Orientation

Get to know U of T: Virtual orientation events beam university community into students’ homes

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 21:47:41 +0000

Get to know U of T: Virtual orientation events beam university community into students’ homes

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 09/02/2020 - 17:47

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John Peri (left) and Gabriel Sher (right) of U of T’s Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering prepare nearly 800 orientation packages that will be delivered across the country and as far away as Japan, Brazil and Italy (photo by Dana Kokoska)

Geoffrey Vendeville

Topic

Global Lens

Back to School 2020

UTogether

Student Experience

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Undergraduate Students

Orientation typically takes place once new University of Toronto students arrive on campus. This year, however, U of T will be coming to them.

With many undergraduates set to take courses remotely this fall, staff and student leaders at the university have organized a host of creative virtual orientation events designed to introduce incoming students to the school and its communities – and make their first few weeks as fun and memorable as possible.

Among this year’s highlights: An online concert headlined by Brampton singer, rapper and song-writer Roy Woods, virtual “club crawls,” inspiring remarks from America’s most high-profile infectious disease expert and orientation kits mailed out to households around the world.

Here’s a small sample of events to kick off the semester across the three campuses:

St. George

At the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, students who are participating in orientation can expect a package in the mail containing a first-year starter kit, including a hard hat, sew-on patches, copies of the engineering campus newspapers and purple face paint.

The seemingly random collection of items is all part of the faculty’s storied undergraduate traditions, which aim to build bonds for life.

Gabriel Sher, orientation chair of U of T’s Engineering Society, says nearly 800 orientation packages will be delivered across the country and as far away as Japan, Brazil and Italy.

Students have also been invited to take a 360-degree video tour of the downtown Toronto campus alongside a small group of their peers, with an upper-year student as their tour guide.

“We’ve narrowed our focus to be an exercise in friend-making, and that’s really critical this year,” Sher says.

Students in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering who are participating in orientation can expect a package containing a first-year starter kit, including a hard hat, sew-on patches, copies of the engineering campus newspapers and purple face paint (photo by Dana Kokoska)

For those keen on experiencing a party-like atmosphere – albeit virtually – the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU), which represents students on the St. George campus, is hosting a video concert called U-Nite featuring singer Alina Baraz and Brampton-born rapper Roy Woods. The event will be hosted on MS Live, an audiovisual broadcasting tool, and is being supported U of T’s division of campus events and the classroom technology support group – one of more than 30 orientation events they’re helping to stage.

“Student orientation co-ordinators have an important and unique task,” says Arielle Berube, manager, campus events. “They deserve a lot of recognition for navigating uncharted territory.”

The UTSU also plans to host a series of virtual “club crawls,” where students can become acquainted with different campus groups during sessions reminiscent of speed dating that take place in Zoom break-out rooms.

View this post on Instagram

U NITE LIVE welcomes students to the University of Toronto. Hosted on September 11th 2020 at 6pm, U NITE is an online livestream event dedicated to welcome students to UofT. Stay tuned for our artist line up and special guests ⠀ ⠀ Link in Bio to Sign up! ⠀ .⠀⠀ .⠀⠀ .⠀⠀ .⠀⠀ .⠀⠀ #UNITE #UTSUORIENTATION #JOLLYGOODFUN #ORIENTATION #UOFTBACKTOSCHOOL #utsu #UFEST2020 #uoft #toronto #uoftstudentlife #universityoftoronto #uoftsu #UNiteLive

A post shared by U of T Students' Union (UTSU) (@uoftsu) on Aug 20, 2020 at 9:20am PDT

At New College, one of U of T’s seven colleges, orientation leaders will support incoming students not just for the first couple of weeks of the term – but throughout their entire first year.The mentor-like program is meant to address a dilemma that many new students face after orientation is over – one that orientation co-ordinator Laura Gallo describes as: “I survived the first week of classes, but what do I do now?”

The college’s all-digital orientation schedule also includes a video games night, trivia night, student-life edition of Family Feud and an event focusing on mental health that was organized with Health & Wellness.

“More than ever, people are feeling isolated right now,” says Emily Yu, another New College orientation co-ordinator. “So, we wanted to promote a discussion about mental health and techniques to lower stress to make sure students are making time for themselves and are able to relax.”

View this post on Instagram

HI NEW COLLEGE! Announcing the final schedule for Orientation 2020! Get hyped for NEW1X‼️ Check out our other posts for details and descriptions of events.

