In her own words: An inspiring introduction to the Lynn Jones Collection

Dr. Lynn Jones

“You know that old saying … you can’t know where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve been.”

— Dr. Lynn Jones, on collecting materials on more than 50 years of African Canadian and diasporic history

Dr. Lynn Jones was only eight years old when she began collecting news and artifacts reflecting Black life in Nova Scotia and beyond. Over the next half century, the community leader and historian built a vast archive of more than 10,000 articles, photos and documents. She generously donated the material in 2015 to Saint Mary’s University, where it’s available to students, researchers, educators and the community as The Lynn Jones African Canadian & Diaspora Heritage Collection.

The Collection is once again open to visitors. Also new is an online donation option for those who would like to support student research, community engagement and other work with the Collection. “I truly love when people ask me how the collection came to be,” Jones says of the unique resource, located in the University Archives on the third floor of the Patrick Power Library.

That’s the first story she shares in a new 30-minute video interview on the Collection’s website. She takes you back to her childhood home in Truro, where her family’s dining room table was often covered in her mother’s current events newspaper clippings and small artifacts destined for safekeeping. Jones started her own personal collection, which eventually expanded into 18 boxes of materials that form the basis of The Lynn Jones African Canadian & Diaspora Heritage Collection.

View fullsize

News item about a visit by Marcus Garvey.

The Collection’s oldest piece is a 1928 news item on the Halifax visit by Pan-African pioneer and leader Marcus Mosiah Garvey, who was born in Jamaica, emigrated to the United States and became famous for his Back to Africa Global Movement. Additional segments in the video touch on the ongoing issues of reparations, policing, and environmental racism, as well as community achievements and celebrations, and Indigenous and Black community connections, as reflected in the Collection. Jones also shares 1994 photos from her work in South Africa as an election observer during the first democratic elections there, which resulted in Nelson Mandela, a Black anti-Apartheid leader, becoming President.

“It’s a living collection,” says Dr. Val Marie Johnson of the Social Justice and Community Studies department at Saint Mary’s. “It’s not just about history, it’s about history that is so relevant today.”

The lead facilitator in bringing the Collection to the university, Johnson co-produced the new video along with Nova Scotian musician of international fame, Joel Plaskett. With his colleague, videographer Mike Hall, they filmed it in September 2020 at New Scotland Yard Studio in Dartmouth.

View fullsize

Election materials for the Nelsen Mandela campaign.

“Joel is a friend of Lynn’s, and a huge supporter of all the mobilizing and activism she does. He and Lynn had been talking for a long time about getting her stories on video,” says Johnson. With funding from the Office of the Vice-President, Academic and Research and the SMUworks program, the idea evolved into a video conversation about the Collection.

Master’s student Sawyer Carnegie provides the video’s heartfelt introduction and helped to structure its interview. Her family roots stem from the prominent Underground Railroad community of Dresden, Ontario. She first used the Collection in 2018, while working as a research assistant on a project about 19th century Black press in Canada.

“This Collection planted the seed of my keen interest of African Nova Scotian newspapers, which has become the focus of my thesis,” says Carnegie, a student in the Atlantic Canada Studies graduate program. “None of my recent work would be possible without this collection. It’s an incredibly valuable resource to anyone interested in a more complete understanding of Nova Scotian and Canadian history.”

Visit The Lynn Jones African Canadian & Diaspora Collection to watch the video, donate and learn more.

Erin Sargeant Greenwood begins second term as Vice-President, Advancement and External Affairs

Erin Sargeant Greenwood

Saint Mary’s University is pleased to announce the reappointment of Erin Sargeant Greenwood to a second five-year term as Vice-President, Advancement and External Affairs.  

“Erin is a transformative leader who plays a major role on Saint Mary’s executive team and the university community,” says Rob Summerby-Murray, President and Vice-Chancellor. “Her significant accomplishments, and those of her team, over the past five years reflect her work with donors, alumni, and the university’s many partners.  I look forward to her continued success.” 

““It’s a privilege to be a member of this university, an institution recognized for deep connections to community, commitment to our students and global reach.””

— Erin Sargeant Greenwood

“Erin Sargeant Greenwood joined us in 2017 to build a culture of philanthropy, enhance the university’s reputation and create the $100 million campaign for Saint Mary’s University,” says Larry Freeman, QC, chair of the Board of Governors. “The Board was pleased to accept the President’s recommendation on reappointment. We know Erin will continue to advance many strategic initiatives in support of the university’s mission.” 

