Students in one of the EUReKA! camps from 2011 pose by the Health & Sciences sign outside the Science building.

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) this morning announced the results of its 2011 PromoScience Program Competition at the Canada-Wide Science Fair in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Among the winners, is the TRU Faculty of Science, which has been awarded $11,400 to expand its EUReKA! Science Program for middle school aged children.

The EUReKa! Science Program, started at TRU in 1996, is designed to teach children about the wonders of science. Through hands-on workshops EUReKA! has opened the door to a possible career in science, technology or engineering for hundreds of elementary school kids.

The new funding will be used to support travel to rural population centres outside of Kamloops, with a plan to increase the involvement of under-represented rural and Aboriginal youth.

The program activities will focus on one-hour-long science investigation (CSI type) workshops that will inform students about the job possibilities that come with training in the field of science.

EUReKA! is a non-profit, student-run organization operated by the TRU Faculty of Science. This new initiative, directed at the middle school age group, is provided free of charge to participants.

Teachers of students in grades 7 -10 that wish to have EUReKA! organize science workshops at their school can contact the TRU Faculty of Science, EUReKA! program.

MORE INFORMATION
Janice Karpluk, BHE, M.Ed.
Administrative Coordinator
Faculty of Science and EUReKA!
Thompson Rivers University
T: 250-371-5747
E:  jkarpluk@tru.ca

Karalyn Mayne
Director of the EUReKA! Science Program
Thompson Rivers University
T: 250-371-5534
E:eureka@tru.ca

Brenda Craig
Media and Communications Supervisor
Thompson Rivers University
T: 250-371-5897
C:250-319-5248
E: bcraig@tru.ca

The Brown Family House of Learning has won awards from a couple prestigious library assocaitions.

The sweeping arc and strong lines of  The Brown Family House of Learning have impressed two library associations in recent weeks, resulting in an award and magazine spotlight.

The BC Library Association officially bestowed the Merit Award for Building Projects for 2011 to TRU at its annual conference May 11-12 in Richmond.

In the Feb. 28 edition of its online magazine, American Libraries, which is the magazine for the American Library Association, featured The Brown Family House of Learning in its The Shape of Things category as part of its Library Design Showcase 2012.

In its 24th year, the ALA showcase is a celebration of the best new and renovated libraries North America has to offer.

The Brown Family House of Learning was designed by Toronto firm Diamond and Schmitt Architects.

St. Pierre is a journalist, author and former BC Liberal Member of Parliament. Born in Chicago in 1923, and raised in Nova Scotia, St. Pierre did a brief stint in the Canadian military before he began his newspaper career in British Columbia in 1945.

A columnist with the Vancouver Sun for almost 30 years, St. Pierre is best known for his fictional account of life in the Cariboo-Chilcotin. His novella, Breaking Smith’s Quarter Horse, later became a Hollywood film starring Glenn Ford, and Chief Dan George in his breakthrough role as a First Nations actor cast as a First Nations character. In the 1960s, CBC produced a TV series called Cariboo Country, written by St. Pierre and based on his stories. In 1968, St. Pierre was elected as a Liberal MP in the Trudeau government in the riding of Coast-Chilcotin. He later served as a BC Police Commissioner from 1979-83.

St. Pierre was the first Canadian winner of the Western Writers of America Spur Award for his 1983 novella, Smith and Other Events. In 2000, he received the George Woodcock Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding literary career in British Columbia. In 2011, he was presented with the Key to the Cariboo-Chilcotin, and the Key to the City of Williams Lake, for his contributions to the region.

Paul St. Pierre embodies TRU’s commitment to community, diversity, and citizenship.

Four other Honorary Doctorates to be announced later will be awarded at the TRU 2012 Spring Convocation at the Kamloops Campus on June 14 and 15.

MORE INFORMATION
Brenda Craig
Interim Media and Communications Supervisor

Thompson Rivers University
T: 250-377-5897
C: 250-574-7080
Bcraig@tru.ca

Grace Simpson
Campus Coordinator
Williams Lake Campus
Thompson Rivers University
T: 250.392.8002
Gsimpson@tru.ca

A scene from the June 2011 final performance.

For the second year in a row, dozens of Indonesian students will be in Kamloops for much of June as they immerse themselves in Canadian culture.

Last year 140 students from the International Islamic Education Council (IIEC) in Indonesia were here for part of May and much of June as they attended classes and took in a range of activities. And as a way of saying “thank you” to everyone, the students put on a final performance at TRU’s Alumni Theatre. This time around, 182 are scheduled to be in town.

This year, students will be in Kamloops for 29 days from May 28 to June 27. Among the highlights will be a cultural performance for the community on June 21 at the Sagebrush Theatre from 1-3:30pm. View or download the full-size poster.

Poster for the community performance on June 21 at the Sagebrush Theatre. The event starts at 1pm and admission is free.

Among the non-academic immersion activities scheduled for around Kamloops: pool and court games at the Tournament Capital Centre, exploring around Kamloops, line dancing, horseback riding, and their performance on June 21.

Their stay in British Columbia includes time in the Lower Mainland where they will among other stops, tour Vancouver, the Capilano Suspension Bridge, and Stanley Park.

