Guided by MomentUM: Leading Change Together, UM is committed to empowering learners through dynamic learning experiences that meet the needs of an increasingly diverse student body. Investing in SoTL enables instructors and faculty members to examine their teaching practices, incorporate evidence-based findings, and ultimately, improve student success.

The 2025 SoTL Support Fund has awarded five Seed projects, a stream within the scaffolded-funding program which supports time-limited and innovative new teaching and learning research ideas with a budget of up to $6000. These projects span a range of disciplines, each offering an innovative approach to advancing research-based teaching and learning at UM.

Empowering Statistical Minds: Data Exploration for Student Engagement

Project lead: Hina Shaheen, Department of Statistics, Faculty of Science

Bridging the gap between theoretical statistical concepts and real-world applications can be challenging for many Statistics students. Traditional lecture-based approaches often encourage rote memorization of formulas rather than deep understanding. This project will introduce small-group, collaborative experiments using real-world databases, promoting active learning through data exploration and statistical decision-making. The hands-on problem-solving activities aim to strengthen students’ analytical reasoning, decision-making, and statistical interpretation skills. Analysis of students’ behavioural, emotional, and social engagement outcomes will inform and support ongoing initiatives aimed at enhancing student success and career readiness.

Live Podcasting in Teacher Education: Amplifying Engagement, Dialogue, and Multimodal Literacies

Project lead: Amir Michalovich, Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning, Faculty of Education

This project examines the extent to which live podcasting in class can cultivate engaging, dialogic, and multimodal classroom discussions for students in teacher education. Given the rapid advancement of generative AI, it is increasingly important to explore classroom-based assignments involving students co-developing and demonstrating their knowledge. While some research has explored the use of pre-recorded or edited podcasts in post-secondary education, it has rarely examined digital multimodal assignments conducted live in class. This study addresses that gap by exploring how these tools can impact student engagement with course content, participation in dialogic learning, and development of communicative skills across multimodal literacies (e.g., speaking, listening, writing, viewing, and representing). 

Team-based collaborative learning from the head to the toes to better health for all

Project lead: Dr. Laura MacDonald, Dental Hygiene, Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences

This project pilots an interprofessional team-based collaborative experiential learning program aimed at facilitating the integration of oral health within comprehensive health care. It will examine students’ perspectives of a novel interprofessional education (IPE) initiative delivered in a dental clinic setting. Both existing research and the outcomes of a recent Rady Faculty of Health Sciences interprofessional simulation indicate a persistent gap in incorporating oral health within comprehensive health-care practice. Situating this intervention within a dental clinic is intended to help health professional students connect oral health with overall health and roles and responsibilities to ensure comprehensive health care. Findings will offer curriculum IPE developers valuable insights into the key traits students believe support interprofessional collaboration competencies, specifically relationship-focused care, clearly defined roles and responsibilities, and collaborative leadership.

Case-Based Learning in Landscape Architecture and Environmental Design

Project co-leads: Yuhao Lu, Department of Landscape Architecture and Mark Meagher, Environmental Design Program

In landscape architecture and design education, students often struggle to build and apply an accurate vocabulary for describing spatial patterns. Relying solely on memorized definitions limits students’ abilities to recognize or articulate design intensions in new contexts. Applying case-based learning principles, which emphasize that deeper understanding emerges from exposure to concrete examples, this project will give students access to real-world cases in the form of project drawings and photographs. A curated collection of design patterns and vocabulary will be developed from an extensive database of precedents and enhanced through state-of-the-art machine learning. Students will submit their own sketches, which the system will analyze to generate key vocabulary terms to describe the patterns and examples of related patterns across multiple design disciplines. Pre- and post-project surveys will assess the tool’s impact on students’ design literacy, pattern recognition, and communicative competence.

Collaborative Proof Writing: Enhancing Mathematical Understanding and Communication Skills Through Group-Based Learning

Project lead: Jamie de Jong, Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science

Writing mathematical proofs can be a significant challenge for undergraduate students, who must shift from the computational problem-solving emphasized in high school to the formal reasoning required in university mathematics. This project will evaluate the effectiveness of targeted in-class group activities designed to strengthen both mathematical understanding and communication. The activities will focus on analyzing and writing mathematical proofs, with opportunities for immediate feedback from both instructors and peers. While peer feedback is well-established in writing-intensive fields, its application in proof-based mathematics is limited. Surveys and assessments of student performance will be used to measure the effectiveness of this teaching approach.

