Champions for wildlife and development honoured at Saint Mary’s winter convocation

President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray, Hope Swinimer, Scott Armour McCrea and Board Chair Karen Oldfield, Q.C.

Saint Mary’s University is granting the highest honour it can bestow, an honorary degree, to two innovative Nova Scotian leaders.

Saint Mary’s is pleased to recognize the extraordinary achievements of:

·         Scott Armour McCrea, a community builder, real estate innovator and entrepreneur; and

·         Hope Swinimer, a wildlife champion, animal advocate and rehabilitator. 

“At Saint Mary’s University, community is at the heart of all that we do,” said Saint Mary’s University president Robert Summerby-Murray. “Both Mr. McCrea and Ms. Swinimer are exemplars in community building and leadership, whose accomplishments are deserving of recognition and acclaim. We are proud to have them as members of the Saint Mary’s community.”

A life-long Haligonian, Mr. McCrea's deep-rooted understanding of the enduring impact of real estate development on communities comes naturally to him. He is the second generation to direct The Armour Group Limited. As the Chief Executive Officer of The Armour Group Limited, he leads one of Atlantic Canada’s largest fully integrated real estate and investment concerns. An essential part of his work is fostering community development. He wants his grandchildren to be able to see the positive impact that The Armour Group’s real estate developments have had on the region.(Extended biography)   

Born and raised in Argyle, Nova Scotia, Ms. Swinimer knew from an early age that she loved animals and the outdoors. She also knew that she wanted a life working with nature. Today, she runs Hope For Wildlife, a non-profit wildlife rehabilitation and education centre located on a farm in Seaforth, Nova Scotia.The center has helped over 40,000 animals, representing over 200 species. Ms. Swinimer and her team share their journey through their globally-syndicated television show that follows them as they nurse thousands of injured and orphaned wildlife back to health and return them to the wild.(Extended biography)   

Learn more about Winter Convocation 2019.

Saint Mary’s University to participate in Halifax and eBay partnership on retail program

Saint Mary’s University and The David Sobey Centre for Innovation in Retailing and Services are proud to be a part of a new partnership between eBay Canada and the Halifax Regional Municipality. The partnership is for Retail Revival, an eBay program designed to help small and medium-sized retailers harness the power of e-commerce and global trade.

Retail Revival is a free 12-month training, support and educational program that empowers 60 – 70 local small and medium-sized retailers to thrive by leveraging eBay's global marketplace to reach new customers around the world. The program will also include a dedicated customer service support team, digital tools and subscriptions, promotional marketing from eBay, as well as additional education and resources from participating partners focused on small business and exporting.  

The David Sobey Centre for Innovation in Retailing and Services will participate in the eBay Retail Revival program in Halifax as a research partner.  Dr. Ramesh Venkat, Director of the David Sobey Centre, along with Dr. Rahman Khokhar and Dr. Mark Raymond will form a research team to study the performance of the companies participating in the program as well as the overall economic impact on this region.

“This partnership represents a great opportunity for both our region and university,” said Saint Mary’s University president Robert Summerby-Murray. “It is a recognition of the important role that we play as a national leader in business education, entrepreneurship and retail across Canada. We look forward to bringing the expertise of our business faculty and the David Sobey Centre to this partnership.”

This program is a partnership between eBay Canada and the Halifax Regional Municipality. It is supported by the Government of Canada and the Province of Nova Scotia. As part of the program, eBay is partnering with Halifax Partnership, Nova Scotia Business Inc., and Saint Mary’s University.

Photo credits: Stoo Metz, Click Productions.

CLARI creates powerful partnerships between universities and communities

On the surface, implicit bias training for police, tidal energy development and bringing the family pet to the nursing home seem to have little in common.

At Saint Mary’s, they represent successful community-based collaborations for CLARI, the pan-university Change Lab Action Research Initiative, based at the university.

This work was celebrated on Tuesday, January 22 when team members from participating universities and community organizations gathered at the CLARI space on campus.

‘“CLARI connects university professors, experts in their fields, with community groups in need of that expertise for community-based projects,” said Adam Sarty, AVP Research and Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research.

