Alumni E-News

Alumni E-News is aimed at keeping alumni and friends of NSAC up-to-date with news from the university including important announcements, student and alumni achievements, athletic news and upcoming events. You will still receive your alumni magazine, the Agricola News, by mail.

In this monthly, E-newsletter you'll find brief news items and for many, a link to our alumni website for more detailed information.

Seasons Greetings

NSAC wishes you and your family all the joy in the world this holiday season and in the coming New Year.

Where are they now?

Here is your chance to let other alumni know where you are and what you’re doing! Please send us an email at alumni@nsac.ca and let us know what you’re up to – you just might be featured in an upcoming issue of Alumni E-News. We look forward to hearing from you! Please send along a picture if possible!

This month's profile features Sarah Turner

NSAC Alumni - Embracing their World

Our December alumni profile has been posted on the NSAC website. Please visit http://nsac.ca/alumni/profiles/ to read all about the activities of Jamie Johnstone, Class of 1998 and 2000.

NSAC Governance

As interim co-presidents of Nova Scotia Agricultural College, we are very pleased to provide an update on the activities and developments taking place at your alma mater – it is certainly an exciting time. Click here for complete article.

NSAC Alumni Association

The NSAC Alumni Association recently elected a new Board of Directors and made some changes/additions to its By-laws. Please visit our website at for all the details.

Events:

NSAC alumni at Boston Tree lighting

Alumni of NSAC living in the north east US were invited to attend a maritime alumni event in conjunction with the annual lighting of the Christmas tree on the commons in Boston on Nov 29th. Ted MacNintch (’56) and Heather Topley (‘05) were asked to represent NSAC at a VIP reception at Boston's Parker House Hotel and the subsequent lighting ceremony as guests of the province.
They met people from Nova Scotia who were either living in Boston or who had come down for the occasion. Everyone was talking about their Nova Scotia connection. The Honourable Bill Dooks, the Minister of Tourism who hosted the reception, made a presentation at the reception explaining the history of the Christmas tree tradition. The Nova Scotia Christmas tree in Boston marks a tradition that thanks the people of Boston for their assistance after the Halifax Explosion over 90 years ago. NSAC was well represented.

Joan and Ted MacNintch at Boston tree lighting reception.

NSAC's Highway Signs

In July 2006, NSAC entered into negotiations with the Town of Truro and the Village of Bible Hill to look into the possibility of signage on the Province's 100 Series Highways leading into Truro and Bible Hill. The signage would serve the dual purpose of promoting the two communities as well as the location of our university within them.

The Town of Truro, the Village of Bible Hill and NSAC made joint application to the Department for Community Identity Signs. The purpose of the joint application was to promote NSAC and show a true spirit of cooperation between the Town and the Village.

After much negotiation, design concepts were approved and three community identity signs were produced and erected in September. The signs are located northbound on Hwy 102 and the other two signs are for eastbound and westbound traffic on Hwy 104.

Research:

Exciting funding announcements at NSAC

Gerald Keddy announced December 3rd an investment of $950,000 towards the Atlantic BioVenture Centre Project.

“The Government of Canada through its investment in the Atlantic BioVenture Centre Project is showing its commitment to working with partners to develop innovative technologies that will help our farmers maintain their competitive edge, while providing healthy food for all Canadians,” said Mr. Keddy. “By helping our farmers take advantage of new value-added markets, we help the agricultural and agri-food sectors succeed. Ultimately this will benefit Canadian consumers.”

The NSAC led project will develop and test a portable micro-factory designed to help small-scale Canadian producers and processors get more value from their crops by extracting highly valued nutraceutical and bioactive ingredients and selling them on the expanding global nutraceutical, bioactives and natural product market.

The Government of Canada also invested nearly $1.3 million in the Canadian organic industry to help accelerate its growth in Canada.

The funding, under the national Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Food (ACAAF) program, includes $711,500 to help the industry’s major research arm at the Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada at NSAC, to better identify research needs and to more effectively communicate research results back to the sector.

Research project at NSAC looks to reverse the move to artificial trees with balsam firs that hold on to their needles

	Mason MacDonald’s research lab gets lots of second glances from students and staff who walk by. With dozens of Balsam Fir cuttings on white paper on lab benches, the room has a Christmas feel to it. Click here for complete article

Development:

Still time to make a donation to NSAC for the 2007 tax year

There is still time to make a donation to NSAC AND get a tax receipt for the 2007 calendar year. There are many really worth causes waiting for your support, so if you have not replied to the annual appeal, please take a few minutes and do so today. 

In addition to mailing a cheque in, there is a new and easy way to make donations to support the students and programs at NSAC. Our on-line donation page on the NSAC website is waiting to accept your donation. Just go to http://nsac.ca/donate and follow the instructions. Your donation will be acknowledged immediately and will be followed up with a receipt that can be used for income tax purposes.  Remember, as long as we receive the donation before January 1st or it is postmarked by that date, we will write the receipt for 2007.

Please consider supporting NSAC with your donations. The students at NSAC need your support.

Group Insurance Program for Alumni and Staff

In case you missed earlier notices, NSAC has an affinity partnership with TD Meloche Monnex, offering home, automobile, small business and travel insurance to all NSAC alumni, faculty and staff.

Thanks to this exclusive partnership, you can enjoy preferred group rates for your home and auto insurance. In addition, TD Meloche Monnex is holding an exclusive contest for NSAC alumni, faculty and staff. Simply request a no-obligation quote from TD Meloche Monnex before December 31, 2007 and you could WIN a 42" Plasma TV valued at approximately $2,000. Plus, you’ll be automatically entered in the WIN a Mercedes-Benz R 350 contest!

Uptake on this program by NSAC Alumni had been very positive since it was announed this summer. For more details on both contests and to find out how much you can save on your insurance, click here.

Did you know....

Eighty-seven per cent of NSAC graduates are living in and contributing to the success of Atlantic Canada

NSAC is the proud host of the 2008 CCAA Women’s National Basketball Championships, March 14-16, 2008

Alumni Online Poll

On-Line Poll

I would be more apt to attend NSAC Homecoming activities if they were held in

- the Summer
- the Fall
- Not interested in attending