The path to success often leads through failure, says fourth-year nursing student Laurette Dubé. Her definition of student success earned her a UWindsor hoodie in the provost’s Question of the Month contest.

“Student success is becoming your full you. Even if that means failing once, twice, or 16 times,” Dubé wrote. “There are 26 letters in the alphabet. You have options even if that means Plan Z. And if that doesn’t work, Roman numerals are unlimited.”

Read her entire response to the March question “How do you define student success?” on the contest website, along with excerpts selected from among more than 150 received.

Provost Douglas Kneale said he was pleased to meet Dubé when she came to his office to collect her prize Tuesday.

“Laurette is a terrific representative of the University of Windsor—hard-working, energetic, committed to her profession and community, caring, and smart,” he said. “It was a pleasure to have an opportunity to talk with her.”

He invites student responses to April’s question: “What on-campus experiences have had the greatest influence on your future plans?” Entrants will have another chance to win a UWindsor sweatshirt. To be eligible, send answers to vpacademic@uwindsor.ca before April 30.

It wasn’t quite a set of steak knives, but the students who finished atop a sales assignment in professor Marijke Taks’ class in sport marketing enjoyed their prize anyway.

Dr. Taks arranged for the students to job-shadow members of the Detroit Pistons marketing department on Friday.

“The event and course project overall was a success and it was a great networking tool to see first-hand what a job in the sports management field would be like in the real world,” said student Bryan Dutot.

He and classmates Mitchell Anderson, Maggie Aziz, Aron Burton, Julia Joachimowicz, Thomas Kalbfleisch-Mancini, Johny Keo, Kaz Noda and Cain Walker-Donais also received free tickets to watch Friday’s National Basketball Association game at the Palace of Auburn Hills. The Pistons secured a playoff berth in a 112-99 win over the Washington Wizards.

Professor Christopher Waters began a term as dean of the Faculty of Law effective April 1, provost Douglas Kneale has announced. Dr. Waters served as acting dean for the last year and has been a member of the faculty since 2007, including a term as associate dean from 2009 to 2012.

“He has earned a reputation as an outstanding teacher and an effective administrator, with a leadership style that inspires and motivates students, staff, and faculty,” said Dr. Kneale. “Chris brings to the role an astute understanding of what legal education in the 21st century needs to be, and he will be a champion for the faculty’s strategic themes of Access to Justice and Transnational Law.”

Waters has strong relationships with alumni and other stakeholders in legal education, and is co-editor of the Canadian Bar Review. His research interests are in the areas of public international law and the relationship between law and active transportation.

A simulation exercise Friday gave teacher candidates a taste of the challenges facing those living in poverty.

Facilitated by the United Way with contributions from professor Geri Salinitri and education students Victoria Searcy, Meaghan McMahon, Nicole Paterson and Kaitlyn Bélanger-Roddy, the four-hour event split participants into two groups—service providers and clients.

Those government agencies took two forms, says student Alyssa Ramos-Gonsalves: “services that aid impoverished citizens, and services that can hinder their ability to achieve social and financial stability.” The simulated clients were presented with challenges that impoverished people face every day.

The simulation was aimed at students in the Leadership Experience Academic Direction program, which offers specialized training for understanding youth identified as at-risk.

Ramos-Gonsalves says Friday’s exercise was worthwhile.

“All participants learned valuable lessons and skills to identify and assist in the remediation of poverty, in addition to the various services that are available,” she says.