New Brain Cancer Study Gives Patients Hope In one study, only 10 percent of brain cancer patients were alive after two years of receiving only radiation treatments. Greg Cairncross, head of clinical neurosciences at the U of C, with colleagues across Canada and Europe, found that number increased substantially—to 26 percent—when they combined the radiation treatments with a novel chemotherapy drug. The combination of these two treatments offers new hope for a longer and healthier life for those with glioblatoma mulitforme, a common and aggressive type of brain cancer. "This is the first trial to demonstrate that we can truly impact this devastating disease with chemotherapy," says Cairncross's colleague, Roger Stupp, lead author and trial initiator from the University Hospital Multidisciplinary Oncology Centre in Lausanne, Switzerland. Learn more...

Big Money for Student Scholarships
Six more undergraduate students this fall will be awarded the single largest scholarship amount available to them—$10,000. Two graduate students will also receive the same amount. The new scholarships come courtesy of Talisman Energy, which is donating $2 million over 10 years to establish these scholarships for U of C students studying in the fields of energy, environment, and economy. President Harvey Weingarten knows the importance of the business sector's support for students, "Talisman is showing real leadership at a time when post-secondary access, affordability, and the shortage of highly skilled workers are vital issues for the community."

Learn more...

More Money for More Students
The brightest high school students looking to study science at university have received an incentive to choose the University of Calgary. A guaranteed merit scholarship of $1,500 will go to any student with an 85 per cent average or better who registers with the Faculty of Science before April 1. "We want to send a clear message to hard-working young scholars: "Your achievements are significant, and the U of C wants to help you excel," says the faculty's dean, Michael Boorman.

All new students to U of C next year with an 80 percent average or higher will benefit from new dollars. Those who apply before April 1 will automatically be offered a U of C Academic Merit Admission Award of $500. Additionally, those students who apply early and are accepted into the Faculty of Communication and Culture with a minimum 90 percent average will receive an additional $300 merit admission award.

Learn more...

For more U of C news, pick up a copy of OnCampus or read it online at http://www.ucalgary.ca/news

OnCampus went online with an e-newsletter for readers who want the latest U of C news. If you'd like to subscribe, send an email to cturne@ucalgary.ca.

EVDS Alumni Start a New Chapter A new chapter has begun for alumni from the Faculty of Environmental Design, literally. The faculty has produced over 1,200 alumni in the various interdisciplinary programs, and earlier this month the EVDS Alumni Advisory Council (AAC) was officially recognized as a chapter of the University of Calgary Alumni Association. One of the AAC's new mandates is to build and maintain strong relationships and a sense of pride for alumni, friends, and students in the faculty. The AAC is made up of 14 members, with at least one member from each of the six EVDS programs. Two plans the group will put into action quickly include establishing a Web site to link alumni and their work with other alumni, faculty and students, and they will host a weekend-long event in the fall as a "homecoming" for EVDS alumni.

Award an Engineer You Know
Do you know an engineering graduate who deserves the faculty's recognition? The Engineering Alumni Excellence Award has been created to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the faculty. The award recognizes and honours personal achievement and extraordinary service to the Faculty of Engineering and to the community. To nominate an alum you know: http://www.eng.ucalgary.ca/alumni/alumni-news.htm

The Senate Answers Your Questions
The senate at the University of Calgary serves as a link between the university and its community, and it often receives concerns and suggestions from alumni and the Calgary public. Many of the topics brought to the senate are reviewed and put into action; one example is increased access and services for the disabled. If you have a question, concern, or a suggestion, you can get in touch with the senate any time through their Web site (http://www.senate.ucalgary.ca/). You can submit an inquiry under the "how to" section.

For more alumni news: http://www.alumni.ucalgary.ca/

Drama Students Hold Festival
The Department of Drama presents Taking Flight, a festival of student work from March 29 to April 9 at the Reeve Theatre. It's a wonderful opportunity to see the work of graduate and undergraduate students from all streams of the drama department. Tickets: $15 adults; $10 student/seniors.

