Principal’s Welcome

Posted on December 31, 1969 | Filed under: ›Alumni & Friends ›General News

Joe Desloges welcomes students and alumni back to Woodsworth College for the 2012-13 academic year

I want to welcome all new and returning students to Woodsworth College. I hope that this academic year will be challenging and rewarding. The Woodsworth community has much to offer to all our students. I hope that students will avail themselves of the wide-ranging services and programs provided by the Registrar's Office, the Writing Centre and the Office of the Dean of Students.

I would also like to extend a warm welcome to our 20,000 plus cohort of alumni. There are many activities and events at the College that I hope will be of interest to this group. We look forward to seeing many of our alumni through the course of the year.

This year we are inaugurating the College's Boundless Opportunities Campaign and ushering in a year's worth of celebrations.

The anniversaries that we are celebrating – the 45^th anniversary of the Millie Rotman Shime Academic Bridging Program, the 40^th anniversary of the Summer Abroad Program, and the 50^th anniversary of the Centre for Criminology and Sociolegal Studies – are all central to our campaign themes and priorities. As we welcome back students and alumni to our campus, we are not only looking forward to all the events and activities of a new academic year, but are also looking back over the years and decades of excellence. Woodsworth has provided generations of students with amazing opportunities for personal growth and academic achievement, access to a university education, and enriching educational programs; so our looking forward and looking back will inform our campaign as we celebrate our milestones and plan for the future.

I am very happy that we are also inaugurating the Woodsworth ONE program this fall. Our first cohort of students will take part in innovative programing in small seminar settings and will have opportunities for engagement with each other both inside and outside the classroom.

I hope that students, alumni and friends will join us for our events and celebrations and I look forward to meeting many of you during the course of the year.

Posted on December 04, 2007 | Filed under: ›Summer Abroad

New program! The University of Toronto will be offering a full-year course in Peace & Conflict Studies

This program provides an introduction to the causes and consequences of conflict in Africa and the range of responses being developed. You will spend most of your time in the Masai Mara in south-western Kenya, considered Africa’s richest wildlife reserve and named for the traditional inhabitants of the area, the Maasai. Through involvement with local schools, you will interact with the Maasai and Kipsigi people, learning about their cultures and issues of community development. The program also includes a field trip to Kenya’s stunning coastal region.

The application deadline for this program is March 1, 2008. Application forms will be available on January 8 on the Summer Abroad website (http://www.summerabroad.utoronto.ca).

Financial assistance will be available to UofT students. More details will be available on the Summer Abroad website in mid-December.

An information session for the Kenya program will be held in January. This is an excellent chance to hear from the course instructor, ask questions, see photos, and learn as much as you can about this unique opportunity.

When: Wednesday, January 16, 2008 from 4:30 to 6:30 pm

Where: Woodsworth College Residence, Waters Lounge, 321 Bloor St. West (SE corner of St. George and Bloor)

For more information, please contact:
Professional & International Programs Office
Woodsworth College, University of Toronto
119 St. George Street, 3rd Floor
Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A9

Phone: 416-978-8713

E-mail: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Website: www.summerabroad.utoronto.ca

Posted on January 17, 2008 | Filed under: ›Criminology

Woodsworth College alumnus Nick Lisi is our speaker at a Mentorship Luncheon on Tuesday, January 15

Staff Sergeant Nick Lisi is with the Durham Regional Police Service and will speak to students enrolled in the Criminology Program about possible careers in policing.

If you would like to register for this event, or need more information, please contact Stephanie Woodside at 416-978-5301 or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Posted on March 19, 2008 | Filed under: ›General News

The 2008 Sefton Memorial Lecture promises to be an interesting debate.

