Before they hit the convocation stage, LEAD Medallion Scholars received their Faculty of Science medals in a ceremony in Alumni Auditorium on Tuesday, May 30. The sixth annual event was celebrated in person for the first time since 2019.

This year 119 graduating students demonstrated Leadership, Engagement, Application, and Discovery (LEAD) to earn a bronze, silver, or gold medal. This includes leading and engaging in on-campus or off-campus organizations; pursuing study abroad; being a teaching assistant; completing an internship, co-op position, or service learning course; or participating in undergraduate research.

Anita Hu, a behaviour, cognition, and neuroscience major earned a gold medal for her involvement as president of the Science Society, mentoring fellow students, engaging in service learning, and conducting research as an Outstanding Scholar. She says her LEAD journey started with a study abroad trip to Jamaica.

“It got me to apply my skills in an actual tropical environment to learn about their climate, which I thought was a cool opportunity to apply my learning,” Hu says.

She says the LEAD program recognizes and rewards students for the hard work they put in throughout their undergraduate experience.

“It is so nice to celebrate together since all of the events that we’ve organized throughout our undergrad were because of us working together. And now we get to celebrate it all together which is awesome,” she says.

Acting dean Dora Cavallo-Medved says the faculty is proud of the accomplishments of these undergraduate leaders.

“By participating in high-impact experiences, our LEAD Medallion Scholars are graduating with a full set of employable skills including communication, collaboration, management, problem-solving, and creativity,” she says. “Their contributions have also excelled our research programs, enhanced our teaching, and enriched our communities.”

Graduates were also encouraged to continue leading the way for the next generation of science students by giving back through the LEAD Science fund, which supports experiential learning opportunities for students across the Faculty of Science.

The Faculty of Science introduced the LEAD Medallion Scholars program in 2018 to recognize students in good standing who have excelled beyond the classroom by participating in high-impact experiences.

—Sara Elliott

English and creative writing professor Carol Margaret Davison is currently in the United Kingdom promoting her first novel, Bodysnatcher.

Bodysnatcher provides new insight into the infamous story of William Burke and William Hare, who committed murders that shook 19th century Edinburgh. The darkly gothic narrative centres on the untold story of Burke’s partner Helen “Nelly” McDougal in a visceral portrayal of love, sacrifice, and human depravity.

Told from the points of view of both Burke and Nelly, it manages to expose the psyche of a killer while also giving voice to the woman who endured his horrors. Bodysnatcher’s investment in the depiction of abusive relationships as well as its emphasis on religion and class makes it a fitting contribution to contemporary literary fiction.

Dr. Davison will undertake a guided walking tour and Edinburgh Dungeons event about bodysnatching and the Burke and Hare murders to promote her book, after which she will head to Manchester Metropolitan University to work as the visiting international professor for its intensive four-day Gothic Summer School, where she is the visiting plenary speaker.

Davison will also conduct a public interview regarding Bodysnatcher, and will cap off her tour with a workshop devoted to gothic writing and publishing.

An internationally renowned specialist in gothic and Victorian literature and the series editor for Anthem Studies in Gothic Literature, Davison is the editor of The Gothic & Death (2017) for Manchester University Press, winner of the 2019 Allan Lloyd Smith Prize for best edited collection devoted to gothic criticism — for which three of her recent publications made the shortlist of four books.

A public reception will celebrate the opening of Thesis, an exhibition by Nathalie Dubois Calero, Lyndsay McKay, and Steve Rose, graduating Master of Fine Arts students in visual arts, on Friday, June 9, at the Leamington Arts Centre.

The event is set for 5 to 10 p.m. in conjunction with the Mill Street Market in uptown Leamington.

The gallery is located at 72 Talbot St. West in Leamington and is open for regular visitation 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Friday, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $2, free for youth and Leamington Arts Centre members.

The Windsor International Film Festival will screen 20 feature films over three days outdoors this weekend. WIFF Under the Stars is free and will be the first community event on the lawn of the civic plaza outside City Hall.

“We can’t wait to be back downtown to share films with our audience, in a new and exciting location this summer,” says UWindsor professor Vincent Georgie, the festival’s executive director. “With our great selection of films, there is truly something for everyone to enjoy.”

Running Friday to Sunday, June 9 to 11, the screenings are part of a full weekend of community programming that also includes the city’s 131st birthday celebration, the annual Mayor’s Walk along the waterfront, and Meet-A-Machine at the WFCU Centre.

The WIFF Under the Stars line-up promises family-friendly selections, Hollywood blockbusters, and Canadian content, including Adult Adoption, a drama filmed in Kingsville. Find a full schedule on the festival website.

Enriched Academy is offering a chance for post-secondary students to win one of two awards valued at $2,000 each by sharing a story by June 16 of how the financial literacy program impacted you.

Submit video or written entries here.

Students who complete the program — offered free of charge to UWindsor students — learn how to manage their money, budget, invest, repay students loans, and keep their credit rating in good standing.