The Turner Bursary for African Canadian and Indigenous Women

Keisha Turner BA’12.

Saint Mary’s is proud to offer a new bursary to African Canadian and Indigenous women through the generosity of SMU alumna, Keisha Turner BA’12.

The Turner Bursary reflects Keisha’s identity as a community leader and her own lived experience as a Black female entrepreneur:

"I am so excited to be able to offer this bursary over the next five years. It was bursaries just like these that allowed me to succeed and finish my degree with the stability and support I needed to get where I am today.  It is with great pride and gratitude that I am able to do the same for the next generation of Black and Indigenous leaders."  

During her time at Saint Mary’s, Keisha studied Sociology and won an AUS Championship with the women’s volleyball team in 2010. She has since established an impactful career as an entrepreneur and consultant in Ontario and Nova Scotia. With her husband Michael Polak BComm’14, she has formed Akwekon – a consulting firm that guides Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations in the reconciliation of colonial and Indigenous practices.

It is in this spirit of cultivating positive change that Keisha invests in Saint Mary’s students, and in turn strengthens our community and the world beyond.  

Read more about Keisha’s story in Maroon + White

New award will help support grieving students

Paul Hollingsworth BA’94

Saint Mary’s alumni Paul Hollingsworth BA’94 is giving back to support new students who have experienced the loss of a sibling or parent. 

Paul knows well the impact of such grief. He was young student in the Faculty of Arts at Saint Mary’s when his older brother Bryce took his life in 1991. 

He credits the support he received from professors and the Saint Mary’s community as integral to helping him move ahead and continue pursuing his degree as he navigated his loss. 

Paul went on to graduate and now enjoys a successful career as a well-known reporter for CTV Atlantic and TSN.   

Last year, Paul suffered another loss in his family, with the sudden passing of his sister Lauren. Motivated by grief and memories of how the Saint Mary's community supported him 30 years ago, he decided to establish an award which would help future students going through the same thing. 

Each year, the Hollingsworth Family Award, valued at $1,000, will be given to a first-year student who has lost a parent or sibling.

On February 1, Paul spoke movingly on-air about his decision to establish the award. The story clearly struck a chord with many in the community; since the award was announced, several donations have been received, including one of $5000. To date, the total donations top $8000, an amount that Hollingworth plans to increase with his own fundraising efforts.  

“I love Saint Mary’s,” he said in an interview with CTV writer Alex MacIssac. “So to do this and to put some of the pieces back together from my family’s life and to do it and wrap it around my university, Saint Mary’s, I’m so pleased.” 

 Give to the Hollingsworth Family Award 

SMU researchers working with US government to recover remains of lost service personnel

Dr. Aaron Taylor and Dr. Jonathan Fowler work with a 500 Noggin ground-penetrating radar, shown here

A Saint Mary’s University archaeology team is assisting the US government in identifying and recovering the remains of service personnel lost on foreign battlefields.

The Defense Prisoners of War/Missing in Action Accounting Agency (DPAA) is the US government agency responsible for locating, recovering and identifying the remains of unaccounted-for US Department of Defense personnel from past conflicts. This project will focus on World War II (WWII) battlefields and aircraft crash sites. Saint Mary’s is the first university in Canada to partner with DPAA on a project of this nature.

“We have been developing our remote sensing expertise at Saint Mary’s University for several years now, providing assistance to different organizations across Canada,” says Dr. Jonathan Fowler, a professor in the Department of Anthropology.

“For us, these are more than projects. In many instances, we work with people looking for closure and do our best to provide them with that. This is about people who have been lost and bringing them home.”

Dr. Fowler is one of Canada’s leading researchers in archaeological geophysics and remote sensing. His ground-penetrating radar research has successfully mapped burials associated with the 1873 sinking of the SS Atlantic and identified nearly 300 unmarked graves in the pre-Deportation Acadian cemetery at Grand-Pré National Historic Site. Dr. Fowler has also worked with the Sipekne'katik First Nation in recent years related to the former Shubenacadie Residential school site.

The first search project with DPAA is in the final planning stages. It will offer opportunities to students for archaeological field experience in France this summer. Dr. Aaron Taylor BA'09 MA'12 will direct the project.