A post shared by New College Orientation (@ncorientation) on Aug 30, 2020 at 12:21pm PDT

Incoming students in the Faculty of Medicine have already received a greeting from one of the most prominent names in their field: Dr. Anthony Fauci.

In a video posted on social media, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and member of the U.S. coronavirus task force urged students to stay well, look out for each other and view the pandemic as a rare learning opportunity revealing insights at the “intersection of medical science, public health and human behaviour.”

“Now more than ever, we need your energy, your talent, your character and your resolve – qualities I’m confident you have in abundance,” he said.

"Now, more than ever, we need your energy, your talent, your character, and your resolve. Qualities I am confident you have in abundance," says Dr. Anthony Fauci to the @UofTMDprogram Class of 2T4. #UofT

: @UofTMedicine pic.twitter.com/8axBPia7iY
— University of Toronto (@UofT) August 25, 2020

U of T Mississauga

At U of T Mississauga, the students’ union organized an outer space-themed orientation to go with a calendar of events hosted in cyberspace.

The festivities began this week with a “journey across the cosmos” – otherwise known as a virtual campus tour. Students can also show off their skills at an online UTM Got Talent event, take part in virtual scavenger hunts and get to know the many different student clubs and societies.

Meanwhile,” O-week” will officially kick off Sept. 7 with a live Welcome Day – reimagined for an online space – during which new students can meet upper-year mentors and listen to a message from Alexandra Gillespie, vice-president and principal of U of T Mississauga.

“We thought that by opening the week with a live event, students can know that they’re in a Zoom webinar of their own peers,” says Janina Malapitan, orientation team lead at U of T Mississauga.

On Sept. 8, students can join an academic orientation where they can have one-on-one conversations with their future professors and advisers. The following day, there’s an opportunity to learn about everything the campus has to offer through a virtual resource fair. Students can also familiarize themselves with the U of T Mississauga Career Centre, U of T Mississauga Students Union, Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre and more by hopping from one “booth” – or Zoom break-out room – to another.

U of T Scarborough

In Scarborough, incoming first-year students will also set off on a new adventure among the stars.

The Scarborough Campus Students’ Union (SCSU) has adopted a Starship Launching theme for this year’s orientation.

Michael Sobowale, frosh co-ordinator, says one of the highlights will be an online clubs fair – a presentation of two-minute videos about the variety of student groups on campus.

“I want people to have the notion that, although U of T might be challenging, it’s also fun,” Sobowale says. “We want to make it easier for first year students to recognize that there’s also a social aspect to U of T and that we have a community.”

Orientation co-ordinators have put a lot of thought into the program to overcome the challenge of hosting online activities for the first time, adds Sobowale.

“Even though people are staying home, we can bring the community to them.”

In parallel with the SCSU events, U of T Scarborough is hosting an LGBTQ-focused orientation, an event for international students, an athletics open house and welcome day on Sept. 8.

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SCSU FROSH 2020 is FREE FOR ALL first years Meet our lovely FROSH TEAM. Sign up link in bio

A post shared by @ scsuorientation on Aug 19, 2020 at 12:18pm PDT

Students can join the sessions online and can play icebreaker games through the Kahoot! platform.

“I hope (new) students will feel connected to the campus and that they know we care and we’re trying to meet them where they’re at – like literally, in their homes,” says Nadia Rosemond, assistant dean, student affairs and student life at U of T Scarborough. “Even though we might not physically be on campus, the same services are open to them to utilize.

“We’re working hard behind the scenes to make sure they receive all the support they need to succeed.”

Canadian senator inspires aspiring change-makers at Master of Social Work orientation

geoff.vendeville — Fri, 06 Sep 2019 15:04:44 +0000

Canadian senator inspires aspiring change-makers at Master of Social Work orientation

geoff.vendeville Fri, 09/06/2019 - 11:04

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Senator Wanda Thomas Bernard shared lessons learned over a lifetime in social work at the introductory conference for Master of Social Work students (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Geoffrey Vendeville

Topic

City & Culture

Back To School 2019

Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work

Graduate Students

Orientation

On just the second day of their lives as Master of Social Work students, the new class at the University of Toronto listened to a leader in the field, Senator Wanda Thomas Bernard, share insights learned over a lifetime of breaking barriers and making change.

Speaking at Hart House on Thursday, Bernard described her journey from East Preston, N.S., where she grew up in “absolute poverty,” to Dalhousie University and the hallowed halls of the Canadian Senate. Her talk was part of an introductory conference at which students heard directly from social workers in fields as varied as policy, child welfare and health equity for immigrants and refugees.

