Back To School 2019

From the science of gym workouts to Indigenous arts and hacker culture, a crop of new courses are being offered this year at the �ؿ�ζSM Mississauga.

Here are some of the unique offerings:

Science of workouts

“If you’ve ever wondered why your resting heart rate goes down after you’ve started exercising regularly, this is the course for you,” says Bryan Stewart, a professor in cell and systems biology, of a new course that sees fourth-year biology students ditch the science lab for the gym.

Developed in partnership with U of T Mississauga’s Recreation, Athletics and Wellness Centre, Advanced Integrative Physiology is a new course that asks how physiological systems adapt to a variety of situations such as training, altitude, temperature and underwater environments.

“Students will learn how to take physiological measurements, like an electrocardiogram (ECG), to measure heart function and then apply those skills to subjects exercising on the treadmill or stationary bike,” Stewart says.

“It should be lot of fun and a chance to learn some practical skills too.”

Indigenous art in Canada

“I believe there is no better way to understand what a nation values than through its art,” says Assistant Professor Maria Hupfield of a new visual studies course that explores how Indigenous cultural knowledge has shaped modern Canadian culture, identity and art.

Hupfield, who is an artist and Anishinaabe-kew of Wasauksing First Nation, is teaching Introduction to Indigenous Art in Canada, a second-year course offered by the department of visual studies.

“Students invested in the future will benefit by learning why and how to be accountable members of a society, and to act as an accomplice in solidarity through the arts with Indigenous Peoples leading the movement for self-determination in Canada,” Hupfield says.

The course examines issues of place, territory, colonial policies and social movements related to the creation and collection of Indigenous art and art markets, including the contributions of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.

“For my class, introducing students to best practices, beginning with how to acknowledge the local hosts and people whose territory we are on at UTM, will give them a strong foundation moving forward,” she says, adding that she will welcome a selection of guest speakers over the winter semester.

“Students will have an opportunity to meet and learn directly from professionals working at the cutting edge of Indigenous material culture and knowledge.”

HackerU

A new second-year course offered by U of T Mississauga's Institute of Communications, Culture, Information and Technology (ICCIT) examines how hackers shape entrepreneurship, free speech, surveillance and intellectual property.

Hacker Culture examines the role hackers play in the evolution of computing and the politics of digital media.

“Hollywood portrays hackers either as computer savvy, modern-day Robin Hoods (Mr. Robot, 2015), or as accidental heroes (Tron, 1982), while the general public deem them as just plain dangerous,” says ICCIT chair Rhonda McEwen.

“Wherever the truth lies, you will love this course that delves into the counter-culture of computation through an examination of hackers – who they are, why they do it, what they can teach you about living in the digital age.”

Ready for crime time

From the crime scene to the courtroom, The Real Law and Order investigates how forensic evidence and scientific methods hold up in court to become admissible evidence.

Open to all students, the course explores how forensic sciences contribute to exonerations, and addresses the impact of popular media portrayals on juror expectations, knowledge and misconceptions.

Urban explorers

A new third-year course offered by the department of geography might be right up your alley: Exploring Urban Neighbourhoods takes students into local neighbourhoods to learn first-hand how identity and place shape one another.

Students will conduct fieldwork in urban neighbourhoods to learn more about how social, cultural, political and economic processes unfold and are shaped by local context.

I, Robot

The department of mathematical & computational sciences offers a selection of new robotics courses beginning in the fall of 2019.

Students enrolled in Introduction to Mobile Robotics will focus on the computational side of robotic systems, tackling problems and solutions in practice and research. A third-year course, Programming Mechatronic Systems, offers the chance to build mobile robot and control software.

Five incoming students at U of T's Faculty of Law – and why these women chose to study law

noreen.rasbach — Mon, 09 Sep 2019 04:00:00 +0000

Five incoming students at U of T's Faculty of Law – and why these women chose to study law

noreen.rasbach Mon, 09/09/2019 - 00:00

Cutline

Five of the incoming students at the Faculty of Law: from left, Hunter Carlson, Julia Pimentel, Ifrah Farah, Elsie Tellier and Alina Valachi

Topic

Meet five new members of the Class of 2022 at the �ؿ�ζSM’s Faculty of Law. They are women who took very different paths to end up at the same destination – law school.

Hunter Carlson

Growing up in Domain, Man., a tiny rural town just south of Winnipeg, Hunter Carlson never considered studying law.

“Absolutely not,” she says. “For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a biologist. I didn’t think much beyond that while I was doing my undergrad.”

She was so serious about biology, she pursued an honours degree and spent a year researching the impacts of environmental change on vulnerable aquatic species in Manitoba’s Delta Marsh. The strength of her thesis and high academic standing earned her two prestigious undergraduate prizes, including an Aboriginal NSERC award for her research in biology. Carlson is a Red River Métis.

“I really enjoyed the data analysis. I loved doing the stats and I loved writing the thesis, but I wanted to see where it would go afterwards, because I did find some statistically significant results during my research,” Carlson says. “I was interested in the application on policy and conservation management. But what I learned was that as a scientist, that was beyond my jurisdiction.”

That revelation threw Carlson’s lifelong plans into disarray. Knowing that just doing research would never satisfy her and that she wanted to see how her research would effect change forced her to carefully consider other options. “That led me to become interested in law school,” she says. “I wasn’t sure I’d be able to make the switch. It was about a year-long process of deciding that’s what I wanted and studying for the LSAT.”

