

Join SMUYA to celebrate young alumni and their achievements and attend events as a YA representative throughout the year.

We're looking for enthusiastic candidates who want to make an impact and give back to the SMU Community.

Learn more about SMUYA and submit your application today!

SMU Alumni: Volunteer to be an Honour Guard

Another academic year is coming to an end and we're excited to celebrate the accomplishments of the 2022 grads at Fall Convocation!

We look forward to having a strong showing of our alumni for Honour Guard this year to welcome all the new graduates into the alumni family.

Honour Guard members will walk ahead of the students during the procession and lead them out at the end, signifying their transition from student to alumni. This is a great opportunity for you to volunteer with the Alumni Office and to show the strength of our alumni network to both the new grads and their supporters!

Convocation Times:

• Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research – September 23, 7 p.m.

• Sobey School of Business (undergraduate) – September 24, 10 a.m.

• Faculty of Arts/ Faculty of Science (undergraduate) – September 24, 2 p.m.

Email Alumni@smu.ca to volunteer!

Ropeless Fishing Reduces Harm to Whales

Dr. Jason Rhinelander and Ross Arsenault

By Jessica Long

As an Engineering professor and an expert in Artificial Intelligence, Dr. Jason Rhinelander’s research focuses on applying machine learning and optimization to embedded, real-time systems. Dr. Rhinelander was Ashored Inc.‘s academic supervisor for a project entitled, “Environmental testing of existing and proposed ropeless fishing system line management methods,” which was funded in part by Mitacs through the Accelerate Entrepreneurship program. Ashored Inc. has been developing a “rope-on-command” fishing system which reduces lost gear, automates the collection and dissemination of gear data, and allows fishing to continue sustainably in zones closed for animal protection.

Under Dr. Rhinelander’s supervision, Ross Arsenault, Co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer of Ashored Innovations, and Saint Mary’s Alumni (BComm’18 MTEI’20), explored respooling and resetting buoy lines from trap fishing applications into caged ropeless fishing systems. The results of this research allowed Ashored to design a modular rope and release cage that can be used seamlessly in real world commercial trap fishing. This lidded cage design streamlines the time required to reload the system with the buoy line for deployment to merely a few seconds.

“When we started Ashored, there were a number of unknowns and variables that we needed to solve before we could develop a rope containment unit for our rope-on-command fishing systems,” says Arsenault. “By engaging with the Office of Innovation and Community Engagement and Mitacs, we were able to put together a project that allowed us to learn essential information and test our hypotheses in a scientifically vetted process and in a resource-rich environment. We received both the freedom and framework to succeed in our project and had expert mentorship to fall back on if issues or surprises arose in our research.”

Photo (L-R): Dr. Jason Rhinelander and Ross Arsenault

The Office of Innovation and Community Engagement facilitates research relationships between Saint Mary’s University and companies, government departments and community organizations.

Read about more innovative partnerships between Saint Mary’s University faculty and industry partners in their 2022 report.

SMU Alumnus Senator Terry Mercer honoured by Senate on His Retirement

Sen. Terry Mercer

SMU alumnus and Honorary Doctorate recipient Senator Terry Mercer BA’71 DCL’13 was honoured by the Senate of Canada on May 5 to acknowledge his retirement.  

Several Senators paid tribute to Senator Mercer, including the Honourable Stan Kutcher, who highlighted that Terry attended Saint Mary's University, where he met his wife, Ellen. He was recognized also for his passion and work in the chamber, his service to the people of Nova Scotia and to all Canadians. 

During the event, Senator Mercer spoke of his work with the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA), particularly in supporting university students in their endeavours. He also acknowledged one of his greatest achievements, the Senate Special Committee on the Charitable Sector. In 2012, Canada became the first Country to recognize National Philanthropy Day permanently through a bill sponsored by Senator Terry Mercer.  

"Every day, the lives of Canadians from coast to coast to coast are touched by the sector and its volunteers. I would like you to join me in thanking the millions of volunteers who make a difference in their communities," said Senator Mercer.

“On behalf of the entire Saint Mary’s Community, I wish you a happy retirement,” said Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray, President of Saint Mary's University. “We are proud to include you as one of our 53,000 alumni worldwide, as well as an honorary degree recipient. Thank you for continuing to exemplify the Santamarian spirit through the impact you are making in the community, locally and nationally.”

Saint Mary’s University Celebrates Outstanding Business Success, Commitment to Nova Scotia and Community of Four Alumni with Honorary Degrees

Four outstanding Santamarians will be honoured with honorary degrees at May convocation ceremonies, with recipients reflecting leadership in North American business and significant contributions to Nova Scotian and Mi’kmaw communities.    

"In each of these honorary degree recipients, our students can see the dedication, passion and commitment to excellence that leads to success," says President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. "All of our recipients came to Saint Mary's University for their studies, and we are thankful for their continued dedication to our university. With great pleasure, we bestow our highest honour on these four accomplished alumni."  

Saint Mary's University is proud to recognize the achievements of: 

Karen Oldfield BA’82, Q.C., ICD.D 
 
After serving for more than 18 years as President and CEO of the Halifax Port Authority, Karen was recently named the Interim President and CEO of Nova Scotia Health (NSH). While seconded to Nova Scotia Health, she has also been appointed Deputy Minister of Priorities and Planning for the Government of Nova Scotia, a role fundamental to the strategic priorities of the province. Karen also previously served as Chair of the Saint Mary’s University Board of Governors.  
 