In her new term, Erin Sargeant Greenwood will continue to develop the culture of philanthropy at Saint Mary’s University. She will continue to assemble the talented team at the Office of Advancement, and inspire external benefactors, the internal community, our alumni and many partners to join in realizing the university’s ambitious vision for the future. 

“I'm delighted to be part of building the future of Saint May’s University,” says Erin Sargeant Greenwood. “It's a privilege to be a member of this university, an institution recognized for deep connections to community, commitment to our students and global reach.” 

Erin and the Office of Advancement have been instrumental in the creation and opening of The Dauphinee Centre, construction of two new buildings on campus: the Sobeys Inspiration Hub and The Exchange, and the largest donation in the university’s history — the $18 million gift to Saint Mary’s from the Sobey family, Sobey Foundation and Sobeys Incorporated.  As well, Erin and her team have fostered strong connections with the university’s 53,000+ alumni — the second most engaged alumni in Canada, and, in 2021, launched a new university brand, enhancing the reputation of Saint Mary’s University and solidifying its position as one of the foremost primarily undergraduate universities in the country.  

Throughout 2020 and 2021, Erin and the university’s Executive Management Group developed and led a solid institutional response to the global pandemic. Erin Sargeant Greenwood’s second term extends from February 1, 2022, to February 1, 2027. 

Double-silver at VCIC: Students’ success highlights a unique entrepreneurial environment

View fullsize

Graduate Team: Top row (l-r): Ossama Nasrallah, Subburaj Karupppasamy, Shubhra Singh. Bottom row (l-r): Sayeda Nahabub, Spencer Doue

View fullsize

Undergraduate Team (l-r): Shashwat Duggal, Morgan Baker-Tucker, Reece Labbee, Nicholas Perrin, Dr. Ellen Farrell, Brett Himmelman

This past weekend, students from the Sobey School of Business made history. Competing in the New England division of the Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC) hosted by Boston University, the two teams of five, one at the undergraduate level and one at the graduate level, placed second in their respective divisions, beating out teams from top-tier American schools that included Cornell, Tufts, Babson and New York University. While the Sobey School of Business teams have placed high in past VCIC events, both teams winning the silver medals back-to-back is unprecedented.

“It was definitely a very emotional experience,” says Shashwat Duggal of the undergraduate team. “The whole team could not believe it when the results came out. We were really happy at the end that we came second, and we lost first place by a very narrow margin.”

VCIC is an international competition, hosting upwards of 50 individual events across four continents. While there is a Canadian competition, it is hosted at Saint Mary’s University thus our students compete south of the border to avoid conflicts of interest. Dr. Ellen Farrell, Professor of Venture Capital and Entrepreneurship and organizer of the VCIC teams, sees this as a benefit. SMU students are able to compete against top American universities, acting as venture capitalists investing in start-ups. Their choices and their reasoning are judged by a panel of experts.

“We prepared for three weeks,” shared Shubhra Singh, a graduate student in the Master of Technology Entrepreneurship and Innovation (MTEI) program. “We worked non-stop for 36 hours [before the competition] to gather information about the start-ups that were given to us. The competition gave us opportunity to network with real venture capitalists, and their feedback was very critical and realistic.”

The graduate and undergraduate teams both taking home silver speaks not only to their hard work and dedication, but also to the wealth of knowledge they’ve gained as students of the Sobey Business School. Morgan Baker-Tucker of the undergraduate team highlighted how SMU’s unique programs have guided her path. “The Entrepreneurship program at Saint Mary’s University has a heavy focus on venture capital and start-ups. After taking one class with Dr. Farrell in my third year, I knew I had a lot more to learn about venture capital, and I was most certainly right.”

Dr. Farrell’s contribution to Entrepreneurship programs at the Sobey School of Business and to the success of students cannot be overstated. Dean Harjeet Bhabra summarized this sentiment in his congratulatory message to the teams. “In addition to recognizing the excellent performance of our students, I would like to sincerely congratulate and acknowledge the passionate leadership of Dr. Ellen Farrell, whose relationships and connections have successfully linked our academic programs to the venture capital entrepreneurial ecosystem, where she is a recognized figure.”