“Students will participate in excavations of a downed WWII US aircraft in an attempt to recover the remains of an aircrew member who perished in the crash,” says Taylor. “Students will be trained in archaeological field methods and best practices while following forensic archaeology techniques meeting DPAA protocols and guidelines.”

More on this story:

• Canadian Press/CBC article, “Halifax university's technology to help U.S. find missing soldiers on former European battlefields”

• Interview on The Todd Veinotte Show (hour three)

• To find out more about the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), visit dpaa.mil

Graduate Profile: Josh Jackman BSc’22, Faculty of Science

Congratulations to Josh Jackman, a Fall ’22 graduate with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Geology.

After leaving SMU as a business student, Josh later returned to Saint Mary’s as a mature student and discovered his love of geology after taking a first-year course called “Understanding the Earth,” in which students study minerals, rocks, soils, fossils and geological structures in class and in labs.

After completing his honours thesis in his third year and winning several awards, including best presentation at the undergraduate geoscience conference, he’s now working on a Master of Science degree at Saint Mary’s.

Preferred Name: Josh Jackman 

Program/degree: Bachelor of Science, Geology

Hometown: Petersfield, UK

Why did you choose Saint Mary’s University?

The geology program at Saint Mary's has a great reputation, and Halifax is such a nice place to live. 

How did you decide on Geology?

Geology holds the key to understanding all of Earth's processes, the nature of life upon it, and the interaction of human cultures throughout history. 

What was your favourite class?

Geology 1200 and 1201 will change the way you think. It made me see the fourth dimension, how the world changes over time.

What was your thesis title and description? Why did this research appeal to you?

“Fluid inclusion systematics of polymetallic (Sb-Pb-Zn-As-Ag-Au) mineralization at the Lansdowne Occurrence, Digby County, Nova Scotia.” Fluid inclusions are an example of something very small, which can meaningfully represent enormous events.

Were you involved in the SMU Community (ie societies, clubs, sports, research)?

I was chair of the D. Hope Simpson Geology Society.

Which instructor had the biggest impact on you?

Dr. Pierre Jutras, Dr. Erin Adlakha, and Dr. Jacob Hanley have had a profound impact on my mind and attitude. Dr. Victor Owen (now retired) has been a great inspiration for me.

Did you receive any awards or recognition from the university or other organizations during your time as a student here?

Bob Grantham Award, Mark Deptuck Award, Gordon Fader Award, and Award of Academic Excellence.

What advice would you give your younger self who was just starting university?

Wait until you're ready. You won't succeed unless you're having fun.

Alumnus Stan Hartling Receives University’s Highest Honour

Stan Hartling, BComm’86

Saint Mary’s University is honouring one of its own with an honorary doctorate at its January 2023 Convocation. Stan Hartling, BComm’86, CEO and founder of The Hartling Group, is an entrepreneur, business leader and philanthropist.  His businesses and charities benefit the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), a place he has called home for over 25 years.  

Under his leadership, The Hartling Group has grown to become one of the largest employers within the Turks and Caicos Islands with over 800 employees. The Hartling Group’s three luxury resorts have received the industry’s highest awards for design and excellence and are valued at over $500 million. The Group also has interests in large-scale construction and advertising and owns one of the largest private yacht charter operations in the Caribbean. Stan has been recognized as Developer of the Year by Caribbean World and Living Magazine.

Stan Hartling is renowned for his generous and extensive charitable contributions. In 2021, Hartling received the Humanitarian of the Year Award from the Turks and Caicos Human Rights Commission. He received the Pandemic Icon Award for humanitarian efforts and employee support during the 2020 shutdowns. Stan was recognized as “Philanthropist of the Year“ by the TCI United Way and inducted into the “Filipino Basketball Hall of Fame” for significant contributions to the sport. Stan is founding director of “Boys to Men” a mentorship organization for youth.

The Hartling Group has raised over $2 million for TCI charitable and scholarship organizations including the Cancer Foundation, United Way, Kidney Foundation and Salvation Army. Stan is the Honorary Chairman of the Salvation Army, Turks and Caicos Islands, a 20-year member of the Board of Trustees for the National Museum, and Honorary Director of the Turks and Caicos AIDS Awareness Foundation. Hartling has also given back to his alma mater through a generous scholarship allowing students from the Turks and Caicos to study at Saint Mary’s University. His passion is to mentor and inspire youth to pursue entrepreneurial careers.

