SMU Huskies Esports is taking shape

A student plays Rocket League in the new home of SMU Huskies Esports, the Esports Arena.

SMU Huskies Esports is taking shape at Saint Mary's University. Student-athletes are preparing, and identification camps will take place this month to establish the teams and Esports available for competition.   

"I think it's great," says Audrie Yue Min Au, a 3rd-year student majoring in Computing and Information Systems at Saint Mary's. "Esports, as an industry, has a level of organization and viewership that is comparable to that of traditional sports like football and basketball. So why not treat it like other sports? It also has the added bonus of being accessible to new players because anyone who has a laptop can play games online and join a community." 

Enterprise Information Technology and the Department of Athletics and Recreation are collaborating on Huskies Esports. There will be two streams available to students: recreational and competitive. The recreational stream will feature drop-in play sessions, tournaments, and other activities. The competitive stream is being established this fall. It will see our Huskies compete against other colleges and universities in games such as the vehicular-based, rocket-powered soccer game, Rocket League, and the team-based multiplayer online fantasy battle arena, League of Legends. For both streams, their home base on campus is the new Esports Arena at the heart of campus in the McNally East basement, ME009. 

"Esports offers students a unique opportunity to get involved, whether recreationally or competitively, within a growing industry and community," says Connor Miller BComm'16, Coach of the League of Legends competitive team. "Bringing Esports to campus is an excellent idea. I am excited to be a part of it, to give back to my university and help build a positive culture around Esports at Saint Mary's." 

Esports means competitive video games. It is sometimes referred to as 'competitive gaming', 'pro gaming', or 'egaming'. Esports often takes the form of organized, multiplayer video game competitions, with athletes competing individually or as teams. This can be through structured leagues including varsity college, university associations, competitive circuits, or tournament play for the purpose of entertainment, prizes, or money. 

Esports has seen a considerable surge in popularity and professionalism in recent years and is a billion-dollar global industry. Over 23 million Canadians play video games, with an average player age of 34 years old. Canada’s video game industry has grown into one of the largest and most successful in the world, with more than 900 active video game studios. The video game industry adds $4.5 billion annually to Canada’s GDP. As a business and art form, the industry is an emerging academic study and research area.   

Identification camps take place this month for the competitive stream and are as follows:  

• Friday, Sept. 16 – League of Legends  

• Monday, Sept. 19 – Rocket League 

• Thursday, Sept. 22 . – Apex Legends 

• Tuesday, Sept. 27 – Valorant 

More details on the I.D. camps will come shortly.  

For those interested in getting involved as a student-athlete, coach or team staff and need more information, reach out via email at esports@smu.ca.  

Pioneering N.S. filmmaker Margaret Perry focus of three-night event series with FIN, N.S. Archive

Margaret Perry

The career work of pioneering Nova Scotia filmmaker Margaret Perry is being showcased with a digital release, artist interventions, and three nights of events from the Atlantic International Film Festival, the Nova Scotia Archives and a team led by a Saint Mary's University researcher.

"Margaret Perry is one of the most influential yet unknown people in Nova Scotia in the 20th century. Her promotional films about the province offer us a glimpse into how Nova Scotia saw itself in the 40s, 50s and 60s, or at least how the government wanted others to see the province," says Saint Mary's University Associate Professor Dr. Jennifer VanderBurgh, and the lead organizer behind the events. "Although these are technically government films, they are also documentaries and artist-made works. Perry's influence can be felt in all her films. She was very interested in highlighting women's labour, cooperative labour, and how things were done or made. The films reflect her interests and understanding of Nova Scotia."

The event series, Activating an Archive: Margaret Perry and the Nova Scotia Film Bureau, mark the digital release of the career work of Margaret Perry, one of Canada's most important and least-known woman filmmakers and early film bureaucrats.

The events are:

• Monday, Sept. 19, 2022, from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

  • A reception at the Public Archives of Nova Scotia.

• Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022, at 6:10 p.m.

  • A sample screening of Perry’s work in film and a Q&A at FIN, the Atlantic International Film Festival.

• Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022, at 7 p.m.

  • A talk by Dr. Jennifer VanderBurgh at the Halifax Central Library, discussing the collection, the process of digitizing/activating it (and some related ethical complexities), and the discovery of materials that shed new light on Perry’s artistic development and filmmaking practice. 

Dr. Jennifer VanderBurgh

Starting out in New Brunswick as a wartime projectionist where she taught herself to make short films about everyday life, Perry went to Ottawa to work with John Grierson at the National Film Board of Canada. In 1945, Perry moved to Halifax to become Director of the Nova Scotia Film Bureau, where between 1945-1969 she made and oversaw the production of over fifty promotional films that depicted Nova Scotia as a tourist destination, an industrial and agricultural centre, and a complex site of cultural heritage.