Learn more about how UM is supporting teaching excellence.

Meet the challengers who will take the stage on April 1 at the Robert B. Schultz Theatre:

Anne Manson
Human Nutritional Sciences, Ph.D.
Advisor: Dr. Harold Aukema

Thesis Title: Using oxylipins to inform dietary omega-3 fat intake and heart drug development

Anne is a passionate researcher exploring the role of oxylipins in optimizing omega-3 intake for health and aiding in heart medication development. Fascinated by these powerful molecules that regulate numerous body functions, she investigates how diet, sex, and drugs influence oxylipin production—insights that can shape nutrition guidelines and therapeutic advancements. Holding a Bachelor of Science from the Federal University of Uberlândia, Brazil, and a 2021 Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship recipient, Anne will expand her research into epidemiology and human health during postdoctoral training. Her long-term goal is to become an independent researcher, leveraging oxylipin data to assess disease risk, inform treatments, and improve health outcomes.

Megan Crooks
Psychology, M.A.
Advisor: Dr. Renee El-Gabalawy

Thesis Title: Preventing invisible pain with the power of virtual reality

Megan is passionate about bridging psychological research and clinical practice. In the final year of her master’s degree in clinical psychology at the University of Manitoba, she has been able to do just that by working with real patients who try out the virtual reality treatment developed by her lab. Her ultimate goal is to become a clinical psychologist, using evidence-based interventions approved by her patients to improve mental health care.

Sanjana Grover
Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Ph.D
Advisor: Dr. Benjamen Lindsey

Thesis Title: Cracking the code of human brain repair using zebrafish as a model

Sanjana is a neuroscience researcher and a second year PhD student studying unique stem cells in the zebrafish brain that generate new neurons and enable brain repair, a process mammals cannot naturally achieve. Fascinated by the brain’s limited ability to regenerate, she uses zebrafish as a model to uncover insights into why brain repair fails in mammals. Sanjana holds a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences Research from the University of Bristol, UK and has earned multiple research awards, including the Research Manitoba Master’s Studentship (2024). Actively involved in science outreach, she led a zebrafish workshop for MNN Brain Awareness Week 2024 & 2025 and currently serves as the Vice-President Internal for the HSGSA. She was also invited by the Canadian Association of Neuroscience (CAN) to represent as a neuroadvocate at the Parliament Hill, where she advocated for increased research funding. Sanjana plans to continue her research through postdoctoral studies.

Lam Nguyen
Education, Ph.D.
Advisor: Dr. Martha Koch

Thesis Title: Graph theory for children – an inclusive approach to developing mathematical identity in the classroom

Lam is a mathematics educator and school administrator exploring how school math experiences shape mathematical identities and how introducing advanced topics early can impact student perceptions. Their research examines the widespread negative attitudes toward mathematics and self-identified negative math identities, such as “I am not a math person.” With a Master of Education in Curriculum, Teaching, and Learning at the University of Manitoba, he is passionate about improving math education and fostering confidence in learners. With a strong background in teaching and administration, his future goals are to work with prospective teachers and graduate students, helping future educators transform the way math is taught and perceived in schools.

Andy Van Domelen
Biochemistry and Medical genetics, m.sc.
Advisor: Dr. Britt Drögemöller

Thesis Title: The colour of risk: using genetics to predict hearing loss and dementia

Andy is using genetics to improve healthcare for aging populations. As a researcher analyzing genetic data from thousands of older Canadians, he develops predictive models for hearing loss and dementia, enabling early intervention. With a B.Sc. in Microbiology, Andy is driven by a deep curiosity about the genetic connections between diseases and their impact on aging. His goal is to bridge the gap between lab discoveries and clinical applications, ensuring that research translates into real-world benefits. He looks forward to collaborating with clinicians, policymakers, and the community, and aims to contribute to innovative, genetics-based solutions for age-related conditions in Canada.

