Building confidence in chemistry: Dr. Mary Sheppard’s research supports how students learn in her lab
Dr. Mary Sheppard wins the Father William A. Stewart Medal for Excellence in Teaching. Her PhD research focused on how students learn chemistry.
L-R: Alumni Association member Fiona King BComm’93, SMU President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray, and Dr. Mary Sheppard at Spring Convocation.
First-year chemistry classes introduce students to an exciting field of science—with new terminology and research methods, and the opportunity to study in a university laboratory setting for the first time.
Arriving at Saint Mary’s from Halifax or homes around the world, students’ first university classes can be an exciting, eye-opening experience—and a big adjustment.
Luckily, these new students at Saint Mary’s have an award-winning professor who understands the challenges they face. As a first-generation university graduate from Taylor’s Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Dr. Mary Sheppard still remembers leaving her small community for Memorial University.
“Leaving my family behind and going to the ‘big city’ of St. John’s was huge for me, and I understand what our rural students, and those from close-knit communities, are missing,” said Dr. Sheppard.
Finding the right path in her academic career meant being flexible and open to new paths.
“At first I wanted to be a pharmacist,” explained Dr. Sheppard. “When I was growing up in rural Newfoundland there was no access to career counseling. If you got good grades you were told you should be a pharmacist, nurse or doctor…I didn’t want to be a nurse or doctor—too much blood.”
It was her first-year chemistry professor who suggested that pharmacy might not be the best fit for her, and offered a chance to do a summer project that led to more than two decades studying and teaching chemistry.
“Growing up, I didn’t even know that a career in chemistry was a possibility,” said Dr. Sheppard. “I tell my students to keep an open mind. You don’t have to stick with what you first thought you wanted to be—I wouldn’t have been happy as a pharmacist.”
Along with teaching first-year classes as a senior lecturer, for the past five years, Dr. Sheppard was also a student, pursuing a PhD at the University of New Hampshire.
Dr. Mary Sheppard
Dr. Sheppard’s PhD research has made her uniquely qualified for her role teaching at the university level. Her interest in how students learn led her to pursue the topic of chemistry education research for her doctoral degree. She explains that during the first few weeks of classes, she intentionally slows the pace to let students adjust to the environment.
“For some students, the lab can be very daunting because they didn't have a lab in high school—coming from a big city high school is not the same as any rural area in the world,” she says. “As part of our student success program, their first experience in that room isn’t an experiment—they go into the space as part of a scavenger hunt around campus…it helps them get oriented first.”
Once the term is underway, students will look forward to performing guided inquiry experiments along with a more traditional curriculum of procedural experiments. Guided inquiry prepares students for real-world work by challenging them to design an experiment to tackle a problem, tweaking it in the lab and submitting their group’s finalized experiment.
“Learning how to approach a problem teaches creative thinking— if the procedures don’t all work out perfectly, they learn more from that,” she says.
In her PhD research, Dr. Sheppard looked at how students learn about pH buffers, a chemistry topic that many find difficult to grasp. “I was trying to figure out why is this so tough for students—what are the roadblocks,” she explained. First, she interviewed students at the University of New Hampshire using a “think out loud” approach, recording them as they worked through problems. A qualitative analysis followed, allowing her to design teaching strategies that matched students’ successes and challenges.
“It was interesting to see that while the American students might have different backgrounds, they have the same or similar challenges that our students have.”
Her last goal for her PhD was to design a teaching strategy that addresses those challenges, setting students up for success. After many years of teaching, the instinct to help students is strong.
“You have to separate yourself from the student, you can’t help them because you want to see what they’re thinking and what the issues are,” she explained. “I think I ground the enamel off my teeth because I kept wanting to jump in and help.”
This research is beneficial to students in the classroom and lab and may lead to changes in how the topic is introduced in textbooks.
“Textbooks come from an expert point of view, but if you’re not an expert yet, that approach can be frustrating,” she explained. “One of the tenets of teaching pedagogy is that it’s not about knowing the topic, it’s about knowing how to teach it.”
