IT staff at the University implemented upgrades and repairs late yesterday and early this morning resulting in improvements to database response times. Students continue to register and no new issues have been reported.

Please watch the Brock website (brocku.ca) and The Brock News for any future updates on the status of the registration system.

The June 17 system slowdown occurred when registration opened at 6 a.m. and thousands of incoming first-year students overloaded the system with about 5,000 connections trying to access the registration database - more than three times the number of connections when registration opened for first-year students in 2012.

The University apologizes for any delays this issue has caused to students.

A boy reads to a St. John Ambulance therapy dog.

Samantha Sendzik loves dogs. And children.

And research.

So what better way to begin her master’s program than to combine all three loves? She’s doing it with the help of a scholarship from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

A long-time volunteer with the Learning Disabilities Association of Niagara’s “Reading Rocks” program, Sendzik works with children who struggle with literacy and self-esteem skills.

Recently, St. John Ambulance began to supply the program with therapy dogs. Sendzik theorizes that reading to these dogs instead of human tutors will help children in the program relax and develop their self-esteem, improving their reading skills in the process.

Sendzik plans to conduct research that compares measurements of children’s literacy skills and self-esteem levels before and after the dog therapy program and compare the results with children who don’t have a therapy dog.

She says helping children to master the skill of reading is crucial.

“Once children reach a certain age and a certain grade - usually Grade 4 or 5 - they switch from ‘learning to read’ to ‘reading to learn,’” she says. “So now they have to know how to read in order to succeed in all of their courses.”

Sendzik is one of 31 Brock graduate students who received a share of $975,000 of funding under SSHRC’s Talent Program, designed to give master’s and doctoral students a boost.

Most of these students, including Sendzik, received funding under SSHRC’s Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarships - Master’s category. The remainder had grants under two doctoral categories.

Sendzik’s supervisor, Child and Youth Studies Prof. John McNamara, says the department - and Brock University, in general - has had great success winning Talent grants.

“It’s that connection between Brock and the community that makes this research attractive,” says McNamara. “It fits well with Brock’s strategic plan about connecting with our community. It has some really hard, applied results.”

McNamara says SSHRC’s Talent funding makes an “absolute world of difference” to graduate students.

“The financial benefit is not even the major benefit. It sets them on an academic trajectory where they see their potential,” he says. “I think they now recognize that they have it in them. (This funding) will lead them down roads they haven’t even thought about yet.”

“Graduate students are involved in outstanding research that matters in so many ways to people of all ages living in our closest neighbourhoods, in communities around Canada, and in the far reaches of the world,” says Mike Plyley, Dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies.

“We are very proud of the success of our students in these highly competitive awards. This is a measure of excellence and recognition of the scope and calibre of work that our students pursue as they create their distinct identities as the researchers, scholars, and leaders of tomorrow.”

View the complete list of grant recipients and their research.

From June 17 to Sept. 13, 2013 Brock University will run a larviciding program under the authority of the Region’s Medical Officer of Health to control larval mosquitoes and prevent the possible spread of West Nile virus.

The larvicide Methoprene will be applied by direct hand application into catch basins at Brock University-owned and leased properties in Niagara.

The biological larvicide Bti may be placed by direct hand application into selected bodies of surface water, such as ditches and ponds, depending on results of tests for the presence of mosquito larvae.

Signs will be posted at surface water locations where Bti is applied.

All larvicides will be applied by Ministry of the Environment-licensed applicators.

For details on the exact locations and dates of treatments, please contact Facilities Management Customer Service at ext. 3717 or by emailing facilitiesmanagement@brocku.ca.

Board of Trustees Chair Joe Roberston, far left, and University President Jack Lightstone, far right, were on hand June 15 to welcome Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and St. Catharines MPP Jim Bradley on their visit to Brock.

Premier Kathleen Wynne took time during a visit to Niagara this past Saturday to stop at Brock University, where she met with senior administrators.

Wynne and St. Cartharines MPP/Environment Minister Jim Bradley spent nearly an hour on campus. University officials spent about 45 minutes briefing the premier on Brock’s growth, its various expansion projects and its partnership efforts with the community and agencies to improve Niagara culturally and economically.

