17吃瓜

It鈥檚 Convocation Week at 17吃瓜! Here are the details to help you find your way through our annual celebration of our graduating students.

The regular Convocation ceremonies are held indoors on Saturday, May 7, 2016 at the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre at the 17吃瓜, 550 University Avenue in Charlottetown. The morning ceremony begins at 10:00 am; the afternoon ceremony begins at 2:30 pm. Each ceremony is preceded by a procession of graduates across campus. Approximately 520 graduates, along with their guests, will attend the morning ceremony, while approximately 420 graduates will attend the afternoon ceremony.

Due to safety regulations, seating is limited. All guests must present their invitations in order to be admitted to the Sports Centre. Each graduate can obtain up to five guest invitations at the Office of the Registrar from Monday, May 2 to Friday, May 6, 2016, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. No extra invitations will be issued.

Overflow seating and a live broadcast are available at McMillan Hall in the W. A. Murphy Student Centre, or you can watch live on Eastlink TV and online at: .

17吃瓜 will confer honorary Doctor of Laws degrees to three distinguished members of the healthcare field. Full biographies of Dr. Katherine L. Bick, Dr. William D. Stanish, and Mr. Ray Murphy can be found .

Making Convocation Day a memorable one for graduates and their family and friends is very important to 17吃瓜, so we have provided several pages of information on the 鈥攚hat to expect, where to go, and what to do prior to, and during, Convocation.

A full news release with links to the graduating class list will be issued on Convocation Day. 

Please note: an earlier version of this news release listed Kyle Dutton as the winner of the Governor General's Silver Medal (undergraduate level). The actual winner is Megan George. Mr. Dutton received the H. Wade MacLauchlan Raised Expectations Award. Our apologies to both graduates.

The 17吃瓜 conferred degrees, diplomas, and certificates to more than 940 graduates today as part of Convocation 2016. This cohort includes the first international graduates鈥�23 in total鈥攆rom the new global perspectives cohort of the 17吃瓜 Master of Education (MEd) in Leadership in Learning program. The graduates began their journeys in China when they signed onto an English Academic Preparation program with a Chinese agent. After completing language and academic preparation in either Cape Breton or Toronto, they made 17吃瓜 and PEI their home.

The families and friends of the Class of 2016 gathered for two ceremonies today in 17吃瓜鈥檚 Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre, the first at 10:00 am, and the second at 2:30 pm.

17吃瓜 Chancellor Don McDougall led both ceremonies; President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz addressed both ceremonies. 鈥淎lthough you have worked very hard to gain your education, it is not yours alone,鈥� said Dr. Abd-El-Aziz. 鈥淵our knowledge is to be shared and harnessed for the benefit of our community鈥攔ecognizing, of course, that our community is global. Share your knowledge humbly and respectfully. Higher learning and knowledge is not meant to set us apart鈥攊t is meant to bring us together.鈥�

The University also conferred honorary Doctor of Laws degrees to three worthy recipients: Dr. Katherine Bick, a pioneer in the field of neurobiology and the study of Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease; Dr. William Stanish, athlete, educator, researcher, and a leader in the area of orthopaedic surgery; and, Mr. Ray Murphy, pharmacist, entrepreneur, and community builder. Dr. Stanish addressed the morning convocation ceremony; Mr. Murphy spoke in the afternoon.

鈥淒o not forget this wonderful place,鈥� said Dr. Stanish. 鈥淭his garden of the gulf, the birthplace of scholars, writers, musicians, and entrepreneurs. Do not forget the friends you have gathered around you, wept with, and shared many fun times over the last four years. Do not forget your lessons about living life with passion and purpose鈥攑rincipals that will stand you in good stead forever..鈥�

Megan Larkin of Cavendish, who graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing, was valedictorian of the morning convocation ceremony. Tatye Willows of Halifax, who earned her Bachelor of Science in Family Science, addressed the afternoon convocation.

Chancellor McDougall conferred the title of Professor Emerita to two esteemed members of the 17吃瓜 Faculty: Dr. Martha Gabriel (Education) and Dr. Donna J. Giberson (Biology).

17吃瓜 held its annual Senior Class Awards at a ceremony the day before, where a number of academic and student prizes were awarded. The complete list will be posted in the coming days at upei.ca/seniorclassawards. The Governor General鈥檚 Academic Medals were presented during convocation ceremonies by the Honourable H. Frank Lewis, Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island. The Governor General鈥檚 Gold Medal (graduate level) was awarded to Dr. Maria Forzan (AVC, Pathology and Microbiology). The Governor General鈥檚 Silver Medal (undergraduate level) was awarded to Megan George.