"For a long time, this collection has been ignored, often without being seen, on charges of being boring government film,” says Dr. VanderBurgh. “In reframing and animating this collection as artist-made works, we're reconsidering the significance of these films, what they remember, and some of the ethical considerations and responsibilities of activating the collection in Nova Scotia today."

More information about Margaret Perry and the Nova Scotia Film Bureau Films and the research of Dr. Vanderburgh and her research team.

Atlantic School of Theology Students to Benefit from New Online Registration System

Atlantic School of Theology (AST) and Saint Mary’s University (SMU) are partnering on admissions and registration systems that will directly benefit students who register for courses and programs at AST. 

Using digital technology to streamline processes for students, the project team will access SMU’s well-established digital admissions and registration system to create a tailored solution for AST and its students.  

The project is an aspect of the Shared Vision initiative of the Council of Nova Scotia University Presidents (CONSUP).  The mission of the Shared Vision initiative is to make the university sector in Nova Scotia better for students, more competitive, and more efficient through collaborative action on solutions. 

“The project will benefit our students, faculty and administration by replacing the current outmoded information process with a system that is agile, digital and connected,” says Dr. Tim O’Neill, Interim President of Atlantic School of Theology. “Students who wish to register at AST will be able to choose their courses and program of studies from any location through internet access.” 

In the first year, the project will build a new online admission and registration portal for AST. In the second year, the project will expand so that AST students can more easily access financial services. 

Saint Mary’s University President, Robert Summerby-Murray says, “This project has received support from CONSUP, the organization that represents the presidents of the 10 degree-granting institutions in the province, because it aligns with our express desire to encourage the collaboration on service delivery, where it makes sense, among the province’s universities. For our part, Saint Mary’s University is pleased to find another significant project where we can partner with AST.” 

The two-year project is anticipated to cost $250,000.  Funding is being provided by the Government of Nova Scotia’s Department of Advanced Education.  

Since March 2002 Atlantic School of Theology has been affiliated with Saint Mary’s University. Both institutions are committed to achieving the operational efficiencies that will strengthen each institution.

International students connect to the start-up community and industry leaders at Volta Labs

Dozens of international students from post-secondary institutions around the province gathered at Volta Labs last Thursday, August 18, 2022, for an event celebrating their entrepreneurial journey in Nova Scotia. 

The Summer Entrepreneurial Experience Bootcamp was an initiative by EduNova Cooperative Ltd. and post-secondary institutions across Nova Scotia as part of the Study and Stay Entrepreneurship Program. The event, co-hosted by Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre (SMUEC), provided students with a transformational learning experience while exposing them to Volta, the province’s preeminent technology accelerator. The event also offered the opportunity to learn more about the regional and provincial programs and resources available to support entrepreneurs, with workshops led by CEED, EduNova, and Halifax Partnership preceding a panel of international alumni entrepreneurs. 

The Study and Stay Entrepreneurship Program provides access to entrepreneurship and business resources, skills development, networking, and mentorship. 
 
This photo gallery shows President of Saint Mary’s University Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray, Honourable Minister Brian Wong, and student participants engaging in networking and workshops. 

Unearthing the story of Italy's Indigenous communities

Photo credit: Roberto Lalinga

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Students at Saint Mary’s University are helping to shed new light on previously overlooked perspectives from the ancient past, thanks to new research partnerships that have taken root in Italy.

The Metaponto Archaeology Project field school was “a life-changing experience” for students who took part in it this spring, says Dr. Sveva Savelli, assistant professor in Ancient Studies and Intercultural Studies. She taught the new field course in May at the Incoronata “greca” excavation site near the town of Pisticci (Matera), along with Dr. Spencer Pope of McMaster University, under the auspices of the Soprintendenza Archeologia Belle Arti e Paesaggio della Basilicata.

Dr. Sveva Savelli
Photo: Simone Foresta

Fourth-year philosophy major Ken Finlay agrees. “I would highly encourage anybody with even the slightest interest in archaeology to sign up for the field school. It’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience and is sure to deepen your interest in classics even further,” says Finlay, who aims to pursue a law degree after graduating with his Bachelor of Arts.

Located in the “instep of the boot” on the map of southern Italy, the site was home to thriving Indigenous communities (the Oenotrians) between the 9th and 7th centuries BCE when Greek settlers began arriving. Past archaeology efforts in the region, now known as Basilicata, have focused mainly on the Greek settler histories. This research goes farther back, investigating the colonial dynamics during a period when the Oenotrians and Greeks first interacted in the area, prior to the founding of the Greek colony of Metaponto.