One of the key messages from the opening remarks at the conference was how personal experiences and values inform one’s practice as a social worker. Dexter Voisin, who joined the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work as dean this summer after two decades at the University of Chicago, told the audience his social work practice and research are inextricably linked to his “multiple identities” – as a black male, an immigrant to the U.S. and now Canada and as a person from a working-class family growing up with middle-class values.

Dean Dexter Voisin speaks to students at Hart House (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

On the road to becoming a psychologist, he stumbled into social work and served clients caught in a web of trauma, substance abuse and HIV. That work led him to take on a PhD in social work at Columbia University to study intersectional trauma and address a practice and research gap he found in the literature.

For Bernard, it was experiences of racism and sexism that led her to pursue change she wanted to see in the world. She urged the class of social work students to make positive changes in their communities too. “If not us, who? If not now, when?” she said.

Her father, a construction worker, was killed in car accident on a Labour Day weekend when she was 12 years old, leaving her mother to care for her and her nine brothers and sisters. Her mother had wanted to be a teacher but her education was cut short at Grade 8. Instead she worked the “only job she could get,” Bernard said, as a domestic.

Bernard lost her father just a few days before starting classes in a non-segregated school, where people doubted her ability simply because of the colour of her skin. She said she had to work three times harder to overcome prejudice and get ahead.

At just 15, she started at Mount Saint Vincent University.

She has spent much of her career combating the barriers and injustices that she had encountered. She was a founding member and president of the Association of Black Social Workers, which pushed for legislation to improve the welfare of Black families and child services. She was the first African Nova Scotian hired to a tenure-track position at Dalhousie in 1990, became the director of the School of Social Work and led initiatives on diversity and inclusion at the university.

Meanwhile, she conducted research with Black men and racism, particularly surrounding their experiences in the criminal justice system.

She was named to the Senate by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2016. She told the audience she brings a “social work and social justice lens” to debates. Her work on Parliament Hill led her to visit 30 prisons in a study documenting the over-representation of minorities in jail.

Master of Social Work students mingle during a break at Thursday's orientation conference at Hart House (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Despite her accomplishments, Bernard told students she was often frustrated by the slow pace of reform. “When you’re in the moment, you don’t see that change happening,” she said. “It’s like a little pebble in the sea.”

She encouraged the aspiring social workers in the room to bring an open mind and an intersectional lens to their research. “Think about community engagement, think about activism, how you use your voices,” she added.

Samiha Sharif says she was inspired by Bernard’s call to action. The new Master of Social Work student came to U of T from McGill, where she majored in international development. She applied to the program to learn how to better serve marginalized communities such as the Inuit youth she worked with in northern Quebec.

“I found her an electrifying speaker,” Sharif said about Bernard.

“I don’t really meet people in positions of power who look like me or who have similar backgrounds, ever. To have a conference that opens with somebody who talks about where they started, who talks about what it's like to be a woman who people usually pass over, who talks about the fact that we have to work three times harder but that it’s worth it – that’s important.

“I feel like I’m in the right place and the right program,” she said.

Welcome – or welcome back! Check out these September events

Romi Levine — Fri, 30 Aug 2019 04:00:00 +0000

Welcome – or welcome back! Check out these September events

Romi Levine Fri, 08/30/2019 - 00:00

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(photo by Ken Jones)

Isabel Armiento

Topic

Our Community

Back To School 2019

Sexual Violence Prevention & Support Centre

School of Cities

Faculty of Arts & Science

Rotman School of Management

Student Life

U of T Mississauga

U of T Scarborough

Undergraduate Students

Summer has come to a close, but that doesn’t mean the fun is ending. Orientation week is packed with exciting – and informative – events that aren’t just for first-year students, including a parade, street festival, carnival and more.

For a break from University of Toronto-related festivities, check out select TIFF films being screened on-campus. If you’re lucky, you might even spot a celebrity.

There are plenty of September events sure to get you excited about going back to school. Here’s just a sample:

Sept. 1

Sign up with U of T for the Academic Bicycle Challenge and win prizes for biking alongside – or against – peers, faculty members and other cyclists worldwide. Download the Naviki app (Google Play, iOS) from Sept. 1 to 30 to participate in this global phenomenon.

