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S P R I N G 2 0 1 7 POWERFUL PERFORMANCE Concordia’s PERFORM Centre is home to groundbreaking preventive-healthcare research U N I V E R S I T Y M A G A Z I N E NEXT GENERATION NOW > CELEBRATING LOYOLA’S CENTURY > NYC ALUMS Take advantage of your alumni privileges. Get preferred rates and coverage that fits your needs. Supporting you … and Concordia University. You could save big* when you As a Concordia University graduate, you have access to the combine your alumni preferred TD Insurance Meloche Monnex program. This means you can get preferred insurance rates on a wide range of home and rates and bundle your home car coverage that can be customized for your needs. and car insurance. For over 65 years, TD Insurance has been helping Canadians find quality home and car insurance solutions. Feel confident your home and car coverage fits your needs. Get a quote now. Recommended by HOME | CAR | TRAVEL Get a quote and see how much you could save! Call 1-888-589-5656 Or, go to tdinsurance.com/concordiaalumni The TD Insurance Meloche Monnex program is underwritten by SECURITY NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY. It is distributed by Meloche Monnex Insurance and Financial Services, Inc. in Quebec, by Meloche Monnex Financial Services Inc. in Ontario, and by TD Insurance Direct Agency Inc. in the rest of Canada. Our address: 50 Place Cremazie, 12th Floor, Montreal, Quebec H2P 1B6.Due to provincial legislation, our car and recreational insurance program is not offered in British Columbia, Manitoba or Saskatchewan. *Nationally, 90% of all of our clients who belong to a professional or alumni group that has an agreement with us and who insure a home (excluding rentals and condos) and a car on October 31, 2016, saved $625 when compared to the premiums they would have paid without the preferred insurance rate for groups and the multi-product discount. Savings are not guaranteed and may vary based on the client’s profile. Savings vary in each province and may be higher or lower than $625. Wide Horizons Solution® Travel Insurance is underwritten by Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Company of Canada and distributed in some provinces by RSA Travel Insurance Inc., operating as RSA Travel Insurance Agency in British Columbia. All trade marks are the property of their respective owners. ® The TD logo and other TD trade-marks are the property of The Toronto-Dominion Bank. PEAK PERFORMANCE Concordia’s PERFORM Centre leads the way for preventive healthcare research. FINDING THE SWEET By Patrick McDonagh SPOT IN THE WORK WORLD New graduates consider their options 16 as they begin their job searches or launch their own businesses. By Jesse Staniforth 22 26 NEXT GENERATION — IT’S AN ATTITUDE ROLOFF BENY OF OPENNESS FOUNDATION Leaders illuminate what it FELLOWSHIP IN means for Concordia to be a PHOTOGRAPHY next-generation university. By Jérôme Nadeau By James Gibbons 30 A CENTURY AT LOYOLA: THE HUMAN SIDE OF THEN AND NOW 32 HUMAN RESOURCES Loyola Campus turns 100 — 38 and is set for the future. Department of Management faculty tap into organizational psychology By Julie Gedeon to help companies motivate and support their people. TAKING A BITE OF THE BIG APPLE / By Wayne Larsen STAKING THEIR CLAIM IN THE GOLDEN STATE Meet five alumni who’ve made it in New York City; plus, learn about four 42 50 FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: FACULTY OF FINE ARTS grads living the California dream. Concordia’s creative arts hub welcomes much good news. By Richard Burnett and Toula Drimonis By Andy Murdoch spring 2017 volume 41 number 1 concordia.ca/magazine Cover credit: Thinkstock 3 EDITOR’S VOICE 5 CONCORDIA NEWS 15 FROM THE ARCHIVES 52 ALUMNI NEWS 57 FUNDING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT 58 CLASS ACTS 63 WORDS & MUSIC 64 ENOUGH SAID “ I’M A BIG BELIEVER IN PLANNED GIVING AS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE BACK. IT’S A MEANS OF ALLOCATING FUNDS TO THE CAUSES YOU CARE ABOUT BEYOND ” YOUR LIFETIME. – Christine Lengvari, BSc 72, President and Chief Executive Offi cer, Lengvari Financial Inc. YYOOUURR GGIIFFTT YYOOUURR LLEEGGAACCYY YYOOUURR PPLLAANN AA ppllaannnneedd ggiifftt ccaann hheellpp ffuullfifi llll yyoouurr fifi nnaanncciiaall,, pphhiillaanntthhrrooppiicc aanndd eessttaattee--ppllaannnniinngg ggooaallss.. CCoonnccoorrddiiaa’’ss PPllaannnneedd GGiivviinngg ssttaaffff ccaann mmeeeett yyoouurr uunniiqquuee fifi nnaanncciiaall nneeeeddss.. CCCAAALLLLLL 555111444---888444888---222444222444,,, EEEXXXTTT... 888999444555,,, OOORRR 111---888888888---777777777---333333333000,,, EEEXXXTTT... 