At the same time, Carlson began working as a research associate for the Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources — a First Nation-directed nonprofit supporting sustainable Indigenous communities. “That was a really nice segue into switching out of science and into law,” she says.

Ifrah Farah

While most of her future law school classmates were working on their undergraduate degrees, Ifrah Farah was working to help her single mother support her seven younger siblings. The eldest daughter of parents who came to Canada as refugees from Somalia, Farah did a variety of jobs, including answering phones at a call centre, and handling security at shopping malls.

“I was raised in a single-parent household, and while school was a priority for me, helping out with my family took precedence,” she says.

Farah’s focus changed when she turned 23. She’d been a good student in high school, but felt anxious about returning to university after so many years away. With the help of U of T’s Academic Bridging Program, she completed one introductory summer class and enrolled in a bachelor’s program the following fall. She chose political science as her major.

“Hearing stories from my mom and relatives about what they experienced in Somalia, I always had an interest in figuring out how that happened,” she says. “I wanted to learn what contributes to a state’s collapse. I felt like it was a problem I wanted to solve, and hopefully go back to Somalia and be a part of the change and try to fix it.”

Farah, who’d grown up in a devout Muslim community in suburban Toronto, decided to double minor in anthropology and religion. She became involved at the campus Multi-Faith Centre, where part of her work shone a light on anti-Black sentiment within the Muslim community. “I encountered a lot of racism when I was in Islamic school as a child,” she says. “That surprised me and hurt me, because my identity as a Muslim was always so important to me.”

Among the issues that came up was the lack of Black student representation on the executive team of the Muslim Students’ Association and a general sense of under-representation among Muslim students on campus clubs. That led to the creation of a new community, the Muslim Justice Collective.

Julia Pimentel

As the only child of a Brazilian diplomat and his wife, Julia Pimentel has lived an adventurous life. Her father’s job took the family from Italy to Brazil to the U.S., India and South Africa.

Even as a child, Pimentel was keenly aware that she was lucky and that her life could easily have been very different. “I was 12 and going to school in India, at an American school that had gates,” she says. “From the car going to school, I could see people outside who could have had even better opportunities than I had, but didn’t have them.”

That upbringing and its inherent privileges and pitfalls shaped the core of what drives Pimentel today. While her life as a “citizen of the world” left her more fluent in English than Portuguese and more familiar with European history than that of Brazil, it also left her unsettled and searching for a country she could really call home. “It has felt a bit rootless at times,” Pimentel says. “It’s sometimes hard to say I’m 100 per cent Brazilian because I just haven’t had the same experiences as someone my age in Brazil has.”

Pimentel’s sense of dislocation continued after she completed an undergraduate degree in London, and a master’s in journalism in New York. It also fuelled her desire to help refugees and immigrants – especially women – because in her own way, she identified with them.

Law school offered a way to make an impact. Canada’s open and diverse society appealed to her. And she came to know and love Toronto while her parents were posted here.

“U of T was my number one choice by far,” she says. “The clinics and the practical experience that the law school offered, not just on campus but all over the city, got me most excited.”

Alina Valachi

For Alina Valachi, the second time was the charm. Valachi, 37, had applied to the Faculty of Law once before, drawn by its specialized joint JD/MSW (Juris Doctor/Master of Social work) program. And although she wasn’t admitted, she was determined to try again.

“I truly pursued this joint degree because of the opportunities it offers to collaborate,” she says, referring, in her case, to the field of domestic violence, and the disconnect she observed in the professions involved. “I wanted to do a law degree to be able to bridge that gap.”

The roots of Valachi’s passion are deep and personal. She spent her childhood in Romania, ruled by a dictatorship that criminalized birth control and abortion. Both her mother and grandmother went to dangerous lengths to terminate unwanted pregnancies – her grandmother jumped off a roof. “They performed self-induced abortions. They didn’t feel safe visiting a doctor,” she says.

When she was 12, the family immigrated to Canada, settling in Montreal. But resettlement was difficult and both her parents began experiencing mental health challenges. By the time she enrolled in an electrical engineering program at McGill, Valachi’s father had become emotionally and physically violent with her and her mother. She found solace and support in her job at the university chaplaincy service, and in extracurricular volunteer positions.

“I guess as I was experiencing these challenges in my personal life, community work and the opportunity it offered me to build healthy relationships and create space for me to feel valued and respected, that became a lifeline for me,” she says.

Valachi completed her engineering degree but never pursued the profession. Instead, she moved to Ontario and began working in the social services field, first with the John Howard Society and then the Coalition for Persons with Disabilities. She earned a bachelor’s in social work and went to work at the Rexdale Women’s Centre, helping victims and perpetrators of domestic violence.

“I realized many of the victims were newcomers and didn’t have the legal knowledge they needed to safely exit the violent situations they were in,” she says. “As a social worker, I felt like I didn’t have the ability to support them with their legal issues.”

After volunteering at Toronto’s Barbara Schlifer clinic for abused women, Valachi decided she liked its collaborative model, but she wanted to improve on it. The JD/MSW is her path.