During her day in Niagara, the premier, who is also the agriculture minister, visited area wineries, the St. Catharines Farmers Market and the 100th anniversary celebrations of Vineland Growers.

A surge of online registrations Monday morning from thousands of first-year students coming to Brock this fall resulted in a system overload and significant delays for many students trying to sign up for courses.

The problem began shortly after registrations opened at 6 a.m., when an initial demand of about 5,000 sessions sought to simultaneously get on the Brock database. This was more than three times the volume of a year earlier, when 1,500 sessions greeted the opening of first-year registrations in spring 2012.

More than a dozen IT staff worked throughout the day Monday to trace the problem and ease the processing crunch by allocating more memory to the registration system. At one point, the BrockDB system was shut down and rebooted to increase capacity for registrations.

By late afternoon, delays had been reduced but not eliminated. Still, registrations were getting through. By 3:30 p.m., 2,745 students had registered for 28,000 course components, and registrations were continuing.

Overall, about 3,800 first-years are eligible to register this year, although typically not all do so on the first day. For instance, last year about 2,800 first-year students registered over the first two days of registration.

Students from the Goodman School of Business graduated Saturday during the last ceremony of spring convocation.

Chances are, most of those graduating Saturday morning during the Goodman School of Business convocation ceremony felt certain they knew their ABC’s.

But Prof. Anamitra Shome from the Department of Accounting took the time to remind them during the convocation address he presented after receiving the Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Borrowing from the classic musical film the Sound of Music, Shome stressed to nearly 600 graduates the importance of knowing their ABC’s of learning, including appreciating what others do for them, accepting themselves and others, and having aspirations.

“Much of the world as we know it today is the result of the aspirations of countless people over the centuries,” Shome said. “Never let your dreams die. Pursue them joyfully wherever you are, be open to new ideas, let your mind expand and your vision grow… . Always aspire for results, never rewards.”

Prof. Anamitra Shome.

Shome urged his audience to never seek personal benefit in what they do, look for the beauty within and around themselves “and spread that beauty wherever you go with a smile, or a word or phrase, or helping hand.”

He also stressed the importance of graduates believing in themselves.

“Believe in yourself and the good you can do for others, believe in the goodness of others and believe you can make a difference for others,” Shome offered. “Most of all, believe there is no challenge that you cannot overcome.”

Before capping off his inspirational speech, Shome told graduates to have the confidence to recognize their limitless potential and power to change their destiny, to have courage, and mostly, to have compassion for everyone, even those they don’t know and will never meet.

“You’re about to leave the sheltered halls of academia to begin a life for yourselves and in many ways it’s like earning your degree all over again,” he said.

“Whenever you’re unsure of yourself, whenever you feel lonely or lost, whenever you wish you were back in your safe … environment of your classroom, remember the ABC’s we talked about today and forge ahead, suffused with energy and enthusiasm.”

Saturday marked the final day of spring convocation at Brock where more than 3,000 students received their degrees during eight ceremonies.

In addition to the teaching award, Spirit of Brock medals were presented to two students Saturday.

Wanting Zheng (left) and Patricia Bernardo each received the Spirit of Brock medal Saturday.

Patricia Bernardo received the undergraduate medal and Wanting Zheng received the graduate medal.

The Spirit of Brock is awarded to graduating students from each faculty who best exemplify the spirit of Sir Isaac Brock.

Daniel Mancini received the Dean’s Medal for having the highest standing of any honours business student.

Doug Rapelje, past director of of social services and senior citizens for Niagara Region, received an honorary degree from Brock on Friday.

A life-long advocate for seniors’ welfare has been recognized with an honorary doctorate from Brock.

Doug Rapelje, the Region’s past director of social services and senior citizens, was one of two people to receive an honorary degree from the University this spring, both of which were bestowed during Friday’s ceremonies for the faculties of Mathematics and Science, and Applied Health Sciences.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I expect, approaching my 80th birthday, that I would be standing on this platform at the 49th convocation at Brock University, receiving an honorary degree… in recognition of my life work with seniors that was a labour of love,” a humbled Rapelje told the crowd of 422 graduands and their families.