The 17吃瓜 International Relations Office (IRO) is recruiting volunteers for its Summer Language Camps and buddies for International Buddy Program.

Every summer, IRO hosts English Language Summer Camps where students participate in English Academic Preparation (EAP) courses in the morning and fun, educational activities during the afternoon. The camps will be ongoing through the summer beginning July 4 until October 1. For more information, please visit .

IRO is looking for volunteers who are IB students, high school students, 17吃瓜 students, or Holland College Students be willing to spend time on the 17吃瓜 campus participating in activities with these visiting students. Volunteers will be encouraged to engage in conversation with students, accompany students on field trips, and to help students learn and develop their English language skills.

The 17吃瓜 International Buddy program matches incoming International Students with current International and Domestic Students at 17吃瓜. The program orients new students to Canadian and Prince Edward Island culture by pairing them with domestic or current international students. IRO is searching for volunteers for the Buddy Program who can meet with a new student to assist him or her in orientation. This may include activities such as grocery shopping, showing the new student around, or attending Buddy Program planned activities. For more information, please contact Hammad Ahmed (buddy@upeisu.ca).

These opportunities will allow you to learn about another culture, participate in fun, socio-cultural activities, and help a fellow student practice their English. Please contact Nouhad Mourad (nmourad@upei.ca) with the 17吃瓜 International Relations Office or Hammad Ahmed (buddy@upeisu.ca) with the 17吃瓜 Buddy Program for more information on how you can get involved!

About the 17吃瓜 International Relations Office

17吃瓜's International Relations Office facilitates student exchanges, assists in official visits from international delegations, and provides academic and personal services to our many international students.

About 17吃瓜鈥檚 English Language Summer Camp

Students aged 16-22 spend from 2-6 weeks learning English in the morning and participating in fun, cultural activities in the afternoons. Highly qualified and experienced English language instructors work very hard to help students make improvements in speaking and listening, and to improve their overall confidence in using English. Students share their cultures and learn about such things as Anne of Green Gables and L.M. Montgomery, Canadian culture, and history and sustainable energy.

About 17吃瓜鈥檚 International Buddy Program

The primary purpose and goal of this program is to provide further assistance and a smooth transition for new international students on a student-to-student basis. By assisting new international students with things such as adapting to a new country, culture and environment, we hope to create a more relaxing and hospitable atmosphere for new international students at 17吃瓜.

The Atlantic Veterinary College at 17吃瓜 will celebrate the achievements of its graduate students and researchers at its 24th annual Graduate Studies and Research Days (GS&R Days) event on Thursday, May 12, and Friday, May 13, in Lecture Theatre A.

During the two-day celebration, 20 graduate students and six post-doctoral fellows at AVC will present their research findings. New students will present their research plans. Their presentations cover research topics ranging from terrestrial and aquatic animal health to environmental health and biomedical sciences.

GS&R Days will open on Thursday at 9 a.m., with welcoming remarks from 17吃瓜 President and Vice-Chancellor Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, Minister of Workforce and Advanced Learning Richard Brown, and AVC Dean Greg Keefe.

Immediately following the opening remarks will be the annual R.G. Thomson Lecture, an endowed lecture honouring AVC鈥檚 founding dean, Dr. Reginald Thomson. This year鈥檚 R.G. Thomson lecturer, Dr. Dorothee Bienzle will present 鈥淩esearcher, clinician and teacher: How best to move the veterinary profession forward.鈥� Dr. Bienzle is an internationally recognized professor of pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph.

Dr. Bienzle will speak about the current state of academic veterinary medicine, and contributions she has made as a veterinary pathologist to research, teaching, clinical practice and the professional organization. Dr. Bienzle is a veterinary researcher funded by NSERC and numerous other sources for over 15 years and a Canada Research Chair holder for 10 years, and has been the principal advisor for 20 graduate theses. Her research pertains to immunity in cats and inflammatory lung disease in horses. She also teaches in multiple veterinary and graduate courses and chairs the redesign of the certification examination of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists.

