University of Saskatchewan | A l u m n i M a g a z i n e | Wi n te r 2 0 1 0
Confessions of a
Prairie Puritan
Up in the Air
Global Impact: Rural
Development in Mongolia
Create Your Own
Opportunity
Green and White Winter 2010 ………………………
………………………………………………………………………..….…………….. 3 Editor’s Note … ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… President’s Message 4 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… On Campus 5 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..……………… Create Your Own Opportunity 9 By Beverly Fast ………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………………… Confessions of a Prairie Puritan 12 By Sheila Robertson (BA’72, BEd’03)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..………………… Up in the Air 15 By Wynn Horn …………………………………………………………………………………………………..………………… Global Impact: Rural Development in Mongolia 18 By Sydney Smith (BA’07) ………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………………… Alumnews 21 ………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………………… In Print 25 ………………………………………………………………………………………………..……………………
Q & A with Rev. Dr. Joseph Nsiah 27 On the Cover: Murad Al‐Katib (BComm’94), photo courtesy of Saskcan Pulse Trading
2 Green and White
Winter 2010
Editor’s Note
The desire to explore
and experience the
unknown seems like an
inherent human trait.
Whether it is a young
child venturing down
the block without mom
or dad for the first time
to play with friends, the
first time the teenager
takes the car out by
him or herself, moving away from home to work or
study, or exploring the world and all it has to offer, we
seem to be wired to want to experience all that life has
to offer outside our confines.
their own lives to not only explore what the world has
to offer, but to help shape what the world offers for
future generations.
We will introduce you to Marud Al-Katib, who founded
a local lentil processing company that has become the
world’s largest lentil and pea splitting company.
You will read about Jo-Ann Hnatiuk, a flight nurse who
served as a military field nurse in Afghanistan on two
separate occasions.
Canadian diplomat and former Ambassador of Canada
to China Earl Drake shares his perspective on the
world’s most populace country and his experiences
during the famous Tiananmen Square protest of 1989.
Learn of the College of Agriculture and Bioresources’
partnership with Mongolia and how agricultural
techniques are being shared to increase agricultural
independence and sustainability.
That adventurous spirit is naturally balanced with
some apprehension—a logical or sometimes cautious
voice that offers a realistic perspective to accompany
the romantic vision of the unknown. I am no
anthropologist, but I am guessing that trepidation is
what has gotten the human species to where it is
today.
We will introduce you to Rev. Dr. Joseph Nsiah from
Ghana, who shares why he came half way around the
globe to pursue is masters and PhD at the U of S.
It is also that curiosity and willingness to explore the
unknown that has gotten human-kind to where it is
today. Where would we be if not for explorers taking
risks to better understand the world in which we live?
How limited would our understanding be of the world
around us? There is a yin-yang relationship going on,
but where is the balance?
As you read these inspiring stories, I challenge you to
reflect on the balance between adventure and caution
in your own life and how you are shaping the future for
generations to come. I know working on this issue has
given me a chance to pause and reflect. I hope it does
the same for you. You are welcome to share your
inspiring stories with us.
Finding the balance between adventure and caution is
unique for every individual. In this issue of the Green
and White we will take a look at some University of
Saskatchewan alumni that have struck that balance in
Derrick Kunz, BComm’96
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Winter 2010
President’s Message
Not too long ago, life
for most people in
Saskatchewan
was
pretty
predictable—
most went to their local
secondary school, then
went to work for the
family farm or family
business, the local
mine, or some other
local industry. There
was a lot of opportunity
locally since we have always had that hard-working,
entrepreneurial, can-do spirit and attitude. Some
people decided to pursue enterprise abroad or travel
in search of new meaning and opportunity, but most of
us decided to stay close to our roots.
institutions across the globe if we are to continue to be
the school of choice for Saskatchewan students and
draw students from around the world. I truly believe
we are positioned to not just remain competitive but
to excel in the international realm. We have one of the
most comprehensive ranges of academic disciplines
available. We have world class research facilities like
the Canadian Light Source (CLS), the Vaccine and
Infections Disease Organization (VIDO) and the soonto-be-completed International Vaccine
Centre
(InterVac). We have a world-class research park in
Innovation Place that provides vital links between
science, research and industry that brings innovation
to the people it is meant to serve. The Academic
Health Sciences facility under construction will
facilitate collaboration among health professionals like
never before. And the list goes on and on.
Then came the phenomenon of urbanization. People
began to seek new opportunities in urban centres.
Saskatoon quickly became the province’s largest and
fastest growing city, and there is no doubt that the
University of Saskatchewan played (and continues to
play) no small role in that development. People in
Saskatchewan seeking new opportunities that postsecondary education provides immediately realized the
U of S was the place to be.
Not only do these premiere facilities allow us to train
and educate our students to be the best minds in the
world, they attract world class faculty and researches
that share their knowledge and expertise with these
students. Every U of S graduate should be proud that
we have such world-class facilities that attract wordclass researches, that in turn train tomorrow’s worldclass innovators. The learning cycle at the U of S has
never been stronger.
Over the years, graduates began to spread their
expertise around the globe as they sought new
opportunities abroad, and international students came
here to exert their influence on the learning cycle at
the U of S.
With the continued support of you, our alumni and
friends, we will achieve great things in the years to
come, and it is a privilege to be a part of it.
Globalization is now the reality, and it is no longer
enough to be Saskatchewan’s premier educational
institution. The U of S must remain competitive with
Peter MacKinnon,
President and Vice-Chancellor
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On Campus
College of Pharmacy and Nutrition and the School of
Physical Therapy. She received a Teaching Excellence
Award twice from the U of S Students’ Union and a
Master Teacher Award at the 2005 fall convocation.
Correction: In the fall 2009 issue of the Green and
White we reported on the Knowledge and
Infrastructure (KIP) funding received to repair roofs of
several research buildings across campus and to
complete renovations at the Western College of
Veterinary Medicine. We inaccurately reported that
funding came from the federal government, when in
fact it was joint funding from the federal and provincial
governments and the U of S. Of the nearly $23 million
dollars invested by the U of S and both levels of
government, over $11 million came from the Province
of Saskatchewan.
Accreditations Renewed
The College of Engineering was recently granted threeyear accreditations for eight of the college’s nine
programs from the Canadian Engineering Accreditation
Board (CAEB). The environmental engineering program
was exempt because it is too new to have any
graduating students and will be reviewed for
accreditation next year.
Discovery With Impact
The process involves a review of all material used to
instruct students, including course information, exam
papers, lab instruction sheets, project reports, and
student transcripts.
Karen Chad (BSPE’80,
BEd’81)
has
been
appointed the University
of Saskatchewan’s vicepresident of research
after serving in the
position in an acting role
since July, 2008.
The designation, which the college has received every
year since the oversight process was initiated in 1965,
ensures that graduates have all the necessary
academic qualifications to be licensed professional
engineers in Canada and in many international
jurisdictions.