The Sobey School of Business is a leading Canadian business school and has an international reputation for excellence in Entrepreneurship programs. “I joined the Sobey School of Business in September 2021,” says Shubhra Singh, “and in just five months, it has given me opportunities to network with early-stage start-ups, participate in pitch presentations, and most importantly collaborate with venture capitalist organizations and understand how this entire ecosystem works. This a learning of a lifetime.”

Shashwat Duggal agrees with Singh. “The most impactful thing that’s come from studying [venture capitalism] has been the networking opportunities with venture capitalists and start-ups from the business community. As part of the [venture capital] course we regularly meet with venture capitalists from the industry, which has been really impactful for me.”

While VCIC was a unique, hands-on opportunity for students to act as venture capitalists investing in start-ups, this competition is a small facet of what is available to SMU students. “There are always opportunities in front of you, it's up to you to decide how you want to be a part of it,” counsels Sayeda Nabila Mahabub of the graduate team. “Either you are a spectator, or a participant. The Entrepreneurship program will throw many opportunities at you, I suggest you grab them and make the most of them. Opportunities won't wait for you.”

We would like to once again congratulate both the undergraduate and graduate teams on their success!

SMU to host second annual Canadian Forensic Psychology Virtual Conference

Following the success of the first virtual Canadian Forensic Psychology virtual conference in 2020, the Psychology department is thrilled to host this national conference again for students and academic and industry colleagues. The conference will be held on Friday, February 4 from noon to 5:00 p.m. AT.

Dr. Sandy Jung

The keynote speaker is Dr. Sandy Jung, Forensic Psychologist and professor at MacEwan University. Dr. Jung will present on the topic “Why is intimate partner violence so complicated?”

Her address will be followed by presentations by forensic psychology researchers from across Canada and all over the world. Their research is on a variety of topics in forensic psychology, such as violence risk assessment, jury decision making, suspect interviews, and criminal behaviour.

A panel discussion on “The Role of Crime victims in Canadian Courts” will feature experts Heidi Illingworth, Executive Director of Ottawa Victim Services & former federal ombudsperson for victims of crime; Dr. Kristine Peace, associate professor at MacEwan University; Jennifer Schmidt, Saskatchewan senior crown prosecutor; and Krystal Lowe sexual violence prevention & education coordinator at Saint Mary’s University.

Canada is a leader in forensic psychology and Saint Mary’s is proud to provide a strong program in this field for our undergraduate and graduate students,” said Dr. Meg Ternes, who organized the event along with fellow Saint Mary’s Psychology Dr. Veronica Stinson and conference coordinator, Claire Keenan, a second year student in SMU’s MSc Applied Psychology (forensic psychology) stream.

“This idea behind this virtual conference was to replicate the friendly, collegial conversations between colleagues, something we found we missed when COVID forced us to work remotely,” said Dr. Ternes. “We found the first event so successful that we’re happy to host it again.”

Along with hearing from the keynote speaker and expert panelists, this conference is an opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students in the Saint Mary’s Forensic Psychology program to gain valuable experience attending, and in some cases, participating in this event. Students have played an integral role in organizing and delivering the conference.

Forensic Psychology at Saint Mary’s University

Forensic psychology focuses on researching aspects of human behaviour directly related to the legal process and applying this knowledge to the legal process.

Master of Science in Applied Psychology (Forensic Psychology) graduates at Saint Mary’s will leave equipped with skills for either applied work in the justice system or for further PhD-level studies in Forensic Psychology. Faculty offer a variety of courses, including Forensic Tests and Measurement, Correctional Psychology, and the latest developments in research methods. Our students will apply their learning during a practicum in the field, and through teaching and research assistantships. Students will also conduct and defend their own original research through their Master’s thesis.

Conference date: February 4, noon – 5 p.m.

SMU astronomers ready to probe the Universe using most powerful space telescope ever built

After two decades of work preparing for the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope (Webb), Saint Mary’s University professor and researcher Dr. Marcin Sawicki is looking forward to using the Hubble successor—and most powerful space telescope ever built—for research along with his students.

Webb’s advanced technology will study every epoch of cosmic history, from the most distant observable galaxies in the early universe to stars around other planets and objects within our solar system.

The rocket launch from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, South America on December 25, 2021, saw the telescope begin the complicated process of transforming into its final form, which will orbit 1.5 million kilometres from earth. After this six-month long commissioning procedure, the first images are expected to be delivered this summer.

Dr. Sawicki has been a member of the science team responsible for the Canadian contribution to Webb from early in the telescope’s development. The team’s made-in-Canada Near Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS) instrument is a key part of the telescope.

