International Women's Day: Women on Campus

Here’s to strong women. May we know them, may we be them, and may we raise them.

March is Women’s History Month, and March 8^th is International Women’s Day. At King’s, we are so lucky to get to share this month with some of the amazing professors, staff, and students on campus who have done remarkable things for our community and in the lives of those around them.

First up in this blog, we get to know what amazing work is being done from the students’ perspective!

Kaleigh Greidanus – 4^th Year Biology
The research I am doing with Dr. Vern Peters is looking at Limber pine versus Whitebark pine habitat along an elevational gradient, to see if Clark’s Nutcracker activity differs between the two habitats. The Clark’s nutcracker has a mutualistic relationship with both of these species and caches their seeds, thus aiding in their regeneration. This is important because Limber pine and Whitebark pine are both listed as endangered species, and therefore their preservation is of utmost importance. In the site we are looking at, only the Whitebark pine have been regenerating well, so we are interested in seeing if Clark’s nutcracker activity in these two habitats has a role to play in the regeneration discrepancies between the two species.

Ludivine Maniraguha – 4^th Year Psychology, minor in English.
I am mostly known for my interesting taste in fashion and my willingness to try new things (evident by my shaven head). In terms of significant research I am engaged in, I have collaborated with The Canadian Foundation for Animal-Assisted Support Services (CFAS) in looking into the world of animal-assisted therapy. Canada, at the moment, does not have distinct guidelines and safe practices in the world of animal-assisted therapy, neither is there accessible information for individuals trying to figure out if animal-assisted therapy is the right method for them as a therapy intervention method. Which is where I come in! My 2 goals for this research are to
1) Compile standards and safe practices that are established in other areas of the world or organizations, to give CFAS an idea of how they can begin building their own guidelines, and maybe make those standards Canada-wide and,
2) Analyze articles and studies to find out what the recorded outcomes of animal-assisted therapy are.
With this information, CFAS is hoping to have a document that will be accessible through their website for individuals to understand what animal-assisted therapy is, based on research. From interested people, to donors, CFAS hopes that this information will give them the ability to receive future funding to conduct more research in this newly developed and quickly growing field of therapy.

Emily Faucher – 4^th Year English
One thing I’ve loved about being an English major at King’s is getting to know and work with my professors! We have so many amazing female role models right here in our English faculty. I’ve been helping them plan community-building events and editing a newsletter for the English students for a couple years now and it is such a delight. This year, Dr. Trigg passed on some information about an English Literature Conference hosted by MacEwan, and I got to present one of my research papers there in February!

Now, here are the female staff who have contributed to our growing King’s community!

Megan Viens – Dean of Students
I have a passion for working with university-aged students which is what drew me to the career that I have.  After graduating from my undergrad and thinking of what my future job looked like, I realized that I wanted to pursue a Master’s degree. I ended up going for a Master of Arts in Leadership with a distinct focus in Student Affairs in Higher Education. Being the Dean of Students is no easy feat. From student conduct issues to mental health concerns to meetings to budget planning, my days are always an adventure. Through all of this, supporting students during their time at King’s is my number one priority.

Kathleen Shippit – Admissions Event Coordinator
I plan all of the regular visit events such as our King’s View Fridays, Encounter Weekends, Open House and our brand new King’s Experience Info Night. I also arrange Shadow Day visits for admitted students so that they can check out what life as a King’s student will look like! I’m definitely a connector so one of my favourite things about my job is engaging with high school students who are just starting to think about what comes next and connecting them with current students and faculty members in the programs they are interested in exploring.

I also oversee the Ambassador program which is a group of 20 current students who welcome guests onto our campus and share their own stories of life as a student. I love working with such a passionate and diverse group and watching them grow and learn so much in their time here.

Courtney Radatz – International Admissions Counsellor
I work with all International Students as well as Canadian students who have been internationally educated. It’s really important to me to make the admissions process and the transition from their home country to King’s as smooth as possible. I am also a Regulated International Student Immigration Advisor, which allows me to continue to support students once they are here to assist them with various student-related immigration issues. My favorite part of my job is the special connection I have with my students! I love when students say hi to me in the hall or let me know what they are up to after graduation! In my opinion, I have the best job at The King’s University!

Shelbi – Coordinator of Admissions Information and Communication
I graduated with a Bachelor of Communications Studies with a major in Professional Communications, from MacEwan University in 2014. My work experience has been predominately in marketing, technical communications, and customer relations. My position at King’s is predominately focused around communications sent to prospective students. I am also building a new system that will host our prospective student data and streamline our application process called Slate!

The stories on this blog are only a small look at the people who are living proof that you can do anything you set your mind to. King’s is packed with many women who do amazing things every day! Here’s to all the women in this world. May we learn from you, get a chance to know you, and experience our own achievements like you.

Here’s to all of us!
Bianca