network ALUMNI T H O M P S O N R I V E R S U N I V E R S I T Y A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E • FA L L 2 0 0 6 In This Issue • The Trades • TRU Williams Lake Campus • TRU Convocation • Open Learning www. t r u a l u m n i . c a You’re ready to make your move • Convenient appointment, day or night, home or office • Competitive rates on a wide selection of mortgages • Personalized Service • Mortgage solutions tailored to your needs For convenient mortgage service, call: Bev Wassen-Hunter Mortgage Specialist Tel: 250 828-8870 Cell: 250 572-6847 bev.wassenhunter@bmo.com Mortgage Expertise at Your Doorstep 24/7 ™/® Trade-mark/registered trade-mark of Bank of Montreal. ®†™ Trademark of AIR MILES International Trading B.V. Used under license by Loyalty Management Group Canada Inc. and Bank of Montreal.  TRU Alumni Association Board Chair In order to meet the needs of our graduates, the TRU Alumni Association needs your assistance. The Association is conducting a research study and we want your help. In the centre of the magazine is a four-page survey that will take you about 10 minutes to complete. If you prefer, you can complete the survey on line by going to www.trualumni.ca. This information will be valuable for the future planning of programs, services and events for you. For your participation you can enter to win a free iPOD that will be drawn on October 31st. In this issue we feature articles on the new trades degrees. These degrees demonstrate TRU’s unique combination of traditional degree programs and the ability to ladder your current education to fit people’s varied lifestyles. We also feature articles on the valedictorians for the June TRU convocation ceremonies. I hope you will come back to campus to attend the Distinguished Alumni Awards dinner held on October 13th at the Culinary Arts building on campus. This event celebrates the success of fellow graduates and demonstrates the quality of education that students gain while attending TRU. Sincerely, Cathy Ferguso, BSN 91’ Acting Board Chair , TRU Alumni Association TRU President & Vice-Chancellor Thompson Rivers University has a long tradition of providing quality trades education and training in response to the needs of our community, our region, and our province. Each year, more than 1000 entrylevel trades students and almost 700 apprentices come to TRU’s Trades & Technology Centre to pursue higher education. We are pleased to offer trades students on our campus a complete and unique university experience. TRU is very proud of the success our trades and technology students achieve in provincial, national and international competition. Since TRU became a university, questions continue to be raised about the future of trades education on campus. The answer is simple: TRU is committed to providing comprehensive programming, of which trades training and education is an integral part. A university can have no loftier goal than to consistently produce graduates who have the education and means to contribute to the success of our region, our country, and our global community. At TRU, we pursue this goal across the curriculum, and we are very pleased to include trades training as a vital and important part of our university’s curriculum. This past year has seen TRU engage in partnerships with a variety of school districts to increase trades training opportunities in the Interior of BC. As well, the new degree proposal for a Bachelor of Education (Trades and Technology Education) has been approved by government, and another new trades degree focusing on leadership is in the approval process. Sincerely, contents Trades & Tech 4&5 New Campus for Williams Lake 6 Convocation 2006 8–10 Campus News 12 & 13 Open Learning 14 Profiles: Trades Alumni Trades Student 16 17 TRU graduate gives back 18 Athletics 19 Where are they now? 20–22 Cover photo: Matthew Strader Alumni Network Magazine is published 2 times a year in the spring and fall. Roger H. Barnsley President and Vice-Chancellor network ALUMNI THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY ALUMNI MAGAZ I N E • FA L L 2 0 0 6 Publisher Editor Advertising Sales Writers Photography Art Direction Design Nancy Plett Denise Harper Nancy Plett Matthew Strader, Denise Harper, Bronwen Scott Matthew Strader, Jennifer Muir, Cindy Drescher Patricia Hort Shirley McCaffrey The TRU Alumni Association gratefully acknowledges the financial assistance of the Province of British Columbia. Win an iPod – complete centre-page survey  Instructor Jeff Collett (left) with Joinery (Cabinet Making) students. School of Trades and Technology Increases Options for Students Cover Story by Matthew Strader  If you have a trade, why not teach it? Frustrated with simple labour, become the boss. Thompson Rivers University will add once more to a desired reputation of being recognized as a comprehensive university. TRU will soon begin to offer its trades students a viable option to further their careers, even after years of being on the job. The TRU school of Trades and Technology has put forth proposals for two new degree programs, a Bachelor of Education (Trades and Technology) degree and a Bachelor of Technology (Trades and Technology Leadership). the ability to naturally lead their colleagues,” Dennis Johnson, School of Trades and Technology, explained. “While we will not discriminate in any way to age, it is most likely mature students who show the determination to further their abilities who are going to do well within these degrees.” “The students we are looking for are those who have completed their apprenticeships and who have shown a wealth of knowledge and ability on the job as well as In trades there exists the desire amongst the students to get on the job. “Anytime a student can go from thirteen months training, to a well-paying position it is going The Bachelor of Education (Trades and Technology) degree is designed for tradespersons who are interested in moving on to teaching their trade. The leadership degree will be useful for those wishing to move on from their trades work to management or salaried positions. to be difficult to convince the student to stay in the classroom,” says Tim Stainton, chair of the Mechanical Department. However, with the aging of the baby boomers there is likely going to be a drain on the pool of managementtrained employees within the trades. When this occurs it will be up to institutions like TRU to supply the next generation of managers. “These degree programs are going to provide the leadership training necessary for people to step into these roles. Being a manager is no longer just knowing the job, it has become knowing how to deal with people, and keeping your employees productive. A lot of times its being a referee, and a teacher, and these programs are going to instill that.” Stainton explained. Mentor a student. Visit