SPRING 2010 • ST. MICHAELS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL School · 2017-08-15 · SPRING 2010 • ST. MICHAELS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL SMUS Carries the Torch Alumni, students and staff join in the

SPRING 2010 • ST. MICHAELS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL

SMUS Carries the Torch Alumni, students and staff join in the 2010 fanfare

The Mindboggling Joy of GivingHugh McGillivray ’64 on the power of endowment

Alumni in the NewsOur scientists, musicians and local heroes in the spotlight

School

Friday, April 305:00 pm

Registration and wine tasting in the main marquee

6:00 pmAlumni reception at Reynolds House for alumni from the Class of 1970 and earlier *registration required

7:00 pmClass reunion gatherings off campus. Meet at the main marquee – transportation to class events provided

Saturday, May 111:00 am

Alumni Association Annual General Meeting, Copeland Lecture Theatre

Campus Shop opens

School tours

Archives opens – help us identify alumni in historic photos!

Student art exhibit on the top floor of the Crothall building

12:00 pmComplimentary barbeque picnic lunch, including special activities for children

International Cultural Marketplace opens on the main field. This year’s cultural extravaganza features displays, hands-on activities for children, international food, and international goods for sale. The main stage will feature Korean fan dancing, Mexican singing, hip-hop, and Russian dancing

1:00 pmAlumni and 2010 graduating class chapel service with guest speaker Emmy Award-winner Lindsey Pollard ’85

Following chapel, presentation of grad bears by alumni and Gareth Rees ’85, President of the SMUS Alumni Association, Heritage Walk, Crothall Quad

1:45 pmSquash tournament

2:15 pmSMUS girls soccer versus Glenlyon Norfolk School

3:15 pm1st XV rugby versus Oak Bay High School

4:30 pmAlumni and community reception in main marquee, featuring the music of Nova

6:00 pmTHE MAIN EVENT – Reunion Classes Celebration Dinner

All graduates from years ending in a 0 or 5, along with their spouses, are invited to the Alumni Weekend Reunion Dinner in Brown Hall. *registration required

Tables are arranged by class years – register online through alumni.smus.bc.ca or by email to [email protected].

Sunday, May 211:00 am

Students versus alumni cricket match

St. Michaels University School Alumni Weekend April 30 – May 2, 2010

For more information, email Louise Winter ([email protected]) or Gillian Donald ([email protected])

School Ties - Spring 2010 • 1

School Ties is distributed to more than 5,000 members of the St. Michaels University School community, including current families, friends, and current and past staff and students. The goal of the publication is to communicate current activities and initiatives and provide articles and reports on the alumni community. If you have any comments or suggestions regarding this publication, please email [email protected]

Published by the Advancement Office St. Michaels University School 3400 Richmond Road Victoria, British Columbia Canada V8P 4P5 Telephone: 250-592-2411 Admissions: 1-800-661-5199 Email: [email protected]

School Ties magazine and archive copies can be found in the publications section of the school website: www.smus.bc.ca/publications

If you are interested in attending school events, visit the school’s online Calendar of Events at www.smus.bc.ca.

Editors: Erin Anderson, Laura Authier, Gillian Donald ’85, Peter Gardiner, Louise Winter

Contributors (in no particular order): Robert Snowden, Robert Wilson, Peter Gardiner, Laura Authier, Erin Anderson, Brenda Waksel, Louise Winter, Gillian Donald ’85 and SMUS community members. We apologize for any omissions.

Photos: Erin Anderson, Gillian Donald, Rob Ducharme, Peter Gardiner, Kent Leahy-Trill, Blair Shier, Don Bodger/Cowichan News Leader Pictorial. Cover photo: The Canadian Press/Mark Baker.

Design and Layout: Reber Creative

Printed in Canada W by Hillside Printing Ltd., Victoria, BC

Contents

10 SMUS Carries the Torch for the 2010 GamesAt least 10 alumni, students and staff took part in the torch run for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games. PLUS: Jody Barber ’82 represents Canada in the Paralympic Games

11 Highlights from the SMUS ReviewNews stories from all three campuses published on our web forum, the SMUS Review.

14 Arts HighlightsArts highlights and news featuring our students and alumni.

15 Athletics Highlights Sports highlights from September to February 2010.

17 Alumni UpdatesNews from our alumni around the world.

2 ScholarshipsBob Snowden talks about the connection between academic achievement and financial awards for students.

3 Alums Making NewsFrom scientists to musicians to local heroes, many of our alumni were in the spotlight recently.

7 ReceptionsPictures from our alumni gatherings in North America, Asia and Europe.

8 Feature: The Mindboggling Joy of GivingHugh McGillivray ’64 explains why he’s so dedicated to supporting scholarship students and how endowment can ensure a strong future for SMUS.

Alums in this IssueJody Barber ’82 – p. 11Alex Bodman ’03 – p. 3Chris Darimont ’92 – p. 5Gille Easdon ’91 – p. 4Matthew Lyall ’02 – p. 3 Hugh McGillivray ’64 – p. 8Jeff Mitchelmore ’04 – p. 3

This issue of School Ties was printed on Productolith 30% post-consumer recycled fibre paper. By selecting this paper, St. Michaels University School saved 2337 lbs wood (a total of 7 trees that supply enough oxygen for 4 people annually), 3412 gallons of water (enough water to take 198 eight-minute showers), 2min BTUs energy (enough energy to power an average American household for 9 days), 708 lbs emissions (carbon sequestered by 8 tree seedlings grown for 10 years, and 207 pounds solid waste (trash thrown away by 45 people in a one day).

Calculations based on the same common reference data as the Environmental Defense Fund paper calculator v2.0, which is based on research done by the Paper Task Force.

Steve Nash lights the cauldron during the 2010 Olympic Games opening ceremonies

2 •

Scho

ol T

ies -

Spr

ing

2010

of one’s parents is the best reinforcement), the better the student will perform. The sooner a student’s motivation is diluted by external rewards, the sooner he or she will lose interest, and succumb to other more unpredictable satisfactions offered by peers and the media.

The main point of this article is scholarship. We adore scholarship – the pursuit and development of intellectual excellence, hand in glove with the rigour that the word also suggests. Without rigour, there is no scholarship. Without questioning, without thinking critically in order to separate the relevant from the irrelevant, and without rebuilding one’s thoughts into something resilient in the face of penetration by other minds, there really isn’t scholarship. We believe in scholarship because it is outstanding preparation not just for higher learning, but for life.

Is it so heretical to suggest that scholarship can occur in spheres other than intellectual? Does scholarship include the arts? Yes, in some ways the arts, given their long hours of practice and how they offer themselves to external appreciation, are exceedingly rigorous. Alternatively, our school deeply supports personal and character development, through athletics, leadership and service: can we think of these as forms of scholarship? I would simply suggest that to do so is to detract from the importance of these priorities. One of the key elements of SMUS is the recognition that the education of the whole student is profoundly important; scholarship has its pride of place in this exercise, but it doesn’t encompass everything.

A worse mistake, though, would be to separate the two completely, to believe that the world of intellectual pursuits and the development of character happen in two different spheres of activity. A student learns best in an environment where the character and the self also grow. Even modern models of intelligence recognize the need to incorporate spatial, physical, musical, rhythmic and other elements into learning. This is why the classroom of today swarms with activity – unlike the less lively place many of us will remember, of rote note-taking and orderly drill and kill. At SMUS we want – indeed we require – our students to participate in the arts, service and athletics. We believe they ought to pursue excellence in these activities, but that is because they learn so much about themselves, about each other and about the world. While you play a basketball game to win, we insist that students play basketball in general because they will learn about teamwork, decision-making, fitness, courage, determination – about themselves and others.