Sept. 3

Tri-campus orientation begins. Prepare yourself for an unforgettable first week by familiarizing yourself with information about orientation at the St. George campus, U of T Mississauga or U of T Scarborough.

Join U of T experts at the tri-campus Facebook Live and Instagram conference ASKme Anything about U of T and get the answers to all your campus-related questions.

Sept. 4

Show your school spirit at the tri-campus parade, beginning at 1 p.m. at Varsity Stadium, located at the St. George campus.

Continue the festivities at the Clubs Carnival, beginning at 3 p.m., located at King’s College Circle. St. George campus students should check out their college or faculty’s website to find out about college-specific club fairs.

Sept. 5

TIFF (the Toronto International Film Festival) begins, running until Sept. 15, with student tickets offered for only $11.50. On Sept. 11, catch the world première of Judy, starring Renée Zellweger as the legendary Judy Garland, without even leaving campus. The film is being screened at the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management.

Sept. 6

Hart House celebrates its 100^th anniversary with story-weaving project Encounters at the Edge of the Woods, running at the Hart House Theatre from Sept. 6 to 7.

Sept. 11

Take a break from classes and stop by U of T’s annual Street Festival, located at the St. George campus along St. George Street. Enjoy the activities, music and food trucks while learning more about campus life.

Sept. 12

Join the Faculty of Music for the first installation of the weekly series Thursdays at Noon, featuring the Juno Award-winning Gryphon Trio. Check out the Faculty of Music’s 2019/20 Season guide for a complete list of events, classes and performances.

Sept. 14

Show your support for mental health awareness at the 2019 Toronto Concert for Suicide Awareness, Prevention, and Hope. Listen to inspirational speeches and performances by U of T faculty, lecturers and alumni such as Norine Burgess, Dr. Andrea Levinson, Nathalie Paulin and Monica Whicher.

Sept. 17

Garner mental health resources on- and off-campus while learning to prioritize wellness over academic success at 2019 Minds Redefined, a mental health and wellness conference by the Faculty of Arts & Science that features keynote speakers Margaret Trudeau and Michael Landsberg and workshops such as “Navigating Career Uncertainty” and “failing excellently!”

Navigate Toronto’s rapidly shifting urban landscape with the first lecture in a four-part lecture series, hosted by U of T’s School of Cities in conjunction with the Toronto Public Library. Where We Gather explores the interplay between city life and public spaces.

Adapt your academic skills for the workplace at the U of T Career Fair, where you can network with more than 100 global organizations and employers.

Sept. 18

The Isuma artists’ collective works in conjunction with the Toronto Biennale of Art to produce Qaggiq: Gathering Place, a collection of video works that focus on storytelling and language. View the exhibition at the University of Toronto Art Centre until Nov. 30.

Sept. 19

Explore a host of opportunities in your field at U of T Scarborough’s Get Experience Fair. Whether it’s through volunteering for a not-for-profit, working an on-campus job, assisting a prof’s research or studying abroad, there are plenty of ways to gain valuable – and relevant – experience.

Sept. 21

Learn how to use media and digital art as a narrative and rhetorical tool at Mixture: Digital Art and Compositional Realities, hosted by U of T Mississauga.

Sept. 23

Queer Orientation is a tri-campus week of LGBTQ-focused and community-building programming, running from Sept. 23 to 28.

Stay informed about U of T’s policy on sexual violence and sexual harassment. In-person consultation sessions are being held at all three campuses for staff, faculty and students: U of T Mississauga on Sept. 23, U of T Scarborough on Sept. 24 and St. George campus on Sept. 25.

Sept. 24

Show your support for the CIBC Run for the Cure with U of T Mississauga’s warm-up event – the Pink Campus Walk. For more fundraising events and initiatives, join U of T Mississauga’s Run for the Cure Ice Cream Day on Sept. 10 or their Run for the Cure Pink Luncheon on Sept. 17.

Sept. 26

Kick off the school year with a focus on wellness at Be Well UTM. Discover the wealth of wellness resources located on campus, including mental health supports, conflict resolution tools and fun drop-in fitness classes such as Introduction to Caribbean Dance.

Sept. 27

If you find yourself itching to do the Time Warp again or wondering whatever happened to Saturday night, head down to the Hart House Theatre for the opening night of The Rocky Horror Show. Catch this rendition of the cult classic for $12 to $15 until Oct. 12.

Sept. 28

Muse over works of musical genius with the first instalment of the Faculty of Music’s “What Makes It Great?” series – Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7.

