NEXT EVENTS: StFX Day in Calgary

Fellow Xaverians,

You, your family and friends are cordially invited to celebrate StFX Day in Calgary!

Your local alumni chapter has two different events for you to attend:

• Feast Day of St Francis Xavier: Mass & Reception
  Our annual tradition continues with Mass being celebrated at 7 pm. This year, Mass will be celebrated at the newly renovated Sacred Heart Parish (1307 - 14 Street SW). The reception will begin immediately following the Mass in the very spacious narthex / hospitality area.
  
  Fr. Bill Stephenson will again lead us in prayer, but we could definitely use more volunteers for the various tasks during the Mass, including music ministry, readings and gift bearing. Please contact the chapter at calgarychapter@stfx.ca if you can help.
  
  We'll also have some great StFX prizes to give away at the reception!
  
  
• StFX Day Alumni Pub Night
  We have some space reserved at the Rose & Crown (1503 - 4 St SW) for those who want to reminisce with fellow Xaverians and friends on a Tuesday night. While the formal reception begins at 7:30 pm, feel free to show up anytime after 6 pm.

Please spread the word to your family and friends. We look forward to seeing you!

Hail and Health,



Your Calgary chapter executive team,
Oliver, Jay, Phil, Claire, Sarah, Jeff, Lexi & Mike

THANK YOU: President's Reception in Calgary (10 October 2013)

A huge thank you to everyone who braved the rain to join us at a President's Reception on Thursday night. We had close to 130 people spend a casual evening with Dr. Sean Riley (StFX President & Vice-Chancellor), Tim Lang (VP Advancement) and Wendy Langley (Director of Development). A huge thank you to Geoffrey MacNeil '09 who helped the chapter set up the reception at the Chicago Chophouse.

As head of the local alumni chapter, it is really heartwarming for me to see alumni from across so many generations come together. We had representation from the class of 1958 to the class of 2013 and even a prospective student! It's also great to meet alumni who are coming to their first alumni event. After all, the success of our events is because of your continuing support. And while there wasn't a lot of work that needed to be done to pull this event together, our hope is that you all had a great time mixing, mingling and reconnecting with Dr. Riley.

Here are some pictures from my camera to commemorate the evening. If you have any to share, please email them to calgarychapter@stfx.ca. 

A packed house at the Chicago Chophouse, despite the rain.

Dr. Riley reminding everyone that just because he's retiring, there's
still lots to do, and that he'll still be around.

Listening to Dr. Riley speak

Listening to Dr. Riley speak

Various generations of alumni came together for the
President's Reception. Part of Dr. Riley's magic, perhaps?

Dr. Riley with Oliver Munar, president of the local alumni chapter

Stay tuned for our next event: StFX Day. It's a Tuesday this year so make sure your calendar is clear!

Hail and Health,

Oliver Munar '98
President, Calgary chapter
StFX Alumni Association

What makes an ideal President & Vice-Chancellor of StFX?

Good morning fellow Xaverians:

On behalf of Mark Wallace '80, Chair of the StFX Board of Governors, this is a friendly reminder that TODAY (27 September 2013) is the last day for you to have your say on what you'd like to see in the next President and Vice-Chancellor of StFX.

After 18 years of service, Dr. Sean Riley will step down as President and Vice Chancellor of StFX in the spring of 2014. A Presidential Selection Committee has been established to find a new president. One of the Committee’s first tasks is to develop a position profile for the next President and Vice Chancellor.

To have your say, click the following link (or copy/paste it into your browser), which will take you to a site run by Knightsbridge Robertson Surrette, who have been retained to assist the committee: http://surveys.verticalresponse.com/a/show/255082/1e209725a1/0 

If the link doesn't work, please visit http://sites.stfx.ca/presidentialsearch/Community_Feedback_E-Survey and click Community Feedback E-Survey along the left-hand side. 

Thank you in advance for participating in this very important survey.


Hail and Health,


Oliver Munar '98
President, Calgary chapter
StFX Alumni Association

President's Reception in Calgary: Thursday 10 October 2013

StFX Homecoming in Calgary: Saturday 05 October 2013

Can't make it to Antigonish for Homecoming 2013? Let Homecoming come to you! Details below: RSVP by Friday 20 September 2013 at www.alumni.stfx.ca/calgaryhomecoming. 

