When Prime Minister Stephen Harper donned a hard hat and visited the future site of the Learning and Innovation Centre on August 5, university president Allan Cahoon was there to brief him on the importance of this first new building for RRU and how it will help meet demand for programs. It was also an opportunity for him to explain RRU's commitment to green construction and emphasize the fact that the work is on time and on budget. The Prime Minister spoke highly of RRU noting there is surely no more beautiful campus in Canada! "But beneath the Edwardian grandeur of Royal Roads lies a cutting-edge modern university. By marrying Internet-based distance education to the principle of life-long learning, Royal Roads helps students advance their knowledge without disrupting their careers or family life. And let me just say how pleased I am that one of your largest student cohorts consists of the men and women of the Canadian Forces. Furthering their education while serving our country will ensure they have the opportunities they deserve when they leave the Forces."

Larry Hanlon owns the Peninsula Gallery in Sidney and generously offered to host the university's annual Robert Bateman art exhibit this year.  Come Into the Outdoors, which runs from Sept. 19 - 28, is RRU's third show in a series and it offers a retrospective of paintings by this Canadian artist whose donated works will reside in the Robert Bateman Centre at Royal Roads. "This year is a big year for Mr. Bateman with fifty of his originals going on tour in four major cities in Russia - beginning in October with the Leningrad show. We were excited at the opportunity to feature the university in the catalogue of the exhibition," says Julie Barlow, development and communications coordinator with the RRU Legacy Campaign which is focused on raising funds to build the Robert Bateman Centre.

The Centre for Non-Timber Resources at RRU is hosting its annual Shop the Wild Festival on October 3 and 4 inside the Mews Conference Centre. The market runs from 10:00 – 4:00 each day and is a free community event. This year’s festival will include over 35 local producers in one market; wild food demonstrations; product sampling; fun presentations from experts in the field; live fiddling by the Twisted Strings; and wild-themed face painting for the kiddies.

Homecoming 2009 brought more than 200 ex-cadets, university alumni and their guests back to campus, September 11 - 13,  for a celebration of memories and milestones. Festivities included an exciting day on the waters of the west coast aboard the HMCS Regina and a public talk by realist wildlife artist Robert Bateman who spoke on the importance of engaging children and families with nature. Reunions were held by the classes of 1944-46, 1957-59, 1962-64 and 1980-84, with other local ex-cadets attending many of the events. Next year’s Homecoming Alumni Weekend is scheduled for Sept. 10 -12. If your class is interested in attending, please email Karen.Inkster@royalroads.ca

The Centre for Applied Leadership and Management at RRU offers graduate certificates that allow managers to focus on areas of professional interest and strength. Programs in executive coaching; health systems leadership; project management; professional communication management; and strategic human resources management can be taken for stand-alone certificates or used to ladder into degrees. Read the fall issue of dotCALM for news about the Graham Dickson Leadership and Learning Award and other program updates.

There are more than 250 learning opportunities in this year's Continuing Studies Calendar. Coming up on September 30, for example, is an opportunity to spend time in the good company of the wise and generous Meg Wheatley who will lead a day-long workshop on dealing with crisis after crisis in addition to hosting an interactive evening exploring perseverance. On October 8, eco-philosopher Joanna Macy will host another inspirational evening - this one on the Hidden Promise of Our Dark Age. Both of these learning opportunities are not to be missed and everyone is welcome!

What is the environmental worldview of children living in an oil extraction dependant community? What are the motivations behind corporate environmental behaviour? Does storytelling have an impact on the movement toward mutual reconciliation? These and nine other timely questions will have answers soon thanks to twelve students at RRU who been awarded scholarships worth $17,500 each from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

The Learning Centre in Yekooche, with support from RRU and the B.C. government, is rekindling hope. It has become a gathering place where there is always someone to talk to and someone to listen to. “The emphasis is on experiential learning,” says Wendy Drummond, RRU's special project coordinator in the Office of Research. “Whatever someone is interested in, we’ll find a way to make it a learning opportunity.” Northword magazine features an in-depth article about this successful venture and this issue of InRoads highlights what a day in the life at the centre is like in Creative technology is focus of workshop for talented youth.

Tim Kituri is a member of RRU's recruitment team and travels around the country hosting information sessions for prospective students. These sessions are designed to give our audience an idea of what Royal Roads is about and how the learning model is designed to foster teamwork and collaboration and, in so doing, ensure success. "We always love to have alumni attend as many sessions as possible to provide their invaluable insight into the programs they took and, more importantly, how their lives have been transformed," says Kituri. "As you know, the decision-making period is a stressful time and we hope to alleviate most of that stress by talking about the high success rate of Royal Roads students." Kituri invites alumni to RSVP to any session on our website by emailing timothy.1kituri@royalroads.ca

Students in the Bachelor of Arts in International Hotel Management program are nearly finished their internships and are excited to soon be officially working in industry and joining the alumni community. Currently, they're in various locations around the world including a remote eco-lodge in Vietnam, a destination spa in Thailand, the prestigious Threadneedles hotel in London and closer to home, the lovely Inn at Laurel Point and the Empress Hotel. Many of the School’s alumni have gone on to launch successful careers from their internship experience and we look forward to hearing more about these tourism and hospitality professionals as they move forward in their exciting new careers!

Do you have an Olympic story to share? We'd love to hear from former medallists, past and present competitors and volunteers and anyone with an RRU connection who would like to contribute an Olympic reflection to the January edition of InRoads. Send your ideas and stories to InRoads@royalroads.ca

Louise Comeau, a member of RRU’s 2006 cohort in the MA program in Environmental Education and Communication, has been awarded a PhD scholarship worth $105,000 from the Social Science and Humanities Research Council. Now working in the Cabinet Offices of the Government of Ontario as a climate change advisor, Comeau starts her doctoral studies at the University of New Brunswick this winter. “Louise came to the MAEEC program as a mature student with a tremendous track record of accomplishment both nationally and internationally,” says Rick Kool, a professor in the School of Environment and Sustainability. “Her MA thesis on the effects of framing on Ontarians' perceived competence to act on climate change was totally top-notch and done in collaboration with Dr. Robert Gifford of the University of Victoria, one of Canada’s leading environmental psychologists.”

Enjoy the evolving landscape of RRU through the seasons by purchasing a limited edition 2010 calendar created to support the Legacy Campaign. Available for $9.95 in the Hatley Park Gift Shop or by calling 1-866-241-0674, the calendar - back after a year's absence - features beautiful, full-colour photographs of Hatley Park National Historic Site and incorporates numerous facts about the university and its visitor services.

"It has a great west coast cloudy day color scheme . . . elegant and calming." These are the words used by Appnovation Technologies to describe RRU's new web look. The re-design includes new ways for prospective students to find out about programs and new pathways to information about the university. "We’re seeing the positive results already! Response includes an immediate jump in queries from prospective students and a second place rating in an informal ranking of international post-secondary websites by Appnovation" says Roberta Mason, associate vice-president and registrar. Have a look!

InRoads is RRU's alumni magazine, published ten times a year and distributed to alumni, staff, faculty and associate faculty. To subscribe, visit our cover page. Stories and story ideas are always welcome so please send them along to Lynda Chambers, editor at inroads@royalroads.ca