On Friday, May 13, at 9 a.m., Dr. J Trenton McClure, professor of large animal medicine at AVC, will be presented with the 2016 Zoetis Research Excellence Award. He will give a presentation called 鈥淪o many interests, too little time: A veterinary clinician鈥檚 experience in research.鈥�

鈥淭his is our showcase event where we get to appreciate the great research and clinical pursuits of our graduate students and early career scientists,鈥� says Dr. Larry Hammell, associate dean, Graduate Studies and Research at AVC. 鈥淲e are proud of their contributions and eager to hear about the experiences of Dr. Bienzle and Dr. McClure, two researchers recognized for being at the top of their professions.鈥�

AVC鈥檚 GS&R Days will conclude on Friday with an awards presentation in The McCain Foundation Learning Commons, starting at 12:45 p.m. Click to view the AVC GS&R program.

All are invited to attend this celebration of AVC鈥檚 graduate studies and research program.

17吃瓜 Women鈥檚 hockey coach Bruce Donaldson is pleased to announce that Halifax, NS native Jenna Pellerin has committed to the Panthers for 2016鈥�17. Pellerin, an honours student, currently attends Halifax West High School.

A member of Team NS for 5 years, the 17-year-old forward played this season with the Metro Boston Pizza in the Nova Scotia Midget AAA league. In 24 regular season games, Pellerin finished sixth in the scoring race, recording 8 goals and 10 assists for 18 points. 

Metro Boston Pizza won the Midget Atlantic AAA Championship which were hosted in Charlottetown. Pellerin was tournament top scorer and was selected MVP. The Metro Boston Pizza team moved on to represent Atlantic Canada at the Esso Nationals in Weyburn, Saskatchewan. The team finished with a one win, two loss, and one overtime loss record during which Pellerin scored 2 goals.

Coach Donaldson said, 鈥淲e see Jenna as a player who works very hard at both ends of the building, clearly she can have offensive success and has been a strong leader for her program on the ice. Jenna continues to get stronger and stronger as a player and we look forward to adding some offensive depth into our line up.鈥�

Pellerin will be entering the Faculty of Science at 17吃瓜.

About 17吃瓜 Athletics and Recreation
鈥� Nine varsity sports and six club team programs
鈥� Proud member of the AUS and CIS
鈥� Athletic facilities include: Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre, 17吃瓜 Alumni Canada Games Place
鈥� Home of Panther Sports Medicine
鈥� Other facilities available to students and the community at large include: fitness centre, squash and racquetball courts, competition and leisure pool with hot tub, and two ice arenas
 

17吃瓜's Faculty of Education is proud to be hosting PEI's inaugural Digital Pedagogy Lab institute (#DigPed) from July 13-15, 2016. The #DigPed model brings educators together to engage hands-on with key digital tools, concepts, and leaders to build sustainable and innovative educational practices. The three-day event aims to foster collaborative learning community across all levels of PEI education, building critical capacity in technology integration and digital literacies across our system.

Teachers, faculty, learning designers, librarians, and educational decision-makers from PEI and beyond will all contribute to #DigPed. Participants choose between one of two tracks鈥擭etworks and Digital Literacies鈥攁nd work collaboratively in small workshop-style classes to apply ideas to their own professional contexts.

The keynote for #DigPed PEI will be delivered by celebrated education technology writer and critic Audrey Watters, at 3 pm July 13 in 17吃瓜's Alex H. MacKinnon Auditorium, Don and Marion McDougall Hall. Watters鈥� essays have appeared in venues including  and , and her thought-provoking talks have been published in a number of collections. Watters' #DigPed keynote is free and open to anyone interested in PEI education.

鈥�#DigPed is a powerful way to break down silos and build PEI's digital leadership capacity,鈥� said event coordinator Dr. Bonnie Stewart. 鈥淭he event will involve educators from K-12, from higher ed, and even from the US and UK, scaffolding ongoing conversations around this critical area of change and growth.鈥�

鈥淥ur province is in a unique and exciting position to affect positive educational change,鈥� said Dr. Ron MacDonald, dean of education at 17吃瓜. 鈥淥ptimism abounds within and across educational stakeholders groups, which is resulting in many fruitful collaborations. The #Digped Lab is proving to be an excellent example of one such multi-sectoral collaboration.鈥�

See details at the . To register, . Join in the social media conversation at the hashtag #DigPed.

Save the date and join us for this community- and capacity-building event at 17吃瓜!

