Homecoming 2023

1973 Champion Teams Reunion 

Honouring the 1973 Men's Football before the Homecoming Huskies Football game vs Acadia

Two alumni at Homecoming Brunch in celebration of the classes of 1998 and 2013

Alumni enjoying Flashback Friday pub night

Class of 1973 at the Gold Grad Luncheon

Golden Grad Luncheon

Golden Grad Luncheon

1973 Men's Football Team Reunion 

ADM Dwayne Provo BEd'95 addresses the 1973 Men's Football team

MLA Barbara Adams, Minister for Seniors and Long-Term Care, presents the 1973 Men's Football team with certificates from the province.

Homecoming Brunch 

Back to the Classroom panelist Jennifer LaPlante MSc’21 (Computing & Data Analytics), Chief Growth & Investment Officer, OSC 

Back to the Classroom panelist Greg Kirczenow, Senior Director, AI Model Risk Management at RBC 

Alumni sparked discussion at the Artificial Intelligence panel event.

At Homecoming 2023 on October 12-15, more than 2,300 alumni, friends, and community members came together on campus and online to celebrate milestones, reconnect and cheer on the Huskies. A heartwarming Golden Grad class of 1973 reception saw more than 145 people gather, some for the first time in 50 years. "We really enjoyed our Golden Grads Luncheon—51 years ago for me already—how did that happen in the blink of an eye…" said Bob Bissett, Golden Grad.  

This year, Homecoming kicked off with the panel discussion Pathways to Success: From Saint Mary's to International Diplomacy—an opportunity for the Department of Philosophy to introduce the new major, "Law and Ethics," at Saint Mary's. Each speaker shared their journey, discussed challenges and successes, and helped students and young alumni explore the possibilities after graduating with a Bachelor of Arts. 

Later that evening, our alums and community attended an eye-opening panel discussion on artificial intelligence (AI) to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Computer Science Program. This event brought together science and business alumni and students to connect, network, and discuss AI. Discussions included how AI is advancing business, research and technology, as well as the importance of ethics in academic integrity, finance and government.

2023 was a big year for celebrating milestones at the university. Fifty years ago, the 1973 Huskies Basketball, Football, and Hockey teams took home championships. Almost 100 alumni gathered in the O'Donnell Hennessey Student Centre for a 1973 champion teams reunion, where they celebrated and swapped stories from their big year.  

The 1973 Men's Football team gathered for a reunion reception in the Gorsebrook Lounge. MLA Barbara Adams, Minister for Seniors and Long-Term Care, presented the team with certificates from the province. ADM Dwayne Provo BEd'95 addressed the team to celebrate their success in '73. There was a buzz of stories—from on and off the field—as if no time had passed.  

Despite the rain on Friday evening, more than 900 former Huskies, fellow alumni and Saint Mary's community members cheered on the Huskies Football team. The Huskies won (33-18) against Acadia, sending them into the playoffs. Later that night, alums and friends gathered in the Gorsebrook Lounge for a Flashback Friday Pub night celebration following the football game—an opportunity to reconnect with friends and dance the night away with Halifax DJs PINEO & LOEB.  

Homecoming also celebrated the classes of 1998 and 2013 with a brunch in the Gorsebrook Lounge on Saturday. The morning was full of laughs, tasty food and many graduates catching up with old classmates. The weekend was packed with sporting events and reunions with alumni cheering on the men's and women's hockey and soccer teams on the Huskies field.

Saint Mary's Alumni sends a huge thank you to all who came out to make another successful Homecoming weekend. Our alumni, friends and community were able to reconnect and celebrate monumental milestones for themselves and the university. 

Re-cap: Fall Convocation 2023

The university community celebrated more than 300 graduates at Fall Convocation on September 22 and 23. Among the graduates were several award winners and an inspiring speech by the honorary degree recipient, Dr. Kim Thúy.

Thúy shared stories of her family’s arrival to Canada, and the kindness that has helped shape her success, to an auditorium of Arts and Science graduates on Saturday afternoon where she was awarded a Doctor of Letters, honoris causa. The Vietnamese author has made a significant impact on Canadian literature, earning the Governor General’s Literary Award in 2010 for her novel about her experience as a refugee.

