Two young eagles fly free again!

Before an audience of over 100 people, two juvenile eagles stretched their wings and flew off into the sky at the Macphail Woods Ecological Forestry Project on Saturday, October 13, in Orwell, P.E.I. Prior to the release of the eagles, Mi鈥檏maq Elder Junior Peter-Paul led a smudging and drumming ceremony.

After they were found unable to fend for themselves, both juvenile eagles received primary veterinary treatment at the AVC Wildlife Service and then were sent to the Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Nova Scotia for rehabilitation

One eagle was found in a field in Orwell on June 19, unable to fly. The young eagle possibly left the nest early because of strong winds. Students and staff built a nest in the flight cage where the bird spent its first few weeks, eating and recovering from its ordeal. Eventually it left the nest and explored the perches in the enclosure. After a month, it was transported to Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre to interact with other eagles and gain flight muscle strength in the 鈥淏ig Jeezley,鈥� the centre鈥檚 huge oval flight cage.

The other eagle was found on July 24 in North Bedeque, Prince County, with a stick protruding from either side of one of its wings. The stick was removed by Dr. Peter Moak, small animal surgeon at AVC, and the bird was treated with antibiotics and pain medication. It is thought that the eagle was probably still learning how to fly when it had a mishap, resulting in the stick being driven into its wing. After receiving medical care at AVC for a month, it also was taken to the Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre where it continued its rehabilitation.

In releasing these two eagles, the AVC Wildlife Service paid tribute to the late Dr. Helene Van Doninck, AVC Class of 1991. During her veterinary career, she dedicated her life to caring for injured, sick, and orphaned wildlife. She and her husband, Murdo Messer, established the Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in 2001. In addition to her remarkable record as a veterinarian, Dr. Van Doninck passed on her knowledge and expertise in the care of wildlife to AVC students. In April, she was presented with AVC鈥檚 Award of Excellence in Veterinary Medicine and Animal Care, and in July with the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association鈥檚 Humane Award for her dedication to caring for wildlife.

Click  to read CBC's coverage and to read The Guardian's story.

17吃瓜 announces the Panther Subway Athletes of the Week, October 15鈥�21

Every week, 17吃瓜 Athletics and Recreation recognizes student athletes for their achievements and dedication to their respective sports. Congratulations to Jolena Gillard and Simon Hofley, the 17吃瓜 Panther Subway Athletes of the Week for October 15鈥�21.

Jolena Gillard is a first-year Faculty of Arts student from Deer Lake, Newfoundland and a forward on the 17吃瓜 Women鈥檚 Hockey team. The Panthers had a terrific weekend, beating both Dalhousie University and Mount Allison University. Gillard scored twice on Friday night and assisted in another in their 5鈥�1 win over Dalhousie. She scored again the next night in the Panthers 5鈥�2 win over Mount Allison University. 鈥淛olena is off to a great rookie start,鈥� said coach Bruce Donaldson. 鈥淭his is a person who loves to play hockey and it shows in how she competes. She showed a great work ethic in both games this weekend and has a nice touch around the net. Our power play has been good in our first four games. Jolena parks herself in front, and it鈥檚 up to others to get the puck on net so she can do her thing.鈥�

Simon Hofley is a third-year Business student from Ottawa, Ontario and a goalie on the 17吃瓜 Men鈥檚 Hockey team. Hofley backstopped the Panthers to two important road wins over the weekend when 17吃瓜 defeated Saint Mary鈥檚 University and Acadia University. 鈥�We had a very specific game plan for each game and our group was dialled in, but the backbone of any strategy is goaltending,鈥� said coach Forbes MacPherson. 鈥淪imon was very good all weekend, making big saves at critical times, and giving us the chance we needed to win two games on the road against two very good teams.鈥�

Go Panthers Go!

Panthers at Home, October 26 to 28

17吃瓜 Men鈥檚 and Women鈥檚 Soccer will honour their graduating seniors this weekend as the Panthers wind down the 2018 season. Both teams play their final games at home Friday night. The women host Saint Mary鈥檚 University at 5:00 pm.

