Annabel Lyon, author of the best-selling novel The Golden Mean, will give a public reading on Thursday, March 24, at 7:30 p.m. in the UPEI Faculty Lounge, Main Building.

Annabel Lyon burst on the literary scene in 2000 with a superb short story collection, Oxygen, and followed in 2004 with three novellas in The Best Thing for You. She then delved into classical Greece, researching the lives of the brilliant philosopher Aristotle and his most famous student, who would become Alexander the Great, and the result is her extraordinary first novel. The Golden Mean won the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize and was nominated for the Giller Prize, the Governor General's Award for Fiction, and the Commonwealth Writers' Prize.

A review in The New Yorker praises her 'vivid imagining of the encounter between Aristotle and the young Alexander....Lyon's evocation of the ancient world is earthy and immediate.' Alexander struggles between a keen mind that desires knowledge and the pressures of a society demanding his prowess as a soldier. Aristotle strives to match his ideas against the warrior culture that is Alexander's birthright - to instill in him 'the golden mean,' that elusive balance between extremes that Aristotle hopes will mitigate the boy's will to conquer. Lyon brilliantly shows how this relationship affects both men's lives, their ambitions, achievements, and disappointments, beyond the hours of tutoring.

Her reading is sponsored by the UPEI English Department with support from The Canada Council of the Arts. A reception and book signing will follow.

The UPEI Alumni Association will present its 2011 Distinguished Alumni Awards on Sunday, March 27 to the Honourable Marion Reid, Paul Jelley (posthumously), and Carrie-Ann Matheson, recipient of the inaugural ‘Inspiring Young Alumna Award.'

The public event begins at 7:00 pm in the Alex H. MacKinnon Auditorium in Don and Marion McDougall Hall on the UPEI campus and features a keynote address by Matheson, as part of the UPEI Student Union's Inspiring Alumni Speaker Series.

Both Reid and Jelley have contributed to their community and to the public service in a variety of ways. Reid is an educator and former lieutenant-governor and speaker of the PEI Legislative Assembly, while Jelley was a long-serving deputy minister in the government of Prince Edward Island. He passed away in 2009.

Matheson has reached great heights in the realm of classical music despite her young age. As assistant conductor of the Metropolitan Opera, this active performer has collaborated with renowned conductors and musicians from around the world.

Alumni Association President Perlene Morrison says, 'We are pleased to partner with the UPEI Student Union in honouring these three distinguished alumni. We invite everyone to attend this special event to be inspired by the significant contributions that our award recipients have made to Prince Edward Island and the global community.'

Student Union President Rob Livingstone adds, 'UPEI has so many graduates that have gone on to contribute great things to our community and to society. The Student Union is proud to be a part of celebrating the accomplishments of this year's recipients, and hopes that the event will inspire current students to dream big and achieve greatness as well.'

A reception will follow in Schurman Market Square.

For more information on this event, please contact Sjors Reijers, UPEI Alumni Officer, at sreijers@upei.ca

Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients for 2011

The Honourable Marion Reid, C.M., O.P.E.I.
Marion obtained her teacher's certificate from Prince of Wales College in 1946, and continued her education at both Saint Dunstan's University and UPEI over the decades that followed. In 1997, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from UPEI for her outstanding career as an educator and faithful representative for the people of Prince Edward Island. As a former member of the Legislative Assembly, first female speaker of the Provincial Legislature, and lieutenant-governor of Prince Edward Island, Marion has displayed the determination, integrity, and passion for public service that is an example for all graduates to follow.

In recent years, Marion has been honoured with the first PEI Red Cross Humanitarian of the Year award, an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Mount Saint Vincent University, and written a best-selling autobiography entitled These Roots Run Deep. She continues an active public life through speaking engagements and as co-Chair of the L.M. Montgomery Land Trust in their effort to ensure a piece of PEI's north shore will remain as it was during L.M. Montgomery's lifetime.