Businesses and organizations on PEI in need of research expertise can be challenged to find the help they need. Synapse Applied Research and Industry Services (operating as Synapse) was established to help companies identify knowledge gaps, and then connect those businesses with the relevant 17吃瓜 (17吃瓜) expertise best aligned to those needs.

Sean Casey, Member of Parliament (Charlottetown), on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), the Honourable Heath MacDonald, PEI Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, and Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, President and Vice-Chancellor of 17吃瓜, today announced funding to support the work carried out by Synapse.

鈥淭he Government of Canada through ACOA, is making strategic investments in science, technology and innovation. I am pleased to announce our support for this project; Synapse is playing a key role in bringing industry and science together to benefit the PEI economy," said Casey.

Minister MacDonald said, 鈥�17吃瓜鈥檚 innovative researchers are developing leading-edge technology solutions and Synapse is working to evaluate, transfer, and commercialize these technologies for industry. The province 鈥� through Innovation PEI 鈥� is happy to support Synapse鈥檚 efforts to link research with business, which will open up possibilities in new and emerging areas of our economy.鈥�

The Government of Canada, through ACOA鈥檚 Business Development Program will contribute $475,000 to this project over three years. The Government of Prince Edward Island will contribute up to $100,000 in 2016-17 towards operating costs, and 17吃瓜 will provide $398,030 to the project.

鈥�17吃瓜 is grateful to our federal and provincial government partners for recognizing the role that Synapse plays in transforming our researchers' innovative ideas into commercial products, business opportunities, and public knowledge," acknowledged President Abd-El-Aziz. "As a research hub, 17吃瓜 looks forward to continuing to advance science, technology, and the economy for our province.鈥�

Dr. Kim Johnstone, Acting Director, Synapse added, "This funding allows us to continue what we do best: connecting businesses and 17吃瓜 faculty to realize advantages, innovations and economic development. The expertise, technologies and research range from chemistry, information technology and physics to environmental science, human health and aquaculture. And everything in between."

Synapse鈥檚 mandate is to manage the transfer of knowledge between researchers and businesses. Companies may seek expertise and information from 17吃瓜 researchers in varied fields of study. Plus, researchers can also reach out to companies to transform innovative ideas into commercial products or business opportunities. As a not-for-profit company, Synapse鈥檚 role is to act as a portal that links private-sector and academic entities.

The 17吃瓜鈥檚 Board of Governors approved a . The budget, which is $111 million, includes a tuition increase of three per cent, keeping it among the lowest in the Maritimes, and sustains core programs and services as well as 17吃瓜鈥檚 workforce.

鈥�17吃瓜 is very proud of the continuing success of our students, faculty, and researchers,鈥� said President Alaa Abd-El-Aziz. 鈥淎s a key economic driver for the Province of Prince Edward Island, we are making a positive impact on the Island, Atlantic Canada and around the world. Together, we are building outstanding experiential learning opportunities and encouraging students to develop to their full potential in both the classroom and the community.鈥�

17吃瓜鈥檚 budget plan is based on revenue generated by two principal sources鈥攖he annual provincial operating grant and student tuition. As was announced during the spring sitting of the provincial legislature last month, the provincial government increased 17吃瓜鈥檚 operating grant by one per cent for 2016-17. Revenues are used to cover core operating costs including wages, utilities, equipment replacement and supply cost increases.

鈥淲e thank our government for its commitment and support to post-secondary students through such measures as increasing weekly student loan amounts, indexing for inflation, and extending the grace periods before repayment of student loans,鈥� said President Abd-El-Aziz. 鈥淭hese initiatives support our shared priority鈥攅nabling our post-secondary students to advance their education to succeed in a globally interconnected labour market.鈥�

The undergraduate tuition increase of three per cent represents $17 per course or $170 per year for a student taking a full course load. Tuition for international students will also increase by three per cent, or $20 per course.

During the budget process, the university worked to minimize the impact on 17吃瓜鈥檚 most valuable resource鈥攐ur people鈥攂y continuing to reduce non-salary expenditures as much as possible. While the proportion of the operating budget allocated to salaries and benefits remains high at 71 per cent, 17吃瓜 was able to sustain its workforce through vacancy management and attrition.

Other cost drivers include anticipated flat domestic enrolment numbers, normal inflationary effects, salary increments, pension commitments and benefit costs. Significant expenditures falling under the Administration and Finance portfolio include Project Beacon ($800,000) and additional costs for utilities and services for the new School of Sustainable Design Engineering building ($430,000).

