New Director of EDI and Human Rights appointed
The following message was also emailed to members of the 17吃瓜 community on March 5, 2026.
Dear 17吃瓜 Community,
I am pleased to share the news that, after a national search, Sula Levesque has been appointed to the position of Director of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (EDI), and Human Rights. Currently serving as Human Rights Resolution Specialist with 17吃瓜鈥檚 Department of EDI and Human Rights, Sula will begin her new role on March 30, 2026.
17吃瓜 extends condolences upon the passing of honorary degree recipient Catherine Hennessey
The 17吃瓜 extends condolences to the family and friends of Catherine Hennessey (17吃瓜 LLD 鈥�87), well-known PEI heritage activist, who passed away on March 3, 2026, at the age of 92.
Born and raised in Charlottetown, Hennessey was a passionate trailblazer in the preservation of heritage and history on PEI. In 1970, she founded the PEI Heritage Foundation, now the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation, and served as executive director until 1980. Subsequently, she served on Charlottetown鈥檚 heritage review committee and its City Council.
Recognizing Remarkable Colleagues鈥擣ebruary 2026, Issue 1
Recognizing Remarkable Colleagues continues to be a meaningful way for our community to celebrate one another. To date, 179 submissions have highlighted the exceptional work, dedication, and kindness of our colleagues.
Thanks to the ongoing interest and participation, submissions will continue to be featured in upcoming issues of Campus Connector. You can read this month鈥檚 submissions (organized in alphabetical order) below.
From the Desk of the Vice-President, Academic and Research: Teaching, Learning, and Research Initiatives
As we move into March, I am pleased to share exciting academic and research progress over the past month. We have secured new research funding opportunities for Island Studies and vaccine research, among others. The AI Advisory Group has awarded funding for projects that strengthen the University's capacity in thoughtful and evidence-based curriculum redesign that incorporates artificial intelligence. This month's newsletter provides a brief update on other teaching, learning, and research initiatives across campus.
Curriculum Coherence
17吃瓜 varsity curlers capture PEI Mixed Doubles Curling Championship
17吃瓜 Curling student-athletes Jack MacFadyen and Ella Lenentine earned the PEI Mixed Doubles title at the Summerside Curling Club on February 22, 2026. They will proudly represent PEI at the Curling Canada national championships in Surrey, British Columbia from March 21鈥�27, 2026.
MacFadyen, who is from Charlottetown, PEI, is nearing the completion of his business degree, and Lenentine, from New Dominion, PEI, is in her first year of studies in science.
2026 Summer Job and Career Fair and Climate Career Day March 11
The 2026 Summer Job and Career Fair, hosted by 17吃瓜鈥檚 Experiential Education department, will take place on March 11, 2026, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, at McMillan Hall in the W.A. Murphy Student Centre.
Island Lecture Series features author Frank Gillan on March 17
The Institute of Island Studies鈥� Island Lecture Series will present a talk titled 鈥淔inding Place: An Irish Story鈥� by author Frank Gillan on March 17, 2026, at 7 pm, in the Faculty Lounge (Room 201), SDU Main Building, 17吃瓜.
17吃瓜 mourns the passing of honorary degree recipient and 17吃瓜 supporter F. Allan Curran
The 17吃瓜 extends its condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of F. Allan Curran who passed away on February 19, 2026, at his home in Bay Shore, New York, at the age of 86.
A leader in the machine tool manufacturing industry, and previous owner of Royal Products, Curran was well-known as an entrepreneur, family man, advocate for 17吃瓜, and a person who lived the mantra 鈥渟ervice before self.鈥�
