Following the success of University of Windsor Lab School: Strings this past winter, the School of Creative Arts, in collaboration with Continuing Education, is offering an immersive summer music program welcoming beginner and intermediate-level students aged 4 to 17.

Director of the University of Windsor Lab School, Vanessa Mio-Quiring, looks to foster musical growth through engaging experiences, like group lessons in flute and strings, choir, master classes, performance opportunities, improvisation and composition, and visual art instruction by University of Windsor faculty.

“This is a unique opportunity for students to engage with UWindsor instructors,” Dr. Mio-Quiring says. “We’ve included the element of choir, composition, and visual arts to the program so students can be creative and have a versatile experience in music and the arts this summer.”

The program will take place at the Windsor Armouries – School of Creative Arts for two weeks: July 10 to 14, and 17 to 21, with a registration deadline of June 28.

Organizers encourage parents to enrol their young musicians for an invaluable opportunity to learn in a group setting, explore new artistic horizons, and make lasting memories through social experiences.

Visit the Continuing Education registration page to learn more and register.

June 21 marked the official naming and donor recognition event for the Odette School of Business’ new Dr. Mitchell W. Fields Data Analytics Lab.

Donations to fund the lab were matched by the family foundations of Edmond and Gloria Odette and Patricia and Louis Odette.

The space was named in honour of the outgoing dean of the business school, Mitchell Fields, who will complete his seven-year term as dean on June 30.

“Our vision was to create a lab that is among the best in all Canada, and I believe we have succeeded thanks to the support of our donors,” said Dr. Fields. “I was touched and humbled when I was informed that the Odette family arranged to put the lab in my name.”

Michael Kaye, grandson of Edmond and Gloria Odette, says Fields’ commitment and vision were critical to the creation of the lab.

“The fact that so many generous alumni and donors stepped up to support this initiative speaks volumes about Dr. Fields’ leadership and passion for ensuring that the Odette School of Business remains at the forefront of innovative learning and ensuring that our grads have the tools to excel in their chosen career paths," he said.

The lab houses 50 cutting-edge workstations, monitor systems with integrated cameras, microphones, and speakers, advanced teaching technologies, high-end processors, high-speed wiring, and industry leading software.

Lou Odette, son of Louis and Patricia Odette and president of the P & L Odette Charitable Foundation, says he is very pleased to see the success of the foundation’s matched contributions.

“The state-of-the-art teaching lab is a high impact addition to the business school’s facilities and provides an exceptional educational space for the students.”

Construction of the space was completed last year, and it has already seen use for research projects, outreach events, and providing teaching support for undergraduate and graduate students.

—Sienna Ducharme

A noontime performance on the River Commons by concurrent music and education student Madelyn Stein on Tuesday will open the 2023 Summer Concert Series.

The concerts, sponsored by the Office of the President, are intended to bring together faculty, staff, and students in an informal setting. Besides music and camaraderie, the event promises free gelato.

Stein is a pop singer-songwriter whose 2022 single “Victim” has earned airplay on campus community radio station CJAMfm and was featured as a Homegrown Hit by Mix 96.7fm.

Head over at noon June 27 to the west side of Turtle Island Walk north of Lambton Tower. In the event of inclement weather, the venue will relocate to the CAW Student Centre Commons.

It has been a dream of Amal Jammali to apply her time, energy, and passion to make a difference for those in need. Now the international student advisor is on the brink of making her dream come true.

Jammali is planning a trip to South Africa under Islamic Relief’s Inspire volunteer abroad program to support a project focused on rehabilitating schools and homes, providing clean water, education materials, and training for teachers.

To participate, she must raise $3,500 towards the charity’s work to empower vulnerable individuals and communities and engage with orphan children.

“It has been a lifelong dream of mine to actively help a reputable agency in hopes of making a genuine difference in the world and contributing to humanitarian efforts,” says Jammali.

Her volunteer activities will range from providing psychosocial support and educational activities to orphaned children to assisting with home rehabilitation and distributing food and hygiene items.

“I am seeking the support of campus friends and colleagues,” Jammali says. “All donations are tax deductible.”

To make a donation or learn more about the Inspire program, visit her online fundraising site.

Lancer Recreation will host a doubles badminton tournament Saturday, July 8, at 1 p.m. on the Mondo courts of the Dennis Fairall Fieldhouse in the Toldo Lancer Centre.

The tournament format will be round robin games followed by a single elimination bracket. Players must bring their own rackets and shuttlecocks. Winners will receive intramural champions T-shirts and their names on a plaque.