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Photos from 2011’s
final performance
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“We are researching very complex problems here at TRU that will only be solved by taking an interdisciplinary and international approach,” said Dr. Alan Shaver, TRU President and Vice-Chancellor last summer during a ceremony to extend the agreement. “Indonesia is a distinctive and vibrant country and this agreement offers another dimension to the globalization of our campus.”

At that ceremony, said Sri Indah Permata, Vice President, IIEC, said: “We have noticed such a change in the students that were here in June. Not only did they receive proper academic education and improve their English skills, these students came home with greater confidence.”

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Jianbiao Ma (left), President of Tianjin University of Technology (China) and TRU President Alan Shaver discuss the importance of continuing the strong relationship between the two universities.

Tianjin University officials visited TRU on April 26, 2012 and among the appointments was a private meeting with TRU President Alan Shaver.

Amidst the discussion was the importance of maintaining and building on the strong relationship between the two universities.

Earlier in the day at lunch, the group met with Lian Dumouchel (Tourism Management), Bernie Warren (Business), Agnes Hsu (TRU World), and Pat Hennelly (Men’s Volleyball Head Coach). Later in the day, the delegation met with faculty members from TRU’s School of Business and Economics.

Included in the delegation from Tianjin was the university’s:

• Dean of International College of Business and Technology, Wendy Fu
• Dean for School of Mechanical Engineering and School of Fine Arts, Xinhua Zhao
• Dean for School of Electrical Engineering, Yunliang Wang
• Deputy Director, Office of Graduate Studies, Lijian Bie
• Translator, Office of International Relations, Tiangang Li

Translating for the visitors was Baihua Chadwick, Vice Chair: Director, International for TRU.

TRU campus map showing buildings, a range of services, parking, bus stops, and more.

Download this map through TRU Facilities webpages

Network maintenance at TRU on May 12 means there will be internet interruptions.

The following important announcement is from TRU’s Information Technology department

IT Services will be doing maintenance on our campus network. Network and some telephone services (IP phone sets), as well as the wireless and student residence networks will be affected by this outage.

This will affect students (Campus and OL), staff, faculty, and Open Learning faculty. The work will begin at 7am on Saturday, May 12 and is expected to be completed by 5pm.

During this time there will be limited or no access to

• myTRU.ca
• moodle.tru.ca
• blackboard.tru.ca
• Banner
• FAST
• On Line Registration
• www.tru.ca
• and other network services

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Faculty and staff is reminded to turn off all computing equipment
(PCs, Macs, Printers, etc.) when leaving the office on Friday, May 11
____________________________________________________

This outage will provide enhanced network redundancy and stability. Contact IT Servicdes directly with any concerns or questions.

MORE INFORMATION
Wes Cole, Director, Network and Technical Services
250-828-5322
wcole@tru.ca

David Burkholder, Manager, Learning and Communications Systems
250-828-5324
dburkholder@tru.ca

____________________________________________________
A word from TRU Communications…
Luckily, our external services will not. If you’re bored check out our awesome photos on flickr____________________________________________________

The 19th Annual SILS Conference will bring together scholars, language activists, language teachers, Elders, students and others from North America and around the world interested in the revitalization of Indigenous languages.

The conference offers the opportunity to explore language in the context of culture, community, and research.

This is the third time in the conference’s 19-year history that it has been held in Canada.

SILS features presentations and papers from across the spectrum of Indigenous language from traditional teaching and learning to research, from language preservation innovations to best practices, from formal to informal presentations and workshops.

Two keynote addresses (see below) are scheduled in addition to speakers from across Canada, the US, and other locations the likes of Chile and New Zealand.

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Conference schedule | Official website
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SILS features presentations and papers across the spectrum of Indigenous language from traditional teaching and learning to research, from language preservation innovations to best practices, from formal to informal presentations and workshops. The speakers are from across Canada and the US, and more remote locations such as Chile and New Zealand and offer the opportunity to explore language in the context of culture, community, and research.
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Keynote speaker
Lorna Williams — “Ti nsùpumlhkalha, The Breathe of Life. Our Languages, Our Voice”

9:30am, Friday, May 18 — Irving K. Barber BC Centre — Watch live

Stories will be told of how the re-awakening, recovering, revitalizing and sustaining the Indigenous languages of this land has been energized by the determination of individuals, communities and institutions. The stories can inspire the continued work to honour, celebrate and strengthen languages.
Read more

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Keynote speaker
Jeannette Armstrong — “Recovery of Everyday Language Use: Adult Fluency Building”

9am — Saturday, May 19 — Irving K. Barber BC Centre — Watch live

Armstrong is the Executive Director of En’owkin Centre, the cultural research and education facility of the Okanagan Nation as well as a faculty member in Indigenous Studies at the University of British Columbia Okanagan. She has been instrumental in the research and implementation of a successful nsyilxcen adult language fluency and revitalization program.
Read more

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MORE INFORMATION
Jack Miller
Thompson Rivers University
Kamloops BC
jamiller@tru.ca

_________________________________
Conference schedule | Official website
_________________________________

Screengrab from a sports feature on Tyler Lowey.

TRU WolfPack baseball player Tyler Lowey lost an eye in a game in October 2011 and vowed he would return. And he has.

Watch the video below for his inspiring story and the words from his teammates and coaches.

You can catch Lowey (#9) and and the WolfPack as they host to the Canadian College Baseball Conference championships, May 10-13, at Norbrock Stadium.