Dr. Sheppard explained that like most PhD topics, hers was very narrow in focus. But she says it also exposed her to literature and people at conferences who are talking about different ways to teach.
“Understanding better how students learn at a higher level, it’s easier to transfer that knowledge to other areas of chemistry,” explained Dr. Sheppard.
Dr. Sheppard’s history of successful teaching and her drive to continuously build on that success have been recognized. This spring she won the Father William A. Stewart. S.J. Medal for Excellence in Teaching, the top teaching award at Saint Mary’s. The award is determined by nominations from alumni, students and colleagues and is awarded to a professor who has made significant contributions to the education of Saint Mary's students through excellence in teaching and service.
Father Stewart was known for his strong beliefs in promoting accessible education to marginalized communities and was also very much involved in promoting teaching innovation and excellence on campus. The award honours this legacy.
After receiving the award at the May convocation ceremony, Dr. Sheppard travelled to the U.S. where she received her PhD at the University of New Hampshire.
Congratulations Dr. Sheppard!
Embracing the power of writing with new Kane Award
Trayvone Clayton BA’23 is well versed in the power and impact of words as a young leader in his Halifax community of Uniacke Square. During his time as a student at Saint Mary’s University, he also discovered the power of writing as tool for healing, self-reflection and mental health. So it means the world to him to be the first recipient of the university’s new Edna and Velma Thomas Kane Writers Award.
“Writing keeps me balanced,” says Clayton, who carries a notebook around much of the time. “Just writing down daily thoughts and ideas, things that have been on my mind all day. It takes so much pressure off and gets the negative thoughts out of your head. If you ever want to look back, it’s all right there in the book.”
He got a rousing standing ovation upon receiving the inaugural Kane Writers Award during the spring graduation ceremony for the Faculty of Arts. Valued at $30,000, it’s one of the most substantial student awards in the university’s history. Launched in the fall of 2021, it was created through the generosity of donor Floyd Kane BA’92, a writer, filmmaker, lawyer and TV producer from East Preston.
Stephanie Johnson BComm’93 and Edna Kane
Kane’s mother Edna and his cousin Stephanie Johnson BComm’93 (daughter of his late aunt Velma) were on campus to take part in the May 19 award presentation. Kane was away but watched the graduation live stream.
“I’m really proud of my son Floyd,” Edna Kane said after the ceremony. “He went through a lot but he’s a super guy, that’s all I can say. He’s a super son.”
Johnson, a self-described “Husky for life,” added that her cousin is best known for his creative work but his spirit of philanthropy is just as strong. “To be able to give someone in the community this type of opportunity that will help them live their life and pursue their dream, it’s brilliant. So I’m proud to be part of it. It’s a legacy for my mom and my auntie here, and we’re just really proud of Floyd,” she said.
Trayvone Clayton is the first recipient of the Edna and Velma Thomas Kane Writers Award
Clayton hopes to go on to law school for his next chapter, the same path Kane took after Saint Mary’s. A former SMU Huskies basketball player, Clayton majored in Criminology with a minor in Social Justice and Community Studies, themes that reverberate throughout Kane’s hit TV series, Diggstown. Shot largely in Nova Scotia, the legal drama wrapped last year after four seasons. Since then, Kane has been hard at work developing another legal show, shooting two movies and filming a documentary about Black music in Canada.
The two men had a chance to meet each other for the first time on June 2. In many ways, Clayton is the type of student Kane had in mind with his gift to the university, which aims to remove financial barriers to education for African Nova Scotian students.
“I identified with a lot of his story,” Kane said after their lunch meeting on campus. “Although I grew up in the country and he grew up in the city, we both grew up with relatively modest economic means. We both grew up in African Nova Scotian communities where there wouldn’t be a lot of Black men going to university and pursuing post-secondary education, mainly because of economic circumstances.”
Working several jobs to pay his tuition while he was a full-time student, athlete and volunteer, Clayton faced other big hurdles along the way, including learning to live with epilepsy. He was devastated by the 2019 shooting death of his younger cousin Triston Reece, who was also a promising athlete. Processing his grief from that loss prompted Clayton to start carrying the notebook around.