888999444555... To learn more about Christine’s story, watch the video at: concordia.ca/plannedgiving c1 | spring 2013 concordia university magazine EDITOR'S VOICE “ I’M A BIG BELIEVER IN PLANNED GIVING AS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE BACK. IT’S A MEANS OF Back and forth ALLOCATING FUNDS TO THE CAUSES YOU CARE ABOUT BEYOND HOWARD BOKSER, MBA 85 ” YOUR LIFETIME. he year 2017 is a big one for T Canadian celebrations. Among other anniversaries, it’s 50 years – Christine Lengvari, BSc 72, President and Chief since the historic Expo 67 and 100 years convocation at the Expo 67 site, which we means trying to align the quality of Executive Offi cer, Lengvari Financial Inc. after the First World War’s Battle of Vimy revisit in From the Archives on page 15. teaching and learning opportunities to Ridge. During this year of convergence Enough Said on page 64 also features larger trends and the grand challenges we can reflect on these milestones, re- some history. Former National Lampoon facing society,” explains Graham Carr, examine stories and think beyond the magazine editor Sean Kelly, BA 63, co- Concordia’s provost and vice-president fireworks and festivities. It’s a chance lourfully reminisces about the quirky yet of Academic Affairs. to look back and onward — for both talented novelist John Buell, BA 50, Maybe the attitude can be best Montreal and Canada. a long-time Loyola English professor. summed up by the words of 19th- The 2016-17 academic year also Yet as Shakespeare wrote, “What’s century Danish philosopher Søren denotes a significant landmark for past is prologue.” With that in mind, Kierkegaard: “Life can only be Concordia. It was 100 years ago that the this issue balances looking back with understood backwards; but it must Loyola Campus, once the grounds of a gazing ahead — as Concordia itself be lived forwards.” farm accessible only by a long buggy- does. “A century at Loyola” writer ride from the city’s core, welcomed Julie Gedeon not only recalls past its first students. They migrated from decades but paints a picture of today’s the downtown Montreal site of Loyola thriving campus. Loyola is now home to College, one of Concordia’s founding remarkable research in such progressive institutions, into the three newly scientific fields as genomics, synthetic Concordia University Magazine welcomes readers’ comments. Letters should include constructed buildings in Notre-Dame- biology and preventative healthcare, the writer’s full name, address, school(s), degree(s) and year(s) of graduation for YYOOUURR GGIIFFTT de-Grâce. The Jesuit college expanded among others. alumni. Letters may be edited for length and and added more facilities in the In “Next generation — it’s an attitude clarity. No letter will be published without the full name of the correspondent. following years. of openness” on page 26, my colleague Concordia University Magazine is published YYOOUURR LLEEGGAACCYY Since those who cannot remember James Gibbons explains why President three times a year for alumni and friends of the past are condemned to repeat it, Alan Shepard calls Concordia “Canada’s Concordia University. Opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views as we’re all aware, this issue harkens next-generation university.” of the alumni association or of the university. YYOOUURR PPLLAANN back to Loyola’s early days in “A century The institution has long taken an Please address editorial correspondence to: at Loyola: then and now” on page 32. enlightened view of education: for The Editor, Howard Bokser Concordia University Magazine Among the challenges the young college instance, Sir George Williams offered 1455 De Maisonneuve Blvd. W. faced was that many of its all-male part-time and evening university FB 520, Montreal, QC H3G 1M8 AA ppllaannnneedd ggiifftt ccaann hheellpp ffuullfifi llll yyoouurr fifi nnaanncciiaall,, pphhiillaanntthhrrooppiicc Phone: 514-848-2424, ext. 3826 students headed off to Europe for the courses to those who may not have email: [email protected] aanndd eessttaattee--ppllaannnniinngg ggooaallss.. CCoonnccoorrddiiaa’’ss PPllaannnneedd GGiivviinngg Great War, and an unfortunate number otherwise been able to access them, Editorial assistants: Louise Morgan, never returned. and Loyola provided its students James Gibbons ssttaaffff ccaann mmeeeett yyoouurr uunniiqquuee fifi nnaanncciiaall nneeeeddss.. Student interns: Jeremy Glass-Pilon, 2017 marks a celebratory anniversary leading-edge Jesuit teaching. Lucas Napier Macdonald for Concordia’s other original institu- That thinking has evolved into a CCCAAALLLLLL 555111444---888444888---222444222444,,, EEEXXXTTT... 888999444555,,, OOORRR 111---888888888---777777777---333333333000,,, EEEXXXTTT... 