In order to recognize the generosity of its donors, the Mir Centre for Peace has fashioned a permanent tribute that’s custom made and uniquely fitting for the Castlegar landmark.

Earlier this month, more than 50 people gathered at the historic building that overlooks the Columbia River at Castlegar’s Selkirk College Campus. The occasion was the unveiling of a hand crafted quilt that serves as a donor wall to thank those who helped establish an endowment fund for the Mir Centre for Peace Lecture Series.

The Mir Lecture Series Endowment Quilt was unveiled in late-January. See more photos from the day here.

“It’s amazing,” said Pat Henman, part of the Selkirk College team charged with establishing the endowment fund for the lecture series. “I am so overwhelmed by its artistry and beauty. It’s phenomenal to see all those names that were so important to making the lecture series come to life digitized on the leaves of this quilt.”

A Long and Important History

The Mir Centre for Peace was established in 1999 with a mandate of understanding and building cultures of peace through education. The centre is housed in an early 20^th Century Doukhobor communal dwelling on what was once traditional aboriginal lands. Selkirk College inherited the buildings and site in 1966.

The Mir Lecture Series Endowment Quilt stands proudly in the Mir Centre.

The Mir Lecture Series is one part of the overall work being done at the centre. Each year the series brings in a diverse selection of inspiring local and international speakers who help promote the culture of peace. The first lecture took place in September, 2007 when Stephen Lewis came to the West Kootenay. Since that time between four and six speakers take part in the series each year.

In order to bring the renown speakers to the West Kootenay—who present at a number of venues in Castlegar and Trail—the endowment fund was established as an important starting point. In total 129 individuals and groups donated to the fund. The quilt was put together in order to provide a unique way to recognize the community members who made it happen.

Something Different and Uniquely Ours

“We wanted something different and extra special, so we contacted the USCC Ladies Cultural Interpretive Society,” said Selkirk College Donor Services Coordinator Joyce Buckler. “Having the quilting ladies on board was a very important to us and helps speak to what this centre represents.”

Five quilters stepped forward to help with the project and this past summer poured hundreds of hours creating the large quilt that represents a tree and includes 129 leaves digitized with the donor names.

Three of the quilters who took part in helping create the quilt were (L-R) Paulette Markin, Verna Chernoff and Mary Pozdnekoff.

“We went step by step, we had no idea that it would turn out like this,” said Mary Pozdnekoff, one of the members of the quilting team. “We have never done anything quite like this before and the outcome is more than we could have imagined.”

Pozdnekoff was joined by Timmie Jean Tack, Joy Rogers, Paulette Markin and Verna Chernoff on the project that started from scratch with the dying of the fabric and creation of the large tree. The individual leaves were then hand sewn and digitized with the names. Finally the intricate job of quilting the entire finished project fell into the hands of Chernoff.

Finished Product Exceeds Expectations

“I’m really proud of this, it was my first attempt at an artistic flare,” said Chernoff, who has been quilting since she retired from teaching in Castlegar 11 years ago. “All my past work was patches and sew and structure. This was the first free motion attempt that I have ever done.”

Chernoff—who has had her work featured at the prestigious Canadian Quilters Association Show—said there was plenty of pressure putting together this project.

The quilt is a hit with supporters of all ages.

“There is huge significance in those names and they must be recognized for their important contribution to the Mir Centre and this community,” said Chernoff. “I was so happy to take part and work with all the very talented ladies who made this happen.”

The next Mir Lecture Series event takes place on February 28 at 7 p.m. when American journalist and political activist Chris Hedges will speak at the Brilliant Cultural Centre. Tickets for the event are available at the Selkirk College Bookstore in Castlegar, Otter Books in Nelson and at the door ($16 and $13 for students/seniors).

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Selkirk College has joined six other post-secondary schools across the province in an initiative that aims to recruit the best and brightest employees.

The Regional Colleges of BC has launched a new website to let future employees know that if you’re interested in working in a rewarding career alongside great people in a close-knit community—it’s good out here. The website can be found at www.itsgoodouthere.com.

The West Kootenay-Boundary provides so much to those looking to join the Selkirk College team.

“We know from our employees who have moved here from elsewhere that we offer great places to live and rewarding workplaces, but not enough people consider one of the Regional Colleges of BC as an employer of choice, especially outside of teaching faculty and staff,” says Gary Leier, Director of Human Resources and Community Relations for Selkirk College. “The reality is that compared to the big city, it really is good out here.”

Partnership Shows Benefits of Rural Life

Where exactly is “here?” The group of seven British Columbia colleges—Selkirk College, College of New Caledonia, College of the Rockies, North Island College, Northern Lights College, Northwest Community College and Okanagan College—offer work in communities that include small towns with only a few thousand people, up to large cities with populations of over 80,000. A few communities have fewer than 1,000 permanent residents and are set in some of the most breathtaking locations in BC.

“It’s not unusual for people to move to one of the colleges’ communities for a job opportunity and quickly realize they never want to leave,” says Sheila McDonald, Human Resources Executive Director for College of the Rockies. “Between the camaraderie offered in the working environment, the affordable real estate and the instant access to outdoor recreation, people truly connect with others and settle in.”

Job opportunities at the Regional Colleges of BC include careers in administration, finance, health services, information technology, maintenance and senior leadership. And then there are the obvious faculty and teaching roles, which are appealing because the small college settings enable employees to make strong connections with their students and really make a difference in their lives.

Location and Opportunity the Lure

The Regional Colleges of BC expect that once the word gets out, it won’t be difficult to entice qualified candidates to their workplaces.

“Most people know that the outdoor recreation is spectacular everywhere you go in BC,” says Ken Crewe, Director of Human Resources for North Island College. “But add in affordable housing, vibrant communities and the chance to do work that has direct application in the community you’re living in and you’ve got a situation that has a lot of appeal for someone ready to leave the big city behind.”

The Regional Colleges of BC is a group of public post-secondary institutions spanning the regions outside of the Greater Vancouver area. The colleges cover 43 communities across British Columbia, from Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii out west, bordering Yukon to the north, the Rocky Mountains to the east and everything in between. The employee recruitment brand and website is the first large project this group has collaborated on.

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The new location of the Learning Success Centre (LSC) at the Castlegar Campus has provided a new lease on learning for many Selkirk College students.

Just before the beginning of the September semester, the centre moved from Lower Bonnington to the brighter and more visible location in the Castlegar Campus Library. The change has been immediate and positive.

“What is most exciting is that having us up here has further promoted the programs we offer,” says Todd Solarik, Learning Skills Coordinator for the Castlegar Campus. “I’m here to provide learning skills, but younger students coming from high school are sometimes reluctant to ask for help. Up here, I’m just part of library services and am now conveniently located beside the Writing Centre, math tutor area, and study rooms available to students, making the LSC more approachable.”

Castlegar’s Learning Skills Coordinator Todd Solarik says the new location in the campus library has made the services provided to students much more visible.

The Learning Success Centre is part of Selkirk College’s Student Access & Support Services. Learning Skills Coordinators are located on the Castlegar, Tenth Street and Silver King campuses. They provide support to students in three major areas: one-on-one tutoring, workshops and the peer tutor programs. The services are offered free of charge to all students. Peer tutors are paid through the Selkirk’s Work Study Program.

The Learning Commons Approach

Solarik and Selkirk College Librarian Gregg Currie attended the Canadian Learning Commons Conference at the University of Calgary in 2012. They were excited and inspired by what they saw. Post-secondary libraries have been evolving into learning commons of over the last decade, which means incorporating student support services in library design. The pair returned to Castlegar with a new commitment to integrating the Learning Success Centre into one of the busiest locations on campus.

“In the old location mature students would find me, but for the 17 or 18 year old students it seemed much more difficult for them to reach out to the services we provide,” says Solarik. “Once those younger students are here, they are fine and they realize it’s not a big deal. It’s getting them to ask for help that first time.”

The change in location has shown immediate results. One-on-one learning skills services—which include tools such as time and stress management, organizational skills, reading comprehension, memory techniques and test taking strategies—were up 15% in those first four months. Peer tutoring numbers have skyrocketed with 50% more traffic and a total of 32 tutors signing up to help their student peers.

“Being successful in college is knowing how to access the resources,” says Solarik. “It’s a hard thing to walk through the door, but once you do there are all kinds of services.”

The new location is a fit that suits that everyone.

“The library staff has been very welcoming and supportive of the LSC move,” says Solarik. “I appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with them using a learning commons approach to reach our students.”

