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October 30, 2008
SAIT: Calgary Herald Readers Rate SAIT #1
SAIT Polytechnic is Calgary’s top-ranked post-secondary school, according to a recent popular poll. The Institute was voted the gold award winner in the Career/Post-Secondary category of the Calgary Herald 2008 Readers’ Choice Awards announced October 29. “We’re delighted at this strong endorsement by Calgary Herald readers,” noted Guy Mallabone, SAIT’s Vice President of External Relations. “It is a testament to the calibre of SAIT graduates and their contributions to the workplace and society, and an equally positive reflection on the dedication of our faculty and staff to delivering relevant, skill-oriented education.” SAIT has consistently ranked among Calgary’s top post-secondary institutions in this annual poll.
SAIT, Alberta

October 30, 2008
Okanagan College Students Benefit From American Express, Wine Festivals Society Partnership
The proof is in the purchases - students in Okanagan College’s wine, food and hospitality courses will benefit from a program that took place during the Okanagan Spring Wine Festival in May this year. Recently, American Express’s Vice-President Sales, Global Commercial Card, Yasmin Kara, presented Kathy Butler, executive director of the Okanagan College Foundation, with a cheque for $5,000 that was raised through a partnership between the Okanagan Wine Festivals Society, American Express, and the Okanagan College Foundation. Through the month of May, including the Okanagan Spring Wine Festival (May 1 - 10, 2008), $3 from every American Express transaction at participating wineries was collected to go toward helping students and supporting the wine, food and hospitality courses at the School of Business at Okanagan College. The program’s goal - $5,000 – was achieved. "This was a tremendous program, giving our Cardmembers and wineries the opportunity to support the development of the wine, restaurant and tourism industries in the Okanagan," said Kara. American Express and the Okanagan Wine Festivals Society have worked together on other projects, but this was a first where the co-operation was aimed to directly benefit students and programs at Okanagan College. "This partnership will pay real dividends for our members,” said Gary Reynolds, President of the Okanagan Wine Festivals Society and the owner of Lake Breeze Vineyards in Naramata. "The School of Business at Okanagan College and its graduates have important roles to play training future team members for all areas of our wineries. Our society, its members, American Express and the College are investing in the future." In 2006, the Okanagan Wine Festivals Society created a new award program for students in the College’s advanced culinary arts diploma program. “We’re pleased that the Wine Festivals Society and American Express have chosen to support students and programs through partnership with the Okanagan College Foundation,” said Steve Tuck, President of the Okanagan College Foundation. About the Okanagan Wine Festivals Society: The Okanagan Wine Festivals Society now has 87 member wineries and over 45 tourism operators that work collaboratively to bring the world to Okanagan Wine Country. The society organizes four annual Okanagan Wine Festivals and pursues a high profile marketing strategy to attract wine tourists on a year round basis. The 10-day Okanagan Fall Wine Festival is the oldest of the four festivals and is consistently awarded the designation of "Top 100 Events in North America." Its success has led to the establishment of the 10-day Okanagan Spring Wine Festival, the iconic five-day Icewine Festival held in January at Sun Peaks Resort north of Kamloops, B.C. and the intimate two-day Okanagan Summer Wine Festival at Silver Star Mountain Resort near Vernon.
Source: Okanagan College, British Columbia

October 28, 2008
Concordia University College of Alberta: Earns Rare A+ for Teaching in National Survey
The Globe and Mail has released its 7th annual "Canadian University Report" and Concordia University College of Alberta is one of only two universities in Canada to earn an A+ in teaching. Concordia rounded out its ratings with a total of three A+, including top marks for student-faculty interaction and class size. The marks reinforce Concordia's emphasis on a community of learning. Concordia's strengths in the relationship between students and professors is borne out by sheer numbers; Concordia has a much higher ratio of PhD's to students.
Source: Concordia University College of Alberta

October 16, 2008
University of Missouri: $3.8 Million MU Brain Imaging Center Provides Breakthrough Research for Autism, Schizophrenia and Parkinson's Disease
Recently, the University of Missouri Department of Psychological Sciences introduced an addition to their field of research with the opening of the Brain Imaging Center (BIC). The BIC will allow MU researchers to conduct behavioral research on diseases that can have tremendous impact, including Parkinson’s disease, autism, schizophrenia and other neurocognitive disorders using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology. “The Brain Imaging Center is a state-of-the-art neuroimaging research facility that allows us to propose and conduct neuroimaging research on a scale that has not been possible at the university,” said Shawn Christ, assistant professor of psychology in the MU College of Arts and Science. According to Christ, the BIC will set MU apart from other universities that have restricted access to hospital equipment, and will enhance the school’s faculty recruitment, grant funding and breakthrough research. MRI technology enables researchers to collect behavioral data by producing pictures of the brain. Human brains respond to certain activities by transferring blood to a specific area. The magnetic pulses within the MRI machine attract the blood flow and the machine produces a specific image, which gives researchers insight into how the brain functions and the similarities and differences of various mental activities. “This center has allowed our department, as well as the broader university research community, to remain at the forefront of research on the diagnosis and study of the causes of neurocognitive disorders such as autism, schizophrenia and Parkinson’s disease,” Christ said. “My laboratory recently initiated a grant-funded project that will utilize the MRI in an effort to increase our understanding of the cognitive and neural dysfunction experienced by individuals with autism.” MU is one of the few academic institutions to have this technology available on campus and accessible for all departments and surrounding technological, scientific and pharmaceutical industries. BIC Director Nelson Cowan is studying language and working memory and will use the MRI to investigate the theory that there are parts of the brain that integrate memories from all sensory modalities. The MU scientist also is studying if there is one central area where all information is kept in the brain. “Research of this kind is a type of philosophy. You’re learning about human consciousness, and the more people understand about the human mind, the better they understand each other,” Cowan said.
Source: University of Missouri

October 13, 2008
Kansas State University: University Continuing Education Association to Present K-State with Two Great Plains Region Awards for 2008
Kansas State University will receive two Great Plains Region awards from the University Continuing Education Association at the association's annual joint Great Plains-Mid-America Conference, Oct. 15-17, in Kansas City, Mo. Lanita McGee, senior in the K-State distance education dietetics bachelor's degree program, Fairfield, Ohio, will be awarded the Outstanding Distance Education Student Award. Receiving the Non-Credit Program Award from the association will be VetByes, a series of asynchronous seminars covering many areas of veterinary medicine and training. Earlier this year, McGee was the first distance education student to win an Extraordinary Student Award from K-State. She also was featured in the K-State Division of Continuing Education's distance student newsletter, The Leading Edge. "Lanita has overcome physical challenges that would have stopped even the most resilient person from pursuing higher education," said Sue Maes, interim dean of Continuing Education at K-State. "I have worked with thousands of students in the last 24 years at K-State and Lanita stands out as the most remarkable, inspiring and extraordinary one of all," said Sharon Morcos, instructor of human nutrition at K-State and McGee's mentor. VetBytes offers constant access to online seminars in veterinary medicine and training, provides a certificate of completion suitable for submission for licensure and offers continuing education contact hours upon completion of each seminar. "VetBytes has filled a niche for veterinarians, breeders, researchers and industry personnel who need to stay current and accredited," Maes said. "Currently, individuals from 21 states are learning online through VetBytes." The VetBytes staff includes Linda Johnson, Marci Ritter and Kent Nelson of the K-State College of Veterinary Medicine. More information on VetBytes is available at http://www.vet.ksu.edu/CE/vetbytes247.htm "K-State is extremely honored to be recognized for both the Outstanding Distance Education Student and the Non-Credit Program awards," Maes said.
Source: Kansas State University