Paul Jelley
Paul received his Bachelor of Arts degree from UPEI in 1972. While at UPEI, he was a member of the varsity hockey team, and often said he obtained a degree in hockey. Paul later served as head coach of both junior and minor hockey teams, was a goaltender coach, and founder of a goaltending school. He also served in executive roles within the PEI sporting community, including as president of both Hockey PEI and Sport PEI.

Paul retired from the government of PEI in the spring of 2009 as deputy minister of finance, secretary to treasury board, and chairman of the master trust pension advisory committee. He served both the Robert Ghiz and Pat Binns governments in that capacity. From 2001 to 2004, Paul was PEI's deputy minister of development and technology. Premier Binns appointed him deputy minister of agriculture in 2000, bringing him back to the provincial government after 10 years as CEO of the Ottawa-based Canadian Broiler Hatching Egg Marketing Agency.

His dedication to the community, to his family, and to youth has made Paul a model graduate of the University of Prince Edward Island. Paul died in November 2009, and will be receiving this Distinguished Alumnus designation posthumously.

Carrie-Ann Matheson
Carrie-Ann graduated from UPEI in 1996 with a degree in Music. She is an assistant conductor at the Metropolitan Opera and is a member of the Met's select full-time regular music staff, where she works as pianist, prompter and vocal coach. She has assisted such renowned conductors as James Levine, Daniel Barenboim, James Conlon, Marco Armiliato, Fabio Luisi and Louis Langrée, among many others. Particularly interested in the development of emerging artists, she was staff coach of the Metropolitan Opera's prestigious Lindemann Young Artist Development Program; a position that was created for her upon the completion of two years as apprentice coach/pianist.

An active performer, Carrie-Ann has collaborated in recital with some of the world's most prominent artists, including Marilyn Horne, Diana Damrau, Joyce di Donato, Susan Graham, Barbara Bonney, and Ruth Ann Swenson. A long-standing Marilyn Horne Foundation artist, she has appeared numerous times at Carnegie Hall under their auspices. Her chamber music credits include performances with members of the New York Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra.

Carrie-Ann is also a faculty member at Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, California, and holds the position of head coach/head of music staff at Canada's Opera on the Avalon Festival. She has served on the coaching staff of the Los Angeles Opera, the Cincinnati May Festival and on the faculty of the Aspen Music Festival and the International Vocal Arts Institute where she worked in programs held in Israel, Italy, France, Japan, Canada and Puerto Rico. She was co-music director of the Centro Studi Italiani Opera Festival in Urbania, Italy and was producer and music director of 'Opera Night in Asia,' a series of concerts in China and the Philippines.

Carrie-Ann is a featured pianist and vocal coach in the Metropolitan Opera's film The Audition, which documents the 2007 Metropolitan Opera National Council Competition, and makes a cameo appearance, as herself, in the Met's HD release of Bellini's La sonnambula.

The University of Prince Edward Island is teaming up with The Gregg Centre for the Study of War and Society at the University of New Brunswick, HMCS Queen Charlotte, and the Prince Edward Island Regiment to host the 2nd Annual Atlantic Military Affairs Symposium, March 25-26, in Charlottetown.

The two-day event, themed 'Islanders at War and Peace,' highlights the Island's role in the defence of Canada and brings together academics, Island reservists, students, and the general public interested in how Prince Edward Island connects to Canada's military past and present.

Local and national scholars will present on subjects ranging from the Island's contribution in two world wars, the role of PEI army and naval reservists, and security challenges Canada faces in today's world.

Dr. Richard Kurial, dean of Arts at UPEI, says, 'UPEI is pleased to partner with The Gregg Centre at UNB, the PEI Regiment, and HMCS Queen Charlotte to stage this Military Affairs Symposium on PEI. Our working together expands the scope and scale of the event and allows for a very high level of quality both in terms of program content and conference participants.'

