Saint Mary's Students Win Atlantic CFA Competition

Sobey School of Business’ IMPACT Fund Managers Mitchell Norrie, Jorge Gonzalez, Mengqing Chen & Alex Fowler, winners of the Atlantic CFA Competition.

Congratulations to Sobey School of Business’ IMPACT Fund Managers Alex Fowler, Mengqing Chen, Jorge Gonzalez and Mitchell Norrie for winning the Atlantic Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Competition this past weekend.

The CFA Institute Research Challenge is an annual global competition where university students work in teams to analyze and value a publicly traded company. Each team writes a research report on their assigned company with a buy, sell, or hold recommendation and is then asked to present and defend their analysis to a panel of industry professionals.

“We’re happy to see all our hard work has paid off after all the hours we’ve put into the competition since we started back in October,” said IMPACT Fund Manager Alex Fowler. “I feel confident in saying this is the most time any of us have committed to a single project and we certainly couldn’t have done it alone. We’d particularly like to thank our advisors for the competition, Ross Hallett and Mike Mills.”

The team represented Saint Mary’s University at the Atlantic Canada Local Level Competition. Cumulatively, the team put in over 500 hours of work to prepare their report and presentation. With this victory, the team will be advancing to the Americas Regional Competition in Seattle, Washington at the start of April, where they will compete against universities from across North and South America.

There are nearly 100 local level challenges across the world. The winner of each local competition advances to one of three regional competitions, with the winner of each regional event going to the global final.

The performance of the IMPACT Team in the Local CFA Challenge (i.e. Atlantic Region) has been consistently outstanding, as evidenced by their unprecedented streak of three wins.

 The IMPACT Program is unique credit program where students gain firsthand experience in finance, wealth management and portfolio management. Students on the IMPACT team are responsible for managing close to $500,000 in financial investments (mostly equity). They are in charge of portfolio rebalancing, asset allocation, security selection and stock valuation. In addition, the IMPACT program offers unique networking opportunities (a series of high caliber guest speakers from the industry, national and international competitions) and for community engagement and volunteering (e.g. Finance-Focused Career Fair & High School Trading Competition).

Booker Prize-winning author of Life of Pi, Yann Martel, to deliver two-part Cyril Byrne Lecture

Updated with event slideshow:

Booker Prize-winning author of Life of Pi, Yann Martel, will be in Halifax on March 23 and 24, 2017, for two-nights as part of the Cyril Byrne Memorial Lecture.

“We are proud to host world-renowned author Yann Martel as he discusses the themes of loss and the imagination,” said Saint Mary’s University President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. “The Cyril Byrne Memorial Lecture has grown in stature over the past decade and it builds on our tradition of taking the highest level of knowledge and discourse beyond the university lecture hall and out into the wider community for the enjoyment and appreciation of all.”

Martel’s lecture is a special Saint Mary’s University and Halifax Public Libraries joint presentation and celebrates the 40th anniversary of the first public education courses ever offered by Saint Mary’s through the Halifax Public Libraries system.

“Access to education supports an individual’s ability to have informed engagement in society,” says Åsa Kachan, Chief Librarian and CEO of Halifax Public Libraries. “Offering university lectures at the Library that are open to all feeds curiosity, supports learning, and offers personal fulfillment. Together – the university, the Library, and learners - we work to create an informed citizenry which has remarkable impact.”

The two-night lecture begins on Thursday, March 23 at 6:30 p.m. in the Paul O’Regan Hall at the Halifax Central Library where Martel will speak on the recurring subject of loss in his fiction. Guests are invited to dress all in black to match the theme of the event.

On Friday, March 24 at 7 p.m., the action shifts to the McNally Theatre at Saint Mary’s University, where the lecture will conclude with a celebration of the power of the imagination. Guests are invited to dress in colourful outfits to match the theme of the event.

The Cyril Byrne Memorial Lecture is presented to the community free of charge and all are welcome. Attendees are able to choose between going to one night or both, however seating may be limited.