For more: http://drama.ffa.ucalgary.ca/events.html

Brian Keating is "Going Wild"
The Calgary Zoo's Brian Keating is "Going Wild" on campus Thursday, March 31. He's back from Antarctica to detail his journey into some of the planet's best wildnerness locations. The event is free for WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) members, otherwise it's $5 at the door. Starts 5:30 pm in Murray Fraser Hall 162.

Awakenings Author is Distinguished Visiting Writer
World-renowned nuerologist, humanist, and best-selling author Oliver Sacks will be reading from his memoir, Uncle Tungsten: Memories of a Chemical Boyhood, on Sunday, April 3 at 7:30 in MacEwan Hall. Presented by the Markin-Flanagan Distinguished Writers Programme, current writer-in-residence Natalee Caple will give an introductory reading. Sacks will also speak at the Libin Lecture Theatre on Monday, April 4 at 5:30 pm.

MBA Alumni Calgary Luncheon
The next MBA Alumni Networking Luncheon will be held on Friday, April 8 from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm at Delta Bow Valley, Calgary. The guest speaker will be David Cooper, (MBA'01). His keynote is "Business ethics: an everyday approach." The cost of the luncheon is $25. Register by Tuesday, April 5 by e-mailing rsvp@haskayne.ucalgary.ca or call Jennifer Evans at 403-220-3175.

Richard Haskayne Speaking in Edmonton
The Haskayne School of Business Edmonton Alumni Network is presenting an Alumni Networking Luncheon on Wednesday, April 6 from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm at the Delta Edmonton at 10222-102nd Street. The guest speaker will be Richard F. Haskayne who will talk on business ethics. Cost of the luncheon is $10 for Haskayne alumni, $25.00 for non-alumni. Register by Friday, April 1 by e-mailing rsvp@haskayne.ucalgary.ca or call Kristina Burgess at (403) 220-3175.

Haskayne New York Alumni Planning Meeting and Dinner
The Haskayne School of Business is inviting all Haskayne alumni living in the New York area to attend a planning meeting to be held on Wednesday, April 13 from 5:00 to 6:30 pm at the Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers at 811 Seventh Avenue in New York.  Dean Michael Grandin will deliver his message on the strategic direction of the school, and we will discus engagement opportunities for alumni, as well as how to leverage alumni experience and contacts. The planning meeting will be followed by an alumni and stakeholder appreciation dinner from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. RSVP by April 6 to Kristina Burgess at (403) 220-5688 or kristina.burgess@haskayne.ucalgary.ca.

Berkeley Engineering Dean on Campus
The dean of UC Berkeley's College of Engineering, Richard Newton, will be speaking at the U of C Faculty of Engineering's annual lecture. Newton will be speaking on "Great works for the 21st century: a critical role for the modern research university" on April 25 at ICT 114, beginning at noon. The lecture will be followed by a question period then refreshments. Seating is limited. To reserve yours, e-mail engineering.alumni@ucalgary.ca or call 220-4195 by April 21.

Toronto Alumni April Fool's Get Together
The Haskayne School of Business Toronto Alumni Network, there will be a social evening, Friday, April 1 starting at 6:30 pm at Just Desserts Bar and Cafe, 555 Yonge Street (just south of Wellesley), 2nd floor. Come gather with other U of C alumni in the Toronto area, play some pool, eat, drink and do some networking. Great door prizes. Buy-your-own drinks/food. RSVP to chowsiukei@alumni.ucalgary.ca or call Dominic Chow at 416-908-2338.

Speaker Series on Sustainable Environmental Design
In celebration of the 2005 Alberta Centennial, the Faculty of Environmental Design and the Calgary Chamber of Commerce present the Keynote Series on Sustainable Environmental Design. David Orr, from Oberlin College in Ohio, will be the final speaker in the three-part series on April 25 from 5:30 to 8:00 pm at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce. For tickets ($100), email register@calgarychamber.com

For more events, go to http://www.ucalgary.ca/events/

A Crux on the Corporate Career Path Matthew Pearson, BA '97, and Steve Hands, BA '93, took a leap of faith when they jumped off the corporate ladder and mounted the climbing wall. The two men made the decision to leave their stable careers to take on a business venture when they decided to construct Crux Climbing and Bouldering Gym in 2001. Read more...