President Abd-El-Aziz added, 鈥淲e recognize that the cost of post-secondary education is rising for our students. However, an increase in tuition fees is necessary to help counteract our significant budget pressures. Even with a three per cent increase, our tuition remains one of the lowest undergraduate rates in the region.鈥�

17吃瓜 Student Union President Nathan Hood said, 鈥淲hile we cannot endorse a tuition increase of three per cent, we understand the financial challenges that the University faces as do other post-secondary institutions across the country. We appreciate being included in discussions about the budget and are pleased that it does not include cuts to core student programs and services. However, the 17吃瓜 Student Union continues to take the position that annual increases to tuition should be indexed to the Consumer Price Index.鈥�

The operating budget does not include research funds, which are budgeted separately on a project-by-project basis, but it does include the budget of departments that provide support to research. Capital projects, such as the construction of the new School of Sustainable Design Engineering, are also budgeted on a project-by-project basis and reported within the capital assets fund.

The 17吃瓜 prides itself on people, excellence, and impact and is committed to assisting students to reach their full potential in both the classroom and community. With roots stemming from two founding institutions鈥擯rince of Wales College and St. Dunstan鈥檚 University鈥�17吃瓜 has a reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and creating positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. 17吃瓜 is the only degree granting institution in the province and is proud to be a key contributor to the growth and prosperity of Prince Edward Island.

Prometheus Reconsiders Fire, a new book of poetry by Dr. Brent MacLaine, will be launched at a public event on Wednesday, May 25, at 7:30 p.m., in the North River Fire Hall鈥檚 Ember Room.

A native of PEI, MacLaine is professor emeritus and a 3M Teaching Fellow in the Department of English at 17吃瓜. In addition to numerous academic articles on modern literature, he has published four volumes of poetry. His awards for poetry include a League of Canadian Poets prize, the Prince Edward Island Book Award, and the Atlantic Poetry Prize.

In Prometheus Reconsiders Fire, MacLaine undertakes an exploration of fire. The title poem establishes Prometheus as the poet鈥檚 persona, a voice that is dedicated to the reconsideration of fire in both its benevolent and malevolent aspects. Formal and elegant, Prometheus plots a trajectory between the classical and the local, a bearing that will be familiar to readers of MacLaine鈥檚 earlier work, Athena Becomes a Swallow.

Wide-ranging in its geography, the new book is wrapped 鈥檙ound by 鈥淭he Fire Hall Suite,鈥� which begins and ends the book. The poems in the collection respond to the 鈥渄rive-by wisdom鈥� created by the anonymous 鈥淪ign Person鈥� who speaks to the local community by way of the fire hall鈥檚 roadside sign. Framed by the 鈥淪uite,鈥� the poems of Prometheus move between city and country. A naturalist in the city, MacLaine brings to the urban environment the acutely observing eye that has always characterized his Island nature poems. The book is published by Nimbus Publishing.

Everyone is invited to attend the launch of Dr. MacLaine鈥檚 newest book. The Ember Room is upstairs in the North River Fire Hall, Trans Canada Highway, North River, PEI.

Congratulations, Dr. MacLaine!
 

National Police Week began in Canada in 1970 as a way to connect with communities and increase awareness about the services that police provide. This year, National Police Week runs from May 16-21, and is an opportunity to highlight the important role that police play in the safety and security of all people across Canada.

The 17吃瓜鈥檚 Security Services team is recognized under the PEI Police Act as an official police agency. Among the team of 19 men and women, there are seven full-time police officers.

鈥淭housands of people work, study, visit and live on our campus. The 17吃瓜 Security Services team is dedicated to ensuring the safety of everyone on campus and for this we thank them,鈥� said President Alaa Abd-El-Aziz. 鈥淣ational Police Week is an opportunity to show our gratitude to our 17吃瓜 campus police for their exceptional work, and I encourage the campus community to do just that.鈥�

鈥淪afety is our number one priority,鈥� said Marc Pharand, manager of Security Services. 鈥淲hen a community effort is made, it benefits all individuals on our campus. We are lucky that individuals at 17吃瓜 are cooperative and care about safety.鈥�

Thanks to 17吃瓜 Security Services, 17吃瓜 continues to work towards maintaining a safe environment for all individuals across the 17吃瓜 campus.