Said Kane: “We talked about loss, the commonalities of experiencing significant losses early in life. I kind of always reverted to fiction. When I try to write something personal, I have a hard time doing anything autobiographical. But telling a story, that’s way easier for me. Writing got me through some tough times.”
Another life-changing experience in 2019 cemented Clayton’s commitment to social change and the movement against anti-Black racism and discrimination. He was in Ottawa attending the National Black Canadians Summit, and his group encountered racial profiling by an employee in the Parliament buildings. That’s when he started speaking out; the incident made national headlines and led to a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“I guess I always had it in me about doing the right things, and it took off from there,” Clayton says. “With GameChangers902, we’ve built a platform and we’re trying to create opportunities for youth. My whole purpose in wanting to go to law school is to lead by example. I want to build a legacy for other young people. When they see I can do it, they’ll realize they can do it too.”
Clayton in his community of Uniacke Square
Clayton feels a responsibility to be a good role model, coach and mentor. Last December, he helped organize a community Christmas for African Nova Scotian youth, which raised more than $20,000 so that each youngster at the event received a $500 gift card. “It just made me feel like you can do anything you really put your mind to,” he says.
His community work has seen him honoured with other awards, including the 2019 Peace Medal from the YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth, and two 2019 Nova Scotia Human Rights Awards. The advocacy work gave Clayton the confidence to work hard at his academic studies, “to show people in my community that we belong here, that we do have something to say and that our voice matters.”
Edna and Velma Thomas Kane Writers Award
Students planning to graduate in 2024 have until November 30 to apply for the Edna and Velma Thomas Kane Writers Award. Kane stressed that the term ‘writer’ can mean everything from poetry or screenwriting to wanting to write a master’s thesis.
“This award keeps ‘writing’ broadly defined because writing is the foundation to so many things,” said Kane. “We’re all writers in some way, it’s a key part of what you do and learn in a Bachelor of Arts degree. I had a great time at law school but Saint Mary’s is where my path was first taken. I had amazing professors who gave me the confidence to embrace the power of writing.”
Dr. Ethan Pancer receives Teaching and Learning Innovation Project grant
Dr. Ethan Pancer
Congratulations to Dr. Ethan Pancer on being the recipient of this year’s grant for a Teaching and Learning Innovation Project.
As a professor of Marketing in the Sobey School of Business, Dr. Pancer will engage students in service-learning experience about how consumers make decisions when they join programs designed to cultivate positive behaviour changes. As the teacher steering such learning, Dr. Pancer expects to develop a general and transferable teaching strategy for helping students to connect community experience with concepts from entrepreneurship and marketing.
NAIG 2023: What to expect on campus
Saint Mary’s is set to welcome hundreds of young Indigenous athletes as well as their supporters to campus for the 2023 North American Indigenous Games — the largest sport and culture event in Atlantic Canada’s history since contact.
Below are some helpful details about what to expect during this exciting event:
Athletes will start arriving on July 14 and will be on campus until the Games finish on July 23. Close to 700 will be staying in Loyola and Vanier Residences.
Teams will be arriving from 18 locations: Minnesota, Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nunavut, New Mexico, Manitoba, Eastern Door & the North, PEI, Washington, Wisconsin, Haudenosaunee, Colorado, Yukon & Michigan.
The Inglis Street Pay & Display parking lot will be used as a transportation/drop-off zone for buses.
We are hosting male and female wrestling and basketball events on campus, and as such there will be limited access to the following areas:
Homburg Lobby: Spectators entrance for Basketball
Dauphinee Lobby: Spectators entrance for Wrestling
Pedway: Access control for staff, volunteers and other internal Games staff
In addition to young athletes, fans and supporters, you will see many NAIG volunteers on campus, with a variety of roles including signage, transportation, event and game support, webcasting and more. All NAIG volunteers will be wearing their NAIG accreditation around their necks and their volunteer t-shirts.
Hours of operations for Dockside Dining Hall (NAIG only), C-Store, Tim Horton’s will be extended each day between July 15-22. Be sure to check https://smuca.campusdish.com/LocationsAndMenus to see what is open, when!