Join photographer Aubie Golombek for a presentation on the relationship between form and image. Drawing on Bosch’s triptych painting “The Garden of Earthly Delights,” Golombek uses the dual media of contact print and lecture to synthesize his critical praxis.

Sept. 29

Take advantage of U of T’s photogenic landscapes during the Photo Walk Around Campus. Hosted by the Hart House Camera Club, this is the perfect opportunity to refine your photography practise, curate photos for your portfolio and network with other budding student photographers.

Sept. 30

Take a break from the clamour of courses to listen to a heartrending Faculty of Music performance by soprano Nathalie Paulin and pianist Steven Philcox, inspired by Messiaen’s Chants de Terre et de Ciel.

2017 in focus: 13 of our favourite photos

geoff.vendeville — Thu, 14 Dec 2017 05:00:00 +0000

2017 in focus: 13 of our favourite photos

geoff.vendeville Thu, 12/14/2017 - 00:00

Cutline

This lucky squirrel made off with a good haul near Sir Daniel Wilson Residence (photo by Laura Pedersen)

Topic

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

From server rooms to squirrels, selfies to swimmers – University of Toronto photographers captured them all in pixels

Here is a selection of some of our favourite pictures in what was another big year for the university:

University Professor and Google researcher Geoffrey Hinton, a.k.a. “the godfather of deep learning,” strikes a relaxed pose in the server room of the machine learning group, in U of T's department of computer science. Photo by Johnny Guatto.

Swimmer Vithusha Coomaran in action at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre. Photo by U of T Scarborough staff photographer Ken Jones.

Before hitting the books, U of T Scarborough students hit the streets for orientation. Ken Jones used a wide angle lens to capture the excitement. “This is a rare situation where I think the distortion lends something to the picture,” he says. “It gives it a more dynamic feel.”

Convocation is a time for flowers, smiles and, of course, selfies. Photo by Ken Jones.

One of the many perks of studying at U of T Mississauga? Spotting white-tailed deer. Photo by Arjun Yadav.

Richard Marsella is the executive director of the Regent Park School of Music and a PhD candidate in music education at U of T. The school, U of T faculty and Turning Point Youth Services run a program to help kids in detention learn to play an instrument and discover music. Photo by Romi Levine.

The 150^th anniversary of Confederation was not just a cause for celebration. For Cree artist Kent Monkman, it was time to think critically about Canada's history of colonialism and the country's future. Staff photographer/videographer Lisa Lightbourn portrayed the artist at work before his exhibit at the Art Museum at the University of Toronto.

One of the qualities that sets U of T apart from many other universities is its location at the centre of a vibrant, cosmopolitan city. Nothing says that better than staff photographer/videographer Laura Pedersen's image of the CN Tower reflected in the doors of University College.

Noura Al-Jizawi was in the thick of the uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from the start. She organized pro-democracy protests, ran a subversive blog and posted pictures of victims of repression. She came to U of T this year through Scholars at Risk, a program for graduate students and academics fleeing war or persecution. Photo by Laura Pedersen.

While taking part in an annoucement with Sidewalk Labs about a new mixed-use, connected community on Toronto’s eastern waterfront, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with 20 girls in Grades 4 to 6, all aspiring engineers, who were designing the neighbourhood of the future at a workshop held by U of T Engineering's outreach program. Trudeau made several trips to U of T in 2017. Photo by Roberta Baker.

After it was announced that Bernie Sanders would give a speech a U of T's Convocation Hall, tickets sold out almost immediately. But the folksy senator from Vermont didn't leave his fans disappointed. He and U of T President Meric Gertler (first from left) greeted students in the rush line before Sanders took the podium. Photo by Geoffrey Vendeville.

After six people were killed in a Quebec City mosque in January, U of T responded to the tragedy by coming together in front of University College to remember the victims and denounce Islamophobia in all its forms. Photo by Geoffrey Vendeville.

#UofTBTS16: Back to School wraps up at U of T

ullahnor — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 17:42:42 +0000

#UofTBTS16: Back to School wraps up at U of T

ullahnor Fri, 09/16/2016 - 13:42

Noreen Ahmed-Ullah

Author legacy

Noreen Ahmed-Ullah

Topic

U of T has been abuzz with excitement for the past three weeks as Back to School orientations, frosh week, a carnival, the first day of classes and student club fairs welcomed new and returning students to all three campuses.