SAVE THE DATE: StFX Homecoming in Calgary

Hello fellow X-Men and X-Women:

Can't make it to Antigonish for Homecoming this year?

This year, let Homecoming come to you!

On Saturday, October 5th, join fellow alumni and friends to watch the Homecoming game between StFX and Mt. Allison. Kickoff is 11 am Calgary time (2 pm in Antigonish). And after the game, we invite you to come with us to McMahon Stadium to watch the Calgary Stampeders battle the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, starting at 4:30 pm! It'll be a full day of football and fun times.

Stay tuned to the Calgary chapter website (stfxcalgary.blogspot.ca), Facebook page and Twitter feed (@StFXCgyChapter) as more details become available. But for now, keep Saturday, October 5th free!

For more information, please contact either the chapter (calgarychapter@stfx.ca) or Andrew Gannon '06.


Your StFX Calgary chapter team

THANK YOU > StFX Stampede Party

Thank you to everyone who was able to join the chapter for our StFX Stampede Party!

We had a great turnout at Libertine Public House with a lot of alumni and current StFX students filtering in and out of the festivities throughout the evening. We hope you had a chance to speak with good friends as well as our special guests: Tim Lang '87, VP Advancement and Shawn Monahan '87, President of the StFX Alumni Association.

We also raised a little money for the Canadian Red Cross in support of flood relief efforts in southern Alberta. Thank you for your generosity! We raised $120 on the night.

Special thanks to Libertine Public House for being a great host and to the organizing team who helped put this event together on such short notice. If you have any ideas on how we could make the event better, please drop the chapter a line at calgarychapter@stfx.ca.

If you signed up and weren't able to make it, please contact the chapter at calgarychapter@stfx.ca at your convenience.

Hail and Health,

Your Calgary chapter team
Oliver, Jay, Phil, Claire, Sarah, Jeff, Lexi and Mike

Chapter update: Student Send-off, Stampede Party and more

Hi everyone,

The Calgary chapter hosted its annual Student Send-off last night (Sunday, June 23). We had more than 100 people attending, including 24 new first-year students and their families, a smattering of current StFX students, Megan Cameron '09 of StFX Admissions and a smattering of alumni volunteers. It was a great event full of laughs, great food and excellent discussion. I'd like to personally thank the current StFX students who took time out of their busy schedule to help with the event. They add so much value by being able to relate a current StFX experience to the newest members of the Xaverian family. Also, thanks to our alumni volunteers who helped prepare the event: from securing the venue to getting the BBQ to buying the food and refreshments. Thank you for helping, despite the challenges our city is seeing.

Some of the new Calgary-and-area frosh who will be attending StFX in Fall 2013

Speaking of the flood, we've received a number of questions with respect to our Stampede Party, scheduled for Tuesday July 9th at Libertine Public House (4 pm start). The event is still a go! Tim Lang (StFX VP Advancement) and Shawn Monahan (President, StFX Alumni Association) are still coming!

If you haven't yet reserved your ticket(s), don't delay: space is limited! You're confirmed on the guest list once one of the chapter leaders receives your $5 for the RSVP. Alternatively, you can email your RSVP fee to the chapter at calgarychapter@stfx.ca. Because of the buzz this event has generated, tickets will NOT be available at the door. We hope you can join us for our first Stampede event in a long time. If you can't make it, please spread the word among your respective networks of StFX alumni, family and friends.

Finally, to those affected by the flood, our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time. The spirit of the Xaverian family is such that we are highly committed to the well-being of our community. We hope that if you were not affected by flood, you will consider finding a way to help someone in need with your time, your energy or more. And if you were among those hit, we hope you will reach out to us and let us know how we can help you.


Hail and Health,

Your Calgary chapter team
Oliver, Jay, Phil, Claire, Sarah, Jeff, Lexi and Mike

StFX Stampede Party

Hello fellow Xaverians!

  

We're long overdue for a party. Even more so, we're really overdue for a party during STAMPEDE!

