This year’s 2017-18 Campaign for Students: The places we will go, stations you alongside our dedicated students as they strive to make their mark on this world. Where can a U of S education take you? How far can you go? Your donation to Campaign for Students provides opportunities through scholarships and bursaries for students who are passionate about making a difference through their studies.

Nadia Philipenko, a Master of Physical Therapy student in the College of Medicine, is one of many students who have been a recipient of awards funded through the Campaign for Students.

“These student awards have motivated me to remain involved, and encourage me to continually strive for excellence.These gifts have allowed me to focus and dedicate myself to my academic endeavors, volunteer work, and to allow time to be spent with my loved ones.”

Nadia Philipenko is thankful for the donor support she has received during her education. She is looking forward to having a career where she can make a difference on an individual level, helping patients get back to what they love to do.  David Stobbe / stobbephoto.ca

Your donation to the Campaign for Students ensures that students like Nadia are not on their academic journey alone. Through the Campaign for Students, your support eases the burden of tuition, books and living expenses when there’s no time for part-time jobs. Your encouragement teaches them the value of philanthropy because they feel the impact.

“I feel it is important for students graduating to know that they have the support from the community and alumni. Facilitation of these relationships contributes to the maintenance of excellence within the school as well as out in the community. Once I graduate, I look forward to making an impact here in Saskatoon, and also in rural communities in Saskatchewan where our services are less accessible, but needed,” says Nadia.

There are several ways to contribute to the Campaign for Students, including donations to specific colleges, funds, University Library, Huskie Athletics, and more.

Giving is easy, convenient, and any donation – regardless of the amount – has a lasting impact on U of S students.

The Campaign for Students runs until April 30, 2018. Please visit www.give.usask.ca/students for more information on how to give.

Dwane McLaren calls his dog Jango a “firecracker.”

The three-year-old blue heeler is an expert cattle herder, and when McLaren found himself cornered by 14 angry bulls, Jango came to his rescue.

Jango outside the WCVM after his final appointment after surgery (photo by Jeanette Neufeld).

The small dog took on the bulls, and Jango didn’t stop protecting McLaren even after suffering a broken jaw.

“The bulls were 2,200 pounds — and he’s 40,” says McLaren, who hauls cattle for a living. “One [bull] decided he didn’t like me very much, and he started coming after me … [Jango] grabbed onto the back of his ankle and distracted him enough that I could get over the fence.”

McLaren says he’s amazed at Jango’s protective nature.

“For him to know to come and do that — I didn’t call him or anything. The natural instinct to help in a dog is unbelievable,” he says.

After a three-hour struggle, McLaren finally got the bulls loaded in his semi-trailer. That’s when he noticed Jango was bleeding from his mouth. Despite being injured, the dog hadn’t stopped helping his owner the entire time.

“He’s tougher than nails, this fellow,” he says of his dog. Continue reading →

Regan Wilson (left) and Kinga Nolan are the recipients of the 2017 Schulich Leadership Scholarships.

Regan Wilson and Kinga Nolan are the latest University of Saskatchewan students to be awarded Schulich Leader Scholarships.

Canadian businessman and philanthropist Seymour Schulich created the scholarship program in 2011, providing entrance awards for high school graduates enrolling in a science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) undergraduate program at participating Canadian universities.

This year, there were more than 1,300 Schulich Leader Nominees from across Canada vying for 50 scholarships, valued at up to $100,000 each. Wilson and Nolan have joined the ranks of over 270 students who received this scholarship to date.

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University of Saskatchewan researchers have been awarded $16.6 million by Global Affairs Canada to work with Mozambique partners on improving the health and lives of 165,000 Mozambican women of child-bearing age and 23,000 newborns.

This major training and research project, which is six years in length, aims to create conditions in Mozambique that will reduce maternal deaths by improving health services for women and tackling gender barriers that prevent them from accessing effective care.

Latest available United Nations statistics show Mozambique had one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates at 489 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2015—nearly 70 times higher than Canada’s rate of seven per 100,000.