Her mantra, discovery
with
impact,
will
influence her work as
The College of Medicine received word that it met the
standards required for medical accreditation from the
Committee on the Accreditation of Canadian Medical
Schools and its American counterpart, the Liaison
Committee on Medical Education.
vice-president. Her goals
are to foster creativity
and innovation, building the U of S into one Canada’s
top 10 medical-doctoral institutions. “If we are serious
about serving the public, that means discovery with
impact, not just discovery with output,” states Chad.
Karen Chad
Even though the college just received an eight year
accreditation, a fact-finding visit will take place in the
spring of 2011 to look at preparations the college is
making to accommodate expanded enrollment. With
the construction of the Academic Health Sciences
facility, the college plans to increase undergraduate
enrollment to 100 students.
After studying at the U of S, Chad went on to get her
master’s in physiology from the University of Victoria
and her PhD from the University of Queensland.
Chad returned to the U of S in 1990 as an assistant
professor in what was then the College of Physical
Education. She is also an associate member of the
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Winter 2010
replacing the retiring
Dr. Charles Rhodes.
Freeman received his
Doctor of Veterinary
Medicine from the
University
of
Minnesota and his
master’s degree and
PhD
from
the
University of Idaho.
He has acquired a
broad
range
of
experience
as
a
Douglas Freeman
practitioner,
administrator of clinical and diagnostic services, a
researcher, and an academic department head.
Freeman currently serves as a member of the board for
the Association of American Veterinary Medical
Colleges.
New Deans and Executive Directors
Three colleges at the University of Saskatchewan have
announced new deans, and two schools have
announced executive directors.
Mary Buhr assumed the
role of dean of the
College of Agriculture
and Bioresources last
summer. Buhr grew up
in Manitoba and earned
her PhD in biology from
the
University
of
Waterloo. She spent 21
years at the University
of Guelph, serving as
interim dean of the
Mary Buhr
Ontario
Agriculture
College during the last part of her tenure there. Buhr
intends to continue her research on sperm physiology
and its relationship to fertility and artificial
insemination, with the goal of increasing reproductive
productivity from the best male animals.
In early September
Robert
Buckingham
began his five-year
term as the first
executive director of
the university’s School
of
Public
Health.
Buckingham received a
PhD in public health
from Yale University
School of Medicine. His
previous position was
David Hill has taken
over as dean of the
College of Pharmacy
and Nutrition at the U
of S. Hill, a native of
Vancouver, moved to
Utah
for
graduate
studies at Brigham
Young University and
served as an assistant
dean at the University
of Colorado, in Denver.
Hill plans to prepare the
David Hill
college
for
its
accreditation in 2011, expand the program to have
more of a presence in the southern part of the
province, provide more support for curriculum
development and for faculty, and enhance the capacity
for graduate studies.
professor
at
New
Robert Buckingham
Mexico
State
University. He also helped develop 81 hospices in
seven countries, including the first hospice in the
United States.
The School of Environment and Sustainability
appointed Karsten Liber as its first executive director in
October. Liber, who studied at the University of
Guelph, was involved in the creation of the school in
2007 and has been acting director since it opened in
July, 2008. Prior to his role in the school, Liber served
as executive director of the Toxicology Centre at the U
of S since 1996.
Dr. Douglas Freeman will take over as the sixth dean of
the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in March,
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Achievement Record
A Tradition of Excellence
Fall marks university ranking season from publications
such as the Globe and Mail and Maclean’s. Provost and
Vice-President Academic Brett Fairbairn notes inherent
difficulties with such rankings, such as difficulty in
standardizing data and rankings that possibly
exaggerate small differences.
2010 marks the 100th anniversary for the Department
of Physics and Physics Engineering in the College of
Arts and Science. The department, charged with
developing classes to meet the physical science needs
of all colleges on campus, held its first classes in
1910-11.
Fairbairn also notes that “rankings matter in a variety
of ways because people pay attention to them.
Rankings influence the choices of students, parents,
and others.
During the first decade, a campus weather station was
established, seismic equipment was purchased and
plans were begun for the construction of the Physics
Building.
“Public trust, accountability and transparency are vital
obligations of universities,” he said. Accountability
goes beyond prudent management and reactiveness; it
involves “holding ourselves accountable in the ways
we think matter most.”
Over time, the department developed much expertise
in meteorology, climatology and the physics of the
Aurora Borealis, leading to the establishment of the
Institute of Space and Atmospheric Studies, and the
Space Engineering Division (SED Ltd) as an off-shoot.
To this end, the university has developed the
Achievement Record, a publicly available, objective
assessment that measures progress in key areas. Born
out of the second integrated plan, it reflects the kind of
“working together” mandated by the plan and the
effectiveness of that goal.
Interest in nuclear physics brought the plasma
betatron, the purchase of the first non-commercial
cobalt-60 unit for cancer treatment and the linear
accelerator, which in turn led to the construction of
the Canadian Light Source (CLS) in 1999. The CLS has
profound impact on all science departments,
engineering and medical sciences at the U of S,
facilitating research that was not previously possible.
“No one measure is perfect, but we honour our
commitment to public interest by giving the best we
have,” said Faribairn.
Notable members of the department include Gerhard
Herzburg, winner of the Nobel Prize in 1971 for his
work in molecular physics, and Harvey Skarsgaard,
developer of the first plasma laboratory, which led to
development of the TOKAMAK reactor, still operating
in the Physics building.
The Achievement Record can be viewed online at
www.usask.ca/achievementrecord
For more detail on the department and its history, visit
http://www.artsandscience.usask.ca/physics/.
Celebrations for the 100 year reunion are being
planned for Sept. 24 and 25, 2010.
Source: U of S Archives and College of Arts and Science,
Department of Physics and Physics Engineering
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Graduates have gone on to become leaders in public
health, health policy and health services evaluation.
Celebrating 50 Years
The College of Medicine’s Department of Community
Health and Epidemiology (CH&E) is celebrating its 50th
anniversary this spring. Started in 1959-60 as Social
and Preventative Medicine with three part-time
faculty,
the
department
began
equipping
undergraduate medical students to use sound
scientific principles to interpret patterns of disease and
to understand health issues in the context of the family
and community.
To mark its 50th anniversary, CH&E is planning a
special event on March 26, 2010. The event will
include public guest lectures, a poster fair, and a
dinner and dance with current and former students,
faculty and staff to honour the past and celebrate the
bright and challenging future. For more information,
visit www.medicine.usask.ca/che. To share alumni
information
contact
Kathy
Evans
at
Kathy.evans@usask.ca or (306) 966-7945.
Relationships with local and regional health authorities
have always been important and continue to evolve.
CH&E is currently affiliated with six research units and
has forged partnerships with multiple provincial and
federal health service programs.
Source: The Department of Community Health and
Epidemiology
Innovation Place Recognized
Innovation Place, the research park on universityowned land just north of the main campus, and home
to University Advancement, recently received the 2009
Outstanding Research/Science Park award from the
Association of University Research Parks.