Renée Anderson

TRU School of Nursing’s Renée Anderson was among the 45 nurses recognized for excellence at the annual College of Registered Nurses of B.C. (CRNBC) awards ceremony on April 19, 2012 at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

Anderson, a well-respected lecturer is known for having a special talent for passing knowledge on to her students. While her focus is on nursing education, she also remains a professional nurse in acute care on a casual basis with the Royal Inland Hospital, translating an incredible amount of nursing knowledge into high-quality, front-line patient care.

Anderson received the Award of Excellence in Nursing Education.

Through the CRNBC Nursing Excellence Awards registered nurses honour colleagues for outstanding contributions to the nursing profession and for demonstrating excellence in relation to the CRNBC Professional Standards for Registered Nurses and Nurse Practitioners.

The College of Registered Nurses of B.C. is the regulatory body for more than 39,000 registered nurses, nurse practitioners and licensed graduate nurses in British Columbia. 2012 marks 100 years of nursing regulation in British Columbia.

Nominate someone for a 2013 Distinguished Alumni Award

Past winners

Videos below of the 2012 winners

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Thompson Rivers University Alumni and Friends Association recognized its Distinguished Alumni for 2012 during a dinner in their honour on Friday, April 13 in the TRU Grand Hall.

See below for short biographies on each as well as a short videos providing a glimpse of each.

The event also featured a keynote address by Ian Hanomansing of CBC on the “Five Things that Make Canada Great that Most of Us Take for Granted.”

Over the past 16 years 61 alumni, two student leaders, two community groups, and three faculty have been selected to receive 70 of these prestigious awards.

The 2012 winners are:

Amanda Jones

BSC in progress
Neil Russell Student Leadership Award

A chemistry major, Amanda has been an active volunteer in the community and on campus, mentoring first year science students, volunteering with the Chemistry/Biochemistry Club, assisting elderly patients in residential care and coaching with Kamloops Minor Hockey. As a Supplemental Learning Leader she went beyond running study sessions to recruiting other student leaders as a means of sustaining the program.

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Raj Chahal

BSW 2002
Grace Chronister Award

Raj Chahal completed her degree while working for the Ministry of Children and Family Development. In 2006 she joined Royal Inland Hospital, where she has three roles: Parkview Child and Adolescent Team Leader, Social Work Head of Psychiatry, and designated social worker for the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Unit. Raj works with children and youth living with mental illness, supporting individuals, families, teachers, physicians, and other community professionals, and providing advocacy through education.

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Paul Houle

BSc 2001
Science Research Award

Soon after graduating from TRU with a BSc in organic chemistry, Paul Houle launched his career as an analytical chemist when he led a national survey of pharmaceutical contaminants in municipal water supplies. He has worked in conjunction with the RCMP forensic lab and has testified as an expert witness in the measurement of ultra-trace contaminants. Head-hunted by the oil and gas industry as a drilling fluids chemist, he patented an environmentally-friendly drilling fluid additive and has published two papers.

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James McCreath

BJour 2002
Community Service Award

James McCreath’s love of sport and education has led him to spearhead a wide variety of initiatives in support of his community. An athlete and a graduate of TRU’s Bachelor of Journalism program, James used his leadership and communications skills honed as a soccer coach and sports writer to raise funds and create programs for KidSport Calgary, an organization ensuring all kids are able to afford organized sports. He visits youth groups every month as a member of the speaker’s bureau for Volunteer Calgary, and sits on the fund development committee for Education Matters, Calgary’s public education trust.

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KPMG

Community Milestone Achievement Award

Making a difference in the communities it serves is one of KPMG’s long-standing values. Their community leadership in Kamloops has included giving their time and support to TRU students year after year. KPMG staff regularly sit on committees, volunteer many hours at fundraising and networking events, guest-lecture in business and co-op classes, provide coaching for competitions and presentations, and mentor students. Four staff members volunteered as one-on-one mentors to students in 2011, and KPMG coaches helped BBA students win a spot in the Case Competition finals. The organization also supported student learning through a sizable donation to the construction of the Brown Family House of Learning.

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MORE INFORMATION
Arlene Olynyk,
TRU Alumni Officer,
(p)250-828-5498
(e) aolynyk@tru.ca
www.tru.ca/alumni

__________________________________________________

Nominate someone for a 2013 Distinguished Alumni Award

Past winners

__________________________________________________

B.C. Premier Christy Clark announces $1.6 millon in funding towards equipment operator programs at TRU.

The logging industry in British Columbia has begun to recover from the effects of the pine beetle infestation and the housing market crash of the past year, but now faces another challenge: a shortage of skilled heavy equipment operators and logging truck drivers. A skills shortage in the Thompson-Nicola and Cariboo regions could mean its communities miss out on the benefits of the lumber industry’s recovery.

Thompson Rivers University has developed three new programs that hope to address the skills shortages in forestry and other industries, and support communities in the university’s region. The provincial government announced on May 4, 2012 it will commit $1.6 million to these programs through the Canada-British Columbia Labor Market Agreement.

“Our government is proud to support Thompson Rivers University students by investing in skills training for jobs in high demand,” said Premier Christy Clark. “Access to training programs like the ones offered at TRU is the first step in helping meet the continued demand for skilled workers in priority industries like mining and forestry.”

The funding will cover seat costs for training unemployed non-EI eligible and underemployed individuals to become heavy equipment operators and logging truck drivers in the forest sector as well as heavy equipment operators in the civil and mining sector.