"Where the Hubble telescope was a NASA project, the James Webb Space Telescope is a collaboration that includes the European and Canadian space agencies,” says Dr. Sawicki, “and there is also a very significant Saint Mary’s University element to this story.”

Because of Dr. Sawicki’s involvement in Webb’s key NIRISS instrument, Saint Mary’s University researchers will have unprecedented access to Webb for research. Led by Dr. Sawicki, Saint Mary’s has the largest Canadian team of Webb scientists outside of Montreal; this team of faculty, post-doctoral fellows and students is getting ready to parse data from the telescope.

“At Saint Mary’s our postdocs and students will be using JWST to observe the birth of the first galaxies soon after the Big Bang, and to study how these baby galaxies then grew over cosmic time to become beautiful giant structures like our home, the Milky Way Galaxy,” says Dr. Sawicki. “With Webb, the potential for extremely impactful science is enormous, and we are ecstatic that the launch and telescope deployments have gone so perfectly and are eager to begin using Webb for world-leading research here in Nova Scotia.”

The James Webb Space Telescope is the most powerful space telescope ever built. Webb’s advanced technology will study every epoch of cosmic history—from the most distant observable galaxies in the early universe to stars around other planets and objects within our solar system. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency.

Saint Mary’s is a leader in astronomy and physics research and the only place you can study astrophysics east of Montreal. Our students learn from experienced faculty who are internationally recognized for their work, yet classes are small enough that professors will know your name. Saint Mary’s is home to a Canada Research Chair in Astronomy and the Institute for Computational Astrophysics.

The Faculty of Science at Saint Mary’s offers a wide range of undergraduate, Masters and PhD level programs.

More information on the Webb telescope and Dr. Sawicki.

Celebrating African Heritage Month at Saint Mary’s

February’s freezing temperatures and pandemic restrictions won’t put a damper on African Heritage Month celebrations at Saint Mary’s.  

From online guest speakers to recommended readings to an African film festival, the Office of Diversity Excellence at Saint Mary’s—together with a committee of staff, faculty and representatives from SMUSA—have prepared several events and resources for the Saint Mary’s community. 

Celebrated in Nova Scotia as African Heritage Month and nationally as Black History Month, the month is “an important opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate all the ways that Black Canadians and those who identify as members of African diasporas have contributed to Canada’s history and culture,” says Dr. Rohini Bannerjee, Associate Vice-President of the newly-formed Office of Diversity Excellence at Saint Mary’s. 

To help mark the significance of the month, the tri-colour Pan-African flag has been raised in front of McNally. The red, black and green flag was created in 1920 to represent the people of the African Diaspora. 

“We’re excited this year to continue celebrating Black and African heritage excellence well beyond February,” adds Dr. Bannerjee. “We are not confined to these 28 days but instead will attempt to uphold the 2022 theme of February and Forever: Celebrating Black History today and every day as a catalyst for dialogue.”  

See the list below for events and resources

Events

Plumes of Power: An Evening with Senator Donald H. Oliver

Tuesday, February 1 
7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

In partnership with Nimbus publishing, Saint Mary’s University is pleased to present an evening with the Honourable Donald H. Oliver CM ONS QC LLD’13. A tireless champion for diversity, pluralism, fairness and equality, he was the first black male to sit in the Senate and the second black Canadian appointed to the chamber. Senator Oliver continues to connect with the African-Canadian community to provide encouragement, advice, guidance and mentoring particularly to youth, to help them overcome the ravages of racism in Canada today.

Ignition Program: BIPOC Entrepreneurs  

The Ignition Program offers weekly programming to students on entrepreneurial topics. The program provides student with $20 per session they attend when they register for the program, or join using the below link, just for fun! 

In February, the Ignition Program is hosting virtual events featuring Black and Indigenous local entrepreneur panellists, who will share their stories, challenges and successes with aspiring entrepreneurs.   

February 14 – Black Entrepreneurship Panel: 5 p.m. AST to 6:30 p.m. AST

Join SMUEC as we host four incredible Black entrepreneurs as they share their unique entrepreneurial stories, the challenges and stigmas of entrepreneurship, and how their resiliency and perseverance helped to navigate through a difficult career.  