“I have a dream of taking it further,” she says. “I want to help agencies build collaborative approaches to ending domestic violence. I would love to see doctors and lawyers and social workers coming together in a close network to help members of this disadvantaged community.”

Elsie Tellier

A life-threatening diagnosis would knock plenty of people down. Elsie Tellier, who got hers at age 12, aimed for the stars instead.

“I was pretty single-minded,” says the Harvard graduate who learned she had cystic fibrosis after years of battling debilitating, misidentified illness. “My life expectancy is better than what I thought it would be when I was 12. But on that first day, when I was told most people with CF don’t live past 30, I decided I needed a goal.”

Telllier’s mother died at her birth. She and her sister were raised by their father and their aunt, a physician who moved to Winnipeg from Mexico to help care for them. Growing up, she’d miss long stretches of school due to sickness, but she flourished nonetheless.

“When you’re sick I’d say you’re out of sync all the time. I dedicated myself to doing my school work and being home with my family,” she says.

A supportive community and modern technology helped. “Our school had one iPad from the library and my teachers would Skype me into class. My classmates would literally pass me down the hallway, transferring the iPad from class to class.”

At Harvard, Tellier resurrected and rebranded the school’s Disability Alliance after she learned, first-hand, that the university’s accommodations were severely lacking, and in some cases, illegally so. “Every other disabled student I found had a similarly bad experience. People were suing,” she says. “My first week, I ended up speaking to the dean of the college. I went straight to the top.”

Her leadership was so consequential, Tellier was recognized with a Harvard Foundation Award last year. She’s a force on social media as well. Her posts, tweets and snaps address everything from faith in the LGBTQ community, to travelling while disabled and to how to make a fashion statement with a wheelchair.

“My two main interests are child protection and disability rights,” says Tellier, who addressed both in her undergraduate thesis, which studied Manitoban foster parents and their experiences fostering Indigenous children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. “I’ve always seen law as a really helpful way of being an activist. I want to sink my teeth more directly into the issues I care about.”

Exactly how she’ll do it, Tellier isn’t sure. But her track record proves she’s pretty good with goals. “If I can just work on specific cases and help even a few people, that’s enough for me.”

For the Class of ’23, 23 suggestions for things to do before you graduate

noreen.rasbach — Mon, 09 Sep 2019 04:00:00 +0000

For the Class of ’23, 23 suggestions for things to do before you graduate noreen.rasbach Mon, 09/09/2019 - 00:00

Isabel Armiento

Topic

City & Culture

Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy

Astronomy & Astrophysics

Graduate Students

Hart House

Hart House Theatre

Theatre Erindale

Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre

U of T Libraries

U of T Scarborough

University College

Varsity Blues

Victoria College

The �ؿ�ζSM is a large community, so it can be easy to let exciting opportunities pass you by while here. Whether you’re new to U of T or getting ready to graduate, try these 23 tips for a fun-filled university experience – or use them as inspiration to create a bucket list of your own.

(photo by Ken Jones)

1. Join the ranks of students who #BleedBlue and cheer on the Varsity Blues at a sports game. With 44 Varsity teams competing in 26 sports, there’s something for every sports fan.

2. Audition for a campus play. While it may sound intimidating, theatre troupes such as the Victoria College Drama Society, UTM Drama Club, UTSC Drama Society and many others welcome total beginners. For all you wannabe thespians, this may be your chance to score a callback – and maybe even land a role.

(Photo courtesy of U of T Scarborough)

3. Check out the daily specials at Nasir’s Gourmet Hot Dog stand. Boasting low prices and rave reviews, this U of T Scarborough establishment is a student staple.

4. Treat yourself by taking an elective that’s purely for fun. Choose a course that’ll actually get you excited about homework. Some examples: If you’re obsessed with fantasy then pore over The Lord of the Rings in Tolkien's Middle Ages (U of T Scarborough), or if you’d prefer to spend an evening watching RuPaul’s Drag Race, then Queer Popular Culture (St. George campus) might be for you.

(Photo courtesy of U of T Scarborough)

5. Visit the Farmers' Market at U of T Scarborough to buy fresh, locally sourced jams, honey, veggies, meats and more and debunk the myth that U of T students subsist entirely on food truck fries.

6. Take academics to new heights by studying for finals in a suspended pod at the Leslie L. Dan Pharmacy Building – or to new depths by taking your books to the Library Mindfulness Space at U of T Scarborough.

(photo by David Lee)

7. Get an authentic tri-campus experience by riding the UTM Shuttle (which is free for all U of T Mississauga students).

8. Attend a campus formal. Even if dances aren’t your thing, think of it as a rare opportunity to shed your sweatpants-and-a-T-shirt student aesthetic in favour of something chic.

Theatre Erindale is the production company of the theatre and drama studies program at U of T Mississauga (photo by Paul Orenstein)

9. Watch a show at a campus theatre, such as Hart House Theatre at the St. George campus or Theatre Erindale at U of T Mississauga. Tickets are often discounted for students – bonus points if you score free tickets by writing a review for a campus newspaper. Plays range from Shakespearean tragedies like Portia’s Julius Caesar to cult classics like The Rocky Horror Show, both featured in Hart House’s upcoming 2019/2020 season.

10. Visit Diabolos’ Coffee Bar at the University College Junior Common Room to grab a coffee – or, for that matter, lunch. With selections ranging from Nutella lattes to butter chicken, this café will satisfy any midday craving you might have.