Programs at www.trualumni.ca to find out how. Above: Instructor Knut Lie (left) with student in the Computerized Manufacturing Program. Right: Heavy Duty/Commerical Transport Mechanic students discuss assignment. Below: Residential Construction students put on the finishing touches. The School of Trades and Technology at TRU has long been a leader in British Columbia in producing quality trades workers. With these new programs the school will only further the quality of its graduates. “It’s about formalizing the education of our trade graduates,” Johnson continued. “While the immediately available pay can be attractive to a tradesperson, there is certainly a plateau which everyone can reach within their career. Students interested in the Leadership degree will be required to complete 120 credits (equivalent to four years’ full-time study), however sixty credits will be from their two years of previous trades training. The education degree will be more complex, allowing the student to complete teaching certification as well after their degree study, a total of 150 credits. “One of the great benefits of being a TRU student has always been the ability of our students to ladder on to something more. These degrees are another example of that, and certainly a source of pride in the continuing growth of our school,” commented Provost and VP Academic of TRU, Mark Evered. “While the development of Masters programs within the Arts and Business divisions are big steps for the academic standing of a university, TRU will be the type of school to offer a wealth of opportunity to every student.” These degrees will lend people the ability to further their knowledge and abilities, and to seek out positions they believed may have been unattainable before.” Email address for life? Join the On Line Community at www.trualumni.ca Cover Story The two degree programs are still in the midst of creation. The Bachelor of Education (Trades and Technology) degree has just recently finished its approval process and will be premiering in July, 2007. The leadership degree has gone through TRU’s own approval process but remains in the scrutiny of the Degree Quality Assessment Board. “We are hoping for approval this fall, and then we can begin to run with both,” Johnson said.  Williams Lake students welcome campus life by Matthew Strader Williams Lake students receive a renovation. Early in 2007 the students of the Williams Lake campus of Thompson Rivers University will finally have a home. The campus has been operating out of various leased buildings and rented rooms since the original site was condemned ten years ago. “It’s not the same, not being able to provide the students with the on-campus experience,” Grace Simpson, acting campus coordinator for Williams Lake said at this year’s convocation. “Being split into so many different places the way the students are, it divides the school. We’re excited to have one campus again, and provide our students with a full campus life.” Campus News This new campus is definitely a step in the right direction to reverse that trend. “After 10 years of being in various locations throughout the town we will finally move into a single campus again, and this will certainly be one of the right steps to turning around enrolment,” said interim Dean Dr. John Belshaw. An associate professor of history at TRU and a 17 year veteran of the Kamloops campus, Belshaw is proud of the steps being made in Williams Lake. “It will allow our students the campus life they looked forward to when entering post-secondary study. We are in a position again to support all of our students, whether those of a short trades program, to those wishing four years of study. This is a state-of-the-art facility, with wireless internet access, great computer labs, a diverse library, and not only that but a full gymnasium. The effects of which for a small community cannot be discounted. We will build ties by hosting town events, recitals and meetings.” Perhaps the real effect of this campus will come from the boost to the local Williams Lake economy. “It is an economy that needs to diversify,” Belshaw added. “And Education provides a sustainable arm to that economy.” The new campus is the former home of Anne Stevenson Senior Secondary School. A team from ProCad Design of Kamloops led by TRU alumni, Computer Aided Drafting and Design graduate, David Graham, are overseeing the renovations. Graham, who was also a graduate of Westsyde Secondary School of Kamloops, has worked on many projects for TRU. The design of much of the school can again be attributed to Mike Hill, architect for Howard-Bingham-Hill architects of Vancouver. Hill was also responsible for the design of some of the buildings on the Kamloops campus of TRU. While TRU has been looking at sites for a few years, the work on this site has been underway for just the past year, beginning August 2005. TRU hoped to have the project completed for September, and the beginning of the 2006-2007 year, but it will open in early 2007. “We simply don’t have the workers,” Graham said. “There is far too much work available in B.C. right now with the Olympics, and the construction from all the fires the province has suffered. We just can’t scratch together enough labourers.” The $8 million dollar project is being worked on now by forty workers, a number Graham quipped he would love to have up to a hundred. “It’d be nice to see the halls teeming with guys, but that just isn’t going to happen right now, and that is simply something we have to deal with.” The project includes renovating 75% of the school, while also constructing some completely new portions. Most of the trades departments, as well as portions of the faculty offices, will be completely new facilities, while some of the school, including the present gymnasium, will be left as is. No new programs will come about right away with the opening of the new campus, but expectations are high. “There will be a focus on Health Sciences for sure,” Belshaw said. “As there is a local demand for it.” The direction of the Williams Lake campus will be dictated by the local demand, however just opening a campus as unique and state-of-the-art as this in the small town of Williams Lake is a major achievement for TRU. “This new campus is a sign of TRU’s dedication to its provincial mandate and something we can be truly proud of,” Belshaw concluded. “It is another display of the unique qualities of Thompson Rivers University.”  