Panelists: 

• Princess Octavious, Owner/Operator, P3 Hair and Beauty Supplies

• Holly Adams, CEO, Hollydrops

• Tiffani Young, Owner, Natural Butter Bar

February 18 – Indigenous Entrepreneurship Panel:  12 p.m. AST to 1 p.m. AST  
Join SMUEC as we host four incredible Indigenous entrepreneurs as they share their unique entrepreneurial stories, the challenges and stigmas of entrepreneurship, and how their resiliency and perseverance helped to navigate through a difficult career.  

Black Representation in Health: Why Seeing YOU Matters

Thursday, February 17 12 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. 

An Office of Diversity Excellence virtual event

Join Kelly Carrington, RMT and Dr. Akila Whiley, MD who will share their experience as Black healthcare providers and discuss the importance of mentorship and representation in the field.

Kemet Udjat: An African Film Festival 

February 28 – March 4, 2022 

The 2022 edition of the Kemet Udjat Film Festival (KUFF) at Saint Mary’s will run virtually from February 28 to March 4, in remembrance of Dr. Cheikh Anta Diop and Sidney Poitier.

KUFF 2022 is presented by Dr. Jean-Blaise Samou, Assistant Professor of Francophone and Intercultural Studies in the Department of Modern Languages and Classics. Loosely translated, the name Kemet Udjat indicates “the eye of Africa” and refers to a different perspective on African heritage.

Learn more and register to watch the films! 

---

Resources and related links

Lynn Jones

• In recognition of African Heritage Month, the University Archives has curated a display of materials from the recently digitized Africville Files of The Lynn Jones African Canadian & Diaspora Heritage Collection. Dr. Lynn Jones has spent her lifetime working in civil rights and social justice struggles in Halifax, Canada and internationally. Along the way, she collected thousands of unique materials documenting Black life, including photographs, news clippings, reports, and numerous other materials. Read more about this “living collection,” and how it came to be, here.

• The Patrick Power Library has also put on display a large number of print and e-books from its collection for African Heritage Month. All books can be borrowed by the SMU community. Visit the Saint Mary’s University Library Blog to see the virtual displays. In-person displays can be viewed on the ground floor of the Library starting February 4.  

SMU Researcher Part of New Federally Funded Global Indigenous Health and Biodiversity Project

Biodiversity decline. Reconciliation and the empowerment of Indigenous peoples. Both are prominent themes in Canada and around the world. These two important themes come together in Ărramăt, a newly launched Canadian-based project, and led by Indigenous peoples, in response to the global biodiversity and health crisis.

 Funded for 2021-2027 by Canada’s New Frontiers Research Fund Transformations Program, Ărramăt involves over 150 Indigenous organizations, universities, and other partners – including Saint Mary’s University’s Dr. Tony Charles – who will work together to highlight ways to counter biodiversity loss and address its implications for health and well-being.  

The project will be inclusive of many worldviews and methods for research in its activities across 70 different kinds of ecosystems that are spiritually, culturally, and economically important to Indigenous Peoples. 

As one of the project leaders, Mariam Wallet Aboubakrine, notes: “The Ărramăt Project is about respecting the inherent dignity and interconnectedness of peoples and Mother Earth, life and livelihood, identity and expression, biodiversity and sustainability, and stewardship and well-being.” 

The participants, knowledges, and interdisciplinary expertise in the project will address 150 different activities, with over half of the $24 million research budget going directly to Indigenous governments and organizations. They will lead their own work in ways that respect, protect, and elevate Indigenous knowledge and ways of life. Key topics include how food security can be secured for Indigenous Peoples, how Indigenous-led approaches to conservation can support wild species and agrobiodiversity, and how to engage in best practices for decolonizing education and science.   

Dr. Tony Charles emphasizes that having the project led by Indigenous scholars and communities is a crucial element.

“Biodiversity conservation is a key issue around the world, and one we’ve seen can be tackled effectively through Indigenous approaches,” says Dr. Charles. “That’s a message of the Community Conservation Research Network, based at Saint Mary’s, and one that is bound to be fundamental to the new Ărramăt Project.”

- 30 -

‘Lagomorph’ story by Dr. Alexander MacLeod wins Nova Scotia’s top arts prize

A special handbound letterpress edition of Lagomorph is the 2021 winner of the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia Masterworks Arts Award, the largest award for a single work of art in any medium in the province. 

