Windsor is home to incredible talent, says grad Theodore Bezaire (BA 2002). He is proud his comedy The Birder will be showcased alongside other local films this weekend as part of a 20-year anniversary celebration by the Windsor International Film Festival.

The story of a mild-mannered bird enthusiast seeking revenge on a younger rival after losing the head ornithology position at a local nature park, The Birder was shot in locations around Windsor-Essex, including Ojibway Park, Mackenzie Hall, and St. Thomas of Villanova Catholic Secondary School.

It is one of two productions by the Dot Film Company to be featured as part of the WIFF retrospective.

Film professor Mike Stasko (BA 2002) will screen his thriller Iodine, which follows a man who ventures north to search for his missing father, only to uncover a far more sinister mystery.

“It’s an honour to be part of WIFF’s 20-year local retrospective, celebrating Windsor’s film history,” Stasko said.

Also on the playbill is film professor Kim Nelson’s documentary This is What a Feminist Sounds Like, a biography of social activist Pat Noonan, who died in August 2018, and a number of short films by alumni.

The WIFF local retrospective runs June 21 to 23 at the Capitol Theatre, 101 University Ave. West. Find listings and showtimes on the festival website.

From June 23 to 28, the University of Windsor’s School of Creative Arts will host a conference celebrating women in art, science, and technology.

“FEMeeting: Women in Art, Science, and Technology 2024” will present cutting-edge interdisciplinary research across the arts and sciences through multi-modal audience engagement strategies.

For the first time in Canada, project director Jennifer Willet and collaborators will host 200 delegates in the School of Creative Arts. FEMeeting 2024 will include a new emphasis on spotlighting diverse artists, researchers, and scientists encouraging participation from BIPOC, 2SLGTBQ+, d/Deaf and participants living with disabilities.

Also new for this conference, a parallel public program called FEMeeting Showcase will bring world-class lectures, artworks, performances, and film screenings to local audiences in downtown Windsor.

Incubator Art Lab has a long history of producing innovative art and science events such as this for large-scale audiences, notes Dr. Willet.

“I am thrilled to host artists and researchers from all over the world, featuring world-class events, facilities, research, and creative activity here at the University of Windsor. I invite the local community to join us at our public events and share in celebrating the contributions that diverse women make in the fields of art, science, and technology,” she says. “If you have ever attended Incubator Art Lab events in the past, you know our parties are filled with whimsy, surprises, and delight — join us!”

On Sunday evening June 23, the plenary will feature three outstanding speakers: Nina Czegledy, an independent artist and curator; Catherine Febria, a Canada Research Chair, associate professor, and director of the Healthy Head Waters Lab at the University of Windsor; and Zainub Vergee, executive director of the Ontario Association of Art Galleries.

On Monday, June 24, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., the exhibition opening “Elegy for a Cell,” curated by Mireille Bourgeois of IOTA Institute, will take place at the School of Creative Arts Gallery at 37 University Ave. East. The event is open to the public and will feature light snacks and a cash bar.

On Wednesday, June 26, 5 to 6 p.m., it’s the video screening “Tendrils,” curated by Bourgeois. The event is in the Multimedia Studio, Alan Wildeman Centre for Creative Arts, located at 360 Freedom Way. It is open to the public, but seating is limited, so registration is required.

On Friday, June 28, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Capitol Theatre, the FEMS and GEMS’ plenary roundtable discussion variety and drag show will serve as the FEMeeting wrap-up party. Curated by Willet and Cole Fortier, this fun and irreverent event will be hosted by the Gentleman Scientist and Epoxy the drag queen and feature a Q&A with FEMeeting luminaries, live music, drag performers, spoken word poetry, and a sing-along.

For more information and registration, visit the Incubator Art Lab website.

Campus offices and ratified student clubs hoping to promote opportunities to incoming students may apply to set up a booth at the Involvement Fair, Tuesday, Sept. 3, in the David Wilson Commons.

The event showcases ways for new undergraduates to engage with campus life. It will run noon to 2 p.m. in the space along Turtle Island Walk north of the Odette Building.

Registration is open until July 17; organizers will contact applicants for more details later.

National Indigenous Peoples Day, observed on June 21, is tremendously significant for many Indigenous Peoples. It coincides with the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, and celebrates the history, heritage, resilience, and diversity of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.

To learn more about indigeneity across Turtle Island, visit the National Indigenous Peoples Day webpage. It is filled with links to resources, films, and information about indigenous culture, local events, and activities.

The Town of Tecumseh is partnering with Continuing Education for the upcoming Applied Leadership Program.

As the industry project partner, the Town of Tecumseh will provide real-world case scenarios for participants to address, and will offer valuable feedback on the capstone presentations at the end of the program.

“We are honoured to partner with the University of Windsor’s Applied Leadership Program,” said Michelle Drouillard, director of people and culture for Tecumseh. “This collaboration is a fantastic opportunity for our municipality to contribute to the development of future leaders while benefiting from fresh perspectives on our real-world challenges. By engaging with the program participants, we aim to foster a dynamic exchange of ideas that will ultimately enhance the services we provide to our community.”