The topic will be debated by Jim Stanford, Chief Economist, Canadian Auto Workers and Charlotte Yates, Director, Labour Studies at McMaster University. The moderator is Frank Reid, Director, Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources, University of Toronto

When: Thursday, March 27, 2008

Where: University of Toronto Multi-Faith Centre, Main Floor, 569 Spadina Avenue (formerly Koffler Management Centre)

Cost: Free Admission/All welcome

Reception follows lecture

For further information call 416-978-5301 or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

This is a joint venture of Woodsworth College and the Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources

Posted on April 03, 2008 | Filed under:

A workshop with Sarah Collins for Women & Men

Dress for Success covers everything from what to wear for a job interview to building a business wardrobe and where to shop. This interactive session with a professional image consultant will give you professional styling tips for choosing fashionable and affordable clothing to suit your body type. From business casual to formal office functions, learn how to look and feel confident in any situation. This event is being offered to Woodsworth and Innis College alumni and to graduating students.
When: Wednesday, April 23, 2008, 6:30 p.m.
Where: William Waters Lounge, Woodsworth College Residence 321 Bloor Street West
Cost: Free /Registration Required
To Register: Call 416-978-5301 or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Posted on April 07, 2008 | Filed under:

Woodsworth College has two representatives recently elected to the University's Governing Council.

Major John Stewart, WDW ‘95 and ‘01, and Mr. Ken Davy, a current student, will both be serving on the University of Toronto’s Governing Council. John is an alumni governor and Ken is a student governor. The Governing Council, established by the University of Toronto Act, 1971, oversees the academic, business and student affairs of the University. It is composed of 50 members - 25 members from within the internal University community, including administrative staff, teaching staff and students, and 25 members external to the University, including alumni and Lieutenant-Governor-in-Council appointees. Woodsworth is very proud to have such excellent representatives on Governing Council. We wish them both well in this exciting endeavour.

Posted on April 08, 2008 | Filed under: ›General News

Excellent student peer program has another wonderful year.

Woodsworth College’s First-Year Learning Community (FLC) has had a third wildly successful year. Woodsworth has been fortunate in each of the three years of the program to have had excellent Peer Mentors. These students are senior Life Science students, selected for both their academic and leadership skills. The 24 first-year Life Science FLC students attended classes together, had sessions designed to improve their transition to university (such as “Better Health for a Better GPA”) and made life-long friendships. Some of the highlights of this year’s experience included: a tour of Medicine’s Anatomy Museum, led by a former WDW FLC peer mentor who is currently a medical student; winning a pumpkin carving contest, the prize being a night out at Yuk Yuks for the group; skating at City Hall; ballroom dancing with the Victoria College FLC, and the big end of year banquet. It is a great experience for all involved. All eligible students should take advantage of the opportunity. Contact the FLC office for more information. FLC information
—

Posted on April 23, 2008 | Filed under:

WCSA invites all students to visit the site for most up-to-date happenings.

The Woodsworth College Student Association invites all students to visit its revised and updated website. Everything you need to know about WCSA is there. Take a look at this link.

Posted on April 24, 2008 | Filed under:

Outstanding contributions to the community set these students apart.

Tim Harrison, Emma McAuliffe and Giulia Muraca were honoured with the Gordon Cressy Student Leadership Awards at a ceremony on Tuesday, April 8th. There were 131 students recognized from across the university.

The Awards were established in 1994 to recognize graduating students for their outstanding contributions to the university through extra-curricular involvement. Through these awards the University of Toronto Alumni Association (UTAA) in conjunction with the Division of University Advancement, acknowledges student participation in university life with the hope of fostering lifelong alumni inovlement in the University of Toronto.

In naming the awards after Mr. Cressy, the UTAA recognized his commitement to higher education and his leadership in fundraising and community service. Gordon Cressy was vice-president of development and university relations from 1987-1993. Most recently, Gordon and his wife, Joanne Campbell, moved to Trinidad to establish a YMCA.

We congratulate Tim, Giulia and Emma and wish them all the best in the years to come.

Posted on April 30, 2008 | Filed under: ›New Students

For those excelling in the arts and athletics, this is a must read.

Are you an incoming student who excels in the arts or in athletics? If so, you may qualify for the newly established Avi Bennett Admission Award.

This award, with a value of $5,000 per student, is presented to well-rounded students with high academic ability and excellence in the arts or athletics. Eligible candidates will demonstrate financial need and excellence in the arts or athletics.

To be considered, you need to submit a UTAPS application with a letter outlining your achievements in the arts or athletics. For more information about the award, please visit the University of Toronto’s Admissions and Awards website at this link.

