www.thomasmore.qc.ca 3405 Atwater I Montreal QC I H3H 1Y2 514.935.9585 I www.thomasmore.qc.ca I [email protected]Atwater 2017-2018 Annual Report The 2017-2018 academic year at The Thomas More Institute has brought changes leading to renewal. The most si- gnificant change came toward the end of the year with the welcome appointments of Dina Souleiman as Exec- utive Director and Jonathan Powers as Academic Direc- tor. This restructuring of these key staff roles has already helped to energize the Institute in the areas of curriculum development and promotion and marketing. Other signif- icant changes in 2017-2018 have been a resumption of direct grants from the provincial government and a clarifi- cation of the uses of copyright materials for courses, both essential to the functioning of the Institute. This Annual Report highlights some of the year-round events and activities such as the Open House, the Feast of Lights, and the annual Stratford trip, which add so much to the vital atmosphere of the Institute. The last page of this report lists the names of donors whose generous contributions help to sustain TMI’s events and activities and its forward- looking objectives. Andrew Byers, TMI Chair 2013-2018 Dina Souleiman, Executive Director [email protected]ext. 101 Jonathan Powers, Academic Director [email protected]ext. 102 Kelsey Keenan-Crépeau, Information Services Officer [email protected]ext. 104 David Faulkner, Accountant [email protected]ext. 105 Len Richman, Admissions & Accreditation [email protected]ext. 105 Jennifer MacGregor, Seniors Coordinator [email protected]ext. 103 Bridget Anthony, Administrative Assistant [email protected]ext. 100 Katie Hautakoski, Office Assistant ext.103 Contacts Benefactors ($2,000 +) Anonymous Denis, Ann Doggone Foundation Dunn, Kathleen Estate of George Aikins Fish Family Foundation Hallward, Clare Lindsay Memorial Foundation Rustin, Anthony $1,000 - $1,999 Anonymous Byers, Andrew De Neeve, Eileen Fiedler, Carol Gustav Levinschi Foundation Schouela, Daniel Tutsch, Paul J. $500 - $999 Anonymous Arnopoulos, Paris Cole, Barry Fitzgerald, Ronald Fitzpatrick, Anne Highet, Sandy Joseph, Anthony McGee, John Moreau, Diane Peace, Gregory Pratt & Whitney Schuel, Herbert $250 - $499 Anonymous Alexakis-Keefer, Katherine Amra, Munirah Belmonte, Mimi Bushell, Anna Cullen, James DeTakacsy, Mickey Domachevsky, Ron McDonough, Brian McQueen, Josephine McRobert, Laurie Menear, Irene Parfitt, Francis Pedicelli, Paula Perreault, Susan Poissant, Sharon Richman, Len Singer, Lorraine Stellabar Foundation Thakur, Hari Watt-Pubolz, Richard Members of the Institute Beverly Birkman-McKendy, M.A. Rosemary Bradley, B.Sc. Barry Cole, B.A. Eileen de Neeve, Ph.D. Patrick X. Dias, Ph. D. David Dussault, B.A. Michael M. Gibbons, Ph.D. George Gray, Ph.D. Judith Gray, M.A. Alexander Highet, B.A Peter Huish, M.A., Dip.T.R.E.S. Anthony Joseph, Morny M. Joy, Ph.D. Pierrot Lambert, B.Ph. Frederick Lawrence, Ph.D. Kathe Lieber, B.A. Laurie McRobert, Ph.D. Irene Menear, B.A. Diane Moreau, B.A. S.L.T.C. Gert Morgenstern, M.D. Robin Nish, B.A. Jennifer Patton, M.B.A. Heather Stephens, Ph.D. Governor’s Advisory Council Paul Caringella Michael F. Czerny, S.J. William V. Derby Madlyn Ferrier Elfride Kippen W. Bruce Kippen Roberta Machnik Joseph Ribkoff TMI Board of Directors Andrew Byers, B.A., Chair Len Richman, M.A., Vice-Chair Greg Peace, B.Eng., M.B.A., Treasurer Martin Baenninger, B.A., Secretary James Cullen, M.A. Ron Domachevsky, M.B.A., Dip. Mgt., EMBA Carol Fiedler, Ph.D. Anne Fitzpatrick, Ph.D. Clare Hallward, B.A. Christine Jamieson, Ph.D. Jonathan Powers, Ph.D. ex officio Daniel Schouela, M.A. Dina Souleiman, B.A. ex officio A Message from the Chair of the Board of Directors We ank Our Generous Donors The mission of the Thomas More Institute is to provide imaginative, lifelong learning to adults. Course fees cover approximately 20 percent of our costs; a Quebec grant 40 percent; and the balance must be raised through donations. For this reason, we encourage individual and corporate contributions. Donations may be made online at www.thomasmore.qc.ca, by mail, or by telephone using a credit card. Charitable donation receipts will be issued. We gratefully acknowledge the ongoing support of the Quebec Ministry of Education and Higher Education as well as those corporations and individuals who responded to our financial appeal from June 1, 2017 – May 31, 2018. Up to $249 Anonymous Abrams, Judy Anstead, Jennifer Baenninger, Martin Baltuch, Siegmar Benazon, Ophra Boeckh, Janet