Registration closes Thursday, July 6, at 5 p.m. Cost is $25 per team and payment can be made at the Toldo Lancer Centre front desk or online.

The event is open to campus and community teams; register on the Lancer Recreation imleagues site. Students and staff may sign in with their UWin ID and password. Community members can create an account if they do not have one already.

Send questions to Giulia Barile.

Her leadership and commitment to the Arab communities of Canada and the United States earned Reem Bahdi, dean of Windsor Law, recognition from two organizations in the last month.

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee conferred its Hala Salam Maksoud Award on Prof. Bahdi during the June 17 civil rights luncheon at its national convention alongside attorney Ben Crump, who was the keynote speaker and recipient of the Courage of Justice award. The committee is a civil rights organization working to defend the rights of Arab American and immigrant communities.

In making the award, it cited Bahdi’s outstanding leadership, scholarship, and commitment to the Arab community, her achievements and contributions to legal education, and her work to advance access to justice.

The Canada Arab Business Council presented Bahdi with its Outstanding Arab Canadian Achievement Award for contributions to the business and cultural fabric of Canada at its annual gala dinner, May 29. The council is a not-for-profit association focused on promoting trade and investment between Canada and the Arab world.

—Dalia Mazhar

In recognition of world elder abuse awareness day and seniors’ month, Community Legal Aid collaborated with partners Family Services of Windsor-Essex and social worker Jennifer Cline of Legal Assistance Windsor to conduct public education sessions aimed at raising awareness and equipping community members with the knowledge and resources needed to combat elder abuse effectively.

“Our law students applied their theoretical learning about elder law through the experience of developing and presenting on important legal rights topics to help combat elder abuse,” said review counsel Lilian Bahgat. “In addition to supervising their workshops, Jennifer Cline and I were pleased to present to our local service providers on red flag issues in working with vulnerable seniors.

“When it comes to combating elder abuse community, partnerships and intervention are key.”

Faculty members offering an academic program orientation session to incoming undergraduate students on Wednesday, Sept. 6, should submit their plans to the organizers of UWindsor Welcome Week for two reasons:

1. to be assigned an appropriate space, and
2. to be included in promotional materials sent to new students.

The orientation sessions should finish by 2 p.m. to allow attendees to participate in the Welcoming Celebration.

The Student Success and Leadership Centre has already reserved campus spaces that departments traditionally book for their sessions and will assign them on completion of the online proposal form. Register an academic program orientation here no later than July 19.

Visitors to the University of Windsor’s Ed Lumley Centre for Engineering Innovation will now pass through the Telus Atrium, a space marking the two organizations’ shared priority of connectivity.

Leadership from the University and the telecommunications company came together last week to unveil the new sign in the lobby of the building, home to the Faculty of Engineering.

UWindsor president Robert Gordon said the partnership helps build on the University’s strategic priority of advancing bold, impactful research, scholarship, and creative activity.

“Our researchers bring global perspectives, emerging knowledge, and leadership to the table as we address regional challenges together with our industry partners like Telus,” Dr. Gordon said.

“Providing students with the latest systems to pursue their studies on campus and to collaborate on this partnership is crucial to our mission. Thank you, Telus, for supporting the University of Windsor’s efforts to learn, lead, and serve in this space.”

Earlier this year, the University of Windsor and Telus launched the 5G connected campus and commercial lab to support advanced research with 5G technology.

Chancellor Mary Jo Haddad, representing both the University of Windsor and Telus as a member of its board of directors, said the profound impact of the company’s commitment to collaboration with post-secondary institutions has not only fuelled innovation across Canada but provided invaluable education and employment opportunities for young individuals.

“We are proud to partner with Telus and are grateful for their recognition of our role in driving leading-edge research and innovation,” Dr. Haddad said. “Their substantial investment in our 5G connected campus and commercial lab will position the University of Windsor as a hub for advanced research and a go-to centre for innovation.”

“This is a milestone for engineering and the University of Windsor,” said dean Bill Van Heyst. “This gift from Telus is transformative and will enable our faculty and students to establish more meaningful partnerships in their teaching and learning as well as their research.”

Erika Kustra will begin an appointment as acting associate vice-president academic July 1, provost Patti Weir has announced.

Dr. Kustra is the director of the Centre for Teaching and Learning, an associate professor in the Department of Psychology, and adjunct professor in the Faculty of Education. She has 25 years of experience as an educational developer, is nationally recognized for her curriculum and educational development work, is a mentor for new faculty, and actively supervises undergraduate, and doctoral-level research.

A search for an associate vice-president academic will commence in the fall. In the interim, Jessica Raffoul will serve as acting director of the Centre for Teaching and Learning.