It takes quite a bit to motivate a donor to contribute to endowment and, therefore, to scholarships. Donors such as Hugh McGillivray, who is featured in this issue of School Ties, make these contributions because they support the school’s devotion to scholarship in its broadest possible sense: the pursuit of academic success in an environment where the character and self also grow.

Scholarship. It is more than a subtlety that differentiates this word from its plural: scholarships.

Nowadays, the latter word only loosely evokes the former, recalling a time when scholarships were synonymous with intellectual merit; scholarships are now awarded for everything from football to golf to chess to field hockey and more. Interestingly, the universities in North America that arguably pride themselves most on intellectual pursuits – the Ivy League universities – deliberately and officially do not give out scholarships. Their message: it is questionable to reward merit, including scholarship. In simple terms, rewarding scholarship is like a parent giving a soccer-playing child five dollars every time he or she scores a goal: it teaches all the wrong things. It reinforces selfishness, it diminishes the role of others in one’s success, and it suggests that one deserves personal credit for gifts that are an accident of genetics. It is self-esteem reshaped into self-elevation. We ought to believe that to pursue one’s natural gifts is its own reward, they are saying.

This idealistic principle, of scholarship as its own reward, is in fact supported more and more by science. Whereas the world of profit does reward success, propelled by the theory that people will work more effectively for more money, the world of young people and schools seems to operate with a different, more complex – even counter-intuitive – version of merit. In sum, current research indicates that students perform better the more they learn to succeed for intrinsic reasons, rather than for the extrinsic rewards, including money. In fact, the longer a student gets fulfillment for intrinsic reasons (and the example

he

ad

of s

ch

oo

l

In an age in which scholarships proliferate for every imaginable pursuit, Bob examines the idealistic principle of scholarship as its own reward.

Visit http://blogs.smus.bc.ca/head/

Scholarship

School Ties - Spring 2010 • 3a

lUM

NI N

eWs

With the release of their first EP Islomania and a few award nominations, The Racoons (Jeff Mitchelmore ’04, Matthew lyall ’02, alex Bodman ’03 and Murray Mckenzie of Oak Bay High) have gained a high profile in the Canadian music scene. Matthew lyall ’02 talks about the band’s origins and their plans for the future.

Q You’ve had a lot of success over the past year or so – winning an M Award, having your first EP place fourth on Indie Files Top Ten of 2009, playing the Rifflandia festival and being nominated for a CBC Bucky Award for Best New Artist – what accomplishment means the most to you? What would you like to accomplish in the next year?

A I think probably being nominated for the Bucky Award, since it was one of the first affirmations that maybe the songs were connecting with people on a larger scale than we could have ever anticipated, or at least being listened to by people other than our moms. The funny thing is that the EP was really just a loose collection of demos never intended to be an official release, but the response to the songs really snowballed over a pretty short time span. Less than a year ago, we were literally pressing copies of the EP by hand in flimsy little cardboard cases a few hours before each show, so any recognition at all was completely unexpected. As for the next year, who knows, but the basic plan is to say yes to everything regardless of how ludicrous it sounds. Next week we fly to Indonesia to play our first shows outside of North America. A year ago, we were stoked to be booking a show in Calgary.

Q Three of your four members met at SMUS. How did you end up forming The Racoons and how have your musical style and influences changed since you met?

A We all ended up back on the West Coast a few summers ago after being away for university and we kept crossing paths at shows around town. At the time, Jeff

and Alex were playing in a band I really admired called the Paper Cranes and I was involved in a couple other bands. We were all in indie bands with a pretty heavy ’80s vibe and one of the projects I was in needed a bass player and drummer so it was a pretty easy fit. Initially, we just kind of sounded like New Order playing Bruce Springsteen covers but I think over time our sound has become a little less dependent on our influences, or at least we’re getting a little better at obscuring them.

Q In interviews, you’ve talked about having a love-hate relationship with Victoria, and the idea that bands have to leave Vancouver Island to really make it in the Canadian music scene. How did growing up in Victoria affect you and how do you feel about the city now?

A Victoria actually has a great music scene despite everything working against it. It feels like the municipal government has done everything in its power to limit live music venues and shut down festivals under the guise of keeping Victoria civilized. Ironically, instead of suffocating the arts, I really think the city’s disdain for tolerating anything remotely controversial has probably lit a fire under many of the creative minds who’ve emerged from the city. It’s just too bad that they have to move to Montreal or East Vancouver in order for them to be considered legitimate. After the disappearance of virtually every other music festival in town, Rifflandia has brought some real credibility back to what was actually a pretty cool city 10 years ago, so hopefully it’s a sign of shifting attitudes.

Q Last summer, you toured across Canada with the Von Bondies. How did that come about and what was it like touring with them? Do you think your music styles worked well together?

A We were asked to open for the Von Bondies in Victoria last spring and after a long night out on the town we somehow

convinced them that bringing us on a national tour was a great idea. It was an unreal opportunity for us considering we’d never played outside of BC at the time. Despite being two very different bands stylistically, our sounds meshed well in a live setting since we both came out swinging every night and put the emphasis on a loud and sweaty rock show. Thanks to them we got to play packed houses across the country which was really the catalyst for everything that’s happened since, so we’re really indebted to those guys.

Q How did you end up being heard for seven seconds on the MTV reality show “The Hills”?

A Long story short: Neil Osborne (of 54-40) gave our EP to an MTV music supervisor in LA who licensed our songs and they’ve used them on a few of their shows, I guess most notably on “The Hills.” The show is really the antithesis of everything we stand for, but there’s something morbidly hilarious about being part of the soundtrack to the end of Western civilization.

Q You’ve been compared to a lot of respected bands, from Wolf Parade to the Cars to Bloc Party. What have been your favourite and least-favourite comparisons?

A I think the Wolf Parade comparison has been a blessing and a curse. Relating to what we we’re discussing earlier, they are actually a bunch of Victoria guys who hit it big in Montreal, so coming from the same scene as them with some definite sonic similarities has made it the most obvious comparison. We are huge fans though and it’s an influence we wear proudly. I think generally we’re flattered by most comparisons, although we once read a show review that said Jeff looks like a Jonas Brother. I think it was meant as a slight, but Jeff definitely took it as a compliment.

Q Can you describe your new EP, Islomania, in one word?

A Ha… maybe unintentional.

Alums Making NewsThe Racoons: Jeff Mitchelmore ’04, Matthew Lyall ’02, and Alex Bodman ’03by Erin Anderson

4 •

Scho

ol T

ies -

Spr

ing

2010

alU

MN

I NeW

sGillie Easdon ’91 by Gillian Donald ’85

Gillie easdon ’91 was profiled in the Victoria Times Colonist on September 25 for her role in an innovative social programme to help the homeless achieve a healthier body and mind.Since February 2009, Gillie easdon ’91 has been the coordinator of Every Step Counts, a Victoria Cool Aid Society programme for people experiencing barriers to housing and facing challenges with addiction, mental health and other issues. Drawing on the proven and long-lasting benefits of running, Every Step Counts is working to foster energy, confidence and self-esteem in a population desperately short on these qualities.

Programme participants meet twice weekly at the Cool Aid Centre and after a short warm-up, they head out for a 40-minute run with community volunteers. After the run everyone meets back at the Downtown Activity Centre for light stretching and a meal. When they join Every Step Counts, participants are given a pair of gently used running shoes. After 10 runs, participants receive an Every Step Counts t-shirt and after 15 sessions, they receive a new pair of running shoes (most shoes are supplied by local store Frontrunners, a major sponsor). “Every Step Counts addresses social issues in a way that everyone can appreciate,” says Gillie. “When you are down or unwell,

get outside, seek out your community, share a fine meal with positive individuals. This is powerful because it is simple, authentic and speaks to a human being’s basic needs.”