Two Sobey students chosen for prestigious $25,000 Frank H. Sobey Awards

For the second year in a row, the Sobey School of Business is delighted to announce that not one but two of our students have been recognized with the prestigious and high-value Frank H. Sobey Award for Excellence in Business Studies.

More information

Saint Mary's takes Provincial Open Data Challenge by storm

Top: Sunil Udhayakumar, unknown, judge, Siddharthsenthil Thangharaj, Rasheed Andrews
Middle: Raj Sonani, Kanngi Mahajan, judge, Sanjeevi Ramachandran, Shahriar Mullick Swapnil, Bo Li
Bottom: Janice Lobo, Vivek Karunakaran, judge, Jie Pan

Teams from the Saint Mary's MSc in Computing & Data Analytics (MScCDA) program took the Provincial Open Data Challenge by storm, garnering 1st prize, 3rd prize, and the People's Choice Award.

The event, supported by the province, SIM and hosted at the Dalhousie University, was part of Open Data Day celebrations, March 4.

The challenge is focused on three main areas: 

1. Promoting tourism
2. Assisting new immigrants
3. Effective management of Nova Scotia's natural resources and protection of the environment

 Participants were expected to tackle projects involving application development, data anayis and predictive modelling.

See the story on CBC.ca.

Saint Mary's student receives prestigious leadership scholarship

Sobey School of Business student Boyce Campbell (pictured) has been awarded a Futures Fund Scholarship for Outstanding Leadership.Campbell is one of 10 university business students across Canada who have been recognized for their leadership in their academic and extra-curricular activities.

Participating schools are chosen each year by Canada's Outstanding CEO of the Year, an oganization that also honours accomplished Canadian Chief Executive Officers.

Student recipients are selected by their school's Dean's office based on their achievements and demonstrated leadership initiatives in their academic and extracurricular activities. Both graduate and undergraduate students in business degree programs are eligible.

The award program provides students with $7,500 grants to further their educational ambitions.

Boyce Campbell

Solving conflict the Santamarian way

The Saint Mary's University Conflict Resolution Society and their Senior Program Coordinators with Saint Mary's President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray.

For the 13th consecutive year, Saint Mary’s University students representing both undergraduate and graduate study within the faculties of Arts, Science and Commerce, will depart for Northern Ireland to facilitate peace education workshops. These 18 students leave for Northern Ireland today and will begin working with elementary school children throughout Belfast, Northern Ireland, once they arrive.

This long-standing and unique experiential program is a remarkable collaborative effort, coordinated through Saint Mary’s University, Peaceful Schools International and the student led, Conflict Resolution Society. Between November 2016 and February 2017, Saint Mary's students have successfully facilitated a series of peace education and conflict resolution workshops with more than a thousand local children.

Saint Mary’s students visited schools across Halifax for the workshops including: St. Catherine’s Elementary, Inglis Street Elementary, St. Mary’s Elementary, Oxford School Elementary, Halifax Independent School, Halifax Grammar School and Sacred Heart School of Halifax.

"This project is a reflection of the long term commitment made by Saint Mary's University and Peaceful Schools International to the promotion of peace education and conflict resolution locally and globally," said Bridget Brownlow, the Conflict Resolution Advisor at Saint Mary's and a Senior Program Coordinator for this initiative. "Over the past 12 years, the deep and transformative impact of this program is consistently highlighted by student participants as 'life changing'."

"It remains a true privilege to work alongside our students as they volunteer with children and youth in a spirit of collaboration and goodwill that may help to eventually create a more peaceful world."

The topic for the 2017 workshops is ‘Diversity and Inclusion: Sharing Being Unique’.

 The 2017 student group will be accompanied by Senior Program Coordinators Bridget Brownlow, Conflict Resolution Advisor and Part-time faculty, Political Science / Irish Studies and Emily Anderson, Vice-President, Peaceful Schools International and B.A. Program Advisor. Three faculty members will also be accompanying the group, Dr. Ashley Carver, Assistant Professor, Sociology/Criminology, Dr. Catherine Loughlin, Associate Dean, Research, Sobey School of Business and Dr. James Morrison, Professor, History.

