Dr. Robert Gordon has been reappointed as president and vice-chancellor of the University of Windsor.

The University’s Board of Governors made the decision recently, following a review process.

“President Gordon’s leadership in guiding this University is truly exceptional,” said Helga Reidel, chair of UWindsor’s Board of Governors.

“Throughout periods of unprecedented challenges, change, and uncertainty — notably a global pandemic — he has demonstrated steadfast resolve, resilience, and visionary insight. The University has emerged as a better, stronger, and more cohesive institution, positioned for future success.”

Reidel pointed to the University attaining its highest-ever rankings in numerous prestigious global assessments, and making substantial progress in research, innovation, and collaborative partnerships under Gordon’s leadership.

During his tenure, Gordon also spearheaded the development of the University’s first strategic plan in a decade, Aspire, and enhanced initiatives promoting academic excellence, engagement, and inclusivity.

Other key milestones include the implementation of the groundbreaking sustainability commitment, the inaugural mental health strategy, and the extensive expansion and renovation of the Toldo Lancer Centre.

“The University has also experienced a revitalization encompassing not only buildings and facilities but also methods, approaches, and institutional thinking,” Reidel said. “There is a renewed sense of pride and confidence, resonating within the University and across the broader community.”

Reidel also noted praise for Gordon’s approach and engagement with the campus community, as well as with alumni, donors, and partners.

“President Gordon prioritizes people,” Reidel said. “He ensures students thrive in quality learning environments, works to attract and retain faculty and staff, fosters partnerships, and advocates for the University and Windsor-Essex region. There is widespread trust in his strategic vision and the Board is confident that he will continue to deliver on achievements in his second term.”

First appointed in 2019, Gordon is UWindsor’s seventh president.

“I am honoured to continue to be part of the University of Windsor community,” Gordon said.

“I’ve witnessed the endurance and dedication of this University and our communities. We navigated a period of incredible change and transformation together, and we continue to address and learn from these experiences. I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished.”

Gordon acknowledged that the University and higher education sector are entering a period of complexity and uncertainty.

“But we’ve proven our ability to overcome challenges. With collective commitment and impactful collaborations, we'll continue to achieve success and make a lasting impact,” Gordon said.

Integrative biology PhD student Ashley Watt (MSc 2019) fell deeply in love with lake sturgeon and she is bursting to spread that appreciation with the publication of her new storybook, Sam and the Magic Key: A Quest to Save the Lake Sturgeon.

A follow-up to her 2022 book Rory the Redside Dace, this independently published children’s book focuses on a little boy named Sam who sets out to help a talking lake sturgeon whose home is threatened by water pollution and habitat loss.

“First off, sturgeon are absolutely adorable as juveniles and I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t fall instantly in love with these charismatic beautiful fish,” says Watt.

“It’s also cool to think we have a species in Canada that used to exist when the dinosaurs did, and I think people will be interested in them as a species.”

These ancient fish, who have been around for 200 million years, can live up to 100 years and grow to two and a half metres long. There are many different species of sturgeon, with their at-risk status ranging from threatened to endangered.

“There are so many people around the world working on the preservation of sturgeon I thought it would make a great outreach species,” Watt says.

While her doctoral research is centred around the redside dace, she discovered lake sturgeon in the lab of her supervisor Trevor Pitcher, a professor of integrative biology and researcher with the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research.

“There are a lot of issues leading to their decline in the wild, and in Pitcher’s lab there have been two master’s students working on their conservation by studying ways to improve fitness to inform future reintroduction efforts,” says Watt.

This summer she plans to do a book reading at UWindsor’s Freshwater Restoration Ecology Centre and visit Ontario schools. Watt thanks Olivia Galloway from Pitcher’s lab for helping edit the book to ensure the details of the biology were correct.

“My second book uses a higher vocabulary and contains a lot more biology, ecology, and science terms — this is for teachers, or parents who want to have a book that will teach kids about biology in an approachable way.”

Both of Watt’s books are available from her website streamsidestories.ca, where teachers can also download free worksheets. Watt says any teacher who wants a free copy of the book can reach out to her through the site.

It was a winding career path that brought Katherine Henderson to the helm of Hockey Canada.