Interdisciplinary research programs have expanded
over the years and now include chronic disease
epidemiology, population health, children’s health,
gender and health, and Aboriginal health.
The
department’s extensive research is a major contributor
to the university’s reputation for world-class research,
and the Academic Health Sciences facility being
constructed will allow the department to enhance its
role and reputation in community health.
Established in both Regina and Saskatoon, Innovation
Place was recognized with the international award
because of the role it plays in supporting the growth of
science and technology-related development in
Saskatchewan. It is reported that park clients
collectively contributed more than $647 million to the
provincial economy in 2008 and employ more than
8,500 people.
The department has grown significantly and now has a
thriving graduate program, averaging 45 students
enrolled in masters and PhD programs every year.
Unless otherwise noted, news items are drawn from recent editions of On Campus News the official newspaper of
the University of Saskatchewan. For more past and current U of S news, see On Campus News at www.usask.ca/ocn
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Create Your Own Opportunity
By Beverly Fast
Growing up in small town Saskatchewan, Murad Al-Katib dreamed of a career in
international business. He made it happen, he just never imagined the road to
success would be paved with lentils and beans.
Murad Al-Katib (BComm’94) cannot help but smile.
When he founded a small start-up company called
Saskcan Pulse Trading in 2001, it was a one-man
operation headquartered in his basement. Today, he
sits at the helm of the largest lentil and pea splitting
company in the world.
“There’s a Winston Churchill quote that says, ‘History
will be kind to me for I intend to write it’,” he says.
“It’s a little bit tongue in cheek, but for me it means
taking control of your destiny and creating your own
opportunities. That’s what I’ve always tried to do.”
Al-Katib is not shy about sharing the credit for his
success. “When companies grow this fast, it’s never
about one person; it’s about building a core management team and executing a strategy.” He also credits the
support of family, particularly his wife Michelle, whom he unabashedly calls the love of his life.
Murad Al-Katib at SaskCan’s head office in Regina;
photo courtesy of Saskcan Pulse Trading
Murad and Michelle met in a fourth-year management class at the University of Saskatchewan. It was not love at
first sight. “She hated me. I was the guy who sat in the front and talked all the time.”
“I believe in creating your own opportunities. When I wrote that letter
to the premier, I was creating my own opportunity. When I started
Saskcan, I was acting on an opportunity.”
By then, Al-Katib had a “burning desire” to build a career in international business. He was convinced his future lay
outside the province and went off to the prestigious Thunderbird School of Global Management in Arizona, a
school with an exclusively international focus to its MBA program. From there, he earned an internship at the
Canadian Embassy Liaison Office for the World Bank in Washington, D.C. That’s when something unexpected took
hold.
“When I left Saskatchewan, I thought I’d never come back. But I missed it; I missed Saskatchewan and was drawn
back,” Al-Katib says. He decided to see if he could make something happen. He wrote a letter to Premier Roy
Romanow urging the government to develop a strategy for emerging markets around the world—and
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Winter 2010
recommended himself for the job. To his surprise, he got a call from the deputy premier and was soon gainfully
employed in what would become the Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership (STEP).
“For six years, I had the greatest job in the world. I was in
my twenties and getting paid to travel to every corner of
the globe. I saw over 62 countries and was involved in
developing opportunities in agriculture, livestock, mining,
environmental services—you name it.”
It was through STEP that Al-Katib met the Arslan brothers,
who owned the Arbel Group. Arbel is one of the largest
grain trading companies in Turkey, and Turkey is one of
Saskatchewan’s biggest markets for pulse crops. The
Arslans were looking to partner with a Canadian pulse
company; Al-Katib was looking for an opportunity to build
his own business. The partnership clicked.
“I went to Michelle, who was pregnant with our twins at
the time, and said I was quitting my high-paying job to
start a lentil company,” Al-Katib says. “She didn’t speak to
me for a week.”
Arbel provided the capital Al-Katib needed to get Saskcan
Pulse off the ground. He built a state-of-the-art lentil and
pea splitting facility in Regina using Arbel’s proprietary
technology and a group of seven Turkish ‘split-masters’.
That original $2 million in seed money has grown to
almost half a billion dollars in market capitalization.
Al-Katib took the business to a new level in 2007 with the
creation of Alliance Grain Traders. This involved the
acquisition of Saskcan Pulse Trading by the Saskatchewanbased Agtech Income Fund, which traded on the TSX
Venture Exchange, and rebranding as Alliance Grain
Traders. The company moved to the TSX in 2009, marking
its arrival with a flurry of deals.
The acquisition of the Arbel Group last year made the
company truly global in scope—this is the world Al-Katib
loves to play in. “What I do today is very different from
when I started. In 2001, I did it all. Now I do more of the
work I really enjoy: mergers, acquisitions, raising capital
on the TSX.”
Al-Katib’s meteoric rise has earned him many accolades.
At age 32, he won the Business Development Bank of
Canada’s 2005 Young Entrepreneur Award for
Saskatchewan. A year later, The Globe and Mail named
10
Photo courtesy of Saskcan Pulse Trading
The U of S Crop Development Centre (CDC) has
played a key role in developing Saskatchewan’s
pulse industry, particularly through its
development of Canadian red and green lentil
varieties, considered the top quality standard
worldwide. CDC research proved a major asset
when Saskcan Pulse Trading was establishing
itself as a supplier of quality product. Alliance
Grain
Traders
remains
an
active
commercialization partner. In 2007, the
company was awarded three new crop varieties
by the CDC and the Sask Pulse Growers
Association: King Red Lentil (all red lentils
developed above a 55 seed count), Queen Green
Lentils (green coteleydon lentils) and large foodtype Faba beans. Access to new varieties allows
Alliance Grain Traders to offer greater diversity
to its growers.
Editor’s Note: U of S plant scientist Bert
Vandenberg (PhD’87) recently won a
prestigious national research position to
conduct studies on lentil genetics that could
lead to more resilient and nutritious varieties.
More than 30 per cent of the global lentil
supply originates from varieties developed by
Vandenberg.
For
more
detail
visit:
announcements.usask.ca/news/archive/
2010/01/u_of_s_research_44.html.
Green and White
Winter 2010
him one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40. Saskcan Pulse Trading did a three-peat at the Saskatchewan ABEX Awards,
winning for Best New Venture in 2003, Exporter of the Year in 2004 and Business of the Year in 2005. In 2009,
Alliance Grain Traders was ranked 20th on Saskatchewan Business Magazine’s Top 100 Companies.
“I never thought being fluent in Turkish would help me in business,
but the Turks have a saying, 'One new language is one new life.' In
international business, a second language is a big advantage.”
“Arbel has been a great partner. They opened the door for Saskcan Pulse,” Al-Katib says. “If you have a great idea
and no money, you need to go find the capital. Capital gives you the freedom and flexibility to do interesting
things. In 2007, we had three factories. Since then, we’ve added 17 plants around the world. We’ve gone from $75
million to close to three quarters of a billion dollars in sales.”