888999444555... For advertising information, call tion, Sir George Williams University. A university-wide next-gen ethos that sees 514-848-2424, ext. 3876. half a century ago, Sir George Williams past traditional educational boundaries. Design: University Communications Services T17-38958 graduates participated in a memorable “When we say next generation, that To learn more about Christine’s story, watch the video at: concordia.ca/plannedgiving concordia university magazine spring 2017 | 3 c1 | spring 2013 concordia university magazine setting an example Tulsi Nowlakha Mirchandaney is managing director of Blue Dart Aviation in India. chievement is not an exercise in solitude, but an outcome cargo airline, were unique opportunities. My time at Concordia A of experiences, choices and the contribution of people helped to hone my capability and widen my horizon to be and events that have touched our lives. able to undertake my current job of leading that airline. The positive ambience, interactions with faculty and classmates, the An event that profoundly impacted my chosen path was my repository of knowledge and time in beautiful Montreal were scholarship towards Concordia’s International Aviation both productive and enriching. MBA program. There are probably some out there taking their first A fortunate few chalk out their careers at an early age. I was tentative steps to a career that can support the supply chains not one of them. I applied for an airline job for all the wrong of many industries, and facilitate trade and commerce, as reasons, primarily to fund my future education. Yet working in does my company. I’d like to pay forward what I’m sure was the less stylish entrails of the aircraft as one of the ‘backroom the result of someone else’s generosity and give wing to a boys’ — the endearing term used for cargo employees at the few of those dreams. time — soon had me hooked. Tulsi Nowlakha Mirchandaney, AMBA 00, a graduate of Concordia’s My long, varied tenure with the airline industry and the International Aviation MBA program, is the managing director of opportunities to work with a wide cross-section of people Blue Dart Aviation, India’s only scheduled cargo airline. across the country, including with the startup of India’s fi rst Find out how you can join Tulsi Nowlakha Mirchandaney in contributing to Concordia. Info: concordia.ca/giving | 514-848-2424, ext. 4856 | 1-888-777-3330, ext. 4856 | [email protected] #CUgiving CONCORDIA NEWS CONCORDIA HOSTS CANADA’S FIRST NEXT CITY VANGUARD CONFERENCE What will Montreal look like in the future, and how can we make it a better place now? Will there be more green spaces and bike paths? What about car-free zones and improved transportation networks? Will we make better use of abandoned buildings? These are just some of the questions that 45 urban lweialdl aedrsd urensdse wr htheen athgee yo fc o4m0 e University a tfoo rM thoen 2tr0e1a7l tNheisx ts Cpritiyn g ConCordi Vanguard Conference. THIS MAY, 45 URBAN INNOVATORS CONVERGE ON CONCORDIA TO CHART MONTREAL’S FUTURE. It will mark the first time the annual event will happen REDEFINING MONTREAL like Mile End, Verdun and and challenges to brainstorm in Canada. IN THE 21ST CENTURY Old Montreal, today and in and co-design a range of The upcoming experiential Each year, Next City selects the future. solutions and tools relevant leadership conference takes a different host city and a In addition to these site to a challenge that will be place from May 31 to June 3. cohort of young leaders, visits, the conference will revealed closer to the event. “This is a tremendous dubbed the Vanguards, from include a public lecture and Each group will present opportunity for Montreal across disciplines in the public conversations about their ideas at a public fo- and Concordia to showcase public, private, non-profit emerging initiatives and rum, which will include a the many next-generation and academic sectors. pressing questions in urban panel discussion by local and citizen initiatives that “Together, we are bringing development, accessibility, Big Idea Ambassadors. They are making a difference 45 young urban innovators infrastructure and public will highlight the proposed in our communities,” says from the United States and policy in Montreal. The ideas and actions that can be Concordia President Alan internationally to search program will culminate implemented over the next Shepard. “I look forward to for solutions and make in a design-thinking year, leaving a lasting mark hearing from the Vanguard positive contributions collaboration called the on the city. Fellows and learning more to Montreal,” says Tom Big Idea Challenge. To find out more about about their ideas to chart Dallessio, president, CEO Working in small groups, the Next City Vanguard a more sustainable and and publisher of Next City. the Vanguards will leverage Conference, visit