The online program offers participants a unique opportunity to connect with industry leaders, enhance their leadership and soft skills through teamwork, and develop effective communication strategies and leadership plans that align with organizational strategies.

Participants will be encouraged to motivate and inspire others by practising hands-on tactics and acquiring the skills necessary to lead resilient teams to successful outcomes. The experience culminates in an industry-sponsored capstone project, providing practical application of the skills learned.

Organizations are invited to send their key individuals who require leadership training or have been identified as potential future leaders.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Town of Tecumseh for this virtual offering of Applied Leadership,” said Jennie Atkins, executive director of Continuing Education. “Their insightful case scenarios will provide our learners with valuable opportunities to apply the skills they’ve acquired throughout the program.”

Registration is open to current and aspiring managers, supervisors, and industry leaders. The classes will be held online every Thursday from 5 to 8:30 p.m., from Oct. 17 to Dec. 12.

More information about the Applied Leadership Program can be found here.

Newly appointed vice-president of Canadian Nurses Association and UWindsor nursing alumna Bukola Salami (BScN 2004) delivered a presentation on leadership and mentorship for Black and racialized students and youth as part of the Faculty of Nursing’s “Dean’s Intentional Conversations” speaker series on June 12.

According to Dr. Salami, Black and racialized people face challenges such as racism, discrimination, microaggressions, and employment inequality. These factor into negative economic outcomes for Black and racialized youth that inhibit their participation in society.

Salami detailed her experiences and discussed methodologies on leadership in the profession. She encouraged racialized individuals to set a positive mindset and tone, manage mental health, create a network of mentors and trusted colleagues, engage actively in support groups, understand administrative policies in place, and understand their rights.

Academically and professionally, Salami emphasized the importance of appreciating opportunities, and the value of grant-writing and research publications for the advancement of knowledge, academic and professional growth, improvement of patient care, policy influence, collaborative opportunities, and professional responsibility.

Salami explained how the role of mentorship builds confidence, self-esteem, influences career paths, and provides a sense of belonging for Black and racialized youths while empowering them with leadership skills, and positive cultural identity.

She elaborated on how good leadership is based on a long-term vision focused on people and processes. Strong guidance promotes patient and staff satisfaction and aims to improve retention of healthcare personnel.

Participants were encouraged to focus on their long-term goals in a systematic manner and ensure that their efforts align with a strategy.

The full presentation is available for download as a PDF file from the nursing website.

His support for YQG Togetherfest has earned Clinton Beckford, UWindsor vice-president, people, equity and inclusion, recognition from the Bulimia Anorexia Nervosa Association.

The association presented Dr. Beckford with its Community Health Promotion Award for Outstanding Individual during its annual general meeting Tuesday.

Togetherfest, March 9 and 10 in the Toldo Lancer Centre, hosted more than 65 vendors and exhibitors presenting family-friendly activities and entertainment.

“Dr. Beckford’s monumental efforts to bring the University of Windsor, local service clubs, community agencies, and businesses together was nothing short of remarkable and it is our honour to present him with our 2023-24 Outstanding Individual Award for demonstrating a commitment to the enhancement of healthy lifestyles in our community,” said BANA executive director Luciana Rosu-Sieza.

Beckford called helping with the inaugural YQG Togetherfest a “truly special” experience.

“Seeing our community come together with such enthusiasm and support was incredibly inspiring,” he said. “It’s moments like these that remind us of the power of unity and the importance of inclusion.”

The Bulimia Anorexia Nervosa Association provides treatment for eating disorders and support for those affected. Learn more on the charity’s website.

Support for groups and projects that make an impact is a way for the University of Windsor Alumni Association to add value to the lives of students, grads, and the broader community, says Rob Janisse.

Co-ordinator of special projects for the alumni office, he points to this weekend’s “Ride Don’t Hide” for the Windsor-Essex branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association as an example.

“The Alumni Association’s Communications and Engagement Committee provides over $60,000 in funding each year to more than 50 on- and off-campus groups, supporting initiatives that make tangible impacts here on campus, in our local communities, and beyond,” Janisse says. “We are proud to support impactful community groups and initiatives like CMHA’s Ride Don’t Hide.”

Ride Don’t Hide involves bicyclists across the country in raising funds for community mental health. Locally, it will send teams of riders on a choice of routes: around the track at the Ciociaro Club, along the Greenway, or on a 100-km loop through the county.

Now in its 11th year, it supports several services:

• the Bereavement Program, which helps adults and children cope with loss by providing supportive grief counselling, group peer support, and education to teach healthy coping strategies;
• the Client Assistance Fund, which provides short-term financial assistance to clients for grocery gift cards, transportation to appointments or job interviews, and other daily living expenses; and
• mental health promotion, which extends education and training to workplaces, schools, community agencies, and the general public.

The event is set for Sunday, June 23. Find more information, including how to register as a team or individual participant and how to donate, on the CMHA website.

The University has declared a personal computer for sale by bid as Disposal File 2073.

An iMac, it boasts a 27-inch monitor with 5K Retina display. Note: It does not meet the University’s security requirement for conditional access and is not suitable for on-campus use.

Click here for more information and details on submitting bids.