Al-Katib sees continued growth in the years ahead. “We acquired two Canadian companies in December, and we
continue to grow in the U.S., Australia and Turkey. We’re also looking at investments in China and India. We see
Alliance growing into a multi-billion dollar company.”
The fact that Alliance Grain Traders remains
headquartered in his home province is one of the
reasons for Al-Katib’s frequent smile. “I’m very proud of
what we’ve become over the last few years. The
reaction to Saskatchewan on Bay Street is very different
today than it was even three years ago.”
“I believe it’s part of our responsibility as business
leaders to advance the province and create
opportunities for young people. You can be
internationally successful right here. Success is about
executing your business strategy; the product doesn’t
matter as much as the opportunity. I mean, I never
thought I’d be known as the lentil and bean guy.”
Saskcan’s main plant near Regina;
photo courtesy of Saskcan Pulse Trading
Murad Al-Katib at SaskCan’s head office in Regina;
photo courtesy of Saskcan Pulse Trading
Photo courtesy of Saskcan Pulse Trading
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Confessions of a Prairie Puritan
By Sheila Robertson (BA’72, BEd’03)
Earl Drake (BA’49, MA’51), a self-described “prairie
puritan,” aimed to be an historian, but found a
different path. His distinguished diplomatic career
culminated in a posting as Canada’s ambassador to
China, a tenure coinciding with the Tiananmen Square
crisis of 1989.
The side trip became the journey. Drake said the
foreign service was “a great learning experience for a
prairie puritan.” This term recurs often in his memoir,
A Stubble-Jumper in Striped Pants: Memoirs of a Prairie
Diplomat (University of Toronto Press, 1999.) “I was
brought up as a Protestant, and Sunday was devoted
to church and spiritual things,” Drake explained. “I was
a no-fun-on-Sunday guy. It was a regime in which
earnestness and devotion to God and country were
very important.” Nor was ecumenism encouraged. His
family disapproved when he dated a Roman Catholic
girl.
How did Drake, who wanted only to study and analyze
history, become part of an historic event? “I got sidetracked,” he confessed while visiting the U of S last fall.
Raised in Regina, Drake attended university in
Saskatoon, his birthplace, because of his many ties to
the U of S. His parents had met at the U of S. His greatuncle, William Rutherford (for whom the rink is
named) was the university’s first dean of agriculture.
Drake’s mother lived with her uncle’s family at the
dean’s residence, now the Faculty Club. His father was
a student who would come to visit her. He often
arrived with a pair of horses borrowed from
Rutherford, and they would go riding together.
The opportunity, only a few years later, to experience
diverse countries and cultures proved transformative.
He was an idealist, aspiring to do good in the world.
That impulse was challenged during his initial posting
in Karachi, Pakistan. It was 1956, and he was a second
secretary with the Canadian High Commission to
Pakistan.
After completing his master’s degree in history, Drake
worked at the provincial archives in Saskatoon and
Regina for several years. Later, at the University of
Toronto, he planned to do doctoral work focusing on
the government of William Melville Martin,
Saskatchewan’s second premier (1916-1922). But
Drake’s advisor, noted historian and former U of S
faculty member, Frank Underhill (Hon. LLD’62), issued
a challenge.
“He told me a history teacher should learn more about
life than what is in books,” Drake recalled. “He advised
me to get some background by becoming a newspaper
reporter, or joining the foreign service.”
Drake’s application to the Canadian foreign service was
accepted. “It was probably because hardly anybody
from Saskatchewan applied in those days,” he said.
Earl Drake; photo by Sheila Robertson
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Winter 2010
“We couldn’t convince them,” Drake said. “That was
the sort of thing I kept running into.”
“I thought we could transfer ideas and institutions and
ways to help people,” Drake said. “But I felt powerless
to do it. I met former British colonial officers, and
when they told me what they’d been able to do, I was
so frustrated.
He was learning about diplomacy, and bureaucracy. As
he rose through the ranks, he gained more power and
authority to complement his “can-do” attitude.
“I saw so many things that needed to be done. I was
from Saskatchewan, and I wanted to get on with it.”
“By the time I got to Malaysia, my next posting (19621964), we had quite an active assistance program, and
I became involved in it,” Drake recalled. He had also
been promoted to first secretary.
While in Pakistan, Drake accompanied famed Canadian
neurosurgeon Wilder Penfield (Hon. LLD’59) around
the country. “He was on a round-the-world tour, giving
lectures on things that could be done in brain surgery. I
was his escort officer.”
In 1963, Drake was invited to Borneo with other
Commonwealth representatives to celebrate the
formation of Malaysia. A photograph of him dancing in
a longhouse became the cover photo of his memoirs.
“It was exciting. A helicopter flew us into the jungle
and left us. We were staying with people who were
former head-hunters—they showed us skulls taken in
the past.”
In Karachi, Penfield was pleased to find a former
student working with the Pakistan navy. However,
lacking equipment, the young surgeon wasn’t using his
skills. The next stop on the tour was Rawalpindi, the
army headquarters. Officers there proudly displayed
surgical equipment donated by the United States.
Unfortunately, they had no brain surgeon in residence.
After an evening of rituals and dancing, the foreigners
insisted on staying together, Drake said. “We had a
sleepover, with the four of us all holding hands in one
room.” During the night, he awoke to discover
“everybody in the village sitting in a circle looking at
us. I wondered if they were just curious, or were they
sizing us up?!”
To Drake and Penfield, the solution was obvious:
connect the navy surgeon with the army’s equipment.
Drake found more adventures with postings in Ottawa,
Paris, Washington and Jakarta. Then, after becoming
Ambassador of Canada to China in 1987, came the
most dramatic event of his career—the Tiananmen
Square crisis of June, 1989—when a peaceful student
protest turned violent with tragic results.
Ambassador Drake and his wife, Monica, were
instrumental in evacuating hundreds of Canadians
spread throughout China. Afterward, they and 18
essential staff members stayed in Beijing to keep the
embassy open.
“We’d seen the tension building up before the
violence,” Drake recalled. “There were troops
everywhere.”
He worried about isolation: the Canadians were
scattered, living in housing assigned by the Chinese
Earl Drake; photo by Sheila Robertson
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Green and White
Winter 2010
weakness for Coca-Cola. So we took them cases of it,
and they provided enough gas for us to get people to
the airport.”
government. So he formed ties with British, American,
Australian and German ex-patriots. Drake wanted
mobile phones so the allies could keep in touch, “but
the Chinese wouldn’t let us have any.” Nor would
Ottawa provide phones, so Drake arranged to bring
them in himself, from Hong Kong.
The Canadian contingent was the first to leave. “We
had a Canadian plane coming, and we evacuated 500
people, in two stages.” The Drakes returned to Canada,
this time to stay, in 1990.
“The Canadian students sympathized with their fellow
students and didn’t want to leave,” Drake said. “We
told them the Canadian government and their parents
were urging them to do so. Reluctantly, most of them
came.”