Win an iPod – complete centre-page survey Ready for a Career move? If you are poised for the next step in your career or if you want to continue your education through to a Master’s Degree, then the TRU Master of Business Administration is the program for you! The TRU Master of Business Administration has its’ advantages… • fast-track (16 months) • optional post-graduate Internship program • designed for entrants who have limited business or work experience • part-time options available • Pre-MBA program available • GMAT preparation program • New facilities Our applied curriculum, international focus and highly qualified faculty provide unique and relevant skills that will help propel your career forward. So take the next step in your career and education goals, visit our website at: www.tru.ca/mba/ugrad/ and find out why you need to make your next career move with a TRU MBA! MBA Office: 250.852.6267 e-mail: mbaugradr@tru.ca “ The students are so full of energy & eager to learn! It is amazing to see the integration of the students’ creativity and energy with the tools that they learn in their courses – it is a very powerful combination!” MBA Professor, Brock Dykeman  A Growth Experience by Matthew Strader Six graduation ceremonies and almost 2400 graduates. The celebration began with a ceremony honouring the graduates of the Williams Lake campus on May 26th. It continued on June 8th and 9th with four separate ceremonies on the main Kamloops campus, and finished in Burnaby with the recognition of the British Columbia Open Learning school’s graduates on June 15th. Thompson Rivers University was honoured to present almost 2400 graduates for the year 2006. In Burnaby the graduates of TRU’s Open Learning division were moved by the words of honorary doctorate recipient Nathan Matthew, and valedictorian Kenneth Jones. The 315 graduates received their various certificates and diplomas and said goodbye to a division that will be transitioning to the Kamloops campus in the next year. Convocation 2006 The Williams Lake campus hosted ceremonies for 103 graduates ranging from an Associate of Arts degree to the Welding and Work Skills Training program certificate. The small-town feel of the ceremony added just the right amount of heart to a splendid and proud day of a school thrilled to be moving onto its new campus next year. The Kamloops ceremony was graced with the sun everyone has come to know and love in the Interior region. A star could not shine brighter than the almost 1900 smiling faces of the future alumni who filled the stage while accepting their hard-earned degrees, diplomas and certificates.  Moving on up? Don’t leave us behind. Keep in touch at alumni@tru.ca Valedictorian Ceremony A Valedictorian Ceremony B Valedictorian Ceremony C MJ Paluck Nicole Befurt Laura Beyer Child and Youth Care diploma Bachelor of Arts (hons) degree, Psychology Major Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree MJ Paluck was born in Smithers, moving to Kamloops during her school years, where she graduated from Westsyde Secondary School. After earning her Community and School Support certificate at TRU, she laddered into the Child and Youth Care diploma program, where she excelled in her studies. She has already begun to use her education and skills as a co-facilitator at Skl’ep School, and her instructors describe her as a highly conscientious, ethical and skilled professional who has consistently demonstrated her commitment to the children, youth and families that she works with, to the university, and to the community of Kamloops. Future plans include volunteer work and working full-time in a school setting. MJ glowed during her speech and shared poignant words of Nelson Mandela with her fellow graduates. “I am so very honoured to be here….by my age I could just as easily be a parent of my peers. I have always felt accepted and encouraged by those peers.” Laura Beyer was born in Punnichy, Saskatchewan, then moved with her family to Creston, BC, where she graduated from Prince Charles Secondary School. A Dean’s List scholar while pursuing her nursing degree, Laura, also co-owner of BodyWorks Fitness Center, taught fitness classes and worked as a personal trainer. She also found time to volunteer at various blood-pressure clinics, and even organized one of her own, as well as a “Stretch at Work” seminar. Future plans include an advanced practice course to obtain a neonatal nursing specialty certificate, and a master’s degree in nursing within the next ten years, with the ultimate goal of becoming a neonatal nurse practitioner. “Maybe we’re not really prepared. There is a whole big world out there that requires more than textbook knowledge to conquer…” She felt her appointment a reflection of TRU itself. “TRU is an accepting and forward thinking university.” Valedictorian Ceremony D Samara Quinton Bachelor of Business Administration degree, Accounting Major Samara Quinton grew up in Cranbrook, graduating from Mount Baker Secondary School there. She completed a Business Administration Diploma in Accounting at College of the Rockies and a Certificate of Religious Studies at Pacific Life Bible College before coming to TRU to continue her business education. In the last three years, Samara was named to the Dean’s List throughout her years of schooling, and has won a number of awards, including the 2003 Governor General Bronze Medal, a TRU transfer award and entrance bursary in 2003, and the 2005 Chartered Accountant’s Education Foundation scholarship. Future plans include earning her Chartered Accountant designation and travel. Samara is also the winner of the University Medal in Business Administration. “We are all about to formally conclude this chapter of our lives and commence a new one…The past now becomes a reflection and the future is yet to be realized.” Where are you? Inquiring minds want to know. alumni@tru.ca Convocation 2006 “There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine.” Nicole grew up in Prince George, and graduated from Prince George Secondary School there. She returned to university as a mature student after the tragic death of her eldest son Jacob in 1999. After mathematics upgrading, Nicole enrolled in the Arts program, where she excelled, and was named to the Dean’s List in 2004 and 2005. An active community volunteer, Nicole is active with the Kamloops Heritage Railway Society and School District #73’s One to One reading program. On campus, she was instrumental in the formation of the Student Psychology club. Future plans include a master’s degree and PhD with the ultimate goal of becoming a clinical psychologist.  