The programme has been very successful – new members are joining all the time, leading the Cool Aid Society to add additional weekly sessions to address demand. The programme gives its members a chance to build their fitness, socialize and enjoy healthy snacks. Gillie says that since joining Every Step Counts, participants have experienced everything from better sleeps and improved moods to reduced anxiety and weight loss: “I can see the importance of the work around me all the time.”

Gillie’s interest in mental health issues and homelessness came to the forefront after volunteering for Project Connect in 2008, an event put on for the homeless by the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness. “Prior to volunteering for Project Connect,” she says, “I would cross to the other side of the street when I saw a homeless person. I did not give change; I did not make eye contact. I housed and

nurtured fear, disgust and antipathy, along with an ignorance of the plight of homeless people, and I was ashamed of that.”

Project Connect was a transformative experience for Gillie – the people were so thankful and interested that she knew she wanted to apply her skills to something that really mattered. “Without our friends, bank account, family support, physical and mental health, it wouldn’t really be all that hard for many of us to end up on the street. What would have to happen for you to be homeless?”

When she saw the job posting for Every Step Counts, Gillie applied immediately, feeling it was a perfect fit for her experience in writing, event planning, healing work and counselling, as well as her keen interest in exercise and the outdoors. “The programme is making a difference at a grassroots level in a very profound way,” she says.

Gillie Easdon ’91 (front) with Every Step Counts volunteers and participants.

Looking for Distinguished Alumni in the ArtsThe inaugural Distinguished Alumni Award focused on high achievers in sport. This year, SMUS and the Alumni Association want to recognize the outstanding achievements of an alumnus in writing, music, dance, performance or visual arts.

St. Michaels University School and the SMUS Alumni Association are pleased to announce that we are seeking nominations for the 2010 distinguished alumni award, focusing on the arts.

The SMUS distinguished alumni award will be awarded to an alumnus demonstrating excellence in the following areas:

• professional accomplishment in the arts• community leadership• continued education• diversity of experience, interests and successes

Nominations will be accepted by the SMUS Advancement office from April 30, Alumni Weekend, until June 30, 2010.

The recipient will be announced in July and the award will be presented at the Board of Governors Alumni Reception in Victoria on Friday, October 22, 2010.

This is an exciting opportunity for the alumni community – as well as our students – to learn about and be inspired by a leader in the arts who got their start at St. Michaels University School.

For more information please contact Louise Winter ([email protected]) or Nicky Parkinson ’83 ([email protected]). Nomination forms for the 2010 Distinguished Alumni Award (Arts) will be available online at http://alumni.smus.bc.ca/ starting April 30, 2010.

School Ties - Spring 2010 • 5

In February, chris darimont ’92, an award-winning conservation biologist, returned to SMUS to talk about his latest research on humanity’s effects on evolution. In addition to his public talk, Chris dropped in on a few classes.

Featured in the February 2nd issue of Maclean’s magazine, Chris’ latest work suggests humanity is causing rapid evolutionary changes in many species. His findings have shown that creatures ranging from fish to rams are changing in size, altering travel patterns, and reproducing earlier in order to adapt to humanity’s presence. Typically, in the wild, a deer or stag that is smaller and weaker than the rest of the herd would be a likely target for a predator. In contrast, a human hunter would be more likely to target a larger animal, because of both hunting regulations and the desire for sizeable trophies such as antlers.

These patterns are impacting evolution as survivors of predation are passing on the characteristics that have made them endure. For example, under many current fishing regulations, younger fish must be tossed back. Thus, fish that spawn at a younger age are more likely

to be able to reproduce before they are caught and kept by a fisherman.

Since humanity is responsible for as much as 80 to 90 percent of the annual harvest in some animal populations, their impact significantly outweighs that of natural predators, and animals are adapting to make themselves less likely targets for humans. Rams, for example, are producing smaller horns, making them less attractive to hunters. In salmon populations, the spawning fish who head back to breed later in the season are more likely to be caught than those who arrive first, so they are heading back earlier and earlier each year.

Though humanity impacts animal species in a number of ways, Chris’ research shows that the populations targeted for predation by humans adapt much more quickly than animals affected in other ways, and even faster than animals living in the wild. However, his research also suggests that while animal numbers change rapidly in response to this threat, once the predation ceases, the population is slow to rebound.

In general, animals that reproduce at a young age produce much fewer offspring

than they would at a more mature age. So, when animals adapt to harvesting by reproducing when they’re younger, they don’t produce as many young. Not only does it take longer for the population to return to its original size, but without the impetus of predation, the population will take even longer to return to its original rate of replenishment. Because of this, Chris believes that the best way to combat these effects is to alter the size and age of the animals we harvest as well as decrease our harvesting of animals as a whole.

SMUS Society Membership UpdateThe St. Michaels University School Society grew considerably bigger this year. At the annual general meeting in October 2009, society members passed a resolution granting membership to all alumni who have remained in contact with the school.

The move eliminates the $10 yearly fee and increases the ranks of the Society to include all alumni who are currently in the school’s database. In addition, all past parents are eligible for society

membership, along with any other person who is invited by the board for good and sufficient reason.

“Our goal is to get broader participation in the SMUS Society,” says Chair of the Board of Governors David Angus, “particularly from our alumni.”

Alumni who have a current email or mailing address on file with the school should have received notice of their membership by email or letter in April. If you did not receive notification of

your membership, you can contact Louise Winter at 250-370-6176 or [email protected].

The society also passed a bylaw at the same October AGM that allows them to communicate with members by email instead of by letter mail. “This is a long-overdue move,” says David Angus, “that will allow us to use the latest technology to be more fiscally and environmentally responsible.”

Chris Darimont ’92 returns to his old biology lab to speak to a group of current SMUS students.

Chris Darimont ’92by Erin Anderson

chris darimont ’92, currently a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California’s environmental studies department, has been featured in a number of publications this year, including Maclean’s, Scientific American and Discover magazine, which named his work one of the top 100 stories in 2009.

alU

MN

I NeW

s

6 •

Scho

ol T

ies -

Spr

ing

2010

alU

MN

I NeW

s

Friday, June 411:30 am

Registration and light lunch at the Junior School

12:15 pmIce cream day celebration for students and alumni

1:00 to 3:00 pmTours of the Junior School with archive displays

The St. Michael’s Centennial Celebration June 4-6, 2010

Saturday, June 511:30 am

Light brunch at the Junior School

11:30 to 2:30 pmTours of the Junior School

3:00 pmGarden tea at 2176 Windsor Road (the original school property)

4:30 pmSoccer game between alumni and students at the Senior School. If you are interested in playing, please email Michael Symons ([email protected])

6:00 pmReception and dinner at the Senior School (spouses and guests welcome). To attend, RSVP to Louise Winter ([email protected]) or register online

Sunday, June 69:00 am

No host breakfast (depending on numbers). If you are interested in attending, please email Louise Winter ([email protected])

Alumni ReceptionsThe fall of 2009 and the winter of 2010 saw alumni receptions held all over the world: Paris (merci stacey (Jessiman) de Nanteuil ’86!); New York (we appreciate the assistance of douglas Freeman and salim Ramji – both class of 1988 – our hosts for this event); Toronto; Victoria (hosted by the SMUS Society Board of Governors and held at the Union Club); Kelowna (held at Quails’ Gate Winery thanks to current parent Tony Stewart); Calgary; Edmonton (organized by Karen Wong ’99); Hong Kong (hosted by Tony souza ’72); Tokyo (shingo hirao ’97, although based in Shanghai, very kindly coordinated our reception); and finally, Vancouver, where our pre-Olympic celebrations were held in at the newly opened Waterfall Building, owned and operated by Gareth Rees ’85. In addition, Nick Grant ’84 organized the highly successful Billy G Basketball Reunion.

