We’re giving a nod to the MacEwan community members who made an impression over the past several months. Three times a year, we offer our congratulations to students, alumni, staff and faculty who are winning awards, sharing their expertise and connecting.
Awards and honours
Patrick Li, a Grade 4 student in Edmonton, earned a perfect score at the national Math Kangaroo contest and placed first in Canada. Li is one of 100 school-aged children who participated in the Math Kangaroo competition held at MacEwan and organized by Dr. Cristina Anton and 15 students and faculty volunteers from MacEwan’s Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
Tracy Thomas beat out candidates from across the country when she scored a paid internship with The Globe and Mail. The fourth-year Bachelor of Communications Studies student spent five weeks this summer working on The Decibel, a five-day-a-week podcast that breaks down a recent news story or topical issue.
Updating the national guidelines for educating library technicians earned Dr. Norene Erickson and Lisa Shamchuk the 2023 Punch Jackson Award of Excellence in Library Service from the Library Association of Alberta. They presented their project to update the guidelines, which serve as a national standard for educational institutions across Canada, at several library conferences. Dr. Erickson and Shamchuk have also published an article about the process in Partnership: The Canadian Journal of Library & Information Practice & Research.
Earlier this summer, Dr. Sarah Carter, who received an honorary doctorate from MacEwan in 2022, was awarded the Order of Canada. A professor in the Department of History, Classics, and Religion at the University of Alberta, Dr. Carter’s work has helped shape our understanding of Western Canada’s past, particularly as it relates to the impact and importance of women and Indigenous people.
Carolyn Graham, chair of MacEwan University’s Board of Governors, was appointed to the board of Capital Power. Graham became chair of MacEwan’s board in 2019, having previously served two terms as a public board member with the university. She was re-appointed as chair for an additional three-year term in August 2022.
In June, Ray Baril lifted his baton for the last time as director of the MacEwan Big Band. After 37 years, he is shifting his focus and beginning an initial three-year term as chair of the Department of Music.
Dr. Sandra Rollings-Magnusson's book of first-person pioneer stories, Tales from the Homestead, was a finalist for the 2023 Alberta Literary Awards.
Dr. Rickard Enstroem and Dr. Rodney Schmaltz teamed up across disciplines to publish “A Juggler’s Manifesto: Elevating Creativity to Stay Productive Amid Uncertainty” in the Journal of Management Development. The researchers offer a conceptual model with practical tools to foster creativity and resilience in volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous conditions.
The Office of Research Services announced its Community Engaged Scholarship grant recipients in late April. Dr. Jessica Haines is using the funds to study Franklin’s Ground Squirrels (find out more on CBC’s Edmonton AM), Dr. Joshua Miller is working with an ostrich farm in southern Alberta to integrate genetics into farming practices (watch for more on MacEwan.ca soon). Frank Saccucci is building a session to teach finance to nonfinancial managers, and Dr. Cynthia Zutter is continuing her work on wellness and social inclusivity at the Green and Gold Garden (read more about her work in our MacEwan.ca feature, “Is the planet worth saving?”).
Groundbreaking alumni
MacEwan alum Reakash Walters (Bachelor of Communication Studies '15) received the Fulbright Scholarship and will study for a master of laws degree at Columbia University in New York. She will focus on how race and class act as organizing forces in Canada’s criminal legal system. Listen to Reakash on CBC’s Edmonton AM.
Known as Dwennimmen in her creative works, Shima Robinson, Bachelor of Arts '19, is Edmonton’s new poet laureate. She will produce three original pieces of poetry in each of her two years in the role. Robinson is currently the artistic producer for the Edmonton Poetry Festival and the Learning and Outreach Manager for Fringe Theatre Adventures.
Mallory Chipman, Bachelor of Music in Jazz and Contemporary Popular Music, Performance ’15 is now the Edmonton Public Library’s first musician-in-residence. In her new role, Chipman will offer workshops and mentorship opportunities to musicians at all stages of their careers and will lead Capital City Records.
MacEwan is preparing to host NMUN•Canada 2025 with the world’s largest, most prestigious, longest-standing intercollegiate Model United Nations organization. MacEwan alumna Ashlee Rolheiser (Bachelor of Commerce ’19) has been selected as secretary general and will supervise the conference.
Japkaran Saroya, Bachelor of Arts Honours '23, was awarded the Duquesne Fellowship for Underrepresented Students in Psychology. Saroya was the only Canadian selected for the fellowship and travelled to Pennsylvania in May. He is preparing for graduate studies in psychology.
On the court, field and track
Conrad Plews, Visual Communication Design ’02, created a new Indigenous logo for the Edmonton Elks that made its debut on helmets and midfield at Commonwealth Stadium during the football club’s August 10 Indigenous Celebration night. The tattoo artist and business owner operates three locations of Black Market Tattoo in Edmonton.
It’s off to Luxembourg for Mackenzie Farmer, Bachelor of Arts ’23. After earning the title of Canada West career points leader with the MacEwan Griffins women’s basketball, Farmer will play professional women's basketball in Luxembourg with BBC Les Sangliers Wiltz for the 2023/24 season.
Kenny M'Pindou, Police and Investigations '17, has been a Canadian National Bobsleigh team member since 2022. He is working to qualify and pursue his dream of competing in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina.
Theatre premieres
Doug Mertz, assistant professor of music theatre performance, took to the stage in the world premiere of 10 Funerals at the Varscona Theatre, a play by local playwright (and 2021 MacEwan Writer in Residence) Darrin Hagen. The performance was part of his scholarly activity as a performer, director, and speech and dialect coach.
Mertz’s instructor colleague, Governor General’s Award-winning playwright Vern Thiessen, received a MacEwan research dissemination grant to take his newest play, ICEMEN, to Theatre by the Bay in Ontario later this fall.
Tyler Smith, Theatre Arts '13, also brought new work to the stage at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with God Catcher, a reimagining of the Greek Myth of Arachne, a mortal woman who bested a God.
Congratulations to our students, alumni, faculty and staff for their achievements.
Did we miss someone? If you know a MacEwan community member who deserves a shout-out, let us know!