Renowned Canadian military historian, Professor Marc Milner, and director of The Gregg Centre, will give the keynote address Friday evening at 7:30 pm. Other featured speakers include Canadian Navy Command Historian Richard Gimblett, Christopher Spearin from the Canadian Forces College, PEI's own Boyde Beck and David Campbell, and reservists from HMCS Queen Charlotte and the Prince Edward Island Regiment who have returned from service overseas.

Dr. Bruce Craig, a professor of History at UPEI, will also participate in a panel to discuss Espionage in the Great War Munitions Industry. Craig, who has published over 100 scholarly and popular articles, is a specialist in Cold War and espionage history.

All events will take place at HMCS Queen Charlotte at 210 Water Street Parkway, Charlottetown, and are open to the public.

For a complete schedule, click here.

UPEI's Co-operative Education program celebrated National Co-op Week and its ‘Co-op Students of the Year Awards Ceremony' at a combined event, March 24.

Employers, students and faculty gathered at Don and Marion McDougall Hall to recognize the award recipients and enjoy a presentation from Laura Murphy, regional vice president of Arbonne Canada. Based in Charlottetown, Murphy focused on the importance of having a good team to create successes as well as the importance of following your passion and taking risks.

The recipient of the ‘2010 Co-operative Education Student of the Year Award for Physics' was Tyler Palmer from Charlottetown. Tyler is a fourth-year honours Physics co-op student and was nominated by his employer, Dr. Bill Whelan from the UPEI Department of Physics, where he worked as a Research Assistant in the Biomedical Optics Lab.

Dr. Whelan said, 'Tyler already thinks like a physicist, questioning his data and mulling over possible explanations and was able to generate tangible results that moved the project forward. He discovered that the optoacoustic signals generated by heated tissues increased substantially with temperature and was able to generate 2D images of thermal damage using the optoacoustic system. I am only aware of four published papers that have shown similar results. So we are considering publishing this data.'

So impressed by these research results, Whelan had Tyler submit an abstract that was accepted and presented at an international conference, ‘Optics Within Life Sciences,' in September 2010 in Quebec City. 'This is a remarkable achievement for an undergraduate student,' added Whelan.

In Computer Science, the recipient of the ‘2010 Co-operative Education Student of the Year Award' was Michael Berger of Charlottetown. Berger was employed with Timeless Technologies in 2010 for eight months completing his fourth, and optional fifth, work terms. During his employment with Timeless, Mike played an important role in helping the team complete a major project that was large in scope and complexity.

Berger's supervisor, Rodney MacLeod, noted, 'Mike is full of great ideas on functionality and processes and has been a great fit into the team here at Timeless-he works well on the project team and fits well with all the others in our office. He has brought with him a great deal experience and knowledge from his academic studies and his previous work terms.'

The ‘2010 Business Co-op Student of the Year Award' recipient was Allison MacLeod, a third-year student from Kinkora. Allison was employed with Imageworks Communication Group from May-August 2010 as a Marketing Event Manager where she completed her first co-op work term. MacLeod's main project was the 2010 Cavendish Beach Music Festival, where she was responsible for marketing, as well as organizing vendors, volunteers and media.

Jeff Squires, president of Imageworks, expressed his sincere appreciation for Allison's work. He said, 'During Allison's work term she impressed me with her skills and attitude. She had the ability to provide excellent customer service, demonstrated leadership, and worked very effectively and efficiently in dealing with our suppliers. Allison is intrinsically motivated, well planned, and is taking responsibility for the successful planning of her career path. She is the type of young professional who will continue to develop and become a valued member of society.'

Several co-op students in Business, Computer Science and Physics were nominated by their employers for outstanding contributions during their co-op work terms in 2010. Award recipients were selected based upon a variety of achievements-job performance, academic performance, academic/school involvement, accountability, responsibility, and in particular, their contributions to their employers during their Co-operative Education work terms.

For further information, please contact the UPEI Co-operative Education office at 902-628-4395.

The Honourable Allan Campbell, minister of Innovation and Advanced Learning, confirmed funding today of $300,000 per year for the Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology program at the University of Prince Edward Island.