“TRU is an educational keystone of the Cariboo region. This funding will help expand forestry and build on existing trade advances,” said Cariboo MLA Donna Barnett. “I’m thrilled the Province is able to support the university in such a fashion.”

TRU’s School of Trades and Technology in Kamloops and the Williams Lake campus are taking applications now for the new Heavy Equipment Operator – Forest Harvesting program (HEOF) and the Logging Truck Driver Training program (LTDTP), developed in partnership with the Interior Logging Association specifically for the forest-harvesting sector. The HEOF program is designed to give students experience through operating at an actual logging production site. Developed in collaboration with contractors and licensees in both regions, the LTDTP includes Class 1 driver training, logging truck driver training, and mentorship.

“This training could not occur at a better time,” said Dean of Trades Lindsay Langill, who is in China working with TRU’s international partners. “Seeing the economic boom in China and tens of thousands of tower cranes in the air, our forestry program will help supply the international markets with a needed product. This is an area where TRU thrives: listening and moving quickly in response to the needs of industry”.

Addressing skills shortages in mining, road building, and construction, TRU partnered with the BC Aboriginal Mine Training Association two years ago to develop the Heavy Equipment Operator – Civil and Mining program, which includes operating experience at a civil/mining work site. Both the heavy equipment operator programs are recognized by the Industry Training Authority (ITA).

“Anyone wondering what career path to follow should consider that the number of apprentices in these programs has doubled in just eight years,” noted Kamloops-South Thompson MLA Kevin Krueger. “This is where the jobs are, and this is where the jobs of the foreseeable future will be.”

PROGRAM START DATES
The LTDTP program begins in May and will be offered at both the Kamloops and Williams Lake campuses with several intakes.
The HEOF starts in Kamloops in August, and in 100 Mile in January. The Heavy Equipment Operator – Civil and Mining program will be offered at the New Gold New Afton mine site outside of Kamloops starting in June, and in Clearwater starting in March of 2013.
These employment-ready programs will provide students with a solid foundation in safety and equipment maintenance, and enable those who live in these regions to obtain well-paying jobs without having to move away from their communities.

Terry Lake, Minister of Environment and MLA for Kamloops-North Thompson, said “TRU is positioning itself to prepare British Columbians for the coming job market. The forest and mining sector will face a serious need for skilled labour, and people looking for a good, well-paying career would be well advised to consider these programs at TRU.”

MORE INFORMATION

Lindsay Langill
Dean of Trades
School of Trades and Technology
Thompson Rivers University
E-mail: lblangill@tru.ca
Tel: 250-828-5110

Gillian Watt
Forestry Training Program Manager
School of Trades and Technology
Thompson Rivers University
E-mail: gwatt@tru.ca
Tel: 250-828-5106

__________________________________________________
Learn more about heavy equipment operator programs at TRU
__________________________________________________

Logging Truck Driver program stakeholders gather for a photo. Pictured is (back row), Dan Weks (Driver), Rick Welke (West Fraser) Larry Price (Tolko), and Tom Hoffman (Tolko). In the front row: Trudy Temple (Tolko), and Shirley-Pat Gale (TRU North).

The TRU Bachelor of Fine Art graduating class presents Every Part is Crucial, an exhibition of their work. The show runs April 27 through May 5 at the TRU Art Gallery and in the nearby studio spaces. Hours are 9am to 5pm.

Following are some pieces from the show:

Titled ‘International Research Institute – Language, Culture and Community: Building Collaborative Research Opportunities’, the conference will showcase not only scholarly activities of faculty, students, and international partners, but also include research reports, performances, and discussion activities.

July 9 has been set aside for post-Institute activities, and will include the formation of research and practitioner teams, and the design of ongoing collaborative initiatives.

MORE INFORMATION
Conference Contact
Sofi Almers, Conference Coordinator
Faculty of Human, Social, and Educational Development
Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops. BC
Phone: 250 377-6030 | Email: lcc@tru.ca

Website | Program (prelim.) | Call for papers | Registration | Accommodation

View the 2011 program | View photos from the 2011 conference

Image of high altitude balloon captured on a GoPro camera. The balloon was part of a directed studies project by TRU physics students Thompson Rivers University TRU physics students Adam Limber and Scott Sternig launched a high-altitude balloon in April and with it, not only completed their directed studies course, but became the first physics students at TRU to have a successful flight. Read more

The following was submitted by Mark Paetkau,
Lecturer, Department of Physics

TRU physics students Adam Limber and Scott Sternig launched a high-altitude balloon in April and with it, not only completed their directed studies course, but became the first physics students at TRU to have a successful flight.

The balloon and payload reached an altitude of 98,000 feet and was recovered after returning to earth via parachute. The balloon was launched in Strathmore, Alberta and after a three-hour flight, landed 60 kilometres east of the launch site.

The students had been working on the project since September and created electronics to measure pressure, temperature and cosmic rays events, as well as a data logger to record the information.

A Go-Pro camera was also part of the payload and took some fantastic images of near space. With the success of this first flight, there are plans to create a multidisciplinary High Altitude Balloon program at TRU by building on the infrastructure created by Limber and Sternig .

HIGH FIVES
A big thanks to Prof. Norm Reed whose ham radio operator status made this mission possible.