Read more about Kim Thúy

Representing fall graduates were Valedictorians Myles Davidson, Ammar Shakoor and Stephanie Kansiime.

“Let us always continue to do the things we love, and fight for the things we believe in. Let us give back to our community by sowing seeds of kindess and compassion,” said Shakoor as he addressed an eager group of Bachelor of Commerce graduates. Each valedictorian received the John BA’81 DCL’17 and Heather Fitzpatrick Valedictorian Award.

Other award winners included Richard Abbass and Christopher Fanning, who received Master of Finance Gold Medals, and Stephen Gill, who received the Pobihuschy Medal for the Master of Management - Co-operatives and Credit Unions, a program which celebrated its’ 20th anniversary over the weekend. PhD graduates Abdlmutaleb Boshanna and Kerry Ann Watson were recognized with the Durland Family Doctoral Convocation Award.

Two faculty members, Dr. Bruce Anderson and Dr. Cathy Driscoll, were granted the status of Professor Emeritus at convocation.

Dr. Bruce Anderson began teaching at Saint Mary’s in 2001, during which time he taught political science courses and then business law to over 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students in the Sobey School of Business. He served as Chair of the Department of Accounting, the Bachelor of Commerce Program Coordinator and a member of Saint Mary’s Faculty Union’s Grievance Committee. He received the SMUSA Teaching Excellence Award in 2007. Bruce’s research is interdisciplinary and includes work in legal theory/legal philosophy, economics, ethics and visual art. He is one of the leaders in investigating legal reasoning. His scholarship includes three books, forty book chapters and scholarly articles, review articles, magazine articles, book reviews for publishers, conference and seminar presentations and sculpture installations.

Dr. Cathy Driscoll developed and taught the first business ethics courses in the BComm and MBA programs and has integrated community-based service learning into her MBA courses since 1994. Beginning in 1996, she initiated, developed, and managed the MBA Internal Case Competition, which later became the annual Bob Shaw Case Competition. In 2017, she received the Atlantic Schools of Business Award of Excellence for Outstanding Service to Business Scholarship. Cathy has an international reputation as a scholar who has bridged business studies with religion and spirituality. Her recent work has focused on institutional moral disengagement in the context of clergy sex abuse. Cathy has also been an active contributor to many university, school, and departmental committees over the past 30 years and has been committed to outreach in the business community through board memberships, speaking engagements, and training seminars.

Recordings of the convocation ceremonies are available to watch at smu.ca/graduation. See the full photo album on the SMU Halifax Facebook page.

Fall Valedictorian: Myles Davidson, Master of Applied Psychology

Myles Davidson BA’21, Valedictorian for the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research

Myles is an emerging research professional who was raised in St. Peter’s on the island of Cape Breton. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Criminology (Honours) and Psychology from Saint Mary’s University in 2021. Having a strong passion for both research and academia, Myles chose to stay at Saint Mary’s and enroll in the Master of Applied Psychology program. In his seven years at Saint Mary’s, Myles has been involved in various research projects centered on the prevention of sexual abuse, child sexual abuse and substance abuse.

With ten publications to his credit, Myles’ research contributions have led to real-world changes, most notably as a member of the research team that informed the current vaping legislation in Nova Scotia.

Myles has participated in several academic conferences to date, with his presentation at the 2023 Canadian Psychological Association conference winning second place amongst all graduate presentations. In addition to his research, Myles has been a teaching assistant at Saint Mary’s for the last five years specializing in research methods and statistics. For this work, he was recognized with an excellence in teaching award from the Council of Canadian Departments of Psychology in 2022. During his master’s degree, Myles received research funding from several notable organizations including Research Nova Scotia and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

Aside from his education, Myles is an accomplished professional musician. To date, he has released two studio albums and has performed extensively throughout the Maritimes. Some of the highlights of his career include performing at the Celtic Colours International Festival and the East Coast Music Awards, as well as having one of his songs featured in a museum in Barra, Scotland. Despite the demands of school, Myles has ensured that music continues to be a central focus in his life. In the future, Myles intends to pursue a doctorate in forensic psychology and carve out his own path in academia by conducting impactful research.

Q&A with Myles

Hometown: St. Peter’s, N.S.

