April 27, 2006 Source: :
http://www.augustana.ca/include/auc_news/full_view.php?id=113 The Other Home City Approximately three hundred people attended the Augustana Faculty first annual Spring Soiree on Wednesday evening. A highlight of the event was the food, prepared by the Lefsa House, and supplied by a variety of local farmers and producers. As the crowd noshed on treats from exotic places such as Camrose, Edberg, Forestburg, and sipped on Black Currant Punch made in Okotoks they were welcomed with speeches by Roger Epp, Dean of Augustana Faculty, and Dr. Indira Samarasekera, the President of the University of Alberta. Epp delivered his second annual report to the community, remarking that he felt it was important to give a report each year, and also that he was honoured to host the President Samarasekera and to introduce her to the community of Camrose, "the University of Alberta’s other home city." Epp reported on some of the recent and upcoming activities that have had and would continue to have positive impact on the region and that also demonstrated the long term commitment of the University to Augustana Faculty. Among these was the University of Alberta’s recent purchase of the Bethany Lands adjacent to Augustana Faculty. As well Epp spoke about plans for programs at the Camrose Regional Sport Development Centre which would make good on a promise to collaborate with East Central Health and the University of Alberta to deliver research that matters to the region. Epp also commented on the ambition of the U of A to be one of the world’s top twenty universities, reminding the audience that "all great universities are rooted in place." "For Augustana, to identify with community doesn’t mean that we limit our educational horizons. We take special satisfaction when our singers from places like Camrose and Forestburg, and a director from Castor, take the stage at Carnegie Hall, or when cross country runners from Athabasca and Killam achieve a national medal podium. We are a small campus with big aspirations, and one of the most fundamental is to be at home." Dr. Samarasekera congratulated Epp on his unanimous appointment as Dean. She also commented on the value of Augustana and its contributions to the community and to the University. "Augustana Campus is important to the University of Alberta. It offers a liberal arts education that is a rare jewel in western Canada, and is usually only available to the wealthy. It offers the opportunity for a transforming education that balances science, art, and humanity and that encourages not only achievement but citizenship, leadership and the betterment of the world. It achieves that in large part, because of the strong bonds of community that connect the students, faculty and citizens here." "In one short year, Augustana has demonstrated that what it will bring to the University of Alberta and what we can do, collectively, will have impact far beyond the City of Camrose and the East Central Region, far beyond Edmonton, and far beyond the borders of Alberta and Canada." Samarasekera also spoke of the cornerstones for the new vision of the University of Alberta, "A vision that I foresee will be built with talented people, in a connected community that provides organization and support for achievement in learning, discovery and citizenship." Samarasekera noted that community is vital to reaching the goal. "We must include the entire community in our learning enterprise." Samarasekera closed the evening by saying that she saw ‘unlimited potential’ in the Camrose community. "I see big things for this small campus, and for the whole University. I invite you to discover with me, what those things might be."
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