In the News
alumni achievements
Cameron Bailey, BA'87
Western alumnus Cameron Bailey, BA'87 (English), has been named artistic director of the Toronto International Film Fesitval. He was formerly the co-director of the filmfest. To read more click here
Erin Lawrence, BA'93
Top 40 Under 40 Calgary
Erin Lawrence, BA' 93 English and Spanish and MA'97 (Journalism) has been named to Calgary's "Top 40 Under 40" list in Avenue Magazine's November 2011 issue, honoring "Calgarians under the age of 40 who excel in their careers and raise the profile of the city."
Lawrence fondly recalls her days at Western and credits much of her profesisonal success to her academic and student experiences. "My arts degree allowed me to explore a variety of subjects; economics, language, history, and literature to name a few. It also gave me the freedom to focus on the subjects that interested me most; Spanish and English, and to study them both here, and abroad."
Lawrence also offers the following advice to current and future arts students: "Take advantage of the amazing variety of opportunities available to you at Western; you won't be sorry."
Erin Lawrence is currently executive producer for news and senior producer, television at CBC Calgary. SEE PROFILE HERE
recently published
Timothy Winegard, BA'98
Timothy Winegard
BA' 88 English has recently published a new book "For King and Kanata" (University of Manitoba Press).To read more click here
Western Arts and Humanities grads are employed in exciting and diverse fields all over the globe. To read about some of our notable Arts and Humanities alumni visit HERE.
The latest News from alumni...
2011 Alumni Awards of Merit
Sarah Richardson, BA’ 93
Young Alumni Award recipient 2011
Dean of Arts and Humanities Michael Milde with Young Alumni Award recipient Sarah Richardson (BA '93) at the 2011 Alumni Awards of Merit Dinner.
This year's Young Alumni Award recipient is Sarah Richardson, BA’93. Sarah’s keen eye for design was shaped during her studies in Visual Arts. Her immense design talents, coupled with her infectious enthusiasm and drive, have come together in the creation of a television empire. Sarah’s hard work and passion for design can be seen daily in homes around the world through her five hit television series.
She also authors a column in the Globe & Mail, maintains a robust client base through her design firm and is growing a collection of signature product lines including indoor and outdoor furniture and a line of Para paints. Sarah has received the prestigious Top 40 Under 40 Award™ from Caldwell Partners and has earned Gemini Awards for her television work. She gives back to her community by lending her design talents to styling dream homes and hotel suites for a variety of charities.
Alumna's gift opens the door to a student's European experience
Peter Verlinden stands on the spire of Church of Our Saviour, overlooking Copenhagen
Exploring the cobblestone roadways of Copenhagen and immersing himself in a new culture never would have been a possibility for Peter Verlinden were it not for the Diana Beattie Exchange Scholarship.
The grateful recipient of this year’s award is unreserved in his gratitude for the award which allowed him to study for a year in Denmark’s capital and also travel Europe. “It gave me powerful educational experiences I never could have had in my homeroom class. These lessons have changed the way I live my life.”
Peter, in the midst of a five-year combined English Literature/Honors Business Administration program, says the scholarship’s benefits were enormous. “I lived in a new country studying master’s level courses at a world-class university with students from around the world.”
His exchange experience at the University of Copenhagen, Humanities Campus, afforded him a view of the "bigger picture". “Instead of bridging the gap between ‘us and them’, I’ve learned to see us as ‘we’ and be excited to learn how we’re different and also the same. Copenhagen’s focus on social welfare has made me more open-minded to different political models.”
While Peter sees several career possibilities ahead of him – marketing, consulting or working in the publication industry – his exchange experience has exposed him to the way of life of European students who take time travelling, furthering their education or gaining life experiences before settling down – a different and exciting path to follow.
Diana Beattie, Honors BA’71, the scholarship’s founder says, “It’s good for students to get out of their comfort zone. The best way to do that is through a study-year abroad. There’s an idea of tolerance of different things that comes from living in a different culture.”
For her, the scholarship is a wonderful way of investing in the young people of tomorrow. She is happy to see the impact of her gift, today. “I love getting a little email from the student who benefitted from it; it brings tears to my eyes.”
GO Awards
In 2010-11, Western offered 28 donor-funded student exchange awards and 120 Ontario government supported exchanges. Currently, the University has exchange programs with 85 institutions in 20 countries.
Western wants to offer more Western students an international experience by attending university outside Canada, participating in an exchange program, building communities around the world and learning new languages.
With the goal of offering 400 students this opportunity by 2016, Western has established the Global Opportunities (GO) Awards, a program where the University will match qualified donations starting at $500, or the payout on endowed funds, to support an award for years to come.
For more information about the plan to offer the world as a classroom to our students, please contact Carole Stinson, Executive Director, Development Programs at 519-661-2111 ext. 85696 or email cstinson@uwo.ca.
ALUMNI NOTABLES
An artist's voice
by Carol Kehoe, BA'82, MA '84, BEd'11
The Andrea Rosen Gallery on West 24th Street in New York City is understated, like many of the other privately owned galleries in this once industrial area of the city....read more
Archbishop Thomas Collins, MA'73, elevated to cardinal
by Marcia Steyaert, BA'96 (King's)
Recently Pope Benedict XVI, announced that Thomas Collins, Archbishop of Toronto, will be elevated to the College of Cardinals, an international group of principal advisors to the Pontiff.
Archbishop Collins, who graduated from Western in 1973 with an MA in English, commented on his appointment:
"I am deeply honoured that the Holy Father has called me to be a member of the College of Cardinals. I am grateful for the trust he has placed in me, and recognize this honour as a sign of his esteem for the role of Canada and of the Archdiocese of Toronto in the universal Church. I ask the people of the Archdiocese, whom I am privileged to serve as bishop, and all people in the community, to pray for me and for all who serve Our Lord through ministry in the Church."
For a complete listing of Alumni events in your area visit HERE.