Thesis title: Consent in vanilla and BDSM sexual encounters: conceptualization, violations, and repercussions

Thesis description: This thesis sought to understand how consent is negotiated in BDSM encounters, whether practicing in an organized BDSM community is protective against consent violations, and whether having an interest in sexual sadism is a reliable predictor of consent violation perpetration.

Why did this type of research appeal to you? A lot of my undergraduate and graduate work was in sexual abuse prevention, specifically, the role that sexual sadism plays in sexual abuse perpetration. I believe it is critical to understand what causes sexual abuse and what researchers can do to prevent it. Additionally, since there has been very little research conducted on BDSM, I was motivated to contribute in this area.

Why did you choose Saint Mary’s for your graduate studies? I completed my undergraduate degree at SMU and loved every minute of it. The community at SMU is supportive, collaborative and welcoming no matter who you are and what your interests are. When I chose to pursue a master's degree in forensic psychology, I knew there was no better place for me.

Any other successes you’d like to share, or difficulties you were able to overcome? In terms of successes, SMU not only allowed me to conduct research that led to publications, but it also allowed me to work on projects that had a positive impact on the lives of others. In terms of difficulties, I spent the end of my undergraduate degree and the start of my graduate degree in the height of the pandemic. I commend SMU for how they went above and beyond to ensure that no student was left behind.

Future plans? I plan to pursue my PhD in forensic psychology, followed by a career in academia.

Any advice for new students?

• Build strong connections with your professors. A seemingly inconsequential conversation can lead to the opportunity of a lifetime.

• Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone.

• Most importantly, have fun with your degree. If you do what you love, you'll love what you do.

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Fall Convocation takes place on September 22 and 23, 2023. Watch the ceremonies live at smu.ca/graduation or on our Facebook page.

Remembering Dr. David Sobey, C.M., DComm'91, Chancellor Emeritus

Dr. David Sobey, CM, DComm’91, Chancellor Emeritus
1931-2023

The Saint Mary’s University community mourns the passing of Dr. David Sobey, C.M., DComm’91, Chancellor Emeritus of Saint Mary’s University. We join with his family, friends and colleagues in sharing their grief and honouring the life of this steadfast Nova Scotian and exemplary Canadian.

David has left an indelible mark on the lives of students, faculty and staff at Saint Mary's University. His unwavering generosity and guidance over the years have transformed the university and the Sobey School of Business. His legacy will continue to shine through the countless students he has empowered to pursue their dreams and through the David Sobey Centre for Innovation in Retailing and Services established through David’s generosity and vision.          

David Sobey had a long and warm association with the university and in particular with the Sobey School of Business named in honour of his father, Frank H. Sobey. David received an Honorary Doctorate of Commerce in 1991 and cut the ribbon for the new Sobey Building in 1998.  Along with his wife, Faye, he was a strong supporter of Saint Mary’s for more than three decades, beginning in 1986 with his service on the Board of Governors. From 1991 to 1998, he chaired the Building on Strength Capital Campaign, helping to raise $24 million. When the Sobey School of Business Advisory Committee met for the first time in 2002, David was a member. From 2008 to 2010, he served as Saint Mary’s first lay chancellor, conferring degrees to thousands of students at convocation.

In 2019, David announced the $18 million gift from the Sobey family, The Sobey Foundation, Sobeys Inc. and Empire Company Limited. As part of that gift, the Sobeys Inspiration Hub is opening this fall, another stellar tribute to the legacy of David Sobey, the Sobey family, The Sobey Foundation, Sobeys Inc. and Empire Company Limited.

“We are very saddened to hear the news of David’s passing,” said President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. “We are honoured to count David Sobey as a friend and guide over many years. He visited campus not only for important events and meetings but often came to watch the progress of the latest building project or meet with faculty, staff and students and hear about their achievements. I will miss his presence and thoughtful leadership that have touched the lives of so many.”

We invite the campus community to sign a book of condolences that will be in the lobby of the Sobey School of Business.