Agreement signed for historic Salzinnes Antiphonal exhibition

Front: Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray, President, Saint Mary's University; Nancy Noble, Director and CEO, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia; Back: Erin Sargeant Greenwood, Vice-President of Advancement, Saint Mary's University; Judy Dietz; Diane Chisholm, Chief Advancement Officer, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia

A cultural artifact of international significance owned by Saint Mary’s University will featured at the Centuries of Silence: The Discovery of the Salzinnes Antiphonal exhibition at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia later this year as a result of an agreement signed Feb. 2, 2017.

The Salzinnes Antiphonal is a hand-scribed illuminated choir book dated 1554 and 1555, originating from the Cistercian Abbey of Salzinnes on the outskirts of Namur, Belgium.

Illumination is the embellishment of a manuscript with luminous colours including gold and silver. The Salzinnes Antiphonal includes rare full-page illuminations, decorated initials and is unique in that it provides an extraordinary document from the mid-sixteenth century containing religious text, musical notation and vivid illuminations portraying named nuns and patrons’ coats-of-arms. The manuscript contains sung portions of the Divine Office and was used by the choir during the cycle of daily prayers.
 
“The Salzinnes Antiphonal is an important historical and cultural document connected to our own history as an institution,” said Saint Mary’s President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. “We are extremely pleased to share a piece of history with Nova Scotians by partnering with the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia.”
 
The exhibition is scheduled for May 5, 2017 and will be on display until October 29, 2017.
 
The Salzinnes Antiphonal was donated by Bishop James M. Hayes to the Patrick Power Library, at Saint Mary’s in 1975. Originally catalogued as a “Roman Catholic Antiphonary”, it was discovered in 1999 and identified in 2002 by Judy Dietz, who was the Manager of Collections and Gallery Services at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia at the time.

For more information on the Salzinnes Antiphonal and its discovery at Saint Mary's visit: http://www.smu.ca/academics/archives/the-salzinnes-antiphonal.html. 

Saint Mary’s University introduces new Vice-President, Academic and Research

Dr. Malcolm Butler

Saint Mary’s University is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Malcolm Butler (pictured) as Vice-President, Academic and Research, effective July 1, 2017.

“I am delighted to announce this appointment,” said Dr. Summerby-Murray. “Dr. Butler comes to us with the vision and experience to lead the Saint Mary's community in the realization of our Academic Plan. He also brings a wealth of institutional knowledge as a former Dean of Science and professor of Astronomy and Physics at Saint Mary’s.”

Dr. Butler has been the Dean of Science and a professor in the Department of Physics at Carleton University since 2010. Under his leadership, the Faculty of Science made significant progress in developing new programs, increasing enrolment, attracting external funding, and advancing and building a stronger research profile.

Prior to his role at Carleton, Dr. Butler spent 17 years as a professor in the Department of Astronomy and Physics at Saint Mary’s. A tireless advocate for Saint Mary’s University, he was Dean of the Faculty of Science from 2006 to 2010 and Department Chairperson from 2003 to 2006.
 
Malcolm Butler received his PhD in Theoretical Nuclear Physics from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in 1988 and his honours B.Sc. in Theoretical Physics and Applied Math from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, graduating summa cum laude in 1983. Prior to arriving at Saint Mary’s in 1993, he worked as a research associate with TRIUMF National Laboratory and as an assistant professor and research scientist with the Department of Physics at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.

Saint Mary’s continues to support and encourage students and immigrants from around the globe

As a member of Universities Canada, Saint Mary’s University supports the statement made by our national association.

As Canada’s International University, Saint Mary’s continues to support and encourage students and immigrants from around the globe.

Students from over 115 countries are currently studying at our university, contributing to the advancement of higher learning for all of us as aspiring citizens of the world.

Our University is known for our excellent support services for international students with over 33 percent of our students arriving from destinations beyond Canada.

Discriminating against peoples in any way, including on religion or country of origin, goes against the principles of respect, the values of our university and the Santamarian experience. Please be assured of this university’s continued commitment to fair process, diversity, principles of non-discrimination, and the transformative power of education to ensure global understanding. As Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, pointed out over the weekend, “Diversity is our Strength”. 

