New SMU Scholarship Celebrates Diversity Excellence

The Diversity Excellence Award recipients with donors Scott McCain and Leslie McLean, Charimsa Grace Walker, Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray, and Board Chair Larry Freeman

Saint Mary's University is proud to announce a new scholarship for Black and Indigenous students – the Scott McCain and Leslie McLean Diversity Excellence Award.

Made possible by a $500,000 gift from philanthropists Scott McCain and Leslie McLean, the awards are available to full-time undergraduate Indigenous or Black students with financial need. This generous investment was made to Saint Mary’s most ambitious campaign in history - A World Without Limits: The Campaign for Saint Mary’s University, bringing the total amount of funds devoted to diversity excellence scholarships and bursaries to over one million dollars.

"Saint Mary's University celebrates the importance and impact of diverse perspectives," says Saint Mary's University President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. "This new scholarship is about creating space for possibility and potential, and it does so through increasing access to post-secondary educations for Black and Indigenous communities. I want to thank Scott and Leslie for their generous gift that will support students from these communities in attending and thriving at Saint Mary's as we work together toward a World without limits."

"Leslie and I both recognize the importance a high-quality education can make in the lives of Canadians, and we want to help reduce barriers to post-secondary education," says Scott McCain.

Every year, eight students will receive the Scott McCain and Leslie McLean Diversity Excellence Award of $2,500 each, which is renewable up to and including the student's fourth year of study. Students can be enrolled in any faculty or program at Saint Mary's. Students must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada, with a preference for students who are from Atlantic Canada.

"Saint Mary's University has shown a commitment to ensuring access and support to post-secondary learning for Black and Indigenous students, and this award will help further that commitment by providing direct assistance to students," says Leslie McLean.

First-year psychology student Teannah McMullen is one of the recipients of this year’s award. "Without this support, I wouldn’t have been able to afford university or had the opportunity to attend Saint Mary’s," says Teannah. "Thank you, Scott and Leslie, for helping me make my dream of studying at Saint Mary’s come true."

Charisma Grace Walker, the African Nova Scotian/Black Student and Community Liaison at Saint Mary's University, is grateful for the new diversity awards, which will help increase access to education for Black and Indigenous students. "Receiving a diversity excellence award can truly change a student's life," says Walker. "Awards like this one can break down barriers to university and create a sense of community and support on campus. It can also alleviate financial worries for students, which enables them to focus on their studies and achieve their goals."

Scott McCain and Leslie McLean with award recipient Brooke Barker and her mother Sonya

Award recipient Paige Carvery, who gave brief remarks at the announcement event on September 1, with her family

Leslie McLean and award recipient Madison Bond

Scott McCain meeting award recipient Teannah McMullen and her mother Shawna

Scott chatting with SMUSA VP Advocacy Kyle Cook and SMUSA President and CEO Franklyn Southwell

The Honourable Margaret Norrie McCain, Scott’s mother, chatting with the Honourable Myra Freeman and Board Chair Larry Freeman

The Diversity Excellence Award recipients with donors Scott McCain and Leslie McLean, Charimsa Grace Walker, Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray, and Board Chair Larry Freeman

New SMU Scholarship Supports Aspiring Writers of African Nova Scotian Descent

Floyd Kane BA'92, on the set of Diggstown, the show he created.

Saint Mary's University is launching an innovative new scholarship to support aspiring writers of African descent upon graduation.  

“I thought of this as a way to encourage Black Nova Scotians who want to pursue a career in writing,” says Floyd Kane BA’92, a writer, filmmaker and TV producer from East Preston, whose philanthropic gift makes the new award possible for students in the Faculty of Arts.  

“A lot of people’s dreams are limited by their financial backgrounds, and I just wanted to remove that barrier from the equation. So if you have the drive and ambition to pursue your dream, you can go and do it and not have to worry about where your next meal comes from or how you’re going to pay your rent.”

The new Edna and Velma Thomas Kane Writers Award is open to students who self-identify as being of African descent, with first priority to students of African Nova Scotian descent. Award recipients will receive $30,000 upon graduation to help mitigate the burden of financial debt; to support them in further post-secondary studies or training such as internships, apprenticeships or self-directed projects; and to advance their aspirations for careers in writing. Find the application form here.

"Saint Mary's recognizes the importance of diverse voices and perspectives in all fields of research and study, including the creative arts and industries," says President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. "Writing and storytelling are essential tools for sharing our province's unique histories and experiences. This award will help us support African Nova Scotian students by reducing financial barriers as they embark on their next steps toward careers in writing. We are committed to creating possibilities for our students, celebrating their creative talents, and working together toward a World without limits."     