MORE INFORMATION
Normand Fortier or Mark Paetkau in the Department of Physics at TRU.

Normand Fortier
Lecturer, Department of Physics
nfortier@tru.ca
250-828-5404

Mark Paetkau
Assistant Professor, Department of Physics
mpaetkau@tru.ca
250-828-5453

View the schedule

The annual Day of Arts and Science on May 5, 2012 is an opportunity for high school students to experience TRU through a day of classes and activities.

Among the classes:

Learn about the “Philosophy of Sex and Love”
Learn how to write for a living from a journalist
Learn about hugs to bugs, spays to x-rays in animal health technology
Learn why small is beautiful in micro biology
Discover your creative side in our Visual Arts and Theatre workshops
Draws / Prizes / Give aways

View the schedule

Pre registration is required. Contact your High School Counsellor/Co-ordinator who will assist you, or contact Janice Karpluk at TRU by email: jkarpluk@tru.ca

Some of what will be available during the plant sale on May 5.

The ever popular TRU Horticulture and Friends of the Garden plant sale returns this Saturday with a few thousand plants for sale.

When: Saturday, May 5

Time: 9am – 1pm

Where: Horticulture Greenhouse by House 10 on campus

There will be an assortment of annuals, herbs, tomatoes, perennials, ornamental grasses, and hanging baskets.

Prices range from $2 for perennials, tomatoes etc, to $15 for the hanging baskets.

Method of payment: Visa, MasterCard, cheque or cash only (no debit at this time)

The event attracts upwards of 400 people each year, with a portion of the money raised going towards the beautification of the Horticulture area. An example is the pond created last year.

Pictured here is the Top 3 finishers in the junior category of the regional portion of the B.C. High School Math Contest. Left to right: Rachel Wade (NorKam, Grade 10), Damian Halvorsen (South Kamloops Secondary, Grade 10), and Brian Langevin (St. Ann's Academy, Grade 10). Halverson was first, Langevin second, and Wade third. For their efforts, each received a math book.

Pictured here is the Top 3 finishers in the senior category of the regional portion of the B.C. High School Math Contest. Left to right: Hayley Tomkins (South Kamloops Secondary, Grade 12), Keiran Rutherford (NorKam, Grade 12), and David Langevin (St. Ann's Academy, Grade 12). Tomkins finished first, Rutherford second, and Langevin third. For their efforts, each took home a math book and a $1,200 tuition credit to TRU.

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The following article was published May 2, 2012

Dozens of high school math whizzes will be at Thompson Rivers University this week to write the regional final of the B.C. Secondary School Mathematics Contest.

The May 4 event will bring 71 students from 11 schools and 4 school districts to the Kamloops campus for what also doubles as a celebration of math and problem solving. The contest has a component for students in the junior grades (8-10) and those in senior (11-12).

A portion of the senior exam for 2011's final.

“The day at TRU enjoyed by the final round of participants is really quite special,” said Rick Brewster, one of the TRU organizers and Chair of the Mathematics and Statistics Department at TRU. “These students may write many contest throughout the year, but this is the only event where they spend a day at the organizing university.”

Students from all over the region spend the day with professional mathematicians, but more importantly, they meet other kids who also enjoy math. The day includes writing the contest, lunch and puzzles, plus an enrichment talk before wrapping-up with the awards. This year Dr. Fok-Shuen Leung from UBC will present the enrichment talk to the students.

The contest was started 40 years ago by Cariboo College faculty member Dr. John Ciriani. The contest was copied by other colleges and eventually under the leadership of TRU’s Dr. Jim Totten the contest became a province wide event. This year more than 2,000 students across BC wrote the preliminary exam in March. The May 4 final round is being held simultaneously at colleges and university throughout B.C.

Bragging rights aside, top finishers in the preliminary or final round receive book prizes. As a bonus to the seniors, the Top 3 will receive a shared of $1,200 in scholarships to attend TRU.

Hosting the final round at TRU allows the students to learn more about what the university has to offer be it course offerings, instructors and faculty, class spaces, clubs, and student support services. As for jobs in the field, students learn that mathematicians can work in an array of jobs and careers such as education, business and management, government, engineering, law enforcement, research and development, medicine, operations research, actuarial science, and the military.

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How good are your math skills?
Take a test
from previous years.
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“Some of the participants may consider pursuing studies in mathematics, and hopefully TRU is on their radar,” said Brewster, adding that, “our top graduates get recruited by excellent grad schools throughout Canada.” Indeed the contest’s alumni includes several professors of mathematics.

Contest organizing chair Sonja Hot said the longevity of the event speaks volumes to the passion and dedication TRU faculty have for their profession and the bright young minds coming up. “The feedback from the students is wonderful,” said Hot. “When you hear ‘I didn’t think a math contest could be so much fun!’, you have a sense that we are on the right track for another 40 years.”

The four school districts to write at TRU will be School District 73 (Kamloops-Thompson), 27 (Cariboo-Chilcotin), 58 (Nicola-Similkameen), and 74 (Gold Trail).

MORE INFORMATION
Dr. Richard Brewster
Chair, Department of Mathematics and Statistics
Thompson Rivers University

phone: 250 828 5215

A student works on a solar panel as part of a TRU Electrical Foundation practicum in Mexico.

The following article is scheduled to appear in the next edition of Bridges Magazine. Bridges is a publication by TRU’s Alumni & Friends Association. Read previous editions of Bridges.

