In appreciation

- July 6, 2010

"Future retire" Linda Mosher, Learning Resource Centre, Faculty of Medicine, sips tea along with Jean Collier (retired Oct. '09), skills lab coordinator, Learning Resource Centre, Faculty of Medicine. (Nick Pearce Photo)
Nancy Campagna accompanies her husband Phil Campagna, Health and Human Performance, who retired July '09. (Nick Pearce Photo)
Music professor David Schroeder chats with former Dean of Dentistry Bill MacInnis and his wife Robin MacInnis. (Nick Pearce Photo)
Ann Morrison, chief law librarian (centre), retired June '10, chats with her daughter Susan Morrison (on left) and new Dean of Law, Kim Brooks (on right). (Nick Pearce Photo)
Dedicated employees have helped build a remarkable university.

That was the sentiment at an afternoon tea honouring this year’s Dalhousie retirees. The annual event was held on July 2 at the President’s House for 13 retiring staff and guests.

Some of those in attendance retired almost a year ago and others had only left their jobs days earlier. But their sentiments were similar: working at Dal has been a fantastic experience.

Phil Campagna has developed life-long relationships with his kinesiology students during 30 years of service in the School of Health and Human Performance. He’s even served as best man at one of their weddings.

In 1999, he was awarded the alumni teaching award.

“Teaching gets very little notoriety in university, it’s mostly research,” said Dr. Campagna. “But to win that made me feel good because I really strived to make sure my students got the best. I worked hard to change things every year – reading new research and bringing it in.”

Traveling is in order for Mr. Campagna, who just returned with his wife from a month in Italy. When not jet-setting, he plans to work in the garage restoring his 1931 Pontiac.

For 16 years, Natalie Dawson worked as research secretary in the Faculty of Medicine.

“It’s really grown and changed,” she said. “I think that’s one of the reasons I stayed in that department the whole time because it was always very interesting. It was changing all the time and the people were really good.”

Ms. Dawson hasn’t had any trouble filling her spare time thus far. She plans to remain an active member of the Buddhist Shambala community where she teaches and meditates.

In 1997, Jean Collier was asked to act as program coordinator and teacher for a new skills lab with the Faculty of Medicine.

“My grandfather graduated from here in 1908 from the Department of Medicine and I just found a photo of him on the football team. Retirement is great!”

When Ann Morrison began working as the chief law librarian 12 years ago, she remembers University Avenue being a street full of houses.

“Computer Science wasn’t there, Management wasn’t there,” said Ms. Morrison. “It was just a street of houses. Then the buildings started.”

Before the McCain building went up, the lot was partially used for parking. Ms. Morrison told a tale of security personnel warning drivers not to park in their former location due to foundation excavation, but someone disobeyed the order and drove right into the pit.

Cecilia MacDonald worked for 41 years at Dalhousie before recently retiring. She spent 10 years in the library administration office before 31 more years in the School of Public Administration as an administrative assistant.

“We were the first group to move into the new Killam Library when it was finished (in 1971), said Ms. MacDonald. “Sometimes you just come to a point where you think the time is right. That’s where I think I am.”

Ms. MacDonald looks forward to pastoral work with Emmanuel Anglican Church in Spryfield.

During President Traves’ address to the crowd he made reference to Christopher Wren. A great English architect of the 17th century, Mr. Wren re-built a staggering portion of London after the fire of 1666. The plaque on his crypt reads If you seek his memorial – look around you.

“If you’re looking for your legacy – all that hard work and energy you’ve put in – just look around you,” said Dr. Traves. “Not just at the buildings, but look at the faces of our students. You have shaped them and they in turn are shaping our community and our country and the wider world.

“To have a hand in that is something very special and all of you should feel wonderful about your time at Dalhousie University.”