Convocation 2006 Valedictorian Williams Lake Carol Sollenberger Applied Business Technology Program Certificate The students of the Applied Business Technology Program at Thompson Rivers University, Williams Lake campus, successfully nominated Carol Sollenberger, a 2006 graduate of that program, as valedictorian for the class of 2005-2006. Attracted back to Williams Lake by her love of the area, Sollenberger moved with her husband from Abbotsford in search of work. The local reputation of the wellrespected ABTP program attracted her to TRU. Valedictorian TRU Open Learning Division Sollenberger is a graduate of Burnaby High School class of 1969. She has raised a family including four children, and now adds her Business Office Assistant with Bookkeeping and Computer Applications Certificate to that list of accomplishments. Diploma in Management Studies As part of the program she completed a two-week practicum at the Cariboo Memorial Hospital and is now pleased to accept a position there. “I have been blessed to have met so many wonderful people and I know that some of them will now remain my life-long friends.” Membership Has Its Benefits Holders of the Alumni Benefit Card receive great discounts on good and services from participating businesses: 1-800-Got-Junk A&W Columbia Place Accolades, the TRU Dining Room Audio Video Unlimited, Williams Lake Best Western, Kamloops Bookies at TRU BMO Nesbitt Burns Budget Car & Truck Rental Chapters Viewpoint Restaurant City of Kamloops Aquatic Facility Empire Landmark Hotel, Vancouver Fogg n’ Suds Health Quest Chiropractic ICI Paints Kamloops Home Hardware Kitchen Encounters Knights Inn, Kamloops Koehn Solutions Lordco Auto Parts SHOW THIS Alumni Benefits Card CARD AT PA RTICIPATIN RECEIVE YO UR TRU ALUM G MERCHANTS TO NI DISCOUNT Benefits and Renewal Inform ation available www.trualum ni.ca or by cal at ling (250) 828 -5498 My Travel Seven Seas Oliver Street Bar & Grill Inc., Williams Lake PC Doctor’s Digital Café Pro Systems Beauty Centre Ramada Inn, Kamloops Residence Conference Centre Robbie’s Downtown Restaurant Runner’s Sole Sandman Hotels and Inns Super 8 Motel, Williams Lake TRU Athletics Kenneth Jones Kenneth Jones has several years experience as a journeyman in the pulp and paper industry. Unsatisfied by the work, Mr. Jones returned to school to further his education and explore new challenges. He earned his Industrial Instrumentation Journeymen certificate through BCIT and a diploma from Malaspina University College in Essential Skills for Supervisors Trades and Skilled Occupations. Mr. Jones has taken supervisory development programs and has now earned his diploma in Management Studies from Thompson Rivers University Open Learning with an impressive grade point average of 4.13. Mr. Jones and his wife are the proud parents of two children, and he hopes to bestow these same educational values and work ethic onto them. In his speech to the graduating class Mr. Jones chose to share his love of education with his fellow students. “In reflecting on this celebration, we should not look upon it as the completion of a journey, rather, we should recognize it as the completion of another step in our quest for life long learning, personal development, and growth.” Request your benefit card on line at www.trualumni.ca or call 250.828.5498 10 Don’t be a loner – join TRU Online today. www.trualumni.ca Introducing the 536%ISTINGUISHED"LUMNIFOR Shelly Johnson Grace Chronister TRU BSW Award Please join us when we honour these outstanding graduates TRU Distinguished Alumni Awards Dinner Friday, October 13, 2006 Culinary Arts Building on Campus Cocktails at 6 pm Dinner & Awards Ceremony at 7pm Alan Corbishley Award for Arts and Culture Don Avison Award for Public Service Hosted by TRU President & Vice-Chancellor Dr. Roger Barnsley $50 per person For tickets contact the TRU Alumni Association at 371.5711 or alumni@tru.ca Deanna Howell Award for Service to the Community Susan Carpenter Award for Professional Achievement 11 TRU continues to expand its map by Matthew Strader The University College of the Cariboo became Thompson Rivers University in 2005. This is an expansion in academic standing which is now matched by the expansion of the campus. “The location and views from the campus alone leave people with the impression of one of the most beautiful campuses in Canada,” said TRU President and Vice-Chancellor Roger Barnsley. In the academic year of 2006-07, TRU will host the opening of a new residence, a Private and Public Partnership with PCL and Campus Living Centre. As well as new athletic facilities, paid for by the City of Kamloops and housed on TRU land. 1994 Campus News The cranes which operate above the construction of a new campus residence have been visible to the people of Kamloops for the past year. The remarkable structure will house 580 students. “This is another wonderful step in the building of campus life for the students here in Kamloops,” said university President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Roger Barnsley. Top aerial photo was taken in 1994; the bottom photo, taken in 2004 shows how much the campus has grown in ten years. Photos courtesy of the City of Kamloops. 2004 12 Student Residence Win an iPod – complete centre-page survey TRU Athletics benefits from new field house and a unique athletic field The field house will contain gymnasium facilities, an expanded weight room, change rooms for athletes, three athletic courts, a full gymnastics facility and a 200-metre competitive indoor track. The expansion will allow the school to arrange up to 2200 seats around the centre court for basketball, volleyball and other major events. Within the offices will be a new Sport Wellness Centre. Along with having modern facilities, TRU will now house a complete rehabilitation centre for athletes. Perhaps the banner of the entire project is the new athletic field. Constructed in conjunction with the City of Kamloops, the new field will be used by TRU athletes, as well as local sporting clubs. “It may seem weird to say for a city the size of Kamloops, but this field could actually host a FIFA-sanctioned soccer match,” commented Byron McCorkell, Director of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services for the City of Kamloops. The new City of Kamloops projects also included the renovation of NorBrock Stadium as well as the Olympic-sized hockey rink on McArthur Island. Fifteen user groups, including TRU, worked with the City in 2003 and one of the identified weaknesses was the city’s event-hosting capacity. “If we are to The impact of this project on TRU and Kamloops will not be measurable for years to come, as the facilities and their occupants will benefit for some time. “We have already tendered a letter of intent to host the Men’s CIS Volleyball championships,” said Ken Olynyk, athletic director of TRU. “A move made possible by these new facilities.” Academics Academically TRU continues its expansion every year, and these next semesters will be no different. “We are thrilled to have so many projects in the midst of the approval process,” said Provost and V.P. Academic Mark Evered. “A Master of Education and Master of Environmental Sciences degree are being discussed, along with the introduction of new BA majors in Philosophy, International Business and others.” Research is a major portion of a university’s academic standing, and TRU continues to lead the way in its growth here as well. The ‘Culture of Small Cities’ project, led by Dr. Will Garrett-Petts, has received a $1 million dollar CURA (Community-University Research Alliance) grant. This along with other major research being done through TRU will only serve to improve the opportunities for students. “There is no reason why this type of research couldn’t eventually lead to post-graduate work for the student researchers which would be unique to anything else available in Canada,” said Dr. Garrett-Petts. TRU will also transition the TRU Open Learning offices from Burnaby to the Kamloops campus in the 2006-07 calendar year, expanding the opportunities available to students here in Kamloops. “It is another year of optimism and growth for the university,” said Dr. Barnsley. “Over time we have built the reputation of the school with the quality of our graduates and faculty.” Email address for life? Join the On Line Community at www.trualumni.ca Campus News The field turf used in the new athletic field is a mono-filament design which will be the only one of its kind in all of North America. The field itself is also adaptable to four different sporting events, having the size and design ready for soccer, field hockey and both ruled football games, Canadian and American. be called the Tournament Capital of Canada, then it was about time we had the facilities to host major events. These facilities will lend a new legitimacy to that claim,” said McCorkel. 13 Open Defined Open Learning = Distance + Flexibility + Credit Banking With over 200 individual courses and more than 60 programs that can be completed by distance and online learning, Thompson Rivers University is pioneering a new age in open learning. Distance courses are offered by universities everywhere, but only TRU offers “open” programs that can give you credit for what you have already done – helping you to finish what you started. By bringing all your post-secondary credits together in a TRU open program, you will discover that completing your degree or diploma is easier than you think. As TRU alumni, you have endless opportunities awaiting you to build upon your previously earned credential. Most open courses at TRU are available for registration at any time. With continuous intake, fewer restrictions on admissions, and flexible completion times, your education can fit around your schedule and your life. Programs also feature minimal residency requirements, allowing you to transfer credits previously earned at other colleges and universities. Our prior learning assessment and recognition (PLAR) takes into account the skills and knowledge you have gained through industrybased training, professional development workshops and seminars, private study, and work history. The knowledge you have gained through your life experience can be used as credit toward your diploma or degree. OPEN means: > Courses or programs can be completed by distance, as well as on campus. > Enrolment in courses and programs can take place at any time and from anywhere. > Program admission and course registration have fewer restrictions. > Most programs have low residency requirements. > Transfer credits from other university or college courses toward program completion. > PLAR credit is granted toward program completion for knowledge and expertise gained through career training and work experience. > Ladder certificate and diploma programs into a degree. Distance Education Events – A Creative Career Choice 14 Are you seeking more creativity in your career? How does “managing events that make an impression and spark imagination” sound as your job description? Thompson Rivers University can “open” the door to a new and exciting world through our Event Management Certificate (EMC). Event management has become a main focus of the marketing world. Corporations, small business, and government agencies recognize the need to integrate events into the traditional marketing mix. Event marketing is currently a worldwide multi-billion dollar industry. The upcoming 2010 Olympic and Paralympics Winter Games, as well as the legacy that will follow, provides a tremendous opportunity for this career choice. British Columbia is a world-class destination for international and regional conferences, cultural events, trade shows, and festivals The EMC is an online distance program that has been designed to accommodate your busy lifestyle. This program is customized for both full and part-time learners. Ladder your existing credentials with the new EMC toward the Diploma or Bachelors of Tourism Management. This eighteen-credit online certificate program is offered over two semesters, with the following course options: Fall Semester CONV 101 Introduction to Tourism CONV 102 Introduction to Special Events Management Winter Semester CONV 103 Celebrating Community and Culture CONV 104 Event Volunteer Management CONV 105 Legal Liability and Risk Management CONV 106 Event Marketing Students are given a maximum completion time of thirteen weeks per course. Inquiries: Brenda McGregor, Coordinator bmcgregor@tru.ca Any time you need education, visit www.tru.ca/distance Don’t be a loner – join TRU Online today. www.trualumni.ca 15 Profile – Trades Alumni One of Kamloops’ own stays home by Matthew Strader David Graham is building a future for TRU students. David is Project Manager for the construction of the new Williams Lake campus for TRU, and looks forward to the BCCOL project on the Kamloops campus, the upcoming Library/ Learning commons, and numerous renovations throughout the expanding campus. Since 1999 David has designed and been project manager for numerous TRU campus projects. These include the Old Main Student Medical Centre, renovations to House 8, the radio station building, offices in the trades building, Houses 5, 6, 7, the Research Centre and the old visual arts building which became the new General Office complex. Also renovations to the Clock Tower building, the Campus Activity Centre Grand Hall, the student employment centre offices and exterior renovations to Houses 1, 4, 5, 6 & 7. David Graham Born in Vernon, BC, David Graham moved to Kamloops at the age of two, and has made his home in the city since. David graduated from Westsyde Secondary school in 1984. Specializing in science and engineering courses, David imagined himself moving on to be an engineer. However a year of number crunching at thenCariboo College, told David that his true passion was not in the Teach English as world of equations a Second Language that came with being TRU offers this 5-course Certificate Program an engineer but in the (including a practicum) for university graduates who wish to work in the ESL field. more hands-on work > The program can be completed in 1 semester of construction. full-time or 3 semesters part-time. TESL > A Bachelor degree is required to apply (except for TRU education students