PARIS (October 2, 2009): Jasmine Yan ’09, April Hall ’09, David Chmiel ’91, Donata von Schack ’05, Adrian Field ’92, Mona Niebuhr ’06, Eric Heffernan ’73, Ana Escobedo Boulard ’85, Tessa Anglin ’96, Stacey (Jessiman) de Nanteuil ’86, Cyril Borgomano, Peter Gardiner

NEW YORK (October 9, 2009): Doug Easdon ’88, Salim Ramji ’88, Stephen Elliot ’83, Andrea Elliot, John Davies, Peter Gardiner, Jee In Chung ’08, Douglas Freeman ’88, Kevin Ma ’09, Rui Fu ’09, Sara Perry ’96, Lindsay Basarab ’98, Grace Fu ’99, Susan Hayes ’96

“We would love to see spouses and significant others at all events!” – Michael Symons ([email protected])

School Ties - Spring 2010 • 7

TORONTO (October 13, 2009): Maureen Palmer ’03, John Davies, Robin Sahota ’94, Elizabeth Wilson ’94, Alex Henri Bhargava ’96, Evan Campbell ’00, Jessa Jennings ’00, Mike Wighton ’99, Simon Ibell ’96, Deric Moilliet ’72, Kate Goudie ’00 (Barry), Warren Yu ’79, Paul Stapleton ’87, Bert Archer ’86, Athina Lavidas ’09, Linda McCulloch ’79 (Matuga), Jorina Elbers ’95, Emily Yu Feng ’09, Keir Wilmut ’97, Michael Code ’67, Mark Penner ’85, Peter Gardiner

VICTORIA (October 30, 2009): Steven Lobb ’96, Gavin Barry ’98, Christopher Robb ’96, Chris Noel ’98, James Peacock ’96, Anna Peacock ’98, Amanda Wilson ’97

HONG KONG (November 26, 2009): Alex Cheung ’82, Stanley Chiu ’82 and Stanley’s son Alasdair

VANCOUVER (February 3, 2010): Judith Swan ‘85, Dale Goudie ‘85, Bob Snowden, Shannon Hill ‘85

SEATTLE (March 4, 2010): Peter Gardiner, John Davies, Mike Throne ’72, Phil McCune ’83, Peter Wilt ’66, Karen Kelley, Bob Kelley ’64, Doreen Rigos, Jim Rigos ’60, Susie Collins, Chris Collins ’64, Joan Snowden, Bob Snowden, Tom Rigos ’61, Lawrence Leake ’86, Chr is Longridge ’55, Don Harris ’66, John Locke ’85, Mark Longridge ’90, Renton Leversedge ’93, Sue Rigos, Paul Leslie, Rob Wilson

TOKYO (December 3, 2009): Aki Kokubun ’02, Yoshi Nakanishi ’97, Wesley Thorpe ’86, Blair Andersen ’85, Satoshi Kikuchi ’93, Chie Takahashi ’00, John Davies, Paul Speed ’00, Kevin Salmon ’00, Yuri Saito ’96, Michael Passmore ‘00

BILLY G B-BALL REUNION (December 12, 2009) at SMUS

alU

MN

I NeW

s

8 •

Scho

ol T

ies -

Spr

ing

2010

The Mindboggling Joy of Givingby Gillian Donald

In 1961, hugh McGillivray ’64 left a legacy to the school, working with his University School classmates to pour the foundation and assemble the trusses of the chapel that today stands on the Richmond Road campus. The experience was a personal milestone.

Hugh’s first foray into financial markets also coincided with his time at the school. He bought his first stock, West Coast Transmission Ltd., in 1964, the year he graduated, and that initial investment eventually led to a career as a successful investor and financial advisor.

In 2005, Hugh brought his passion for philanthropy and investment together when he decided to apply his financial resources to build another legacy for SMUS in an area he feels strongly about: creating scholarships through endowment.

He started by giving three equal donations to existing scholarship funds. But after a year, he realized that if he wanted to make the maximum impact in the life of even one student, he would have to pick up his pace. He followed up the very next year with a half-million dollar investment that kick-started the Timmis scholar programme, which now has two graduates and three more recipients. He is also funding several other students through the Walsh and Wilson scholarships.

For Hugh, this is more than philanthropy – it’s a passion that fuels his own actions and drives his effort to grow the SMUS endowment, to get more donors on board, and to enrol more scholarship students. We talked to Hugh about his mission.

Q What is your dream and what would you like to see as the end result?

A My dream would be to see one-third of all SMUS students on scholarship and have the scholarships endowed. I saw endowment at work at Eton College in Britain, and there, scholarship is a self-perpetuating machine. One-fifth of the students currently attending Eton would not be there without endowed scholarships – these bridge the disconnect

between the bright kids who don’t have money to pay and the donors who have the money.

Today, SMUS supports almost 200 smart students from all over the world, but we fund most of them with tuition receipts. We need to offload this burden to endowment. We need $50 million and we are about 10 percent of the way there.

What I also want people to understand – and this is important – is that it’s no fun giving from beyond the grave. You miss out on the mindboggling joy of giving that has been my experience. These students have given so much to me – I see what they can accomplish and it makes it all worth it.

Q What motivated you to start giving and how did you decide that scholarship was going to be your area of focus?

A I’m restless by nature – I wanted to make a difference in some corner of the school that was important, but that not a lot of other people were supporting. I’m not interested in buildings.

I started researching scholarships and I became more and more consumed by the subject. On a trip to the UK, I stayed at a Four Seasons hotel outside of London that up until recently had been a school. That really struck a chord with me – schools close all the time, often because of a lack of endowment. A long recession could shut down 10-15% of all private schools in Canada, especially if they are depending on tuition receipts.

I want people to look at the school differently. SMUS has an incredible teaching staff and excellent leadership. Our goal is to deliver the best education in Canada to the brightest and most well-rounded kids no matter where they come from. We should never take our eyes off this goal. In my opinion, creating an

endowed scholarship programme is the only route to go.

Q What do you see as crucial to a successful scholarship programme?

A The four crucial components to a strong scholarship programme are savings/endowment, governance, marketing and celebration. The whole process needs to happen in sequence and, if it’s done correctly, it becomes a self-perpetuating machine.

Simply put, if you don’t have savings, you will be blown out of the water. In its day, the BCTV scholarship programme was incredibly successful, but because it wasn’t endowed, the scholarships disappeared as soon as the sponsoring executive at BCTV quit. We need endowment to survive economic downturns. You can fill a school with endowment alone.

Governance is the most critical piece of the puzzle. Money doesn’t have objectives; governance provides objectives for money. We need structure in order to trigger an avalanche of giving and then to make it grow. Governance also creates transparency – donors must be able to see clearly that their money is going to scholarships.

With celebration and marketing, we demonstrate to people what we are striving for with examples: here are 10 kids who have achieved so much with the outstanding education that they have received. Kids need to be celebrated amongst their peers, teachers, parents, the whole SMUS community. Celebration is also for other kids to be inspired and say “I can get there!” What better reason to celebrate is there than that?

Marketing of these scholarships is beginning to take off, but needs a push. After all, SMUS is focused on educating the most promising, well-rounded

FeaT

UR

e

School Ties - Spring 2010 • 9FeaT

UR

e

kids in Canada. When I joined CIBC Wood Gundy, nobody was providing investment advice to municipalities. There was all this money around, but municipal councillors were hesitant to invest because they didn’t understand the markets. They needed to take a leap of faith and once they invested, they made buckets of money.

We are at this point today: if we buy in to the notion of endowing the school to attract the strongest students, we will wind up with the money we need to get the job done. Right now, we need faith more than we need to understand perfectly how it will all happen.

Q What would marketing and celebration look like?

A I asked some of our current scholars this question and they told me they thought it would be valuable for scholarship students to speak in chapel, to talk about the incredible experience and the sense of privilege they feel.

They all enjoyed being part of the Founders Day dinner and would appreciate other opportunities that foster a sense of community.

And I would like to see scholars recognized within the school – whether that’s with a plaque or with a distinctive pin or tie that they wear.