鈥淲e need to continue our excellent home form and everyone has to come into this game with a positive mind set,鈥� said coach Graeme McDonald. 鈥淲e need to be creative in possession against a well organized SMU team.鈥�

The men hosts Saint Mary鈥檚 later this evening at 7:15 pm.

鈥�17吃瓜 Men鈥檚 Soccer is looking to end the season strong and send our seniors out on a winning note,鈥� said coach Lewis Page.

That same night, the Panther Men鈥檚 Hockey team plays host to Saint Mary鈥檚 University.

鈥淥nce again, this is another big weekend for us,鈥� said coach Forbes MacPherson. 鈥淚t is crucial to pick up points at home. We know that we will have a couple of teams coming in very hungry, and we will have to be prepared and energized to continue to have some success.鈥�

17吃瓜 Women鈥檚 Hockey team gets its crack at Saint Mary鈥檚 Saturday at 2:00 pm.

鈥淭he team is looking forward to hosting the two-time defending AUS champion Huskies,鈥� said coach Bruce Donaldson. 鈥淲hile their team looks a little different from the past two years, they are still one of the top teams in the league. They have strong goaltending, they play very physical, and they are strong on their sticks. Discipline will be key. It may come down to specialty teams. It should be another great game.鈥�

Also Saturday at 2:00 pm, 17吃瓜 Men's Rugby will hit the pitch at MacAdam Field when they host Mount Allison in club play.

17吃瓜 Men鈥檚 Hockey hits the ice again Saturday, hosting Acadia University. The puck drops at 7:00 pm.

Meanwhile, 17吃瓜 is also hosting the Atlantic University Field Hockey Championships this weekend. The Panthers are looking spectacular heading into this tournament, with an impressive unbeaten record this season, picking up nine wins, no losses, and one tie against defending champions Dalhousie.

鈥淲e鈥檒l need a solid effort from everyone on the team,鈥� said coach Lacey MacLauchlan. 鈥淭o be successful, our defence needs to be tight, and we have to capitalize on our opportunities when they come.鈥�

The Panthers play their first game of the tournament Saturday at noon against UNB Saint John. For a full preview, including a schedule for the weekend, see the written by Thomas Becker.

Go Panthers Go!

17吃瓜 announces the Panther Subway Athletes of the Week, October 22-28

Every week, 17吃瓜 Athletics and Recreation recognizes student athletes for their achievements and dedication to their respective sports. Congratulations to Alyssa Ferguson and Filip Rydstrom, the 17吃瓜 Panther Subway Athletes of the Week for October 22 to 28.

Alyssa Ferguson is a fourth-year business student from Murray River, PEI and a forward on the 17吃瓜 Field Hockey team. The Panthers won the Atlantic University Field Hockey Championship over the weekend. Ferguson was a big part of that win and was named an AUFH League All-Star. 鈥淎lyssa had a great weekend and great season for us,鈥� said coach Lacey MacLauchlan. 鈥淪he scored six goals this weekend, along with the winning goal in the championship game just two minutes into the game. She used her strength and speed to her advantage all weekend and was a scoring threat. She was also able to create many scoring opportunities and move the ball up the field well for her teammates.鈥�

Filip Rydstrom is a second-year arts student from Stockholm, Sweden and a centre on the 17吃瓜 Men鈥檚 Hockey team. The Panthers lost their first game of the weekend to UNB, but came back in a big way for an 8鈥�3 win over Acadian University. Rydstrom notched four goals and an assist against Acadia and was selected player of the game. 鈥淔ilip has taken his game to a new level this year,鈥� said coach Forbes MacPherson. 鈥淗e has been a different and better player from day one. Saturday night, he was rewarded with a huge effort on the score sheet.鈥�

Go Panthers Go!