Posted on May 29, 2008 | Filed under: ›About WDW

Please make note of this important change.

As of June 1, 2008, the Peter F. Bronfman Courtyard at the College will be smoke-free. The College and the University are following the new City of Toronto by-law prohibiting smoking within 30 metres of a building. It is hoped that everyone will co-operate and respect this change.

Posted on June 05, 2008 | Filed under:

Timothy Harrison, WDW '08, wins two prestigious awards

John Browne, Acting Principal, is proud to announce that Tim Harrison has won the Governor General’s Silver Award and the John Black Aird Scholarship.

The Governor General’s Silver Award is awarded to the student who graduates with the highest standing in their institution. In this instance, Tim is graduating with an Honours BA in English from the Faculty of Arts and Science at the University of Toronto. The John Black Aird Scholarship is awarded to the most outstanding student graduating from an undergraduate program. John Raulston Saul (seen in the photo), who was Convocation Speaker for the Woodsworth College Convocation on June 18th, presented Tim with his Silver Award medal.

Tim has won numerous awards during his time at the University including a Peter F. Bronfman Leadership Award this past year from Woodsworth College. He is a graduate of the Millie Rotman Shime Academic Bridging Program.

Tim will be pursuing a PhD in English at the University of Toronto in the Fall.

Our heartfelt congratulations go out to Tim and his family at this very special time.

Posted on June 11, 2008 | Filed under:

College welcomes new students

Woodsworth welcomed its newest cohort of students coming directly from Ontario high schools on May 31st and June 7th at the College. The students made a great impression and it was easy to see that they would be a great addition to the College. Acting Principal John Browne revealed the secrets of “What to Expect in First Year” while Kerri Huffman, Awards Officer, talked to parents about the real costs of attending university. A large number of current students participated in the events, which included double-decker bus tours of the campus, and information seminars given by senior students and counselling staff. The Registrar’s Office wants to thank all who volunteered their time, energy and welcoming smiles to the newest members of the Woodsworth community!

Posted on July 03, 2008 | Filed under:

Reception to take place in the Woodsworth College Courtyard

To conclude the celebrations for the 40th anniversary of the Millie Rotman Shime Academic Bridging Program, a Graduation Celebration and Reception is planned for Tuesday, July 15, 2008.

All graduates from the 2007-2008 program are invited to attend as well as alumni of the program. Tim Harrison, this year’s top graduating student in all undergraduate programs at U of T, an Academic Bridging Program alumnus, and the winner of the Governor General’s Silver Medal, will be the speaker at this event.

The celebration will begin at 4:00 p.m. in the Peter F. Bronfman Courtyard. For more information and to register your attendance please email the .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Posted on July 17, 2008 | Filed under:

Alexandra Orlando will compete in the Beijing Olympics this summer.

A rhythmic gymnast, Alexandra has previously won six gold medals in the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and followed that up with three golds at the 2007 Pan Am Games in Rio de Janeiro. These will be her first Olympic Games and she is very excited about this amazing opportunity. At a recent breakfast event at the university she talked about how being able to go to Beijing is a “dream come true.” She trains 37 hours per week and recounted how this year she has had to “put family, friends and school on hold.” Alexandra is a very articulate and poised young woman who has been able to take on all the challenges and obstacles in becoming a champion. Woodsworth College wishes her all the best as she prepares to depart for Beijing.

Posted on August 22, 2008 | Filed under:

Here's all the information you need for Orientation Week at Woodsworth College.....

Visit the the Woodsworth College Students’ Association Orientation web site.

Posted on August 26, 2008 | Filed under:

Opportunity for students to benefit from new pilot program

Woodsworth College is going to be the centre for a new program between U of T and Seneca College! The University of Toronto and Seneca College have signed a Letter of Understanding for a three-year pilot, creating a program for students in the two-year Liberal Arts Diploma Program at Seneca College to transfer into an Honours Bachelor of Arts at the U of T with significant transfer credit.

Following is the official press release outlining the program.

