Students engage panel on need for peace education

Do we have an ethical obligation to engage schools in peace education? This was the guiding question for a panel discussion at Saint Mary’s when educators from Nova Scotia public schools met with Peaceful Schools International’s Youth Consultant Committee to discuss the need for conflict resolution and peace education programs for Nova Scotian youth.

The panel was organized as part of a Faculty of Education course taught by Prof. Bridget Brownlow entitled Peace Education: International Perspectives and Practice, where the 38 students enrolled in this year’s class examine the themes of peace education and conflict resolution in a global context. In addition to their academic studies, students work towards a Certificate in Conflict Resolution, designed to help them develop the perspectives and skills required to navigate and manage interpersonal conflict.

Having spent this semester investigating peace education initiatives around the globe, reflecting on personal experiences of conflict, and building the skills to resolve disputes, students in Prof. Brownlow’s class had the opportunity to exchange ideas with students and educators from local schools. Five members from the Youth Consultant Committee, all of whom attend Oxford School, were joined by Calvin Scott, the African Nova Scotian Student Support worker for Halifax West High School and Heather Morse, a retired principal with the Annapolis Valley Regional School Board to reflect on the need for conflict resolution and peace education.

Calvin Scott suggested peace education could be a powerful tool to support African Nova Scotian students facing discrimination in the public school system. Helping them navigate the daily realities of racism was, he said, “not only an ethical, but a moral obligation.”

Heather Morse, who reflected on her experiences developing elementary school curricula that incorporated many of the principles of peace education, described the challenges of having to compete with the requirements of the core curriculum. Despite the lack of time and resources for peace education, she said the ideas shared by the Youth Consultant Committee were reason for hope. “I am so impressed by the insight and awareness around conflict resolution we heard today, both from the youth committee and from Prof. Brownlow’s class,” she said.

Brendan Kohls, a student in the class, suggested that conflict resolution skills are often dismissed as being “something kids intuitively pick up along the way. But most don’t. These are real skills, and we all need to learn them.” His classmate, Elaine Brickell Sands, reflected that “it’s hard for most people to take that first step. But in this class, we explore ways to build connections among people from different backgrounds, such as race, religion, gender and so on. I’ve learned that active listening and asking open questions are a great way to draw out our commonalities and overcome our differences.”

This panel discussion builds on Saint Mary’s long history of developing expertise in peace education, established chiefly under the leadership of Dr. Hetty van Gurp, the founding director of Peaceful Schools International and an Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Education. The Halifax-based organization, which supports schools that have made a commitment to “creating and maintaining a culture of peace,” now has more than 200 partner institutions around the world.

Prof. Brownlow, the Conflict Resolution Advisor for Saint Mary’s and an Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Education, is also the president of Peaceful Schools International. Each year, members of the organization — in partnership with the SMU Conflict Resolution Society — travel to elementary schools around Northern Ireland to facilitate conflict resolution workshops for children affected by sectarian division.

“Working with my students this semester has been such an honour,” said Prof. Brownlow at the end of class. ”A good number of them are varsity athletes with very busy practice and game schedules. Yet they come each week with insightful reflections on how the things we learn in class have an impact on their lives outside the classroom. What more could I ask for?”

Brandon Ihanza, a member of the football team, had the final word. After commenting on how many of his teammates have benefited from developing perspectives on conflict resolution this semester, he said “…so, on behalf of the football team, I’d like to thank you for bringing us all into your class, and for providing us such a positive learning environment.”

Saint Mary's student wins YMCA Peace Medal

SMU student Trayvone Clayton - here with the Hon. Mayann Francis, BA'72, LLD'12 — won one of three 2019 YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth Peace Medals. (Photo credit: YMCA Greater Halifax/Dartmouth)

This article by Amy Brierley, journalism student at the University of King’s College, was originally written for and published on The Signal. Re-published with permission. Follow Amy on Twitter: @amybrierley

With his community beside him, Trayvone Clayton pushes for peace

Trayvone Clayton is being recognized for his work to create a thriving, more vibrant community — but he says he isn’t doing it alone.

On Tuesday morning, Clayton stepped onto the stage at Halifax’s Pier 21 to accept one of three 2019 YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth Peace Medals.

“I had to go to school in a suit and everyone was putting me on their Snapchat and social media,” Clayton says, laughing, recounting his friends’ enthusiastic reactions to his win in an interview this week.