Floyd Kane BA'92

After graduating from Saint Mary’s, Kane’s next steps were a law degree then working as legal counsel and a production executive on such notable film and TV projects as This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Shake Hands with the Devil, and the Oscar-winning documentary Bowling for Columbine. But writing was always his first love so he eventually chose to make it a more central aspect of his career, starting with his drama series North/South. He has since written for numerous TV shows and produced the 2015 feature film, Across the Line, his story about a North Preston hockey player aiming for a professional career on the ice.

“One of the things I realized as I got into the industry is that I never saw Black Nova Scotians portrayed in Canadian film and television, so that was a goal I wanted to accomplish, to be able to bring those stories to the screen,” says Kane.

Those stories are resonating widely with audiences, not just in Canada. His acclaimed series Diggstown, which shot its third season in Halifax this summer, airs nationally on CBC-TV and will soon be seen in the U.S. on the FOX network. The show’s central character Marcie Diggs is a legal aid lawyer from North Preston who surfs in her spare time and works hard for her clients, challenging social injustices that strike a universal chord far beyond Nova Scotia. 

Kane recalls local tourism ads from the time he was growing up: “It was all these people who were sailing and surfing and having lobster dinners. And they were all white. What I love about Diggstown is that it’s an opportunity to recast the Nova Scotia narrative but it puts Black and Indigenous people at the centre of it.”

That sense of possibility in storytelling ignited for him as an undergrad at Saint Mary’s. Kane started out as a Commerce major, switching to Arts after producing a play at age 19. In a pivotal course in 19th century literature, one of his projects was tackling an update to the 1847 classic, Wuthering Heights. “I just loved the idea that I could take this book and put Black people into the narrative in a textual way. There has always been talk that Brontë may have intended Heathcliff to be Black.”

Kane maintains a close connection with Saint Mary’s by serving as a member of the Board of Governors, and he’s thrilled to help create this opportunity for aspiring writers, to reduce financial roadblocks as they graduate.

“I really hope it’s transformational for those who will receive it. I hope it helps them to continue to pursue whatever dreams they have,” he says.

The award is named for his mother Edna and his late aunt Velma, who always supported his dreams. 

“Everything starts with them,” says Kane. “Even though we were poor, my mother made sure we never wanted for anything. My aunt bought me a Smith Corona typewriter when I was in Grade 7, and I taught myself to type. The first things I ever wrote were on that machine. Professionally, she’s the reason why I’m here and personally, my mom inspired the ambition that got me here. So I wanted to honour those two great Black Nova Scotian women who never had the opportunities I had.”

A writing career isn’t limited to writing novels, poems or film scripts, he adds. For award eligibility, it could be anything from creative writing to non-fiction history books, digital communications, or continuing an academic path in an Arts and Humanities discipline. As part of the application process, available soon on the website, students will submit a personal statement essay outlining their career goals.

Kane’s main advice for young writers?

“Don’t give up,” he says. “Don’t be dissuaded by naysayers. Keep doing the work. Put your head down and just persevere …. In all honesty, this is the only thing I could ever see myself doing.”

For information on the Edna and Velma Thomas Kane Writers Award, including the online application form, see Faculty of Arts Awards and Funding. 

News release: New SMU Scholarship Supports Aspiring Writers of African Nova Scotia Descent

Floyd Kane BA'92, on the set of the show he created, DIggstown.

Saint Mary's University is launching an innovative new scholarship to support aspiring writers of African descent upon graduation.  

"I know the challenges and barriers that face aspiring writers of African Nova Scotian descent because that’s my lived experience," says Floyd Kane BA'92, the person behind this generous philanthropic gift. "This award is named in honour of my mother and aunt—two women who supported my dreams from the beginning.  I am proud to have the opportunity to pass along that support to the next generation of African Nova Scotian writers via an award that bears their name." 

The Edna and Velma Thomas Kane Writers Award has three main goals. To mitigate the burden of financial debt and insecurity for undergraduate students of African Nova Scotian descent in the Faculty of Arts. To support them in pursuing further post-secondary studies or training such as internships, apprenticeships, self-directed projects. And lastly, to advance their aspirations for careers in writing. The award recipient will receive $30,000 in support of these goals.