who may apply after first year Education). APPLY NOW for 2006–2007 For information call 250.828.5294 email tesl@tru.ca www.tru.ca/dsd/esl 16 David transitioned from the first-year engineering program to the Computer Aided Drafting and Design program (CADD), a part of the technology program. At the time, Cariboo College had the leading program in BC, and the demand for graduates from the program was very high. David watched many of his classmates move on to positions in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, and even one in England, however there were no positions in Kamloops. Due to his desire to stay, his wife (whom he met in the program) and he began their own business here in Kamloops, and have turned ProCad Designs Ltd, in its 18th year of operation, into the largest home design and renovation firm in Kamloops and the Interior. The company now employs four additional staff members who are TRU graduates, all of whom came out of the now EDDT program (formerly the CADD program). “We believe strongly in the value and quality of TRU graduates,” David commented. The company does not work exclusively for TRU, however, contracting its services to numerous other commercial design projects. One example is the new exterior for the NL Radio Building, 611 Lansdowne, in Kamloops. ProCad Designs Ltd. is also the local dealer and designer for Jenish Home Plans, a catalogue of pre-drawn “stock” home plans for sale. David is also active locally in a volunteer capacity. He keeps himself busy with Rotary, as well as being involved with Habitat for Humanity and a member of the Canadian Home Builders Association of Kamloops (CHBA). David has donated the duplex designs for the first community-built-projects for Habitat for Humanity, and has donated the home design every two years for the TRU/CHBA’s Training House, which is raffled off by the YMCA/YWCA in the Dream House raffle. Alumni Association AGM, September 18, 2006. Call 828-5498 for more information. Profile – Trades Student Welding student lends voice to convocation by Matthew Strader Laticia Chapman is a noteworthy welder. Graduates, family, friends and honoured guests of the Williams Lake convocation for Thompson Rivers University were treated to the powerful singing voice of 21 year-old Welding graduate Laticia Chapman. A trades program graduate, Chapman enjoyed her second year of university life at the Williams Lake campus of Thompson Rivers University, leaving the school with her certificate in Welding, Level “C.” Chapman spent one year attending the University of Lethbridge before returning to Williams Lake, her hometown from the age of six. Although she holds a real love for Williams Lake, Laticia does express the interest to leave the community and “open herself to the rest of the world.” In welding she saw the ability to support herself while continuing her education, yet considers pursuing the trade as well. “I would like to find work at a shop where I can work with more complicated materials like aluminium or stainless steel. Boats really interest me! I plan to work full-time during all the summer months, and hopefully part-time during the year to support more schooling.” Laticia was a member of the last graduating class of Anne Stevenson Secondary School before it was shut down in 2003. After her graduation from TRU’s Williams Lake campus she is planning to attend the University of Victoria in the fall of 2006, to pursue political and environmental sciences. Chapman hails from an educated background. Her father holds a PhD in Soil Science, and her mother a BSc in psychology. As well she retains a love for music, a trait evident in the use of her voice during the convocation ceremony. She spent four years on voice lessons from the ages of 14 to almost 19 and has performed before at various local events. “I’m not professional, but I wouldn’t pass it up if I got the chance. I’d love to be a part of a band, write my own music and actually play gigs.” Laticia strongly believes “education in all its forms is important to help people understand the world around them, and participate in that world.” Laticia Chapman Laticia is comfortable being characterized as someone who is going to pursue knowledge in all forms. “I’m interested in just about everything: science, philosophy, fashion, cooking, farming, music and literature. I run, I snowboard, and I cannot wait to get to the coast to learn to surf.” Win an iPod – complete centre-page survey 17 TRU Foundation Alumni rely on Alumni by Matthew Strader Kim Rathwell Austin is a clear example why. With her education and opportunities through TRU, Kim is doing more than improving her own life now, she’s working on others as well. A graduate of TRU, with a Bachelor in Social Work, Kim has the whole world in mind. She recently spent two months in Louisiana working with homeless children, victims of the past year’s hurricanes. Performing nearly 500 hours of volunteer work in 42 days, she gave of herself because someone had to. “They were the ones everyone forgot. With foster homes and youth centers gone, even their records destroyed, these kids didn’t exist. It was shocking and heart-wrenching. An experience I’ll never forget.” A single mother of two young children, without the funding she received through the TRU foundation, and other sources, her life would have been much different. “We would have been destitute, plain and simple,” Kim said. “Jeez, we probably wouldn’t have even had Christmas one year.” Born in Vancouver, Kim is welltravelled. She has lived in almost every province of Canada. She completed her 18 high-schooling in Prince George before settling into her marriage. With the birth of two children she transitioned into the role of a housewife, before a divorce left her Kim with daughter Alysabeth and son Nik on her own, fending for herself and her children without an idea of what to Kim was supported throughout her do. “You have that vision of making time at TRU by various scholarships, your life better so that your kids bursaries and awards, including: can do even more.” TRU’s alumni endowment scholarship, the GALA endowment award, the Kim began to further her education Lieutenant Governor General’s by pursuing a Certificate in Human Silver Medal, the TRU foundations Services and laddered her way into unrestricted fund, and open bursary a Diploma in Child and Youth Care, money from TRU. and eventually her Bachelor’s Degree. Maintaining a high GPA as well as a She has the highest regard for the type vast array of volunteer work brought her of outside support that the school and attention from her professors and other its students need for these advancements students, and eventual nominations and dreams in her own life now of for certain awards and bursaries. “A lot giving back. “I only just graduated, but of the opportunities for support were one of