Addressing Issues Early is Key

Getting help is essential for some students and they often need a push from their instructors. Selkirk College also has the Early Alert Program which is an online referral system created to help connect students who may be facing challenges in their courses or programs with appropriate services—learning skills, counselling, financial aid and Aboriginal services. Often academic difficulties are linked to other issues in a student’s life and can result in poor attendance, low exam results or stress and anxiety. The earlier these issues are addressed, the greater the student’s chances of success.

“I understand the reluctance,” says Solarik. “It does take courage to ask for help, but there is lots of research out there with Early Alert that if a student accesses resources you will see marks going up. The sooner the better, because after mid-terms it’s harder to turn it around. Making that first connection is the most difficult, but it’s worth it.”

The Learning Skills Coordinator on the Silver King Campus is Laurie Jarvis and the Learning Skills Coordinators at Tenth Street are Martin Keyserlingk and Randall Cannon.

Learn more about Selkirk College’s Student Access & Support Services and join us on Facebook.

Aspiring writers have an opportunity to learn how to create stories, poems, and personal essays others will want to read with a creative writing course being offered by Selkirk College.

West Kootenay novelist, poet and performance artist Almeda Glenn Miller has been teaching writing for more than 15 years. Teaming up with Selkirk’s Studies in Writing Program, Miller will be teaching Creative Writing 100 at the Trail Campus starting on February 20 and running for 14 weeks.

“If you have a story you want to write, a poem floating in your mind or a political treatise you’ve been bugging your pals about for years, this class will help you find the courage to get it done,” says Miller.

The Creative Writing 100 class will be offered at the Trail Campus for the first time.

Unconventional and Interesting

Miller’s methods are described as unconventional, but her results are always interesting. Former students rave about what the veteran writer has done for their skills and passion to pursue the craft.

“The writing course at Selkirk College rescued me,” says graduate Roz Nay. “I joined it when I was awash with new motherhood and from it I rediscovered my love of writing, going on to complete a first novel as a direct result of the teaching.”

Through Selkirk’s transfer agreements with other post-secondary schools, Creative Writing 100 also provides a head-start for those looking to further pursue a degree at other institutions in this fully credited course.

“My time in the writing program at Selkirk with Almeda Glenn Miller prepared me with the skills to gain admittance and to succeed in the creative writing program at the University of Victoria,” says former student Celina Silva. “What I remember most is the small class sizes and the supportive and passionate workshops where I was encouraged to find my voice. The Selkirk Writing Program has allowed me to excel in peer editing, scholarship applications and in expressing myself authentically. It has given me the confidence to pursue a life writing and living creatively.”

A Launching Pad for Creativity

In class and take home writing exercises will ignite your imagination. Students will read each other’s work, and learn how to give each other healthy and helpful feedback. Students will come out of the course with some of their own poetry, personal essays and fictional stories.

Former student Julia Caceres Booth spent two years at Selkirk College under Miller’s guidance. After leaving the West Kootenay in 2011 to attend the University of British Columbia in Kelowna, she received a Bachelor’s Degree with a major in History and a minor in Creative Writing.

“In many cases I felt far more prepared than many of my classmates at UBCO in regards to workshop etiquette, as well as the quality of writing that I expected from my peers and myself,” says Caceres Booth. “My time at Selkirk piqued an interest that I did not know I had and uncovered a potential in myself that has led me to into a writing-in-residence position in School District #8 and other editorial opportunities.”

The Creative Writing 100 course begins on February 20 and runs for 14 weeks. The class takes place at the Trail Campus from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursdays. To register contact Rachel Walker at 250.365.1233 or email at rwalker@selkirk.ca.

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With an eye on inspiring the future generation of great musicians, Selkirk College Music & Technology Program instructor Gilles Parenteau is putting together a rare gathering of the community’s most talented keyboard mentors.

In an evening dubbed Piano Power, nine Nelson area keyboard teachers and an assortment of current Selkirk College music students will put on a performance at the Shambhala Music & Performance Hall on February 27.

Selkirk College keyboard instructor will bring together area music teachers for a special concert on February 27.

“It’s going to be the first time all these teachers are performing in one room at the same time,” says Parenteau. “It’s going to be a pretty special night.”

Teachers With Wide Variety of Styles

The featured teachers are Muriel Tyler, Dorothy Fraser, Nancy Potter, Anne Macdonald, Donna Goodwin, Jane Ballantine, Danielle Corbin, Judy Runions and Parenteau. They will perform pieces in a wide variety of musical styles from classical to wild electronics.

The goal of the evening is to show young people of the community the power of piano. With instruments like the guitar capturing the imagination of youth, Parenteau feels keyboards are getting left behind because the instrument lacks some of the “cool factor” today’s younger generation covets. By showing current and potential students the impressive skills of their teachers, the Selkirk College keyboard instructor hopes to inspire a new generation.

“I would like the young people to see all the different things you can do with keyboards,” says Parenteau. “We have such an amazing core of piano teachers in this community, their skills are the best showcase of how important the instrument is.”

Piano Power starts at 7 p.m. on Thursday, February 27. Admission is free, but any donations will go towards a clean water project in Togo.

Learn more about Selkirk's Music & Technology Program and join us on Facebook.

Community organizations and industry have come together to provide young people an opportunity to get started in a new direction.

The BladeRunners Program is now off and running in Nakusp with 10 eager participants. The program—which is run through Selkirk College—provides technical and field training in entry-level forestry work to youth participants facing challenges getting training or employment.

“This development of long-term attachment to the workforce is a unique component of the BladeRunners model,” says Ulli Mueller, Community Education & Workplace Training Coordinator at Selkirk College’s Nakusp Centre. “When combined with the development of multi-sector partnerships between the youth, community, employers, trades unions, post-secondary institutions and various levels of government, it ensures overall success.”

A group of 10 youth are currently hard at work on a fire wood project near Nakusp.

Award Winning Program Started in Vancouver

BladeRunners was created in 1994 during the construction of General Motors Place in Vancouver. Its purpose was to match construction industry needs with opportunities for disadvantaged inner-city youth. Because many of the at-risk youth (15 to 30 years old) were experiencing problems outside of their work hours, a system of 24/7 support from BladeRunners coordinators was developed. This led to the award winning BladeRunners model which is funded through the Canada-British Columbia Labour Market Agreement.

Selkirk College operates the BladeRunners program at its Trail Campus and Nakusp Centre. The Nakusp BladeRunners program focusses on the forest industry. Students take technical training courses that offer certification in first aid, chainsaw safety and operation, traffic control and flagging, construction safety training systems, WHMIS, Oil Sands Safety Association orientation, and Occupational Health & Safety.

“Job readiness modules focus on job search skill development, time management, goal setting, financial management and communications,” says Mueller. “Participants will then apply these skills and new knowledge to a workplace setting through the work experience program.”

The work experience program is being headed up by Guy Duchaine who has been hired to facilitate and Alexandra Krajewski who will support the program in her role as the job coach. Duchaine has signed on to lead and mentor the team that will learn skills and gain work experience while they cut up logging truckloads of birch into firewood. The wood will be picked up a former Nakusp resident and sold in Calgary. The proceeds will be used to pay the wages for the workers.

Community Comes Together for Youth

The program—which runs February and March—also benefits from significant partnerships with local organizations that include Arrow & Slocan Lakes Community Services, Nakusp and Area Development Board, and the Nakusp and Area Community Forest.

“It’s so encouraging to see community organizations and industry all working together to give young people a chance to get started in forest industry jobs,” says Mueller. “Everywhere we have gone and every challenge that has been presented has been resolved with goodwill, integrity and the generousity of this community.”

The BladeRunners program and social enterprise work experience component aligns with the recommended actions from the recent Nakusp Business Retention and Expansion Survey and the Kootenay Regional Workforce Table Plan. The expansion survey identified that there were jobs in the forest industry, but training was needed. The workforce table plan found more was needed to enhance training related to small and medium sized businesses.

Find out more about the BladeRunners program by calling the Nakusp Campus at 250.265.4077 or via email at nakuspce@selkirk.ca.

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Through his lectures, Chris Hedges takes people on dark journeys to places they thought they would never go. Painting pictures with words, he acts as a tour guide to the realities of war and those who choose to accompany him will return with a better understanding.