An innovative new agreement between the Faculty of Arts and Science at the University of Toronto and Seneca College will enable students who begin their studies at Seneca to transfer after their diploma to complete a university degree at U of T. The initiative reflects U of T’s commitment to improving flexibility and mobility for students in Ontario’s post-secondary system through a transparent, seamless transfer arrangement.

“Community colleges and universities have co-existed with very separate mandates and it has been difficult for students to move from one to the other,” said Glenn Loney, assistant dean and registrar for the Faculty of Arts and Science at U of T. “We have done a careful assessment and believe that Seneca students who have completed a diploma in liberal arts have already done university-level work and should be given credit for it. This program will allow them to transfer into some of U of T’s related humanities and social science programs and get credit for their college work.”

Under the terms of the agreement, specific transfer credits will be granted based on curricular similarity between U of T courses and those in Seneca liberal arts diploma program. Students will also get credit for more general skills and knowledge acquired in the course of their diploma. Seneca students will be able to get up to six transfer credits for their college work when they transfer to U of T after obtaining their two-year liberal arts diploma.

Students in the program will be affiliated with Woodsworth College, which has excellent advising and academic support in place and is well known for of its interest in and expertise with non-traditional students. “As students make this transition to university, U of T’s focus will be to ensure the students’ success, said Cheryl Shook, registrar of Woodsworth College.

The project will provide advising and orientation to U of T’s academic expectations for those students who show an interest in attending U of T early in the Seneca program. Students showing academic promise will also have the opportunity to enrol as non-degree visiting students and take one or two courses in the Faculty of Arts and Science while they are still doing their Seneca program, giving them a head start in meeting U of T program requirements so that they are better prepared to move directly into the more advanced work once they arrive at the university.

Up to 25 students will be admitted in the official pilot phase of the program in September 2010 but a small number of students are coming in September 2009. The University of Toronto Mississauga and University of Toronto Scarborough have existing specialized joint programs with Sheridan College and Centennial College respectively, but the Senaca-arts and science agreement is a first for U of T’s downtown campus.

Such seamless transfers require resources for intensive orientation and academic support, Loney said, and the university is looking to the province to help with this before we can expand to other GTA partners, but students are the ones who will benefit from an opportunity for seamless from college to university studies.

Posted on September 24, 2008 | Filed under:

The 2008/2009 academic year has started. The college is proud to welcome many new and returning students.

Almost 500 students have entered post-secondary studies at Woodsworth from Ontario high schools and an additional 300 have come to us from outside the province and around the world. We are also delighted that a significant number of international students have chosen to join Woodsworth this year.

The College is also pleased to welcome its new principal, Professor Joe Desloges. Prof. Desloges was chair of the Department of Geography from 1998 to 2007 and also served as Associate Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science from 1997 to 1998. Professor Desloges’s undergraduate and graduate courses examine the processes and chronologies of land surface development and human-landscape interactions in Canadian and global settings. He is strongly committed to a range of learning opportunities including classroom, laboratory and field components.

Our new principal looks forward to meeting many Woodsworth students and alumni over the next weeks and is excited to work with staff to continue to build on Woodsworth’s strengths and plan for the college’s short and long term goals.

Posted on October 07, 2008 | Filed under:

New student space now available

Kruger Hall has been transformed into a place to meet, greet, study and relax. Please come and take advantage of this new student space at the College. Plans are underway to renovate the hall beginning next summer.

Kruger Hall Design Competition Results
For information about the results of the competition, held last year, please visit the competition results web page.

Posted on October 21, 2008 | Filed under:

Our new Principal, Joe Desloges, was installed at a ceremony at Hart House on October 15th.

Read the University’s Bulletin article about the ceremony.

Posted on November 03, 2008 | Filed under:

Great support for students

The Woodsworth College Math Aid Centre opens on November 3. The tutor, Dr. Romuald Stanczak, is a lecturer in the Department of Mathematics and is available to see students on a drop-in basis in WW 100, at the following times:

Monday 3.30 - 6.30 pm
Wednesday 4.30 - 7 pm
Thursday 3.30 - 5 pm.

Dr. Stanczak has taught in the Department of Mathematics for many years, and is teaching MAT 237Y this year.