my goals in life now is certainly a bit of a surprise to me, but a blessing to establish my own bursary through themselves. I wouldn’t have made it the foundation for a student with through without them.” similar difficulties.” With her BA in hand, Kim hopes that TRU continues to receive the type of support needed to develop a Masters program. She would like to complete either her Masters of Social Work or her Masters of International Communication here in Kamloops. Kim credits a mature attitude towards school as a reason for her success. “Make yourself known amongst your peers and your professors, work hard and appreciate your school. It’s amazing what support will come with from the generosity of others.” TRU Alumni give back to the future – make your contribution today TRU Athletics Meet the WolfPack Coaches One new coach, two rehires and a returning coach will lead the WolfPack Canadian Interuniversity Sports (CIS) teams in the 2006/07 season. Heading up women’s basketball next season is Scott Reeves, who holds a Bachelor of Human Kinetics degree from Trinity Western University, a Bachelor of Education degree from UBC and NCCP Level III certification. Scott comes to the WolfPack with a wide range of coaching experience and a phenomenal 155-4 record as a head coach, and a 243-31 record as an associate head or assistant at the high school level, making for a 91% win percentage. Most recently head coach for Basketball British Columbia’s U16 Girls Provincial Team in 2004 and 2005, and head coach for the Brookswood Senior Secondary School Senior Girls team from 2003 to 2006, Scott has taken teams to the Senior AAA BC Provincial Championships for the past three years. Carrie Barrett is looking forward to heading up the women’s volleyball program for a seventh year. Carrie, who led the WolfPack in its inaugural season in the CIS last year, has coached championship teams at the university, college and club levels and has been recognized for coaching excellence. She came to TRU in the fall of 2000 from the University of Alberta, where she was assistant coach of the team that won national championships two years in a row and head coach of the U-20 provincial champion team. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in physical education from that university. Carrie Barrett was an associate coach at the 2001 Canada Games, helped lead the 2002 Team BC to a national silver medal in 2003, was awarded a BCCAA Coaching Excellence Award in 2003 and led her varsity team to provincial bronze in 2004 and provincial gold and a fair play award in 2005. Patrick Hennelly, who coached the WolfPack men’s volleyball team through its first year of CIS play, came to TRU in the summer of 2005 from Northern Arizona University, where he was first assistant coach of women’s volleyball. Patrick, who holds both Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Human Kinetics degrees, played Team BC for five years and was a member of the 1989 Canada Games team as a youth. He coached volleyball at UBC between 1995 and 2004, and traveled with the UBC Men’s Team to Korea, Russia, Finland and Estonia. He brings a lot of CIS, club, and NCAA experience to TRU athletics, and has taken a number of teams to medal spots at national volleyball championships. Before coming to TRU, men’s basketball coach Nevin Gleddie was assistant coach at the University of Alberta and an assistant coach/ manager of the Canadian national team. He holds a Master of Science degree in Exercise Physiology and NCCP Level IV theory, technical and practical. His team won provincial and national gold in its last year of Canadian Colleges Athletics Association play in the 2004/05 season, and Nevin won the National Coaching Excellence, All Sports, the Men’s Basketball National Coach of the Year, the Men’s Basketball Provincial Coach of the Year, and Basketball BC College Coaching awards honours that year. He picked up the city’s Coach of the Year honours last year, when he led his team into its first year of CIS play. back the pack Get ready for another great season of action packed games! Visit our website for more information and our full schedule varsity athletics at tru > www.tru.ca/athletics TRU Alumni Back the ‘Pack. Attend the games and see why. www.tru.ca/athletics 19 Where Are They Now? Audrey Jung Adina Gray Cathy Collinge Bachelor of Science 2003 Bachelor of Business Administration 2005 Bachelor of Social Work 2002 After leaving TRU, I went to Wageningen University in Wageningen, The Netherlands, on a scholarship (Wageningen University Scholarship Programme) where I completed my Master’s in Human Nutrition specializing in Epidemiology. During my studies in The Netherlands, I also had the opportunity to work for three months at the Department of Non-Communicable and Chronic Diseases at the Center for Disease Control in Nanjing, People’s Republic of China. In addition, I just finished interning for more than four months at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington, as a molecular epidemiologist in Cancer Prevention Studies. I’m currently back in The Netherlands for the summer, and I will start my PhD in nutritional epidemiology at McGill University in September 2006. I graduated in 2005 with a BBA in Finance and Marketing (from the Kamloops campus). Three weeks after graduation I was offered a job with the Burnaby Campus which I accepted. I knew it would be a temporary position because the Open Learning Division will be moving to Kamloops in March 2007. I love working for TRU and so will be returning there when the offices move next year. Currently I work as a Financial Aid Advisor and deal with student loan/scholarship issues. A year from now, I hope to be back in Kamloops working in the Financial Aid Department. Within the next five years, I can see myself completing an MBA program, becoming fluent in Spanish (and possibly Italian) then getting involved with TRU World. I first left Thompson Rivers University in 1995 with a Human Service Worker Certificate. I returned to TRU and completed a Bachelor of Social Work degree in 2002. Since this time, I have completed Child Protection Training through the Justice Institute of BC and worked for the Ministry of Children and Family Development in Williams Lake for a short time. I currently work in Kamloops at THEO BC (BC Society of Training for Health and Employment Opportunities), a nonprofit employment agency for people with disabilities, and have been here since 2002. I am a Senior Counselor at this agency and continue to stay involved with TRU by being an Agency Field Instructor for Bachelor of Social Work Practicum Students. 