Brooker, Jeanette Carley, Moira Charnutzky, Carole Choksi, Shernaz Curran, Eileen Danby-Smith, Michael David, Anita Dawes, Milton Dawson, Julie Desjardins, Phillip Durivage, Therese Enright, Bob Ferrier, Madlyn Fortier, Pierre Frumkin, Harvey Gendron, Carol Gilsdorf, William Godon, Clare Griffin, Margaret Griffin-Donovan, Bernadette Hainey, Ada Hedlin, Paul Hollander, Jane Kaplan, Flora Kippen, Elfride Krishtalka, Henie Latour, Emile Lawand, Stella Legault, Patricia Lloyd, Johannah Lo Giudice, Antonietta Lorraine, Francois Mareschal, Genevieve Martinez, Giovanna Matura, Nusia (Leokadia) McGee, Agnes Morgenstern, Gert Mulcahy, Avril Muncs, Konrad Murphy, Eileena Nonen, Daniel Pantazopoulos, Anthony Papke, Clifford Perrault, Roger Powers, Jonathan Rogers, Thomas Rousseau, Jacques Roy, Helene Sacconaghi, Antonio Schmidt, Josef Sentenne, Justine Sheppard, Sylvia Sidorow, Alice Stern, Judiann Stewart Sharp, Graham Tarasofsky, Joseph Taylor, Charles Terefe, Estifanos Thomson, Jane Tokarsky, Suzanne Tremblay, Roger Tritt, Michael Turin, Isabelle Vien, Francoise Waddington, Elaine Weinke, Annemarie White, Debrah TMI Governance
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www.thomasmore.qc.ca
3405 Atwater I Montreal QC I H3H 1Y2 514.935.9585 I www.thomasmore.qc.ca I [email protected]
Atwater
2017-2018 Annual Report
The 2017-2018 academic year at The Thomas More Institutehas brought changes leading to renewal. The most si-gnifi cant change came toward the end of the year with the welcome appointments of Dina Souleiman as Exec-utive Director and Jonathan Powers as Academic Direc-tor. This restructuring of these key staff roles has already helped to energize the Institute in the areas of curriculum development and promotion and marketing. Other signif-icant changes in 2017-2018 have been a resumption of
direct grants from the provincial government and a clarifi -cation of the uses of copyright materials for courses, both essential to the functioning of the Institute. This Annual Report highlights some of the year-round events and activities such as the Open House, the Feast of Lights, and the annual Stratford trip, which add so much to the vital atmosphere of the Institute. The last page of this report lists the names of donors whose generous contributions help to sustain TMI’s events and activities and its forward-looking objectives.
Benefactors ($2,000 +)AnonymousDenis, AnnDoggone FoundationDunn, KathleenEstate of George AikinsFish Family FoundationHallward, ClareLindsay Memorial FoundationRustin, Anthony
$1,000 - $1,999AnonymousByers, AndrewDe Neeve, EileenFiedler, CarolGustav Levinschi Foundation Schouela, DanielTutsch, Paul J.
Members of the Institute Beverly Birkman-McKendy, M.A. Rosemary Bradley, B.Sc. Barry Cole, B.A. Eileen de Neeve, Ph.D. Patrick X. Dias, Ph. D. David Dussault, B.A. Michael M. Gibbons, Ph.D. George Gray, Ph.D. Judith Gray, M.A. Alexander Highet, B.A Peter Huish, M.A., Dip.T.R.E.S. Anthony Joseph,Morny M. Joy, Ph.D. Pierrot Lambert, B.Ph. Frederick Lawrence, Ph.D.
governor’s Advisory Council Paul CaringellaMichael F. Czerny, S.J. William V. Derby Madlyn Ferrier Elfride Kippen W. Bruce KippenRoberta Machnik Joseph Ribkoff
A Message from the Chair of the Board of Directors
We Th ank Our Generous Donors
The mission of the Thomas More Institute is to provide imaginative, lifelong learning to adults. Course fees cover approximately 20 percent of our costs; a Quebec grant 40 percent; and the balance must be raised through donations. For this reason, we encourage individual and corporate contributions. Donations may be made online at www.thomasmore.qc.ca, by mail, or by telephone using a credit card. Charitable donation receipts will be issued.
We gratefully acknowledge the ongoing support of the Quebec Ministry of Education and Higher Education as well as those corporations and individuals who responded to our fi nancial appeal from June 1, 2017 – May 31, 2018.
Volunteers and StaffThis past year, the Thomas More Institute had over 100 volunteers comprising course leaders, course designers and administrative support. These valu-able volunteers gave many thousands of hours to-wards the TMI’s mission and their time and com-mitment demonstrate the unwavering uniqueness of the institute. Also, this year we saw the hiring of new staff: Dina Souleiman as Executive Director, Jonathan Powers as Academic Director and Kelsey Keenan as Information Services Officer, all signaling a new initiative at TMI to explore some innovative approaches to the organization.