David with members of the Sobey family

A Saint Mary’s Times article from 1992

Dr. Sobey at Convocation in 2010

David Sobey and honorary degree recipient Bob Kelly

David Sobey at convocation

L-R: David Sobey, Rob Dexter, Fred Smithers, Paul Sobey

David Sobey with Myra and Larry Freeman

David Sobey announcing the $18 million Sobey gift in 2019

Saint Mary's researcher part of international astronomy mission XRISM

Source: www.mhi.com

Source: JAXA

Source: NASA

High-energy astronomy mission will further understanding of the extreme universe

Saint Mary’s professor Dr. Luigi Gallo is one of two Canadians involved in an exciting new three-year mission, a collaboration led by JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) with important contributions from NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and the European Space Agency.

On Wednesday, September 6 at 8:42:11 p.m. ADT, a powerful satellite called XRISM (X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission) was launched on a rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan.

Watch the launch video (via SciNews):

Source: YouTube via SciNews

This new space observatory will contain two scientific instruments: Resolve, an X-ray spectrometer contributed by NASA; and Xtend, an X-ray imager. Some filter calibration for Resolve was carried out by NASA at the Canadian Light Source, a synchrotron facility in Saskatoon, SK.

XRISM is eight meters long, with the telescopes mounted at one end focusing X-ray light onto the detectors at the other end. To study X-ray sources in the universe, the XRISM satellite must be launched into space above the atmosphere, as X-rays cannot penetrate Earth’s atmosphere. XRISM was launched into space on the JAXA HII-A rocket; it will take several months to get it tested and calibrated before science data starts flowing.

The mission itself is essentially going to look at X-ray spectra with very high resolution—analogous to seeing very fine differences in the colours of optical light we can see with our eyes, explains Dr. Gallo. X-rays are a high-energy form of light that is undetectable to the human eye. The regions around black holes, as well as massive stars, supernovae and clusters of galaxies all emit X-rays.

Dr. Luigi Gallo

“The X-rays are basically produced in the hottest and most volatile environments in the universe,” says Dr. Gallo. “We’re studying extreme events like black holes, neutron stars, supernovas, and giant galaxy clusters. I’m looking at the black holes. That's what I study, and I'm looking at the X-rays coming from the regions closest to the black hole—basically, the material just before it disappears and falls beyond the black hole event horizon.”

Because these extreme events can’t be replicated in laboratories on Earth, these missions are crucial to furthering our understanding of the universe.

“We’re looking at extreme gravity, extreme temperatures, and huge magnetic fields—you can't produce those kinds of environments on Earth,” explains Dr. Gallo. “You can't study the physics and understand what happens to matter under those extreme conditions. The only way we can do that is by looking out into space.”

This work done by scientists on this mission, the previous 2016 Hitomi (ASTRO-H) satellite mission and others, pushes the limits of our understanding, and it’s important for generations to come.

“In science, we are always building on our current understanding,” says Dr. Gallo. “What we're doing today is building on the successes, and failures, of previous work over the past centuries, and we're just taking one relatively small step forward. As revolutionary as XRISM will be, ultimately, it’s one step forward that future generations will build on. There are always bigger things to come.”

Dr. Gallo completed his PhD at the prestigious Max Planck Institute in Garching, Germany, followed by postdoctoral research in Japan. He later joined the Saint Mary’s faculty and works with the Canadian Space Agency. He has been a professor in the Department of Astronomy and Physics at Saint Mary’s University since 2007. As part of the XRISM program at Saint Mary’s, graduate student Margaret Buhariwalla and postdoc Dr. Adam Gonzalez have also been able to participate in this research with Dr. Gallo.  

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Related links:

• Canadian scientists to get a glimpse of the hot universe (via Canadian Space Agency)

• Saint Mary’s University professor goes above and beyond with astronomy research and teaching

Sobey School undergrad contributes to COVID research for Scientific Reports

Kyle Morton BComm’23

Kyle Morton had yet to complete his undergraduate degree at Saint Mary’s University when he used machine learning in a ground-breaking study of the COVID-19 virus for Scientific Reports. To contribute to an article in the world’s largest scientific journal would be an accomplishment for more experienced researchers. For Morton, it was a miracle.

 “I remember when my economics professor, Yigit Aydede, told me the article had been accepted,” said Morton. “I jumped out of my seat and clapped my hands. It was another fantastic experience that Saint Mary’s made possible.”