Information tables will be set up in Loyola Colonnade and in the Courtside Lounge at the Homburg Centre. The tables will be staffed by the Recruitment team, who will help guests with questions about campus, Halifax, and of course, the university.
The NAIG organizing team is providing Indigenous artwork for display in the Loyola Colonnade.
Help our visitors feel welcome!
Here are some digital welcome posters that you can print out and post in your area of campus
Helpful Mi’kmaw phrases and key facts about NAIG
Community Food Room full after record-setting contributions
Thanks to the faculty, staff and alumni who participated in the annual Food Drive Competition hosted by the Alumni Office. As a community, we exceeded last year's record and raised more than 2,100 lbs of food and $1,475 in monetary donations—the shelves in the campus Food Room are full!
Congratulations to the Sobey School of Business ‘Accounting Matters’ team who won the competition by contributing 455 lbs of food with just eight members! They received a trophy and pizza party. Special shout-out to the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre for the most creative team name—’The IncrEDIBLES’.
Thank you to faculty, staff and alumni who made financial contributions during the competition allowing the Food Room to have some flexibility in making purchases of much-needed items. Members of the SMU community can donate to the Food Room anytime and receive a tax receipt for your donation.
““I am thankful to every department that enthusiastically participated in the Annual Alumni Food Drive. Each participant’s passion and excitement in supporting this important cause was extremely motivating. I would want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the volunteers from the SMU Community Food Room, whose outstanding assistance was critical to the food drive’s exceptional success. Their commitment to collecting, weighing, and stacking the amazing 2,100 pounds of food was remarkable. Despite the huge workload, the persistent dedication and hard effort paid off magnificently.” ”
Stats:
13 teams (141 people including alumni) participated.
Food donations raised: 2,138 lbs
Monetary donation from faculty, staff and alumni: $1,215
See more photos published in an Alumni Facebook album
EDBA Excellence: Dr. Gary Ernest
Gary Ernest, medical doctor and student in the Executive Doctorate of Business Administration (EDBA) program
Throughout his 41-year medical career, Dr. Gary Ernest EMBA’97 has welcomed babies into the world and watched patients draw their last breaths. The family doctor who practices medicine in Liverpool, NS, knows all too well the importance of having access to a primary care physician.
Currently, the provincial waiting list for a family doctor has hit record highs in Nova Scotia, with over 140,000 names and more added every day—a burden also being felt in other provinces across the country.
“The provision of primary healthcare is one of the arch stones of our healthcare system,” says Dr. Ernest. “When you look at the number of people waiting for a primary care provider, it’s huge, and the implications and consequences are not hard to imagine.”
During the early stages of the pandemic, in addition to his medical practice, Dr. Ernest served as the President of Doctors Nova Scotia. It was a chaotic time to work in the medical field, and one of his primary jobs was keeping physicians engaged and supported in any way possible.
At the time, there was a lot of upheaval for doctors in the province. The pandemic prevented many of them from seeing patients in their offices and major shifts needed to be made to help doctors provide care. Other physicians lost their practices or had them greatly reduced, meaning they faced the financial consequences of a decreased practice. Some doctors were also being employed to do things outside of what they would normally do to help patients.
In June 2023, Dr. Ernest was recognized with a Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for his service to the public as the President of Doctors Nova Scotia. The awards were given by provincial governments across Canada to individuals who devoted themselves to the service of others during the pandemic through their job, volunteer work or contributions to their community.
“I came home one day and my wife told me a special delivery had come from the Nova Scotia Health Authority. She pulled out the medal and letter—I was shocked—it wasn’t anything I had thought about receiving.”
Helping people is at the heart of what Dr. Ernest does. So, it was natural that he further his education and help facilitate out-of-the-box solutions and address challenges facing the medical care system. In addition to being a doctor, he holds an extensive education from the Sobey School of Business—an Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) degree from 1997, a Certificate in the Directors Education Program, and he's currently in the first cohort of the Executive Doctorate in Business Administration (EDBA) program.