Long service employees

  • Laura Addicott, Career Services Centre 
  • Kimberley Bonin, Registrar's Office 
  • Dennis Bowie, Faculty of Medicine
  • Michael Cada, Faculty of Engineering
  • Barbara Carter, Health Law Institute 
  • Edwin Cavanagh, Faculty of Architecture & Planning
  • Deborah Chiasson, Financial Services 
  • Darrell Cochrane, Financial Services
  • Tammy Corkum, Bookstore 
  • Annette Cossar, Faculty of Medicine
  • Judith Coughlan-Lambly,Kellogg University Librarian
  • Lynn Day, College Continuing Education
  • Karl Dilcher, Faculty of Science
  • Pauline Doyle, Registrar's Office
  • Philip Girard, Faculty of Law
  • Eric Grant, Faculty of Medicine
  • David Haase, Faculty of Medicine
  • Scott Halperin, Faculty of Medicine
  • Joan Harbison, Faculty of Health Professions
  • Carolyn Hicks, Faculty of Medicine
  • Bruce Holmes, Faculty of Medicine
  • Jane Horne, Faculty of Science
  • Daniel Hughes, Faculty of Medicine
  • Marlon Lewis, Faculty of Science
  • Bruce MacLennan, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences
  • Nancy McGrath, Facilities Management
  • Katheryn McInnis, Faculty of Dentistry
  • Diana McIsaac, Facilities Management
  • David McNeil, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences
  • Erin McNeil, College Continuing Education
  • Barbara Mealiea, Human Resources
  • Terry Mitchell, Faculty of Dentistry
  • Karen Moore, Student Wellness
  • Nikolas Morgunov, Faculty of Medicine
  • Mary Lou Myers, Faculty of Dentistry
  • Nancy Neish, Faculty of Dentistry
  • Richard Norman, Faculty of Medicine
  • Kathleen O'Brien, Faculty of Health Professions
  • Frank Palermo, Faculty of Architecture & Planning
  • Theresa Peterson, Faculty of Medicine
  • Anne Power, Human Resources
  • Richard Price, Faculty of Dentistry
  • Carla Ross, Faculty of Medicine
  • Jacqueline Schwartz, Faculty of Medicine
  • Angelique Sherwood, Health Services
  • Janice Taylor McIntyre, Safety Office 
  • Gregory Vidito, Facilities Management
  • Dawn Walker, College Continuing Education
  • Gaye Wishart, President's Office 
  • Margaret Yhap, Faculty of Medicine

Retirees

  • Mary Blandin, Faculty of Medicine
  • Philip Campagna, School of Health & Human Performance
  • Jean Collier, Faculty of Medicine
  • Linda Conrad, Faculty of Engineering
  • Harold Cook, Pediatrics
  • Jane Corkum, Registrar's Office
  • Larry Covey, Kellogg Library
  • Natalie Dawson, Faculty of Medicine
  • Gloria Durnford, Biology
  • Yash Gupta, Process Engineering & Applied Science
  • Patrick Hum, Facilities Management
  • Maria Jimenes, Spanish & Latin American Studies
  • Donna Kenney, University Library
  • Cecilia MacDonald, Public Administration
  • Graham MacDonald, Facilities Management
  • William MacInnis, Dental Clinical Sciences
  • Karen MacIntyre, Financial Services
  • John McHugh, Computer Science
  • Janet Murphy, Pharmacology
  • Sherry Norton-Brunelle, Engineering - Dean's Office
  • Frances Nowakowski, University Library
  • Carol O'Neil, Audio-Visual Services
  • Peter Perina, Theatre
  • Dianne Pickrill, Faculty of Medicine
  • Carol Putnam, School of Health & Human Performance
  • David Schroeder, Music
  • Carol Scott, Business Administration
  • John Sutton, Chemistry
  • Susan Thomas, Financial Services
  • Ian Thomson, Theatre
  • Elizabeth Townsend, Occupational Therapy
  • Gwendolyn Verge, Faculty of Law
  • Peter Wallace, Earth Sciences