When Clayton, 21, first found out he won the award, he was in shock. “I was thankful, but I didn’t really know what to say,” he says. “But I can’t take full credit.”

He says friends Kate Macdonald, DeRico Symonds, Shevy Price, dad Marcus James, and many others in his community have been there with him all the way.

“I have a lot of support behind my back and it’s a great feeling to have that.”

For 31 years, the YMCA has honoured people who have made exceptional contributions to peace building in their communities with the YMCA Peace Medal.

Clayton joined other award winners across the country on Monday in being recognized for their work in, “building and rebuilding conditions of fairness, inclusion, empathy, security, and respect for diversity,” according to the YMCA’s website.

Clayton — a third-year criminology student at Saint Mary’s University, athlete, youth mentor and community organizer — says he’s been there for his community for as long as he can remember.

It was earlier this year, while attending the National Black Canadians Summit in Ottawa, though, that he began to see and speak out about how his experience of discrimination in Halifax reflects larger, systemic racism in Canada.

Through supporting youth in his community to follow their dreams and changing the systems that take those dreams from them, Clayton is making waves in Halifax and beyond.

“My community, Uniacke Square, has always been discriminated against, judged, there’s always been barriers in front of us,” says Clayton.

“I want the kids coming up to be able to do what they feel they can do and have faith in their vision and be able to see that they can be a lawyer, they can be a doctor, they can be a judge, they can be whatever they want to be.”

Amanda Rose, development co-ordinator at YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth and Clayton’s nominator, says she has seen first-hand the impact Clayton’s advocacy has had on Halifax.

“He is a very strong advocate and role model for African Nova Scotian youth in Halifax, and youth in general,” she says. “He’s very passionate about supporting young leaders in our communities and he does that by being a young leader himself.”

THE POWER OF MENTORSHIP

Last year, one of Clayton’s beloved mentors, the late Wade Smith, received the YMCA Peace Medal. Clayton says this made winning the award that much more special.

“He was a mentor, he was a leader, a true community leader,” says Clayton.

He texted Smith’s wife soon after his win. “I just said thank you for everything, this is clearly all happening for a reason and she said, ‘trust me Tray, he’s up there smiling with all teeth right now.’”

This support is what gives Clayton hope — hope that’s sometimes hard to muster with the loss he has experienced through anti-black violence committed against his friends, family and black communities. And it’s the kind of support he wants to offer other young people.

“It’s definitely a long road ahead, change doesn’t come with a blink of an eye or in one day,” says Clayton.

At a recent community conversation about street checks, Clayton says he stood up to share what was heavy on his chest.

He says he asked the panelists to recognize that black communities have been calling attention to racism in policing for years. Now, he says, government and police must be the ones to reach out to remedy the injustice and mistrust caused by anti-black racism.

Clayton says speaking up in moments that can seem incredibly difficult is crucial to building peaceful communities.

“When kids see me doing the things I’m doing, they’re like ‘oh OK, well I can do it,’” he said. “We have to break down these barriers and break down these walls.”

AMY BRIERLEY

Amy is a journalism student at the University of King's College. She calls Antigonish N.S.--and more recently, Halifax-- home. She cares a lot about communities and the things that make them fair, just and thriving for everyone.

National recognition for Saint Mary’s geographer

Dr. Danika van Proosdij, whose research aims to help coastal habitats adapt to climate change, has just been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS).

“I’m really honoured and grateful for the nomination,” says the Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies. She was inducted to the esteemed organization during its College of Fellows Annual Dinner and 90th-anniversary celebration, held November 21 in the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec.

She joins two other geographers from Saint Mary’s who were previously elected as Fellows: Professor Emeritus Dr. Hugh Millward and the university’s President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. Having three Fellows here “speaks to the strength and depth of our program, and our commitment to the discipline as a whole,” says Dr. van Proosdij.

Dr. van Proosdij working at the Converse site.

Just a few days after the gala ceremony, she was back out in the wetlands on a site visit to the Converse Marsh Managed Realignment Site, near Amherst.

She and the Saint Mary’s-based TransCoastal Adaptations team hosted the November 26 visit for a progress update to stakeholders on the five-year “Making Room for Wetlands” project, funded by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ Coastal Restoration Fund.