Rapelje, who hails from Niagara, said that unlike many of the people who sat before him Friday, he wasn’t able to attend university until he was 44 because his family’s savings were wiped out by his father’s hospital costs for a deadly illness when Rapelje was nine.

In the meantime, he began his career as an advocate for seniors in his 20s after a public outcry and investigation into deplorable conditions in the County Home for the Aged in Welland.

By 26, he was running the 350-bed seniors’ home.

“I must have had God-given talent because I sure didn’t have experience or education, but somehow survived,” he recalled.

“I had a vision and a goal to change what I was witnessing,” he added. “I believe in the area of long-term care and community care that affects the lives of so many seniors and their families. We have made great progress but there are still major challenges.

“Older Canadians must be assured they can live out their lives with dignity and respect.”

Nicholas Beamish (left) received the Spirit of Brock medal Friday morning with Ellen Robb and Laura Broley.

He told graduands that service to humanity is the greatest work in life, giving a nod to the volunteer work done by Laura Broley, Friday’s undergraduate Spirit of Brock medal winner, and student Kristina Wamboldt of Brock Leaders Citizenship Society for their efforts hosting a ball hockey tournament that raised money for the Niagara Alzheimer Society.

Rapelje also reminded the grads, some of whom could follow in his career footsteps, of the importance of life-long learning.

“I’m a big believer in growth. Life is not about achievement. It’s about learning and growth, and developing qualities like compassion, patience, perseverance, love and joy and so forth,” he said.

Neil Armstrong, professor of pediatric physiology, senior deputy vice-chancellor and vice-president at the University of Exeter, receives his honorary degree from Brock President Jack Lightstone.

Friday afternoon, Neil Armstrong, a professor of pediatric physiology, senior deputy vice-chancellor and vice-president of the University of Exeter, was presented with an honorary degree before 336 graduands.

Armstrong was recognized for his exceptional academic contributions to pediatric physiology, and sport and health sciences.

His long list of accomplishments includes leading the physiology team in the development of the International Olympic Committee guidelines for training elite young athletes.

Nicholas Beamish, graduating with his master’s in health and physical education, and Ellen Robb, who earned her PhD in biology, received the graduate Spirit of Brock medals Friday morning. The medal is awarded to students who best exemplify the spirit of Sir Isaac Brock.

Guillaume Farand Viau received the Spirit of Brock medal Friday afternoon.

Guillaume Farand Viau, graduating with his bachelor’s degree in sport management, received the Spirit of Brock medal Friday afternoon.

Prof. Cheri Bradish (Applied Health Sciences) and Prof. Alan Castle (Mathematics and Science) were presented with the Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence.

Ejaz Ahmed, Dean of Mathematics and Science, presents Prof. Alan Castle with the Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching Friday morning.

Applied Health Sciences Prof. Cheri Bradish shares a moment after receiving the Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching Friday afternoon.

The exercise will test the responses of Brock’s Emergency Response Team, Crisis Management Group, Emergency Notification System and local law enforcement.

No disruption of services or operations is expected. However, during the exercise, Brock’s Emergency Notification System will send “test” messages to some or all of the following:

• email
• voice mail
• electronic emergency scrolling signs
• P.A. system (where applicable)

Testing the Emergency Notification System is essential to the University’s Emergency Preparedness Plan. Any use of the system on June 21 will be very brief.

PLEASE NOTE: The Niagara Regional Police will be on-site at two locations during the exercise - Village Residence and the main entrance of the Cairns Complex. The police presence is for a training exercise being conducted in conjunction with the University.

Please direct any inquiries to Donna Moody, director, Campus Security (x3585) or Rick Fraser, Interim Manager, Environmental Health and Safety, and Emergency Preparedness and Life Safety Officer (x3130).

Luminaries are lighted at the Relay for Life in honour of those affected by cancer. Brock is hosting the Relay for Life on June 21 and is looking for participants for its team.

Five good Samaritans are needed are for the endurance and their good will next week.