U of T Service of Remembrance at the foot of the Soldiers’ Tower (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

11. Attend a Remembrance Day ceremony at Soldiers' Tower for a moving recitation of U of T alumnus John McCrae’s iconic poem In Flanders Fields. Remembrance Day services are held on all three campuses.

U of T Scarborough students play a game of quidditch (photo by Ken Jones)

12. Compete in the Canadian Quidditch League (yes, they use actual brooms) by joining one of U of T’s quidditch teams.

13. Listen to a carillon concert in Hart House Circle. There are 51 bells making up the carillon, and they range in weight from 23 pounds to four tons.

The Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre at U of T Scarborough (photo by Ken Jones)

14. Take a gorgeous dip in Hart House’s pool. With its columns, vaulted ceilings and skylight, you’ll feel like you’re in Rome. Alternatively, pretend you’re a world-class athlete and go for a swim in one of the Olympic-size pools at U of T Scarborough’s Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre.

15. Attend a campus trivia night – after all, university students like nothing better than proving how smart they are. Impress your professors at a faculty trivia night or join a trivia club like the one at U of T Scarborough for a longer-term commitment.

(Photo courtesy of U of T Student Life)

16. Train with a niche intramural sports team (or start your own) – there are a variety of options to choose from, ranging from ultimate Frisbee to cricket.

17. Experience outer space without leaving campus with AstroTours. Offered by the department of astronomy and astrophysics, each tour includes star-gazing through the McLennan Physical Laboratories’ telescopes, as well as a trip to U of T’s planetarium.

18. Venture beyond Robarts and study at least once in each of U of T’s more than 40 libraries. Hot tip: It is often easier to get the latest bestseller at U of T Libraries than it is to wait months on hold at the Toronto Public Library.

(photo by Paul Orenstein)

19. Experience U of T’s natural beauty. Plan a picnic at one of U of T’s scenic quads or a hike through a U of T Mississauga or U of T Scarborough trail. You might even encounter the local wildlife – it’s seemingly impossible to avoid spotting a deer on a walk through U of T Mississauga.

20. Hang out with a prof during an Engaging Faculty Event at U of T Mississauga. These events offer students the perfect opportunity to get to know campus faculty and staff, whether it’s through a scenic nature walk across campus trails or a quirky The Office-themed murder mystery.

(photo by Laura Pedersen)

21. Wander through Philosopher’s Walk and have a deep philosophical debate. Or an existential crisis. Or an ethical dilemma. Or an afternoon nap.

22. There's a lot to do at Hart House, but here's a practical suggestion: Think about getting a haircut there.

23. Write for a campus newspaper or magazine. Join the ranks of U of T’s journalistic goliaths like The Varsity (tri-campus) or The Medium (U of T Mississauga) – or if you’re feeling creative, try a literary journal such as The Spectatorial or a satire paper like The Boundary.

Canadian senator inspires aspiring change-makers at Master of Social Work orientation

geoff.vendeville — Fri, 06 Sep 2019 15:04:44 +0000

Canadian senator inspires aspiring change-makers at Master of Social Work orientation

geoff.vendeville Fri, 09/06/2019 - 11:04

Cutline

Senator Wanda Thomas Bernard shared lessons learned over a lifetime in social work at the introductory conference for Master of Social Work students (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Geoffrey Vendeville

Topic

City & Culture

Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work

Graduate Students

Orientation

On just the second day of their lives as Master of Social Work students, the new class at the �ؿ�ζSM listened to a leader in the field, Senator Wanda Thomas Bernard, share insights learned over a lifetime of breaking barriers and making change.

Speaking at Hart House on Thursday, Bernard described her journey from East Preston, N.S., where she grew up in “absolute poverty,” to Dalhousie University and the hallowed halls of the Canadian Senate. Her talk was part of an introductory conference at which students heard directly from social workers in fields as varied as policy, child welfare and health equity for immigrants and refugees.

One of the key messages from the opening remarks at the conference was how personal experiences and values inform one’s practice as a social worker. Dexter Voisin, who joined the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work as dean this summer after two decades at the University of Chicago, told the audience his social work practice and research are inextricably linked to his “multiple identities” – as a black male, an immigrant to the U.S. and now Canada and as a person from a working-class family growing up with middle-class values.

Dean Dexter Voisin speaks to students at Hart House (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

On the road to becoming a psychologist, he stumbled into social work and served clients caught in a web of trauma, substance abuse and HIV. That work led him to take on a PhD in social work at Columbia University to study intersectional trauma and address a practice and research gap he found in the literature.

For Bernard, it was experiences of racism and sexism that led her to pursue change she wanted to see in the world. She urged the class of social work students to make positive changes in their communities too. “If not us, who? If not now, when?” she said.

Her father, a construction worker, was killed in car accident on a Labour Day weekend when she was 12 years old, leaving her mother to care for her and her nine brothers and sisters. Her mother had wanted to be a teacher but her education was cut short at Grade 8. Instead she worked the “only job she could get,” Bernard said, as a domestic.

Bernard lost her father just a few days before starting classes in a non-segregated school, where people doubted her ability simply because of the colour of her skin. She said she had to work three times harder to overcome prejudice and get ahead.

At just 15, she started at Mount Saint Vincent University.