Q What other philanthropic projects are you involved with?

A I am involved with the Alberta Theatre Project, a group that specializes in celebrating Canadian theatre with a heavy emphasis on Canadian projects. I’ve been on the same war path with them, getting a savings account going so they can start working on endowment. Without savings, all it takes is a slow season or a string of failures and they would be forced to close.

I’m also involved in a smaller way with the Calgary Urban Project Society (CUPS). But CUPS is supported by a strong group of donors so I’m

not as concerned about them. What I am concerned about is building a $50 million endowment at SMUS. It’s not as large a number as it seems and I’m dying for others to take up the challenge and help make this a reality. Let’s get started now – there are great kids out there and we need to step up and support them.

Hugh McGillivray ’64 and Bob Snowden with scholarship recipients Kelsey Chamberlin (front), Bonnie Moore, Ryan Taylor, Kaylynn Purdy, Michael Fuailefau, and Brenna Nixon.

If you want to read more on the subject Hugh recommends reading:

Philanthrocapitalism: How the Rich Can Save the World, Matthew Bishop and Michael Green

Good to Great for the Social Sectors, Jim Collins

Forces for Good: The Six Practices of High-Impact Nonprofits, Leslie R. Crutchfield and Heather McLeod Grant

10 •

Sch

ool T

ies -

Spr

ing

2010

oly

Mp

Ics

SMUS Carries the Torch for the 2010 Games

As the Olympic torch traversed the country in anticipation of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games, it found its way into the hands of at least 10 members of the SMUS community, including current students Alicia Pawluk, James Mather, and Brody Watkins; transportation staff member Dean Walker; and alumni clay chattaway ’64, sean Wiggins ’09 and dr. emil lee ’87. Gareth Rees ’85, SMUS Alumni Association President, was one of the last runners, while former Olympian steve Nash ’92 ran in the relay and lit the cauldron during the opening ceremonies.

Top: James Mather, Alicia Pawluk, Gareth Rees ’85 and Brody Watkins. Bottom (clockwise from left): Emil Lee ’87, Steve Nash ’92, Clay Chattaway ’64, Dean Walker, James Mather, and Gareth Rees ’85

Don

Bod

ger,

Cow

icha

n N

ews

Lead

er P

icto

rial

Th

e C

anad

ian

Pre

ss/M

ark

Bak

er

School Ties - Spring 2010 • 11o

lyMpIc

s

Pursuing Paralympic GoldAlumnus Jody Barber ’82 represented Canada in four cross-country skiing events at the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Games. The former triathlete, whose right arm was almost severed when she was hit by a car while cycling in 2006, helped our national women’s relay team come in 18 seconds away from a bronze medal in the 3x2.5 kilometre race. In her solo efforts, Jody reached the top ten in all three of her events, finishing 6th in both the women’s 5 km classic (standing) and the women’s 15 km free (standing) races, as well as 9th in the women’s 1 km sprint classic (standing).

Before the games began, Jody was profiled in The Vancouver Sun. She had this to say about her first forays into the sport she now excels at: “It was a little awkward at first. I would pole on the left side and I seemed to throw myself over to the right but there was nothing there to catch the ski with. I learned how to be more balanced skiing without poles. I developed my core and upper body strength on my left side so I could pole effectively. I love being active. I think you need to do it for your brain first, your body second. That is what spurred me to get moving again.”

Jody has five kids and trains with her husband, who is a Level 3 cross-country ski coach. When she is not speeding across the trails, she is a high school teacher in Smithers, BC.

“Everyone with a cell phone was asked to pre-dial 911 in case I went down because I had this preconceived notion that a torch relay was an event of mind-boggling speed and coordination. No doubt that was firmly implanted by Nick Prowse during my SMUS days when I was a more malleable subject. Just after I took off, the security agent next to me said, “slow down!” I dropped to a slow jog. He strode over to me and said, “I mean walk!” Prowse taught me to savour the moment after the game, not during it! My pride was salvaged when I lit “Jungle” Jim Hunter’s torch, an icon of blinding speed and daring. We faced this way and that way and he sedately wandered off down the street doing his best to waste any time I had gained.”

Clay Chattaway ’64

“This is like a life experience rather than a sports experience. This isn’t about me. This is about all of us and all Canadians.”

Steve Nash ’92

“After my run, I brought the torch to my daughters’ school so that all of the kids could touch it, see how an ordinary dad can be a part of something extraordinary, and hopefully be inspired by the true message of the Olympics – the one not tainted by scandal and commercialism. I hope that I can inspire my kids and others to be active, keep active, and follow their dreams.”

Emil Lee ’87

Top: Alicia Pawluk; Bottom: Emil Lee ’87

12 •

Sch

ool T

ies -

Spr

ing

2010

Barnacle House claims victory at the Middle School House Games.

Steve Nash ’92 returns to SMUS to talk to students and catch up with some of his old teachers.

Highlights from the SMUS Review

The SMUS Review publishes weekly on our website (www.smus.bc.ca) and covers school news from all three campuses. The following highlights were taken from stories published from September, 2009 to February, 2010. You can read more about these stories in the SMUS Review at blogs.smus.bc.ca/review.

sch

oo

l N

eWs

Tour de Rock rolls into SMUS and students give hair and cash to support the fight against cancer.

Kaeleigh Fletcher, Tom Zheng and Scott Dallen hand out high-fives at the Grade 9 Leadership Conference.

Jonas Robinson strikes a pose during the Middle School

Halloween costume parade.

Leadership guru Stu Saunders speaks to students about how to engage their peers in innovative ways.

The Grade 4 class explores microbiology at Swan Lake.

September

Grade 11 student Anita Chow spends her outdoor education trip building an ecovillage.

October

School Ties - Spring 2010 • 13

November

Grade 4 student Macy Weymar and her reading buddy Kelly Twa share a story in the Senior School library.

Alana Hawes, Jill Taylor, Mattia Sanati, and Sophie Jones collect coats for children in need.

Grade 6 students get some hands-on experience with snakes.

sch

oo

l NeW

s

The Grade 5 classes make lanterns as part of their unit on the underground railroad.

The Kindergarten class performs “It’s Raining Toys” (a parody of “It’s Raining Men”) at the Christmas assembly.

Kelly Twa, Kelly Adam and Mary Lapp celebrate SMUS’ first Pride Day.

Middle School students put together Christmas hampers to help families in need celebrate the holidays.

December

14 •

Sch

ool T

ies -

Spr

ing

2010

Januarysc

ho

ol

NeW

s

The Grade 2 students kick off their pyjama party at the Senior School by filling the campus with bubbles.

Jane Pirie and Stephanie Wong-Harrison, with the support of a friends like Vivian Lam, raise almost $300 for Haiti by holding a muffin sale.

Chinese culture week returns, including the traditional lion dance and martial arts performance.

Grade 8 students get a look into how the eye works by dissecting cow eyes.

February

The Junior School holds its own torch run just before opening

ceremonies, followed by a day of games and Olympic art.

School Ties - Spring 2010 • 15

Our singers, musicians, actors and artists continued to do our school proud on stage and canvas. Of the many creative triumphs from the last six months, here are a few of our favourites. You can read more about these stories in the SMUS Review at blogs.smus.bc.ca/review.

Arts Highlightsa

RT

s

September

January

Musician Liam Titcomb wraps up his national tour in support of War Child Canada at SMUS.

Rowan Mackenzie and Oliver Brooks, along with their Writing 12 classmates, enjoy a visit from slam poet and musician Brendan McLeod.

Visiting musician Nikki Chooi plays Vivaldi on a violin made in 1729 for the SMUS strings students.

October

Brian Christensen intimidates Richard Boness in the Student Theatre Society’s performance of Fahrenheit 451.

Robyn Hope delivers a wry piece for the Senior School Recitations Evening.