By Diana Skoglund

When TRU Electrical Foundation students travelled to one of the least developed areas in Mexico to install solar panels, it wasn’t just the villagers who saw the light and were inspired.

Six simple homes in Olivos de Sol each received one solar panel, a charge controller, a storage battery and a few lights through the efforts of nine TRU students, their two instructors and the coordination of Experanza. A small village, Olivos de Sol is not a long way from the country’s power grid, but with a cost of upwards of $20,000 US, the 300 to 500 meters to the hydro line might as well be 300 to 500 kilometres. For the first time the families living there have light in the evenings and the ability to charge cellular phones and similar devices without hearing the drone of a generator.

________________________________
Learn more about
Construction Electrical Foundation at TRU

Learn more about Foundation at TRU

Learn more about Trades at TRU
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“The students could see right away how their newly acquired skills (their trade) could make a difference in other people’s lives,” said Dana McIntrye, one of two electrical trades instructors who organized and took part in the first international field school opportunity for TRU trades students. “Put simply, with the students’ help, children in Olivos de Sol are able to read in the evening and the craft economy may be able to expand.”

For electrical instructor Steven Benoit, the trip amplified the level of student engagement and raised the bar for student-teacher relationships. “Like the students, we were immersed in the community and culture and had the profound growth experience that is an inevitable part of these trips,” said Benoit. “Getting to know these students and the people we worked with in Olivos de Sol has given me greater empathy towards students and people in general.”

The practicum field trip was Travis Johnston’s first trip to Mexico. The 30-year-old, second year electrical apprentice is pleased that his first impression of the destination holiday hotspot was authentic, not a resort community swarming with tourists sporting sunburns and tropical cocktails.

An interest in smart home technology lured Johnston to learn the electrical trade. What is really smart, he concedes, is that families living in the modest homes he worked on in Mexico will never be billed for their utilities. He and his classmates worked alongside the homeowners, who when employed, may have earned $12 per day. The experience changed him, he said. He is looking to go back again, hopefully in August, to help build houses.

“People all around the world know something about Western culture from television. We, on the other hand, don’t usually know much about how the rest of the world lives. This exposure, combined with the adventure of a new place, is what makes the international practicum such a rich learning environment,” McIntyre said reflectively.

The experience opened the students and instructors up to seeing themselves and the world in a new way. As they installed the solar panels, they trained community members to maintain the equipment to ensure sustainability. Adding this teaching component instilled a sense of pride and value for the homeowners in their recent skill acquisition.

Although the applications of solar technologies are easily transferable to remote BC communities, Tawny Fortier is confident the experience will transfer well on many other levels.

A single mom, Fortier had spent some time during the last three summers job-shadowing BC Hydro’s electricians. As she neared the end of her Foundation Electrical Trades Program, she jumped at the chance to travel to Mexico for the project. “I knew going into trades that I needed good communication skills, be willing to relocate for work and adapt to new environments and learn to improvise. We experienced all that in Mexico.”

Fortier said they all also experienced a profound sense of belonging as each family welcomed them with open hearts. She was struck by how friendly and happy the people where, despite having so little. “This was a nice gift because they don’t have to use candles anymore and they are one step closer to having things just a little easier for them.”

TRU Trades worked with Experanza International, partners with Fundación Experanza de México, A.C., a non-profit organization registered in Mexico. Not religiously or politically affiliated, the group was founded in 1990. Similar to Habitat for Humanity, they harness volunteer sweat equity to stimulate sustainable development of Mexican families by building homes with the homeowners.

Travel costs were kept to $1,500 for each student, which included airfare, land transportation, and meals and accommodation at the site. Tools and safety gear were packed alongside sandals and t-shirts. The solar components for the project were bought at a hardware store in Rio Grande. This was one time when you didn’t rush out of the store to get out to the job site; there was no big box hardware store to run to if an item was forgotten.

Expectations for the trip were for the students to learn as much or more from the locals as the families learned from the delegation from TRU. On non-work days the group participated in guided aboriginal cultural trips provided by the host, Experanza. One moonlit night they released newly hatched endangered sea turtles into the ocean. It’s a memory Fortier will cherish forever.

As for outcomes, Dana McIntyre summed it up this way, “This trip accomplished so much. Not only have we trained electricians, we will be graduating students with world citizenship attitudes.”

SIDEBAR: Clean Energy for Developing Communities
Steve Benoit was in Mexico as the Electrical Instrumentation instructor. For many years he has developed and taught the Water Treatment Technician programs delivered to operators of the small waste water and drinking water facilities in small, rural, often First Nation communities throughout the province. It’s a background that has inspired his plans to move solar power into larger systems to operate small medical clinics, water treatment plants and public buildings such as schools and community centres. A clean energy, with no carbon footprint, solar power is ideal for developing communities like Olivos de Sol to grow their economies without the financial burden of connecting to the existing hydro power infrastructure. Benoit and McIntyre intend to make this an ongoing relationship so these larger projects can be part of future field schools.

SIDEBAR: Innovating Learning Opportunities
The School of Trades and Technology’s practicum to Mexico is one of TRU’s most recent international academic development initiatives. This pilot project is designed to offer students increased opportunities to enrich their educational experience by incorporating international, intercultural and/or global dimensions to their program of study. One of a growing number of innovative learning opportunities being developed at TRU, this project is in support of its recently approved Academic Plan. Other international academic development initiatives currently under consideration include a volunteer for credit course, double and joint program offerings at the undergraduate and graduate level, blended course delivery models, and increased international mobility opportunities for students and faculty.