Back to School has been all about exploring your campus – downtown Toronto, U of T Scarborough or U of T Mississauga – looking for opportunities to expand your horizon and making the most of your time here.

President Meric Gertler kicked off the new school year by offering frosh at a University College orientation a solid piece of advice: “At U of T and here in Toronto, the world is truly your oyster so take full advantage of it,” he said.

Second-year students Hilary Naluz, McKayla Malcolm and Glyn Narca say they're going to do just that. Naluz wants to try out for theatre this year. Malcolm wants to join a sports team. And Narca wants to become more active in student groups.

“Since I’m an equity major, I want to focus on activism,” she said. “In my first year, there was a lot of anxiety. This year after my first week, I realized I’m not doing that this year. I want to get more involved.”

This year's incoming class, the Class of 2020 includes an aspiring filmmaker, an environmental activist, a musician who loves math and a student who has already been recognized for his stellar research.

Read about the chance meeting

On the downtown Toronto campus, students operating the ASKme booths offered advice on everything from where to nap, to favourite places to eat and secret spots when you just want to get away. All you had to do was stop and ask.

Watch U of T News asking two ASKme students some serious questions

As for new things to try: this year the campus has new food offerings. Check out Chef Jaco Lokker’s latest creation – Sambal at the Medical Sciences building and Sid Smith. Some students may also get classrooms newly retrofitted with comfy wider seats and nearby electrical outlets. The university is looking to add more of those in the coming years.

Read story about new food offerings at U of T

Read story about newly refurbished classrooms

Back to School is also about making friends. And what better way for new students to meet other new students than through frosh week. The Mississauga and Scarborough campuses had their own orientation for students as did downtown Toronto's U of T colleges and faculties.

Students wanting to get more involved this year – something many didn’t think about in first year – learned about all the offering at clubs week and this week’s street festival.

And now that Back to School is over, the work begins.

Narca, the equity major, says she's happy with the courses she chose this year, especially an intro course on black history and current issues.

"I'm looking forward to my classes," she said.

Sean Abtahi, a third-year undergrad majoring in biochemistry and physics, said he spent the first week of classes, trying to stay ahead of his readings and prepping for lab work.

"In my first and second year, I was kind of behind on the readings in the first and second week," he said. "This year, I want to get on that and get a head-start on my problem sets. I don't want to leave it to the last minute."

The aspiring medical student says he's also getting involved in academic life. This year, he'll be working with other students to improve their study skills as a peer mentor at the Academic Centre.

"It's my first time doing a work study," he said. "I'll be helping other students."

#UofTBTS16: Orientation is for faculty too

lavende4 — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 13:19:04 +0000

#UofTBTS16: Orientation is for faculty too

lavende4 Fri, 09/09/2016 - 09:19

Cutline

Orientation sessions give new faculty members the chance for a more personal conversation with a range of people, says Carol Rolheiser, director of the Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation (photo by Wes Adams, CTSI)

Terry Lavender

Author legacy

Terry Lavender

Topic

Instructional Technology

Orientation

Orientation at the University of Toronto isn’t just for students. Hundreds of new faculty members also have to prepare for the start of the school year at an unfamiliar institution.

So Carol Rolheiser and her staff at the Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation (CTSI) are here to help, guiding new instructors on everything from teaching tools to grading.

New faculty from 46 different departments and all three campuses initially attended full-day orientation in late August, introducing them to the research, teaching and service components of their roles. This was followed by a week of teaching-focused workshops, which included topics such as teaching tools for a diverse classroom, myths about grading, strategies to support active learning and the top challenges faced by students.

“It’s a chance for new faculty to have a more personalized conversation with a range of people, and to get some support and resource material, Rolheiser told U of T News. But, she stressed, new faculty orientation is more than a one-off event.

“It’s part of a cycle of ongoing support and engagement, and networking and professional learning opportunities that go beyond the first week," she said.

Tim Sayle, an assistant professor in history, was one of the hundreds of new faculty members who attended the sessions. He didn’t teach any courses in his previous position at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, but now at U of T he’ll be leading two large classes of 475 and 200 students respectively.

“As a former student at U of T, I knew it was a big institution," Sayle said. "What I didn’t realize was what was behind the curtain. There is an enormous range of resources that help backstop teaching, and this part of the university has done a very good job explaining to new faculty who they are and how they can help. Teaching is not a solo project – and that’s a relief. I’ve been able to draw on colleagues in different parts of the university for advice and support.”