She has spent much of her career combating the barriers and injustices that she had encountered. She was a founding member and president of the Association of Black Social Workers, which pushed for legislation to improve the welfare of Black families and child services. She was the first African Nova Scotian hired to a tenure-track position at Dalhousie in 1990, became the director of the School of Social Work and led initiatives on diversity and inclusion at the university.

Meanwhile, she conducted research with Black men and racism, particularly surrounding their experiences in the criminal justice system.

She was named to the Senate by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2016. She told the audience she brings a “social work and social justice lens” to debates. Her work on Parliament Hill led her to visit 30 prisons in a study documenting the over-representation of minorities in jail.

Master of Social Work students mingle during a break at Thursday's orientation conference at Hart House (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Despite her accomplishments, Bernard told students she was often frustrated by the slow pace of reform. “When you’re in the moment, you don’t see that change happening,” she said. “It’s like a little pebble in the sea.”

She encouraged the aspiring social workers in the room to bring an open mind and an intersectional lens to their research. “Think about community engagement, think about activism, how you use your voices,” she added.

Samiha Sharif says she was inspired by Bernard’s call to action. The new Master of Social Work student came to U of T from McGill, where she majored in international development. She applied to the program to learn how to better serve marginalized communities such as the Inuit youth she worked with in northern Quebec.

“I found her an electrifying speaker,” Sharif said about Bernard.

“I don’t really meet people in positions of power who look like me or who have similar backgrounds, ever. To have a conference that opens with somebody who talks about where they started, who talks about what it's like to be a woman who people usually pass over, who talks about the fact that we have to work three times harder but that it’s worth it – that’s important.

“I feel like I’m in the right place and the right program,” she said.

A sea of colour and energy: Tri-Campus Parade and Clubs Carnival welcome U of T's Class of '23

davidlee1 — Thu, 05 Sep 2019 14:05:51 +0000

A sea of colour and energy: Tri-Campus Parade and Clubs Carnival welcome U of T's Class of '23

davidlee1 Thu, 09/05/2019 - 10:05

Cutline

The �ؿ�ζSM's Varsity Stadium during orientation week's Cheer-Off held Wednesday afternoon (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Rahul Kalvapalle

Topic

City & Culture

John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture

Graduate Students

Innis College

Meric Gertler

St. Michael's College

U of T Scarborough

Sexual Violence Prevention & Support Centre

University College

Victoria College

Woodsworth College

The �ؿ�ζSM was abuzz with excitement Wednesday as orientation activities got into full swing, with the highly anticipated Tri-Campus Parade and Clubs Carnival welcoming incoming students.

The tone for the day was set prior to the parade, with students from all three campuses gathering in Varsity Stadium for 2019's Cheer-Off, trading chants, cheers and banter.

The parade then set out on its route along Bloor, Yonge and College Streets before emerging at King’s College Circle for the Clubs Carnival, with students lapping up the opportunity to learn about campus clubs and groups covering every interest from fencing and Ukrainian heritage to bioethics and poker.

"Everyone's so welcoming, kind and supportive," said Sarah Abdelgalil, a first-year life sciences student at U of T Mississauga who attended the parade. "I’m the type of kid who’s really shy, but when people around me are filling the air with energy, I like to fill the air with energy as well and make new friends."

President Meric Gertler, who mingled with students at the Clubs Carnival, said "the energy level seems to be particularly high this year, and you can feel the enthusiasm.

"It’s a great incoming class and I’m looking forward to getting to know them and seeing what they can get up to.”

President Gertler encouraged students to take full advantage of their time at U of T.

“One of the remarkable things about U of T is how many opportunities there are for extracurricular and co-curricular engagement with clubs and groups to suit every interest,” he said. “It’s a great way for students to meet people other than folks who are in their program or residence or people they already knew when they arrived. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to begin to build your co-curricular record, which increasingly becomes important when you look for a job or apply for graduate school.”

Here are some images of the day by photographer Nick Iwanyshyn:

"My parents went to U of T Scarborough so it kind of runs in the family,” said first-year student Dylan Rapanan. Rapanan added that he was drawn to U of T Scarborough by the reputation of its computer science co-op program and the campus’s proximity to his home.

"St. Mike's is the best and the people here are amazing," said first-year political science student Jonathan Shu (third from left) of St. Michael's College. "The vibe is incredible. I'm having so much fun today."

Woodsworth College orientation leaders pose with flags from around the world during the Cheer-Off at Varsity Stadium. "It's a lot of playful banter with the other colleges but they're all good people," said Danielle Linder (front row, centre), who moved to Toronto from Mexico City and is entering her third year studying anthropology and political science.

Students from Victoria College make their voices heard at the Cheer-Off as an orientation leader urges them on.

Orientation leaders represent U of T Mississauga during the Cheer-Off. “I chose UTM because I personally love the campus – it's surrounded by nature and it's so beautiful," said first-year student Sarah Abdelgalil.

Students from the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education chant in unison during the Cheer-Off.

Students from the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design march during the Tri-Campus Parade along Bloor Street. Daniels students made sure to remind everyone that there would be no campus buildings without architects and designers with a simple but pointed chant: “We built that!”

Students from University College display banners showing off their residential houses – including Langley, Loudon and Hutton – while marching past the Royal Ontario Museum during the Tri-Campus Parade.