“I started out as a dietitian,” she told the more than 100 students, staff, and faculty who attended a panel discussion in the Faculty of Human Kinetics Monday. Now, she is the president and chief executive officer for the governing body of Canada’s national winter sport.

Henderson assumed the helm of Hockey Canada in September in the midst of a shake-up in the organization. She had been CEO of Curling Canada for seven years, during which time she championed pay equity for the sport’s female players.

But her route into sport management first included stops at Whirlpool, Colgate-Palmolive, Campbell Soup, and General Mills. She later combined her marketing skills with her love of sport, becoming vice-president of marketing and revenue for the Toronto Organizing Committee for the 2015 Pan and Parapan American Games.

“We need good people in sport,” she told the students. “It’s a career path that is incredibly enriching.”

Her visit Monday was arranged through her son, a UWindsor student who took professor Terry Eddy’s course “Introduction to the Sport Industry” in the Faculty of Human Kinetics last year.

“This is a good example of how networks work,” Dr. Eddy said. “When you are out and being active, opportunities come along.”

Eddy moderated a panel discussion which included Henderson, UWindsor athletic director Stephanie White, and sport management and leadership professor Patti Millar. The three women covered topics including the success of the Professional Women’s Hockey League, barriers to sport participation, and growth opportunities in the Canadian sport system.

Henderson pointed to Norway’s Children’s Rights in Sports which allows all children to play the sport of their choice. The model has led to lower instances of vandalism and petty crime, and lower health care costs.

She said Hockey Canada is investigating ways to make hockey more affordable for families, and make it possible for children to start playing at older ages. Integrating new immigrants into the sport is also crucial.

Henderson said she is often approached by students looking to launch their careers in sport management. “I’ll meet with anyone who asks,” she said, but since she isn’t involved in hiring entry-level employees, she’s not the right person to approach. Her advice to students: connect with UWindsor alumni who graduated in the past two or three years and are now working in the industry.

Henderson had a specific message to the Lancer athletes interested in sport management careers. “You will have a very important voice. The more that athletes can articulate that perspective, the better the decisions that will be made.”

Jess Dixon, head of the faculty’s kinesiology department and a professor in the sport management and leadership program, said Henderson’s visit offered a glimpse into the state of the industry.

“This is a tremendously valuable opportunity for our students,” Dr. Dixon said. “Katherine is one of the leading sports executives in Canada and we are very privileged to have her share her insights and expertise with us.”

In a one-hour drop-in event put on by the Windsor Underground Railroad Initiative, a service-learning course in the Bachelor of Education degree program, teacher candidates will share what they have learned with teachers and members of the community. It is free and open to the University community and the public starting at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, March 14, on the first floor of the Leonard and Dorothy Neal Education Building.

Teacher candidates will run 10-minute interactive workshop sessions. Visitors can participate in as many sessions as they wish to do so within the hour.

The sessions will introduce visitors to teaching strategies, resources, and conversations about sensitive issues that can be effectively used to teach Grade 4 to 12 students about local Black history, including the Underground Railroad; Black people’s contributions to the arts, sports, and sciences; and contemporary social issues related to Black culture.

Each group of teacher candidates has focused their sessions on a specific age group: Grades 4-6, 7-8, 9-10, or 11-12. A QR code will be available that will offer educators additional pedagogical resources related to the different sessions. These sessions are each uniquely designed, for instance, as interactive learning centres, timelines, or role plays.

“Our local community of Windsor, Essex County, Amherstburg, Chatham, Buxton and surrounding areas have some of Canada’s most significant museums and historical sites connected to Black history and the Underground Railroad,” says Susan M. Holloway, an associate professor in education who conceptualized this service-learning course, which is currently in its second year.

Students in her course have visited the John Freeman Walls Historic Site, Amherstburg Freedom Museum, Buxton Museum, Sandwich First Baptist Church, the Leddy Library archives, and the McDougall Street Corridor, and attended a performance and question-answer discussion with actor and playwright Leslie McCurdy.

“The community partners have been extremely generous in sharing their knowledge as well as their insights, lived experiences, and expertise,” Dr. Holloway says. “The generous financial support of the Office of Vice-President People, Equity, & Inclusion has been tremendously instrumental in facilitating this course through a grant this year, and especially allowing for the opportunities for the teacher candidates to go on these field trips. The Faculty of Education is strongly committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion and has supported and funded the development of this course.”