Irene Boeckmann spent two years at the WZB Berlin Social Science Center as a post-doctoral fellow before joining the U of T sociology department as an assistant professor. She is looking forward to a new role that combines teaching and research.

“Hearing about student experiences at U of T and their perspectives on what helps them learn was very useful,” she said. “I was surprised to learn of the wealth of resources and faculty support available.”

Rebecca Woods, who recently joined the Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology, said she was surprised at the size of U of T.

“I didn’t realize it was quite this big, and I was very impressed with its degree of economic, ethnic, and geographical diversity,” said Woods, who will be teaching courses in the history of technology. “The staff members were excellent models for engaged and meaningful pedagogy, and I came away convinced of the value of active learning strategies.”

Rolheiser's staff try to ensure a mix of new and returning faculty, and a range of examples of best practices from all three campuses.

“It’s important that new faculty and experienced faculty see the range of things that are happening beyond their discipline, beyond their department, beyond their campus because that’s a way to spark innovation,” Rolheiser said.

Just as student orientation is designed to leave the students excited and energized about their new home, so are the sessions for new faculty.

“I’m excited about getting back into teaching, interacting with students, getting to know my new colleagues and becoming part of the academic life of the sociology department,” Boeckmann said.

#UofTBTS16: “The world is your oyster,” President Gertler tells new students

ullahnor — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 16:34:23 +0000

#UofTBTS16: “The world is your oyster,” President Gertler tells new students

ullahnor Wed, 09/07/2016 - 12:34

Cutline

President Meric Gertler talks to students at orientation event (Photo by Johnny Guatto)

Rachel Halpern

Author legacy

Rachel Halpern

Topic

President Meric Gertler

#UofTBTS16

At an orientation event this week, University of Toronto President Meric Gertler greeted students with the following advice:

“At U of T and here in Toronto, the world is truly your oyster so take full advantage of it,” he said.

The message is in keeping with the President’s view that U of T is uniquely positioned to offer students a world-class education, as well as the experience of living in one of the world’s most diverse and cosmopolitan cities, Toronto.

The orientation ceremony for University College was held at Convocation Hall, and the President reminded students that they will return here at the end of their undergrad.

“In roughly four years’ time, chances are you will gather here in Convocation Hall once again,” President Gertler said. “You’ll be surrounded by friends and family who will proudly watch you cross this stage as you receive your degree. By then, you may be about to launch into your career, to go to graduate school, or be on the cusp of other adventures yet to be determined. No doubt, you will be a changed person. You’ll have conquered U of T and you’ll be ready to take on the world!”

The orientation event also saw student leaders offering first years advice on everything from getting involved in extracurricular activities to making use of the university’s 44 libraries.

“I say this very often – get involved in any way possible,” said Ramsey Andary, a fourth year commerce student and president of the UC Literary and Athletic Society. “The university is more than the courses and the things you learn from the classroom. I have learned a lot more from the people around me – my friends, my colleagues, the professors, and everything outside of the classroom.”

First year cognitive science student Austin Koehler followed his sister to U of T.

“My sister did her undergrad at U of T and I felt pretty familiar with it already,” said Koehler. “But besides that I felt it was just a really good place to get career opportunities and to network with people. I really love the atmosphere here--the architecture, the history. There’s a long history of alumni here who are people I find inspiring.”

Read President Gertler’s Welcome Back Message

Wind Mobile founder and U of T alumnus inspires Engineering students

sgupta — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 14:30:43 +0000

Wind Mobile founder and U of T alumnus inspires Engineering students sgupta Mon, 09/10/2012 - 10:30

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U of T alumnus Anthony Lacavera addressing first-year Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering students (Photo by Scott Mann)

Liz Do

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Liz Do

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Anthony Lacavera addresses first-year students

Before Anthony Lacavera became the chairman and CEO of Globalive Communications Inc. and WIND Mobile, he was a computer engineering student at the University of Toronto hoping to make an impact on Canada and the world.

Last week, 1,400 first-year engineering students gathered at Convocation Hall to kick off their academic career at U of T with a visit from the entrepreneur and telecommunications executive – along with leaders from the Faculty of Engineering.

“When I look out, I see future leaders of our country,” said Lacavera. “You have a wonderful journey ahead.”

This year’s incoming U of T Engineering students make up the strongest class in the Faculty’s history, entering university with a collective average of 91.3 per cent, said Dean Cristina Amon.