The team has been working collaboratively with Nova Scotia’s Department of Agriculture, CBWES Inc. and other partners in an effort to restore salt marshes in several areas. For coastal communities, salt marshes form the first line of defence against rising sea levels and storm surge, so restoring these ecosystems aims to help protect communities and coastal infrastructure. Work started a year ago at the Converse site, where sections of the old dyke were removed and realigned to allow tidal flow back into the area. Monitoring data collected by staff and students over the summer indicates that 15.4 hectares of salt marsh have been restored and the site is recovering well.

Saint Mary’s is a key player in the Atlantic region’s growing interdisciplinary hub for coastal adaptation research. In another project, “Making Room for Movement”, funded by NRCAN, Dr. van Proosdij and SMU students are exploring the social science element and working closely with Dalhousie’s School of Planning and its School of Resource and Environmental Management. Collaborating with other Saint Mary’s departments is also proving very beneficial.

“As we’re restoring some of these landscapes, a real added benefit has been the inclusion of archaeology,” says Dr. van Proosdij. “Getting an understanding of the historical use of that land helps to inform our restoration design, and to form better connection and communication with rights holders as well as stakeholders. It’s fascinating to be working on a landscape and looking at the juxtaposition between modern techniques and old techniques, and the value of the voices of those who have come before.”

Locker-room talk: Dr. Cheryl MacDonald on men’s hockey culture

For Dr. Cheryl MacDonald, “locker-room talk” is more than just a part of sports. Dr. MacDonald is a post-doctorate researcher at Saint Mary’s University. Her research looks at the attitudes and behaviours of men’s ice hockey players and the impact they have on homophobia, gender and sexuality.

Dr. Cheryl MacDonald was featured on CTV News.

In late November, the SMU Centre for the Study of Sport and Health invited Dr. MacDonald to give the final presentation of the centre’s fall speaker series. She spoke to a group at the Homberg Centre about her research on men’s hockey culture. She talked about issues such as toxic masculinity, sexism and homophobia. She says that while progress is being made with younger generations of hockey players, there is still work to be done.

“What has been consistently happening in my work, whether it’s my research or my activism, is that I go in talking about homophobia or LGBTQ+ issues and leave talking about sexism. Every single time it amazes me that, for some reason, this is still a problem,” she says.

Dr. MacDonald also spoke on divisiveness within hockey; something that she says can be seen clearly after the firing of Don Cherry earlier in November.

“I don’t think we have a [singular] hockey community anymore. I think we have a bunch of small ones because not everyone can get along within it,” she says. “A lot of the most meaningful education comes from just talking to people and understanding them and, in the hockey community right now, I’m seeing a lot of people who are simply not taking the time to do that.”

Dr. MacDonald wrapped up by questioning how sexism, toxic masculinity and homophobia can continue to be addressed within a community that is becoming increasingly divided.

“In the midst of all of these divisions and disagreements, and where it is so easy to just shut down and shut one another out, how are we supposed to educate male youth ice hockey players?”

The fall speaker series was put on by the Saint Mary’s Centre for the Study of Sport and Health during November. The three-part series focused on hockey and topics included sport science, sport photography, and gender and sexuality education in sports.

Saint Mary’s researcher contributes to UN fishery and climate meetings

Dr. Tony Charles (2nd from left) participates in a panel at the UN’s International Symposium on Fisheries Sustainability in Rome.

The work of a Saint Mary’s professor is reaching the global stage via two international United Nations symposiums.

Dr. Tony Charles, who teaches in both the School of the Environment and the Sobey School of Business, was recently invited to speak on the future of global and regional fisheries at the International Symposium on Fisheries Sustainability. The event was held in Rome at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.

The conference examined how decisions are made around all aspects of the fishery, with the aim to develop high-level policy on the role, value and sustainability of fisheries in the 21st century.

“My focus is on how fishing communities can do better in the future, how they can have healthier, better lives through conserving their local resources and environment,” says Dr. Charles.

“That’s been my interest for all my career here at Saint Mary’s, is how to make natural resources sustainable while providing livelihoods for people,” said Charles.

The topic is a timely one. Fisheries are linked with many of the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals not just the health of the ocean, but ending poverty, food security, gender equality, climate change.

“There’s been a philosophy that government has to control fishing people or they will go crazy and catch too much fish. But what I and many others have been documenting over the years is that if you let the fishers operate as local communities, all around the world, what you see is that they actually conserve the fish.”