November

Jake Wilcott plays the cello in the Grade 7/8 strings concert.

December

Writing 12 students read poems during one of the SMUS poetry

evenings, which also features Maleea Acker.

Josh Evans ’08 returns to SMUS to perform with the Yale Alley Cats, his college a cappella group.

The SMUS strings ensemble and choir present Paul O’Brien’s original piece “Voyaguer” at the Spotlight on Canada concert.

16 •

Sch

ool T

ies -

Spr

ing

2010

Highlights from the Athletics Review

You can read more about these stories by visiting the Athletics Review blog at blogs.smus.bc.ca/athletics.

spo

RT

s

September

Field Hockey SMUS defeats Mark Isfeld 5-0 at the AA Island Championships.

OctoberNovemberJunior Boys SoccerIn their last game of the season, the Junior boys soccer team defeats Glenlyon Norfolk by four goals.

Senior Cross-CountrySenior cross-country boys captain Leo Marchand places 63rd out of 250 runners at the provincials, while the girls team places 20th.

Junior Girls VolleyballThe Junior girls volleyball team wins silver at the City Championships, securing a berth at the Island Championships for the second time in SMUS history.

RowingFifty-four SMUS athletes race at the 25th City Championships Regatta, winning five gold medals, three silver and two bronze.

Senior Boys SoccerThe Senior boys A soccer squad captures bronze after defeating Brentwood College at the ISA Tournament.

Grade 9 Cross-CountryBoth the girls and boys Grade 9 cross-country teams finish in first place in their first race.

School Ties - Spring 2010 • 17

December

January

Senior Girls BasketballThe Senior girls face top-ranked AA team the York House Tigers at the ISA tournament, where they finish in second place.

Senior Boys BasketballSMUS hosts the Island Police Tournament and our Senior boys defeat number-one AA team South Okanagan in their final game.

Junior Boys BasketballSome aggressive first-half defence and balanced scoring leads SMUS to victory over Lord Tweedsmuir in the final of the Gary Taylor Invitational Junior Boys Basketball Tournament.

Senior BadmintonSMUS hosts the Senior Badminton Island Championships and the team captures first place, their 9th Island title in the last 11 years.

SquashAt the BC Junior Open, the girls team wins gold, the Senior boys win silver and the Junior boys win bronze.

February

spo

RT

s

18 •

Sch

ool T

ies -

Spr

ing

2010

alumni updatesWE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

The Alumni Updates section is a very important part of our School Ties magazine. It is a fabulous way to keep in touch with your former classmates and teachers, and also a great forum to share the interesting and enriching experiences of your lives after SMUS.

Please take a moment to tell us about your studies, travels, careers, weddings and additions to your family.

We also encourage you to register on our alumni email directory. It’s simple! Visit the SMUS Alumni website to register (http://alumni.smus.bc.ca/).

If you would prefer to give us a call, Louise Winter can be reached at 250-370-6176. Many thanks for keeping in touch!

Louise Winter, Alumni Relations ([email protected])

The ’40sCongratulations to Robert harvey, Qc ’38-’43 who just had his book published by Ptarmigan Press in Campbell River. The book’s title is No Tame Cat: fur trade daughter, her Cape Horn captain and the Chilean courtesan.

Robert is the great-grandson of Captain James Gaudin, master of the 400-ton HBC barque, the Lady Lampson. Based on research of his family history, and 600 pages of Hudson’s Bay Company logbooks, he sets out a fictional account of Gaudin’s life and his marriage to Agnes, daughter of BC pioneer Alexander Caulfield Anderson. Gaudin took her away in the Lady Lampson on their honeymoon to Jersey, Channel Islands, and he continued making annual voyages from London around Cape Horn to Victoria – but the story does not end there. No Tame Cat sets out in incredible detail the description of the passages under sail around Cape Horn.

About to set a 122-day record on her ninth annual voyage past the Horn from London, the Lady Lampson struck Scrogg Rock at the entrance to Esquimalt Harbour in a storm on January 9, 1878. Insurance paid the claim and sold the ship. Gaudin’s employment ended. He picked up to make his way to England, where he bought a twin of the Lady Lampson, the barque Rover of the Seas. The Rover and its final cargo – 30,000 cases of canned salmon bound for Liverpool – sank in calm seas off the Falklands with no loss of life in December 1885.

Robert writes: “I do remember so much of those years at Vivat, and remember many of the names of my classmates. I am sure I, at 82, have not outlived all who knew me when at University School during those years 1938-1943, and that some will remember me, and be amazed that such an unremarkable youth could have written a book. How pleased my old grammar master, Captain H.H. Massey would be to think I had gone on to eventually be

an author, but the fact it took me so long would be the subject of some bon mot. I hope all will enjoy reading the book.”

The ’70sEarly in March a small group of the class of ’72, hosted by dave hancock, gathered together in Sun Valley. The take-no-prisoners banter about their time at the school was certainly lively and it was punctuated by some excellent skiing and hiking and the necessary recovery in the hot tub.

The ’80sshane aquart ’80 is a writer and artist, the creator of a character and style of art called dready. “Dready art is easily recognizable whether the character is in it or not,” Shane explains. He launched his dreadyworld project in January of 2007 from his home in the Cayman Islands, where he has been living for the last 15 years.

“I left Victoria right after high school and went to live in Belize with my father. I came back a year-and-a-half later and went to UVic before running away to Florida and then from Florida to Cayman… all that travel and yet SMUS was where I got my grounding for both the writing and the art.”

Shane’s second novel, Evoluting Sherman came out last February and he’s just finished ghost-writing a biography due out shortly. Shane’s dready designs have

Deni Herrmann, Steve Shanaman, Charlie Weiss, Mike Throne, and Dave Hancock, all class of ’72

School Ties - Spring 2010 • 19a

lUM

NI U

pdaT

es

Shane Aquart ’80

been seen around the Caribbean for several years now on t-shirts and postcards, caps and art in Antigua, Barbados, Cayman, Grenada, Jamaica and Puerto Rico and he has just added dready merchandise at Portsmouth Football Club in the UK. His original art and prints are on walls around the world with high-profile buyers like the Bacardi family and British fashion designer Ben de Lisi.

“I’ve been very fortunate with the buyers that I’ve had and the progress dready has made in a short time… there’s a couple of pieces hanging around Victoria, which is nice for me and I’m hoping to do more.” If you want to know more about dready, check out the dready blog at www.dreadyworld.blogspot.com

Former head girl shaula evans ’87 wrote to us in February: “Since July 1, 2008, my husband Neil and I have been driving around the US and Canada in our Mini Cooper. We’ve been as far south as Miami and as far north as Quebec City; east to Bangor, Maine and west to San Diego, California. The trip started as a two-week cross country drive but we found we were having so much fun we decided to keep driving. We’ve worked out our route to a counter-clockwise annual migration, which keeps us at close to 70 degrees Fahrenheit year round. As we approach the two-year mark, we feel like we’re just starting to get the hang of nomadic life.”

The ’90sJennifer Thoss ’91 hosted an informal class of 1991 gathering at her home at UBC in December 2009. Those in attendance included andrew yee and his daughter Isabelle, susie Wall, Jason penaluna, Brian chan, don sutton, sara card sutton, charlie Von Maldeghem, stewart Butterfield, Jesse collison and susan anderson. Jennifer writes: “We hope to have another informal get-together at Spanish Banks this summer. Everyone is welcome to join!”

Roland Tupas-singh ’94 completed his DMD from the faculty of dentistry at UBC in the spring of 2009. He is currently working in Victoria as a dentist. Following graduation from SMUS, Roland completed his BSc and BA degrees at McGill University and UVic, studying biochemistry, classics, and psychology. Roland met and married his lovely wife Ann-Marie in Victoria, where she works locally as an optometrist. Together, they have three beautiful daughters: Adaiah, Joaleah, and Kealayna.