Here to help

One month into first semester classes, 17吃瓜 students are adjusting to class schedules, completing assignments and labs, studying for mid-term exams, and trying to find time in between with friends or for themselves. As students try to manage the transition from summer to study, 17吃瓜 is ready to help. From personal health and wellness services, to non-academic activities to boost students鈥� social enjoyment, to academic support and active course-related help centres, 17吃瓜 students should know there鈥檚 always someone to talk to and something to do. The Health Centre, located in 17吃瓜鈥檚 W.A. Murphy Student Centre, partners with community health organizations to provide comprehensive health services for students. Students can visit the Health Centre鈥檚 physicians and nurses for assessments and treatment of illnesses and injuries; prescriptions; immunizations and injections; women鈥檚 and men鈥檚 health counselling; sexual health counselling including pregnancy and STI testing and education; and referrals to community health organizations and services. In addition to a wide assortment of medical services for students, the Student Affairs department is dedicated to helping students maintain their personal health and academic success. Counsellor James Reddin says students face a variety of experiences and emotions that make it difficult to stay confident and on track. 鈥淎 fair number of students come in with concerns about how their relationships (romantic, friendships, workplace, classroom, and family) are impacting their lives,鈥� he says. 鈥淎 lot of students fall into unhealthy lifestyle patterns [including] not enough sleep, substance misuse, poor diet, poor stress coping skills, and not enough exercise. Not only do these poor patterns have what we'd traditionally think of as physical impacts, but also emotional and cognitive ones. It can be hard to identify or change those patterns alone, and connecting with a counsellor can help.鈥� 17吃瓜 Counsellor James Reddin leads mental health first aid sessions for students, faculty, and staff. Student Affairs staff also lead training sessions in mental health first aid and suicide intervention. Students, faculty, and staff use real-life stories shared during the 12-hour mental health first aid course to learn how to intervene or support students who may be experiencing difficulty or may be in crisis. ASIST, or Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training, is a two-day interactive workshop in suicide first aid, teaching participants to recognize when someone may have thoughts of suicide and work with them to create a plan that will support their immediate safety. Academic supports include accommodations and services for students with disabilities, access to writing tutors in the 17吃瓜 Writing Centre, a tutoring program led by student mentors for many courses in all faculties, and workshops available to all students through the Gateway Program. 鈥淭he reality of the student experience is one of competing priorities,鈥� said Keith Lawlor, the program鈥檚 co-ordinator. 鈥淲e often think of university in an academic context only, when the reality is that our students are facing many other things that command their attention at this phase of life. The Gateway Program recognizes that both our new and returning students have multiple priorities, and helps students balance those priorities while giving their academic work the attention it needs. 鈥� The Gateway Program offers peer mentoring for students, who are paired with an upper-year student mentor who will meet with them on-campus for approximately one hour a week. The goal of the mentor is to work with each student to determine what responsibilities they have coming up, and to make a plan to accomplish and complete these tasks as effectively as possible. The program also holds hour-long workshops throughout the year in topics such as time management and organization; motivation and goal-setting; reading, studying, and note-taking; learning styles; and, preparing and planning for exams. The Chaplaincy Centre at 17吃瓜 provides a location for students to meet, eat, socialize, pray, and hold religious services. Campus Minister Sr. Susan Kidd provides spiritual accompaniment and pastoral counselling, and welcomes opportunities for worship of all faiths. The Chaplaincy Centre also houses the Campus Food Bank for students experiencing food insecurity. Additional support services are available to Indigenous students through 17吃瓜鈥檚 Mawi鈥檕mi Centre. As part of the 17吃瓜 Student Affairs support team, the Centre offers an open, welcoming, safe space for students to share their concerns. 鈥淲e offer academic, personal, and social supports,鈥� says Sherri Russell, the Centre鈥檚 co-ordinator. 鈥淲e also offer cultural and spiritual support with the addition of our Elder in Residence [Elder Judy Clark]. Judy is a wonderful addition to our team. She is a listening ear and a calm voice.鈥� Students can contact Student Affairs by email message, telephone call, or simply drop into their offices to access all support services. 鈥淥ur staff is really good at protecting students privacy, so they don't ask a lot of prying questions about what's wrong,鈥� Reddin says. 鈥淭here is no such thing as a problem too small or a problem too big,鈥� he says. 鈥淲hile we value the chance to help someone early in their journey where little changes can make a big difference, we also appreciate that it can be tough to access help and sometimes it takes a crisis to motivate change.鈥�
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