  

All StFX Alumni, current StFX students (of drinking age, of course) and friends are welcome on Tuesday, July 9th on the second floor of the Libertine Public House (223 - 8 Avenue SW). Tickets are $5 each and will help to offset the costs of putting on the event.

  

Special guests will include Tim Lang '87, VP of StFX Advancement and Shawn Monahan '87, President of the StFX Alumni Association, who are coming all the way out from Nova Scotia so you know there's going to be some pretty big news from StFX to pass along. And hey, the Libertine is downtown and reasonably close to Stampede Park, so what better way to 'ease' Tim into his first Stampede?

Also, as part of the Xaverian spirit to help our community, we will also be collecting loose change to benefit the Canadian Red Cross.

  

Space is limited so be sure to get tickets for you, your friends and family ASAP. You're considered on the guest list (i.e., reserved) once your ticket is paid. Tickets can be paid online (via Interac by emailing calgarychapter@stfx.ca) or arranged by contacting any member of the Calgary chapter executive. Because of the buzz this event has generated by word-of-mouth alone, tickets will not likely be available at the door.

  

Again, here are the details:

• WHO: StFX Alumni, current StFX students and friends
• WHAT: StFX Stampede Party
• WHERE: Libertine Public House (223 - 8 Avenue SW)
• WHEN: Tuesday, July 9
• TIME: 4 pm until close
• COST: $5 each
• WHY: Why not?

For more information, drop us a line at calgarychapter@stfx.ca! See you on July 9th!

  

Your Calgary chapter team:

  

Oliver Munar 403-816-4904

Jay Donlevy 403-703-9232

Phil Markovich 403-988-1086

Claire Barry Claire.Barry@shell.com

Sarah Kinch 403-805-2226
Jeff Paddon 403-919-0374

Lexi Tedesco 403-470-0583

Mike Brain 403-629-1515

Mark Wallace elected Chair of StFX Board of Governors

ANTIGONISH, NOVA SCOTIA -- The Hon. Frank McKenna, Chair of the StFX Board of Governors, is pleased to announce that Mark Wallace, President and CEO of Medgate, Inc., and a StFX alumnus, has been newly elected to succeed him.

“I’m pleased to be passing the baton to someone as tremendously talented and dedicated as Mark,” says Mr. McKenna.  “He has demonstrated strong leadership in his distinguished career and we look forward to his continuing contributions to StFX.”

Mr. Wallace has been a member of the StFX Board of Governors for six years. He is President and CEO of Medgate Inc., a global leader in occupational health and safety software with offices in Canada, the U.S., England, and Australia. He has held that position since 2003 and also sits on the Medgate Board of Directors.

“Mark has long made significant contributions to his alma mater, including playing an instrumental role in the expansion of StFX’s Coady International Institute,” says StFX President Dr. Sean Riley. “On behalf of the StFX Board of Governors, I welcome Mark as Chair, and look forward to continuing great work together.”

“It’s an honour to be elected to this position,” says Mr. Wallace. “I truly believe that StFX has a model of education that sets it apart from other institutions in Canada. It’s the right model and I consider it a privilege to be able to have a direct influence in its growth.”

Prior to his position at Medgate, Mr. Wallace was President of ADB Systems International Ltd., a software and services company publicly listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and in the U.S. Previous to this, he served as Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary and a member of the executive management team of AT&T Canada Corp., a national telecommunications service provider now known as Allstream. While at AT&T Canada, he was a frequent speaker at conferences and in the media on telecommunications industry issues.

Mr. Wallace is a graduate of St. Francis Xavier University (1980) and the University of Victoria and is a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada. He has served as a member of the StFX Board of Governors, the Board of Directors of the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto, and the Board of Directors of the Toronto Kiwanis Boys and Girls Club.

StFX President Announces Succession Process

Earlier today Dr. Sean Riley, President of St. Francis Xavier University, announced his desire to initiate a succession process for the president.

“It has been a true honour to serve as President of St. Francis Xavier University. It’s been my privilege to work with many of the best faculty and staff in the country over the years to make StFX one of the best institutions in Canada,” said Dr. Riley.

“I’m humbled by the notion that I have had an opportunity to directly influence the lives of thousands of young, bright leaders.”

