Cafeteria Holds New Product Tasting Event

Three staff members sample and evaluate the merits of the deep
fried pickled green beans.

Nine food vendors provided generous free samples of 14 new products in the cafeteria during the lunch hour on Tuesday, March 27.  "This year's tasting event was a huge success," said Director of Food Services Brenda Hodgins.  "Most participants completed the survey and provided many useful comments about the various products."

The most popular products at this year's event were the ravioli stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes and artichokes served with a delicate beurre blanc sauce.  Another very popular item was the Blueberry and Pomegranate Oasis Smoothie.  The cafeteria plans to begin offering these and other new products next school year.

Kuda Pfupa, a 2nd-year Religious Studies major from Edmonton, and 
Brenda Hodgins, Director of Food Services, enjoy sampling the ravioli.

Students Given more than $225,000 in Scholarships and Awards

Canadian University College's annual Awards Night, Tuesday, March 27, saw 122 students receiving scholarships and awards totalling more than $225,000.  The complete Awards Night program, including the name of each recipient, the presenters, and many of the donors, can be found here.

Scholarships awarded ranged from $500 to $11,616.  If you would like to establish a scholarship please contact CUC's Office of Advancement at 403-782-4161 or e-mail Jerrold Ritchey at jritchey@cauc.ca

As per the donors' instructions, last year's recipient of the Legend Scholarship,
Andrea Leaist, a 3rd-year Biology major from Calgary (right), presents
this year's recipient, Faith Calaminos, a 3rd-year Biology major from
Port Coquitlam, BC, with the 2012 Legend Scholarship.

Adam Bussey, a 3rd-year Religious Studies major from Roseneath, ON,
 received the President's Award for Excellence for the Division of Arts.

Students Run Soup Kitchen 3rd Sabbath of Every Month

Once a month a group of between 8 and 10 CUC students operate a community soup kitchen in Red Deer sponsored by the Adventist Community Services Centre.  They typically prepare a meal for between 70 and 80 people.  

Coordinating this outreach activity this year is David Benjamin, a 2nd-year Music major originally from Toronto, now residing in Lacombe who said, "We do this because it is an awesome opportunity to serve others, a great way to meet people of the Red Deer Community, and an opportunity worth taking advantage of to be a witness for Jesus Christ; not just through humble service, but also through fellowship with the guests at the Soup Kitchen."   

Luke Bannis, a 1st-year Behavioural Science
major delivers a fresh batch of pizza buns
to the serving area.

David says working in the Soup Kitchen reminds him that life is unpredictable and fragile.  "Today you can be successful and well able to support yourself and a family, and the next day you can be homeless and without any courage or ability to cope" he said.  "No matter in what condition we are in life we all absolutely need the love of Jesus Christ and the Soup Kitchen is one small way to share that love."

New Student Lounge Opens

A new warm and cozy place for students to study and socialize has opened in a vacant store front between the Outward Pursuits classroom and The Good Water Company.  "This joint venture between the Student Association and CUC is open to all students, but designed to meet the needs of students who do not live on campus," said SA President Tristan Caro who first proposed the idea of a new lounge.   

In his dedicatory prayer at the lounge's opening ceremony, Ross Mason, a 3rd-year Adventure Based Counselling major asked that the lounge would be a place "where friendships are made and strengthened, and we grow closer to each other and to You."  

Named the "Social Eyez Lounge," the space is open from 8 am to midnight, Monday through Friday, by arrangement on Sabbath, and from noon to midnight on Sundays.

While many people helped make the new lounge possible, special thanks must be given for the extra work done by the following individuals: Stacy Hunter, Darren Bishop, Terry O'Neill, Fred Schultz, Ron Reimche, Philip Swierszcz, Bob Trenchuk, Cathie Trenchuk, Carolyn O'Neill, and students Christopher Young, Steeven Gouin, Maison Leitch (PAA) and Christina Owens.

Student Association President Tristan Caro and CUC President Mark Haynal jointly cut the ribbon to officially open the new student lounge located in the ABC strip mall in the suite previously occupied by Aldrich Construction.

Students Present Weekly Sabbath School Program at Hobbema

Jennette Britanico, a 1st-year Business major from North York, ON,
keeps two  children busy as they wait for Sabbath School to begin.

Every week during the school year a group of CUC students present a children's Sabbath School program at Hobbema.  Leading the group this year have been Craig Edwards, a 3rd-year Biology major from Whitby, ON, Sharon Baragona, a 3rd-year General Studies major from Edmonton, and Sapphire Woods, a 2nd-year English major from Woodbridge, ON.