“These projects are proof of concept and would not have been possible without the partnerships and funding available through CLARI. The demand is there, and we look forward to the new opportunities for collaborations that 2019 will bring,” he adds.

In addition to the projects mentioned above, CLARI has also supported partnerships to:

See the CLARI progress report for more: https://smu.ca/webfiles/CLARIReport2018.pdf

• promote cultural food security for newcomers,

• evaluate an arts-based entrepreneurship program for youth,

• research barriers faced by people living with disabilities through evidence-based solutions,

• explore what justice means to those who have experienced gender-based violence, and

• research ways to improve outcomes for incarcerated people returning to the community.

"CLARI has enabled community needs to be addressed by faculty expertise, a truly novel approach to research in Nova Scotia," said Gayle MacDonald, the associate vice-president, research at Mount Saint Vincent University. "‎Faculty learn the complexity of working with community, community groups learn the precision and patience applied research requires, and in the mix, students are direct participants in the process. As a Change Action Laboratory, CLARI has lived up to its claims. The Mount is proud to be part of this initiative."

The CLARI network spans the province, combining the talents and resources of its six founding partner universities: Acadia University, Cape Breton University, Mount Saint Vincent University, St. Francis Xavier University, Saint Mary’s University, Université Sainte-Anne and the Nova Scotia Community College’s 13 campuses. CLARI partners assist communities in all parts of the province to develop social and economic change projects while providing enhanced learning opportunities for students.

Service Learning adds value for students and our community

Students present their projects to residents during their final visit to Northwood’s Halifax Campus.

There was excitement buzzing in the lounge on the on the top floor of Northwood’s seniors home as residents awaited a presentation from Terry Goldsmith’s CSCI 3428 Software Engineering class.

The students took part in a Service Learning project, which combines course curriculum with community-based experiences. Their task over the fall term was to create inclusive software for residents of the long-term care facility in Halifax.

After speaking with residents and occupational therapists to discover their unique wants and needs, the students worked in groups to come up with concepts such as voice-activated software, messaging apps, and an online calendar for use in the facility. They then made modifications based on feedback from their clients.

“As a professor, and a continuing care assistant, I witnessed something truly amazing when this bright and energetic group of residents worked with my class of 30 software engineering students,” said Goldsmith.

“I saw software engineers taking on the role of continuing care assistant, and residents taking on the role of software engineer. They could learn together, because of the opportunity service learning provided,” he said.

Feedback from residents included suggestions to use voice-activated commands, face recognition capability, and requests for colours that work best for people with vision issues – black and yellow is a popular combination, explained Margaret Szabo, Director of Business Development at Northwood.

“Memos are also a useful feature, easing anxiety for people who have memory issues,” she said, adding that being able to complete any tasks in two clicks or less is also ideal.

“It’s amazing how quickly the students learn to take feedback, reflect, and change; there’s a big difference from when we started in September to the final presentations in November,” said Sarah Bray, Service Learning Placement Coordinator, Student Affairs & Services at Saint Mary’s.

Saint Mary’s students help Northwood resident Trudie Helmke.

Northwood resident Trudie Helmke was particularly impressed by the team that built a voice-controlled virtual assistant that they named Ellen.

When asked if she would use one of the apps if it were made available, Helmke said she would.

“I’ve been telling others about Ellen who would love to use it because they don’t want to keep spending money on [other similar products]… I’ve been spreading the word,” she said.

The benefits of service learning, the networking, and the connections with clients can last long after the courses end.

“It becomes real, you have to get out of the classroom and out of your comfort zone,” said Bray.

“These are skills that will serve these students in other classes and in future careers, while encouraging them to reflect on personal values, assumptions, and issues of social responsibility,” she said.

To learn more:

Service Learning opportunities for students
Service Learning Courses
Information for Faculty

Honorary Degree: Scott Armour McCrea

Scott Armour McCrea, Doctor of Commerce, honoris causa
Community builder, real estate innovator and entrepreneur

Scott Armour McCrea

A life-long Haligonian, Mr. McCrea's deep-rooted understanding of the enduring impact of real estate development on communities comes naturally to him. He is the second generation to direct The Armour Group Limited, a family-held company whose roots in Halifax are anchored to the integration of the ownership, construction and management of their properties, which include many of the city's historic and traditional spaces.