Morton participated in the research project over six months during 2022, when he linked two large data sets, one from Statistics Canada and the other from Nova Scotia’s 811 system that recorded influenza symptoms during the first four months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Yigit Aydede and Kyle Morton work together examine data for their research

The resulting article by Saint Mary’s University’s Dr. Yigit Aydede, and Jan Ditzen, Free University of Bolzano, Italy, Identifying the regional drivers of influenza-like illness in Nova Scotia, Canada, with dominance analysis - Scientific Reports, unveils a new methodology, one that may assist health officials to both predict where viruses will spread and target interventions to halt them. Read more about the study.

“Working with large data sets, it is easy for errors to go unnoticed, because you cannot visually inspect them. The challenge was: How do you make sure there are no mistakes that will end up leading to the wrong conclusions when you actually perform your analysis?”

Morton sees machine learning as a third form of statistics, one that is predictive. Once he had prepared the data, making sure it was clean and free from errors, Professor Aydede and the research team used powerful algorithms to combine both sets. The results revealed the spatial as well as the temporal spread of the virus in real-time, something that was only possible due to the extraordinary and detailed data concerning COVID-19 symptoms, unparalleled access to Nova Scotia’s 811 records and the unique adaptation of algorithms originally designed for the finance industry.

The opportunity to study and work alongside Dr. Aydede in the Sobey School of Business has transformed Morton’s career aspirations, inspiring him to use machine learning to solve problems.

“I chose Saint Mary’s because it had a very good reputation for its business school. I liked the smaller yet international campus and the undergraduate focus. I gained a lot more experience, working with my peers and my professors one-on-one; I would not have had the same opportunity at other, larger institutions.”

While studying in the Bachelor of Commerce program at the Sobey School of Business, Morton was the recipient of two scholarships from donors to Saint Mary’s University: The Chrysler Canada Scholarship and the KPMG Future Leaders Scholarship. He also received the Fred and Ruth Stork German Studies Award from Waterloo University. This Fall, Morton begins his Master’s in Data Science at the London School of Economics, something he describes as “a dream come true.”

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 (center) receives his award at Spring Convocation from (L-R) Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray, Stephanie Johnson BComm’93, Dean Mary Ingraham, and Chancellor Michael Durland BComm’86 DComm’10.

Trayvone Clayton and Edna Kane

Trayvone with Board Vice-Chair Mark Gosine BA’95, Stephanie Johnson BComm’93, Edna Kane and Kirk Johnson

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.”  

Read more in our Q&A with Trayvone Clayton.

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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.”

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.” ”

— Tarim Faress Alsaquaf, the Community Food Room Coordinator

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.

International student experience comes full circle for Shanshan Luo BComm‘07

This year marks the 21st Asian Heritage Month in Canada. This month-long celebration honours Canadians of Asian Heritage, recognizing their contributions to building a dynamic and prosperous country. Here at Saint Mary’s, diversity is one of our greatest strengths and is notable throughout our vibrant community.

Shanshan Luo BComm’07

Shanshan Luo came to Saint Mary’s in 2002 as an international student from China to pursue a Bachelor of Commerce. Throughout her time as a student, Luo received guidance and support through the International Student Centre and The Language Centre. “Saint Mary's has been very unique to me,” claims Luo. “It’s like my first point in Canada and it made me never want to leave.”

Shortly after Luo graduated in 2007, she secured a position with The Co-operative Education office as an Office Coordinator. She then moved to the International Student Centre as Office Coordinator, before transitioning to her current position as International Student Advisor. Luo has been in that role for 13 years now and is extremely passionate about supporting international students in their transition to Saint Mary’s and Halifax.

“I deal with everything from immigration guidance to student engagement,” explains Luo. “I consider myself a bit of an in-house mother for our international students, supporting them through challenges in relationships and with roommates, financial struggles, diaspora and more.”

Having spent the first half of her life growing up in Yunnan, China, and the second half of her life in Canada, Luo credits her diverse blend of cultural upbringings in forming a worldview that has been paramount in her role within the International Student Centre.

Shanshan with students at Peggy’s Cove, NS

“My identity is mixed in diverse ways which gives me an advantage when dealing with international students,” notes Luo. “My duality allows me to relate with students and assist them in more personalized ways in transitioning and accessing supports.”