Chair of the StFX Board of Governors, the Hon. Frank McKenna, said a search for a new president will be launched by the Board of Governors in the near future. Dr. Riley will serve until a new president is selected. 

“On behalf of the StFX Board of Governors, I thank Dr. Sean Riley for leading StFX through a period of unprecedented growth,” said Mr. McKenna. “Entering his 18^th year as President, he established StFX University on a national and global stage as one of the best. His focus and dedication to the student experience is legendary.”

“On a personal level, I want to thank Sean for being an incredible inspiration and a dear friend.”

A native of Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Dr. Sean Riley has had a remarkable career dedicated to public service, education, and community development, both locally and on the international stage. A graduate of StFX in 1974, and a Rhodes Scholar with a doctorate in international relations from Oxford University, he returned to Nova Scotia in 1996 after careers in government, finance, and business to become the 17^th President of StFX.

Over his term, Dr. Riley has been instrumental in implementing an aggressive infrastructure and campus renewal program. Under his stewardship, over a quarter of a billion dollars was generated and invested in StFX to build academic spaces, classrooms, programs, and residences. He also worked tirelessly to enhance an experiential learning model, one that provides students with exchange and service learning opportunities around the globe.

“StFX was extraordinarily fortunate to have Dr. Sean Riley at the helm,” said the Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney, a StFX graduate. “It is amazing to witness the growth and national recognition StFX has achieved during Sean’s tenure. This is a true testament to his leadership.”

Recent graduate and student leader, Nick Head-Petersen said “Dr. Riley is involved and extremely engaged with students. He was always interested in our progress and encouraged us to push our own boundaries.”

“Dr. Sean Riley's contributions to StFX are too numerous to list,” said Shawn Monahan, President of the StFX Alumni Association. “We have been so fortunate to have one of the greatest University presidents in Canada leading StFX. On behalf of StFX alumni, I thank Sean for all he has contributed to StFX.”

Dr. Riley is a member of Order of Canada. Dr. Riley recently has been national Chair of Canada World Youth, and an institutional board member of the Royal Society of Canada. He currently serves on the Premier's Advisory Council on the Economy, on the Nova Scotia Research and Innovation Trust, the Board of the Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation, and on the Board of Directors of Agnico-Eagle Mines. He is a former board member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada as well as a member of provincial and regional university organizations.

DEADLINE EXTENDED: Summer Solstice Golf Tournament

The deadline has been extended to register for the 2013 Summer Solstice Golf Tournament, in support of the X-Men Soccer Team. The tournament is on Friday, June 21 at D'Arcy Ranch, just north of Okotoks along Highway 2A. Lunch is at noon; golf starts at 1 pm.

Graham Kennedy, head coach of X-Men Soccer, and Leo MacPherson, StFX Athletic Director, will be in town for the event. Come say hello and talk about X Athletics - and X-Men Soccer in particular!

The new deadline to register is Thursday, June 13.

Click here to register

If you don't want to golf but would still like to attend the dinner (begins at 6 pm), please contact Dennis Kwan at xsoccafansyyc@gmail.com or by calling 403-863-8883. Dinner is $40 per person.

Also, the organizers still need some silent auction items, so please drop Dennis a line with any donations or ideas.

Hope to see you and your family there.

Hail and Health,

Your Calgary chapter team,

Oliver, Jay, Phil, Claire, Sarah, Jeff, Lexi and Mike

An update from the Calgary chapter

Hope everyone is doing well! Here's a quick update from the Calgary chapter:

1. StFX is hiring an Admissions Advisor for Western Canada, based in Calgary! This is an exciting opportunity for someone to help spread the good word about StFX! The successful applicant will attend post-secondary events, education fairs and high school events to help StFX attract students of the highest quality. The position begins in June 2013 and is a three-year, full-time contract.
   
   A StFX graduate is preferred, particularly if she/he has life experience. If you or someone you know is interested, please send a CV and cover letter in confidence to: Human Resources, StFX University at careers@stfx.ca. For more information, or to see a terms of reference, please contact the chapter at calgarychapter@stfx.ca.
   
    
2. We are pleased to announce the two newest recipients of the prestigious Dr. Ed O'Connor Scholarship.
   
   Cassia Tremblay is a pending graduate of Bishop Carroll High School in Calgary. In addition to her outstanding academic achievement, Ms. Tremblay also plays rugby and soccer. She has plans of going to medical school.
   