Campbell made the announcement before a group of UPEI students, some of whom intend to apply to take the Kinesiology program this coming fall.

'By offering a degree program in Kinesiology,' Campbell says, 'UPEI is doing two important things-it is offering the opportunity to top-level training for careers in the sciences-and just as importantly, the program will train individuals to meet the health needs of Islanders.'

The program was approved by the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission in 2010, pending funding from the provincial government. It will be housed in the Family and Nutritional Sciences department, in the Faculty of Science, and is a four-year Bachelor of Science program.

UPEI President Wade MacLauchlan said, 'We thank the province for its support because we will be able to offer yet another high-quality program that allows students to acquire knowledge on the Island in this important field. This is another example of UPEI serving the educational needs of Islanders by providing a comprehensive education.'

Vice-President Academic Jim Randall added, 'The Kinesiology program will help provide a knowledgeable and skilled workforce, here on PEI, and in an area needing more and more qualified human resources, so we are very thankful for today's announcement.'

'We've been planning to add this area of study to our faculty for many years, as we know it will enhance our offerings in Family and Nutritional Sciences and, in general, health and wellness,' stated Dean of Science, Dr. Christian Lacroix. 'Kinesiology is a field that offers many opportunities for our students.'

Kinesiology, also known as human kinetics, is the science of human movement. It addresses the physiological, mechanical, and psychosocial mechanisms associated with human movement. Kinesiology graduates are exposed to a wide range of potential career opportunities in fields such as education, health promotion, rehabilitation, fitness assessment, and community program development. Students may continue their studies in graduate or professional programs such in physiotherapy, occupational therapy or education.

To apply to UPEI's Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology program, click here.

Creating a portfolio can be a life changing experience and UPEI's Bachelor of Integrated Studies 193 (BIS 193) can be the first step. For Islanders embarking in a new direction or starting a new profession, organizing one's achievements into a portfolio can lead to professional success.

There might be a lifetime of stories to tell and a portfolio allows those stories to be passed on to one's children and grandchildren. Students already attending university might want to take a course in the summer and not want to travel to Charlottetown. And then there are still others who are interested in going to university but want the learning that they gained in the workplace to count for academic credit. In fact, there are all sorts of reasons why Islanders might want to take UPEI's BIS 193.

Bachelor of Integrated Studies 193, offered in O'Leary in May and June, provides adults with an opportunity to take a university course where they use their prior workplace learning and knowledge to gain additional university credits. Using Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) principles, UPEI recognizes that Islanders have acquired many skills and competencies in their workplace. By developing a portfolio that captures these skills, Islanders can acquire a head start to earning a Bachelor's degree.

'For adults with work and family commitments, this is an ideal opportunity to begin taking university courses within West Prince,' said Dr. Richard Kurial, dean of Arts at UPEI.

Dr. Kurial noted that the University is interested in offering additional courses in West Prince, but this course has proven very attractive to many adult learners. Often, adults who have been thinking of going to university are hesitant to make that first step. The BIS 193 course makes the transition easy because developing a portfolio appeals to all kinds of people for many different reasons.

'The difference with the BIS 193 course is that beyond learning and sharing, this course is a lot of fun. When you think about it, we have already acquired significant knowledge and skills in our working lives. What this course does is give students an opportunity to share their knowledge too but in a format that highlights all those achievements.'

The course begins Tuesday, April 26 and runs every Tuesday from 6 to 9 pm through May and June. The location for the class is Future Tech West in O'Leary. It will be taught by Janice McKendrick, formerly of West Prince. Course registrations for the summer session at UPEI begin March 29th.

If you require further information, please contact Dr. Richard Kurial, Dean of Arts at 566-0310 or rkurial@upei.ca. Click here for additional information for adult learners interested in applying for PLAR.