If you are an international student from one of the countries named by the executive order and have concerns, please contact our International Centre.

If you are a faculty member or staff member who believes that your future mobility, including prospective travel to the United States, may be affected by the executive order, please contact your academic dean or immediate supervisor for advice.

Statement from the President

Over the past forty-eight hours, we have gathered across this country and beyond to mourn the loss of life resulting from Sunday’s attack on the Centre Culturel Islamique de Quebec.

Yesterday’s memorial event on our campus reinforced our continued commitment to respect for diversity and affirmed our shared understanding that an attack motivated by hate against any particular religious or national group goes against the values of higher education that we hold dear at Saint Mary’s University.

On behalf of the University, I offer condolences to the families of those whose lives have been lost and I affirm the support we will provide to students, faculty and staff of Muslim faith, in our multi-faith, multi-national community.

As Canada’s international university, we have taken on a bold responsibility for diversity, respect, tolerance and understanding – and we take on this responsibility during a challenging period in history. I am confident in the strength of our academic community, its ability to foster a sense of global citizenship, and its adherence to Santamarian values. 

President and Vice-Chancellor
Rob Summerby-Murray

University-community partnership launch YouTube-based sign language tool

Interpreter Ashley Campbell and Dr. Linda Campbell

Imagine travelling across Atlantic Canada without knowing how to properly pronounce the names of the towns and cities you are visiting. For members of the deaf community, knowing the local sign for place names across Atlantic Canada has been difficult—until now.
 
Today, Jan. 30, marks the launch of the Atlantic Provinces Sign Language Place Names Map. This map is a first of its kind online tool that contains place names from across Atlantic Canada in American Sign Language (ASL) and the regional dialect Maritime Sign Language (MSL) shared with viewers through YouTube.
 
“Anytime you travel or go to a new place, one of the first things you want to know is the name of that place,” said Dr. Linda Campbell, a member of the project team and professor at Saint Mary’s. “For deaf people, we often have difficulty knowing the correct sign for places we visit as each community often has its own local sign to refer to their area.”
 
“The last thing anyone visiting a new community wants to do is to continually mispronounce that name and it is pretty obvious when you are signing the wrong sign.”
 
There are many cities across the Atlantic Provinces that have unique sign names that demonstrate the present day sign languages used, which is a mix of both ASL and MSL. This map will be particularly helpful to ASL and MSL communicators as using correctly articulated and appropriate signs is critical for clear sign language communication.
 
All on-screen signers are local deaf community members, and the project was funded by deaf and interpreting community organizations.
 
Try the map.

Special guest speaker leads 2017 Winter Convocation at Saint Mary’s University

2017 Winter Convocation Special Guest Speaker Saeed El-Darahali, President and CEO of SimplyCast.

Saint Mary’s University is proud to announce special guest speaker Saeed El-Darahali, President and CEO of SimplyCast, for the 2017 Winter Convocation.

Mr. El-Darahali is an alumnus with a Bachelor of Science, an HR Certificate and a Master of Business Administration, all from Saint Mary’s University. In addition to the prominent role he plays within his own company, Mr. El-Darahali heads a committee on immigration and retention for the OneNS Coalition, shares his knowledge as a teacher and lecturer at the Sobey School of Business, and hires and mentors many Saint Mary’s graduates.

“Mr. El-Darahali exemplifies what it means to be a Santamarian,” said Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray, President of Saint Mary’s University. “As an alumnus who runs his own international company, he shows our students the opportunities that exist in Nova Scotia for new graduates.”

Winter convocation takes place this Friday, January 20, at 10 a.m. and at 2 p.m. and will feature graduates from:

• Sobey School of Business- Bachelor of Commerce, Certificates/Diplomas in Business
• Faculty of Graduate Studies & Research- Graduate Degrees in Business
• Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Science- Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Environmental Studies, Bachelor of Science, Certificates/Diplomas in Arts & Science
• Faculty of Graduate Studies & Research- Graduate Degrees in the Disciplines of Arts & Science

For more information on graduation and convocation at Saint Mary’s visit http://www.smu.ca/academics/graduation.html.