"Saint Mary's recognizes the importance of diverse voices and perspectives in all fields of research and study, including the creative arts and industries," says Saint Mary's University President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. "Writing and storytelling are essential tools for sharing our province's unique histories and experiences. This award will help us support African Nova Scotian students by reducing financial barriers as they embark on their next steps toward careers in writing. We are committed to creating possibilities for our students at Saint Mary's, celebrating their creative talents, and working together toward a World without limits."   

A member of the Saint Mary's University Board of Governors, Kane is a successful writer, filmmaker and television producer with numerous projects shot internationally – and in Nova Scotia, such as the feature film Across the Line (2014) and current hit TV series Diggstown, airing nationally on CBC-TV and soon in the U.S. on the FOX network. Kane grew up in East Preston and currently resides in Toronto. He was inspired to establish the award as a result of seeing talented fellow African Nova Scotian writers face challenges in pursuing careers in the arts and culture sectors due to barriers such as limited access to financial support.

The Edna and Velma Thomas Kane Writers Award is available for applications this academic year. For details and the online award application form, see Faculty of Arts Awards and Funding.

Entrepreneurship student wins Frank H. Sobey Award

The Sobey School of Business is thrilled to announce Morgan Baker-Tucker, a fourth year Entrepreneurship student, has won a Frank H. Sobey Award for Excellence in Business Studies. Morgan is one of nine business students from Atlantic Canadian universities who have been named recipients of the generous $30,000 awards. 

The winners of the Frank H. Sobey Award for Excellence in Business Studies were chosen from 32 exceptional nominations provided by the Deans of their respective business schools, based on their entrepreneurship, supporting the communities in which they live and work, their employment experience and academic excellence.

Morgan exhibits the entrepreneurial spirit of Atlantic Canada, saying her career aspiration is to run her own non-profit, ideally here on the East Coast. She says that winning the Frank H. Sobey Award has also allowed her to consider going to grad school, an opportunity she wouldn’t have previously thought possible.

SMU community raises $30K on Giving Tuesday

On Giving Tuesday, 138 members of the Saint Mary’s community came together in support of students with gifts totaling $32,580!

These gifts were matched through the generosity of the J & W Murphy Foundation and the Saint Mary’s Alumni Association, with all funds going directly to the Saint Mary’s Student Wellness Fund.

Gifts and the matching funds will help students through initiatives such as the on-campus Community Food Room, the Enactus Saint Mary’s Square Roots vegetable bundle program and provide some holiday cheer in the form of care packages for those students not able to travel home over the holidays due to COVID-19.

A special thanks is extended to faculty and staff members who made this Giving Tuesday one of the most successful ever. Thank you for uniting together to offer immediate support to students.

New SMU lab tackles society’s wicked problems

Saint Mary’s University’s new Wicked Problems Lab is a teaching, learning, and research hub that brings big data, software, analytic techniques, and resources together to tackle wicked problems.

Wicked problems are complex and multifaceted issues that are difficult, if not impossible, to solve. Saint Mary's aims to take on these challenges, evaluating the problems from various perspectives and offering potential solutions to address the issue.

Made possible by gifts from The Windsor Foundation, the Hewitt Foundation and Dr. Daniel McCarthy BComm'76 DComm'11, this new lab’s mandate is to help students and researchers across the university tackle some of society’s most wicked problems.

"Our lab is working to build capacity in employing the large quantities of data currently available and advanced analytical tools to track, assess, and tackle wicked problems both locally and globally," says Dr. Mathew Novak, a Saint Mary's associate professor and director of the Wicked Problems Lab. "We invite students and faculty to bring us their wicked problems, and we will work them to find a solution.  We can help find data and use a host of analytical software that will help in understanding the complexity of the problem and contribute to our pursuit of new knowledge and solutions."

"The resources and expertise of the lab will help our researchers and our students in every discipline. Students writing a term paper may want to include data to support their arguments," says Dr. Novak. "We can help them with the skills, tools and support needed to wade through the mountains of publicly available data and demonstrate how to look at that data in new ways."

The lab follows three critical facets to its resourcing: teaching, learning, and research.

As a teaching resource, the lab offers problem-based learning activities for undergraduate and graduate-level courses. Each exercise has students engage with data and analytical tools to assess a problem while posing questions about challenges in tackling the issue.  These virtual classroom sessions are available for instructors in all disciplines and are timely demonstrations of how Saint Mary’s is innovating in its delivery of courses online.

As a learning resource, the lab will deliver individual and group training to any Saint Mary's community member that wants to enhance their knowledge and use of data analytics and specialized software tools and databases. Training sessions with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are already underway, demonstrating how the software may be employed in various disciplines across campus and offering participants hands on exercises in map making, data management, and spatial analysis. 