concor- accessible city.” “I can’t think of a better their expertise and take dia.ca/events/conferences/ The event is a col- host than Concordia for this what they’ve learned about next-city-vanguard-2017. laboration between the event, and I look forward Montreal’s unique context —Karen McCarthy university and Next City, a to providing this city with Philadelphia-based non- ideas that will engage and profit whose mission is to inspire officials and citizens inspire social, economic and to redefine it in the 21st environmental change in cit- century.” ies through journalism and In the spirit of com- events around the world. munity engagement and Follow @ConcordiaAlumni on Twitter Concordia’s participa- experiential learning, the to stay on top of #CUalumni news. tion is an example of the Vanguards will break out university’s commitment to of conference rooms and #CUalumni "embrace the city, embrace experience first-hand the the world", one of its nine changes and challenges fac- strategic directions. ing local neighbourhoods concordia university magazine spring 2017 | 5 Social Media Ads.indd 1 2016-08-23 4:02 PM CONCORDIA NEWS Y T I N U Y M T E I M M S R I O E T C V A niversity O U N I T A T U a F nCordi N G I Co STEVE SHIH AND DAVID KWAN, RECIPIENTS OF A CANADA FOUNDATION FOR INNOVATION FUND FOR A PROJECT TO IMPROVE BIOFUEL AND VACCINE PRODUCTION WORKFLOWS. E BOOST FOR SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY RESEARCH A pair of researchers will complement existing HELP SHAPE CONCORDIA BY from Concordia’s state-of-the-art research SUPPORTING THE Centre for Applied facilities at Concordia, says 206-7 Synthetic Biology got big Kwan. Both the Centre for news from the Canada Applied Synthetic Biology COMMUNITY Foundation for Innovation and the Centre for Structural (CFI) in February 2017. and Functional Genomics CAMPAIGN! The John R. Evans Leaders — where Kwan also works — Fund announced that it had will gain new infrastructure, awarded $100,000 to David and the funding will support Kwan, assistant professor the integrated research of in the Department of their respective teams. Biology, and Steve Shih, “Synthetic biology focus- assistant professor in the es on creating technologies Department of Electrical for designing and building and Computer Engineering. biological systems using en- The infrastructure proj- gineered organisms,” Kwan ect has a total value of about explains. “It calls for biolo- $250,000. Shih and Kwan gists, chemists, engineers were awarded an additional and computer scientists to $100,000 from the Province find collaborative ways to of Quebec, with an extra understand how genetically Powered by gifts ranging in size $50,000 coming from other encoded parts work together, and purpose, Concordia’s annual funding sources. With this and then to combine them to Community Campaign bolsters support, they will be able to produce useful applications start integrating robotics into that are beneficial to society.” teaching, research and student life at their workflow. Their goal? Shih adds, “Automation Canada’s next-generation university. To reduce the time it takes to gives scientists more produce a range of products, time for creative thinking concordia.ca/communitycampaign such as biofuels and vaccines. and design, rather than The suite of automation continuous and intensive #CUgiving tools they’re developing manual lab work.” courtesy of the CFI grant —Renée Dunk 6 | spring 2017 concordia university magazine CONCORDIA PROFESSOR’S RESEARCH HAS MAJOR SEX APPEAL Sex. It’s a powerful paraphilia, which is doing The theme of beauty force that sells something that isn’t nor- and the attractiveness of perfume, chocolate mal. When you see people beauty is sometimes called and car insurance. doing those sorts of ‘erotic capital.’ It involves Each generation has things, it’s hard for most maximization of beauty to that twinkle in their of us to see how they can further one’s own personal parents’ eyes to thank be erotic. For example, goals. You can think of for their existence. most people avoid pain. examples such as Marilyn Furthermore, it's To some, they actually Monroe marrying Joe deeply problematic, seek it out in the form of DiMaggio — a top athlete — complex and sadomasochism. They and then later Arthur Miller culturally relative. find it arousing. — a top intellectual. Beauty Anthony Synnott, An example I pro- is an immense asset. retired professor of vided in my book is of In my work The Body Concordia’s Department a man in Great Britain Social (Routledge, 1993) I of Sociology and who enjoyed being explored how the notion that Anthropology, unpack- whipped to such a de- beauty equates to goodness ages sexual identities in gree that he required is endemic in our society. his