President Meric Gertler chats with first-year computer science student Edward Li (left) and his Innis College orientation leader Tony Niu, a third-year mathematics student, during the Clubs Carnival. Li said he’s delighted to study computer science at U of T given its contributions to artificial intelligence.

Six essential U of T initiatives students should know about this year

geoff.vendeville — Wed, 04 Sep 2019 04:00:00 +0000

Six essential U of T initiatives students should know about this year

geoff.vendeville Wed, 09/04/2019 - 00:00

Cutline

(photo by Diana Tyszko)

Topic

The �ؿ�ζSM has recently made a number of important changes to better serve students, staff and faculty. It’s also looking for the community’s input as it looks to make further improvements.

Here are a few essential changes and events happening across the campuses this fall:

Indigenous gateway

Students at the Centre for Indigenous Studies (photo by Aaron Mason)

Anyone looking for information about Indigenous programming, initiatives or services at U of T can turn to the university’s new Indigenous gateway. The site has information on Indigenous-focused programs and courses at U of T, such as the Master of Social Work program in Indigenous trauma and resiliency and courses in Aboriginal law.

The gateway also has resources for the wider U of T community, including bios of U of T Indigenous Elders and the land acknowledgements said at events on all three campuses.

Recognizing global skillsets

(photo courtesy of ENSU)

U of T has rolled out two new opportunities to promote international learning in and out of the classroom. Students can earn a Global Citizen designation on their co-curricular record by completing three opportunities from a list of extracurriculars, ranging from doing graphic design work for the local Amnesty International chapter or participating in the Environmental Students' Union.

Students are also able to get a Global Scholar notation on their transcripts by completing requirements for their chosen faculty or program. So far, there are six certificate programs, but the university is looking to expand offerings to more divisions at all three campuses.

For more information on both programs, visit U of T's global university webpage,

Mental health action plan

(Photo by Stephen Dagg)

U of T President Meric Gertler announced in a letter to students, staff and faculty last spring a four-point action plan to address issues of student mental health. The university struck up a task force of students, faculty and administrative staff to study the issue.

As part of that, consultations for students, staff, and faculty are scheduled this fall. In-person consultations at U of T Scarborough are to take place Sept. 18, at U of T Mississauga on Sept. 19 and the St. George campus on Sept. 24.

An online form to gather feedback will be open until Oct. 15.

The task force is due to report back to the president and provost with recommendations in December.

Tackling sexual violence

(photo by David Lee)

In 2017, U of T adopted a policy enshrining its commitment to all members of the community to provide a campus environment free of sexual violence. This fall, the university is seeking feedback from students, staff and faculty on the policy and the Student’s Companion to the Policy, an aid for students to navigate the policy and associated procedures.

To add some context to the review, U of T’s Sexual Violence Prevention & Support Centre – which has locations on each campus – created a fact sheet about its activities since it opened. In-person consultations are to be held this month – at U of T Mississauga on Sept. 23, at U of T Scarborough on Sept. 24 and the St. George campus on Sept. 25. All members of the community can also submit feedback until Sept. 30 by answering questions online.

Reinforcing a consent culture

Starting university means meeting new people and forging new relationships. But it’s important to be mindful of others’ boundaries.

The university is undertaking a consent campaign to emphasize the importance of checking in with one another before acting, in small ways that may seem innocuous.The university’s Sexual Violence & Prevention Centre has a page explaining consent and sharing links to useful resources. Students can join the conversation on social media with #CheckInForConsent.

Smoke-free campus

(photo by David Lee)

There’s been no puffing allowed on campus since the new year, when the university officially banned smoking. The rule covers the smoking or holding of lighted tobacco or cannabis as well as the use of an e-cigarette or vaping device.

The policy makes exceptions for medical reasons and Indigenous ceremonies involving smudging.

'A good last hurrah': U of T student and her father ride nearly 900 km to Toronto – on a tandem bike

rahul.kalvapalle — Tue, 03 Sep 2019 14:42:35 +0000

'A good last hurrah': U of T student and her father ride nearly 900 km to Toronto – on a tandem bike

rahul.kalvapalle Tue, 09/03/2019 - 10:42

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First-year U of T student Carlin Henikoff (right) and her father Troy Henikoff (left) made the nearly 900-kilometre trip from Evanston, Ill. to Toronto on a tandem bicycle (photo courtesy of Carlin Henikoff)

Topic

Global Lens

Global

It’s that time of year when incoming students travel to Toronto from far and wide to make the �ؿ�ζSM their new home, but 18-year-old Carlin Henikoff went to greater lengths than most to make sure her journey was as special as the destination.

Rather than drive, fly or take a bus or train from their home in the Chicago area, Carlin and her father Troy traveled the nearly 900 kilometres to Toronto on a tandem bicycle, the Chicago Tribune reported.

The father-daughter duo arrived at U of T’s St. George campus on Saturday after a six-day journey that saw them cover around 200 kilometres a day, with Carlin’s mother driving up to Toronto with her daughter’s belongings.

“We thought it would be a good last hurrah before college,” said Carlin, a New College student who will study math and physical sciences.

She is also thinking about bringing her competitive cycling talents to the Varsity Blues mountain bike team.