Activities and EventsThe Thomas More Associates, Thomas More Research Centre, and Thomas More Institute all or-ganize extra-curricular activities and events that provide occasions for the TMI community to meet. In 2017-2018 such activities included the annual Stratford Theatre Tour, the Open House, the Feast of Lights and the annual Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon. Academic events included two Lead-er refreshment workshops; co-sponsorship (with the Liberal Arts program @ Vanier College and the Liberal Arts College @ Concordia University) of the third annual Montreal Liberal Arts Colloqui-um; Dr. Johanne Party’s presentation, The Science and the Art of Science; Dr. Joan Kahn’s presenta-tion, Metaresearch: A Bird’s Eye View of Research as a Sub-Culture; and two presentations by Pamela Grimaud on The Forties and Sixties in Fashion.
MissionThe Thomas More Institute (TMI) is a secular, liberal arts academic institution that offers adults of all ages opportunities to explore a wide variety of topics in university-level discussion courses. TMI is dedicated to the principal that learning is a lifelong process and that people learn best from each other by listening, question-ing and dis-cussing in an environment where all perspectives are welcome.
Our outreach programs and special education events are designed to nurture curiosity, learn-ing and social engagement, particularly for those who may feel socially isolated or for those seek-ing a different approach to education. TMI’s varied courses and activities are offered with the belief that intelligent inquiry and critical reflec-tion are central to community and well-being.
Students who seek an alternative method of education have the opportunity to earn a Comprehensive Certificate from TMI or a Bachelor of Arts degree through TMI’s affiliation with Bishop’s University. Whether taking courses for credit or for pleasure, participants develop a stronger sense of community belonging, a new or renewed passion for lifelong learning and tolerance for other perspective.
MethodThroughout the year, dedicated volunteers, supported by a talented team of staff members, design and lead a wide range of credit and non-credit courses in the liberal arts. New courses are designed every year so that material is fresh and topical. Students are provided with a carefully selected and sequenced texts offering different perspectives on the questions and theme of the course. Readings are drawn from traditional liberal arts sources in literature, history, philosophy, as well as the latest writings in politics, science and social studies, to name a few. Trained leaders guide the class in questioning and discussing the material.
Programming 2017-2018RegistrationsA total of 40 courses were offered this past year in Montreal, Pointe Claire and Gatineau. Thirty-one were newly designed and we had a total of 451 student registrations. Seniors, age 65 and older, represented 75% of the student enrollment.
Seniors OutreachWith the financial support of the Lindsay Memorial Founda-tion the Thomas More Seniors Outreach program has been serving the community for over 40 years. In 2017 - 2018 we offered courses in a total of sixteen senior residences and drop-in centres to over 212 senior participants. The thematic discussion for this year was Montreal Voices: Celebrating 375 years – a historical, literary and artistic exploration of Montreal. Also, during Spring 2018 we were able to introduce two new off island locations: one in the lower Laurentians and the other in Vaudreuil.
2017-2018 COuRSES
TMI – Downtown Montreal FAll
Decoding Abstract ArtDistilled Design: The Art of the PosterThe Last Stand of the Roman RepublicLa mythologie grecque : Une sagesse à retrouverIslam: Visions, Voices, and VeilsDetecting the NoirGoodbye, Great Britain?More About OperaSoli Deo Gloria: The Life and Times of J.S. BachAfter the Fall: When History Went Off ScriptDemocracy and DemagoguesNew Religious Movements of the Roman Empire: Early Christianity and Rabbinic JudaismThe Reformation: 500 Years LaterThe Hidden Life of TreesHumanoid Robots: How Will Artificial Intelligence Reshape our Society and Economy?The Past and Future of HumankindSocial Issues RoundtableImaginative Poetry WritingCreative Non-Fiction Writing Workshop wInTER
The Last Stand of the Roman RepublicGreek Mythology: A Wisdom to RediscoverNo Hiding Place: Ethics and ResistanceWhere East Meets West: The Mediterranean World in the High Middle AgesDickens Looking Out and Looking In: Social Critique and Subjectivity in the NovelThe Classical Style: W.A. Mozart and FriendsPassion Transmuted: The Work and Play of SublimationReading Dante: A Pilgrim’s JourneyHow Ideas Advance: Creativity and Its CultivationBasic Essay WritingMemoir Writing SpRIng
Lunatics and Lovers: Screwball versus Romantic ComedyAmerican Dreams, American Nightmares: The Immigrant Experience in LiteratureVirginia Woolf: Practitioner and Theorist of Literary ModernismJung’s Mysterious “Red Book”Philosophy and the Tragic VisionSur les traces de Darwin : Ses Origines et sa filiationTMI – pointe ClaireRewriting India: The Emerging VisionTMI – gatineauJusqu’où ira l’intelligence artificielle?Le libre-échange, un gage de prospérité pour tous?