The course discusses concepts and issues pertinent to education such as strengths-based learning, diaspora, white privilege, being an ally, cultural appropriation, anti-racist strategies, inclusion, the Black Lives Matter movement, and Emancipation Day celebrations. Students have also learned about such theories as Culturally Responsive Teaching, Critical Race Theory, and Critical Literacy.

“These teacher candidates are embarking on their own careers in the school system and can play an important role in shaping curriculum and community partnerships in the years to come and build upon what local school boards are already doing,” Holloway notes. “Please drop in for this interactive workshop. Everyone is welcome!”

Athletes in blue and gold brought home four medals from the U Sports track and field championship tournament in Winnipeg on the weekend.

The Lancer men finished sixth overall in team standings, while the women placed ninth. The Guelph Gryphons claimed the team titles for both men and women for the sixth straight year.

Windsor medallists included:

• A.J. Stanat, silver in the men’s shot put;
• Mandy Brunet, silver in the women’s triple jump;
• Ryan Mahabir, Cameron John-Dunslow, Ben Tilson, and Weagbe Mombo, silver in the men’s 4x200m relay; and
• Tilson, Noah Waldmann, Paul Popescu, and Will McBride, bronze in the men’s 4x400m.

Find the complete story at goLancers.ca.

The Student Recruitment office is hiring students for the 2024-25 school year to help lead campus tours and engage online audiences.

The student campus ambassador, job ID 82562, will represent the University of Windsor, providing information about programs and student services in a friendly manner to prospective students and their families. As a campus ambassador, you’ll assist with daily tours, campus events, open houses, receptions, and more.

The student content creator, job ID 82563, is responsible for developing engaging and informative content across various platforms, including social media, to help promote the University and engage its audience.

“This is an excellent opportunity for students passionate about the University of Windsor to gain valuable experience and share their UWindsor pride,” says Youstina Asaad, student ambassador co-ordinator in the Office of Enrolment Management. “If you believe you have what it takes, we encourage you to submit your application.”

Apply through the MySuccess website, referencing the relevant job ID above.

In celebration of International Women’s Day, the Odette School of Business hosted a panel discussion March 8 on the topic “Pursuing Passions and Inspiring Others.”

The all-female panel of speakers included:

• Laurie A. Tannous, cross-border attorney specializing in business immigration law and global human trafficking initiatives;
• Federica Nazzani, founder and managing partner of the Capital Assist (Valuation) accounting firm;
• Carolyn Brown, chief operations officer of the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority; and
• Esraa Abdelhalim, assistant professor of information systems, Odette School of Business.

The discussion was moderated by Marie Campagna, Odette executive-in-residence and former vice-president of finance at Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare.

The speakers shared their journeys to success despite the obstacles that many women face, including gender bias, discrimination, and balancing motherhood.

“They say there’s no room at the table,” said Tannous. “I just bring my own chair and make my own room at the table.”

Abdelhalim, who initiated the event, says International Women’s Day is crucial to showcase impact the impact of women: “This was an opportunity to celebrate and take the impact to a higher level by connecting women with women!”

Interim dean of the Odette School of Business, Ashish Mahajan, said, “Today, we not only celebrate the achievements of women but also reaffirm our commitment to creating a world where every woman is empowered to pursue her passions freely and without constraint.”

Funding applications for the Summer 2024 Ignite work-study program are open to UWindsor faculty and staff. Supervisors motivated to help students acquire career-ready skills through experiential learning in the form of on-campus employment are encouraged to apply.

Funding details:

• Supervisors approved for funding will be reimbursed up to $1,000 for a single-term position.
• Students currently working in the winter 2024 semester may remain in the same role if they continue to meet eligibility requirements.
• Employers must submit a job proposal and be approved if they intend to extend a student’s position into the summer term.

Job proposals can be submitted through Qualtrics with an application deadline of April 1. Late applications will not be accepted.

The Ignite work-study program is co-ordinated by Career Development and Experiential Learning, a unit of the Office of Experiential Learning.

For more information, visit the Ignite website. Questions can be directed to ignite@uwindsor.ca.