On February 28, the Selkirk College Mir Centre for Peace Lecture Series welcomes the Pulitzer Prize award winning journalist, author and activist to Castlegar’s Brilliant Cultural Centre. Currently an educator and columnist for Thruthdig, Hedges will dive deep into the world he has witnessed for more than two decades.

Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Chris Hedges will be arriving to the West Kootenay later this month as the latest speaker in the Mir Centre for Peace Lecture Series.

“I spent 20 years as a war correspondent,” Hedges said when asked about the topic of the lecture. “It’s about the poison of war, the culture of war and what it does to individuals and societies in all the various conflicts that I covered. That dark lust for violence, that capacity for evil that we all have.

“In a time of war when a culture is gripped by war, the death instinct becomes dominant. I think what most people don’t understand about it is how seductive it is. I will be drawing on various experiences I had in various conflicts to talk about the nature of war and what it is.”

From the Streets of San Salvador

Hedges pathway to respected journalist started early.  He had his first article published when he was 13 and by college had his work featured in the Christian Science Monitor.

As the son of controversial American Presbyterian minister Rev. Thomas Hedges who was involved in the civil rights movement, the anti-war movement and the gay rights movement, after high school Hedges chose to follow in his father’s footsteps.

While working on his studies at the Harvard Divinity School, Hedges became disenchanted. He decided to focus on shedding light on some of the darkest places in the world through journalism. By 1984 he was the Central America bureau chief for the Dallas Morning News.

“I was propelled to places like El Salvador more because of the egregious human rights violations with the death squads killing between 700 and 1,000 people a month when I got there,” Hedges says.

One of the first conflicts Hedges covered as a war correspondent was the civil war in El Salvador.

Over the next 20 years Hedges reported on some of the most horrific and dramatic conflicts across the globe: the Falklands War, the first Gulf War, Palestinian uprisings, civil wars in Yemen and Algeria, Bosnia, and many others.

Working as the New York TimesMiddle East correspondent,  Hedges went in with the US Marines First Battalion to Kuwait, was in Basra during the Shiite uprising and was taken prisoner by the Iraqi Guard for 10 days before being released to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

“In order to go out and report on what was happening in the middle of a conflict, it did become dangerous,” Hedges says of his years on the frontlines. “A lot of people I worked with over two decades are dead. Motives are always are mixed and they are not pure, you become addicted to those kinds adrenaline highs. Soldiers and marines call it a combat high, it’s very real and becomes very hard to function in a world not at war.

“To a certain extent the danger had a kind of appeal, but in the moments where I actually thought I might die there was nothing attractive about it. It was quite frightening.”

Outspoken Views and Tarnished Awards

When al Qaeda attacked the United States on September 11, 2001 Hedges was based in Paris. Over the next year, he worked with other New York Times reporters to shed light on global terrorism. In 2002 he was part of the New York Times team that won the Pulitzer Prize for their coverage.

“It did nothing for me,” Hedges says of the honour. “I have been in the profession so long that I have seen brave reporters never win prizes and I have seen crappy reporters win Pulitzers. I had done reporting long enough to be pretty jaded about prizes. I know who great reporters are and I know what great reporting is, I have seen how that reporting is often never given a prize at all because it’s too disturbing to the centres of power and the committees that give prizes don’t want to go there.”

On the eve of the invasion of Iraq, Hedges released his book War Is a Force that Gives Us Meaning. He became an outspoken critic of the invasion appearing on programs like Charlie Rose to let the world know that the move would lead to disastrous consequences. After being on the ground in the Middle East for so many years prior to the 9/11 attacks, Hedges says he knew the United States would not be greeted as liberators in Iraq and there were no stockpiles of nuclear weapons to justify the invasion.

“I was heard,” Hedges says of his outspoken views. “Not many people heeded it, but I was heard.”

In 2003 Hedges was invited to be the commencement speaker at Rockford College in Illinois. During a heightened time in America, Hedges told the assembled crowd and graduates of his concerns about the Iraq conflict. He was eventually booed off stage and video of his speech spread on the internet. The New York Times issued him a formal written reprimand which Hedges says stated he would be fired if he continued to speak about the Iraq War. Hedges made the decision to leave the newspaper rather than be silenced.

Though Hedges doesn’t regret his decision, he says that period of his career was difficult.

“You can’t be a newspaper reporter for as long as I was and be particularly surprised by too much,” he says. “The only thing that surprised me was the level of anger because I received so many death threats. I was surprised that people would threaten me over that stance.”

Not Shying Away from the Truth

Hedges post-New York Times career has continued to build and he has established himself as one of the leading voices of change in the United States.

He writes a weekly column for Truthdig, the online newspaper that promises to “drill beneath the headlines” and has written more books. Hedges was the speech writer for 2008 presidential candidate Ralph Nader and has publicly supported the Green Party of the United States.

In November, 2011, Hedges was arrested with others in New York as part of the Occupy Wall Street demonstration. He was heavily involved in the movement, authoring the first issue of The Occupied Wall Street Journal.

Chris Hedges is an outspoken activist who is featured on many news programs. Here is a sample from Acronymn TV.

“The democratic system in the United States is broken down,” Hedges says of his motivation to join Occupy. “It has essentially undergone a corporate coup d’etat in slow motion. Unless we rebuild mass movements we are not going to have any way to push back. I think mass, non-violent movements that begin to put pressure on the centres of power are probably all we have left.”

Now 57, Hedges continues to speak all across the world in events like the Mir Lecture Series. He is unapologetic to those who disagree with him and doesn’t shy away from taking audiences to dark places.

“I don’t share America’s mania for hope,” he says. “I was a war correspondent. People who were too overly optimistic or pollyannaish about the world didn’t live too long in war zones. You have to make a very cold assessment of what the forces are around you and the capacity of those forces to do you harm and react. How can you read climate change reports and be hopeful? That’s not part of my vocabulary. I battle against forces because they are wrong and because they perpetuate immense suffering and injustice… not because I’m necessarily going to win.”

Tickets for the Mir Lecture are available at the Selkirk College Bookstore in Castlegar, Otter Books in Nelson and at the door ($16 for the general public and $13 for students/seniors). The February 28 lecture starts at 7 p.m. at the Brilliant Cultural Centre (1876 Brilliant Road).

Learn more about the Mir Centre for Peace and join us on Facebook.

With the world’s eyes turning to Sochi this month, a Selkirk College student is watching with pride as her motherland basks in its moment of glory.

Irina Smolina is a first-year Ski Resort Operations & Management Program (SROAM) student who is setting a course for a career in snow-capped mountains. With the Sochi Winter Olympics heading into its final weekend, the Moscow native says Russia has succeeded in its goal of capturing the planet’s attention.

Irina Smolina is soaking in her Canadian experience and loving her new surroundings on the Tenth Street Campus in Nelson.

“People have an image of Russia in their head and it’s usually formed by sources that are not entirely accurate,” says Smolina. “People know about Russia on the surface and it’s important to show people how we really are. I think a sports competition like the Olympics is a good tool to show the world. It’s a way to make good, quick and efficient connections with other people.”

Jumping Into a Career Change by Studying Abroad

Smolina’s arrival to the Tenth Street Campus in Nelson was brought about by a Google search. With a promising career in marketing underway at Adobe’s Moscow office, the 26-year-old was looking for a new challenge and a new direction.

“I had to think about what I really wanted to do,” Smolina explains. “Working in an office in Moscow, you don’t really have a life. You have to travel to your office fighting traffic jams and the work was pretty intense. My passion was elsewhere and I wanted to try something different.”

Smolina (front row left, blue jacket) and her SROAM classmates on a recent field trip high above the clouds at Selkirk Wilderness Skiing north of Nelson.

With a degree in marketing from the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, Smolina was looking for a master’s degree to fit her love of sport. Her internet search of schools in Europe uncovered programs more geared towards team sports than Smolina’s passion for snowboarding. One day she Googled “ski management” and a link to Selkirk College appeared.

“When I read about SROAM it was a really comprehensive program and covered everything you need to know about working for a ski resort. So here I am,” she says.

Canada Creates Sudden Impact

Smolina has traveled extensively for work and pleasure all across Europe and the Middle East, but when she left Moscow this past summer it was her first journey to North America. It didn’t take long for Smolina to form an opinion of her new community.

“I can’t say about Canada in general, but I am in love with Nelson,” Smolina says. “It’s so relaxing here, people are laidback and friendly. From the mentality of a big-city girl where everybody is in a rush and you don’t look people in the eye on the street… it’s so different here because everyone is taking their time and strangers say ‘hello.’ And the nature is amazing.”