Hayley Smith
Pharmacology and Therapeutics, M.Sc.
Advisor: Dr. Renée Douville

Thesis Title: It all started with a mouse….model to study neurodegeneration

Hayley is a Master’s student researching how DNA damage caused by a viral protein may contribute to ALS, and exploring antiviral therapies as a potential treatment. With a B.Sc. in Genetics from UM, her passion for neurodegenerative disease research stems from a personal family connection. After discovering the fascinating world of endogenous retroviruses, she joined Dr. Renee Douville’s lab and is enjoying the topics she studies. She is open to various career paths in health sciences, including considering medicine or furthering her current research with a PhD. Grateful for her lab and mentorship, she is focused on making meaningful contributions to neurodegenerative disease research while taking her career in science one step at a time.

Mia-May Grabovac
Biological Sciences, M.Sc.
Advisors: Dr. Patricia Ramey-Balci and Dr. Andrea Niemi

Thesis Title: Larval invertebrates in a changing Arctic ecosystem

Mia- May is a Master’s student researching seafloor invertebrate larvae and the impacts of Arctic climate change on their communities. Her interest in Arctic ecosystems began during an 8-month co-op at Fisheries and Oceans Canada, where she studied zooplankton abundance and later led zooplankton sampling in the Western Canadian Arctic (2023-2024). With a B.Sc. in Biological Sciences (Evolution & Biodiversity) from the University of Manitoba, she focusses on meroplankton, an understudied group with key ecological roles. As a Biological Sciences Graduate Students Association representative, Mia-May is dedicated to Arctic conservation and will continue studying invertebrates, their environmental interactions, and the effects of climate change on Arctic ecosystems.

Taylor Orchard
Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Ph.D.
Advisor: Dr. Jason Peeler

Thesis Title: Musculosketal education – the more a doctor knows, the better they treat

Taylor is a medical education researcher focused on enhancing musculoskeletal medicine training for Canadian doctors. With a passion for anatomy education and healthcare, she found the perfect fit in medical education research within the Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Sciences. Holding a B.Sc. from the University of Manitoba, she has earned prestigious awards, including the Canada Graduate Studentship – Masters (2023) and the University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowship – PhD (2024). Actively engaged in academia, she serves as Vice-President of the Human Anatomy and Cell Sciences Student Council and a student representative for the Max Rady College of Medicine Council. Her goal is to secure an academic appointment in postsecondary and continue to advance clinical learning and knowledge retention among healthcare providers in Canada.

Rachele Molyneaux
Physiology and Pathophysiology, M.Sc.
Advisor: Dr Jeremy Chopek

Thesis Title: The Spinal Symphony: How V3 Neurons Help Orchestrate the Rhythm of Movement

Rachele is a researcher studying spinal V3 neurons using patch-clamp electrophysiology to understand their role in locomotion and spinal cord injury recovery. With a B.Sc. in Exercise Science from the University of Winnipeg, she combines her knowledge of movement and physiology through both research and hands-on experience. As a personal trainer, she focuses on functional fitness for older adults and aims to expand their practice by deepening their understanding of human physiology and spinal cord injuries. Rachele has worked as a sports director for immigrant and refugee girls, studying the relationship between early exposure to sports and increased self-confidence and overall wellbeing later in life. Her goal is to create a more inclusive, movement-focused approach to fitness and rehabilitation.

Adewunmi Giwa
Food Science, Ph.D.
Advisor: Dr. Rotimi Aluko

Thesis Title: Stripping cancer’s armor: how pea bioactive peptides trigger cancer self-destruction

Adewunmi is a passionate food scientist and Ph.D. student investigating how pea-derived bioactive peptides inhibit Glutathione Peroxidase IV (GPX4), triggering ferroptosis in cancer cells. Her interest in plant-based functional foods and nutraceuticals stems from a blend of scientific curiosity and personal experiences, including her mother’s use of herbal remedies and her father’s struggle with diabetes. These influences inspired her to explore how natural food components can contribute to disease prevention and treatment. Committed to sustainable and innovative therapies, Adewunmi aims to improve cancer treatment by developing solutions that are effective, sustainable, accessible, and safe.

