May 14-15 May 15 Association of BC Drama Celebration of Teaching, Learning, Educators Student Theatre Festival Program Innovation and Scholarly 6:30pm, Laura C. Muir Theatre Activity, New Westminster Campus Admission: $10 Tickets and info: 604-527-5488 4-6:30pm, Upper Cafeteria New Westminster Campus May 15-June 27 The Amelia Douglas Gallery presents Works by Mona Goldman. Opening Reception May 15, 4:30-7:30pm. Gallery times: 604-527-5723 Building a winning team Under the leadership of Athletic Director Lou Rene Legge, Douglas College Royals teams and athletes made headlines during the 2007-08 season. The last game is over and next season looms ahead. But when she glances back at 2007-08, Douglas College Athletics Director Lou Rene Legge has to acknowledge — it was a very good year. How good? The Royals finally captured the prestigious national men’s basketball title. The powerhouse badminton team earned its third-consecutive Canadian championship. Seven individual athletes claimed major provincial and national awards. Put it all together and the Royals finished number two in the nation — just behind Mount Royal — for aggregate championship points in a field of 104 Canadian Colleges Athletic Association (CCAA) institutions. Douglas College also earned its ninth aggregate title in the 14-team BCCAA (tying with Malaspina while competing with fewer teams). “This accomplishment is particularly sweet because the universities and university-colleges have so much more money than we do to put into varsity teams. Competition for student athletes is intense,” says Legge. The blend of strong funding and team success is a winning formula in the demanding sport of athletic recruitment. Hoisting a championship banner in 2008 helps attract key players for 2009. “The exposure that we received from the provincial media in the Sun, Province and Global TV really put our name out there. I get daily emails and phone calls from guys who want to come and play for Douglas.” “Tt rubs off on the other sports as well because they have heard about our success with men’s basketball. All the coaches have to work to recruit as the best student-athletes are hot commodities for every institution with an athletic program and the competition is fierce. Douglas College’s emergence as a centre of excellence in sport science and coaching also plays a role. “Sport Science and the Bachelor of Physical Education and Coaching programs are integral to our success,” says Legge. “We can now keep students for four years whereas before we were getting them for two years and then they moved into university.” Finally, it’s a matter of having the right people in place. Legge credits the dedication of coaches and staff who work with students and offers special kudos to College instructors. “Douglas College faculty have been tremendous with their support of athletics. They assist the students with competition by rescheduling everything from assignments to exams and understand when these students have trouble focusing on Monday morning after a long weekend away,” says Legge. “We would not have the success that we have had without the help of faculty.” Individual athletic highlights Alvin Lau — Badminton — CCAA Male Athlete of the Year Lyndsay Thompson — Badminton — Sport BC College Athlete of the Year Andrew Sturgeon — BC Premier's Award for men’s basketball Seveh Palani — Wrestling - NCWA National Champion Billy McNutt — Basketball — BCCAA Athlete of the Year/ CCAA All-Canadian Melody Liang — Badminton — CCAA All-Canadian Richard Liang — Badminton — CCAA All-Canadian Early Childhood Educators head to Uganda For the first time, Douglas College’s Early Childhood Education (ECE) Program is participating in the College’s Uganda Project. ECE Program Coordinator Lynda Phillips accompanied student Katie Kump to Masaka, Uganda, to learn how to improve ECE students’ experience and learning. “LIl be studying what students need to know apart from what we teach them in order to do their practicums in Uganda,” says Phillips. The Douglas College Uganda Project was initiated in 2006 by the Community Social Service Worker Program (CSSW). Since then CSSW students have been completing 1o-week practicums there every spring. Both ECE and CSSW are part of the Faculty of Child, Family and Community Studies. The faculty has encouraged other programs to take part in the Uganda Project. Phillips is hoping more ECE students will take part in the program next year. She says Kump, who had already planned to head to Zambia with a volunteer organization, was a perfect choice for the Uganda Project. In Masaka, Kump is working in a school for children with physical and mental disabilities. She is also working on hospice wards and creating a play space for children with AIDS at a local hospital. Though she is qualified to work with children up to six years old, she is hoping to work with children of all ages. Phillips says the experience will help her students and the population at large to understand that the ECE field is much larger than practicing in local daycares and schools. “People can have a myopic view of what early childhood education is. Looking at non- government organizations you can see how much is done in ECE and what can be done. We train for licensure but with a degree, it opens doors to other things,” says Phillips. Follow the progress of this year’s students in Uganda on the Uganda Project blog at ugandaproject2008. blogspot.com. ECE Program Coordinator Lynda Phillips is learning how to support ECE students in Uganda.