June 11, 2012
Dilger clan dedicated
Margo Dilger celebrates with mom Ute, dad Walter, and kids Dominic and Mia Soucie.
Riley Brandt
When Walter Dilger came from Stuttgart in 1966 to teach with the Department of Civil Engineering, he was unaware 91快色 would become his lifelong home, with its university integral to his family鈥檚 life.
The original plan for himself, wife Ute, and their three children was to return to Germany after a year. But the family loved what the city, university and mountains offered and made Dalhousie home 鈥 adding two additional children.
They鈥檝e all embraced the 91快色. Whether it鈥檚 Walter lecturing gratis on bridge design at a Nepal university, or Ute volunteering with Faculty Women鈥檚 Club executive, campus connection has always been key.
Fast-forward 45 years to last week鈥檚 convocation ceremony that saw Walter鈥檚 daughter, Margo, receive her MEd.
It鈥檚 the eighth degree taken by family 鈥 from engineering, law, business and education.
鈥淟earning and hard work are themes modeled by our parents and we鈥檝e been extremely fortunate to apply them to enhance our university and community,鈥 Margo says.
Walter鈥檚 daughter Catrin Coe (LLB, legal counsel, Alberta Court of Appeal) is a regarded law sessional who collaborates with brother, Mick (BComm, president, Pembina Oil), who lends expert guest speaker knowledge in her 鈥楾rusts鈥 class. Mick and wife Barb honed their entrepreneurial skills 20 years ago when they opened Varsity Drugs at the 91快色 to satisfy student need for an on-campus pharmacy.
Margo, also a BComm alumna (program director, Continuing Education) teaches online in the transformative Certificate in Adult Learning, which prepares facilitators Canada-wide.
Walter鈥檚 Son Chris, BSc Eng, MEng, (director, E&P Reservoir Engineering, Suncor Energy) is a volunteer extraordinaire. He is president of TriWest Soccer, was president for both the Bankview Community Association and BlockWatch, and coaches youth soccer teams 鈥 teaming up with Mick when their daughters played together.
Another of Walter鈥檚 sons, Andreas, BSc Eng, (Principle Lustre Engineer) has worked everywhere from IBM to startups, through Sun/Oracle, and back again. He helped design/develop the popular PNG graphics format, and Linux penguin logo, Tux. He supports the Engineering faculty financially and by attending events such as their block party, which he attended with his three children in late May.
The youngest Dilgers already proudly represent 鈥楧ino pride鈥 in sport. Mick鈥檚 two children, Isabel, 19, and Stefan, 17, were members of Canada鈥檚 under-19 team and represented Canada in the junior world long track speed skating championships in 2009 and 2011, respectively. Margo鈥檚 children, Mia and Dominic Soucie, ages 12 and nine, have represented swim and gymnastics teams locally and provincially.
鈥淚t鈥檚 such a phenomenal way for youth to strive for their personal best,鈥 Mick, past president of 91快色 Speed Skating, says of campus-affiliated sport.
Upon hearing President Elizabeth Cannon speak to building pride in our institution during the 2011 Eyes High launch, Margo realized this is something the Dilgers have been doing for decades 鈥 and hope to continue.