Working on the student staff of athletics and recreation services is more than just a job, says Alexandra Jean — it’s an experience.

“It’s fun and it’s hard,” says the fourth-year disability studies major. “You make a lot of connections and lasting relationships.”

Jean and Margherita Beaudoin, a fourth-year liberal arts student, were honoured as Lancer home events employees of the year Friday at the Blue and Gold luncheon, which recognizes the contributions of student staff to the operations of the department.

The two, friends since grade school, staffed the ticket sales booth for Lancer competitions.

“This job develops your customer service and crisis management skills,” Beaudoin says. “You have to handle all sorts of different people.”

The department serves about 7,000 students in its varsity, recreational, instructional and fitness programs, and employs about 300 students.

“We couldn’t operate without them,” said athletic director Mike Havey. “We are so lucky to have such an excellent group.”

Find the full story, including a list of all the award winners, at goLancers.ca.

A $100,000 gift announced Thursday will fund an inter-disciplinary team to research neurodegenerative diseases.

A donation from Joseph Szecsei, founder of Titan Tool and Die, and his wife Magdalena has created the Szecsei Parkinson and Neurodegenerative Disease Research Fund. Joseph Szecsei is living with Parkinson’s disease; the couple say they are thrilled to support research in their home city and look forward to outcomes that advance treatments.

“Living with advanced Parkinson’s has been one of the greatest challenges in my life,” says Joseph Szecsei. “The disease has robbed me of the many things I always enjoyed doing, mainly the use of my motor ability and the ability to use my hands to create.

“Both my family and I are looking forward to the day when there are more options for treatment and, of course, a cure.”

Led by professors Siyaram Pandey of chemistry and biochemistry and Jerome Cohen of psychology, the research team has already established a platform to study Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases and develop therapeutic interventions to block their progression. It operates under UWindsor’s Behaviour, Cognition and Neuroscience (BCN) program, a joint initiative of the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.

Chris Houser, dean of science, says the family’s generosity will make a difference to cutting-edge disease research at the University of Windsor and in the Windsor-Essex region. 

“We appreciate the support of the Szecsei family and their creation of this fund,” says Dr. Houser. “Part of the university experience is to expose undergraduate and graduate students to research and provide the training required for them to be the scientists of tomorrow. The Szecsei Fund allows us to fulfil this promise and support research towards finding alternative treatments for these diseases.”

The research team has already published five research articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals and submitted a manuscript for publication. Dr. Pandey says a future objective is to evaluate the effects of natural health products in animal models of these diseases.

Marcello Guarini, dean of arts, humanities and social sciences, calls the BCN program a “fantastic” example of how multidisciplinary teams are able to analyze the behavioural and human elements of medical challenges and mysteries.

“With the support of this fund, we are hoping to make a meaningful impact on the lives of those living with these diseases in our community,” he says. “Without the support of philanthropic leaders like Joseph and Magdalena, it would not be possible for our researchers to continue this vital work. This project is a true partnership.”

The campus community can watch grad students try to beat the clock Tuesday in the Three Minute Thesis competition, starting at 1 p.m. in the Ambassador Auditorium, CAW Student Centre.

Now in its fifth year, the contest challenges doctoral and master’s candidates to offer a presentation on their thesis or dissertation topic to a non-specialist audience in just three minutes. Top finishers will win cash prizes and the champion will represent the University of Windsor in a provincial competition. Winners there advance to a national round in June.

Scheduled presenters include:

• Mary Ann Zokvic, human kinetics, “Putting a squeeze on heart disease”
• Nesreen Elkord, education, “Will you hold my hand to the end of the road?”
• Jonathan Mertz, history, “No, we are not going back”
• Travis DeWolfe, chemistry and biochemistry, “Supercomputers against superbugs”
• Mehdi Mehdi, mechanical, automotive and materials engineering, “Could Magneto save the world?”
• Antonette Scavone, psychology, “Going to the dark side”
• Bahar Youssefi, electrical and computer engineering, “Secret message from the brain”
• Christopher Cameron, English language, literature and creative writing, “There and back again”
• Dragana Ostojic, psychology, “Examining our wandering minds”
• Molly-Gloria Harper, sociology, anthropology and criminology, “Can't you just delete it?”
• Rose Gomar, electrical and computer engineering, “Brain-inspired computers”
• Priscilla Bernauer, English language, literature and creative writing, “A little Miss”

Find more information on the competition website.

The conclusion of contracts with the four Unifor locals on campus helps to secure stability through 2019, says Rita LaCivita, vice-president of human resources. Officials gathered Thursday in the Toldo Health Education Centre to formally sign collective agreements reached in October 2016.

“Everyone worked diligently to reach fair contracts for all of us,” LaCivita said. “This is the final step in the process and it is worth celebrating.”

UWindsor president Alan Wildeman, who announced in January his intention to step down in June 2018, noted this was his last round of contract negotiations.

“Bargaining with Unifor over the years has always been a very respectful and professional relationship,” he said. “I thank you for the many and different ways you have contributed to completing the latest rounds of bargaining.”

Unifor represents full-time and part-time office and clerical staff, operating engineers, Campus Police and Parking Services. A similar ceremony for the three campus locals of the Canadian Union of Public Employees will follow soon, LaCivita says.

A four-day workshop at the UWindsor School of Social Work in May will benefit anyone who works with clients with self-defined trauma or life upset.

The Traumatic Incident Reduction approach helps counsellors address the challenge of not having sufficient time to address client issues in depth, says professor Kim Calderwood, who will facilitate the training.

“The outcome for clients is that in a relatively brief period of time they resolve their concerns and symptoms, rather than simply learning to cope with symptoms, as is common in many other popular ways of addressing trauma and life stressors,” Dr. Calderwood says.

Workshop participants will practice real-life sessions in a safe, confidential office space in the school’s downtown campus at 167 Ferry Street. Calderwood notes the sessions, May 5 to 8, require no pre-requisite training or education: “It’s open to anyone who simply has a personal interest in the topic.”

Registration offers an early-bird discount until April 5. Find details on the social work website.

The University of Windsor Alumni Association invites faculty and staff to a reception Thursday, March 30, at the downtown home of the School of Social Work and the Centre for Executive and Professional Education.

The event is an opportunity to connect with local graduates. President Alan Wildeman will provide an update on campus developments.

It opens at 5:30 p.m. at 167 Ferry Street and is free to attend. To confirm attendance, register online on the event website.