“It’s very interesting because it seemed to be a very peaceful relationship, mostly traders and potters who arrived. Incoronata “greca” was a place where the relationship was fruitful for both communities,” says Savelli, co-director of the research project along with Pope.

The research has been underway for a number of years but reached a key milestone this spring with the discovery of a structure believed to be an Oenotrian hut, plus a motherlode of artifacts, she says.

“It has been an amazing season. We were not expecting quite so many archaeological finds. Our students were incredibly lucky in this sense. We basically pulled out thousands of shards of pottery!”

Available again next spring, the field course builds on Saint Mary’s existing strengths in archaeology research and education. Another offering in Italy through the ancient studies program is Dr. Myles McCallum’s annual field course at the Villa of Titus Archaeology Research Project near Castel Sant’Angelo, which resumed in May and June after a two-year hiatus during the pandemic. In both field courses, students learn many aspects of what it means to be an archaeologist, from excavation skills to lab tasks such as sorting and cataloguing artifacts—and most importantly, teamwork.

“Students were not aware of the collegial aspect of this profession,” says Savelli. “So working together as a team, especially coming out of this period of COVID isolation, really created an excitement in the group.” Visiting scholars at the field school shared expertise in everything from topography to how to use a microscope in archaeometry. Finlay said another big highlight for students was their own research presentations—each student researched a nearby temple or monument, then gave their presentations at those actual sites.

“It was a cultural experience for them,” says Savelli, who is from Rome and worked at Queen’s University before joining Saint Mary’s in July 2020. There was a lot of interest from the local community as well. Media outlets reported on a visit from Pisticci Mayor Domenico Albano, who also held a special dinner for the students and researchers.

“There is a Canadian connection already,” says Savelli. “In the town it’s like a parade, everybody stops us. Many people have a cousin or brother who moved to Canada.”

Partnership with the National Archaeological Museum of Naples

National Archaeological Museum of Naples

Museum Director Paolo Giulierini

The Piana Campana: A Land Without Borders
Photo credit: Livia Pacera MANN/Electa

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Here on campus this fall, students have another unique opportunity for hands-on research experience in Savelli’s new course, ANCS/ICST 3506: Cultural Property Protection in a Global World. Through a partnership between Saint Mary’s and the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli (MANN), led by Museum Director Paolo Giulierini, the class will collaborate with the museum on a project involving the “Spinelli Archaeological Collection” led by Senior Curator Dr. Emanuela Santaniello.

“Students will be involved in the tracking of archaeological finds from the necropolis of Suessula, in the interland of Naples, that are now dispersed in museums all over Europe and North America,” says Savelli.

Mapping these objects will help the museum lay the groundwork for future exhibitions, narrating the story of how cultural heritage has scattered to different parts of the world. With some creativity, other museums housing artifacts could take part in presenting this international picture, even in a digital format.

“I hope the class becomes a workshop and a think tank on cultural property and the international issues related to its restitution and repatriation,” says Savelli.

She worked closely with the museum last year as a member of its research team behind an exhibition, “The Piana Campana. A Land without Borders.” Still ongoing, the exhibition focuses on Iron Age interactions among Greek settlers, Etruscans and Indigenous communities in the Piana Campana region north of Naples.

It’s all part of a bigger project that will enable more field schools, student exchanges and internships in the future. The opportunities for students stem from a memorandum of agreement between the museum and Saint Mary’s, signed in 2020 to foster scientific and academic cooperation.

“Through this partnership, ancient studies in Italy take a prime position in our international academic offerings,” says Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray, President and Vice-Chancellor of Saint Mary’s. “It’s a tremendous opportunity for us to collaborate with one of the most important archaeological museums in the world, whose holdings include the Farnese and Pompeian Collections and thousands of other artifacts from Etruscan, Greek, and Egyptian civilizations.”

Dr. Giulierini adds: “The MANN is pleased to offer educational opportunities for Canadian students and faculty, and to provide first-hand knowledge of ancient material culture.”

The partnership complements the field projects at Villa di Tito and Incoronata “greca”, says Savelli, enhancing opportunities for students to learn about the conservation and management of archaeological collections. As a researcher, the most intriguing aspect for her is taking a fresh look at colonial times in the ancient world, and seeing what it can teach us about the present.

“This is really about how each country defines its own identity through its past. And it’s not just about the past—for us in Canada, it’s also about our reality.”

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Learn more about the Ancient Studies program and field schools available through the Faculty of Arts. Follow the Metaponto Archaeology Project on Instagram at @metaponto_arch_proj and the Villa of Titus Archaeology Project on Facebook at @villaditito.