It was only upon his retirement, 37 years after he was
sidetracked from his goal of becoming an historian—
and a year after Tiananmen Square—that Drake would
take up teaching. He is an adjunct professor at
Vancouver’s Simon Fraser University, in the David Lam
Centre for International Communication. He is also
director of the Canadian Secretariat for the China
Council for International Co-operation on Environment
and Development. For these roles, Drake draws on his
expertise in Canadian-Asian relations.
Bringing the evacuees to the embassy grounds, the
Drakes housed them in tents. “The next morning,
before we started off for the airport, about a third of
them went back to the campus because they’d
forgotten their favourite tapes, or they wanted to say
good-bye to their Chinese girlfriends. We had to bring
them all back again.”
Drake credits his career success to “good instincts” and
the ability to work with others. “In Saskatchewan, we
had to adapt and get on with our neighbours. If there
was a hail storm or grasshoppers, we dealt with it
together. Co-operation was automatic to me; I never
got over that.”
Then the authorities closed all the gasoline stations.
“We had lots of vehicles, but no gas,” Drake said.
“There was a gasoline station near us, run by two
Chinese ladies whom we knew well. We knew an
ordinary bribe would insult them, but they had a
14
Green and White
Winter 2010
Up in the Air
By Wynn Horn
Fernie, B.C., where she recently spent Christmas
holidays.
When Jo-Ann Hnatiuk (BSN’95) gets dressed for work
in the mornings, her routine often includes donning
fatigues, a Kevlar helmet and a bullet-proof vest. It
may not be pretty, but it is essential wear for a
woman who spent a total of eight months as a
Canadian flight nurse in Afghanistan.
Coming from a land-locked province didn't stop
Hnatiuk from joining the Naval Reserves straight out of
high school and spending more than a dozen years as a
naval reservist. "I always knew I wanted to be in the
military," she said.
Hnatiuk is a certified registered flight and ER nurse
stationed at CFB Trenton, in Ontario, as part of the
Canadian Forces' Airevac Medical Unit. Her official title
is medical equipment officer - airevac (aeromedical
evacuation), but she is also a nurse, a crew member
and a soldier, transporting and caring for injured
Canadian soldiers all over the world.
Credit goes to Hnatiuk’s first nursing educators for
focusing her direction and drive to excel. “I really
enjoyed my university time as far as shaping where I
wanted to go. I had some amazing mentors at the
University of Saskatchewan. I'd have to say Dr. Karen
Wright was my absolute favourite professor; she really
went above and beyond. She was without a doubt the
most influential professor I have ever had."
Hnatiuk grew up in Saskatchewan and still considers
the province her home, although she owns a home in
After graduating from the U of S, Hnatiuk moved to
England for a short working stint. She then returned to
Canada and went to graduate school in Alberta and
went on to work as a nurse at Alberta's Peter
Lougheed Emergency Centre, Alberta Children's
Hospital and most recently at Foothills Hospital in
Calgary, where she practiced emergency nursing. She
also spent several formative years as a flight nurse in
civilian medevac for the Alberta Shock Trauma Air
Rescue Society (STARS).
In 2005, those years of emergency and critical care
nursing and civilian helicopter evacuation served her
well when it came time for the most challenging
assignment of her career—serving as a critical care
nursing officer in Afghanistan for the Canadian Forces.
"I was the first Canadian flight nurse in forward airevac
missions in Afghanistan. It's not a nurse role, normally.
Nurses were not previously a part of the helicopter
flight crew in Afghanistan.” To overcome that obstacle,
Jo-Ann Hnatiuk
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Green and White
Winter 2010
Hnatiuk took basic foot soldier training, including
weapons instruction. “You have to have your weapons
training. You can't deploy without that."
"In the hospital, you have to be prepared for anything
that comes through that door,” says Hnatiuk, noting
typical injuries include wounds from explosives and
weapons, injuries from motor vehicle accidents and
burns.
In 2007, Hnatiuk returned to Afganistan to serve as an
air medevac nurse with the Task Force Afghanistan
(TFA) Corsair Medevac Unit. "As Canadians, we are
augmenting the American Blackhawks’ medevac."
Since mid-2009, Hnatiuk has been based in CFB
Trenton, leaving behind her civilian job as clinical
resource nurse at Foothills Hospital in Calgary and her
role as critical care transport nurse for STARS.
"It’s all a bit different than bedside nursing. When the
hospital space is in a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter, it
can be a bit challenging. If you're in the field, you're
getting shot at—I mean that's an experience—or you
run out of equipment and supplies. Sometimes things
just don't work out so you have to try to troubleshoot
something. It's never routine."
"It's similar work. When we are in the air, I am a crew
member—that's my job—and a critical care nursing
officer as well, all at the same time."
Hnatiuk and the airevac team completed more than 40
missions in 2009, flying mainly to Germany to
transport wounded soldiers back to Canada. The
medevac team has access to four airplanes, mainly
relying on the CC155 Challenger Jet, plus a CC150
Airbus. "We customize them with beds that get put in.
Canadians don't have the luxury of dedicated airevac
planes!"
Scorching hot temperatures also add a unique element
to nursing, Hnatiuk admits. Medevac nurses must also
serve as regular soldiers, often helping to secure a
landing area under fire, carrying a weapon and looking
out for their own safety, as well as that of their
colleagues and patients. "You're wearing about 50
pounds of equipment, and you have less than three
minutes to get out [of the helicopter] and back in with
the soldiers before you become a potential target."
"A mission could involve anything—soldiers can come
from a hospital in Germany via Afghanistan, or it could
be a car accident or motorcycle accident somewhere
else in North America. Wherever a forces member may
be, we must fly them home."
In Afghanistan, nursing routines change daily. One day
may involve working in the intensive care unit (ICU)
and the next day in the medevac unit. Both roles come
with their own challenges.
Whatever the circumstances, the challenges of treating
a patient in the air remain the same. "It's basically a
nursing shift in the air on an extended flight. The
difference is that you have to be aware of how the
flight might affect the safety of the patient. Some
patients are very sick.
"Coming from Germany, you're hoping they are stable,
but it can all be impacted by altitude and the
atmosphere. There are the stresses of flight, where
patients tend to be very fatigued already. You have to
deal with turbulence and equipment issues. What if
there is rapid decompression? What if the patient is
unstable? There's a lot of autonomy, preparation and
planning."
Jo-Ann Hnatiuk (left)
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Green and White
Winter 2010
Whatever the future may hold, Hnatiuk says she is
proud to be a nurse, and proud to put her life on the
line to help others. "This is why I became a nurse; this
is why I joined the military. It is a dream come true."
Hnatiuk expects to spend the next year or two in the
service of the Canadian Forces. She is looking at a
possible six-month stint in Germany this year, and
possibly another tour in Afghanistan. "I'm a reservist,
so I don't do this full time normally, but I am looking
forward to it."