First published in Granta magazine, Dr. Alexander MacLeod’s short fiction about the impact of a family’s pet rabbit has earned international accolades, winning the prestigious O. Henry Prize in 2019. Last year, Dr. MacLeod collaborated with bookmaker Andrew Steeves of Gaspereau Press to immortalize the story as an exquisite stand-alone book.

The Masterworks recognition is particularly special for MacLeod and Steeves. “The story had already done pretty well out in the world, but this award kind of brought it home and shows how the piece is connected to this place, connected to us,” says MacLeod, a professor who teaches Creative Writing and Atlantic Canada Studies at Saint Mary’s.

It was his first such project with Steeves. The idea was born during a long walk in Mount Uniacke, where the friends sometimes catch up halfway between their homes in Dartmouth and Kentville.

“I’ve always believed in Andrew as one of Nova Scotia’s greatest artists and I have huge respect for him and all the work he has done. Gaspereau Press has published some of the most important Atlantic Canadian writing of the last 20 years,” says MacLeod.

The $25,0000 award was presented Dec. 1 at Government House, at a reception hosted by the Honourable Arthur J. LeBlanc, ONS, QC and Her Honour Mrs. Patsy LeBlanc. The Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia and its Executive Director Marilyn Smulders nominated the book, which was up against innovative theatre project “The Princess Show” and sculptural works by Neil Forrest and John Greer.

“We were totally surprised. All of those works were just amazing,” says MacLeod, adding he’s glad Nova Scotia has an award that celebrates all forms of creative expression.

An independent jury of artists chose Lagomorph for its “masterful artisanship, inside and out” and said “the work stays with you long after you put it down.” Also “enchanted by the contrasting yet complementary nature of the work,” the jury was intrigued to see contemporary fiction “captured on the page using traditional, largely bygone methods of typesetting, printing, and bookbinding.”

Books are much more than just the words inside, says MacLeod, and the letterpress setting for the story taps into the ancient roots of human communications. “This book itself is kind of a sculpture. We both wanted the art of the bookmaker to be seen, and Andrew just made such a beautiful book.” 

MacLeod’s next collection of short stories, Animal Person, launches on April 5 through Penguin Random House Canada. It will also be published in the U.S. and the U.K., and is currently set to be translated into 12 languages. His first book, Light Lifting, was a finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize, the Commonwealth Book Prize, and the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award.  

Learn more about the Masterworks Award at www.nsmasterworks.ca.  

A Day of Mourning, A Call for Action

Members of the SMU Community gathered on December 6, the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

The solemn, respectful, and touching event was led by Deborah Brothers-Scott, Diversity and Inclusion Advisor. Raymond Sewell, Assistant Professor, opened the event with an Indigenous song.  President Rob Summerby-Murray and Dr. Rohini Bannerjee, AVP Diversity Excellence, both read poems (Fourteen White Roses and She had thought) expressing the sense of loss that Canadians feel as we remember not only the women who were murdered in 1989, but also the violence and inequities that continue today.

Dr. Lori Francis, Dean of Science, reflected on her own experiences, facing and overcoming opposition to her career as a “woman in Science.” At Saint Mary’s University, each year, a scholarship is awarded to a young woman studying Engineering at SMU. This year’s recipient is Amy Kehoe. 

Dee Dooley, the new Sexual Violence Advisor, talked about what we can do to prevent violence against women and how her own grandmother serves as an inspiration and model.

Students, SMUSA representatives, varsity athletes and a member of the SMU Conflict Resolution Society carefully placed 14 roses in a large vase to commemorate the 14 women who were killed at the  l’École Polytechnique in Montreal on December 6, 1989. They are:

• Geneviève Bergeron

• Hélène Colgan

• Nathalie Croteau

• Barbara Daigneault

• Anne-Marie Edward

• Maud Haviernick

• Maryse Laganière

• Maryse Leclair

• Anne-Marie Lemay

• Sonia Pelletier

• Michèle Richard

• Annie St-Arneault

• Annie Turcotte

• Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz

Irish President Honours Bridget Brownlow for Peace Education Impact

Bridget Brownlow

Micheál Martin, Taoiseach (Prime Minister) also attended the ceremony.

President Michael D. Higgins with Bridget Brownlow.

Bridget Brownlow met Ireland’s President Michael D. Higgins for the first time this week, as the recipient of one of his highest honours. She was the only Canadian among 11 people who received his 2021 Presidential Distinguished Service Award for the Irish Abroad.