“This transformative initiative addresses a great tragedy and demonstrates our university’s ongoing commitment to global citizenship and international community service through research,” said Karen Chad, U of S vice-president Research. “This community-engaged project will also provide an extremely valuable international learning experience for our students.” Continue reading →

The fifth and final phase of the successful Preston Crossing development is nearing completion, with 15 new tenants opening their doors this year to bring the major shopping centre to a total of 40 stores, services and restaurants on the 70-acre parcel of land owned by the U of S. Lease arrangements with the developer have generated more than $17 million for student scholarships, bursaries and initiatives.

The University of Saskatchewan’s partnership with one of Saskatoon’s premier shopping centres is paying big dividends for U of S students.

“We think it has been really successful,” said Judy Yungwirth, U of S director of corporate admin istration. “When we started, our vision was to leverage the value of our land to generate revenue for priorities of the university. Student scholarships were identified as a priority at the time. It has exceeded our financial expectations and it’s become a hugely successful shopping centre.”
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For Bruce Bradshaw (BSPE’83; BED’85), staying connected to his alma mater has always been a priority. Having recently retired from his 31 year career with the Saskatoon Public School Division, he attributes his success to his time spent at the U of S. “I am very grateful for all of the doors that have been opened thanks to my U of S experience and education,” he says. “I want to give back to my roots– it all goes back to where you start.”

In addition to a successful career, Bruce has built many meaningful relationships because of the time he spent at the U of S. He met his future wife, Kathy, when he was a student in a physical education class. The couple both graduated with Education degrees, with Kathy returning to campus years later to complete a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA’05).

Bruce Bradshaw (left) prepares to sign a historic piece of Rutherford Rink with Peter Stoicheff (right) looking on. A celebration was held at the University Club for volunteers of the Home Ice Campaign honouring the success of the $29-million campaign.

Off campus, both have remained active community members, and enjoy volunteering to make Saskatoon a better city in which to live. The couple has also been busy at home with their three sons, all of whom are active and enjoy sports – and all of whom were coached by their father in Minor League Hockey.

Of course, hockey has always been a central part of Bruce’s life. He played in small town Saskatchewan as a kid, and would go on to play Huskie hockey for 5 years as a student. With his strong connection to the Huskies and philanthropic nature, Bruce was a welcome addition to the Home Ice Campaign committee. Sitting across from him at meetings would be a number of familiar faces: his former Huskie’s hockey coach, Dave King, past teammates, and many friends within the community. Together, they would set the tone for the $29-million dollar campaign by contacting alumni and members of the community to introduce them to the project. The campaign would go on to be active across Canada – from Toronto to BC – becoming one of the most successful volunteer-driven campaigns in the university’s history.

Bruce has many wonderful memories of Rutherford Rink, but is looking forward to an updated state-of-the-art facility.

Bruce’s experience with this extraordinary campaign was filled with many highlights. He was honored to meet Merlis Belsher, the U of S graduate and donor he attributes to giving Home Ice the momentum it needed to accelerate successfully forward. He spent time with the city’s mayor, Charlie Clark, whose belief in, and support of the campaign, was critical to its success. But perhaps most meaningful for Bruce was the outpouring of support from Huskie alumni and fans. “The number of people who contacted me wanting to step up and contribute—be it $5 or $500— because they really believed in it, was touching,” he said.

Now that the campaign has reached its fundraising goal and construction has begun on Merlis Belsher Place, Bruce continues to be energized by the project. As a father and former coach, he is ecstatic that parents in the community will have shorter, safer travel times to practices and games. “Merlis Belsher Place will provide a gathering place where everyone can witness the level of play that youth sport hockey has in Saskatoon. It will bring in tourism and tournaments, and honour the Huskies with a facility that is on par with their immense talent,” he says.

Beyond that, Bruce is focused on the simple things that for him make hockey great. “Now, I’m most looking forward to having a comfortable chair to sit in and watch the games – maybe even with a cup holder attached,” he chuckles.

For the partners at McKercher LLP, the decision to support the Home Ice Campaign was an open and shut case. Not only are many of their lawyers and staff U of S graduates, but as a firm they are deeply committed to supporting the next generation of community leaders through sports.

“We view this as much more than a hockey rink,” says David Thera, Q.C., chair of McKercher’s executive committee. “Sport and team play provide opportunities to learn essential leadership skills. Our donation is an investment in our families, our practice, and our province as a whole.”

