Articles by author: Brock University

• Brock University Open House coming April 8

  Tuesday, March 27, 2018 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE: 27 March 2018 – R00062

  Brock University is gearing up to open its doors to thousands of potential undergraduate and graduate students and their families for one of the most important days on the recruitment calendar.

  Open House will be held Sunday, April 8 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., when the entire Brock community will join together to welcome guests and ensure a memorable experience on campus.

  In the lead-up to the June 1 acceptance deadline for Ontario secondary school applicants, thousands of admission offers have been sent out. The experience applicants have at Open House is often the deciding factor in a student’s journey to Brock.

  “It’s incredible to see how the whole Brock community — from students to faculty, staff and senior administration — all come together to share their pride and demonstrate what makes this University exceptional,” said Beth Natale, Director, Recruitment for Brock University.

  Natale said one of the highlights of Open House this year will be new Hot Spot guided tours. Student ambassadors will offer the guided tours at five different locations around the University to give visitors a comprehensive look at the Brock campus.

  “Having our students share their academic and student life experiences is a critical aspect of Open House,” Natale said. “Potential students want those authentic interactions to better understand what their university experience might be like.”

  The main focal point of Open House will once again be an information fair located in Ian Beddis Gymnasium, where faculty, staff and students will be on hand to talk about the full range of undergraduate and graduate academic programs, student services and research opportunities that are available.

  Information sessions will delve deeper into specific departments and programs, while snapshots of student and faculty research will be featured throughout campus.

  Visitors can also tour residences, research labs, athletic facilities and the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts downtown.

  Although Ontario secondary school applicants have until June 1 to determine their final plans for September, applications for other students are continually processed throughout the spring and summer. For students considering transferring to Brock, admissions staff will also be available at Open House to help get them admitted immediately.

  What: Open House at Brock University

  Where: Registration at Walker Complex

  When: Sunday, April 8, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

  More: Online registration and a full schedule of the day’s events can be found at discover.brocku.ca/openhouse/

  NOTE: Media are invited to attend Open House. Interviews can be arranged with Beth Natale, Director, Recruitment and other Brock University officials.

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  * Dan Dakin, Media Relations Officer, Brock University ddakin@brocku.ca, 905-688-5550 x5353 or 905-347-1970

  Brock University Marketing and Communications has a full-service studio where we can provide high definition video and broadcast-quality audio.

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  Categories: Media releases

• Inaugural Winemaker of Excellence awarded at packed Cuvée Grand Tasting

  Monday, March 26, 2018 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE: 26 March 2018 – R00061

  The Cuvée Grand Tasting rang in a milestone 30th anniversary by bringing more than 800 guests together to celebrate excellence in the thriving Ontario wine industry.

  Organized by Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI), a record crowd came to the Scotiabank Convention Centre in Niagara Falls on Friday, March 23 to sample from the largest selection of Ontario wines under one roof and taste unique culinary dishes from local chefs.

  “The strong turnout of guests from across Southern Ontario year-after-year truly showcases the importance of our grape and wine industry and the strong level of support it garners from our community,” said Cuvée manager Barb Tatarnic.

  The Grand Tasting also honors the talented people who work in the $4.4 billion Ontario grape and wine industry.

  The inaugural Winemaker of Excellence Award winner was Angelo Pavan, chosen in a unanimous decision for his major contributions to the industry, his commitment to excellence and his mentorship to winemakers across Canada.

  Pavan, Vice-President, Winemaker and Founding Partner at Cave Spring Cellars, is known for his encyclopedic understanding of viticulture in Niagara. He was among the first in the province to work with numerous grape varieties and was a pioneer in the quest to improve wine quality and sustainability in vinifera varieties.

  “It is humbling to be the first recipient of this great award,” said Pavan. “It validates the passion, time, effort and commitment of over 30 years dedicated to this great wine growing region and having participated in its evolution to international recognition.”

  Pavan is also a founding member and Chair of the Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) Standards Development Committee and has played a key role in determining the most suitable winemaking practices applicable in Ontario. As the founding Chair of the International Riesling Experience, held in conjunction with CCOVI, Pavan has also been instrumental in solidifying Niagara’s place as one of the world’s pre-eminent Riesling producing regions.

  Teamwork and collaboration is also key to success, he stressed, adding “to be successful and to be acknowledged for your work, one needs to contribute to the industry at large and not just your own operation.”

  This year’s Cuvée Vineyard of Excellence Award went to Albrecht Seeger, an eighth-generation grape grower in Niagara-on-the-Lake and sitting member on the Ontario Grape and Wine Research Technical Committee. Sponsored by BASF Canada Inc., the award recognizes a grape grower who promotes excellence in vineyard practices.

  “BASF believes that we achieve excellence not just by using current practices to their fullest potential, but by looking for new innovations to continuously improve and evolve,” said Scott Hodgins, Crop Manager, Horticulture for BASF Canada Inc. “The Vineyard of Excellence Award provides the opportunity to celebrate others in the industry who do the same.”

  Alongside his wife Anja Bertelmann, Albrecht maintains a sprawling 150-acre vineyard of premium Vitis vinifera grape varieties and has made viticulture his life’s work. He is dedicated to being a grape grower in Ontario, which he calls “one of the best regions in the world to grow grapes.”

  CCOVI Senior Scientist Jim Willwerth said Seegar is “truly deserving of the Vineyard of Excellence Award.”

  “His vineyard is meticulously managed right down to the finest detail,” Willwerth said. “Albrecht strives to produce grapes of the highest quality destined for world class wine and this was demonstrated in every way throughout the evaluation process.”

  The Tony Aspler Cuvée Award of Excellence, presented to the individual or institution that best furthers the aims and aspirations of Ontario’s wine industry, was awarded to Sue-Ann Staff. She is a fifth-generation Niagara grape grower and internationally recognized winemaker who has won some of the most respected wine competitions in the world. Staff worked for several Niagara wineries before creating her own eponymous facility, and Tony Aspler said she has since become an “articulate ambassador for the Ontario wine region on the international stage.”

  Cuvée also celebrates the next generation of winemakers and grape growers by providing scholarships to Brock University Oenology and Viticulture students through the Cuvée Legacy Fund.

  The Cuvée Scholarship winners are:

  • Cuvée Hosting Award for Academic Excellence: Grant McKinnon
  • Cuvée Award for Academic Excellence: Nick Pappas
  • Cuvée Award for Academic Excellence in OEVC: Carol McLennan
  • Cuvée Graduate Scholarship: Andréanne Hébert–Haché

  “We are pleased to provide these funding opportunities and industry recognition for the very deserving students of Brock’s Oenology and Viticulture program,” said CCOVI Director Debbie Inglis. “The Cuvée Grand Tasting is a full-circle celebration of excellence in our industry, honoring the best and brightest in the business today, and looking forward to those who will shape the industry in the future.”

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  * Dan Dakin, Media Relations Officer, Brock University ddakin@brocku.ca, 905-688-5550 x5353 or 905-347-1970

  Brock University Marketing and Communications has a full-service studio where we can provide high definition video and broadcast-quality audio.

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  Categories: Media releases