In the midst of Asian Heritage Month, Luo takes time to reflect on her experience as an Asian international student and immigrant. “I have been fortunate to experience an incredibly welcoming environment at Saint Mary’s,” describes Luo. She describes her colleagues as open-minded and very inclusive, giving her a strong sense of belonging at SMU. Luo notes that it can be challenging transitioning to a new cultural norm and finding space for yourself, and she commends Saint Mary’s for acknowledging observances like Asian Heritage Month.

“Saint Mary’s University is really a number of cultures mixing and combining, and when all sides are being respectful and open-minded, we are able to be successful.”

To learn more about resources for international students visit The International Centre.

Science grads make SMU history with four-way Gold Medal tie

President Summerby-Murray, Chancellor Durland, Dean Francis with Science Gold Medal winners and Governor General’s Medal winner

Abby Brouwer with President Summerby-Murray

Sumayyah Choyete with President Summerby-Murray

Jaylynn Skeete with President Summerby-Murray

Allison Vandaele with President Summerby-Murray

Abigail Battson, Governor General’s Silver Medal with President Summerby-Murray

Martin Hellmich, Governor General’s Gold Medal with President Summerby-Murray

Michael MacNeil, Diploma in Engineering Gold Medal

Dr. Zainab Almukthar with President Summerby-Murray, Chancellor Durland and supervisor Michael Zhang

Dr. Thomas Steele (center) with President Summerby-Murray, Chancellor Durland and supervisors Dr. Robert Singer and Dr. Susan Bjornson

Dr. Mary Sheppard (right) with Alumni Association member Fiona King and President Summerby-Murray

In a first in Saint Mary’s University history, four Spring graduates tied for the Bachelor of Science Undergraduate Gold Medal, earning the top GPA marks in the program. Abby Brouwer, Sumayyah Chotoye, Jaylynn Skeete and Allison Vandaele received their medals at the recent May convocation ceremony. Typically, only one undergraduate student in each faculty receives this award.

“We could have approached this four-way tie as a problem, but instead we celebrate the outstanding performance of these hardworking graduates whose commitment and perseverance are an inspiration to us all,” said Interim Vice-President, Academic and Research Madine VanderPlaat at the May 18 ceremony.

All four graduates received numerous awards and scholarships during their time at Saint Mary’s. Brouwer, from Hammonds Plains, NS, majored in Biology and plans to attend dental school. Chotoye, from Port Louis, Mauritius, majored in chemistry (honours) with a minor in French and is currently in the Master of Science, Applied Science program at Saint Mary’s. Skeete, from Dartmouth, NS, majored in psychology (honours) and will be entering a Masters/PhD program in clinical psychology. Vandaele, from Montague, PEI, majored in psychology (honours).

Congratulations, graduates!

More awards in the Faculty of Science

Two graduates in the Faculty of Science, Abigail Battson and Martin Hellmich, were awarded the Governor General’s Silver and Gold Medals. These awards recognize exceptional academic achievement and are given to the top undergraduate and graduate students in the academic year. Abigail graduated with a Bachelor of Science, honours astrophysics, while Martin graduated in Fall 2022 with a Master of Science, Applied Science (co-operative education). Hellmich also received the Georgia Pe-Piper Medal for Excellence in Applied Science.

Michael MacNeil received the Diploma in Engineering Gold Medal.

Natania Blair represented the Faculty of Science as the Valedictorian for the Bachelor of Science ceremony. The biology major received the John and Heather Fitzpatrick Valedictorian Award.

Three graduates, Dr. Zainab Mahdi Almukhtar, Dr. Meftah Mohamed Elsaraiti and Dr. Thomas J. Steele, graduated with a PhD in Applied Science and received the Durland Family Doctoral Convocation Award. Dr. Almukthar also received the J. Kevin Vessey Award in Applied Science.

Faculty were also recognized at Spring Convocation, with professor Mary Sheppard receiving the Father William A. Stewart, SJ Medal for Excellence in Teaching. This award, given by the Saint Mary’s University Alumni Association and Faculty Union, was determined by nominations from current and former students and colleagues.

For a full list of convocation award recipients and Spring 2023 graduates, read the Spring Convocation program or watch recordings of the ceremonies.