The Douglas College Newsletter ™ New Westminster Campus, David Lam Campus

July 2005

IN

Douglas College

 

Hazel Postma: Making

The three P’s are Hazel
Postma’s priorities: people,
partnerships and profiles.

Postma officially assumes
her responsibilities as
Associate Vice President,
External Relations on
August 1, succeeding
Myrna Popove, Executive
Director of the Douglas
College Foundation, who

is retiring.

Executive Director of

the Eagle Ridge Hospital
Foundation (ERHF) since
2000, Postma brings 20
years of experience in both
the private and public
sectors to her new
position. And she can’t
wait to get started.

“Douglas College is a
gem,” says Postma. “There
are so many programs and
activities at both
campuses, it’s extremely
exciting. When you add
in the Training Group in
Maple Ridge, there are
many different facets to
the College that people

:
may not be aware of.

As one of five senior

administrators reporting

 

Hazel Postma, Vice President, External Relations

to President Susan
Witter, Postma will

play a leadership role

in maintaining and
enhancing community
relations, strategic
partnerships, college
profile in the community
and fund raising - which
is precisely what she did at
ERHE.

Is there an Idol in
your house?

Do you have a Canadian Idol living in your house?

You'll never know unless you sign them up for one of the

Summer Music Camps offered through the Community

Music School. Choose from four different camps — Fun
with Singing, Musical Theatre, Digital Audio and Video
andYouth String Orchestra. Camps run July 11 to 29

and August 15 to 25.

A Summer Jazz Intensive will be held August 21-26

for older students (14+) who wish to focus on soloing,

improvisation and studying jazz literature.

Employees of Douglas College get a 10 percent

discount for all camps. For more information email

commusic@douglas.be.ca, call

604-527-5469. or go to www.douglas.be.ca/ce and select

Community Music School.

Eagle Ridge Hospital has
always been well-thought
of in the Tri- Cities,” says
Postma, who will also
serve as Douglas College
Foundation Executive
Director. “One of my
goals was to make it an
g
even more integral part
of the community by
raising the profile of its

programs and clinics so

   

The Old Elk Dance Troupe perform during National

residents realized it’s a true

community hospital.”

Under Postma’s
leadership, the ERHE
grew, with donations
doubling and an extra
staff person being hired.
Her philosophy was to
raise the hospital’s profile
within the community
by participating in local
events (like the Teddy
Bear Picnic) and forming
partnerships. She also
instituted major gifts and

planned giving programs,

Postma sees many
similarities between
Douglas College

and ERHF: both

are established local
institutions with
community support that
provide a wide range of
services. The expansion of
the David Lam Campus,
with its emphasis on
health sciences and a
Wellness Centre, is a
particularly exciting
prospect for Postma,
who is looking forward
to making the transition

from the hospital to the

College.

(Ms

Aboriginal Day festivities held at the College on
June 21. Events were held on both campuses.

Clean Air Day Challenge

You biked to work, changed your lights, even put bricks

in your toilet so we could all breathe a little easier. The

Douglas College community rose to the challenge of
J g

Clean Air Day on June 8, finding creative ways to be

friends to the environment. But perhaps the most original

idea came from the canine-loving person who wrote: “I

always scratch dogs behind the ears if they look friendly

(that may not qualify as eco-friendly, but it can’t hurt...).”

“Students have an amazing
energy - there’s a sense of
adventure at the College
that I’m really looking

forward to,” she says.

Postma was a student
herself very recently.

In June, she received

her Master's Degree in
Graduate Liberal Studies
from Simon Fraser
University. She earned
her degree “for the sheer
enjoyment of it,” she says;
part of her belief in life-

long learning.

Postma grew up in
England and moved to
Canada in the mid-1970s
after completing school.
Her first job was with the
Comox District Free Press
on Vancouver Island. She
then moved to Prince
George, where she worked

for the Citizen newspaper.

In 1983, Postma and

her husband moved to
Coquitlam where they
raised their three sons. She
has worked as an editor,
reporter and assistant
editor with several regional

newspapers, including a

people her priority

two-year term as editor of

the Royal City Record.

President Witter says

the College Board and
management team are
delighted to have Postma
joining the Douglas

College Community.

“T believe that Hazel

brings with her the skills,

experience and vision to

move the Douglas College
g

Foundation forward

with the assistance of the

Foundation Board,” says

Witter.

Once she starts at the David
Lam Campus, Postma will
be able to walk to work—
something she considers a

wonderful bonus.

She also knows that she

has big shoes to fill.

“Myrna Popove has been
incredibly gracious to me,”
says Postma. “She has been
so generous in terms of her
time and expertise and in
sharing her contacts with
me. She'll be a hard act

to follow. Not only that,
she’s already filled up my

calendar,” Postma laughs.

Joining forces

In September of 2005 there will be a new department in

the Faculty of Commerce and Business Administration.

The department brings together the strength of the

faculty in two former departments. Computing Science

and Computer Information Systems will be joined

together to form the Computing Science Information

Systems (CSIS) department. Over the spring faculty

from the existing departments have been engaged ina

strategic planning process to identify the priorities of the
£ g )

new departmen i

John Girard and Helena Klimo of the Computing

Science Department are joining forces with Barbara

Allen, John Blackwell, Victor Choong, Bob Coolidge,

Nelson Eng, Peter Eredics, Simon Li, Eric Meyer, Hugh

Poon (on leave), Sarah Stephens, Gilbert Tsui, Peter van

den Bosch, Ray Yu, and Adrienne Watt of the Computer

Information Systems Department.

Watch for the launch of the new department early in the

Fall.

 

Quote of the Month

“Pity the poor creatures in warmer countries where the SEASONS NeVELY change.

Where summer is eternal and they never know the pain of waiting and the joy at last when summer comes.”

Ray Guy, Canadian columnist