In the first semester Smolina produced a video that highlighted the international flavour of SROAM.

Since arriving, Smolina has jumped head-first into her studies. Though she admits the first semester was challenging—language being somewhat of an issue—Smolina enjoyed the hard work.

“I studied a lot and didn’t go out,” she says of the first four months. “It was fascinating because what they promised on the website, I saw it in reality. It’s beyond what I expected.”

This year’s SROAM class has a United Nations feel to it with one-third of the group being international students. In the first semester, Smolina produced a five-minute video that highlighted the experiences of the students who hail from Argentina, South Africa, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, Ukraine, England and the United States. 

“It creates a special climate within the class,” she says of the international contingent. “In the beginning it must have been torture for our Canadian classmates to listen to us with all the different accents. But right now it feels like there are no differences with us, we are all friends.”

Sochi Rises Above Expectations

It’s been difficult for Smolina to be far from home during Russia’s big moment, but she has kept tabs through television and instant updates on her phone. Smolina feels it’s the right time for the world to focus on her home.

“I am happy that Russia finally has the opportunity to host the Olympic Games,” she says. “My parents told me about when Moscow hosted the Summer Olympics [in 1980] and for them it was fascinating. For local people, they took so much pride in this. My parents were volunteers; everybody was so proud and excited.”

The world has turned its eyes to Sochi and Russia has impressed.

The Sochi Games have not been without controversy. Before the torch was even lit, Smolina and her classmates used the Games as a learning tool in the classroom.

“There is a lot of controversial information about the money spent and concerns about the future use of the venues they have built,” Smolina says. “We talked about this in our tourism class and these are typical questions for every Olympic Games. This is nothing new to Russia and I think for developing countries like Russia—developing in terms of tourism—they really need this to boost the economy.”

Though still a ways from graduation—SROAM is a two-year program—Smolina says the Sochi Games may even provide her with a future opportunity in the industry she loves.

“I think I can go back to Russia at some point, especially with having hosted the Olympic Games,” she says. “The big resorts they have built in Sochi, they will need qualified management to help attract people back to those venues when the Olympics are over.”

Until then, Smolina is going to soak in her new surroundings to the fullest in preparation for a new career full of fresh air, deep turns and winter excitement.

Learn more about the Ski Resort & Operations Program at Selkirk College and join us on Facebook.

It seemed an unlikely scenario just a few weeks ago, but Selkirk College will have a chance to take over first place in theB.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League standingson Saturday night when Simon Fraser University visits the West Kootenays for the final regular season match-up between the league's top two teams. Face-off is set for 7:30 p.m. at the Castlegar Recreation Complex.

It appeared as recently as early February that the regular season title was the Simon Fraser's to lose. The Clan had just topped Selkirk in shootout on home ice and soon after received an additional two points forfeited by Thompson Rivers University after it was determined that the WolfPack dressed ineligible players in a 3-1 victory over SFU two weeks earlier. But in the month since, the Saints have yet to drop another point and head into weekend action riding a six-game winning streak and a record of 9-0-1 in their last 10.

The Saints and Simon Fraser University are the two top teams in the BCIHL this season.

Stakes High for Saturday Night

As a result, there's no shortage of drama heading into Saturday night's contest, as a BCIHL regular season title and home ice advantage through the league playoffs could very well hang in the balance.

"We knew after SFU picked up those forfeited points that we were in a tough spot to make up the gap, and that the only solution was to keep winning," says Saints head coach Jeff Dubois. "We've been able to do that and to set up a big game on our home ice, which is a place where we've had a great deal of success. I'm not sure that there's ever been a BCIHL regular season game so late in the year where first place has been on the line, so we're looking forward to the chance to compete in a playoff atmosphere with lots on the line."

The Saintshave picked up three of a possible six points against the Clan this year, having won their previous home meeting against SFU in November by a 9-5 score. Selkirk has won their last five home games against Simon Fraser dating back to the beginning of the 2012/13 season, including two victories to sweep the 2013 BCIHL Finals and capture their first league championship.

The Clan is led offensively by the dynamic duo of Jono Ceci and former Trail Smoke Eaters winger Nick Sandor. The pair sits tied for top spot in BCIHL scoring with 44 points each, three ahead of Saints captain Logan Proulx.

In goal, SFU has turned to four-year veteran Andrew Parent as their starter following the departure of all-star Graeme Gordon in December. Parent allowed all nine goals in the Clan's most recent trip to Castlegar, but has provided steady goaltending so far in 2014 and won seven of his last eight starts.

Saints Possess Potent Offensive Attack

The Saints, meanwhile, continue to crowd the list of the BCIHL's top scorers. Proulx, Cody Fidgett and Connor McLaughlin sit third, fourth and fifth in points while Fidgett and McLaughlin lead the league with 22 and 21 goals respectively. Add in Jackson Garrett, Darnell Dyck, Thomas Hardy, Beau Taylor, Scott Swiston and Mason Spear and Selkirk boasts nine of the BCIHL's Top 20 scorers.

Selkirk will be welcoming Saints Men's Hockey Alumni to Saturday's game, with members of teams as far back as the early 1970s in attendance. A pregame ceremony will be held to recognize former players.

The Saints are expecting their largest crowd of the season on Saturday. Tickets will be available at the door for $8 (adults) and $5 (seniors, ages 18 & under, Selkirk staff/students).

Learn more about the Selkirk College Saints hockey program and join us on Facebook.

Problems with power on the East Shore of Kootenay Lake has prompted a study that is now available online.

The Rural Alternative Energy & Resiliency report is written by former Selkirk College student Eva Snyder and a product of research she conducted this past summer.

“This was a project to specifically address renewable energy on the East Shore,” explains Snyder. “It all applies to rural communities, but we used the East Shore as a template.”

Former Selkirk College student Eva Snyder (far left in red) takes a group through the Yasodhara Ashram during her Teck Serv summer research project.

Partnership with Teck Trail Operations

The report is made possible through a partnership between Selkirk College, Yasodhara Ashram, the Columbia Basin Rural Development Institute (RDI), Teck Trail Operations and Community Connections.

The study was a product of the Teck Serv program that provides Selkirk College students financial support to undertake a chosen community-based applied research project each summer.

“Power outages are quite common on the East Shore with the single one-way line,” said Snyder. “We were looking at ways to mitigate the effects of those outages with supplemental power.”

Snyder used the East Shore’s Yasodhara Ashram as a base for her research, evaluation and assessment. Using the residential and gathering buildings at the ashram to represent a model for a small community, Snyder conducted an energy assessment. Her assessment then allowed her to delve into both household and community level solutions to energy needs.

Power Struggles in Isolated Areas

Without the capacity for oil or natural gas on the East Shore, the study explored simple and accessible technology. Snyder investigated options such as micro hydro, photovoltaics (solar energy) and biomass. It’s those options that were discussed at a special evening at Gray Creek Hall in October.

“There were barriers for some technologies and opportunities for others,” said Snyder.

Snyder was mentored by Jayne Boys who is a teacher/trainer at Yasodhara Ashram. Boys said there has been a need for this study for some time and the ashram’s carbon neutral goals made it a perfect fit as the project base.

“We’re at the end of the line in a very forested area,” says Boys. “Trees come down and break our lines, so there has been a desire to look at which form of alternative energy would help us through these periods of power outages.”

Late last autumn the East Shore dealt with three lengthy power outages that caused hardships on both businesses and homeowners.

“We found energy options that we need not bother with any longer and we found options we can look at much more closely,” said Boys. “We are hoping this report and discussion will generate some decision for us to work together as a bigger community along the East Shore.”

A Model for Rural British Columbia

One of the other end goals of the report is to pass the information onto the BC Ministry of Energy and Mines, and to share it with other rural areas around the province coping with similar energy issues.

Snyder was enrolled in the Integrated Environmental Planning Program at Selkirk College in the 2012-13 school year. Last spring she also completed the six-week Advanced Certificate in Renewable Energy Technology Program on the Castlegar Campus.

Through an application made by Crawford Bay-based Community Connections, Snyder was chosen under the Teck Serv program to undertake the study. The Teck Serv program is funded by Teck Trail Operations and is coordinated through the Columbia Basin Rural Development Institute at Selkirk College.

Now working towards a degree in Geography at Langara College in Vancouver, Snyder said spending eight weeks applying her knowledge for the report is an important step in her education.