latest book, The Power a skin graft from the There is a ‘halo’ effect — of Sex (Gordian Knot damage it did. There’s we input positive values on Books, 2016). Synnott little understanding of why those who are good looking. answers questions to THE POWER OF SEX BY ANTHONY extreme pain is enjoyed by Villains such as Ted Bundy, SYNNOTT DRAWS ON SOCIOLOGY, provide a snapshot of the ANTHROPOLOGY, HISTORY AND some people.” Carla Homolka and Paul PSYCHOLOGY. provocative volume. Bernardo were all physi- cally attractive. I think that’s What motivated you people consider normal Do we live in a “pornified at least part of how they got to write this book and in one culture could be le- raunch culture” as you call away with their crimes for so what did you set out to thal in another culture. The it in your book? long. People couldn’t believe accomplish? motivation and goal was to they could be so awful.” show how sexual identities AS: “I think this term came Anthony Synnott: “One are rapidly evolving and how out of the massive use of The Power of Sex is on sale thing that interested me is that’s culturally relative. internet porn, though it ex- now and can be purchased the speed of change. When In some cases, though, trapolates to advertising and through Amazon. I was growing up there was a what we’re seeing is regres- self-display of so many dif- —James Gibbons two-by-two grid. Everyone sive. In the United States, the ferent sorts. Sex buys and was either male/female or halt of funding for Planned sells everything. gay/straight. Now there’s Parenthood has made abor- intersex, transvestite, tion virtually unavailable in transgender, transsexual, some places. We aren’t al- pan-sexual, solo sexual. It’s ways talking about evolution all become very complex. when it comes to sex.” As soon as people realize that an Olympic medal- Keep in touch. ist such as Bruce Jenner Compared to other Update your records at can change sex, then peo- animals, is sex among concordia.ca/keepintouch. ple think anyone can. humans strange? Something you’ve taken for granted comes into ques- AS: “In terms of what peo- tion. At the same time, ple get up to — yes. There’s sexual things that some a chapter in my book on concordia university magazine spring 2017 | 7 Social Media Ads.indd 3 2016-09-07 2:53 PM CONCORDIA NEWS TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR ALMA MATER! Gwen Tolbart Alexandre Bilodeau Louise Archambault hinkstoCk t CONCORDIA’S HOMETOWN MOVED UP SIX SPOTS TO TOP THE 2017 QS RANKINGS. MONTREAL RANKED WORLD’S BEST STUDENT CITY The results are in! Montreal is the best city in the world for students, according to the latest rankings by Quacquarelli Frederic Bohbot Régine Chassagne Tetsuro Shigematsu Symonds (QS). Concordia’s urban home jumped six spots to claim first place, ahead of Paris, London, Seoul, Melbourne, Berlin and Tokyo. As Concordia President Alan Shepard stated in the Montreal Gazette, the city’s strong showing starts with Canada. The country’s education lure is no mystery. “Our universities do Debra Arbec Michael Meaney Anne-Marie Withenshaw well in international rankings,” he says. “We have the lowest cost of living and highest quality of life among G7 countries. The QS ranking reaffirms this.” You’ve come a long way since joining Matthew Stiegemeyer, director of student recruitment, is not surprised by Montreal’s rise to Best Student City. “Certainly TAKE Concordia’s 200,000 alumni family. the increased interest we’re seeing from applicants suggests PRIDE that word is getting out,” he says. • Update your contact details: It’s the fourth year in a row that Montreal has climbed in the rankings. In fact, four of the five Canadian cities on the list concordia.ca/keepintouch have moved up. QS singles out “recent political events” in the United States and the United Kingdom as a contributing factor • Write us about your in Canada’s growing desirability as a student destination. That makes sense to Stiegemeyer. “I think if you’re an recent achievements: international student looking for a welcoming place to be, [email protected] you’re looking for a city that embraces a diverse population,” he says. QS’s Best Student City rankings also reference Montreal’s affordability and a “recent renaissance” as key components of the city’s success this year. According to QS, nabbing the top spot is “the latest of a series of propitious signs for a city beginning to escape a period of economic stagnation, following positive growth forecasts for 2017, citywide initiatives designed to encourage entrepreneurship, and the recent announcement of its Join @ConcordiaAlumni on social media selection as the ‘World’s Most Intelligent City.’” —Sarah Buck #CUpride #CUalumni 8 | spring 2017 concordia university magazine