   Catherine DeCock is a pending graduate of St. Michael's High School in Pincher Creek, Alberta. She is very active in 4H, she plays violin with the Crowsnest Symphony, and plays basketball, volleyball, rugby and track.
   
   Congratulations to both Cassia and Catherine!
   
   
3. Our Annual Student Send-off is set for Sunday, June 23. It will be held at the Mount Pleasant Community Centre from 5-7 pm. The chapter already has an estimated 20 returning students who are volunteering for the event as student ambassadors. We can always use alumni volunteers, though, so please contact the chapter (calgarychapter@stfx.ca) if you can lend a hand.
   
   
4. There will be a golf tournament at D'Arcy Ranch Golf Club (near Okotoks) on Friday, June 21 in support of the StFX Men's Soccer Team. It's called the StFX Soccer Summer Solstice Golf Event. To register, click here. For more information, please contact Dennis Kwan at xsoccafansyyc@gmail.com or at 403-863-8883.
   
   
5. If you are a graduate of the class of 2004 or earlier and you would be interested in mentoring a new graduate of StFX, please drop the chapter a line. The Calgary chapter is helping the SAINT program (Students and Alumni IN Touch) update its database of career mentors. Please let us know the areas of expertise in which you'd be able to help (e.g., medicine, law, business, education, government, not-for-profit, etc.). You don't have to find a grad a job, per se, but perhaps a nudge in the right direction.

In general, the chapter needs mainstay volunteers for our executive team. A number of our executive team members are going through some life changes and so we could really use some help. If you can spare some time, please drop the chapter a line (calgarychapter@stfx.ca) or contact Oliver at formerjourno@me.com. 


News from campus

There's also a lot happening at StFX to pass along:

1. StFX has joined three other post-secondary institutions in Atlantic Canada (Bishop's, Mt. Allison and Acadia) to share resources and ideas. The new partnership is called the U4 League (www.u4league.ca). In a joint letter to the StFX community, StFX President Dr. Sean Riley and Academic Vice-President Dr. Mary McGillivray state: The U4 League universities are residential and are focused on providing individual students with an exceptional engaged undergraduate university experience, a transformative experience both inside and outside the classroom. A significant, although not exclusive, focus of the U4 League will be to deepen and extend Canadians’ knowledge of and appreciation for the quality education and experience provided by the U4 universities.
   In the fall, StFX will host a conference on student leadership.
   
   
2. Dr. Tim Hynes has been named the new Dean of Business (http://www.stfx.ca/news/view/9911/ ). Dr. Hynes, a StFX grad and former faculty member, was most recently the Director of the Ron Joyce Centre for Business Studies at Mt. Allison. He succeeds Leo Gallant.

Be sure to visit our Facebook page (StFX Alumni Association - Calgary Chapter) or follow us on Twitter (@StFXCgyChapter) for more information from both the chapter and StFX.

Finally, please join us in congratulating the Class of 2013 as they convocate this weekend in Antigonish. You can watch everything live by visiting www.stfx.ca at 6:30 am and 12:00 pm Calgary time.

Hail and Health,

Your Calgary chapter executive team:

Oliver, Jay, Phil, Claire, Erin, Sarah, Jeff, Lexi and Mike

Congrats X-Women Hockey - AUS champs!

Congratulations to the StFX Women's Hockey team for bringing home the AUS championship on Sunday 24 February 2013!

The X-Women, ranked No. 5 in the CIS, defeated Saint Mary's Huskies 4-1 in the AUS championship game, hosted in Sackville, NB.

With the championship, StFX advances to the 2013 CIS championship in Toronto from March 7-10.

The chapter executives would like to extend congrtulations to the three members of the X-Women who are from Calgary:

• #7 Jessica McCullough (D), fourth year
• #17 Catherine Civitarese (F), first year
• #24 Kira Dube (D), first year

All the best in Toronto for the CIS championships!

GO X GO!!!