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Learn more about
Construction Electrical Foundation at TRU

Learn more about Foundation at TRU

Learn more about Trades at TRU
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Dr. Roger Barnsley (middle) receives a Community Achievement Award from the provincial government. Also in the photo: (left to right) Ida Chong, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development and Steven L. Point, OBC, Lieutenant Governor of B.C.

Former TRU president Dr. Roger Barnsley received a B.C. Community Achievement Award on April 24 from the provincial government for his leadership in expanding TRU as a university and for creating an internationally-recognized university.

Also honoured was David Dickson, a member of TRU’s Board of Governors. He lives in Williams Lake. As Safer Communities Coordinator with the Williams Lake RCMP, he has helped reduce crime through crime prevention programs.
The awards were announced in March of this year.
The following paragraphs from the Government of B.C. website explain why each was honoured…

DR. ROGER BARNSLEY
A visionary educator, Dr. Roger Barnsley provided leadership for the growth and success of Thompson Rivers University (TRU). His substantial achievements as president and vice-chancellor include the transition of TRU into an internationally recognized university, the expansion of the BC Open University Distance curriculum, the support for Aboriginal learning and the recognition of Kamloops as a modern university city.

DAVID DICKSON
David Dickson is committed to the safety of the citizens of Williams Lake. As Safer Communities Coordinator working with the Williams Lake RCMP, David has initiated and expanded programs that have positively contributed to the reduction in crime in the area. As well, David is the director of the Williams Lake Emergency Support Services Team and serves as a Governor on the Board of Thompson Rivers University.

AMBO DHALIWAL
Also recognized with a BC Service Award is Ambo Dhaliwal. She has spent decades building bridges between diverse communities. A founding member of the Kamloops Multicultural Society, she was among the first to see the importance of providing integration services for new Indo-Canadians and continues to work foster multiculturalism as a part of healthy community. She is a generous TRU donor, a Gala Committee organizer, a TRU Foundation member and a key contact for the Saba Dhaliwal Memorial Bursary.

Students swab a petri dish during a previous summer camp.

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Details and download the application form
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Aboriginal high school students in grades 8-10 have the opportunity to experience a science and health science camp at TRU this summer.

Summer Camp in Science and Health Science for Aboriginal High School Students runs Aug. 6-11, with students to stay at the TRU Residence and Conference Centre.

Register by May 1 and receive the early bird registration fee of $100. After that, the price is $175. The final day to be considered for the camp is June 15.

Among the other activities planned during the week: rock climbing, swimming at the Canada Games Pool, and hiking in Lac du Bois grasslands.

Among the sponsors: Vancouver Foundation, Domtar, School District 73 and TRU’s Faculty of Science, its School of Nursing, and its Aboriginal Education Centre.

More information:
Naowarat Cheeptham — ncheeptham@tru.ca
or Star Mahara — mahara@tru.ca

Tel: 250 828-5400
Fax:  250 828-5450
Faculty of Science
Thompson Rivers University

Email: ncheeptham@tru.car”>ncheeptham@tru.ca
or mahara@tru.ca

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Details and download the application form
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Montana Doell, one of 12 high school students to complete the Aboriginal TRU Start program at TRU. The one-semester program wrapped up this week.

Twelve Aboriginal high school students from Kamloops and area have just finished getting a jump-start on their university schooling thanks to a pilot project between Thompson Rivers University and School District 73.

The pilot—called Aboriginal TRU Start Program—saw the students take three university-level courses at TRU in order to experience university life. The program started in February and ends April 27 with a celebration lunch.

“This program has dual benefits to the students involved,” said Thompson Rivers University Dean of Students Christine Adam. “The students can apply the credits to their future in university and towards their high school completion.”

Some of the students involved had already planned to enter university, while others were on the fence.

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Read more about Montana Doell’s
experience with the Aboriginal TRU Start Program

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Students enrolled in English, biology and statistics courses and were provided with mentors to help with the transition from a high school learning environment to a university environment. Thompson Rivers University worked with the school district to develop course content that respects and integrates Aboriginal knowledge.

“We wanted the students to know that the stories and knowledge passed down by previous generations is valuable,” said Joanne Brown, coordinator of services for Aboriginal students.

With Aboriginal high school graduation rates lower than the national average, Deb Draney, District Principal – Aboriginal Education, hopes that the Aboriginal TRU Start Program will help to turn the tide locally.

“We are very proud of our students for their commitment to this program and for their accomplishments. The faculty and the support staff at TRU were exceptional. We plan to build on the success of this program.”

The pilot comes to a close on April 27, with a celebratory luncheon at the Gathering Place (Cplul’kw’ten,) at noon.

More Information

Joanne Brown
Co-ordinator of  Services for Aboriginal Students, TRU
250-828-7152

Christine Adam
Dean of Sudents, Faculty of Student Development, TRU
250-371-5860

Members of TRU's Cross Country Running team stand beside the map for the Kamloops Marathon (left to right): Rolena Debruyn, Jessie Paustian (black jacket, sunglasses), Francisco Canizzal, and Josh Oostenbrink.