Hobbema is primarily a First Nation community that serves four reserves of Cree bands.  The community has attracted national media attention in Canada for its problems with crime and gangs.  Attendance at the Sabbath School run by CUC students averages around 18 children per week.  "Many of these children have become very attached to our students from CUC," said Peter Ford, the Adventist pastor who serves Hobbema. "Without the help of these dedicated young men and women, we wouldn't be able to sustain a children's program and continue to share Christ with them." 

Ashley Bastien, a 3rd-year Elementary Education major from Windsor, and Craig Edwards, a 3rd-year Biology major from Whitby, play a game with one of the children.  Each week there are activities planned before Sabbath School begins, designed to keep children who arrive early busy. 

Scholarships Presented at 9 Academy Awards Banquets

Representatives from CUC's Marketing and Enrolment Department have been holding Awards Banquets at academies across Canada, giving grade 12 students hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships.  "These banquets are an excellent opportunity for us to celebrate the upcoming graduation of grade 12 students and award scholarships they had earned by meeting certain criteria," said Bryan Lee, vice president for marketing and enrolment services.  "These events also give us the opportunity to meet with parents and express our appreciation for the sacrifices they have made in providing a Seventh-day Adventist education for their children."

Banquets have been held at nine SDACC academies.  Scholarships awarded include the President's Award for Outstanding Leadership, Musicianship, Athleticism, and Academic Excellence.

Twenty-two of PAA's grade 12 students received a total of $213,000 in CUC scholarships at the Awards Banquet held

 Sunday, March 11, at the Blackfalds Multiplex Centre.

Shown above is part of the group of outgoing and returned student missionaries who met recently at Deer Valley Meadows
Bible Camp.  They are (front row, from left to right) Phil Martin, Selene Dublanko, Kaitlin Grovet, Kendra Hill,
Jacqui McCarty, Emma Connors, Resoynna Watson-Jones, Laura Kozak.  Back row, Eric Anderson, 
Mark Kramer, Laura Schafer, Jared Grant, Brandi McDonald, Chris Pugh, and sponsors Danielle and Rob Weich.

12 Students Prepare to Serve as Student Missionaries

Students who have already spent time as a student missionary joined 12 students who plan to serve this coming year for a Missions Retreat Weekend at Deer Valley Meadows Bible Camp, just south of Alix, AB.  Speakers for the weekend included Mark Kramer, who spent a year in the Ukraine, Danielle Weich, who spent a year in Puerto Rico and another in Bolivia, and CUC Chaplain Paul Antunes.

"We had a wonderful weekend of worship and spiritual renewal," said Eric Anderson, Director of Student Missions, who organized the event.  "Having outgoing and returned student missionaries together also allowed us to do training and team building."

Canada-Wide CUC Offering is Sabbath, March 31

This year's video is narrated by Mariel Machar, a 2nd-year Biology major
from Calgary, and Adam Bussey, a 3rd-year Religious Studies major
from Roseneath, ON. 

In every Adventist church across Canada the offering collected Sabbath, March 31, will be for Canadian University College.  A well-crafted promotional video that shows many wonderful things happening at CUC this year has sent to every church.  If you would like a sneak preview, please click here.

"We are very thankful for this opportunity to promote across Canada our university and its amazing students," said Jerrold Ritchey, vice president for advancement.  "Our student body is truly representative of our global church family and they make CUC a very vibrant, dynamic successful place. It is an honor to invite all Canadians to participate in this success through your gifts and prayers of support!"

Alberta Education Presents School of Education with Framed Memorandum of Agreement

Dr. Peter Prinsen, from Alberta Education, visited CUC Friday to formally present a framed copy of our current Memorandum of Agreement with the Minister of Education that authorizes the School of Education to train teachers who subsequently receive Alberta certification.

Participating in the presentation ceremony were (from left to right) Dr. Joy Fehr, Professor Keith Leavitt, Dr. June Fiorito, Dr. Tim Buttler, Dr. Mark Haynal, Dr. Peter Prinsen, Dr. Carolyn Doss, Julie Grovet, and Dr. John Hoyt.

Pastor Dauncey Shares Strategies for 21st Century Evangelism

Michael Dauncey, family life ministries pastor at the Aldergrove Seventh-day Adventist Church and a 1998 CUC graduate spoke at Community Worship this past Tuesday about the Acts of Kindness approach to evangelism his congregation uses.   "We are passionate about connecting people who have a heart for their community with the resources and tools needed to enrich the lives of their neighbours," said Dauncey.  "This is the way Jesus lived his life." 