17
Green and White
Winter 2010
Global Impact: Rural Development in Mongolia
By Sydney Smith (BA’07)
Saskatchewan has long been a leader in agricultural
practices, research and development. The University of
Saskatchewan, in particular, has garnered a significant
amount of global recognition for its work in agriculture
and for fostering international partnerships. The
College of Agriculture and Bioresources’ Training for
Rural Development project in Mongolia, in conjunction
with the Canadian International Development Agency,
is one partnership that has been a major success, not
only for the University of Saskatchewan, but also for
the people of rural Mongolia and the Mongolian State
University of Agriculture (MSAU).
can cause environmental strain to the area. These
problems are like ones that existed in Saskatchewan.
However, in Saskatchewan, research was conducted to
rectify these problems in the 1920s and 30s. By
adopting practices similar to ones that have been tried
and tested in Saskatchewan, Mongolian agricultural
practices are being enhanced and modernized,
significantly improving the quality of life for Mongolian
people, especially in the soums.
The program is successful because it not only provides
support and guidance, but it also provides
independence and sustainability to Mongolians
through education and empowerment, Stevens said.
The program does not solve the problems the residents
face. Rather, it equips them to solve problems
themselves by increasing awareness of new and
improved technology and utilizing existing resources.
Paul Stevens (MSc’83, PhD’93) is an international
liaison officer for the college and one of the founders
of the Training for Rural Development program.
Stevens has been honoured by Mongolia with two
medals and an honorary doctorate from MSAU.
The Training for Rural Development program is a
community development pilot project designed to
improve the livelihood of rural Mongolians—
particularly in rural municipalities, or soums. It does
this by improving the research capacity of MSUA,
which in turn improves access to and use of
appropriate technologies, practices and information,
and by teaching residents sustainable agricultural
practices that will lead to long-term improvements.
Additionally, the program has created several smaller
community development projects that are improving
the quality of life for people within these soums.
The use of technology and innovative agricultural
methods that have been established in Saskatchewan
are incredible resources to the people of Mongolia,
said Stevens. The country’s environment is very similar
to ours. The terrain is comparable to Saskatchewan or
southern Alberta with flat lands and rolling hills. The
seasons are the same—hot summers and harshly cold
winters. The country is also facing familiar agricultural
problems, such as over grazing and soil erosion that
Paul Stevens (left) in Mongolia
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Green and White
Winter 2010
By taking a “train the trainer” approach, the program
improves the livelihood of the residents, as opposed to
just blindly providing financial aid. People in need, such
as single mothers, learn new skills, establish small
businesses, and learn about production and
distribution. It has also aided children with proper
nourishment and access to education.
organizers work closely with the residents to determine
exactly what resources and training would help
develop their communities by determining the area’s
specific challenges, strengths and weaknesses.
“Saskatchewan has a rich history of functioning
cooperatives, which is also very helpful for this
project.”
“Our program would not be successful without the
partnerships developed among the University of
Saskatchewan and the Mongolia State University of
Agriculture, The Mongolian Ministry of Agriculture and
Food Industry, AgriTeam, the soum government,
Centerra Mining, and the people themselves,” says
Stevens. The universities provide research, resources
and education, the government provides the facilities,
the Centerra Mining Company provides financial
support and the residents become fully engaged to
make the program successful. “Every component of
this partnership makes it work; the program could not
exist without support from each facet, as they are all
actively involved in developing the program.”
Although there are common underlying problems
throughout rural Mongolia, no two parts of the country
are the same. For example, in one soum, it may be best
to grow vegetables, whereas in another it would be
more logical to raise cashmere goats and produce
cashmere wool. Enhancing and modernizing
agricultural practices also leads to better quality of life
in the soums.
Wheat is the traditional crop grown in Mongolia, but
since the program’s inception over 100 different
cultivars of crops have been introduced. This new
development not only diversifies the economy, but also
helps farmers learn different methods to grow the new
crops. Grains, oil seeds and legumes have all been
introduced. In particular, field pea and lentil crops have
been developed because they are substantial sources
of protein.
Open communication between residents and the
organizers is crucial, according to Stevens. The
Readily available sources of protein are necessary for
both the people and the livestock in Mongolia, he
noted. Currently, Mongolia’s livestock production
methods are weakened due to lack of protein in the
feed. People benefit from additional sources of protein
in their diets as well. The development of new
products using lentils as a meat alternative is being
explored. This is yet another reason why Saskatchewan
is an ideal partner to cooperate with Mongolia—we are
the world’s largest exporter of lentils.
The research projects involving the two universities are
improving Mongolia’s ability to build a sustainable rural
economy. “A lot of research can be completed on very
little money. This makes it appealing for graduate
students, as they can gain valuable experience while
completing their studies,” said Stevens. Research is
being conducted in a number of areas—from
environmental and social issues to disease control,
Mongolian resident shows part of her first crop’s harvest
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Green and White
Winter 2010
toxicology and veterinary practices, the projects are
truly interdisciplinary.
almost completely independent, but the group is
always available for assistance and support”.
“There is a three-year life cycle to the projects. The
first year provides security, intensive training and
additional funding. The second year is similar, but less
intensive, which encourages residents to become more
self-sufficient. By the third year, residents have become
With each passing year, the program becomes more
established. The dedication and effort from all facets of
the partnership is obvious, as the Training for Rural
Development project has provided a tremendous
difference in the quality of life to the residents of
Mongolia.
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Green and White
Winter 2010
Alumnews
Alumni Association
President’s Message
we will be honouring the accomplishments of six
exceptional alumni. Tickets for this event are available
through the Alumni Relations office. We will continue
to welcome new alumni into the association at
graduation banquets and at convocation. In June, the
U of S Alumni Association will hold its Annual General
Meeting; watch for details in the spring Green and
White and at www.usask.ca/alumni.
Happy New Year!
Wow, 2010. Where does
the time go? I have two
young children, and they
cannot wait for time to
pass for the next occasion
to
come—Christmas,
Halloween, birthdays or
whatever it may be. I, on
the other hand, would like time to pass more slowly. It
is true, time seems to go faster as we age.
The IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship just
wrapped up in Saskatoon and we are proud that so
many of our alumni volunteered to help make the
tournament a successful international event. This issue
of the Green and White highlights some outstanding
alumni who have international connections of their
own.
Each new year brings a time of reflection and/or
resolutions. When I reflect upon 2009, I note the
University of Saskatchewan Alumni Association
approved a new three year plan identifying four
priority areas—build and sustain a sense of community
amongst alumni; be recognized as the interface
between alumni and the U of S; assist the U of S to
achieve its strategic goals; and enhance the profile and
reputation of the U of S. The association also finalized
an agreement of understanding with the university
that outlines roles and responsibilities within our
relationship. The board is now working on aligning its
budget year with the university’s fiscal year.
It is my pleasure to serve as president of the University
of Saskatchewan Alumni Association. I extend a warm
invitation to all prospective volunteers. If you are
interested in becoming involved with the association
or have any questions, please email me at
alumni.president@usask.ca.