“I’ve had a strong connection to nature and the environment all of my life,” Snyder says of her chosen educational path which started at Selkirk College. “It just seemed like a relevant, purposeful area to study and something I could really get into.”

Find out more information about the Teck Serv program—including information on the 2014 internship call for proposals—here.

Learn more about the Columbia Basin Rural Development Institute and join us on Facebook.

Selkirk College will focus on making key connections next week at the Career and Education Fair on the Castlegar Campus.

The annual event will bring together employers, students and Selkirk College programs for a day of exploration. There will be plenty of opportunity for those looking for a dream career to survey options, and a chance for area businesses to touch base with future employers. Selkirk College programs will be on display to help connect the dots.

“This is a prime opportunity for employers to promote their organization, increase awareness, provide information about opportunities within their organization and meet potential qualified candidates,” says Selkirk College Educational Recruitment Specialist Amy Byers.

The Selkirk College Career and Education Fair connects those looking for new pathways with those needing enthusiastic new employees.

Many Options for Students and Prospective Students

There will be more than 30 exhibitors ranging from Alberta Health Services to AM Ford Sales to Teck Metals (see full list below).

“From a career seeker’s perspective there’s no better way to explore and learn about the education, industries and organizations than at the Career and Education Fair,” says Byers. “Attendees have a chance to get face-to-face with employers and can either walk away with a new career or at the very least a good sense of what education, background and skillset is needed for that career.”

The fair has been taking place at Selkirk College since 2006. It’s geared toward current and graduating Selkirk College students looking for opportunities to put their education to work. Another important target audience is high school students and those eyeing a career change who want to delve deeper into education options.

“It’s a great day for those looking into career paths and planning for post-secondary,” says Byers. “Attendees will get exposure to careers they may not have ever thought or heard about.”

A Closer Look at the Selkirk Advantage

Selkirk College instructors, representatives from programs and student services will be in the mix to provide more information about the tools post-secondary can provide to strengthen resumes (see list of programs and services below).

“From the education side, what better way to learn about post-secondary programs than connecting with instructors who teach in those programs,” says Byers. “Potential students can also collect valuable financial aid and admissions information to ensure a smooth transition into college.”

The Selkirk College Career and Education Fair takes place in The Pit on the Castlegar Campus on Thursday, February 27 from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome.

2014 Career & Education Fair Exhibitors

• Advocare Healthcare                                     
• Alberta Health Services                                
• Association of BC Forest Professionals                                  
• CMAW local 2300                                            
• 39 Combat - Canadian Forces                                          
• Canadian Armed Forces                                               
• Investors Group                                              
• Mountain Transport Institute Ltd.                                           
• School District #8                                             
• AM Ford Sales                                  
• Mountain FM                                                                                   
• Chartered Professional Accountants of BC & Certified Management Accountants of BC                 
• Castlegar Youth Employment Centre                                     
• Duke of Edinburgh's Award, BC & Yukon                                                                               
• GO2HR                                
• Academy of Oriental Sciences                                   
• Kootenay Career Development Society                                
• Katrine Conroy, MLA                                     
• Health Sciences Association of BC                                            
• Rural Development Institute                                     
• Selkirk Geospatial Research Centre
• Kootenay Society for Community Living
• CIBC
• School District #5
• BC Ambulance
• Pinnacle Accounting      
• EZ Rock                
• Teck Metals
• Kal Tire
• BC Hydro
• BC Cancer Society
• Sunlife Financial
• Kootenay Aboriginal Business Development Agency
• Canadian Cancer Society

Selkirk College Study Areas

• Arts (Fine Arts)
• Business
• Cosmetology
• Environment & Geomatics
• Health
• Human Services
• Hospitality & Tourism
• Industry & Trades
• Selkirk International
• University Arts & Sciences

Selkirk College Services

• Aboriginal Services
• Admissions
• Co-op Education & Employment Services
• Community Education & Workplace Training
• Financial Aid
• Student Support Services
• Athletics & Recreation

Learn more about the Career & Education Fair and join us on Facebook.

On Saturday night, the Selkirk College men's hockey program was dealt their toughest test since their year-long home winning streak began at the Castlegar Recreation Complex in January, 2013. But as they have on many nights this season, the Saints found a key goal when they needed en route to grinding out a 3-2 victory over Simon Fraser University in front of more than 600 fans.

It was packed house at the Castlegar Recreation Complex on Saturday night for the game between the Selkirk College Saints and SFU.

It was a tight game throughout, as Selkirk twice captured leads in the first and second periods only to see SFU respond with a tying marker shortly after.

Just over 10 minutes into regulation, Garrett Kucher pounced on a rebound from a Darnell Dyck shot and fired the puck home to give the Saints an early advantage. But it took less than three minutes for SFU to find an equalizer, as Trevor Milner deflected a puck past Selkirk starter Chris Hurry midway through a Clan power-play.

The goal scoring was condensed once again in the middle frame, as a four-minute spearing penalty to SFU's Trevor Esau quickly led to a go-ahead goal by Saints captain Logan Proulx. But the lead was short-lived, as Jared Eng pinched up late in the remaining two-minute penalty kill and scored with a wrist shot from the slot.

Selkirk Finds Edge in Second Half

Through 30 minutes of play it seemed that neither team had a clear advantage at even strength, but Selkirk began controlling play as the second period wore on and directed a total of 19 shots on SFU netminder Andrew Parent before intermission. And the ice continued to slant in the Saints favour in the third period, with the hosts eventually taking the lead off a Beau Taylor power-play goal with 9:15 remaining.

SFU pressed late and had a number of close calls but were turned away by Hurry.

It was intense action from the opening whistle on Saturday night.

"We came out a little flat in the first period and spent more time in our defensive zone than we're used to," says Saints head coach Jeff Dubois. "But we rebounded well in the second and third periods and made the smart, simple plays that have brought us success in the past. SFU has a lot of size and talent so it's never an easy night when they come into your building, but we got better as the game went along and did enough to win."

Hurry picked up his league-leading 13th win of the season and has now won seven straight starts. Meanwhile, Proulx's second period goal extended his season-long points streak to 22 games.

Alumni Gather to Cheer On Saints

Saturday's game was the second annual Alumni Night. Twelve members of previous Saints teams were in attendance and took part in a pre-game social event.

Flanked by Castlegar Mayor Lawrence Chernoff (left) and Selkirk College President Angus Graeme (right), Mal Stelck (middle) takes care of the ceremonial puck drop before Saturday's game.

Before the packed house, a special ceremony at the start of the game introduced the former players -- most of whom played in the 1970s. Selkirk College athletics legend Mal Stelck dropped the puck for the ceremonial faceoff.

Win Helps Make Case for First Place

Selkirk has turned the tables on SFU since piling up 20 straight losses to the Clan from 2006-2012. Since the beginning of the 2012/13 season, the Saints are 8-1-1 against the three-time league championships. That record includes a 6-0 mark in home games.

There was plenty to cheer about on the ice and in the stands for the Selkirk College Saints.

The win was a crucial one for the Saints in the BCIHL standings, as it moves the team within one point of first place SFU with a game in hand. Selkirk plays its final two regular season games this week -- Thursday at Eastern Washington and Saturday at home to Trinity Western -- and is assured of finishing alone in top spot with a pair of victories. Doing so would also clinch home-ice advantage for the duration of the BCIHL playoffs, which begin March 7.

Learn more about the Selkirk College Saints and view a photo gallery of Saturday's game on Facebook.

Four teams, 16 tastes from around the world and you get to decide a winner.

The Sixth Annual Top Chef Nelson arrives to Selkirk College on March 13. Students invite the community to Mary Hall on the Tenth Street Campus for an evening of amazing tastes, fine wine and a spirited competition that will play out before your eyes. In the end, it’s you that chooses the evening’s top team.

“I look forward to Top Chef all year because it is the most engaging and interactive event that we host,” says Harry Pringle, Selkirk College instructor and event coordinator.

Students in the Culinary and Resort and Hotel Management programs are busy planning Top Chef Nelson which comes to the Tenth Street Campus on March 13. Some of the students involved include (L-R) Lindsay Fleming (RHOT), Leah Hoerger (RHOT), Jesse Moffat-Rew (Culinary), Judy Robinson (Culinary) and Takashi Munekawa (RHOT).