“My fondest memories of my time at the school were from playing soccer for different rep teams for most of the year, and singing for the senior choir and different provincial choirs in my Grade 12 year. I still enjoy playing soccer competitively, and am now coaching my two older daughters. At the moment

I am working in Gordon Head and Millstream. The clinic in Gordon Head – Saanich Dental Group – is a few blocks away from the school. I wish you all the very best. If you have time, please stop by and say hello.”

Mariko Miller ’98 spent two years in Northern California after SMUS, playing NCAA tennis on scholarship, before eventually returning to BC and completing a nursing degree. She is currently doing her master’s in public health through the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, while working full-time as a registered nurse in acute medicine at the BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre’s Sexual Assault Service in Vancouver, BC. In between, she has spent the years working and traveling, and founded the Amnesty Human Rights Film Festival in Victoria in 2001, which she directed for seven years. She spends two months each year working in developing countries in areas of public health and international development. On the personal side of things, she is loving living in Vancouver with her two big dogs, and has conquered her fear of heights by skydiving in the Namibian desert last year.

As many of you are aware, last May Jon preston ’99 was involved in a very serious car accident. His injuries were life threatening and at best it looked as though the rest of his life would be

Jennifer Thoss ’91 hosted an informal class of 1991 gathering at her home at UBC in December 2009.

20 •

Sch

ool T

ies -

Spr

ing

2010

very restricted. Not Jon! He has shown incredible determination and strength and has made an amazing recovery. He attended the Vancouver alumni gathering held in February at the Waterfall Building and was obviously pleased to be ‘back in the swim’ with some of his contemporaries. He is most grateful to those alums and friends who kept in touch and encouraged him in his recovery.

Jon was very pleased to let us know that “Rachel Drummond and I are getting back to normal life, and busy planning our wedding which is on July 10 in Dawson City, Yukon, and will involve many from the SMUS community.”

The ’00sNick Faryna ’03 sent this update in February: “I am now deployed on my third tour of duty in Afghanistan, currently serving in the volatile Panjwai district of Kandahar Province. I am serving in 2 Section (a section is 10 men) 7 Platoon, Charlie Company, 1 Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI). My job is section second-in-command, with my responsibility being section administration – this is not a paperwork-heavy job but I make sure the men are ready for action and have all the gear required. We have been in action since we arrived in October 2009.

The tour will end in May. During my tour leave, I vacationed in Fiji and had a great time diving and hiking the islands seas and hills with my girlfriend Lisa. I am looking forward to a great summer fishing in the Alberta rivers, and then attending some family weddings, one of which will be in the UK (a good excuse to attend a rugby match). All in all, I am having a great time seeing the world and living life a little on the edge.”

Robyn plasterer ’04 completed her BA in human geography at the University of British Columbia in 2009, after studying in Japan, Botswana and Sweden. During the course of her undergraduate degree, she became passionately committed to increasing access to post-secondary education for refugees in both Vancouver and Uppsala (Sweden) through the World University Service of Canada and the Swedish Red Cross. Upon graduation, she travelled to two Kenyan refugee camps as a research assistant for the Centre for Refugee Studies, based out of Toronto, to conduct an educational inventory of the Kakuma and Dadaab camps and to provide a pre-departure orientation for refugee students being resettled in Canada. Currently, she works between Victoria and Winnipeg as a campus engagement liaison for the World University Service of Canada, promoting refugee sponsorships and fundraising for

educational programming in protracted refugee situations.

If you are interested in supporting education and skills training for refugee youth, Robyn encourages you to visit www.shinealight.ca or send her an email at [email protected].

david Kim ’05 visited the school in September and provided this update: “I spent my summer in training as a field artillery officer at CFB Gagetown, located near Fredericton, New Brunswick. Gagetown is a huge base. In fact, it is the second-largest training area in the Commonwealth. I spent 16 weeks there, which was joyous, to say the least! My warrant officer in charge of our training was a Van Doo (Le Royal 22e Régiment) who didn’t exactly speak a lot of English, but made himself understood fully by putting us in the push-up position. We finished the course with a 13-kilometre ruck march, a fireman’s carry, and a

David Kim ’05

Jake Humphries, Cam Culham, Craig Farish ’90, Chris Bateman ’94, and Reagan Daly were part of the Smustachios.

In November, several SMUS faculty and staff participated in the prostate cancer fundraiser known as Movember. Chris Bateman ’94, Larry Borgerson, Cam Culham, Reagan Daly, Jim de Goede, Craig Farish ’90, Jake Humphries, Bruce Kuklinski and Michael Murgatroyd pledged to grow moustaches in order to raise funds to fight this disease. The Smustachios, as the team was known, raised a whopping $2,831.33. Congratulations men! (Although some would argue that their spouses were the biggest heroes during this month of scratchy upper lips.)

alU

MN

I Upd

aTes

School Ties - Spring 2010 • 21a

lUM

NI U

pdaT

es

run and shoot competition, which my section of eight ended up winning. All in all, the course was excellent as we had great instructors with a lot of combat experience. Suffice it to say they had a lot to teach us.

Since then I’ve been busy with CISM Fencing (Conseil Internationale du Sport Militaire) and packing to move to England for the year. I’ll be exchanging with the British Army part-time while going to King’s College London working towards a first-year MA in war studies.”

There were bells...david Fairhurst ’95 and Shanna Husband were married at St. Michaels University

School’s chapel on August 1, 2009 by SMUS chaplain Rev. Keven Fletcher. The groomsmen included edward Fairhurst ’97, andrew Barry ’94 and eric Kerr ’95. A reception was held at the Union Club of British Columbia. David and Shanna currently reside in Calgary where David works as a project manager and Shanna works in communications.

atarah humphreys ’95 married Felipe Prado Gomez on December 12, 2009 in Mazatlan, under beautiful sunny skies in their apartment garden, overlooking the ocean. Atarah and Felipe met in Florence last year while at design school.

Tanya Boteju ’96 married Jennifer Ivings on August 14, 2009 at the

Queensborough Community Centre in New Westminster, in a beautiful park on a sunny day. For both of them, it was truly a dream come true to have all of their closest family and friends there. Their wedding was very much a DIY affair, with homemade food, handmade dresses, and lovely friends to help run the show! Highlights included the beautiful cake made by Tanya’s talented mother, having some of Tanya’s past students at the wedding, and Tanya and Jenn’s

David Fairhurst ’95 and Shanna Husband with their wedding party, including Edward Fairhurst ’97, Andrew Barry ’94 and Eric Kerr ’95.

Tanya Boteju ’96 married Jennifer Ivings

Sydney and Mary Humphreys with Atarah Humphreys ’95 and Felipe Prado Gomez Curran Crawford ’96 and Rina Chadha ’96

22 •

Sch

ool T

ies -

Spr

ing

2010

Newlyweds Rebecca Sheng ’99 and Michael Chang with Jan Salcedo ’99, Janice Salcedo, Stephen Cheung ’99, Nicole Foofat, Grace Fu ’99, Jay Evans, Susan Hayes ’99, Jennifer Campbell, Lionel Cai.

Karen Wong ’99 married Scott CaporaleMelissa Sawyer ’94, Farish Sawyer ’00, Sarah Hudson ’00, Karen Dawson ’00.

Chester Cotter ’01 and Marissa Olson ’01

Rebecca sheng ’99 married Michael Chang on September 12, 2009 at the lovely Aerie Resort. The SMUS alumni from the class of 1999 who joined in the celebration included Jan salcedo, stephen cheung, Grace Fu, and susan hayes. Mike and Becca met in graduate school at Johns Hopkins, and will both be finishing PhDs by this summer.

Karen Wong ’99 married Scott Caporale in Banff on September 19, 2009. There was one alumnus in attendance – Karen’s brother, Mark Wong ’04. Karen and Scott live in Edmonton, where Karen is sales manager for the Sutton Place Hotel.