Hannah Zhang
Physiology and Pathophysiology, Ph.D.
Advisor: Dr. Amir Ravandi

Thesis Title: Lipids as early markers of cardiogenic shock

Hannah is an MD/PhD student passionate about cardiovascular disease and metabolism. Despite being a leading cause of mortality worldwide, heart disease still requires deeper exploration, especially through a precision medicine lens. Fascinated by translational research for its direct clinical impact, she chose cardiovascular lipidomics—a field that merges all of her interests. Her work focuses on using lipids to detect cardiogenic shock in heart attack patients, utilizing advanced lipidomic technology with both human patients and animal models. With a Master of Science in Cell Biology from McGill University, she has earned multiple accolades, including the Martin Morad Young Investigator Exchange Award (2024). Her goal is to become a clinician-scientist, advancing heart disease treatment and precision medicine.

Madhushani Ariyadasa
Civil Engineering, Ph.D.
Advisor: Dr. M.T. Bassuoni

Thesis Title: Nano-based coatings: a way to make Canadian concrete last longer

Madhushani is a researcher in materials engineering whose work explores how the inclusion of nanoparticles in coatings can be tailored to combat different concrete durability problems—a crucial advancement to increase the service life of old and new concrete. She previously achieved a Master of Science in Materials Engineering and worked several years as a full-time researcher at National Building Research Organization in Sri Lanka where her keen interest on construction materials started. She believes novel materials as a key enabling technology in construction. Dedicated to both research and education, she aspires to become a university professor, shaping future engineers and advancing the field of materials science and to contribute to the development of stronger, more resilient infrastructure through cutting-edge materials research.

With an exciting lineup of finalists and a distinguished panel of judges, the 2025 3MT® final promises to be an inspiring showcase of graduate research at the University of Manitoba. Colleen Bready, CTV News weather specialist and host of Spotlight Entertainment, will return as emcee, guiding the evening with her signature energy. Judges Loren Oschipok, Moses (Moe) Levy, and Renée Cable will determine the winners of the top cash prizes, while the audience—both in-person and online—will cast their votes for the People’s Choice Award. Prizes for Dr. Archie McNicoll Prize for first place $2000, UM Retirees Association Prize for second place $1250 and Blenham & Associates prize for third place $500.

Don’t miss this exciting event on Tuesday April 1 at 7 p.m., at the Robert B. Shultz Theatre in St John’s College at the Fort Garry campus.

Register to attend in person at or watch online live.

In healthy intimate relationships where people are dating, living together and/or married, partners treat each other with care, kindness, and mutual respect. Partners can live their individual lives feeling emotionally and physically safe to be who they are and are not being controlled or manipulated.

Unfortunately, we know this feeling of safety in intimate relationships isn’t being experienced by everyone on campus. At UM’s Sexual Violence Resource Centre (SVRC), we regularly provide support to students, staff and faculty who are living in situations that do not feel safe to them, and may include aspects of emotional and physical abuse.

Unhealthy relationships

In your relationship with your intimate partner(s), you should not experience or feel afraid of  experiencing:

• Physical harm, including hitting, grabbing and non-consensual touching
• Social control, including having your whereabouts or communications monitored
• Emotional harm, including name-calling and domineering words
• Financial harm, including control of money or other resources
• Other acts in which you feel fearful of your partner, or afraid to be yourself around them

In relationships that include these aspects, the desires of one partner often dominate the desires and needs of another, creating an unbalanced and unsafe dynamic. 

Intimate partner violence

You may have heard the term “intimate partner violence.” This is a phrase that describes abusive behavior occurring within a dating, common-law or married relationship that includes verbal, emotional, psychological, sexual, physical and/or financial mistreatment. Intimate partner violence can impact anyone, regardless of gender, sexuality, race, age, and educational, socioeconomic, religious and cultural backgrounds. It is important to note that women and girls experience intimate partner violence at higher rates, as reported recently by Statistics Canada.

Support is available

If you or someone you know is in a relationship where your partner is displaying these behaviors, assistance is available to you. UM’s SVRC offers confidential support to students, staff and faculty members impacted by sexual violence; this includes experiences of intimate partner violence.

Support can be accessed via phone, email, in-person or Zoom. The SVRC is located at 537 UMSU University Centre and UM community members can access assistance by contacting the SVRC at svrc@umanitoba.ca, 204-474-6562, or in-person at the office.  Regular drop-in hours are available, or appointments can be made ahead of time. Visit the SVRC website for more information.

September is Sexual Health Month, an initiative of the World Association of Sexual Health.  This year’s theme of Positive Relationships highlights the importance of relationships – including intimate, romantic and family relationships – being based on a foundation of consent, respect and safety.