TRU students in the Cross Country Running program will be able to tap into bursaries next year thanks to a partnership with the Kamloops Marathon.

Organizers announced today a portion of the proceeds will go to to help students in the Cross Country Running program, which typically goes September to mid-November of each year.

The Kamloops Marathon is scheduled for July 28-29 and will also feature distances of 5km, 10km, and a half marathon.

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View photos from previous seasons, including
the national championships held in Kamloops in 2011.
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Watch for more photos to be posted to this page.
In the meantime, see all photos.
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The Following were recognized:

Master Teacher Award — Peter Tsigaris

Peter Tsigaris

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Teaching Excellence Award — Renée Anderson, Rick Brewster

Renee Anderson

Rick Brewster

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Master Scholar Award — Peter Murphy

Peter Murphy

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Award for Excellence in Scholarship — Kingsley Donkor, Mohamed Tawhid

Kingsley Donkor

Mohamed Tawid

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Faculty Award for Excellence in Internationalization — David Scheffel

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Distinguished Service Award
Christine Anderson, Annette Dominik, Yoshie Ozawa

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Celebrating 35 Years of Service
Cheryl Lyall, Iris Rich

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Celebrating 30 Years of Service
Will Garrett-Petts, Allan Hneeda, Robert Lindsay, Scott Mann, Laurain Mills

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Celebrating 25 Years of Service
Gerald Allan, Linda Brunt, Anne Henry, Heather Noyes, Larry Peatt, Randy Porter, Mary Taitt, Bruce Thomson, Robert Verner, Troy Welch

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Celebrating 20 Years of Service
Robert Androkovich, Bruce Baugh, Jane Birkbeck, Devon Boucher, John Bryson, Ross Cloutier, Roger Collins, Michael Coyne, Ila Crawford, Joanne Doidge, Barbara Elliott, Marg Hanna, Adrian Higgins, Douglas Jontz, Kevin Joyce, Jacqueline Kampman, John Karakatsoulis, Bernie Kirkey, Lolina Koopmans, Dawn Lamore, David Lidster, Penny MacCourt, Reg Maidment, Marie Matthew, Maureen McCully, Susan McKay, Charlene Munro, Ross Nelson, Davina Neve, Cindy Piwowar, Lois Rugg, Mark Salopek, David Sheets, Michael Shields, Donald Sinclair, Iain Stewart-Patterson, Arlee Strachan, Donna Taylor, Rishma Vedd, Patrick Walton

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Celebrating 15 Years of Service
Hank Bangma, Katherine Bentley, Henedine Buktaw, Brian Buzdegan, Denise Comtois, Dorys Crespin-Mueller, Julie-Anne Dekowny, Janet Duerden, Louis Gosselin, Linda Huntington, Lawrence Iles, Cindy James, Margaret Johnson, Nina Johnson, Rhonda Johnson, Lorne Lazzarotto, Robert Madden, Vera Mazzei, Sharon Munk, Lanette Nordick, Linda Oliver, Evangelitsa Pappas, Nicholas Pawliuk, Barbara Pillar, Marie-Christine Rey-Bilbey, Donna Rosentreter, Pina Russo, Jonathon Shephard Lisa Smillie, Robin Tapley, Joanna Urban, Gilles Viaud Sheri Watson, Dianne West

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Celebrating 10 Years of Service
Anne Beveridge, Jason Brown, Stephanie Chaput, Naowarat (Ann) Cheeptham, Bruno Cinel, Rachelle Cornwell, Reyna Denison, Anton du Toit, Suzanne Farrell, Florriann Fehr, Heather Forrester, Karen Gamracy, Thomas Haag, Jon Heshka, Hung-Chi (Agnes) Hsu, Valerie Jacobs, Warveni Jap, Jenine Johnson, Douglas Knowles, Darlene Koss, Shari Laliberte, Ehsan Latif, Michael Lemphers, Anne MacDonald, Peggy McKimmon, Elizabeth Rennie, Cliff Robinson, Susan Ross, Aditya Sharma, Linda Shoults, Brenda Smith, Adriana Stefan, Murray Tamas, Mohamed Tawhid, Brenda Tremblay, Sonia Walczak, Ed Walker, Marnie Wright

Justice Marion Buller Bennett of the First Nations Court will give the keynote address as part of an Aboriginal restorative justice forum on May 3, 8:30am to 4pm, in the Irving K. Barber British Columbia Centre.

Justice Buller Bennett is described as being the only B.C. judge to embrace the principle of restorative justice for Aboriginal Peoples.

The forum will address issues of interest to those working with Aboriginal people in conflict with the law while specifically exploring the principles of Gladue. Those principles, adopted in 1999, apply to Aboriginal sentencing. Last month, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the principles must be considered in cases involving long-term violent offenders.

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Watch a video of a previous presentation by Justice Buller Bennett
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“This is an excellent opportunity to educate those involved in the criminal justice system and to expose the principles of Gladue as well as the day-to-day application,” said Linda Thomas, legal department manager with Tk’emlups te Secwepemc.

Judge Buller Bennett will talk about the Gladue Reports Panel, restorative justice in practice, and correctional and probation services for Aboriginal people.

The event is organized by the Tk’emlups te Secwepemc legal department in partnership with the Canadian Bar Association, the B.C. Legal Services Society and the Elizabeth Fry Society in Kamloops.