Read the story in the Chicago Tribune

U of T introduces global citizen, global scholar initiatives to promote international learning in and out of the classroom

Romi Levine — Tue, 03 Sep 2019 04:00:00 +0000

U of T introduces global citizen, global scholar initiatives to promote international learning in and out of the classroom

Romi Levine Tue, 09/03/2019 - 00:00

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Ben Sprenger (left) and Rushay Naik (second from left) in Mongolia with a research team that also includes Tanvi Shetty and Hannah Ru. U of T wants to inspire students to seek out out global academic and extracurricular activities

Romi Levine

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

Global

Victoria College

The �ؿ�ζSM wants to inspire students to seek out academic and extracurricular activities that will prepare them to tackle the challenges – and embrace the opportunities – of a globalized world.

Students can now work towards a Global Scholar designation by taking a curated set of courses offered by their program or faculty. When those courses are completed, students will receive a certificate and a “Global Scholar” notation on their transcript.

There are currently six certificate programs, but the university is looking to expand the global scholar offerings to more divisions across all three campuses.

“Each division is creating and curating its own vision of what a global scholar looks like,” says Joseph Wong, U of T's associate vice-president and vice-provost, international student experience.

Students can also work towards a “Global Citizen” designation that will appear on their co-curricular record (CCR) by getting involved in programs and activities that develop three competencies: global perspective and engagement, inclusivity and equity, and community and civic engagement. They must also complete a self-reflective workshop where they will articulate how their experiences contribute to global citizenship.

Of the 7,000 programs and activities that can appear on the CCR, 1,000 of them count toward the Global Citizen designation.

Students interested in the global citizen and global scholar programs can find information on the certificates and CCR opportunities on U of T’s global university webpage.

“One of the main objectives of the �ؿ�ζSM, as a global university, is to ensure that students have the ability and also the desire to live, to work and to interact with people anywhere in the world,” says Wong.

Students like Ben Sprenger and Rushay Naik embody this global mindset.

This past summer, they were part of a research team who travelled to Mongolia to study the impact of a local government and World Bank initiative that provides portable solar panels to nomadic herders. The trip was organized through the Reach Project, an initiative of the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, supported by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth.

“It was a really eye-opening experience,” says Sprenger, a mechanical engineering student in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. “Even though Mongolia is a one-of-a-kind country, the ideas from the project are pretty universal.”

The Reach Project is one of many global-focused opportunities at U of T, and both Sprenger and Naik have spent much of their time in university taking advantage of those offerings.

Naik, a Victoria College student who is double majoring in human biology and peace, conflict and justice studies in the Faculty of Arts & Science, has travelled to Greece to look at how austerity measures and the refugee crisis have affected the country’s health systems. He has also researched universal health care at Washington, D.C. think tank the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, and is currently working on an independent study course on Geneva’s role in interstate war and conflict.

Sprenger is currently in the U.K. on a year-long work placement with Williams, which makes Formula One race cars, working on the company’s Formula E electric car racing series. Last year, he produced a documentary with his sister and fellow U of T student Jillian Sprenger, on Sri Lanka’s vulnerability to climate change. He has also been a part of U of T’s formula racing team, which builds formula-style racing cars and participates in competitions around the world.

For Sprenger, a global education is an invaluable way of gaining a new perspective in and out of the classroom.

“It gives a completely new frame of reference thinking about world issues, thinking about different developments you read in the news,” he says. “It provides an enormous amount of context to everything you learn.”

These experiences can also compel students to challenge their preconceived notions, says Naik.

“We come into our programs and courses with a certain understanding of how things work – the way the world works – that's borne from our experiences and our stories we take into university and our daily life,” he says. “What global experiences do is effectively test those.”

The Global Scholar and Global Citizen designations were designed with students’ futures in mind, says Wong.

“A lot of the thinking that's gone into the global scholars certificate program has been informed by employers both in the private and public sector who have told us that they are really interested in students who bring with them some meaningful curricular experience,” he says.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for our graduates to hone those skills while piquing their curiosity and encouraging them to embrace those kinds of opportunities.”

Welcome – or welcome back! Check out these September events

Romi Levine — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome – or welcome back! Check out these September events

Romi Levine Fri, 08/30/2019 - 00:00

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(photo by Ken Jones)

Isabel Armiento

Topic

Our Community

Sexual Violence Prevention & Support Centre

School of Cities

Rotman School of Management

Student Life

U of T Scarborough

Summer has come to a close, but that doesn’t mean the fun is ending. Orientation week is packed with exciting – and informative – events that aren’t just for first-year students, including a parade, street festival, carnival and more.

For a break from �ؿ�ζSM-related festivities, check out select TIFF films being screened on-campus. If you’re lucky, you might even spot a celebrity.

There are plenty of September events sure to get you excited about going back to school. Here’s just a sample:

Sept. 1

Sign up with U of T for the Academic Bicycle Challenge and win prizes for biking alongside – or against – peers, faculty members and other cyclists worldwide. Download the Naviki app (Google Play, iOS) from Sept. 1 to 30 to participate in this global phenomenon.

Sept. 3

Tri-campus orientation begins. Prepare yourself for an unforgettable first week by familiarizing yourself with information about orientation at the St. George campus, U of T Mississauga or U of T Scarborough.

Join U of T experts at the tri-campus Facebook Live and Instagram conference ASKme Anything about U of T and get the answers to all your campus-related questions.