Related stories:

• SMU archaeologist brings history into focus with LiDAR and 3D tech

• Saint Mary’s University Anthropologist Investigates Former Shubenacadie Residential School Site

• Honouring the Landscape of Grand Pré: Students reflect on research connections

Saint Mary’s University Moves Ellucian Banner to the Cloud

In a world where change is constant and expected, Saint Mary’s University is positioned for growth and innovation by going to the cloud.  Cloud computing or “the move to the cloud” with the Ellucian Banner ERP system was successfully and seamlessly completed in March 2022, and paves the way for modern, secure, and adaptable services for SMU students, researchers, academics, administrators, and community, from any location on the globe.          

Saint Mary’s University is only the second institution in the country to move all Ellucian Banner-related data and products to the cloud.   

“Building on its strong tradition of accessibility and community engagement, Saint Mary’s is a leading example for institutions on the path to digital transformation. Now live in the cloud with Banner, Saint Mary’s has added flexibility and agility to meet the evolving needs of its community, with a modern experience that today’s users expect and deserve,” said Laura Ipsen, President and CEO, Ellucian. “We are proud to partner with Saint Mary’s and honoured to support its students and staff through this significant development in their journey.”  

“Moving our data and supports to the cloud is the smart decision” says Michelle Benoit, Vice-President, Finance and Administration. “This move gives us significantly enhanced security, better integration, and facilitates our ability to better meet the needs of those we serve in our global community.”    

This bold move is part of the strategic investments in information technology first announced in 2021 when the university signaled a multi-year digital transformation.

“The future requires that we continue to innovate,” says Dr. Malcolm Butler, Vice-President Academic and Research. “Befitting a university with global reach, we will be able offer global access to university services and supports anywhere in the world with access to the internet.”  

In upcoming phases, as additional software and tools are added, the online experience will evolve and resemble the App Store where students, faculty and staff can access any university services they need on any device.  A single point of entry or sign-on will make it easier for users to find courses, marks, registration documents, online academic advising, and even health and wellness services.  

Cyber security has been greatly enhanced as the new hosting environment is SAS 70 compliant, achieving the highest standards, and all data is now fully encrypted.

“With global cybersecurity threats on the rise, it was imperative we make this move to the cloud as it provides a greatly enhanced secure environment,” says Todd Williams, Chief Information Officer, Saint Mary’s University.     

While there are obvious gains for students, the entire university community benefits from cloud-hosted systems and tools, as IT staff can leave the safe storage of data and the upkeep of servers to others and concentrate on higher-value services for faculty, staff, students and administrators alike.   

A Month of Madness: Saint Mary's Wraps Up Another Successful National Student Entrepreneurship Competition

After 31 days of competition featuring top student entrepreneurship talent from across Canada, one person has climbed to the top of the bracket as the winner of this year's 2022 Saint Mary's University March Madness Competition.  

Senior chemical engineering student, Quinn Cavanagh of Dalhousie University, won for his pitch RFINE Biomass Municipal Biomass Solutions. RFINE produces materials from spent coffee grounds that can be used for products such as high-strength building materials to flexible plastic alternatives—a wide array of customizable applications. 

According to Cavanagh, 82 million kilograms of waste coffee grounds are disposed of daily, waste that produces vast amounts of greenhouse gases. Consumers are demanding that coffee companies take more responsibility. His pitch illustrated how RFINE collects coffee waste to create high-value compounds that would allow companies like Starbucks to have every table and countertop in their stores to be made from their coffee waste. The abundance of applications for RFINE's coffee ground materials idea showed abundant potential to the judges, who awarded Cavanagh the win. With the win comes a $10,000 top prize sponsored by Metronome United and one-year membership of legal guidance and support for his start-up provided by Goodlawyer. 

Goodlawyer is offering a year of their pro membership to the top four finalists. At the same time, the second-place finisher received $5000, and the two third place finishers left with $1000 to support their ideas courtesy of Shannon Byrne Susko BComm'89 BSc'92 and Metronome United. 

"I want to congratulate Quinn on his win and Danielle, our second-place finisher, for an amazing finale to our best March Madness competition to date," says Michael Sanderson, Director, Saint Mary's University Entrepreneurship Centre (SMUEC). "Thank you to everyone who participated and brought their great ideas to the forefront. And a special thanks to our sponsors and judges who play a critical role in making this pitch tournament a success." 

This national competition, a destination for Canada's top student entrepreneurs, featured twenty-four universities from coast to coast. From as far west as the University of Victoria and the University of Alberta to participants from central Canada such as the University of Waterloo, Carleton University, and Western University. Eastern Canada was also well represented with many participants, including HEC Montreal, Mount Allison University, Saint Mary's University and the Memorial University of Newfoundland. 