20 Win an iPod – complete centre-page survey Melissa Bradwell Mac Olsen Jack Bleiler Bachelor of Science 2001 Bachelor of Journalism 2001 Communications Media Certificate 1987 I enrolled at TRU in the fall of 1996 and graduated four years later with a Bachelor of Science majoring in General Biology. During my time at TRU, I worked with the EUReKA! Science Program in the summers starting as an instructor and then as camp director. In the fall of 2000, my last semester at TRU, I attended an information session on naturopathic medicine during a class break. The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM) in Toronto, ON was doing their recruiting and I was intrigued. After some serious thought and research, I enrolled at CCNM for September of 2001 and graduated June 2005. Upon graduation and the completion of the licensing exams that summer, I headed off traveling for 3 – months with my sister to beautiful SE Asia. I returned home to Kamloops in March 2006. Since arriving home, I have set up practice downtown with a fellow naturopath in a multi-disciplinary clinic with two chiropractors, two registered massage therapists and an acupuncturist. In the fall of 1998, I moved to Kamloops and enrolled in the Bachelor of Journalism program at TRU. Prior to that I had graduated from the University of Victoria in May 1994 with a double major in history and political science and from the office administration program at Camosun College in Victoria in June 1997. While at Cariboo College (TRU’s previous incarnation) I earned an Associate of Arts diploma in English in 1984 and a Communications Media certificate in 1987. I also wrote “The Cariboo College Student Handguide” while employed as Orientation Administrator in the summer of 1983, widely hailed as the most influential and informative document since the Mixmaster Owner’s Manual (1972 edition). I graduated from the Bachelor of Journalism program in June 2001, and in early September moved to Thompson, Manitoba, to work for a family-run newspaper called the Thompson Citizen. There’s another regional newspaper called the Nickel Belt News that they print as well. It’s hard to believe that I’ve been at this newspaper for nearly five years. But I enjoy my work. My news beat includes court, health, community events, sports, and aboriginal issues and events. Thompson has been a great opportunity for me. I was a “professional student” for many years, but now I have a career that I enjoy. Career Evolution: Peon-level flunky/copywriter, Cariboo Central Interior Radio Network, 1987 – 2003; Creative Director/ Production Manager/Indentured Servant, The Wolf/94X (CCIR – Vista Broadcasting), Prince George, 2003 – 2006; Radio Creative Director/Production Manager/ Taker of Frequent Smoke Breaks, Pattison Broadcasting, Prince George, 2006. Married, One Child (Daughter, 10), Mortgaged Up to the Eyeballs All dates approximate. All events fabricated from hazy memories. All achievements likely delusional. Marcella Bernardo Communications Media Certificate 1991 I spent my first year at Thompson Rivers University in the general arts program. I then enrolled in the Communications Media Program which I completed in 1991. I continued my studies at BCIT in Burnaby taking the two-year Broadcast Journalism in Communications program. I then returned to Kamloops and went to work in the news department at CFJC in Kamloops where I stayed until 2001. In 2001 I returned to the Lower Mainland and now live in Vancouver. Currently I work as a news reporter at CKNW. 13th Annual Pineridge Annual Golf Tournament Mentor a student. Visit Programs at www.trualumni.ca to find out how. 21 Where Are They Now? Jacqueline Dolder Andre VanWoerden Bonnie Fournier Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of Natural Resource Sciences 2003 Bachelor of Science in Nursing 1999 After graduating from TRU with my psychology major in 2004, I participated in a semester-long exchange program through TRU to Cologne, Germany. In May of this year I started working for the Kamloops Infant Development Program as an Infant Development Consultant. Through this position I am working on a diploma in Infant Development and Supported Child Care through UBC distance education. I just completed my first three credits of this program at a summer institute specifically on autism held at UBC. My job allows me to take part in many conferences and training opportunities that address an extensive variety of subject matter such as assessment and screening tools for infants, community programming, and information on specific developmental delays. At the TRU 2003 convocation, only one student from the BNRSc program had managed to secure full-time employment in natural resources and it wasn’t me. I decided to go to seminary—it was a God-thing, really. I had met my wife, Alexandra, while studying at TRU, we were expecting our first child and both carried student loans. I am now doing my last year of full-time studies to complete my Master of Divinity at ACTS Seminaries in Langley and we are expecting our third child. I plan to work in the fields of social and environmental justice through a Christian organization. I am sure my background in forestry and natural resource sciences will be instrumental in my future, I’m just not sure how yet. I graduated from TRU in 1999 with a BSN and worked in Kamloops as a community mental health nurse. Later I moved to various cities and provinces, but I am now settled in Edmonton and work in the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Alberta. 22 In my new home I completed a Master Degree in Health Promotion at the University of Alberta focusing on the experiences of Ugandan nurses caring for individuals with HIV and AIDS. I have worked overseas with MSF (Doctors without Borders) and co- founded an international not-for-profit organization called ‘The Child Is Innocent,” supporting quality education for children living in Northern Uganda who are at risk of being abducted by rebel soldiers. To find out more please visit www. thechildisinnocent.ca. Presently, I divide my time between Edmonton and Uganda. Alumni Association AGM, September 18, 2006. Call 828-5498 for more information. of dr e r w o eams p the Civic Odyssey Fit value va sharing excellent value quality ality y involvment high quality community involvement Kamloops Honda Proudly Supports Thompson Rivers University... Through our Unique High School Bursary Program! IN COME SK ... about our popular Honda Canada Graduate AND A Assistance Program. Available up to 4 years after graduation. 1308 Josep Way Kamloops, BC V2H 1N6 250-374-2688 Fax: 250-374-3656 Toll Free 1-888-575-1648 Email: info@kamloopshonda.bc.ca Web: www.kamloopshonda.bc.ca DL#7097 23 Thompson Rivers University alumni get all the good deals! Have you taken advantage of them yet? Thanks to your alumni status, you and your family are entitled to great rates on these valuable insurance plans: Term Life Disability Major Accident Protection Critical Illness Health & Dental NEW AND IMPROVED! 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