As the Chief Executive Officer of The Armour Group Limited, he leads one of Atlantic Canada’s largest fully integrated real estate and investment concerns. An essential part of his work is fostering community development. He wants his grandchildren to be able to see the positive impact that The Armour Group’s real estate developments have had on the region. 

Prior to August 2011, Mr. McCrea was Executive Vice-President of Cominar Real Estate Investment Trust (CUF.UN- TSX) and was the founding CEO of Overland Realty; a TSX-V corporation focused on Atlantic Canadian real estate opportunities. Overland Realty was subsequently acquired by Cominar REIT. Mr. McCrea’s 25 years of experience include the development and management of complex real estate projects in the commercial, residential, hospitality and tourism-related fields. He has successfully negotiated hundreds of millions in debt and equity placements and property acquisitions. His achievements include the development of the RBC Waterside Centre in downtown Halifax and the Queen’s Marque district on the Halifax waterfront, which will represent an almost $200 million private investment in the region with a target completion date in early 2020.

Mr. McCrea has been an active participant on various Boards and non-profit organizations within the community; most recently these have included Mount St. Vincent University, Royal Host Inc. and the Halifax Grammar School as co-chair of the Engaging Excellence Capital Campaign.  His accomplishments have led him to be the recipient of several awards including Canada’s Top 40 under 40, Halifax’s Business Person of the Year (2006), and one of Atlantic Canada’s Top 50 CEOs. Mr. McCrea is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario and the University of Toronto, where he studied business and economics.

Honorary Degree: Hope Swinimer

Hope Swinimer, Doctor of Science, honoris causa
Wildlife champion, animal advocate and rehabilitator

Born and raised in Argyle, Nova Scotia, Hope Swinimer spent most of her time outdoors as a child enjoying everything the natural world had to offer. She knew that she wanted to work with nature in some capacity, and after missing life by the ocean terribly while attending college in Truro, she knew she needed to stay near the ocean.

While working at Dartmouth Veterinary Hospital as a manager, Ms. Swinimer took in her first rehab animal in 1995—a robin that had been attacked by a cat. Researching how to care for the bird inspired her to learn more about injured wildlife, and as her knowledge grew, colleagues began sending wildlife-related calls her way.

Later that year, she became certified in Basic Wildlife Rehabilitation from the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Association. Ms. Swinimer was offered an opportunity to work as a wildlife rehabilitator in Ontario but couldn’t leave behind the place she called home.

With just a few cages in the backyard and a room in her house as a nursery, Ms. Swinimer rehabbed about 40 animals in her first year. By 1996, word of this grew, and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) determined that a permit was required; however, such a permit did not exist in the province at that time. She worked with DNR to establish a licensing process (using the United States as a model), and in 1997, moved to Winnie’s Way in Seaforth where she received her rehabilitator permit. She considered Seaforth as the perfect place for animal rehabilitation.

The Eastern Shore Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre became the first privately owned wildlife rehabilitation centre in Nova Scotia, taking in about 200 animals per year. The centre was in such demand that it soon outgrew its property again, and in 2001, Ms. Swinimer relocated within Seaforth to “the farm,” which was a larger property that would accommodate the rehab’s immediate needs but also leave room to grow.

Hope for Wildlife now accepts over 4500 wild animals per year, and over 20,000 callers are assisted through its wildlife helpline, thousands of visitors are also welcomed to its facilities for guided tours. In December of 2015, Hope for Wildlife moved into a new custom-built facility, which replaced the more than 100-year-old barn previously in use, and in the summer of 2017, opened their onsite Country Clinic which acts as a fully functioning wildlife hospital. In 2019, Hope for Wildlife will install 109 solar panels onsite to reduce their ecological footprint, lower electricity costs, and help move the farm from fossil fuels to green energy.

Ms. Swinimer and her team share their journey through their globally-syndicated television show that follows them as they nurse thousands of injured and orphaned wildlife back to health and return them to the wild.

