Around the Bowl: April 2026

Vice-President University Relations Cheryl Hamelin has announced her retirement from USask, effective April 30, 2026. A USask alumna, Hamelin has spent the past four years serving as VP-UR. She helped lead the most successful comprehensive campaign in the history of the university and the history of the province, raising more than $570 million through to the end of the campaign on June 18, 2025 … USask President Vince Bruni-Bossio has appointed USask alumna Kim Kroll-Goodwin as the interim VP-UR, beginning May 1, 2026. Kroll-Goodwin is currently serving as associate vice-president, development, at USask. In addition, Anu Kashyap has been named interim associate vice-president, development, effective May 1, 2026, while USask alumna Kathleen Crowther has accepted the position of senior director, development, starting April 30.

Dr. Amaranta Sokol (EdD) has been appointed acting/interim Vice-Provost, Indigenous Engagement, for a period of up to one-year, effective April 1, 2026, until March 31, 2027. She takes over from Dr. Angela Jaime (PhD), who is joining the University of Victoria as Vice-President Indigenous (VPI) this summer … Dr. Gillian Muir (DVM, PhD), a 1988 graduate of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at USask, has been re-appointed as the college’s dean for a second five-year term, beginning July 1 … In other news, Dr. Linda Chelico (PhD) has been appointed vice-dean, research (biomedical), in the College of Medicine for a term of up to five years, Dr. Scot Stone (PhD) has been named acting head of Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, and Dr. Joel Lanovaz (PhD) has been extended as associate dean, academic, in the College of Kinesiology.

USask Junior Sous Chef Aaron Luciano successfully defended his Nutrien Winter Shines YXE crown this year with the winning recipe in the soup cook-off on Feb. 18. Luciano was assisted by his USask Culinary Services team with Executive Sous Chef Alexandar Stephenson, Chef Jose Talabucon, and catering team member Azusa Fedorchuk … Department of English PhD candidate Olivia Abram has been selected as the recipient of this year’s Lesley Biggs Teaching Fellowship. The fellowship provides funding to a promising early-career instructor for a project that will help them improve or innovate as a teacher … Students in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources helped TeleMiracle 50 raise a record-breaking $10.5 million this year. More than 40 AgBio students and 15 alumni participated in Bedpush 2026 from Regina to Saskatoon on Feb. 26-28 to raise a total of $135,400, the most ever in the history of the event.