Trophies On the Line for Culinary Students

Four teams from Selkirk College’s Culinary Program have created their menus from scratch to reflect four different cultural destinations: Greek, Irish, French and New Orleans. A ticket for Top Chef includes the opportunity to taste 16 different culinary delights prepared by the four teams. Ticket holders then have the voting power in awarding such titles as Best Bite, Best Presentation, Best Dessert and Best Overall.

Resort and Hotel Management Program (RHOT) students will be the hosts for the evening and help guide people through each of the stations. The culinary students’ ambitious creations will be paired with the exceptional esthetic of the hospitality students in an evening that has become a staple of the region’s social calendar.

“Top Chef is truly the highlight of our year,” says Kathryn Dumont, a second year RHOT student. “As an RHOT student, I love getting the chance to work with the culinary students to see how talented they are and seeing what we can do together.”

Great Opportunity to Enhance Education

Not only do the students get a chance to win, but ticket holders also have the option to participate in a raffle where many exciting prizes are up for grabs. All proceeds from the evening go towards the Culinary and Resort & Hotel Management programs’ development.

Top Chef is one of Selkirk College’s most successful events and has sold out every year. A ticket for an evening at Top Chef costs either $45 or $55 with alcoholic beverage pairings included. Tickets can be purchased at Culinary Conspiracy (610 Baker Street), by phone through Selkirk College at 250-505-1306, or by email at scholarsdiningroom@selkirk.ca.

Learn more about the Professional Cook Program at Selkirk College and join us on Facebook.

A partnership between Teck Metals Ltd. Trail Operations and Selkirk College that has created an annual fund to provide support for a student to undertake a local community applied research project is looking for a summer research project and sponsoring organization. 

Called TeckServ, up to $10,000 in funding is available to cover the cost of hiring a student to work on an applied research project and adds to Teck Resources Ltd.’s ongoing commitment to Selkirk College, its students and the communities in the region. 

Former Selkirk College student Eva Snyder (far left in red) takes a group through the Yasodhara Ashram during her Teck Serv 2013 summer research project.

Applied Research Spearheaded by Students

Now in its fourth year, TeckServ will match a community organization with a student to undertake an applied research project. The Columbia Basin Rural Development Institute (RDI) will work closely with the student and community organization to support the development and implementation of the summer research project.

“The Teck Serv internship has served to effectively support the applied research needs of organizations in Selkirk College communities and has linked research to informed planning and action,” says Dr. Terri MacDonald, Regional Innovation Chair at the RDI.

Community organizations—including organizations that have already identified a Selkirk College student—are invited to apply for funding. Selkirk’s Co-Op Education and Employment Services (CEES) will support the hiring a student if required, and also joins the RDI and Teck Trail Operations in evaluating project proposals.

Three Successful Projects Completed

Student efforts from the first year of the TeckServ internship resulted in research that informed organizations on how to better support boys aged seven to 14 who were falling through the cracks in accessing community activities and programs in the Lower Columbia region. Student efforts in year-two helped Castlegar better understand its housing needs/demands and provided the research required to access funding for capital housing projects. Last year, a student’s effort focused on better understanding alternative forms of energy and heat generation, providing Kootenay Lake East Shore communities with the research they need to develop a community energy plan.

“It has been exciting to watch Selkirk College students build their applied research skills through their service to communities and watch organizations benefit as they use research to advance their rural development goals,” says MacDonald. 

Based on the successful TeckServ model, the RDI is working with the College of the Rockies to establish a similar opportunity for students and organizations in the East Kootenay region.

Organizations and students interested in the 2014 TeckServ Applied Research Internship opportunity are invited to visit this link to learn more. The deadline for proposals is March 14, 2014.

Learn more about the TeckServ Internship and join us on Facebook.

It was a trip down memory lane Saturday night at the Castlegar Recreation Complex as a dozen Selkirk College Saints hockey alumni from the 1970s gathered to swap stories and remember the old days.

With a crucial BCIHL match-up between the Saints and the Simon Fraser University Clan acting as the backdrop, the team put together the second annual Alumni Night to pay tribute to those who helped plant the current team’s roots.

It was Alumni Night at the Castlegar Recreation Complex on Saturday night.

“I’m absolutely delighted to see it come back and be as strong as it is right now because it was a great focal point back in the early 1970s,” said Mal Stelck, the man who helped bring prominence to the hockey program more than 40 years ago.

Alumni, Selkirk College administration and current team staff gathered in a meeting room for a social mixer prior to puck drop. Amid displays of old team photos, newspaper clippings, trophies and assorted memorabilia; those gathered shared laughs about their early hockey days.

A Selkirk Athletics Legend

Stelck arrived to Selkirk College in 1971 with a mandate to build a solid recreation program and create a phys ed university transfer program.  Just a year prior, Stelck had completed his education at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. He was teaching phys ed and coaching junior hockey when he made the move to the mountains.

“When I had the opportunity to come to the college and start a new program it was really exciting,” said Stelck.

Mal Stelck (middle) took care of the ceremonial puck drop duties on Saturday night.

On Stelck’s list of tasks was to take the Saints hockey program to the next level. Working off the framework put in place by Jimmy Anderson, Stelck would coach the Selkirk hockey team for the next five seasons and help college hockey in British Columbia flourish.

When Stelck arrived, the Saints were playing in the Pacific Intercollegiate Hockey League with the likes of the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University and Gonzaga University. The next season Stelck helped spur the creation of a new conference that included Vancouver Community College, Douglas College (New Westminster), Caribou College (Kamloops), Okanagan Community College (Kelowna) and the College of New Caledonia (Prince George).

“I think it’s important to have a hockey team because it’s an opportunity to enhance the social life at the college,” said Stelck. “Having the students become an integral part of what is going on at the college is vital… it gives the students and staff something to rally around.

“These players are good spokespeople and representatives for this college when they travel to other communities. It also gives the players the chance to get involved more in their community and teaches them important lessons.”

Stelck would end up working at Selkirk College for 25 years. He was instrumental in getting the Castlegar gymnasium facility built, became the principal of the Castlegar Campus and finished as the Vice President of Education. He left the West Kootenay in 1996 and capped off his working career as an administrator at BCIT for five years. The Mal Stelck Leadership Award is handed out every year to a Selkirk College student in honour of his achievements over the 25 years.

The Last Great Run of the ‘70s

Geoff Yule graduated from Castlegar’s Stanley Humphries High School in 1977. As a member of the inaugural Castlegar Rebels Junior B team, Yule joined the Saints for the 1977-78 season.

“It was a nice transition,” Yule said. “Getting to play hockey after junior in your home community was a great opportunity.”

By this stage of the 1970s, budget cuts were taking their toll on college hockey programs across the province. Selkirk College stayed strong and benefitted from the coaching of Ernie Gare Sr., one of the most celebrated athletic minds in West Kootenay sports history.

Yule (left) enjoying the pre-game social event at the Castlegar Recreation Complex.

“I had a lot of great coaches growing up, but Ernie was amazing,” said Yule. “I learned a lot from him, he was so passionate about hockey. You couldn’t help but to eat, sleep and breathe hockey when you were around him. He motivated people to be good individuals, not just good hockey players.”

In Yule’s 1977-78 season the Saints lost in the Western Canadian Championship to Red Deer College, missing a shot at the Canadian championship by one goal.

Yule took university transfer courses while at Selkirk, which helped propel him to a chartered accounting career that has taken him around the world. Having returned to his hometown 20 years ago, the 55-year-old credits Selkirk College with a great start.

“Selkirk College is just such an important part of this community,” he said. “When you finish high school and don’t really know what you are going to do, it costs a lot of money to explore that in the bigger cities. Getting to go to Selkirk College is a great bridging opportunity. They have great variety of programs and courses, it gives you that chance to figure it out and polish before you spend the big bucks to move on.”

An Important Piece of Selkirk Nation

Both Stelck and Yule were pleased to be part of Alumni Night. After the social event, players were escorted onto the ice surface for a pre-game ceremony. All 12 were introduced and enjoyed a warm greeting from the 600-plus fans in attendance. Stelck took care of the ceremonial puck drop honours.

“This is a great event,” said Stelck. “I’ve had the opportunity to talk to people who I haven’t seen for 35 years… it’s great to find out how they have done in life.”

Selkirk College Athletics and Recreation Coordinator Kim Verigin has helped the resurgence of the Saints hockey program.

The Saints hockey program fizzed after peaking in the 1970s, but it’s now back stronger than ever. Thanks to the hard work of individuals like Selkirk College Athletics and Recreation Coordinator Kim Verigin, the Saints are now the gold standard in the BCIHL. The defending league champions are attracting top players from all across the province who are choosing the Selkirk advantage both on and off the ice.