Saint Mary's University's own Marlee Armour, a graduate student in the Master of Technology Entrepreneurship & Innovation program at the Sobey School of Business, finished in a tie for third place. Her pitch was for a product called the SwimTrainer, a flotation device that supports both a better position for children to learn to swim and a safer position for them to float in the water.  

For more information about the tournament, visit https://smuec.ca/march_madness/ or visit www.facebook.com/smuec.ca to watch the videos from each round.

What’s in a name? For the Ta’n Weji-sqalia’tiek Mi’kmaw Place Names Project, a Lot

Student researchers Matt Meuse-Dallien, Kachina Sack, and Peter Christmas holding Mi’kmaw place names project poster.

For many people, names give a sense of belonging and community. Beginning fourteen years ago, the Ta'n Weji-sqalia'tiek Mi'kmaw Place Names Digital Atlas and Website Project has expanded into a unique resource with over 800 place names and has featured 30 research positions for Mi'kmaw youth and student researchers over that time.  The project marks another way of bringing to life the profound relationship Mi’kmaq have with the ancient landscape of Mi’kma’ki.  

“The naming of places in Mi'kma'ki was always very logical and descriptive, so our people would know where they were at all times,” recounts the late Elder Gregory Johnson in the short film ‘The Nature of Place Names’ which is featured on the homepage of the Ta’n Weji-sqalia’tiek website.

The project now has a new look and feel, making it easier for users to engage with this unique history and ancient landscape. With help from Membertou Geomatics, the web-based map includes new enhanced sound bites and video clips of Elders sharing their lived experiences on the land. Users can explore numerous Mi’kmaw place names, learn place-name etymology and engage with the rich language of the Mi’kmaq. The new logo design and colour scheme reflect the importance of history and the land, and artworks by Mi’kmaw artists Alan Sylliboy and Gerald Gloade, are featured throughout the site and Elder's videos.

“Our instructions were to build a high-end website that would deliver the data through audio, video and a mapping infrastructure, which was completed in 2015,” states the committees Mi’kmaw Co-chair and Project Director, Tim Bernard of Mi’kmawey Debert Cultural Centre. With this new refresh, the project has expanded and covers more areas than ever before.  

Project Lead, Dr. Trudy Sable of Saint Mary’s University, began to supervise the project when she was approached by Mr. Bernard and Rob Ferguson of Parks Canada. Through community-based focus groups, interviews, surveys, and discussions with numerous experts, the project has been driven by the vision of the Mi’kmaw communities, and the expressed needs of numerous institutional representatives for an inclusive and scholarly resource. 

Student researchers join archaeologist and project mentor Roger Lewis, archaeologist Rob Ferguson, and Project Lead, Trudy Sable on canoe trip to explore the Sɨkɨpne'katik (Shubenacadie) River, a pre-contact, Mi’kmaw traditional travel route.

“I have been deeply privileged to work with the many Elders, Mi’kmaw scholars, leaders, and community members who have contributed their time and knowledge to making the Ta’n Weji-sqalia’tiek website and digital atlas happen,” says Dr. Sable. “Hearing the voices of Mi’kmaq who lived throughout Mi’kma’ki wakes me up to the deeply rooted and powerful reality of their relationship to this landscape.”

“I am grateful for their generosity in sharing their personal histories and knowledge, much of which has been invisible in the rendering of history,” recounts Dr. Sable. “The student researchers inspired me as they learned to research the place names and hear the Elders' stories and then carry this knowledge forward in the new roles they take on in their lives. I feel confident that the website will continue to expand and educate many people in new perspectives and ways of knowing the landscapes we all inhabit.”

A core component of the project has been to ensure the capacity building of Mi'kmaw youth. Since 2010, the project has offered numerous research positions for Mi'kmaw youth and student researchers to learn from Elders, and Mi’kmaw scholars and leaders. In these positions, the students have been trained in map interviewing and protocol, video editing, database set-up and entry, language training, and conducting archival research.  

“During my Atlantic Canadian Studies MA degree at Saint Mary’s University, I was hired to work as a research assistant for the Ta’n Weji-sqalia’tiek: Mi’kmaw Place Names Project. It was an experience I thoroughly enjoyed,” says Raymond Sewell, previously a student researcher for the project, now an assistant professor at Saint Mary’s.  

“Dr. Trudy Sable, Dr. Bernie Francis, and Roger Lewis taught me valuable research skills. I worked with other students on this project that I now count as friends, each of us working in different fields. We all shared a fulfilling work experience. We were able to meet and interview L’nu Elders, travel to various sites, have canoe excursions, and work with various organizations like the Nova Scotia Museum,” recounts Mr. Sewell. “I had a great time learning place-name etymology. I was responsible for entering different orthographies into the database, and that engagement with my language was an excellent experience. I am now an English professor, and I use the website in my class to teach students the importance of land and language.” 