Johneil Johnson thrives in homecoming with hoop Huskies

SMU Husky Johneil Johnson was recently featured in an Atlantic University Sport article. Here’s an excerpt:

“Johneil Johnson chased his basketball dream down the road. But that trail only showed him how much he missed home.

The guard from Lake Echo, N.S., left the Regina Cougars after a strong season in 2016-17, sitting out a season to decide his next move. He committed to Jonah Taussig's Saint Mary's Huskies last Christmas.

Photo by Mona Ghiz | Graphic by Vincent Richard

The three-time NSSAF provincial champion with the Auburn Drive Eagles doesn't regret where he's been since graduating from high school. There was a prep school in Las Vegas, then another in North Carolina, before settling into Canadian university sport with the Cougars.

He had an NCAA dream, hoping to land a Division I scholarship. There were some Division II schools interested and some junior colleges, but that was it.

The Huskies have been like a warm blanket. The 21-year-old Johnson is averaging 13.8 points per game in 22 minutes coming off the bench as Saint Mary's has opened the conference schedule with a 6-0 record. His scoring average per minutes on the floor ranks third in the AUS.”

Click here to read the rest of the story, written by Monty Mosher

Saint Mary’s University announces new Indigenous advisory council

Saint Mary’s University is pleased to announce the creation of the President’s Advisory Council on Indigenous Affairs.  

“As an institution, we are committed to advancing support for Indigenous students, and strengthening connections to the community,” said Saint Mary’s University President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray.  “The advice and guidance of the council will be a great resource for the university.”

The following is a list of the members of the President’s Advisory Council on Indigenous Affairs:

• Chief Bob Gloade, BComm’93, Chief of the Millbrook First Nation (and member of the Saint Mary’s University Board of Governors);

• Dr. Donald Julien, DCL ’17, the Executive Director of the Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq;

• Pamela Glode-Desrochers, Executive Director of the Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre;

• Jarvis Googoo, BA’05, the Director of Health for the Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nation Chiefs Secretariat and a member of the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society; and

• Ann Sylliboy, the Post-secondary Consultant for Mi'kmaw Kina'matnewe.

The appointment of the advisory council marks another stage in Saint Mary’s commitment to reconciliation and the university’s response to the federal report by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. The council provides an external viewpoint for Indigenous supports on campus, and Indigenous issues facing the post-secondary sector. The council will provide a place for dialogue, insight and engagement for the president from members of Nova Scotia’s Indigenous communities and will meet periodically throughout the year.

The Dauphinee Centre: On schedule and taking shape

As we say goodbye to 2018 and hello to 2019, The Dauphinee Centre continues to make great progress towards its opening for the 2019-2020 varsity hockey season.  The exterior walls are in place, and work is underway on both the inside and outside of the structure. By the end of 2018, the steel roofing will be in place, and in early 2019, more roofing material will be added to ensure it is weather tight. 

“It’s been a busy construction season in Halifax, which has been great for the city but can also be challenging,” said Gary Schmeisser, the Arena Project Manager. “Our partners on this project have been busy doing a great job to ensure that work continues on schedule, which it has, and we are looking at the opening date with anticipation.”

The last of the major tenders for the project will soon be awarded. The tender will include the rink boards, glass, flooring and the maroon seating for spectators. Preparations have begun for the mechanical equipment required for refrigeration as well as for the new zamboni and scoreboard.

🏗️Progress update ! The Dauphinee Centre is starting to take shape ! @smuhalifax @SMUHuskies #dowhatyoudo #smuhuskies #Halifax #timelapse 🏗️ pic.twitter.com/MCYkSnXBn0

— SMU ITSS (@SMUITSS) September 26, 2018

“Work on The Dauphinee Centre is really progressing, you can feel the anticipation both on and off-campus,” said Schmeisser. “We are looking forward to the opening, and sharing the centre with the Halifax community. This is going to be an important gathering place for years to come.”

While varsity sport has always been an important part of the university, it’s expected that a new on-campus arena will bring even more interest.

“Anyone who enjoys SMU Huskies hockey, should buy their tickets as soon as possible because tickets to The Dauphinee Centre are going to be hot commodities,” added Schmeisser.