Farish sawyer ’00 was married to Tre Johnson on September 5, 2009 near their home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. SMUS alumni in attendance were sarah hudson ’00, Karen dawson ’00 and the bride’s sister, Melissa sawyer ’94.

chester cotter ’01 and Marissa olson ’01 were married at a double wedding together with Marissa’s sister Andra Olson and her fiancé Robroy Schmidt at the Olson’s family garden in Campbell River, BC on July 4, 2009. Marissa’s grandfather, Justice Donald Medhurst, conducted the beautiful ceremony. The celebration consisted of wonderful friends, family, local cuisine, live music and a fireworks send-off.

performing in UBC’s production of The Vagina Monologues in February, to satisfy the passion for performance she discovered while at SMUS.

curran crawford ’96 and Rina chadha ’96 were married at SMUS on August 22, 2009. There were several alumni in attendance, including evan crawford ’00, Meara crawford ’02, Taran chadha ’00, Joey ’00 and Jennifer lo Bianco ’98, simon pearce ’96, and claire payne ’96.

Bollywood-inspired first dance! You can watch the video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rfh3mopA0KQ.

Tanya is enjoying married life and continues to work at York House School in Vancouver, where she teaches senior English, runs the public-speaking club, and oversees the student executive. She and Jennifer have started a hockey team for fun and fitness, and Tanya is

alU

MN

I Upd

aTes

School Ties - Spring 2010 • 23a

lUM

NI U

pdaT

es

New on the sceneBarbara Broughton ’85 and her partner Fletcher Morgan announce the birth of their baby boy, Beau Broughton Morgan, who entered the world on October 22, 2009, in Vancouver.

adrian Beeston ’87 and his wife, Sarah Rossi, welcomed a daughter, Isabella Grace, on October 4, 2009.

Jasie leekha ’93 and his wife, Shaila, welcomed their first baby. Sofiya Agya Leekha was born on September 4, 2009.

helen (Turner) Werbicki ’93 and her husband Aaron announce the birth of their first child, a strapping baby boy. Robert was born on June 5, 2009, weighing in at 9 lbs, 6 oz.

chris Bateman ’94 and his wife Jennifer Parker welcomed their first child on October 6, 2009. Grace Sophia weighed in at 8 lbs, 2 oz.

Amyrose (Mccue) Gill ’96 and her husband patrick Gill ’97 welcomed a baby girl on September 22, 2009. Siena Deneb entered the world on the fall equinox, weighing in at 8 lbs, 12 oz.

Grace Sophia Bateman

Siena Deneb McCue Gill

William Stewart Kilburn

Hugh Jack Drummond Ross

Sofiya Agya Leekha

Robert Werbicki

sarah Beeston ’89 and her husband Gregor Klenz are enjoying their life in residence at SMUS, with their three children, Annika, Finn and their new addition, baby Talia.

sarah donald ’90 and her partner, Kris Hansen, announce the arrival of their daughter, Molly, born in early December.

pamela lewis ’91 and derek Kilburn ’91 welcomed their second son, Sawyer William Stewart Kilburn, on August 22, 2009. He was born at 8 lbs 9 oz, and is baby brother to Wyatt.

sarah Frew ’92 and hartland Ross ’92 announce the arrival of their first child. Hugh Jack Drummond Ross was born on January 16, 2010 in Vancouver and weighed in at 8 lbs, 1 oz.

Annika, Finn and baby Talia Klenz.

Molly Hansen

24 •

Sch

ool T

ies -

Spr

ing

2010

Peter Birch-Jones, Cdr. RCN (Ret’d) ’37-’40 Murray McAlpine

Passagespeter Birch-Jones, cdr. RcN (Ret’d) ’37-’40 died peacefully on September 23, 2009. He entered the Royal Canadian Navy and graduated from HMCS Royal Roads as a young officer in 1945. Peter’s career in the Navy continued for the next 30 years and after many varied and interesting postings, he retired to Victoria in 1975 with the rank of Commander. His second career included a one-year contract in Iran, a University of Victoria master’s degree in public administration, and working with the BC Ministry of Health. He retired from this job as director of staff development and safety programmes in 1987.

Peter very much valued his time at St. Michael’s School and was very involved with the Alumni Association, becoming its president in 1980 and thus assuming a seat on the Board of Governors from 1980 to 1984. He and his wife Sonia (who passed away in November 2008) attended school functions even after their move to Qualicum Beach in 1996.

david M. Boyd ’30-’33 died October 19, 2009 in Victoria. After his high-school years he obtained his medical degree from the University of Toronto and returned to work in Victoria until his retirement in 1981. He had a paediatric practice and was the medical superintendant of the Queen Alexandra Solarium. He was an avid sailor, and after retirement he and his wife completed a partial circumnavigation of North

America in their sailboat. Dr. Boyd was part of an important event in the history of St. Michael’s School, being active in the founding of the St. Michael’s School Society in 1958 and in the construction of the new campus on Victoria Avenue in 1959.

Murray Mcalpine (faculty member 1972-1983) passed away on December 11, 2009. Murray’s time at the school was spent at the Junior School campus where he was the PE and sports supervisor. He was a good athlete and his rugby career included being on the Canadian team that toured the UK and Ireland in the 1960s. Students from the Junior School will remember Murray fondly for his coaching and will likely recall playing floor hockey with him in the gym. Murray also possessed a fine singing voice and he sang for many years at the summer shows at Butchart Gardens. His fellow teachers are sad to lose an old colleague.

Ron Whitehouse ’55-’57 died in May 2009 in Osoyoos, BC. He attended University School as a boarder from Whitehorse, Yukon and in 1957 successfully completed his Junior Matriculation (Grade 12). He made a positive and impressive contribution to the school’s athletic programme: he was wing three quarter on the 1957 rugby team, a good track and field athlete and a member of the basketball team. In 1957, he was the top rifle shot in the school’s select Shooting B.

Ron Whitehouse ’55-’57

Clark Blackstock ’76

Ron’s career was devoted to the auto parts industry and he achieved the distinction of working for the same company, Auto Marine Electric in Vancouver, for 39 years. He opened their first store in the Yukon and grew with the company.

Ron’s grandson, stephen harmer, graduated from SMUS in 2003.

clark Blackstock ’76 died November 11, 2009, in California after a 10-month battle with cancer. This news will sadden many of Clark’s fellow 1976 grads, for he was one of the real characters of his class. He was a boarder from Mercer Island, Washington, a 1st XV rugby player, a fine swimmer and head of Barnacle House. Clark had lived much of his post-SMUS life in Bellingham, Washington and obtained a degree in mathematics from Western Washington University. Life in Bellingham also enabled him to pursue his recreational passions for both sailing and skiing. He will be remembered by his school friends as a cheerful, carefree and likeable young man.

alU

MN

I Upd

aTes

Thanks to everyone who participated in the 4th annual SMUS Alumni & Friends Golf Invitational on September 17, 2009. Watch event listings on the alumni website (alumni.smus.ca) for the date of the 5th annual Invitational this fall.

The 4th Annual SMUS Alumni & Friends Golf Invitational Victoria Golf Club, September 17, 2009

If u

nd

eliv

erab

le, r

etu

rn t

o

St.

Mic

hae

ls U

niv

ersi

ty S

cho

ol

3400

Ric

hm

on

d R

oad

Vic

tori

a, B

C, C

AN

AD

A V

8P 4

P5

Pub

licat

ions

M

ail A

gree

men

t #4

0063

624

Mark your calendarsApril 30 – May 2, 2010

Alumni Weekend 2010

Wednesday, June 2, 2010Ice Cream Day

June 4-6, 2010St. Michael’s School Centennial Celebration

April 29 – May 1, 2011Alumni Weekend 2011

Register at alumni.smus.bc.ca/events