“Like you here today, Anthony is the best among the best,” Amon said. She reminded students that they are starting out at the very best engineering school in Canada, adding “and, I believe, soon to be the best in the world.”

“Students, today you begin a journey – a journey not without its challenges, but you didn’t decide to study Engineering because you thought it might be easy. You came here seeking a challenge,” she added.

Overcoming challenges was one of the messages of Lacavera’s lecture. As head of two of the leading, fastest-growing companies in Canada, he experienced his share of setbacks before turning WIND Mobile into Canada’s first independent wireless carrier in more than a decade, and a powerful industry competitor.

Humility, persistence and hard work got him there, Lacavera told the students. He urged them to value their time at U of T Engineering and build relationships – even asking students to introduce themselves to the person beside them – and nurture their entrepreneurial spirit.

“You need an entrepreneurial spirit to turn an idea that will change the world, into reality,” he said.

Lacavera turned his vision of a more globally competitive telecommunications market into reality in 1998 – just one year after graduating – when he launched Globalive Communications. He then initiated a groundbreaking public engagement campaign to ask Canadians what they wanted in wireless service. Building on feedback from thousands of Canadians, Lacavera launched WIND Mobile in 2009, a wireless provider now used by more than half a million Canadians.

He’s been named CEO of the Year for 2010 by Globe and Mail’s Report on Business Magazine and one of Canada's Top 40 Under 40. Lacavera is also the founder of the Shamba Foundation, a charity that provides event space and staff at no-cost for charitable fundraisers. He told his audience he hopes to hear the same stories of triumph and philanthropy from them one day.

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Behind the scenes at Orientation 2012

sgupta — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 17:04:06 +0000

Behind the scenes at Orientation 2012 sgupta Wed, 09/05/2012 - 13:04

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first-year students enjoy Nintendo World at Orientation Week (photo by U of T News)

Jake Brockman

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Jake Brockman

Back to school: the friendship challenge

sgupta — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 16:13:44 +0000

Back to school: the friendship challenge sgupta Wed, 08/22/2012 - 12:13

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The friends you make at university help you forge your identity, says Assistant Professor Markus Schafer (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Gavin Au-Yeung

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Gavin Au-Yeung

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Students

Orientation

The arrival of a new school year is an exciting time for new and returning students, yet there’s always a hint of anxiety – especially when it comes to making new friends.

Assistant professor of sociology Markus Schafer has some advice on that score.

“As people age they tend to have more niche friends,” explains Schafer. “These are friends you share a narrow interest with – which can be developed through work or social networks.

“Domains of life become more segmented as people go through adulthood. Relationships can be more important in one aspect of life, and not as important in others,” says Schafer. “So it may be that you have these segmented friends – a friend for cocktails, a golfing friend, a childcare friend, and that can be okay.

By contrast, being young and in university creates a unique opportunity to form friendships, says Schafer, adding many students are able to meet people in their age group who are still without heavy commitments of work and family.

"It’s a unique time in many people’s life course where they are away from the home they grew up in, and, in many cases, living alone for the first time,” says Schafer. “It gives them the opportunity to branch out and meet other people they may not have met before.”

Groups such as the Student Life Community Crew at U of T seek to ease the transition for new or shy students by providing helpful tips and connecting with students across all campuses.

"Joining clubs is a way to meet students across our three campuses who share the same interests,” adds Chris Yu, a member of the Student Life Community Crew. “You gain a lot of skills joining clubs and it is a great way to balance out your academics.”

Yu, who’s been a Frosh leader for two years and an executive this year, believes the annual September orientation events are crucial for first-year students.

“The beginning of the school year is a time when all incoming students are nervous, whether it be doubting their ability to make friends, to fit in, or even perform academically,” says Yu. “This is where Frosh comes in, packed with icebreakers and activities to help new students bond.”

Whether students are 18 and fresh out of high school or older adults enrolled in continuing education courses, friends can transform the university experience, says Schafer.

“Friends are very important for navigating the university years, for developing identity,” says Schafer. “And often times, the friends people make in university years are the friends they consider the closest.”

But there’s no pressure, says Khevna Dave, another member of the Student Life Community Crew.

“Don’t be afraid of approaching new people and take initiative to start a conversation,” Dave says. “Most people are equally afraid of approaching new students, but if you take initiative you will often find an equal eagerness of the other student to befriend you.”

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Wind Mobile founder and U of T alumnus inspires Engineering students

Behind the scenes at Orientation 2012

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