This is why McKercher LLP donated $500,000 to the Home Ice Campaign. Their generous contribution will be recognized by naming a VIP space within Merlis Belsher Place the McKercher LLP Trophy Lounge.

We are grateful for the support of businesses like McKercher LLP, and for their help in developing young athletes into future community leaders.

For Kellie Wuttunee, family is everything. The University of Saskatchewan graduate credits the support of both her immediate and extended families for being able to achieve her challenging educational goals while also balancing the demands of being a single parent. She’s raising three children under the age of 13, all while obtaining two degrees—her master’s in social work from Wilfrid Laurier University in 2012, and now a law degree from the U of S.

“The biggest challenge has been learning to manage my time and energy well,” Kellie said of the long road she’s travelled to get to her to her 2017 convocation. “There were some really tough times. My family, friends, culture and spirituality helped me and got me through it.”

Growing up an hour west of Saskatoon, on Red Pheasant First Nation, the Nêhiyawak Cree woman said she couldn’t imagine pursing her law degree anywhere but the University of Saskatchewan. “This is home for me—I wanted to be close to my family,” she noted. “My children have been by my side the entire process of obtaining my higher education.”

David Stobbe / stobbephoto.ca

Kellie was also attracted to the Program of Legal Studies for Native People at the U of S. “It’s a one-of-a-kind program in Canada, and I was so grateful to be selected,” she said. The pre-law course provided her with a solid foundation for her Juris Doctor, a degree that holds a significant family connection. Her uncle William Wuttunee, who graduated from the U of S College of Law in 1952, was the first Cree lawyer to be called to the bar in Western Canada.
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Tucked away, down a long stretch of corridor in the Peter MacKinnon building, is the Museum of Antiquities. Though small in size, the room is grand in its contributions. The museum aims to offer the public a “reliable and critical account of the artistic accomplishments of major Western civilizations and epochs from approximately 3000 BC to AD 1500,” ensuring that right here on campus, the past is present for examination.

On April 28, an exhibit created exclusively upon donations by Terence Cheesman, had people pressed against cabinet glass, hoping to travel back in time. NVMISMANIA—A Celebration of Ancient Coinage showcases a sampling of ancient coins. Terence is a generous supporter of the museum and a Numismatist by trade, having spent countless hours studying and collecting coins over the years.

The depictions on the coins offer a glimpse into the social and economic culture of the time. One coin, blueish green in colour—bruised with time—depicts an ear of grain. This is an ancient Celtic bronze coin from Ilipense, Spain, dating from 150-100 BCE. Grain, as it happens, was one of the commodities that this city was known for and took pride in at the time.

Featured in the exhibit, an ancient Celtic bronze coin from Ilipense, Spain, dating from 150-100 BCE.

Director of the museum, Tracene Harvey commented, “I like to imagine that if Saskatchewan minted its own coins, this is a coin image that would be most fitting for our province.”

Tracene is proud to note that the Museum of Antiquities has recently grown their coin collection, jumping from approximately 80 to around 460 coins. The majority of these artifacts have come from Terence’s personal collection. The museum uses the coin collection extensively for the purposes of teaching, experiential learning and research, including experiments conducted by U of S students at the Canadian Light Source synchrotron. Continue reading →

Dr. Patrick Man Pan Yuen was just a teenager when he came to Canada from Hong Kong to study, first as a high school student in Montreal before heading west to Saskatoon to study medicine at the University of Saskatchewan.

Now, six decades later, Yuen still fondly remembers his time on campus and his mentor, Dr. Donald Baxter, and is giving back to his alma mater by establishing a major scholarship for graduate students at the U of S.

On June 1, the university announced Yuen’s gift of $1-million to establish a scholarship fund in the name of Baxter, to help graduate students from mainland China and Hong Kong study at the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS).

“Throughout my medical career, I have come to the conclusion a medical doctor can really save relatively few of his patients in his lifetime,” Yuen said, “By offering to help set up research in increasing food production to combat hunger, far more lives can be saved. I cannot think of a better place in the world than the University of Saskatchewan in fulfilling my wishes.”

Dr. Man Pan Yuen graduated from the U of S College of Medicine in 1964. He will be forever grateful for his experience at the U of S, and his time with mentor, Dr. Donald Baxter.

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