About the Dauphinee Centre

The Dauphinee Centre is named in honour of the late Bob Dauphinee, a Saint Mary’s alumnus and community champion, who donated $2 million for an arena through his estate.

The Dauphinee Centre will feature an NHL-sized ice surface with seating and sightlines designed to enhance the fan experience. The centre will have seating for 850 fans with ample standing room that brings the capacity to more than 1200 people.  The building is fully accessible with an elevator between floors and six accessible changing rooms for visiting teams, community-based recreational sports groups and summer camps.

Visit news.smu.ca/arena to learn more. 

Saint Mary’s venture capital students invest in haircut house calls

House calls for haircuts proved to be to be a cut above the competition and too good an investment to pass up for Saint Mary’s University’s Venture Grade Fund. They are investing $15,000 in Cribcut, an online booking service that connects consumers with top hair stylists that bring the salon to them.

“Cribcut has a novel business model that we are proud to support,” said Saint Mary’s student and Venture Grade Associate Emma Scott. “We are confident in David’s lean startup methodology and experience as a serial entrepreneur who’s exited three past ventures and one in Silicon Valley. Cribcut is positioned to be a major disruptor in the beauty industry.”

Cribcut was co-founded by serial entrepreneur David Howe, who has built and deployed a software-enabled marketplace for hairstylists. Cribcut's solution helps stylists become travelling hairdressers - providing clients with haircuts, colors, and styles at their homes and offices. Cribcut's software solution helps stylists with bookings, travel optimization, payments and ratings. Cribcut also facilitates new client introductions for stylists. Bookings can be made through their online booking app with on-demand appointments available.

 "We're happy to welcome Venture Grade as one of our investors,” said David Howe, the Chief Executive Officer with Cribcut. “We're confident that this investment will help us continue growth and product development and set us up for further funding over the coming months. We look forward to a mutually beneficial partnership with Venture Grade and welcome them with open arms to our growing team."

Should the company experience a successful exit, meaning if they are purchased for a large sum, the investors, including Venture Grade, will receive a payout scaled to the purchase. Any returns made on Venture Grade’s investments are returned to Venture Grade, the student fund.

The Saint Mary’s University Venture Grade Fund is a student-raised and run venture capital fund and the first student-raised venture capital investment fund in Canada in which the students raise the capital.

The fund was started by students of Dr. Ellen Farrell at the Sobey School of Business in fall 2016, with a connection to Silicon Valley’s C100 group, Boston’s Canadian Entrepreneurs in New England, and initial support from Innovacorp. It has expanded to include members at other Atlantic universities including Acadia University, Dalhousie University, and Memorial University.

Saint Mary's observes the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women

Close to 75 faculty, staff and students gathered to observe the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women on Thursday, December 6 in the Art Gallery.

Presented by Saint Mary’s University and Peaceful Schools International, the solemn day marked the 29th anniversary of the shooting deaths of 14 female students at École Polytechnique in Montreal. Saint Mary’s has been holding the memorial annually since 1989, when the tragic shooting occurred.

In his remarks, President Robert Summerby-Murray reminded attendees that universities are to be both places of “sanctuary” and action to create a culture of respect for all, and that universities must lead in this action.

The service included a poem reading by Lindsay Vandewater, SMUSA Equity Officer as well as a moment of silence in honour of the fallen women.

Brianna Comeau and Kartik Saini of the SMU Women’s Centre presented the “Solidarity Canvas” hanging in the Art Gallery, a student-created, interactive installment that acknowledges violence suffered by women and other marginalized communities, and urged people to listen, believe, speak out, intervene and act to become allies.

Members of the SMUSA executive, the SMU football team and the Conflict Resolution Society gathered at the front of the room to quietly place 14 white roses in a vase as the names of the shooting victims were read aloud.

Danielle Day, 3rd year Engineering student at SMU, was awarded the Montreal Women’s Memorial Scholarship. Grade 8 students and creators of a trio of children’s books on peaceful conflict resolution were invited to the podium and attended and spoke of their hope and optimism that in the future, women would not longer have to face such violence.