Sept. 4

Show your school spirit at the tri-campus parade, beginning at 1 p.m. at Varsity Stadium, located at the St. George campus.

Continue the festivities at the Clubs Carnival, beginning at 3 p.m., located at King’s College Circle. St. George campus students should check out their college or faculty’s website to find out about college-specific club fairs.

Sept. 5

TIFF (the Toronto International Film Festival) begins, running until Sept. 15, with student tickets offered for only $11.50. On Sept. 11, catch the world première of Judy, starring Renée Zellweger as the legendary Judy Garland, without even leaving campus. The film is being screened at the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management.

Sept. 6

Hart House celebrates its 100^th anniversary with story-weaving project Encounters at the Edge of the Woods, running at the Hart House Theatre from Sept. 6 to 7.

Sept. 11

Take a break from classes and stop by U of T’s annual Street Festival, located at the St. George campus along St. George Street. Enjoy the activities, music and food trucks while learning more about campus life.

Sept. 12

Join the Faculty of Music for the first installation of the weekly series Thursdays at Noon, featuring the Juno Award-winning Gryphon Trio. Check out the Faculty of Music’s 2019/20 Season guide for a complete list of events, classes and performances.

Sept. 14

Show your support for mental health awareness at the 2019 Toronto Concert for Suicide Awareness, Prevention, and Hope. Listen to inspirational speeches and performances by U of T faculty, lecturers and alumni such as Norine Burgess, Dr. Andrea Levinson, Nathalie Paulin and Monica Whicher.

Sept. 17

Garner mental health resources on- and off-campus while learning to prioritize wellness over academic success at 2019 Minds Redefined, a mental health and wellness conference by the Faculty of Arts & Science that features keynote speakers Margaret Trudeau and Michael Landsberg and workshops such as “Navigating Career Uncertainty” and “failing excellently!”

Navigate Toronto’s rapidly shifting urban landscape with the first lecture in a four-part lecture series, hosted by U of T’s School of Cities in conjunction with the Toronto Public Library. Where We Gather explores the interplay between city life and public spaces.

Adapt your academic skills for the workplace at the U of T Career Fair, where you can network with more than 100 global organizations and employers.

Sept. 18

The Isuma artists’ collective works in conjunction with the Toronto Biennale of Art to produce Qaggiq: Gathering Place, a collection of video works that focus on storytelling and language. View the exhibition at the �ؿ�ζSM Art Centre until Nov. 30.

Sept. 19

Explore a host of opportunities in your field at U of T Scarborough’s Get Experience Fair. Whether it’s through volunteering for a not-for-profit, working an on-campus job, assisting a prof’s research or studying abroad, there are plenty of ways to gain valuable – and relevant – experience.

Sept. 21

Learn how to use media and digital art as a narrative and rhetorical tool at Mixture: Digital Art and Compositional Realities, hosted by U of T Mississauga.

Sept. 23

Queer Orientation is a tri-campus week of LGBTQ-focused and community-building programming, running from Sept. 23 to 28.

Stay informed about U of T’s policy on sexual violence and sexual harassment. In-person consultation sessions are being held at all three campuses for staff, faculty and students: U of T Mississauga on Sept. 23, U of T Scarborough on Sept. 24 and St. George campus on Sept. 25.

Sept. 24

Show your support for the CIBC Run for the Cure with U of T Mississauga’s warm-up event – the Pink Campus Walk. For more fundraising events and initiatives, join U of T Mississauga’s Run for the Cure Ice Cream Day on Sept. 10 or their Run for the Cure Pink Luncheon on Sept. 17.

Sept. 26

Kick off the school year with a focus on wellness at Be Well UTM. Discover the wealth of wellness resources located on campus, including mental health supports, conflict resolution tools and fun drop-in fitness classes such as Introduction to Caribbean Dance.

Sept. 27

If you find yourself itching to do the Time Warp again or wondering whatever happened to Saturday night, head down to the Hart House Theatre for the opening night of The Rocky Horror Show. Catch this rendition of the cult classic for $12 to $15 until Oct. 12.

Sept. 28

Muse over works of musical genius with the first instalment of the Faculty of Music’s “What Makes It Great?” series – Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7.

Join photographer Aubie Golombek for a presentation on the relationship between form and image. Drawing on Bosch’s triptych painting “The Garden of Earthly Delights,” Golombek uses the dual media of contact print and lecture to synthesize his critical praxis.

Sept. 29

Take advantage of U of T’s photogenic landscapes during the Photo Walk Around Campus. Hosted by the Hart House Camera Club, this is the perfect opportunity to refine your photography practise, curate photos for your portfolio and network with other budding student photographers.

Sept. 30

Take a break from the clamour of courses to listen to a heartrending Faculty of Music performance by soprano Nathalie Paulin and pianist Steven Philcox, inspired by Messiaen’s Chants de Terre et de Ciel.

Meet four international students in the incoming U of T Engineering class

noreen.rasbach — Thu, 29 Aug 2019 18:42:40 +0000

Meet four international students in the incoming U of T Engineering class

noreen.rasbach Thu, 08/29/2019 - 14:42

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Urvi Verkhedkar, from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, will study chemical engineering at U of T this fall

Liz Do

Topic

Global Lens