Both the website and digital atlas have become integral to developing educational programming, enhancing Mi'kmaw tourism, and promoting cultural awareness about the Mi'kmaq.

“The Ta’n Weji-sqalia’tiek digital atlas and website is an essential resource for our work in archaeological and cultural landscape studies,” says Dr. Jonathon Fowler, archaeologist and professor in the Anthropology department at Saint Mary’s. “I use it regularly in my research and teaching, and, truth be told, it is so interesting I often explore it just for fun. It contains incredible insights and not a few surprises.” 

Since 2015, the Mi’kmawey Debert Cultural Centre has taken on the responsibility of stewarding and caring for the data, which is safely stored at the Membertou Datacentre, and overseeing the transfer of the project from SMU to the Nation. With help from Membertou Geomatics, the web-based map has undergone a functionality refresh making it easier for users to explore the significant history of the Mi’kmaq and the unique landscape of Mi’kma’ki.  

“Our engagement within our Mi’kmaw communities in 2007-08 was extensive and at that time we were told, very clearly, to go deep and dig down and collect this vast but quickly disappearing knowledge from this generation of Elders that still carry the language and still hold the knowledge,” says Mr. Bernard. “We’re very fortunate to have built this relationship with SMU and Dr. Sable. They understood that the information and data needed to be protected and retained by the Nation, for the Nation.”  

Initiated in 2008 by the Mi'kmaq - Nova Scotia - Canada Tripartite Forum, Culture and Heritage Committee, the project grew to include numerous other partners and funders. There has been close to $1M invested to protect and share this data through the creation of the Ta’n Weji-sqalia’tiek website and digital atlas.  

To learn more about this ongoing project and explore the new look and feel of the map and site, visit Ta’n Weji-sqalia’tiek Mi’kmaw Place Names Digital Atlas.

Social Justice, Diversity, Inclusion, Activism and Entrepreneurship: Introducing Saint Mary’s RBC Talent Hub Team

April Howe EMBA'18, the new RBC Talent Hub Entrepreneur-In-Residence at the Saint Mary's University's Entrepreneurship Centre (SMUEC)

Social justice, diversity, inclusion, activism and entrepreneurship. Powerful words that offer a peek into the hearts of the amazing women joining Saint Mary's University's RBC Talent Hub team.

"I am so proud to return to Saint Mary's University and give back to the next generation of amazing Canadian entrepreneurs," says April Howe EMBA'18, the new RBC Talent Hub Entrepreneur-In-Residence at the Saint Mary's University's Entrepreneurship Centre (SMUEC). "My intent is to provide mentorship, guidance and advice to students that was instrumental to me in my entrepreneurial journey, and I can't wait to start."

Howe has been an active voice for diversity and inclusion in Nova Scotia for many years. Her consultancy, Crayon Strategies Inc., works extensively with clients across Canada and the US from various sectors, including pharmacare, health care, finance engineering, tech, not-for-profit, and the start-up sector. Howe is the provincial Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture. Previously she held senior government roles of Senior Executive Advisor to the Deputy Minister of Justice. Before that, she was the Executive Director of People and Culture at the Public Service Commission and led the provincial Diversity and Inclusion strategy development. April was a Partner with Knightsbridge Robertson Surrette for 16 years leading their Career Transition practice. As a community volunteer, she served on the boards of the United Way, the IWK Foundation, the Halifax Partnership, the Black Business Initiative, and the North End Community Health Center. As a proud descendant, she was a founding board director and went on to be Board Chair of the Africville Heritage Trust.

“The RBC Talent Hub is very fortunate to have April Howe joining as the new Entrepreneur-In-Residence,” says Kellie Sauriol, RBC’s Regional Vice President, Business Financial Services, Atlantic Canada. “It is incredibly rare to have someone with such a rich background in both the private and public sectors available to guide and foster young entrepreneurs. Also, it speaks to the high quality of the Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre itself that they continue to successfully bring in accomplished people like April to this role. I know the students will benefit greatly from her leadership.”

"Any time you can have someone with the experience of April join your team and work with students, it is an amazing win for your program," says Michael Sanderson, Director, SMUEC. "We are ecstatic to have April joining us and bring her wealth of experience across a variety of sectors to her work at Saint Mary's."

The Saint Mary's University RBC Talent Hub is an expansive initiative designed to support students on their entrepreneurial journey. Through co-operative education, internship placements, training, Entrepreneurial Mindset Success Certificate, and mentorship, the RBC Talent Hub provides an exceptional opportunity to students for additional hands-on learning opportunities. The skills developed through this program aim to give students an edge in beginning their careers and help them to excel in the workplace post-graduation. The program is made possible with support from RBC Foundation and is entering its fourth year.