Brownlow was the sole winner in the award’s “Peace, Reconciliation & Development” category, in recognition of her work with the Northern Ireland / North of Ireland Peace Education and Conflict Resolution Program. The ceremony took place December 2 at Áras an Uachtaráin, the President’s official residence in Dublin. Other Irish dignitaries present were Micheál Martin, Taoiseach (Prime Minister) and Simon Coveney, T.D., Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence.

“I was so grateful to represent Saint Mary’s and Canada,” says Brownlow, who is President of Peaceful Schools International, Saint Mary’s Conflict Resolution Advisor and a part-time faculty member. “Many strategic connections were solidified as a result of meeting these senior government officials, which will further support our programs in Ireland and elsewhere going forward.”

Mr. Coveney called the award recipients “some of the finest members of our global family, our diaspora,” in an October 22 announcement. “In the ever-changing world we live in, this remarkable group of individuals have been a constant beacon for Ireland and the values we hold dear.” 

Now in its 18th year, the Peace Education Program is a partnership between Saint Mary’s and Peaceful Schools International. SMU students help to facilitate peace education and conflict resolution workshops with children in elementary schools overseas, and here in Nova Scotia. The program has grown to include conflict management and peace education training, and has established partnerships with colleagues at Yale University and Queen’s University, Belfast.

Brownlow heads to Belfast next to facilitate in-person training with members of the Orange Order, Loyalist and Republican youth, the Irish Republican Socialist Party, Sinn Fein and a cross-community workshop with teachers and parents. Throughout the pandemic, she has continued to offer weekly training sessions overseas virtually.

“The long-term strategy is to continue building on the existing capacity for managing conflict and promoting peace education, which are essential features of the peace process. The fundamental principle of Peaceful Schools International is to ’teach peace’ at the youngest age possible, although it remains possible at any age,” she says.

Planning is underway for the program’s next trip to Northern Ireland, scheduled for late April 2022. For updates, follow Peaceful Schools International on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, and SMU’s Peace Education / Conflict Resolution Society on Instagram and Twitter.   

SMU Community Surpasses Giving Tuesday Goal

Giving Tuesday Goal surpassed again this year!

On November 30, Saint Mary’s alumni, faculty, staff and friends worked together to raise more than $27,000 to support the Student Wellness Fund and promote food security for SMU students this Giving Tuesday.

Thanks to the generosity of the J & W Murphy Foundation and a top-up by the Saint Mary’s Alumni Association, all individual gifts were matched. Gifts and the matching funds will directly impact students through initiatives such as the on-campus Community Food Room, the Enactus Saint Mary’s Square Roots vegetable bundle program, as well as provide care packages for students not able to travel home this holiday season.  
 
A huge thanks to the Saint Mary’s community for making this Giving Tuesday one of the most successful ever. Thank you for helping keep our students fed, learning and thriving.

Creating the Space for Inspiration

Board members, students, faculty, staff and alumni all gathered to welcome the newly elected Minister of Advanced Education, the Honourable Brian Wong, and top donors to Saint Mary’s. Over 100 people gathered safely to learn more about two new buildings under construction, the Sobeys Inspiration Hub and The Exchange.

At the heart of the new additions is the Sobeys Inspiration Hub, a 43,000 sq. ft. glass and steel building, that will house the Saint Mary’s Entrepreneurship Centre, the David Sobey Centre for Innovation in Retailing and Services, maker spaces, research and innovation labs, and project studios.

Members of the community spoke proudly about the university’s track record in creating entrepreneurs, many of them current students and recent graduates. Students mingled and took photos with donors including Marsha Sobey. The Sobey family are important donors to the university over several decades; their legacy and ongoing support for the institution was singled out by several speakers including Board Chair Larry Freeman and President Rob Summerby-Murray. Sobeys Incorporated is contributing $5 million, part of the $18 million Sobey Gift to Saint Mary’s from the Sobey family, Sobey Foundation and Sobeys Inc., the largest donation in the university’s history.

George and Dorothy Isaacs, along with Derek Isaacs on Live Stream, attended in recognition of the $2.5 million donation from the estate of Anne and Albert Isaacs DipENG’55.  A student gathering space, named the Anne J. and Albert T. Isaacs Commons, is at the center of The Exchange.

The event was emceed by Leah Skerry BComm’09 and Entrepreneur-in-Residence with remarks by Enactus Co-President Kritika Gurung. The new buildings will open in 2023.