Along with our wonderful students, we also recognized many of our outstanding faculty during this year’s Convocation ceremonies. Music professor Dr. Elizabeth Wells was the recipient of the Herbert and Leota Tucker Teaching Award, the highest teaching award given at Mount Allison, which is now in its 25th year. Dr. Wells is known across campus for her wonderful teaching and her popular courses, including one on the Beatles.

Moncton Flight College Principal and CEO Mike Doiron and Mount Allison President Dr. Robert Campbell at the official launch of the new Bachelor of Science, major in Aviation program.

Just a short week after Convocation on June 2, we had another major announcement with the launch of the new degree program in partnership with the Moncton Flight College — a Bachelor of Science, with a major in Aviation. This is the first science degree of its kind in the region and we’re excited to welcome our first students this fall. The program was officially launched with a public event in the hangar at the Moncton Flight College. We also celebrated many of our outstanding staff members this spring at the Employee Recognition Reception. Those with five, 10, 15, 20 25, 30, 35, and 40(!) years of experience, along with several retirees, were recognized, as was this year’s Purdy Crawford Staff Award of Excellence recipient — sports information director and photographer extraordinaire Sue Seaborn. See who reached a milestone at http://www.mta.ca/hr/ ee&labourrel/Ee%20Rec/2008 Recipient%20List.pdf.

We saw many student-led events this year that showed that Mount Allison’s philanthropic culture is alive and well on campus. Earlier this year Leadership Mount Allison organized a coffee house at the Pub in support of Devon Richards, a local Sackville youth who has undergone a bone marrow transplant. In one night, they raised just under $800 for the Richards family. Mount A students and Bathurst High School alumni Nikita Moriarity and Ryan Sargent raised $1,000 from the Boys in Red Charity Basketball tournament, while the SAC and the Campbell-Verduyn Fund matched the donations received, resulting in a total of $3,000 raised for the Boys in Red Trust Fund. Conduct Becoming enjoyed another successful year with the annual pub launch and Cranewood party. Congratulations to event organizers and all musicians involved in a great album (for sale at the bookstore!) and fund raiser for the Cancer Society.

Left to right: Mount Allison students Katherine Burrows, Bryan Cromlish, Hannah Allen, Amy Lynn Ellis, and Nick Bartlett present Devon, centre, and his father Brian Richards, second right, with a donation.

Left to right: Ryan Sargent, Nakita Moriarity, Dr. Campbell, and 2007-08 SAC President Marianne Greene present a cheque for $3,000 for the Boys in Red Trust Fund.

The first-ever President’s Spirit Award was announced this spring and the small but mighty Hunton House residence was declared the winner. Hunton House, also the winners of this year’s C3 Campus Climate Change Challenge, took the inaugural award for their support of the women’s volleyball team. Residents of Hunton were out in full force at every home game with their Mountie gear and colours. Students made signs and noisemakers, not only for their house but for the other fans as well, and invited the team to a post-game coffee house as well as a host of other activities. Hunton received an award of $2,500 to put towards house activities. Campbell Hall received an honourable mention for their support of the men’s soccer team.

Fossil Fools Day Mount Allison students came out in force for Fossil Fools Day — an international climate change awareness day hosted on campus by Eco-Action — held April 1. Students organized a photo booth, allowing individuals to have their photos taken with climate change messages. These and a petition were sent to the Prime Minister’s office. A community rally was also held that day.

Left to right: award winners Alison Smith, Jessica D. Chapman, Jill Fraser, Scott Yorke, Emily Shepard, Dara MacDonald, and Rebecca MacKenzie

Our Great Students! The 2008 Grad Banquet and this year’s Society of All Nations Banquet were both wonderful events this year, which recognized some of our exceptional students. Congratulations to award winners Alison Smith (Gold A), Jessica D. Chapman (Gold A), Jill Fraser (Gold A), Scott Yorke (Don Norton Award), Emily Shepard (Frances S. Allison Award), Dara MacDonald (Gold A), Rebecca MacKenzie (Gil Latter Award), and Karen Chung (Barritt-Marshall Award). Kudos to third-year students Nakita Knowles and Leah Wofsy, who received the Class of ’33 International Bursary Award this year.

Mount Allison honours physics student Eric Ouellette took the top spot in Atlantic Canada and ranked ninth nationally in the Canadian Association of Physicists University Prize Examination. Eric’s research interest lies in experimental nuclear physics, an area in which he has worked extensively with professor Dr. Dave Hornidge. He even spent a summer working with Dr. Hornidge at the Mainz Microtron facility in Germany as a student researcher.

Third-year fine arts student Clare Halpine was also honoured this spring as the only Canadian recipient of a $10,000 scholarship from the S.E. VEN Fund, an American-based foundation. Clare received the scholarship for her work with the World Youth Alliance in the fight against global poverty .

Congratulations are also extended to third-year IR student Sue Humphrey, who, after a summer internship working at Vimy Ridge in France, will be heading to Smith College in Massachusetts as part of the Killam Exchange program. Economics student Erik Johnson is also heading south of the border this summer. Erik has secured an internship through the Washington Center and will be working at the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), the oldest and largest regional bank in the world. Just a few examples of how Allisonians, young and old, are making strides in a number of fields.

And, to highlight one cultural event with a particular Mount A flare this semester, I must mention this year’s wonderful Jazz at Jennings, which turned out to be an alumni event as well. For his last stint as director, retiring music professor Dr. Jim Code, invited alumni from across the nation to play in his band for the last time. Former students from across the nation and the decades travelled to Sackville for the concert.

Over the past two summers, I have been so impressed at how lively Sackville and Mount Allison are in the summer – with many students doing research work, many visitors attending conferences, many activities and shows and events being held, and many of our faculty and staff already working hard to get ready for the next school year. Allow me this opportunity to wish you well for a pleasant and productive summer and I will be back in touch in September!!