“I kind of forgot all about hockey at Selkirk until they all of a sudden came back,” said Yule. “It’s nice to see it back and attracting so many good players. It’s exciting for the community and the college.”

Stelck—who now lives on Vancouver Island east of Duncan—said getting to watch the team score a thrilling 3-2 victory on Saturday night was indicative of the strength of the program.

“They have done a fantastic job here,” said Stelck. “When I look down the roster and see where these players are from, it’s really an indication of how strong the program it is and how attractive it is for the top quality players to come and play here.”

The Saints will finish the 2013-14 regular season schedule this Saturday night at the Castlegar Recreation Complex against Trinity Western University (puck drop at 7:30 p.m.). The team will then head into the BCIHL post season where they will defend their 2013 BCIHL Championship.

Learn more about the Selkirk College Saints hockey program and join us on Facebook.

For a second year, Selkirk College will be offering its popular Renewable Energy Technology (RET) intensive six-week program starting in May.

The RET program covers theory and applied skills related to energy conservation, small hydro, wind energy, solar PV, solar thermal, ground source energy and biomass.

“Selkirk College is leading the transition towards environmental and economic sustainability,” says Selkirk College RET instructor Robert Macrae. “Renewable energy cannot be depleted, is non-polluting, does not contribute to global climatic change, and most surprising for many, costs less than conventional energy.”

Renewable Energy Technology students have the opportunity to install solar photo-volatic panels and connect them to homes or to the grid.

Finding Ways to Save People Money

The best way to lower your energy bill is to consume less energy. Energy conservation allows consumers to save hundreds of dollars a year without lowering their standard of living. RET students learn to conduct energy audits and to evaluate the cost-to-benefit of different energy retrofit scenarios.

RET students will study homes built to the Passive House design standard. These buildings use conventional building materials, but through better design consume one-tenth the energy of a conventional home. There are even homes built in Canada that are classified as net-zero energy. These homes combine energy efficient design, energy efficient appliances and integration of renewable energy technologies so they don’t require any purchased energy.

“While the costs and risks of extracting, transporting and processing liquid fossil fuels have risen, the costs and risks of renewable energy have declined,” says Macrae. “The media is filled with stories about tank cars explosions, unstoppable off-shore oil well leaks, fracking and pipelines. RET students learn how liquid fuels can be manufactured on a large scale from safe, environmentally-friendly, renewable sources.”

Carbon-neutral biodiesel, for example, can be synthesized from used vegetable oil, animal fat or from algae. RET students culture algae, extract oil from the algae and convert the oil into biodiesel. On a large scale, studies have demonstrated the potential to produce sufficient biodiesel from algae to replace all liquid fossil fuel consumed in North America at a cost competitive with fossil fuels and far more safely.

Alternatives for a Healthier Planet

Presently, because of its local abundance, coal is used to generate about 15 per cent of electricity consumed in Canada and 50 per cent of the electricity consumed in the United States.

“RET students learn that the capital cost of building a wind power plant is less than the capital cost of a coal power plant of equal output,” says Macrae. “It’s not surprising that operating costs for wind power are much lower than coal power because fuel arrives at wind turbines free of charge, without costly mining, transporting, handling, cleaning ash and managing air pollution. Both Canada and the US have sufficient wind resources to generate more than the amount of electricity currently consumed.”

The project put together by students in the 2013 Renewable Energy Technology Program.

During the course of study, students install solar photo-voltaic panels and connect them to homes or to the grid. RET students also install and operate a small wind turbine and acquire hands-on experience with ground source (geo-thermal) heat pumps, solar thermal hot water heaters, and micro hydro technology.

“There was a time when renewable energy sounded like science fiction, a time when fossil fuels were thought to be limitless, but the world has changed,” says Macrae. “Today, imagining a future powered by renewable energy is not only possible, but the lower cost, clean, safe option. Selkirk College’s Renewable Energy Technology program is leading the transition towards a sustainable economy where renewable energy will play an increasingly important role.”

The six-week program begins May 5. If you’re interested in joining the next cohort in the Selkirk College Renewable Energy Technology program, please contact Brendan Wilson at bwilson@selkirk.ca.

Learn more about Renewable Energy Technology and join us on Facebook.

After finishing the 2013-14 regular season on a nine-game winning streak and grabbing first place in the B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League (BCIHL) standings in their final game, the Selkirk College Saints men's hockey team is looking to carry over their late-season success into a first round playoff match-up against Thompson Rivers University.

The series begins with Game 1 set for 7:30 p.m. on Friday at the Castlegar Rec Complex. The Saints will host the entire best-of-three semi-finals, with Game 2 on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Game 3 (if necessary) to be played at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday.

Second year Saints forward Scott Swiston will be one of the players looking to make an impact on the weekend.

Tickets for all Selkirk playoff games will be available in advance at Mallard’s Source for Sports in Castlegar or at the recreation counter at Selkirk's Castlegar Campus, as well as at the door on game nights. Playoff tickets are for $10 for adults and $6 for Selkirk students & staff, seniors, and children/youth six & older. All three games against the WolfPack can also be viewed live online at www.FastHockey.com.

Thompson Rivers Ended Season Struggling

TRU enters the playoffs looking for the answer to a January and February slide that has seen the team string together 10 straight losses and plummet from a tie for first to fourth place in the BCIHL standings.

But the Saints have seen firsthand that the WolfPack have the ability to challenge the league's top teams. Selkirk dropped a 5-2 decision in Kamloops in October and squeaked out a 3-2 shootout victory on the road in the last meeting between the teams on February 15.

Saints Captain Logan Proulx led the team in scoring in the regular season with 15 goals and 27 assists.

"TRU has had about as much bad luck come their way this season as I've seen in our league going back seven or eight years," says Saints head coach Jeff Dubois. "They've gone through stretches where the injury bug has hit and they've lost some key players since the fall semester, but there's still a ton of skill and depth on that roster and we won't get caught taking them lightly.

"Most players and coaches have experienced a tough run like they're on, and you're always looking for that first sign of momentum and positive things happening to get it turned in the right direction. It's our job not to give them that. We've played very good hockey at home all season, and we're optimistic about our chances against any team if we play with the energy and work ethic that has led to those results."

Saints Awesome in Front of Home Crowd

The Saints finished the 2013-14 regular season with a 12-0 home record and have strung together a 25-game home winning streak overall. Selkirk scored 74 goals in those 12 games this season while allowing just 17, and allowed more than two goals in a game at the Castlegar Rec Complex just once.

The Saints offence has been led by the trio of Logan Proulx, Connor McLaughlin and Cody Fidgett, who finished third, fourth and fifth respectively in league scoring this season.

The Saints are the defending BCIHL champions, having defeated SFU in the final series in 2013.

McLaughlin and Fidgett tied for the BCIHL goals lead with 22 each, while teammates Darnell Dyck (8th), Thomas Hardy (12th), Jackson Garrett (14th), Beau Taylor (16th), Scott Swiston (18th) and Tanner Lenting (20th) all cracked the league’s Top-20 in points.

In goal, the Saints have seen second-year netminder Chris Hurry thrive as the team's starter. The 22-year-old impressed over the first half of the season and went on to post a 9-0-1 record in starting 10 of the team's last 11 regular season games. Hurry led all BCIHL goaltenders in a number of statistical categories this season, including wins (14), shutouts (3), goals-against average (1.87) and save-percentage (.925).

Learn more about the Selkirk College Saints hockey program and join us on Facebook.

With interest in the Selkirk College Rural Pre-Medicine Program high, the application deadline has been extended to provide more opportunities for those interested in getting a start on a career in medicine.

Selkirk College launched the Rural Pre-Medicine Advanced Diploma and Associate Degree Program late last year. The three-year program has received significant interest, but with a few seats left in the inaugural cohort the college will now accept applications until the end of April.

“The program has been very well received and we are pleased with the high quality of applications that have been submitted in the first three months,” says Elizabeth Lund, Selkirk College chemistry instructor and originator of the program. “We want this first class to be full and understand some of the challenges faced by those wanting to apply. With that in mind, those interested will now have more time to work on their application.”

The Selkirk College Rural Pre-Medicine Advanced Diploma provides an opportunity learn in a rural setting.