After he graduates from the EDBA program in 2025, Dr. Ernest wants to use his education to drive innovative solutions to tackle the challenges facing the strained medical system across the country.
“I’d like to do consulting work in healthcare transformation,” he says. “It’s an issue that is front and center on everyone’s agenda because it has become increasingly clear over time that although our healthcare system has many excellent qualities, there are aspects of it that need to change in order to cope with current and future demands.”
Dr. Ernest is enjoying his time in the EDBA program, which provides him with a new challenge while preparing him for the next chapter. He appreciates the evidence-based management aspect of the program, which uses critical thinking and the best available evidence to make decisions. It’s a familiar concept to him as a respected physician helping Nova Scotians each day.
Sobey School of Business accepts EQUIS Award
(L-R): EFMD President Eric Cornuel, Sobey School of Business Dean Dr. Harjeet Bhabra and EQUIS Director Professor Alfons Sauquet.
In June, Sobey School of Business Dean Dr. Harjeet Bhabra travelled to the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) Annual Conference in Lyon, France, to accept the business school’s EQUIS Award.
On October 25, 2022, the Sobey School of Business achieved EQUIS accreditation. This international accomplishment places high value on research and knowledge mobilization efforts and keeps the school on a short list of excellent academic institutions. The Sobey School is also AACSB accredited, making it part of the one percent of business schools worldwide to have AACSB and EQUIS accredited.
“This is one of the many ways we are upholding our ongoing commitment to excellence,” said Sobey School of Business Dean Dr. Harjeet Bhabra. “As the oldest and largest business school in the Atlantic region, we have a responsibility to provide quality education to our students, further research and knowledge mobilization, and uphold responsible ethics and leadership.”
EQUIS accreditation benchmarks the business school against international standards in governance, programs, students, faculty, research, internationalization, ethics, responsibility and sustainability.
The EQUIS accreditation is valid for three years. It is the leading international system of quality assessment, improvement, and accreditation of higher education institutions in management and business administration.
Sobey School of Business receives international recognition for societal impact
(L-R): Economic Professor Dr. Mark Raymond, MBA student Yu Chung Chiu (Jacky), Sobey School of Business Director, Strategy & Accreditation Jane Mulatz, and BComm student Adrianna Timmons.
The Positive Impact Rating (PIR) is the only ranking measuring the positive impact of business schools and the only student-based rating of its kind. The PIR was developed by an international task force and was first released at the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2020.
The rating is based on data collected by student associations from 69 business schools from 25 countries. Students assessed their business schools on how they perceive their positive impact on the world, which goes beyond the contribution to business and the economy and addresses the need for positive societal impact.
The fourth edition of the Positive Impact Rating was announced at the 2023 PRME Global Forum. Bachelor of Commerce student Adrianna Timmons and MBA student Yu Chung Chiu (Jacky) attended the PRME Global Forum in New York thanks to a generous gift from Bill Linton BComm’75 DComm'22 and Marilynne Linton.
“I’ve always been really proud to be a student at Saint Mary’s University,” says Timmons. “For the Sobey School of Business to take part in a survey that gives students a voice and to implement their feedback says a lot about the school and what it’s been doing to support sustainability and having a positive impact on society.”
Societal impact and purpose have become the new focus not only for business but also for business schools. Participating schools were placed into five categories. “Transforming Schools” are those with a positive impact culture embedded in governance and systems, with visible results of progress in many impact dimensions. This was the first year the Sobey School of Business took part in the Positive Impact Rating Report.
BComm Academic Advising: updates for first-year students
The messages below have been sent to new students registered in the Sobey School of Business Bachelor of Commerce for September 2023. To contact your Academic Advising Office, email bcomm.advising@smu.ca or schedule an appointment.
August 2, 2023
Can you believe that the September term is just around the corner? In this Sobey Starter we want to provide you with more information about resources created to help new students.