Acts of Kindness is a charitable initiative based in Aldergrove, BC, which aims to build community and cultivate better lives for residents of the Fraser Valley and Lower Mainland.  It provides the following services:

• A Breakfast Club at a nearby Elementary School
• An Annual Extreme Home Repair Project
• Coronary Health Improvement Project (CHIP) Programs
• Operation Kindness
• Single Moms' Oil Change
• Welcome Inn
• Spirit of Aldergrove Christmas Dinner
• Summer Camp for Kids
• Natural Lifestyle Cooking School
• Minivans for Moms

During Community Worship we enjoyed a Skype call with Matthew Mills, a 3rd-year Adventure Based Youth Leadership major from Berwyn, AB, who is currently in Bolivia serving a one-year term as a student missionary.  The call was facilitated by Eric Anderson, a 3rd-year Religious Studies major from Oshawa who is Director of Student Missions.

Pastor Dauncey models his community softball team's uniform.  Because everybody on the team knows he is a pastor, his number is 3:16 in honour of John 3:16, one of his favourite texts.

Banker Shares Practical Advice with Business Majors

As part of the 2012 Advisement Day experience, the School of Business welcomed CUC alumnus James Young, BBA ’07 as a guest speaker. Young shared with a full room of students and faculty his experiences as a commercial banker with Scotiabank and BMO Bank of Montreal. 

Following his presentation Young answered questions about life in the banking industry, potential job opportunities, the impact of the bank meltdown, and how he puts to use the analytical skills he learned in the classroom as he works with his team.  “We're very grateful James has come back to CUC twice since he graduated to speak with our students," said Professor David Jeffrey, Chair of the School of Business.  "It is awesome for our students to see that success can be found through applying the principles and experiences our classes offer.”

"The presentation was incredibly informative," said Gabriel Castella-Chin, 1st year Business Major.  "It gave us a preview of what we will be able to accomplish and achieve after graduating from CUC."

March Edition of Print Version of President's Page Now Available

The monthly print version of the President's Page is now available for your reading pleasure here.  In this edition you can read all about the following:

• CUC participation in the Lacombe & District Music Festival
• Professor Penner's plans to leave CUC to pursue personal and professional opportunities in Germany.
• Mark's musings about the sacrifices made by CUC's professors.
• A great photo of CUC's farm from the 1920s.
• Statistics about the President's Page Blog.  Did you "Tennyson Samraj " is one of the most frequently-used search terms bringing people to this blog?

Update: It's a "Three-peat!"

The men's basketball team defeated the Olds College Broncos Saturday night to claim for the third year in a row the Alberta Colleges Athletic League Basketball Championship!  The final score was CUC 85, Olds College 79.  "This was the first 'away' game I was able to attend," said President Mark Haynal.  "I was very proud of how our players and fans behaved!"

Men's Basketball Team Ends Regular Season with 11-3 Record

Our men's basketball team finished the regular season March 1 with a 91-74 victory over Centre High of Edmonton for a season win/loss record of 11-3.  They will play their first game of this year's Alberta Colleges Athletic League (ACAL)  Basketball Championship Friday morning, March 9 and 9 am at Olds College.  If the Aurora win that game they will play the gold medal championship game Saturday night, March 10 at 9 pm.

Canadian University College's team won the men's basketball championship in 2010 and 2011.  "We have a very good chance of taking it three years in a row," says Athletics Director Ron Schafer.

IMPACT Presents Programs at Mount Ellis Academy

A team of eight PAA and two CUC students presented programs of musical numbers and skits at Mount Ellis Academy, in Bozeman, MT, and Higher Ground Christian School, in Lethbridge, AB, over the Family Day Weekend.  These students, along with Wanda Johnson, Director of Counseling and Career Development, form CUC's IMPACT team.  (IMPACT stands for Impossible Made Possible at Christ's Throne.)  

"Our goal is to reach those that feel they have no hope," said Johnson.  "We take our message of hope and healing to the streets and schools. There we offer Jesus as the One Who can help them deal with the tough things life throws at us." 

CUC student Kimberly McKay is working as a Taskforce Dean at Mount Ellis Academy this year. A graduate of CUC, JD Rich teaches Bible and works as a dean at the academy.

More information about IMPACT can be found on the group's Facebook page.