"The success of our past Entrepreneurs-in-Residence: Gregg Curwin, Shannon Susko, and Leah Skerry have reinforced how important it is to have experienced individuals available to coach and mentor students as they develop their skills and create a plan for their future," says Sanderson. "To support their work, we brought in other experts to assist students through training and coaching, such as recent alumni, local professionals, and faculty. These additional supports alongside a seasoned entrepreneur proved so successful that we are expanding the RBC Talent Hub to include these new roles on a more permanent basis."  

Kaitlyn Touesnard BComm'13, Alumni-In-Residence at SMUEC.

Joining the RBC Talent Hub team at Saint Mary's in the newly created Alumni-In-Residence roles will be Kaitlyn Touesnard BComm'13 and Sehmat Suri BComm'19. 

Kaitlyn Touesnard has been managing the Atlantic Canadian Chapter of Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) since Spring of 2020. She works closely with the over 80 entrepreneurs that make up EO's Membership to help them reach their full potential. Previous to her role at EO, she was the President and Founder of Crescendo Events. From a few small events to events with over 1,000 attendees, she grew the business for five years. Kaitlyn was named Planner of the Year for Atlantic Canada in 2019 by Meeting Professionals International. In 2012, Kaitlyn was named HSBC Woman Leader of Tomorrow for Atlantic Canada for her work with the Saint Mary's University Enactus Team.

Sehmat Suri BComm'19, Alumni-In-Residence at SMUEC.

Sehmat Suri BComm'19 is a digital media specialist, model, blogger, actor, and tv host. She moved to Halifax from India in 2014 and pursued a BA in Psychology and a BComm in Marketing at Saint Mary's. She has represented the university at national and international conferences and ran a local business for a year which led her to start modelling and growing her Instagram presence in 2017. She has since worked for companies like Sport Chek, Kent, Tic Tac, Tresemme and Tourism Nova Scotia and is one of the hosts of the travel show "Ocean Playground" on Eastlink. Sehmat currently works at m5 Marketing Communications and is expanding her online presence in the lifestyle, comedy, and social justice fields.

This latest expansion is just the beginning of new support for Saint Mary's University students through SMUEC. Later this year, more new volunteer positions are set to join the RBC Talent Hub. Their focus will be to provide students with more access to professionals such as lawyers, accountants, human resources, bankers and more. SMUEC also plans to increase integration with the world-leading experts amongst Saint Mary's faculty by adding dedicated faculty members to the RBC Talent Hub team.

Showcasing Student Business Excellence with Style: The Saint Mary’s University March Madness Pitch Competition

Do you hear that sound? It is the sound of thousands of people clicking the link to watch the 2022 Saint Mary’s University March Madness Pitch Competition.

The competition showcases post-secondary student pitchers throughout March. Modelled after the NCAA March Madness basketball competition, 64 student entrepreneurs from across Canada will be selected to compete head-to-head in brackets as they strive to have their pitch idea declared the best in the country.

This national competition is a destination for Canada's top student entrepreneurs. It features twenty-four universities from coast to coast, from as far west as the University of Victoria and the University of Alberta, to participants from central Canada such as the University of Waterloo, Carleton University, and Western University. Eastern Canada is also well represented with many participants, including HEC Montreal, Mount Allison University, Saint Mary's University and the Memorial University of Newfoundland, to name but a few.

“The best of the best face each other in this tournament, where the student team with the best business pitch can win $10,000 to support their start-up,” says Michael Sanderson, Director, Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre (SMUEC). “That said, there isn’t only one team that wins as the finalists receive support for business leaders and experts to hone their pitches while the third and fourth place teams walk away with $1000 and second place leaves with $5000—all to support their business ideas.” 

It is said that necessity is the mother of invention. For SMUEC, a pandemic wouldn’t stop them from providing an avenue for a diverse group of student entrepreneurs to apply the skills they learned in the classroom to a competitive business environment. Enter the first Saint Mary’s University March Madness Pitch competition in 2021, all online.

“We are always looking for new ways to engage students, and last year we recognized the challenges for in-person gatherings, so we began to look beyond solutions and seek opportunities,” says Michael Sanderson, Director, SMUEC. “We took inspiration from the March Madness NCAA basketball tournament and realized the opportunity to do a similar tournament but for business pitches. The online environment allowed us to bypass traditional logistical challenges like location, venue, travel availability for judges to name a few. It brought a whole new dimension to what was possible for a large-scale pitch competition.”

As last year’s tournament progressed, thousands of viewers from around the world tuned in to support their favourites and follow the action. To keep up to date on all the latest teams, pitches and results, visit https://smuec.ca/march_madness/ or www.facebook.com/smuec.ca for the live streams.