“We are very pleased to award the university’s highest honour to Stan Hartling,” says Saint Mary’s University President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. “Stan is recognized as a leader in the business community, a philanthropist, and an exemplary humanitarian. Known for his passion for entrepreneurship and education, he sets an example for others to follow.”

2022 Alumni Awards

On Tuesday, November 15, Saint Mary’s University hosted the annual Alumni Awards. This year’s celebration took place on #NationalPhilanthropyDay. The Alumni Association honoured alumni who have made remarkable contributions in their communities and/or to Saint Mary’s.  
 
The hybrid event brought alumni, faculty, staff and friends together to celebrate the Santamarian spirit of community engagement and volunteerism.

Congratulations to the 2022 Alumni Award recipients: 

• Distinguished Community Service: The Honourable Dr. Mayann Francis BA'72 DCL'12, ONS and Alan Maingot DipENG'81

• Associate Alumni of the Year: Ann Boswick, Janis Sobey-Hames and Roberta Graham

• Paul Lynch Alumni Volunteer of the Year: Joe Power BComm’11 and Bradley Farquhar BComm’08

• Young Alumni of the Year: Micah Brown BA’13, Dillon Ross BComm’17 and Ossama Nasrallah BComm'18 MBA'22

• Fr. William A. Stewart Award for Teaching Excellence: Dr. Benita Bunjun, Associate Professor Department of Social Justice and Community Studies, and Women and Gender Studies

“Congratulations to each of our award recipients on being recognized for the impact you are making in the community and the world,” said Saint Mary’s University President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. Thank you for your contributions to creating a World without limits for our students, and for each other.”

To learn more about these exceptional individuals and the awards, please visit the Alumni website.

Nancy Foran Appointed Chair of Sobey School of Business Advisory Council

Nancy Foran BComm’92

The Sobey School of Business is pleased to appoint Nancy Foran BComm’92 as Chair of the Sobey School of Business Advisory Council. With over 25 years of experience spanning numerous industry sectors, Foran brings a focus on sustainability and environmental, social and governance (ESG) to the school’s council of business experts.

“I welcome this opportunity to work with the council to leverage our collective expertise and networks,” says Foran. “My goal is to amplify the voice of the Sobey School of Business, and to support its focus on sustainability in business.”

Foran, a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), a Fellow of the profession (FCPA), and a Chartered Director (C. Dir.), is educated in the leading global sustainability standards and frameworks including GRI and TCFD. She is also an FSA Credential Level 2 candidate in ESG with the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB). In 2021, Foran founded ESG Partners, where she provides guidance to companies and investors, boards of directors and senior leadership teams as they incorporate ESG factors into their organizational strategies and define their purpose to create long-term, sustainable value.

In addition to Foran’s appointment as Chair, Bruce Bowser BA’17 has been appointed as Vice-Chair. Bowser is a highly respected Canadian business leader and CEO of AMJ Campbell Van Lines. A well-known business authority, Bowser is frequently sought out by the media to provide his innovative and entrepreneurial point-of-view. He has also been featured in notable publications such as the National Post, The Globe and Mail, and Business Edge.

The Advisory Council of the Sobey School of Business is a group of notable business experts who lend real-world experience and knowledge to the school, with the goal of providing insight and support to the school. The Advisory Council provides advice that will ensure graduates from the school succeed in the current business world. In addition to the Chair and the Vice-Chair, Martha Casey BA’01, Cynthia Dorrington, Saeed El-Darahali BSc02 MBA’04 and Joanne Hames serve as the other external members of the Advisory Council.

“We are excited to have Nancy Foran appointed as Chair of the Advisory Council,” said Dr. Harjeet S. Bhabra, Dean of the Sobey School of Business. “Her experience in sustainability and ESG is closely aligned with key elements of our strategic plan. Her leadership will help us further our goal of integrating sustainability in our curriculum and other school initiatives.”

Foran is also a speaker at this year’s 4th Annual Responsible Leadership Day event on November 18. This year’s theme is Digital Future: Ethics, Integrity & Values, and Foran will be providing context and sharing her perspective on the Sobey School of Business and ESG. The event will also include a keynote speech by Juliette Powell, a panel on how artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics can support an organization’s climate action initiatives and goals, and a circular economy student challenge.

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!