Dr. Michael Benarroch, Dr. Kelley Main and Dr. Jay Doering enjoy the 75th anniversary celebration.

Dr. Kelley Main, the 11th dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies hosted the event, highlighting moments of the faculty’s successes.  From the very first convocation order of proceedings on record showing graduates of the master of arts and master of surgery programs in 1892, to the first female PhD graduate in mycology in 1931, to the creation of the Faculty of Graduate studies in January 1949, to multiple new programs implemented in 2023, Dr. Main shared that the Faculty has many things to be proud of and celebrate.

Dr. Michael Benarroch presented the FGS Outstanding Support Staff Award to Edwina Shwedyk, Graduate Program Administrator, Computer Science; and  Dr. Diane-Heibert Murphy presented the FGS Outstanding Administrator Award to Dr. Jitendra Paliwal, Associate Dean, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, and Professor, Biosystems Engineering.  

Highlights of the celebration included recent 3MT 1st place winner Keshav Narayan Alagarsamy, 3MP 1st place winner Oladipupo Olatunde (Dipo) and Distinguished Dissertation Award recipient Dr. Laura Forsythe, sharing their experiences, research and appreciation for the opportunities gained in their time at the faculty. Dr. B. Mario Pinto stated “These are our future business leaders, research leaders, community activists and government policy makers.”  

Award recipients included:

• Dr. Neeloffer Mookherjee, Professor in Immunology received the Outstanding Mentor Award in Health Sciences, presented by Dr. Todd Duhamel, the FGS Associate Dean in Health Sciences.
• Dr. Dominique Rey, Associate Professor in Fine Arts received the Outstanding Mentor in Social Sciences and Humanities, presented by Dr. Dawn Sutherland, the FGS Associate Dean for Social Sciences and Humanities.
• Dr. Gordon Giesbrecht, Professor in Kinesiology and Recreation Management received the Outstanding Mentor in National and Applied Sciences presented by Dr. Ehab El-Salakaway, FGS Associate Dean for Natural Sciences and Engineering. 

Dr. Main presented the FGS Dean’s Achievement Prize to:

• Thilini Dissanayake, PhD candidate in Food and Human Nutrition
• Cassie Dong, PhD candidate in Peace and Conflict Studies
• Christopher Yendt, PhD candidate in Education

The UMGSA presented awards to graduate students:

• Alekhya Lavu and Toby Le for the GSA Doctoral Program Award;
• Ali Zoungrana, Sophia Mbabaali and Trixie Maybituin for the GSA Master’s Program Award;
• Andrea Brown, Pauline Calinisan and Karen Livingston for the GSA Part Time Program Award.

The poster presentation displays showcased research being done by current students.

92 Graduate students proudly shared their research work with poster displays. These students were selected by their faculty to showcase their research and acknowledge their dedication and to the pursuit of academic excellence.

This event was very well attended by students, staff, alum and faculty. Dr. Main, reflecting on the milestone anniversary expressed gratitude for the support from all those who have been a part of the faculty’s journey “Our success over the past 75 years is a testament to the dedication and passion of our entire UM community – faculty, students, staff and donors- who have propelled us forward. As we celebrate our history, we also look ahead with excitement, ready to embrace new challenges and opportunities.”  

The recording of the 75th anniversary celebration can be found here. 

A link to the 75 fun facts of FGS  and a timeline of the early beginnings to the present can be found here. 

Listen here

He said it’s important for schools to consider how they can move toward reconciliation.

“It’s no surprise to me that this might be one of the next steps in the reconciliatory journey,” he told CBC.

“After we’ve begun these conversations about the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis experience across the territories, you do get to a point where you begin to wonder about the manner in which we celebrate things and the way we observe things.”

Read here

Read more

This year, there is an extra buzz of transformation in the air.

April 14 marked an exciting day for educators as Manitoba grew one step closer to making our province a global centre for Indigenous education, research, languages and cultures. Signatories of the Manitoba Collaborative Indigenous Education Blueprint—an unprecedented, collective effort to advance 10 education-related commitments informed by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action—were joined by the Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre, as well as the Province of Manitoba Advanced Education and Training, and Education and Early Childhood Learning departments.

These new partners join the six universities, three colleges and Manitoba School Boards Association, who originally signed the Blueprint in December 2015. .