Resources for New Students
You have already started receiving emails from our Welcome Team and maybe have already chatted with your Peer Coach. Taking part in New to SMU events and activities can be a great way to get connected with other students in your program (and in other programs) and with university supports that can be helpful in the future. Check out the Events and Activities page on the New to SMU website to see upcoming events to get you ready for the new semester. You can also review the New to SMU Student Resources page and the Studio Student Support page for information and support on just about any topic at the university.
Registration
Classes start on Wednesday, September 6! If you still need to register or make changes to your schedule, don’t leave it to the last moment. If you have questions about registration, you can book an appointment or join one of our drop-in sessions by going to our BComm Advising webpage. You can join Emma during our New Student Virtual Drop-ins every Thursday from 3-4:30 p.m. ADT.
Brightspace
Brightspace is the online course portal where material from your courses will be stored. You will have access to the Brightspace for each course on the first day of class. Every course has a Brightspace, and the amount of material available on your course Brightspace will depend on if you are in an online course or an in-person course. Some of the important information that can be found on Brightspace includes the course outline/syllabus, PowerPoint slides, reading materials, notes, assignments, and tests. You can log in to Brightspace here.
If you have trouble logging in to Brightspace or using any of the functions within Brightspace you can find helpful troubleshooting videos on this webpage.
BComm Academic Success & Advising Centre Brightspace
We encourage all new students to register for the BComm Academic Success & Advising Centre Brightspace. Follow these steps to register:
Log into Brightspace.
Click the “Discover” tab on the top left part of the home screen.
Look for the BComm Academic Success & Advising Centre in the list of self-register courses and click on it.
Click “Enrol in Course” and you will have access to the Brightspace.
The BComm Advising Brightspace has lots of useful information about the program that you can browse in the “Content” section. We will also post important information, such as upcoming deadlines, events, and workshops, in the “News and Announcements” section.
JumpStart
What is JumpStart? JumpStart is a 3-day camp to set you up for university success. Get the inside scoop on what’s expected of you!
Topics covered:
Keeping your cool when it comes to aspects of academic writing like testing, writing, and presenting.
Dive into SMU’s virtual and digital learning spaces.
Sneak peek into a university lecture.
Meet SMU professors and support services.
Lunch will be provided each day of JumpStart along with academic resources. You will also have the chance to win prizes!
When: August 16-18, 2023
Where: SMU Campus (Clari Room– Atrium 340)
Price: $30 (+HST) (Covers lunch every day and academic resources)
Upcoming BComm Events
The BComm New Student Academic Welcome is happening on Tuesday, September 5. The official invitation and registration are coming soon!
New Event - How to be a Successful New BComm Student
This lecture-style session will cover important information for understanding your degree. Learn what habits lead to being a successful student and what academic information you need to make decisions throughout the year.
Thursday, September 7 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. in Loyola Academic Private Dining Room.
July 31, 2023 - Welcome to the BComm Program!
We are excited you will be joining us in the Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary’s University this September! We are your BComm Academic Advising Team and we are here to help you navigate and excel in your studies throughout your degree. Connecting and meeting with an academic advisor is a regular part of your university experience. You will receive important emails from us throughout the year and we encourage you to book an appointment with us at least once a semester to review your progress.
To prepare you for your first semester we have created a series of “Sobey Starters” emails full of important information. Keep an eye out for these emails leading up to the start of classes!
Save the Date! – New Student Academic Welcome Event
At the start of every term the Faculties host Academic Welcomes for all new students. This event is a key part of the start of your first term at Saint Mary’s University.
The Academic Welcome will be on Tuesday, September 5, 2023. This is the day before classes start. More information about the event will be sent out soon!
Your Academic Advising Team
From left to right: Sarah Joyce (BComm Program Assistant), Emma Wicks (BComm Academic Advisor), Wendy Wang (BComm Academic Advisor), and Jill Thomas (Senior BComm Academic Advisor)
We can help you understand your degree requirements, academic expectations, where and how to get help, and how to design your undergraduate student experience at SMU. We work together with you to navigate your academic program and offer support so you can achieve academic and personal success.