‘It turns out if you just let local communities take action themselves, and give them support for doing that, it’s very impressive what they can accomplish.”

Another project led by Charles is also being taken to the international stage. His publication Addressing the Climate Change and Poverty Nexus looks at the links between poverty reduction efforts and climate change action and will be presented by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization at COP 25 this week in Madrid. “It’s kind of a tool kit to the countries of the world on how to make poverty reduction come together with climate action, and vice versa,” says Charles.

Learn more:

International Symposium on Fisheries Sustainability

Community Conservation Research Network

Three Saint Mary's Huskies inducted into the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame

The 2019 Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame inductees. Front row (left to right) Henry Boutilier; Justine Colley-Leger and Roger Caulfield. Back row (left to right): Suzanne Muir: Jackie Barrett; Jody Shelley; and Morgan Williams of Cole Harbour. Photo courtesy of the NSSHF, credit: Nick Pearce.

On the evening of Friday, November 15, the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame inducted three exceptional former student-athletes from Saint Mary’s University.

Taking place at the Halifax Convention Centre, five athletes and two builders were celebrated for their outstanding contributions to Nova Scotia sport. 

The inductees include arguably Nova Scotia’s greatest female basketball and soccer players in Justine Colley-Leger BComm’14 and Suzanne Muir BComm’93, and the first-ever Special Olympics athlete to be inducted, powerlifter and Special Olympian Jackie Barrett BComm’98. 

Also inducted were Mooseheads legend and former NHL player Jody Shelley and the record-holder for the most caps as a Canadian rugby scrum-half, Morgan Williams. In the builder category, long-time Little League coach, baseball manager and community hero Henry Boutilier, along with international basketball official and mentor Roger Caulfield. 

Justine Colley-Leger BComm’14

Justine Colley-Leger is the all-time leading scorer in the history of CIS women’s basketball. Her impressive play earned her two CIS National Player of the Year awards, and she led the Saint Mary’s Huskies to four consecutive AUS championships and CIS silver and bronze medals. She was also a two-time AUS MVP, four-time All-Canadian and five-time AUS first-team All-Star while playing more than 40 games with the Canadian national team.

Jackie Barrett BComm’98

 A force to be reckoned with in the sport of powerlifting, Jackie Barrett dominated Canadian Special Olympics powerlifting competitions throughout his career. Barrett won 20 gold medals, and he has represented Canada well at the World Special Olympics competition with an incredible 13 first-place finishes. In his final year of competition (2015), he set three Special Olympics world records, lifting 277.5 kg, 297.5 kg and 697.5 kg in the squat, deadlift and triple combination events, respectively. In the same year, he also became the first Special Olympics athlete to be nominated for the Lou Marsh Award as Canada’s top athlete.

Suzanne Muir BComm’93

Suzanne Muir was named AUS Rookie of the Year during her time playing with the Saint Mary’s Huskies women’s soccer team. Her standout skills also earned her two AUS MVP awards, five-time AUS All-Star status and two-time All-Canadian honours. Twice named Athlete of the Year at Saint Mary’s University, Muir went on to play with Canada’s national women’s team from 1992 to 1999. She played with the national team at the 1995 and 1999 World Cups. She was inducted into the Saint Mary’s Sport Hall of Fame in 2014.

Celebrating the inaugural recipients of the Viola Desmond Bursary

Saint Mary’s University students Leah Matheson and Kendra Smith, the inaugural recipients of the Viola Desmond Bursary

Saint Mary's University and the Delmore Buddy Daye Learning Institute joined together on Friday, November 8, to celebrate the legacy of Viola Desmond and support the next generation of female African-Nova Scotian business leaders.

Leah Matheson, a second-year commerce student, and Kendra Smith, who is in her final year in accounting, are the inaugural recipients of the Viola Desmond Bursary.

"I feel blessed with how many people came to this event to support us and honour the legacy of Viola Desmond," said Smith. "I am very grateful to be one of the first recipients."

The Viola Desmond Bursary was announced on November 8, the date of Viola's heroic anti-discrimination action in 1946. The bursary is fully-endowed and is awarded each year to full-time African-Nova Scotian students at Saint Mary's.

"I have had a lot of support from my family, and from Saint Mary's, that has helped me during my degree," said Matheson. "I am looking forward to more people having the opportunity that Kendra and I did through the Viola Desmond bursary, an opportunity for them to pursue what they love."

The award amount marks the year of Viola Desmond's anti-segregation action, 1946, with students receiving $1,946. While this award is not renewable, it may be awarded to the same student more than once.

While preference for the bursary is given to students in the Sobey School of Business, the bursary may also be awarded to students in programs featuring entrepreneurship. Preference will also be given to female students from Halifax County. Students must also have a financial need.

This award was established with the permission of the Desmond Family and through the generosity of The Honourable Wilfred P. Moore, Q.C., LL.D., and Ms. Jane Adams Ritcey.

"Viola Desmond has been very good to our city, our province and our country," said Senator Wilfred Moore. "My family is very pleased to assist Saint Mary's University in this most noble virtue—the transfer of knowledge. We do so in keeping with the bedrock tradition of Saint Mary's, offering a hand up."

Trailblazers recognized at National Retail Innovation Awards

On Nov. 1, Saint Mary’s University and the David Sobey Centre hosted the National Retail Innovation Awards at the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront hotel. The annual awards recognize young retail and support companies that offer innovative contributions to the Canadian retail sector. This year’s winners were Poppy Barley, Six Hundred Four, and Dash Hudson.

James Lepp, the owner of the Vancouver-based shoe retailer Six Hundred Four, received an Instagram message inviting him to receive the award in Halifax. The award, which is for innovative customer experience, is the company’s first-ever. Lepp and his wife excitedly packed their bags and headed to Halifax.

“It’s nice that someone of importance [...] is recognizing what we’re doing,” he says.

“Retail is extremely exciting today,” says Dr. Ramesh Venkat, director of the David Sobey Centre. “We see companies focusing on customer experience and data-driven decisions, so it’s a very vibrant environment where innovation is not optional. The companies that take the road less travelled seem to be the ones that are making their mark.”

Each winner this year is making a mark in their own way. Poppy Barley won the Award for Sustainable Retailing Innovation for its socially and environmentally conscious approach to luxury fashion. Shoe retailer Six Hundred Four won the Award for Retail Customer Experience for its unique sneaker gallery, as well as its virtual reality shopping experience. Lastly, Halifax’s own Dash Hudson won the Award for Technology Innovation for its AI-driven platform that helps companies with their visual assets to increase customer engagement.

“As a company that is based in Halifax […] who primarily does business in the United States, it’s great to be recognized by a Canadian institution, and a Halifax institution, like Saint Mary’s for the work that we’re doing,” says Thomas Rankin, CEO and co-founder of Dash Hudson.

Dr. David Sobey, Chairman Emeritus Empire Company Limited, praised the winners and their contributions. “The opportunity to honour innovators in the retail industry has been a great benefit to the Sobey School of Business and Saint Mary’s University, as well as to the students. This event gives us all a great opportunity to dialogue with leaders of industry, and in particular, the retail industry,” he says.

The David Sobey Centre was launched in 2015 with the support of Dr. David Sobey. The centre focuses on three main areas: research, innovation and education. The centre is a leading source of retail expertise and helps to prepare the next generation of industry leaders.

Industry leaders, like Poppy Barley, Six Hundred Four, and Dash Hudson, that will go on to further innovate and disrupt the retail sector.

Teachers and professors explore cultural connections

More than 300 social studies teachers from across the province were students for a day on October 25, during their annual professional development conference. Held for a fifth year at Saint Mary’s University, the event included more than 30 workshops around the theme Cultural Connections, some led by professors in the Faculty of Arts.  

“It is such an important and powerful connection that must be kept between our learning institutions, especially as students transition into colleges and universities,” said Dr. Benita Bunjun of Social Justice & Community Studies, whose session focused on cultural relations in the classroom. “I think it’s really important that every year, these workshops show a diversity of people sharing expertise, a multiplicity of people who are educators, transferrers of knowledge, keepers of knowledge.”

She and Dr. Rohini Bannerjee of the Modern Languages & Classics department have been involved in the conference for several years.

“I’m always a little bit nervous about teaching teachers, but it’s also a great privilege because it helps in reminding all of us why we do what we do,” said Bannerjee, who taught a session about the Jewish experience in Mauritius during the Second World War. “Why we find teaching so important, and why being in the classroom with diverse points of view is important. Maybe when they come to hear me speak, they might see that my own lived experience is pretty diverse and that cultural connections are part of my everyday. At the same time, as teachers, we need to help our students create their own stories.”

The conference also included an education trade exhibition and a keynote address by Weldon Boudreau, an Acadian singer and teacher at École Beaubassin. Several off-site sessions took place at the Africville National Historic Site, Ross Farm Museum and the Treaty Truckhouse at the Sipekne’katik (Shubenacadie) River, where participants met with the Grassroots Grandmothers and Water Protectors.

“We really wanted to focus on the role that teachers play in the lives of students when it comes to students’ own cultural identity and how we can effectively celebrate students’ identities by bringing it into classrooms,” said Maureen McNamara, President of the Social Studies Teachers Association of Nova Scotia. “That’s why we asked Weldon to be our keynote; he had a really important story to tell about what it means to be proud of who you are and where you come from, and to understand who you are as an individual. Individual identity is really integral in creating meaningful learning experiences for students.”

Other Saint Mary’s faculty members who led workshops were Prof. Shana McGuire of Modern Languages & Classics on teaching about francophone cultures through film, Philosophy Chair Dr. Shelagh Crooks on strategies for teaching critical thinking; Dr. Rosana Barbosa of History on music and soccer as cultural history teaching tools; and Dr. Min-Jung Kwak of Geography & Environmental Studies on international students in Canada and their families.

Interculturalism in focus at Saint Mary’s

One of many International Education Week activities included The Day of the Dead community altar at the Patrick Power Library (Oct 29 - Nov 4), which celebrates the memory of departed loved ones and the continuity of life.

The important role of international education in fostering global citizenship is the focus of celebration this week as Saint Mary’s marks this year’s International Education Week.

“The enthusiastic reception of the cultural events and international opportunity sessions we are presenting this year speaks to the outward-looking ethos of our student, staff, and faculty community,” says Miyuki Arai of the Office of Global Learning and Intercultural Support at The Studio for Teaching and Learning who co-organizes the event each year. “Although many students are interested in study abroad opportunities, we’d like to see even more people take advantage of the more than 100 academic exchange agreements we have with partner universities in over 30 countries around the world.”

The power of international experiences and intercultural learning is a particular passion of University president Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray, especially in his capacity as Board Chair of the Canadian Bureau for International Education. Intercultural learning is a strategic priority for the university, and Saint Mary’s strives to “foster deeper relations between cultures and provide our students with a distinct and global perspective,” he says. ”We continue our commitment to graduating students with global perspectives and intercultural competence, while working to ensure that we as faculty and staff live these values ourselves each day.”

This year’s celebration includes the International Opportunities Fair hosted by the Patrick Power Library, several study abroad information sessions, the always popular Korean Cultural Café, and a music recital hosted by the Confucius Institute. The week winds up on Friday with the showcase event, Stories from Overseas, where former and current exchange program participants reflect on how their educational journeys have been shaped by international study. 

For more information on international learning opportunities at Saint Mary’s University, contact the Global Learning and Intercultural Support office at gocentre@smu.ca.

Alumni win top honours for athletic achievements

Justine Colley-Leger

Jackie Barrett

Suzanne Muir

Saint Mary’s has a long history of athletic excellence. This fall, three exceptional former student-athletes are being given top honours for their accomplishments.

Basketball legend Justine Colley-Leger BComm’14, powerlifter and Special Olympian Jackie Barrett BComm’98, and soccer star Suzanne Muir BComm’93, will be inducted into the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame on November 15 in Halifax.

They are among five athletes to be celebrated not only for their outstanding contributions to Nova Scotia sport, but each rising to national acclaim.

A force to be reckoned with in the sport of powerlifting, highly decorated Special Olympics athlete Jackie Barrett will make history as the first Special Olympian joining the Hall of Fame this year.

Originally from Spryfield, Barrett has dominated Canadian Special Olympics powerlifting competitions throughout his career with 20 gold medals, and he has represented Canada well at the World Special Olympics competition with an incredible 13 first-place finishes. In his final year of competition (2015), he set three Special Olympics world records, lifting 277.5 kg, 297.5 kg and 697.5 kg in the squat, deadlift and triple combination events respectively. In the same year, he also became the first Special Olympics athlete to be nominated for the Lou Marsh Award as Canada’s top athlete.