The UPEI Wind Symphony will perform its final recital of the academic year - Freebirds - on Thursday, March 31 at 7:30 pm at UPEI's Dr. Steel Recital Hall to a sellout crowd. This has been a particularly successful year for the Wind Symphony with highly acclaimed performances of Angels in the Architecture, the release of its O Canada CD for Island public schools in February, and the receipt of the 2011 Music PEI Award for Best Classical Recording in January.

Two of Canada's finest clarinetists - Jana Starling, assistant professor at Arizona State University, and Wesley Ferriera, lecturer at Mount Allison University - will be featured in this recital performing Freebirds, a double concerto, by the American composer Scott McAllister. This happens to be one of several clarinet works of McAllister's which are somewhat jazz and rock-inspired. Freebirds takes its title and inspiration from the album by the iconic southern rock band, Lynyrd Skynyrd. A driving, ecstatic showpiece, the work begins with a cadenza-like passage for the soloists, takes the listener through some high beautiful lyrical passages and ends in a virtuosic cadenza. This piece grabs hold of the listener and never lets go.

This recital will also feature other contemporary works for the modern wind band by Canadian, English, American and Mexican composers. Frenergy, by Canadian composer John Estacio, gets its title from an amalgamation of the words 'frenetic' and 'energy'. The tempo for this short concert opener is brisk and the pacing of melodic ideas is frantic as befitting the title. John Mackey, an American, wrote a march titled Xerxes. Marches are prevalent in the wind band medium, typically cheerful and, in many cases, patriotic. Xerxes breaks this definition in that, like the nasty Persian ruler of the same name from 500 BC, it is angry. The dissonant harmonies, wide-skipping melodies, percussion colours, and soloistic passages make for an engaging listen. ‘The Courtly Dances' by English composer Benjamin Britten are written in Renaissance style. Taken from Brittten's opera Gloriana, these dances represent those typically found throughout the courts of sixteenth century Europe.

The Wind Symphony will have its first sojourn into the music of Mexico with its rendition of Danzón No. 2 by Arturo Márquez. This contemporary Mexican music expresses and reflects on a dance style called danzón, which has its origins in Cuba but is a very important part of the folklore of the Mexican state of Veracruz. Influenced by the habanera and tango, listeners will be enthralled by the infectious, sexy salsa rhythms.

This recital will be the final Wind Symphony performance for three of its graduating students - Troy Martin, clarinet; Thayne Campbell, bass trombone; and, Miranda Godkin, trumpet. All three have made significant contributions to the Music Department, and the Wind Symphony in particular, throughout their undergraduate careers.

This recital has generated much interest and was sold out as of mid-March.

High school students are raring to study at the University of Prince Edward Island according to current application statistics-confirming the importance students place on a post-secondary education offered by the Island's only university.

As of March 29, UPEI had received 4.3 percent more applications from Canadian high school students, and 7 per cent more applications from PEI high school students, compared with the same date last year. In total, of 15 public and private schools on PEI, 735 Island high school students-versus 687 last year-have already applied to UPEI.

UPEI's Vice-President Academic Jim Randall says, 'We have been following recent reports that indicate university enrolment in Canada has reached record levels and are encouraged that students are continuing to look to UPEI to meet their post-secondary education goals. We now need to keep working to make UPEI the university of choice for these applicants. I am confident that the growing reputation of UPEI, both in terms of quality of instruction and greatly expanded program choices, will continue to make the difference for these students.'

Even more significant than provincial applications are those coming out of Ontario showing that 33% more high school students have applied to study at UPEI as compared with last year. This follows a rising trend in Ontario-in a report released in January by the Ontario Universities Application Centre, it indicated a 2.2 per cent increase in Ontario university applications, even after the double cohort years when there were Ontario high school graduates from both grades 12 and 13.

'Although the number of high school graduates in PEI is expected to drop in the coming years, experts predict overall enrolment numbers to continue to rise across the country as students of all ages recognize the numerous career and social benefits a university degree offers,' Randall added. 'With the rise in applications, especially from PEI and Ontario, we are focusing recruitment and conversion efforts to continue this trend into future years for UPEI.'