Committing to Indigenous education in Manitoba

Chantelle Roulette

Through the Blueprint, signatories support reconciliation in Manitoba through partnerships built on mutual respect, helping to dismantle barriers to equitable education for Indigenous students. The partners’ goal is to increase access to education for all Indigenous learners from recruitment to retention and to embed Indigenous knowledge and content from early education to post-secondary. 

“Everything always starts with a conversation—now that it’s being talked about among educators, government and community, it will help implement these processes into academia,” says Chantelle Roulette, a student from Sagkeeng First Nation who recently completed her third year, majoring in Indigenous governance with a minor in business.

Identifying high-level priorities in Indigenous education

Since the initial signing, Blueprint partners have made progress in increasing access to services, programs and supports for Indigenous students; bringing Indigenous knowledge(s), culture and teaching approaches into curriculum and pedagogy; and creating opportunities for everyone to understand historical contexts and contemporary realities.

They recently convened for the Working Attausikuuluta (All Together) for Excellence in Indigenous Education Conference, held in Winnipeg in early 2023.

For Roulette, who wasn’t previously familiar with the Blueprint but volunteered at the conference, the discussions were eye-opening.

“The conference was a very good experience because it brought in different people to come up with goals for the questions that are being asked, like ‘What constitutes expertise in Indigenous knowledges?’ since it doesn’t necessarily equate to colonial institutions,” says Roulette, who also lent her voice to a video featuring student voices shared at the Blueprint’s resigning. “It was awesome to see people come up with potential solutions to address these issues.”

Reconciliation in action

Also helping to advance the Blueprint’s goals is the partnership between UM and the Mastercard Foundation’s EleV Program, which is supporting thousands of Indigenous young people on their post-secondary journeys.

Strengthening collaboration between post-secondary institutions, Indigenous partners, governments and industry, drives systems change. It creates learning and work environments where Indigenous youth are no longer asked to leave their identities at the door to “fit in” but, rather, be in spaces where they belong.

“Education is the most powerful tool we have to bring about change, and the University of Manitoba is excited by the news of more collaborators joining this movement to increase representation in classrooms so that we can create meaningful and safe pathways to success,” says Michael Benarroch, President and Vice-Chancellor at UM. “Thanks to the continued efforts of the Blueprint signatories and its steering committee—and through initiatives like UM’s partnership with the Mastercard Foundation—we are working together to make Manitoba a global centre of excellence for Indigenous education, research, languages and cultures.”

Looking ahead

Coming out of the conference, three new communities of practice will advance collaboration on priority issues: affirming the rightful place of Indigenous Knowledge in academia; closing the digital divide in northern and remote communities; and credit transfer strategies to promote student mobility in Indigenous language proficiency and education. For more information on the communities of practice, or to join, email mcieb@umanitoba.ca.

Visit the Manitoba Collaborative Indigenous Education Blueprint website for more information.

“Since I was in my mom’s belly, music has been a part of my life,” says Perla, whose parents were working musicians throughout Perla’s childhood, performing and recording polka and country style band music.

It wasn’t long before her parents enlisted Perla as their newest band member.

“I would occasionally gig with them, playing the cabasa or drumkit,” she says.

It was clear that music was in her blood, but it took her a while to find the instrument that was right for her.

“I started taking violin lessons when I was four and hated it, so I tried every other instrument,” she says.

Even by the time high school rolled around, Perla had tried violin, drums, saxophone, cello, trumpet, and euphonium.

“I was interested in just about every musical instrument to exist, and have tried every family of musical instrument, now,” she says.

With armloads of formative experience and interest, Perla began getting serious about music.

“One day, I just said to myself, ‘Maybe I could do this for the rest of my life,’” she recalls.

In the faculty

After a successful cello audition, Perla joined the Desautels Faculty of Music, receiving Marcel A. Desautels Faculty of Music Scholarship, UM Guertin Centennial Entrance Scholarship, Reg and Anne Hugo Memorial Fund, Don Wright Entrance Scholarship, and a Desautels Faculty of Music Annual Scholarship Fund. Performing in the University of Manitoba Symphony Orchestra, the C-String Collective, and four different piano trio chamber ensembles, Perla definitely made an impression on those around her, even beyond her musical talent.