Ryan Francis Returns for Two-Year Indigenous Research Fellowship at Saint Mary’s

Ryan Francis

A familiar face to the Saint Mary's University community is back to continue working on projects that foster the potential of sport and recreation to bring people together for intercultural understanding.

Ryan Francis, the university’s first Indigenous Visiting Fellow, recently returned for a two-year fellowship with the Faculty of Arts and the Centre for the Study of Sport and Health (CSSH). His first fellowship was  a four-month term from January to April 2020, coinciding with the onset of the global pandemic.

“A lot of our plans and programs involved people gathering and coming together, so it was very challenging to do that,” says Francis. “We highlighted in the previous fellowship that there is a lot of work that can be done. With a longer runway, we’ll be able to implement a lot more of those meaningful opportunities for the university community.” 

Part of the fellowship includes working with Saint Mary’s and organizers of the North American Indigenous Games, postponed in 2020 but now scheduled to take place July 15-23, 2023 in several locations in Kjipuktuk (Halifax) and Millbrook First Nation. NAIG 2023 will include competitions in 16 sports, bringing together 3,000 local volunteers with more than 5,000 athletes, coaches and team staff from 756 Indigenous Nations.

“SMU’s commitment to being a part of the Games, through facility use and accommodations, is really significant,” says Francis. “It will be really neat to think about how we can play a role, and factor in how to support the participants coming to campus, and make this environment feel especially welcoming to them.”

One idea already in development is the creation of “Brave Spaces” – spaces on campus where athletes and attendees can gather to share and learn more about each other’s cultures, since the Indigenous athletes will be attending from across Turtle Island.

During his first fellowship in 2020, Ryan was also a key player in the university’s inaugural Red Tape Game, working with Athletics and Recreation and the men’s Huskies hockey team. The growing movement across Canada and the U.S. aims to promote inclusion in ice hockey. The initiative was started and inspired by Logan Prosper of Whycocomagh First Nation – now an Arts student at Saint Mary’s – and his father Phillip, to create awareness of racism in hockey and encourage players to take responsibility for combatting racism. SMU’s second Red Tape Game is in the planning stages for this winter. Francis and Dr. Cheryl MacDonald, Associate Director of Outreach for the CSSH, hope to build on the idea and expand it to other teams.

“Ryan has been such a wonderful contributor to the Centre,” says Dr. MacDonald, noting he has provided guest lectures in the Health, Wellness and Sport in Society program, and participated in the international Hockey Conference hosted by the Centre.

“The Centre’s mandate is very much to facilitate and disseminate research on sport and health,” she adds. “We’re also committed to community outreach and interdisciplinary approaches. I think what we are creating here is meaningful opportunities to combine research and education with community.”

The fellowship builds on Saint Mary’s ongoing initiatives to engage with Indigenous communities, strengthen intercultural research and curriculum, and respond to the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.

Francis grew up in Cole Harbour and is a member of Acadia First Nation. He is currently the Manager of Provincial Outreach & Coordination for the Nova Scotia Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage, in its Communities, Sport, and Recreation Division. He has a Master of Physical Education degree from Memorial University, and majored in sport management for his Bachelor of Science degree at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Follow him on Twitter at @RyanFrancis58.     

Saint Mary’s University Launches Tuition Waiver for Former Youth in Care

Saint Mary’s University is joining the growing list of post-secondary institutions across Nova Scotia which are reducing barriers to education for students who have lived in the care of the provincial child welfare system and associated services.  

“Education is a driving force for change in the lives of every student who enters our doors,” says Saint Mary’s University President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. “Each year, we commit almost $9 million in scholarships and bursaries to support students, and we are continually looking for new ways to reduce barriers to scholarship. I am proud to be extending this new opportunity to youth formerly in the care of the province.”  

Students who are eligible for the Saint Mary’s University Post-Care Tuition Waiver Program will receive a bursary that covers up to 100 percent of their tuition and course fees. Applications will open later this fall and will be retroactive to the beginning of the Fall 2021 semester.    

“For people who grew up in care like me, access to post-secondary studies is a game changer,” said Jane Kovarikova, Founder of Child Welfare PAC Canada and PhD Candidate at Western. “I am so grateful to Saint Mary’s for joining the movement to ensure brighter futures for current and former foster kids.”  

The Saint Mary’s University Post-Care Tuition Waiver Program supports individuals who have lived in care for at least one year in the Nova Scotia child welfare system; Mi’kmaw Family and Children’s Services of Nova Scotia; and the Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children as defined by the Children and Family Services Act, 2017. It also supports those who have received services through the Department of Community Services, Youth Services Program. Additional criteria can be found here.  

Members of the Saint Mary’s University community who are interested in supporting this program through a philanthropic gift can contribute here.