Student Life and Community Experience is looking for handful of volunteers to round out the team of 10 runners and walkers it’s organizing for the Relay for Life on June 21.

The event, which happens on campus from 7 p.m. June 21 to 7 a.m. June 22, is organized by the Canadian Cancer Society. It kicks off with a lap for cancer survivors and also includes the lighting of luminaires at 10 p.m. to honour those affected by the disease.

Activities and entertainment are on the bill all night to help keep participants going during the 12-hour relay. Movies, dinner, a snack and breakfast are also provided.

To get involved or learn more, visit Relay for Life and search for Brock University. There is a $10 registration fee and participants must raise $100 in donations.

Donations and luminary purchases ($5 each) can also be made online or in person at the SLIC office in MC A 204.

Trustee Helen Young (left) presented Binish Ahmed with the Spirit of Brock medal (graduate) at Thursday morning's Faculty of Social Sciences convocation ceremony.

Binish Ahmed had enough fodder to write a 140-page research paper so she could graduate with her master’s degree in political science Thursday.

But she was hard-pressed to find the words to describe how she felt being presented with the Spirit of Brock medal during the Faculty of Social Sciences convocation ceremony Thursday morning.

“It’s hard to take it in,” Ahmed said afterward. “I don’t know how to describe it. I’m still processing it.”

The medal, awarded by the Board of Trustees, recognizes students who demonstrate leadership, courage, innovation, inspiration and community involvement during their studies.

Though Ahmed struggled to find words, there was no shortage of reasons why she received the medal.

Ahmed, one of 339 graduate students to receive their degrees this spring, served as the political science representative with the Graduate Students’ Association, helping to plan and organize events.

She was the “driving force” behind the Department of Political Science’s first graduate student conference last year, bringing together student researchers from five Ontario universities.

Ahmed worked with the RAFT, which helps homeless and at-risk youth in Niagara. She served as a community connector in the Old Pine Trail neighbourhood in St. Catharines, eventually producing a report for Niagara Regional Housing with recommendations for action that are currently underway in the community.

She and her husband Adnan Syed, who graduates with his MBA on Saturday, established a Niagara chapter of Visions of Science Network for Learning, which engages disadvantaged youth in science.

“Binish personifies the kind of spirit that we would like to develop at Brock,” said trustee Helen Young when presenting Ahmed with her medal. “She has truly made all of the communities that she has touched better places in which to live and learn.”

Danielle Brunetti (right) received the Spirit of Brock medal (undergraduate) From Betty-Lou Souter, of the Board of Trustees, at the Faculty of Social Sciences convocation ceremony Thursday afternoon.

For Ahmed, it wasn’t work but a source of inspiration, helping her feel energized when it came time to tackle her master’s research.

“This is what we do in our leisure time,” Ahmed said. “I really enjoy it.”

Her final research paper investigated why a large number of immigrants choose not to settle in Niagara.

She pored over hours of interviews with immigrants and support agencies, hearing stories of difficulty accessing employment, experiencing “economic demotion” when their credential weren’t recognized, and racism.

But she also heard about how new Canadians appreciated Niagara’s beauty, its proximity to the U.S., affordable housing and easy traffic.

“People want to have families here and stay here,” she said.

Still, as she listened to her achievements listed before an audience Thursday for an award for which she reluctantly applied, Ahmed admitted feeling uncomfortable by it all.

“This is work I don’t really do as work,” she explained. “This is what I’m having trouble grappling with because I don’t think I’m doing anything extraordinary.”

If anything, Ahmed said she hopes it will change how people view students and perhaps help students “connect the dots in their own journeys.”

“When we see students in a different light and what they contribute, you see so much more,” she said.

Ahmed was one of about 865 students who graduated during Thursday’s two Social Sciences ceremonies.

Danielle Brunetti received the undergraduate Spirit of Brock medal during the afternoon ceremony.

Economics Prof. Marilyn Cottrell won the Brock University Award for Excellence in Teaching Thursday morning.

Krysten Bates and Stephanie Colic both received Dean’s medals for academic achievement.