Addressing a Need in Rural Canada

After nearly two years of study and preparation, the college launched the program in November. Based out of the Castlegar Campus, the program is geared towards addressing the rural doctor shortage across Canada and offers students the opportunity to learn in the intimate setting of a community college.

In creating this program, Selkirk College has worked closely with the UBC Faculty of Medicine, the Rural Coordination Centre of BC (a joint venture of the BC Medical Association, the Ministry of Health and the UBC Faculty of Medicine), Native Education College, the Interior Health Authority, Columbia Basin Trust, local physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners and other health care providers.

“We knew this program addressed a need by taking on the challenges of rural health care,” says Lund. “Having a first year program fill so quickly is proof that making a career in medicine more approachable for rural students is something that will work.”

A Special Selkirk College Advantage

A unique touch to the program will be non-credit course work that weaves well into Selkirk College’s current strengths. In conjunction with the Mir Centre for Peace, students will receive mediation training, cultural sensitivity training, mindfulness training and contemplative practices to enrich and cultivate skills around attention and emotional balance, altruism, empathy, critical thinking and decision making.  The college also hopes to offer directed service opportunities such as partnering with Selkirk’s BSc Nursing Program in its successful Street Nursing Initiative and the International Nursing Practice Experience in Guatemala.

Students enrolled in the program will complete all of the requirements including the writing of the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) and will be eligible to apply for entrance to the undergraduate MD program at UBC’s Faculty of Medicine. Any students who are not accepted into medical school after third year or choose to pursue different career paths can transfer into fourth year at a university, such as UNBC [University of Northern British Columbia], and complete a Bachelor’s degree in an alternate pathway.

First Cohort Begins in September

The start date of the program is Fall, 2014 with an initial cohort of 24 students admitted to the program.

For more information on the Rural Pre-Medicine Program at Selkirk College please contact David Feldman, School Chair for University Arts & Sciences at 250.365.1331 or via email at dfeldman@selkirk.ca. You can also check out the Selkirk College website at: selkirk.ca/program/rural-pre-medicine.

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Selkirk College advanced to their second consecutive B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League (BCIHL) finals on Saturday with a 6-3 victory over Thompson Rivers University at the Castlegar Recreation Complex. With the win, the Saints swept the best-of-three series with the WolfPack.

The Saints will now face Trinity Western University this weekend at the Castlegar Rec Complex in a three-game series that will determine the league champion. Trinity Western defeated Simon Fraser University in the other best-of-three semi-final 2-1.

The Saints potent offence came alive on Saturday night before a crowd of more than 500 in Castlegar.

Third Period Outburst the Difference on Saturday Night

Connor McLaughlin completed a hat trick with 6:34 to play in regulation to cap a wild third period where Selkirk finally found some finish around the TRU net. Leading 3-2 entering the frame, the Saints went up by two for the first time in the series on a Cody Fidgett goal before building a three-goal cushion when Thomas Hardy finished off a fine individual effort on the power-play.

But the WolfPack responded -- just as they had throughout the previous five periods of action -- when Steven Pantazopoulos banked a shot off the body of a Saints defender with 7:23 remaining in regulation to make it a 5-3 game. But McLaughlin's third goal of the game came on the very next shift, effectively ending any further hopes of a TRU comeback.

The WolfPack played hard in both games, but the Saints were just too much to handle.

WolfPack No Pushovers

"TRU gave us two tough games and never backed down when it seemed like we were going to start rolling and build on a lead," says Saints head coach Jeff Dubois. "Chris Solecki was outstanding for them again tonight and really kept things tight through the end of the second period. We seemed to find another gear in the third, which was exactly what we wanted to see with a one-goal lead and the series on the line.

"Offensively, we hadn't seen our A-game in a few weeks but we got stronger as the game went on tonight and seemed to convert on our chances when it counted. You don't want to go into a championship series with any type of worries about being able to put the puck in the net, and I think we put any of that to bed in the third."

The teams traded a pair of goals each in the first period, as markers from McLaughlin and Garrett were quickly countered by equalizers from Dayton Shaw and Tyler Jackson. Solecki stood tall in the second period and turned away a number of excellent scoring chances before McLaughlin picked up his second of the night with less than 90 seconds remaining in the period.

Saints' veteran forward Connor McLaughlin had a big night on Saturday.

Chris Hurry was tested often in the third period as the WolfPack pushed to close the gap, but was solid and steady in a 21-save performance. Solecki allowed six goals on 43 shots and faced a total of 96 shots in total over the course of the two-game series.

With the win, Selkirk will host the 2014 BCIHL Championships in Castlegar beginning Friday, March 14 at 7:30 p.m.. The finals will follow the same best-of-three format with Game 2 set for Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Game 3, if necessary, scheduled for Sunday at 6:00 p.m..

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Eric MacFarlane understands how Selkirk College can change lives because he’s reminded every day he goes to work at AMEC’s West Kootenay office in downtown Trail.

When MacFarlane was in his mid-20s, life was going along according to plan. A good job as an auto mechanic, a young family and a promising future in the West Kootenay. Then an injury made the daily rigours of shop life too difficult and he was faced with the daunting prospect of changing careers.

Determined to make the best of a challenging situation, MacFarlane enrolled at Selkirk College. First he completed academic upgrading at Nelson’s Silver King Campus and then it was off to the Business Administration Program on the Castlegar Campus.

AMEC Trail Operations Manager Eric MacFarlane presents Selkirk College Director of Human Resources and Community Relations Gary Leier with a cheque for $1,000. The annual donation from the AMEC goes towards an endowment that provides a yearly scholarship to a Selkirk College science student.

Today MacFarlane is the operations manager at Trail’s AMEC office and life has never been better.

“It turned out very well for me,” MacFarlane says. “You get out what you put in, but it made a big difference in my life. I sometimes think of that accident that happened to me as almost a blessing. Even though I have some long term injuries as a result of it, it still really changed my life in terms of my working career.”

Part of a Worldwide Team

AMEC is one of the world’s leading engineering, project management and consultancy companies. In total the company employs more than 29,000 people in 40 countries that range from scientists and environmental consultants to engineers and project managers.

The Trail operation is one of 190 offices worldwide. The local office currently employs 108 people who work on a variety of projects. Though Trail’s Teck Operations is the primary customer, MacFarlane oversees employees working on projects in Saskatchewan, the United States, Italy and South America. All of those employees are based in the West Kootenay and bring solid wages to the local economy.

“Even people in Trail don’t know who we are,” MacFarlane laughs when asked about the somewhat quiet nature of an important regional employer.

Selkirk Provides Solid Start

MacFarlane’s time at Selkirk College was well spent. He chose Business Administration because it provided a broad spectrum of opportunities after graduation. Midway through his first year, he chose to focus on accounting as his specialty.

By the end of the two years MacFarlane was a star student and was chosen as the valedictorian for the Selkirk College Class of 1989.

“I really enjoyed my time at Selkirk, it exceeded my expectations,” he says with a smile.

Immediately after graduating, MacFarlane was hired by Interfor and moved his young family to the northern tip of Vancouver Island. As the accountant for the Cleagh Creek logging operation near Port Hardy, MacFarlane’s commute to work included a 30 minute bus ride and 10 minute boat ride to get to the office.

“I really enjoyed my time in Port Hardy, but after 10 months an accounting opening came available in Vancouver so we jumped at it,” says MacFarlane.

After two years in Vancouver, MacFarlane longed for Kootenay life and when a job opened up at Celgar in Castlegar he brought his family home. In total he worked at Celgar for eight years as a cost accountant, working with the company during a very challenging period in the 1990s.

Settling in with AMEC

MacFarlane was hired on at AMEC in 2000 as the finance and business manager. Early in his first year, an opportunity came up that pointed MacFarlane to his alma mater.

“When I first started we were looking for places to donate and give back to the community where it would have a lasting effect,” says MacFarlane. “I thought about Selkirk College right away and that was 14 years ago.”

Since that time, AMEC has contributed $1,000 a year towards the AMEC Americas Limited Endowment which provides a scholarship to a student enrolled in Associate Science or the Applied Science Engineering Program with a high GPA. AMEC also supports other Selkirk College initiatives like contributing to the Support-A-Saint program.

“This kind of support is vital to Selkirk College and its students,” says Gary Leier, Selkirk’s Director of Human Resources and Community Relations. “To have partners like AMEC in our communities really makes a difference. And having an outstanding alumni like Eric continue to spearhead support years after graduation makes what we do here mean that much more.”

Find out more about AMEC at amec.com.

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