As a research resource, Saint Mary’s faculty and students can work with Dr. Khan Rahaman, the full-time research analyst, for free assistance in addressing their wicked problem.  Dr. Rahaman will work with the lab's clients and help them collect, manage, and analyze data for reports, theses, and other research outlets.

"We are very excited to be up, and we are embracing online learning and collaboration, offering our services remotely," says Dr. Novak. "We also look forward to when we can be back on campus, and our lab space will be available for in-person teaching and training as well as research assistance.”

“I also want to thank the people behind the gift that supports all of the work that we do,” adds Novak. “A special thanks to The Windsor Foundation, the Hewitt Foundation, and Saint Mary’s alumni Dr. Daniel McCarthy for making this possible.”

• For more information, visit the Wicked Problems Lab website.

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.” 

Saint Mary’s Viola Desmond Bursary celebrated at the Nova Scotia Legislature

From left to right: Tom Brophy, Dr. Malcolm Butler, The Honorable Tony Ince, The Honourable Wilfred P. Moore, Q.C., LL.D., Ms. Jane Adams Ritcey, Sylvia Parris-Drummond, Deborah Brothers-Scott, Erin Sargeant Greenwood, and Tony Colaiacovo.

On April 9th, 2019, the Honorable Tony Ince, Minister of the Public Service Commission and Minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs, recognized the generosity of the donors behind the creation of the new Viola Desmond Bursary.

The Honourable Wilfred P. Moore, Q.C., LL.D., and Ms. Jane Adams Ritcey were recognized with a Notice of Motion read by Minister Ince before the legislature, receiving a round of applause from its members.

“The most important part of today is the recognition of Viola Desmond and the bursary available to African-Nova Scotian students at Saint Mary’s,” said the Honourable Wilfred P. Moore, Q.C., LL.D. “This recognition was a very nice gesture that my wife and I appreciate very much.”

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 will be given out every year to full-time African-Nova Scotian students at Saint Mary’s. The bursary was established with the permission of the Desmond Family.

The initial award amount will mark 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 will be 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.

 More about the Viola Desmond Bursary at Saint Mary’s

• Saint Mary’s University celebrates the new Viola Desmond Bursary

• Viola Desmond Bursary inspires alumnus to give back

David Sobey and The Sobey Foundation lead donation of $18 million to boost business education in Atlantic Canada

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Saint Mary's unveils the details of The Dauphinee Centre

June 18, 2018

Saint Mary’s University celebrated the philanthropy behind the new on-campus arena and unveiled its design, renderings and name, today, June 18.

The facility will be named The Dauphinee Centre, 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.

“Saint Mary’s University has a proud and successful hockey tradition that will continue for generations to come in The Dauphinee Centre,” said Saint Mary’s President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. “This new arena will contribute to the continued success of our varsity men’s and women’s hockey teams, providing our athletes and coaches with a new home to continue their tradition of excellence.”

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.

The centre will also feature an upper-level warming room with an attached fan room overlooking the ice surface, a pedway link to the Homburg Centre for Health & Wellness, and men’s and women’s varsity dressing rooms that are equal to the best junior hockey facilities in the country. These enhancements to the project were made possible by a generous gift of $2 million from local entrepreneurs Glen and Nancy Holmes, parents of two current Saint Mary’s students. Glen and Nancy Holmes are the owners of Pseudio, Samuel & Co and Envy.

“Glen and Nancy Holmes have been true partners in the vision for this facility,” said President Summerby-Murray. “Their tremendous gift has elevated the entire project, and we are incredibly grateful to them for their vision, leadership and passionate support of Saint Mary’s, the Halifax community and this project.”

If you would like to make a gift to the arena project, please click here.

The new arena will continue Saint Mary’s tradition of hockey excellence and community engagement and is being constructed on the same site as the former arena. The overall cost of the project is approximately $14.8 million, and the centre is scheduled to open in time for the 2019 varsity hockey season.

“For 50 years, the Saint Mary’s Alumni Arena served as a community gathering space. A place where students who are new to Canada experience what it’s like to strap on skates for the first time and where young children learn to love skating and Canada’s game,” said President Summerby-Murray.

“Today, we look forward to the next 50 years. A time when students, friends and families will create new memories in The Dauphinee Centre, a new facility designed to meet the needs of our university, and the greater Halifax community, for years to come.” 

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See updates on the progress of the Dauphinee Centre.