Warmest wishes to all of you for 2010!
I look forward to activities planned for 2010, such as
the Honouring our Alumni Gala on Feb. 4, 2010, where
Marianne Schneider (BSN’94, MBA’96)
21
career directions—strengthens students’ sense of
belonging.
Online Community
The oLc (online community) is long overdue for an
upgrade, but before an investment is made, we want
your
feedback.
Follow
this
link
survey.usask.ca/survey.php?sid=18721 to answer a
two question survey and tell us what you want from a
secure social and career networking site.
The 2009-10 mentors are Kendra Getty (BSc’02,
BA’03), Lucie Lévesque (BSc’98, MSc'02), Leah Hatton
(PhD’08), Mark Watson (BSc’03, MSc’05), Tasha
Hubbard (BA’94, MA’06), Trina Evitts (BA’05, MA’07),
Mitch Moxley (BA’03), and Matthew Links (BSc’99).
Kendra Getty is returning as the honorary member of
the term two study abroad LC, which is open to all U of
S students.
iPhone App Update
In the fall issue of the Green and White we reported
that the Department of Computer Science had
developed iUsask, an application for Apple’s iPhone
and iPod Touch. University Advancement is proud to
announce that an alumni button is now available on
the iUsask application, allowing you to keep up to date
with alumni news and events on your mobile device.
If you are an U of S alumnus from the Colleges of Arts
and Science, Agriculture and Bioresources, or
Kinesiology and are interested in getting involved with
the LC program, contact the University Learning Centre
by email at LC@usask.ca or phone 966-7771.
Submitted by Brea Lowenberger, Co-ordinator of
Communications, Learning Communities
The application is available for download at the App
Store in iTunes. The alumni button must be activated
via the application’s settings.
We hope to add features to the alumni section of the
application in the future. Let us know if you have any
ideas to improve your experience with the application
by emailing mailto:alumni.office@usask.ca.
Special thanks to Chad Jones (BE’00, BSc’00) and the
entire development team for all their help getting the
alumni button on the application.
Above and Beyond for First-Year
Learning Communities
First-year Learning Communities (LCs) are groups of
students taking a common set of classes who meet
with peer mentors from the University Learning Centre
as an academic community once a week.
LCs in the College of Arts and Science are named after
recent U of S graduates. These Alumni Namesake
Mentors are models of excellence for first-year
students. Their involvement—welcoming students at
their initial meeting, helping connect learning among
various
academic
disciplines,
attending
multidisciplinary faculty panels, inspiring program and
22
Green and White
Winter 2010
group of about 40 alumni and friends at a special
alumni event. He also met with Yukon College senior
administrators, the territory’s Minister of Economic
Development Jim Kenyon, the Minister of Education
Patrick Rouble and representatives of the Whitehorse
Chamber of Commerce to discuss the impacts of
innovative programming and research conducted at
the U of S.
At the Branches
Members of the Saskatoon branch of the University of
Saskatchewan Alumni Association attended the
University of Saskatchewan Huskies vs. University of
Alberta Golden Bears football game on Oct. 23. A
group of 67 alumni and guests gathered in the comfort
of a tent for a pre-game event at Griffiths Stadium at
PotashCorp Park before cheering the Huskies onto a
39-3 victory.
The Ottawa branch celebrated the Grey Cup with a
party at The Prescott on Nov. 29. A group of 100
alumni and friends enjoyed fun, prizes and lots of
cheering. As we all know, the Saskatchewan
Roughriders lost a heartbreaking game to the Montreal
Alouettes.
Network Canada hosted the 9th Annual Alumni Night
at Canada House in London, UK, on Nov. 20.
Approximately 150 guests representing 27 Canadian
universities mingled at this year’s networking event.
President MacKinnon speaks to students in Melfort
Festivities continued in the London area on Dec. 12,
when Calvin Redlick (BA’83) hosted a reception in his
lovely home in Blackheath.
On Nov. 23, President MacKinnon visited Lloydminster
and Onion Lake First Nation, where he discussed offcampus programming with representatives from
Lakeland College and first-year bachelor of education
students at Onion Lake. President MacKinnon also
spoke to high school students, met with Chamber of
Commerce and Rotary Club members, and hosted 75
alumni and friends at a reception.
The last tour stop of 2009 took President MacKinnon
to Melfort on Dec. 10, where he was welcomed by
members of the Regional Advisory Council to discuss
outreach and engagement, and community-based
research initiatives. A meeting with students and
school division officials explored the student
experience at the U of S, and a meeting with the North
East Regional Intersectoral Committee focused on the
importance and value of partnerships between the
community and the university. The day concluded with
an alumni and friends event at which over 80 people
heard a “State of the University” address.
Rider fans in Ottawa, photo submitted by Diane Zilkowsky
President’s Tour
The 11th year for the University of Saskatchewan
President’s Tour kicked off Nov. 2 and 3 when Peter
MacKinnon, accompanied by deans, faculty members
and other U of S representatives, made his first official
visit to Whitehorse, Yukon. He spoke to students at
Yukon College about their future plans and met with a
In spring 2010, the President’s Tour continues with
visits to Prince Albert and Swift Current.
23
Green and White
Winter 2010
Upcoming Events
“Intellectual Muscle” Reception
with Chancellor Vera Pezer
Watch for details for these, and future events, at
www.usask.ca/alumni
Saskatoon, SK
Feb. 23
U of S Huskie Club
President’s Provincial Tour
Women’s Hockey vs. U of R Cougars
Regina, SK
Jan. 31
Reception: 4:30-6:30 p.m. in the Qu’Appelle Room at
the Regina Inn Hotel and Conference Centre
(1975 Broad Street)
Game: 7 p.m. at the Sherwood Ice Sports Centre
(Hwy 1 E).
Game tickets can be purchased at the rink starting one
hour before face-off.
RSVP by Jan. 26 to alumni.office@usask.ca
Prince Albert, SK
March 24
Swift Current, SK
April 20
2010 U of S Alumni Honoured Years Reunion
Graduates of all colleges in the years 1970, 1965, 1960,
1955, 1950 and earlier
Saskatoon, SK
June 17-19
Email alumni.office@usask.ca to request your
registration package
Honouring Our Alumni Gala Dinner
TCU Place, Saskatoon, SK
Feb. 4
Champagne reception at 5:30 p.m.; Dinner and
program at 6:30 p.m.
$75 per person or $550 per table of eight
RSVP by calling (306) 966-5186 by Jan. 29, 2010
Dress: Business Attire
For more information,
visit www.usask.ca/alumni/awards
A Tradition of Excellence
The 100 Year Reunion for Physics and Engineering
Physics
Sept. 24 & 25
For details visit www.artsandscience.usask.ca/physics/
or phone (306) 966-6396
24
In Print
The Origin of Culture (Academica Press, 2009)
by Amy L. Marsland (BA’43) and William D. Marsland
A synthesis that draws upon a lifetime of research discusses the origins of human
culture and belief and explores aspects of how belief systems came to be
structured.
Northern Saskatchewan Canoe Country (Parkland Publishing, 2008)
by Robin Karpan (BA’73, MBA’77) and Arlene Karpan (BA’74, BEd’78)
Be taken on a visual journey along the north’s most spectacular rivers and lakes
with this coffee-table book. Stories of the landscape’s rich history and the Karpans’
experiences canoeing the north accompany 230 stunning wilderness images.
The Princess and the Pea: A Holistic Approach to Orthopaedic
Manual Therapy (Langdon Street Press, 2009)
by Gale Antaya (BSPT’89)
Years of research and personal experience in orthopaedic rehabilitation is drawn
upon to present a thesis that builds on the concept of treating the whole body
versus one isolated part. Real life case histories illustrate the approach and its
success.
Just Call Me Maggie (AuthorHouse, 2009)
by Marjorie Page (MA’94)
Page’s debut novel is a story about a prairie lawyer’s struggle with mental illness.
Maggie seems like a successful, young, meticulous woman, but just below
the
surface is a dissociative personality disorder that only needs the right trigger to
surface and spin her life out of order.
25
Green and White
Winter 2010
A Settling of Accounts (Borealis Press, 2009)
by Doug Schmeiser (BA’54, LLB’56)
Has an experienced lawyer exercised an error in professional judgment or is he a
victim of a sinister plot? This tale of human weakness and its consequences weaves
through the world of law, medicine, the ranching industry and environmental
degradation while presenting the importance of living in harmony with nature.
Equine Wound Management, 2nd Edition (Wiley-Blackwell, 2008)
edited by T.S. Stashak and C.L. Theoret (MSc’95, PhD’00)
This comprehensive and authoritative resource, that covers both theoretical and
practical information on the care of wounds in horses, is now highly illustrated with
full-colour photography throughout and offers new developments and techniques
in wound healing.
Spiked Scorpions and Walking Whales: Modern Animals, Ancient
Animals, and Water (Annick Press, 2009)
by Claire Eamer (BA’67, MA’72)
This fully illustrated children’s book looks at how many modern day animals came
from the sea. Engaging between-chapter spreads and fun facts help readers
discover the ancient counterparts of creatures that reside on Earth today.
An American By Degrees: The Extraordinary Lives of French
Ambassador Jules Jusserand (McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2009)
by Robert J. Young (BA’63, MA’65)
A personal and cultural portrait of Ambassador Jules Jusserand, who provided a
vital link between France and The United States before, during and after the First
World War.
If you graduated from the U of S and have recently published a book, let us know by emailing
alumni.office@usask.ca.
26
Green and White
Winter 2010
Q&A with Rev. Dr. Joseph Nsiah
How does a Roman Catholic priest from
Ghana end up in Saskatoon to earn his
masters and PhD degrees in education? No,
this is not a bad joke. This is the story of
Reverend Dr. Joseph Nsiah (MEd’06,
PhD’09), Fr. Joseph as he is known to his
parishioners. Michael Kpessa, post-doctoral
fellow at the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate
School of Public Policy and former student
of Rev. Dr. Nsiah at St. Mary’s Seminary
Secondary School, Lolobi, Volta Region in
Ghana, spoke with the reverend to find the
answer.
Rev. Dr. Joseph Nsiah; photo by Patrick J. Clarke
G&W: So Father, I’m extremely happy to see you again
and talk to you. Can you share a little bit about what
you did in Ghana?
Saskatoon], and he appointed me to a parish in
Saskatoon to serve while going to university.
G&W: You are already in the ministry, a beautiful
vocation, what moved you to a masters and PhD in
education?
JN: I was a high school teacher, chaplain at one point,
and became senior house master at St. Mary’s. I was in
charge of students and boarding facilities and, in the
head master’s absence, acting head master.
JN: In Ghana, and in our diocese, one of our major
objectives is to help people with their education; we
have church schools. The laity is saying the priest must
help with education. In Ghana, to become a principal
you must have a master’s degree now, and that is the
key reason I came here, to be able to have that
qualification and serve others. But the PhD is a result
of encouragement from Dr. Patrick Renihan and Dr.
Sheila Carr-Stewart in the Department of Educational
Administration. When I go back to Ghana, I am going
to use the PhD as a tool to serve; it gives me academic
credibility. So I’m going to remain ever grateful to my
professors for encouraging me.
G&W: What led you to Saskatchewan, specifically the
University of Saskatchewan?
JN: The Bishop of the Diocese of Prince Albert made a
request to the Bishop of my diocese in Ghana (Jasikan
Diocese) to send some priests to help address
challenges relating to a shortage of clergy. So, I came
here as a missionary to do parish work. After my twoyear mandate, my Bishop suggested I upgrade my
education. Since I knew Saskatchewan, I applied to the
U of S. PA is too far from the university, so I spoke to
Bishop Albert [LeGatt, then Bishop of the Diocese of
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Green and White
Winter 2010
Dr. Michael Kpessa and Rev. Dr. Joseph Nsiah (right); photo by Patrick J. Clarke
G&W: How helpful was your faith community during
your educational pursuits?
not mean that servant leadership is non-existent in
Ghana. It exists, but we don’t discuss what it entails.
JN: They were wonderful. They were my “family” here.
There were parishioners that read through my thesis,
gave me direction, proof-read my work and always
kept asking how it was going. Their words were so
encouraging.
G&W: Did you get involved in any extra-curricular
activities at university?
JN: Because I was involved with parish work, I did little
extra-curricular activities at the university. I did
become a big fan of the Roughriders though. I began
appreciating football when a parishioner explained the
rules to me. So I have become a fanatic of the
Roughriders, and my parishioners know that.
G&W: Now your dissertation, do you mind saying a little
about the topic, the goal, and how you will apply it?
JN: It’s on servant leadership, which simply is about
inspirational leadership that
provides hope for followers.
Servant leaders make the
extra effort to understand
followers, to
empower
them, to collaborate with
them, and to use power to
help constituents build
community and help others
reach their potentials. I want
Rev. Dr. Joseph Nsiah;
to explore it in the Ghanaian
context and then compare photo by Patrick J. Clarke
that to the Canadian context. So I intend to do a lot of
writing. I have already been in contact with some
friends who can help me organize conferences and
seminars to spread this idea far and wide. This does
G&W: When you go back to Ghana and someone asks
about Saskatchewan and the U of S, what will you say?
JN: Too cold (laughs), but the people have warm hearts.
I’ll miss the goodness of the people. Saskatchewan and
the university are now integral
part of my life’s story. By all
means, if you have the
opportunity, please come!
That widens your perception
of things. But before you
come, shed some of your
preconceptions. Come with an
open mind. If you come with
negativity and preconceptions
Dr. Michael Kpessa;
you cannot grow; you need to
photo
by Patrick J. Clarke
be positive to grow.
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