“Over the past four years as a cello-jury panel member, or in Chamber Music Ensembles, I’ve witnessed a rather shy, quiet cellist blossom perpetually and consistently into not only a confident musician, but also a most considerate and supportive human being.,” says Judy Kehler Siebert, Professor of Music in the Desautels Faculty of Music, and one of Perla’s chamber ensemble coaches.

“I’ve observed and enjoyed her ‘cloaked’ style of leadership: she doesn’t need to be in the limelight, but she can certainly rise to it when she understands the necessity! And when it comes to organization, leave it with Perla. It’ll get done–efficiently and ‘the right way,’” says Kehler Siebert.

“Dr. Kehler Siebert has been a mentor for almost all of my piano trios over the years and she has been a huge help in my development as a chamber music player,” says Perla of Kehler Siebert’s influence on her.

Becoming a beacon for the future of education

Her very strong background knowledge of so many different musical instruments led Perla to choose to follow a path in music education, where she will undoubtedly shine helping students explore and find the instruments that are right for THEM. The quiet leadership that Kehler Siebert saw will certainly come in handy while corralling aspiring musicians.

During her time in the faculty, Perla sought out different pedagogies and skills that would be useful for the future, and, in addition to Kehler Siebert, connected with several professors who became mentors. They have been impressed by her assiduous work ethic and commitment to learning, and who are thrilled that Perla will be training the next generation of musicians.

“Dr. Minna Rose Chung has been an amazing mentor these past four years, she has helped me learn more about discipline and dedication,” says Perla of her major practical study (MPS) instructor, an associate professor of music in the DFOM, coordinator for the University of Manitoba Symphony Orchestra, and director of the C-String Collective, an ensemble celebrating stringed instruments.

“Perla is a wonderful person and a steadfast musician,” says Chung.

“I appreciate her abilities to do the very best she can even when she is overwhelmed with coursework or, more simply, life. She is reliable, patient, optimistic, and provides great support to her fellow classmates,” Chung says of Perla’s gifts.

“Perla can do anything she sets her mind to and I am very proud of her musical accomplishments and will be at convocation to celebrate her achievements!”

Additionally, Perla worked closely with Jacquie Dawson, associate professor of music in the DFOM, conductor, and the faculty’s Director of Bands.

“Dr. Jacquie Dawson also has been an incredible professor in my music education journey and everything that I have learned about music teaching and conducting is all thanks to her,” says Perla of their work together.

“It was a pleasure working with Perla in the Instrumental Music Methods class,” says Dawson.

“She is a wonderful musician and teacher who brings a unique skill set to the field. I look forward to seeing her next steps in the profession and know she will have a meaningful impact on many students and music programs!” Dawson adds.

The final bow in the DFOM and next steps

For her final jury, the capstone performance for music education students prior to their graduation, Perla chose to play the prelude and sarabande of the third Bach Cello Suites, Saint-Saens Cello Concerto Third Movement, Andre Mehmari’s Prelúdio and Faure’s “Après un rêve.” With her jury successfully completed, Perla is reflecting on her time in the faculty and looking forward to the future.

“I plan to take a year off to work and enjoy some time off after these crazy unusual four years, and then return to the Faculty of Education to finish my education degree,” she says of her plan.

When it comes to advice for future students, her recommendations are as important for university students as they will be for her future students.

“Make friends and get involved in everything you can without overwhelming yourself!” she says.

Perla is incredibly grateful for all those who provided that early foundation and instilled in her a love of music, and for those who continued to list her up along the way.

“I would like to express my deepest gratitude my parents for always supporting me throughout this degree and my dearest partner, Jared, without whom this endeavor would not be possible,” she says.

“Also, I have to thank Jeff Kula, my high school band teacher, and Natalie Dawe, my first and only cello teacher before entering my degree, without whom none of my craft would exist,” she adds.

From the little girl gigging with her parents’ bands to the university graduate who performs cello concertos with ease, Perla has come a long way!

“I’m sad to see Perla leave,” says Kehler Siebert of losing her chamber ensemble student.

“Though this reality is commensurate with her success, and I wish her every success as she prepares to inspire the next generation of musicians!” Kehler Siebert concludes.

We agree. Congratulations, Perla! We are so proud of everything you’ve accomplished and look forward to watching you become a great music educator!