THANK YOU > StFX Information Night in Calgary, 08 February 2013

On Friday 08 February 2013, the StFX Recruitment team hosted a StFX Information Night in Calgary. The event, held at Hotel Arts in downtown Calgary, attracted about 47 students and their families - one of the biggest events yet!

Highlight of the night

The highlight of the evening definitely had to be the current students who spoke at the event: Lauren Zwicker '16, Mark Donald '15 and Kyle Morrow '13. All three offered tremendous insights on their personal Xaverian experiences - from Lauren's impressions of StFX only six months in, to Mark's discussion as a prominent student leader, to Kyle's reflections on his past four years in Antigonish and how it has prepared him for when he leaves StFX. Thank you to all three for sharing their stories!

Special guests

We'd also like to thank the members of the Dr. Ed O'Connor Scholarship team - Liz Gouthro '71, Dave Bernatchez '84, Patti McKendrick and Jay Donlevy '92 - for their presentation about the scholarship. At $26,000 over four years, the Dr. Ed O'Connor Scholarship has been instrumental in getting some of the best and brightest students from Alberta to StFX for years. In fact, all three students speakers are recent winners of the award.

And last but not least...

Of course, we can't neglect the hard work of the StFX Recruitment team - Laken Pitts (Recruitment Advisor),  Brittany Landry (Manager of Admissions) and Mark Kolanko (Manager of Recruitment) - for putting on the event. It's always great when the Recruitment team comes to town and helps the alumni spread the good word about StFX.

Key dates to remember

There's lots of dates to remember as your consider attending StFX. Here they are again, and a few more the chapter would like to pass along.

• 11 February: First round of residence assignments. Single or double room? Upper campus or lower campus? Co-ed or single gender residence? So many options are available. Starting 11 February, residence assignments will go out on a weekly basis.
  
• 01 March: Deadline for applying for StFX Scholarships. If you want to be considered for StFX Scholarships, submit your marks issued for first semester, two letters of reference and your resume. Be rewarded for the great academic work you've achieved in high school!
  
• 15 March: Deadline for the Dr. Ed O'Connor scholarship. At $26,000 over four years ($6500 per year, renewable), the Dr. Ed O'Connor Scholarship is one of the most prestigious scholarships available for StFX students. And best of all, only an Alberta student can win it. Click here for more information about the scholarship and to get an application form.
  
• 15 May: Deadline to be guaranteed a spot in residence. Based on your preference (single vs. double room, co-ed vs. single gender, etc.), StFX will do everything it can to match you up. However, 15 May is the final day that StFX will guarantee you a spot in residence. You can still apply for residence after this date, but the university won't guarantee a space.
  
• 23 June: Student Send-off. This event, run by the Calgary Chapter, will have StFX Recruitment and Admissions staff on hand to answer any questions about what students can expect over the summer and during the first week of school. We'll also have current students on hand to answer questions about what life is like at StFX.
  
• 31 July: Deadline for the Leone Campbell Memorial Bursary. This bursary, in the amount of $500, is awarded by the Calgary chapter to a deserving first-year student for academic achievement, athletic and involvement and commitment to community stewardship. Contact the chapter at calgarychapter@stfx.ca for an application form.

Thank to everyone for attending the StFX Information Night, and to all of you for your continued support.

Hail and Health,

Your Calgary chapter executive team

Oliver, Jay, Phil, Claire, Erin, Sarah, Lexi, Jeff and Mike

StFX Information Night in Calgary: 08 February 2013

The StFX recruitment train stops in Calgary soon and they need our help to spread the word about alma mater!

 

Know a current high school student, particularly if they're graduating this year or next year? Bring them to Hotel Arts (119 - 12 Avenue SW) on Friday, February 08 from 7-9 pm. We will have current students and representatives of StFX Recruitment in attendance to answer any questions.

 

Of course, our best ambassadors for StFX are you, the alumni. Interested in helping the Recruitment team at the event? It would involve mingling with students and their families and talking up the StFX experience. RSVP by email (infosessions@stfx.ca), by phone (902-867-4528) or by visiting their website (www.stfx.ca/info-sessions). Just keep in mind that space is limited; our first priority is to have room for prospective StFX students and their families.

 

Please contact chapter president Oliver Munar at calgarychapter@stfx.ca or via cell (403-816-4904) with any questions.