Roger J. Lewis BA’01 
 
Roger, a member of the Sɨkɨpne'katik First Nation, is currently the Curator of Mi'kmaq Culture and Heritage with the Nova Scotia Museum. For the past two decades, he has been working closely with Mi'kmaw communities to record important ethnographic information and stories. He is regularly invited to advise educators and to speak within the provincial school system about Treaty Rights and Mi'kmaw history.   

James “JC” Curleigh BComm’89 

JC is Gibson Guitar's President and Chief Executive Officer, where he leads the Gibson senior team of proven executives with broad experience in global brand building, finance and product development. Prior to joining Gibson, JC served as the President of the Levi’s brand at Levi Strauss & Co., and earlier with Keen footwear and Saloman brands. JC is a guitar enthusiast and has been a proud owner of both Gibson and Epiphone guitars over the years, including his latest addition – a Gibson 1960’s J-45 acoustic guitar. 
 

William (Bill) Linton BComm’75 
 
Bill is a corporate director, philanthropist, and investor with over 30 years of business experience. He comes from a family with a strong tradition of business excellence and giving back to their community through a commitment to volunteerism and philanthropy. Bill is a member of the Board of Directors of Empire Company Limited and serves as a director of Deveron UAS Corp. and TMX Group Limited, as well as a number of private companies. Over his career, Bill has held various senior executive-level positions, including Executive Vice President, Finance & Chief Financial Officer at Rogers Communications Inc. 

---

 About Saint Mary’s University 

 Saint Mary’s University is one of Canada’s top primarily undergraduate universities known for its international collaborations, leadership in entrepreneurship, and research that benefits local and global communities. Our programs in Arts, Science, Graduate Studies and the Sobey School of Business are among Canada’s best and feature professors who are committed to the success of their students. Saint Mary’s provides our more than 6,600 students with a place that fosters possibility, excellent research opportunities, and distinguished graduate and professional programs combined with a caring community. Nestled in the heart of Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Canada’s east coast, Saint Mary’s University is marked by iconic buildings, green spaces and fresh ocean air. The Saint Mary’s University community is committed to a prosperous future for the world—a World without limits. 

Honorary Degree Recipient: Karen Oldfield

Karen Oldfield

Karen Oldfield BA’82, Q.C., ICD.D, was named President and CEO of Nova Scotia Health (NSH) on September 1, 2021. This appointment was made by Premier Tim Houston with a mandate to take immediate action to improve health care in Nova Scotia. While seconded to Nova Scotia Health, Karen has also been appointed Deputy Minister of Priorities and Planning for the Government of Nova Scotia, a role fundamental to the long-term strategic priorities of the province.

Previously, Karen served 18 successful years as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Halifax Port Authority. During her tenure at the Port Authority, revenues more than tripled, enabling the organization to make significant financial investments in strategic port and transportation infrastructure to improve port competitiveness and the livability of Halifax. Karen has global experience, particularly in trade development and the establishment of new markets, combined with deep expertise in supply chain management and logistics. Karen operates and achieves results in complex, multidisciplinary/stakeholder environments, particularly at the nexus of government and the private sector.

Karen continues to advise companies committed to growth, especially in Atlantic Canada. Companies such as Warehouse Transport Group, a growing transportation and logistics firm with offices in Cambridge, Ontario and Halifax, Nova Scotia, Vigilant Atlantic, a team of experts providing cost estimates, rapid cost monitoring and overall project delivery throughout Atlantic Canada and beyond, and Scotiaport, a 1600+ acre transportation and logistics park in planning for Truro, Nova Scotia.

Karen is the Past Chair of the Board of Governors of Saint Mary's University. She has served as President of the Canadian Chapter of the International Women's Forum, a global organization of female leaders with a stated mission to develop female executive and board talent further. Karen serves as Lead Director of Acadian Timber (ADN.TO), is Chair of the Nomination, Governance and Executive Compensation Committee and member of the Audit Committee.

Karen lives in Halifax with her husband Darren and their COVID-puppy Charli!

Honorary Degree Recipient: Roger J. Lewis

Roger J. Lewis

Roger J. Lewis BA'01, Sɨkɨpne'katik First Nation, is currently the Curator of Mi'kmaq Culture and Heritage with the Nova Scotia Museum. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from Saint Mary's University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, and his Master of Arts from Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN), specializing in pre-contact Mi'kmaw cultural landscape and resource use. For the past two decades, he has been working closely with Mi'kmaw communities to record important ethnographic information and stories. He is regularly invited to advise educators and to speak within the provincial school system about Treaty Rights and Mi'kmaw history.   

Roger currently serves as the Vice President of the Board of the Mi'kmaw Native Friendship Centre, where he advises on a number of issues dealing with urban residing Indigenous peoples, cultural property rights, research protocols, and the mentoring of youth. He is a Keptin (Captain) of the Grand Council of Mi'kmaq. He is a part-time instructor at Saint Mary's University, co-teaching a course titled "Indigenous Peoples of Canada" with Dr. Trudy Sable from 2014 to 2022.  

An expert on Mi'kmaq culture and heritage, Roger has contributed to numerous publications, including Mi'kmakik Teloltipnik L'nuk - How the People Lived in Mi'kmakik, published in Native Peoples: The Canadian Experience, and Being and Becoming Indigenous Archaeologist, edited by George Nicholas. He is a mentor and valuable resource expert on the Ta'n Weji-sqalia'tiek: Mi'kmaw Place Names Digital Atlas and Website Project. Since its inception, he has offered his knowledge of the landscape of Mi'kma'ki to help contextualize and precisely locate each place name. In 2021, Roger was invited to serve as one of twelve curators as selected from across Canada to provide Interpretation of Contemporary Indigenous art at the new senate building in Ottawa.