Our time at university is one of exploration, inquiry, introspection, and experimentation — often playing a pivotal role in charting our life paths, and shaping who we will become.
As we kick off our year-long celebration of the Unversity of Regina's 50th year, we're feeling pretty nostalgic.... and we'd like to hear from you. Join your fellow Golden Aluminaries, and share your stories and impressions from your days at the U of R. We'll post them here for your fellow alumni to read, reminisce... and reconnect!
I was a member of the University's student union's executive (vice president and president) during the
transition period. I publicly spoke out against the proposed legislation, and I also presented a submission on
behalf of the students' union to the commission established to identify an alternative structure for university
education in Saskatchewan.
-William Wells BA'73, BAHC'76, MA'86
Technically I’m a graduate of the U of S Regina campus in 1973. I recall registering for the Faculty of Administration in 1968. The faculty office was located in a trailer surrounded by a sea of mud. One of the best decisions I made in my life despite getting my shoes covered in mud!
It’s gratifying seeing the growth of the campus over the years. Fittingly today I live right near the campus across Wascana Parkway near where I tried to park my car on the street for nothing during my time at the U!
-Gord Archibald BAdmin'73
Some memories from my four years at USRC:
- Parking in the student lot that would later become College West;
- Tuesday and Thursday film nights at the Education Auditorium showing second-run but excellent films; admittance $0.75;
- Dr Alex Kelly, Economics, accompanying a silent film on the piano;
- Fellow students hosting on University radio, sharing their tastes in genres and artists;
- Watching the “monkey bars” (Centre of the Arts) slowly rise, later to host Pink Floyd among others;
- Coding computer programs on punch cards that would be read and transmitted to a main frame in Saskatoon for processing;
- Guest lecture on fruit flies by David Suziki;
- As there was no Lazy Owl, after hours (and some afternoons) at the Captain’s Mug, the Sportsman’s Den, the Old Gold, … ;
- Thursday night pub nights in the Student Union building, usually with local prairie bands; beer $0.30 a bottle;
- Construction of the Ad-Hum building;
- Participating in the Admin Society Bacchus curling bonspiel held in the Wascana Winter Club located at the Albert Street bridge;
- Graduating as the last class of USRC and the first class of UofR.
- Les Petford BAdmin‘75
Transferring to the U of R from the U of S, to go into education instead of continuing with a nursing degree was the best decision I ever made! One, that proved to be the first step to an extremely rewarding career as a teacher of young chidren.
The university was still in its very beginnings, so Education classes were held at the College Avenue Campus .We were bussed for our Phys Ed classes to what was called the New Campus, which consisted of two buildings. As we took all of our classes together, you became quite familiar with your fellow students. Friendships were easy to make as we functioned quite like a family group.
At that time, one year of education classes allowed one to qualify to become a teacher. To be able to earn tuition funds to work towards a degree in the future, was an opportunity most of us could not afford to resist. After two years of teaching in Weyburn, I decided to return to Regina with the intent of becoming a full time student at the U of R. Fate intervened as the Regina Board of Education was in desperate need of an experienced primary teacher. That was the beginning of thirty -two years of employment with the public school system. A few years of evening and summer classes finally led to a Bachelor of Education degree in 1975.
Hosting interning education students became a yearly practice. Dr. Francis Haug, who was supervising future teachers in my classroom, convinced me to apply to teach at the Faculty of Education's Children's Centre. What an awesome opportunity to explore exciting, and varying approaches to teaching young children, while helping future primary teachers to experience the realities of what teaching involves. While teaching there, Dr. Le Ora Cordis, became a mentor. With her encouragement I spent many more summers and evenings, taking classes to complete a Masters Degree in 1987. She and Dr. Barbara Stange, influenced my decision to accept teaching positions as a Sessional Lecturer in Early Childhood Education during my teaching career, and once I retired.
Wonderful friendships were developed working at the U of R. After almost fifty years a few of us still meet every few weeks. Those friendships, created at the U of R have been a lifetime of treasured gifts.
- Marjorie Sawyer BEd'75, MEd'87
I recall in preparation for convocation that we had an option for our degree to be from the University of Saskatchewan Regina Campus (USRC) or from the University of Regina. I remember it being an easy decision to choose to be awarded one of the first degrees from the University of Regina and being very proud to be a memberof the Class of 1974. My degree from the University of Regina has always provided me with a strong foundation for my life from that day forward.
-Richard A White BEd'74
I was standing at the Comissionaire's desk at the main Library when Paul
Henderson scored the winning goal in game seven of the Russia-Canada
hockey series. (He was quietly listening to the radio broadcast and I was
part of a group of students standing around him!)
-Glenn Beatty BAdmin'76
That pic you have of "The Pit" at the top of your March alumni newsletter is totally relevant to me. Aside from the memory of that particular location at the bottom of the well in the middle of the Ad-Hum Building (I remember it had bright orange shaggy carpeting and carpeted square blocks for sitting on) - that photo features noted Canadian author Ken Mitchell (the balding guy with the beard, lounging on the steps in a white shirt and dark jacket, towards the right of the photo).
I'm a short story author and novelist currently living in Vancouver, BC. I'm also the Vice Chair and local BC Repfor the Crime Writers of Canada. I've got 10 novels and a book of short stories in print, with my eleventh novel on its way this fall. I wouldn't have accomplished any of that without the early guidance and mentorship of Ken Mitchell, who was my Lit prof and Creative Writing instructor at the U of R.
Ken was the one who recognized a spark of talent in me, and guided me into classes and workshops with other writers, back in the days when those opportunities were incredibly rare. A lot of what Ken taught me is still with me today. Never use a passive verb if you can find an active one that works better. Show, don't tell. Use dialogue, whenever you can, to move the story forward. A little humility in your attitude will go a long way towards helping your career. I'm paraphrasing him, but I wanted to say how grateful I was to have Ken in my corner, as my instructor and my "guidance counsellor", as I took those early steps in learning how to become a writer of short and long fiction. Thanks, Ken 🙂
-Winona Kent BA'74, BAHC'75
I'll always remember shaking hands with Mr. Deifenbaker, university chancellor and former prime minister, at convocation. Also chatting with Dr. John Archer, who had written a book on the Hungarian community of Bekevar, which was near my hometown of Kipling, SK.
-Glenn Szabo BEd'74
All photography courtesy of the University of Regina Archives and Special Collections.
Celebrating our 50th Anniversary
Plan to join us for a special 50th anniversary week of celebrations this October!
Read More