Some reasons why you might meet with an academic advisor include (but are not limited to):
Review your degree requirements and check your progress;
Plan and arrange your courses;
Explore program options, such as majors, minors, and certificates;
Develop a plan to overcome academic challenges;
Identify opportunities to build skills in the university community (e.g. study abroad, Co-op)
How to Meet with an Academic Advisor
We offer both in-person and virtual advising, primarily through booked appointments. You can book an appointment with one of us using our online booking system. Please note that the booking system will only show available appointments up to two weeks in advance.
New Student Virtual Drop-ins
Every Thursday from 3-4 p.m. (Halifax/Atlantic time) we will have virtual drop-ins available on Zoom. These drop-ins are open to all new students no matter what stage of the application or registration process you are in. During the drop-ins, student will enter the virtual waiting room and be let into the meeting one at a time to speak with an Academic Advisor. This is a great opportunity to ask registration questions, have your course schedule reviewed, or get more information about preparing for the start of the term.
Stay tuned for our next Sobey Starter!
SMU ready to welcome Indigenous athletes and visitors
Excitement is building as the SMU community prepares to welcome hundreds of young Indigenous athletes and their supporters to campus as part of the 10th North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) 2023.
Saint Mary’s is one of 21 sports venues across Kjipuktuk (Halifax), Dartmouth, Millbrook First Nation and Sipekne'katik, and will host the wrestling and basketball competitions at the Dauphine Centre and the Homburg gymnasium, respectively between July 15-23.
NAIG 2023 is one of the largest multi-sport and cultural gatherings to be held in Atlantic Canada, drawing more than 5000 athletes, coaches and team staff from across Turtle Island (North America) to celebrate, share and reconnect through sport and culture.
In addition to being a game venue, Saint Mary’s will also play host to approximately 700 athletes who, starting on July 14, will stay in Loyola and Vanier residences for the duration of the Games.
Additional preparations include:
A special menu from SMU Dining: The Aramark culinary team worked with chefs from Indigenous Culinary of Associated Nations to create a special menu for NAIG guests that features campus favourites and new Indigenous-inspired items such as Three Sisters Burrito and Three Sisters Soup.
The installation of a Brave Space structure on the Inglis Street side of the Atrium/Burke building. Brave Spaces are meant to represent comfort, Indigenous culture and support, and will provide a safe space for athletes to gather and decompress before, during and after competitions.
A series of posters featuring welcome messages in Mi’kmaq and English and information about the Peace and Friendship Treaties will be displayed across campus, on digital monitors and on each residence floor.
The Campus Store is offering a special 15% discount to visiting athletes, and the Recruitment team plans to set up general information tables on campus to help visitors with questions about Saint Mary’s or Halifax.
For more information about NAIG, including game and event schedules, visit naig2023.com
Help guests feel welcome with these Mi’kmaq phrases
Fast facts about NAIG 2023
SMU community shows Pride love at Paint Your Pride event
On June 20, Student Affairs and Services (SAAS) hosted a Paint Your Pride event to kick off the 2023 Pride Season at SMU.
Taking place in the Quad, Paint Your Pride brought students, faculty, staff and even Halifax locals together to celebrate Pride Month and create a beautiful rainbow chalk mural. The event also boasted activities including a make-your-own Pride pin station, lawn games, cake and popcorn treats, an info table breaking down the various 2SLGBTQIA+ pride flags and highlighting community resources, and a pop-up Pride merch table from the SMU Bookstore.
During the event, Welcome Activities Coordinator, Toky Tajwar and Student Life Coordinator, Liv Brennan asked attendees what Pride means to them. Dee Dooley, Sexual Violence Advisor described Pride as “community and liberation” while Peer Success coach, Michael Rumsby felt Pride to mean “loving and accepting everybody for who they are.” Members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community and allies joined together with resounding messages of love, acceptance and community resounding in the beautiful artwork created.
Paint Your Pride was just one of several Pride initiatives that SMU is involved in this year. In addition to several Pride events, SAAS has undertaken a project to develop a 2SLGBTQIA+ Community webpage to be launched this summer. The initiative, prominently developed by members of the queer community, will create a digital hub of pan-campus resources, groups, committees and societies, as well as news and upcoming events.
Related: