But there’s something else humming through those endeavours.

From a laboratory on the main campus, to a classroom at the Ridgetown Campus, to the green atrium at the University of Guelph-Humber, look and listen closely, and you can sense a purposefulness. Learning and discovery matter both for their own sake and for their power to improve life in the wider world.

Making the world a better place is a central idea at the University of Guelph, one that shows not just in what we say but also in what we do. Across the disciplines here, we aim to improve life. By focusing on the whole student, we produce not just graduates but also engaged citizens.

In teaching and in research, we seek ways to engage with the wider community — whether that’s here in Guelph, elsewhere in Canada or around the world.

Our campus members explore the natural and physical sciences, touch hearts and mind through the arts, and integrate culture into study and learning.

We emphasize ethical and sustainable business practices, and we look to engineer solutions for the immediate and wider worlds. We aim to help feed a growing world in sustainable ways.

And we strive to nurture caring, interconnected campuses that value diversity and embrace inclusiveness.

At U of G, we look at life in all of its full and nuanced forms — truly the only way to make sense of our rapidly changing and ever more complex world.

Universities are among the few places in our world where we encourage opportunities for reflection and thoughtfulness, and where we can harness reflection and thought to help make that world a better place.

For faculty, staff and students on our campuses, and for our alumni and partners in other places, our underlying purpose is improving life. I invite you to explore this issue of the Portico to experience that sense of purpose for yourself.

Franco Vaccarino
President and Vice-Chancellor

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ALUMNI NEWS

The University of Guelph campus has grown and changed over the years, but one thing remains the same — alumni are the roots of the University. Whether you are working across the globe or living across the street, you will always be connected to your alma mater.

It’s important for the University to honour alumni for their achievements — that’s what inspired a new campus recognition project called the Alumni Plaza. It will be constructed in front of War Memorial Hall as a tribute to Alumni Awards of Excellence winners, and will provide a ceremonial spot on campus to highlight alumni and their achievements. The Alumni Plaza will also serve as a location for receptions and as a location to reflect on some of the incredible journeys that began at the University of Guelph.

The 2017 Alumni Awards of Excellence will be presented June 9 at a gala during Alumni Weekend. The gala is an annual celebration of excellence recognizing alumni for their important achievements in their professions and communities through their work or volunteer commitments. Everyone is welcome to attend.

While some alumni will be forever remem- bered on campus in the Alumni Plaza, others jumped at a chance to leave their mark in the new Gryphon Athletics Event Centre. The Name-a-Seat campaign was a great success thanks to almost 100 alumni who donated or pledged $1,000 and had a seat named for them (or a friend, family member, class or group). They are recognized with seat plates in the event centre.

Please plan to join us on Alumni Weekend in June to tour the incredible new facilities in the Athletics Centre, enjoy the newly installed Alumni Plaza or attend a campus event. Whatever you choose, we would like to welcome you back home! For all the details, visit www.alumni.uoguelph.ca/alumniweekend.

Brandon Gorman,
B.Comm. ’06 President UGAA

Jason Moreton,
BA ’00 Associate Vice-President Alumni Advancement

FEATURED EVENT

Frosty Mug

The Frosty Mug is the Gryphons men’s varsity hockey game that’s played at the Sleeman Centre in downtown Guelph every January. It’s a chance for students, staff, faculty, alumni and community members to reconnect with U of G. This year, a record crowd of more than 4,600 fans — includ- ing nearly 150 alumni — cheered on the Gryphons as they defeated the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks 2-1.

ALUMNI EVENT

College career nights

Each year, all seven U of G colleges hold career nights to connect students with alumni and learn about opportunities. The College of Biological Science Career Night, below, attracted more than 200 students eager to connect with 30 alumni from different industries offering career advice and mentorship. The annual Engineering Career Night, bottom, was held earlier this year in the Engineering Atrium with more than 30 alumni attending.

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1940s

The University of the West Indies in Trinidad named a new building at its School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, in honour of Holman Williams, DVM ’49.

1950s

Donna (Winter) Jeffery, DHE ’50, and Donald Jeffery, BSA ’50, published Adventures in Foxieland, which tells the stories of animals living in Foxieland, a place that is based on their own farm in Northumberland, Ont. It is available on Amazon Kindle and soon in paperback. They have several other published stories and new writing projects on the go.

1970s

Joseph Gorski, Dipl. ’78, is founder and director of Soil Technologies, Inc., which tests and improves soil to increase yields and build disease resistance.

Laura Lee, DVM ’79, is still enjoying veterinary practice, and has been doing integrative medicine with a strong focus on animal chiropractic and sports medicine. She also focuses on traditional Chinese medicine, including acupuncture, herbal medicine and food therapy to treat chronic diseases and cancer in animals. She lives in Dartmouth, N.S., with her daughter who manages the veterinary practice, an Arabian mare and four cats. In her free time, she plays percussion in a Brazilian samba ensemble and improvised jazz groups.

1980s

Jim Murray, M.Sc. ’80, published his fourth book, Becoming … what you really want to be. He is the founder and CEO of Optimal Solutions International.

LeRoy Blake, B.Sc. ’82, and his wife Janet (Lilliman) Blake, B.Comm. ’83, mobilized their parish in Ottawa to sponsor a Syrian refugee family. The support was overwhelming, with contributions of more than $75,000, allowing the parish to sponsor two families. The Blakes report that one year later, the families are happy and well-adjusted, with the kids doing well in school, both fathers working and both families expecting babies this year, “a testament to them feeling safe and secure in their new homeland.”

Paul Aiello, BA ’83, and Clayton Greenway, B.Sc. ’03, launched healthcareforpets. com, a pet health and wellness website that includes articles, videos and an “Ask the Vet” section with the goal of promoting responsible pet ownership.

Kenneth (Ken) Tamminga, BLA ’83, was promoted to distinguished professor of landscape architecture at Penn State University.

Stewart Gill, PhD ’84, received an Order of Australia Medal in the Queen’s Birthday 2016 Honours list for contributions to tertiary education. He was recently appointed master of Queen’s College at the University of Melbourne and is the incoming president of the International Council for Canadian Studies.

Michael Burr, Dipl. ’85, works with developmentally delayed adults and has “many fond RCAT memories.”

Laura Dewar, B.Sc. ’85, M.Sc. ’88, completed her PhD in biomedical physiology and kinesiology at Simon Fraser University last fall and says, “Finally received my doctorate in middle age!”

Lori McLellan, BA ’85, retired at 54. She says: “Time to golf and fish and drink wine in Niagara! Still dancing after all these years!”

Neil Embleton, DVM ’87, and surgical partner Veronica Barkowski, DVM ’87, invented a canine stifle stabilizing implant called the Simitri Stable Stride. They have published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at veterinary orthopedic conferences.

Alyda (Alice) Faber, BA ’87, published her first poetry collection, Dust or Fire (Goose Lane Editions 2016) – Johnston Green appears in one of the poems — and teaches at the Atlantic School of Theology.

Helen Sharp, B.Sc. ’88, has been appointed professor and director of the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore.

1990s

Thomas Dimitroff, BA ’90 led the Atlanta Falcons to the 2017 Super Bowl as the team’s general manager. The two-time NFL Executive of the Year joined the Falcons in 2008 after scouting roles with the New England Patriots. The Falcons lost 34-28 to the Patriots in overtime.

Becky Madill, B.A.Sc. ’95, enjoys living on the Bruce Peninsula with her husband and four daughters, and teaching at a local school.

Deek Gray, B.Comm. ’96, works as a detective constable in the elder abuse and fraud unit in Burlington, Ont. He recently celebrated his 12th wedding anniversary. He says: “Big hello to all the 1995/1996 HAFA co-op grads out there for our 20-plus years since graduation!”

2000s

Shane Arbuthnott, MA ’10, recently published his first book, Dominion (Orca Book Publishers), a fantasy for middle- grade readers.

Joel Aitken, B.Sc. (Agr.) ’10, M.Sc. ’14, is an organic inspector at Ecocert Canada in Guelph, and Katie Thomson Aitken, B.A.Sc. ’10, is a naturopathic doctor in Guelph who treats stress and anxiety.

Frances Botden, BA ’14, and Anthony Hanemaayer, B.Comm. ’15, met in their second year at U of G, even though their childhood homes were less than five kilometres apart. Their wedding in August 2016 brought together five decades of graduates. The couple lives in Oakville, Ont., where Frances works at the Burlington Public Library and Anthony is working as an analyst for the Royal Bank of Canada.

Steve Stasko, B.Sc. (Agr.) ’11, head grower for Orangeline Farms, received an Ontario Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence for the farm’s SurpriZingly Sweet Strawberries, which are available year-round. The farm was one of the first to grow greenhouse strawberries in Ontario.

Victoria Struthers, BA ’12, was married in May 2016.

Maureen Beech, B.Comm. ’14, was married in May 2016 at the Basilica of Our Lady in Guelph. She and her husband also purchased a new home in the city.

Jessica Luksts, B.Sc. ’15, is attending the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster University (2019 doctor of medicine candidate).

Baljinder Sabharwal, M.Sc. ’15, recently bought her first house and enjoys being a new homeowner.

Erica Pollard, BA ’16, says: “You never realize how much you will miss the University of Guelph until you move to a different province. The U of G will always be home to me!”

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