Justine Colley-Leger is the all-time leading scorer in the history of CIS women’s basketball. Her impressive play earned her two CIS National Player of the Year awards and she led the Saint Mary’s Huskies to four consecutive AUS championships and CIS silver and bronze medals. She was also a two-time AUS MVP, four-time All-Canadian and five-time AUS first team All-Star, while playing more than 40 games with the Canadian national team.

Suzanne Muir was named AUS Rookie of the Year during her time playing with the Saint Mary’s Huskies women’s soccer team. Her standout skills also earned her two AUS MVP awards, five-time AUS All-Star status and two-time All-Canadian honours. Twice named Athlete of the Year at Saint Mary’s University, Muir went on to play with Canada’s national women’s team from 1992 to 1999. She played with the national team at the 1995 and 1999 World Cups. She was inducted into the Saint Mary’s Sport Hall of Fame in 2014.

On a related note, Justin Palardy BA’11, geography major and former Husky, was a pro football player with CFL and now a coach for the Dalhousie Tigers. He is being inducted on Nov 1 to the Colchester County Sports Hall of Fame.

Tickets for the 2019 Induction Night are on sale now at the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame. Call 902-404-3343 to place your order.

Celebrating the new Dr. Hari Das Commons

Saint Mary’s students now have access to a newly renovated space to study, connect, and relax - the Dr. Hari Das Commons. 

Completed at the end of September, the 1,725 square foot area, located on the second floor of the Loyola Residence building, is named after the late professor, Dr. Hari Das. The commons honours his connection with Saint Mary’s and was made possible by the family of Dr. Hari Das.  

Dr. Hari Das

“Dr. Das had a special connection to Saint Mary’s and it’s wonderful to see him recognized in this manner. His relationship with students and faculty, along with his contributions in the Sobey School of Business, make the naming of this space especially fitting,” said Saint Mary’s President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray.  

Sustainably designed, the Dr. Hari Das Commons was conceived as a hub of student activity. The modern, bright space includes 50 seats and a large meeting table for learning, socializing, and collaboration and features new comfortable furniture, a higher ceiling, new lighting and finishes.

Overlooking the quad, track, and athletics field, the Dr. Hari Das Commons is ideally located to bring students together from across all faculties, creating a sense of community in the space.

“The Dr. Hari Das Commons is a beautiful addition to our network of learning commons which are emerging across campus,” said Saint Mary’s Vice-President, Finance and Administration Gabe Morrison. “It reflects Dr. Das’s commitment to students and leading-edge scholarship. The renovation reflects the concept and design standards established for the adjacent and upcoming Sobeys Entrepreneurship and Innovation Hub.” 

A professor in the Sobey School of Business for 32 years, Dr. Das was deeply connected to students, faculty, and staff. While at Saint Mary’s, he taught several graduate and doctoral courses and continued his research in understanding human behaviour. His memory lives on at the university through the guidance and direction he provided for many business students. 

“Dr. Das had a tremendous impact on me and also influenced my own teaching,” says Saint Mary’s alumnus Dr. Scott MacMillan, Associate Professor in Management at Mount Saint Vincent University. “He was a brilliant teacher who knew what he wanted his students to know. He had very high standards, always worked hard, and demanded the same of others.” 

An eminent national and international scholar, Dr. Das received his MSc and PhD from the University of British Columbia and published several journal articles and textbooks. Dr. Das’s interest in human resources led him to co-author the best-selling textbook, Canadian Human Resource Management. Now in its 12th edition, with almost 300,000 copies sold, it is one of the most successful textbooks published in Canada and is used in over 70 universities in the country.

In addition to his work as a scholar, Dr. Das published two novels and several short stories; however, his passion was filmmaking. Active in the Atlantic Filmmakers’ Cooperative, he wrote, directed, and produced a number of documentaries and commercial films. His short films on child labour and female infanticide received recognition and won awards.

Dr. Hari Das passed away in 2010. In honour of his memory and relationship with Saint Mary’s, the family of Dr. Hari Das has funded several philanthropic investments at the university. “We are very grateful to the family of Dr. Hari Das. Their generous support of the university through the Dr. Hari Das Commons, Dr. Hari Das Conference Room, Dr. Hari Das Global Scholars Award, and Dr. Hari Das Memorial MBA Scholarship is extraordinary,” said Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. “Dr. Das’s legacy will live on in this space, bringing students together to make important interdisciplinary connections.”