Posted on November 20, 2008 | Filed under:

Kelly Ann Downs graduated this November. Her story is featured in the Universtiy of Toronto Bulletin

Click here to read the full story

Posted on January 09, 2009 | Filed under:

Presented by Woodsworth College and the Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources

We are proud to present Hugh Mackenzie, Principal, Hugh Mackenzie & Associates,Economic Consultants, as the Sefton Memorial Lecturer for 2009.

Dedicated to the memory of Larry Sefton (1917-1973), the Sefton Memorial Lecture series presents topics of interest to scholars and practitioners of labour-management relations.

Hugh Mackenzie is the former Research Director for the United Steelworkers of America. He is also the co-chair and principal analyst for the Ontario Alternative Budget of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

The Sefton Award for Contributions to Labour Relations will be presented to Leo Gerard, International President, United Steelworkers

When: Thursday, March 12, 2009 - 7:00 pm
Where: Multi-Faith Centre, formally the Koffler Pharmacy Building, 569 Spadina Avenue
Cost: Free - All are welcome
Reception follows lecture
For information please E-mail or call 416-978-5301

Posted on January 09, 2009 | Filed under:

A number of Woodsworth alumni are returning to the college to speak to current students about their careers.

Mentorship Luncheon Series Events, Spring 2009:

Nick Lisi, Staff Sergeant, Dufferin Regional Police Service, will speak to students in the Criminology Undergraduate Program on January 27, 2009 at 12 noon

Michele Ferguson, Probation and Parole Officer, Ontario Ministry of Justice, will speak to students interested in a career in the probation and parole field on Tuesday, February 24, 2009 at 12 noon.

Glenn Christie, Lawyer with Hicks Morley Hamilton Stewart Storie LLP, will speak to students interested in exploring the idea of a career in law on Tuesday, March 10, 2009 at 12 noon.

Date TBA: The Woodsworth College Mentorship Program in conjunction with the Alumni Association of Woodsworth College will present a Law Panel. Five alumni of Woodsworth College who are practicing lawyers will participate in a panel which will take questions from students wishing to explore different areas of law. Details to follow.

Posted on January 15, 2009 | Filed under: ›Criminology

Matthew Light, faculty member of the Centre of Criminology, teaches Woodsworth College undergraduate course.

Matthew Light has been appointed as Assistant Professor in Criminology and is cross-appointed to Woodsworth College. He has teaching responsibilities in the College’s undergraduate Criminology Program. His course, “Comparative Criminal Justice,” introduces students to the historical evolution of criminal justice and law enforcement, with particular attention to the divergent traditions of the English-speaking world and continental Europe; as well as to contemporary problems of crime and law enforcement in different regions of the world, including the post-Soviet region and developing countries.

In his previous appointment at the University of Massachusetts, Professor Light also taught advanced undergraduate courses on U.S. constitutional law, criminal justice policy, immigration policy, and democracy and democratization.

For more information about this faculty member, please visit the Centre of Criminology web site.

Posted on January 15, 2009 | Filed under:

Get a flexible U of T job!

The University of Toronto Student Call Centre, located in the lower level of 89 Chestnut Residence, in now hiring students for the UofT Telefund. The positions are open to full time UofT students only. Rate of pay is $11/per hour plus bonuses. Qualifications:

Good Communications skills

Professional work ethic

Minimum 2 nights/week (6pm09:30 pm, weekdays only)

Ability to improvise

Speak to alumni politely and informatively

E-mail your resume to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
or
Deliver your resume to the call-centre at 89 Chestnut

Posted on February 18, 2009 | Filed under: ›Criminology

Sandra Bucerius has joined the faculty of the Centre of Criminology and will teach in the undergraduate program.

Assistant Professor Bucerius’ course in the Woodsworth College Criminology Undergraduate program is Topics in Criminology: Immigration & Crime. This course reflects the interests of Prof. Bucerius who has conducted ethnographic and qualitative research in Germany on the topic of crime and immigration.

More information about Professor Bucerius is available at the Centre of Criminology web site

Posted on February 18, 2009 | Filed under:

This year's lecture will address the roots of the current economic crisis.

Woodsworth College and the the Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources are pleased to present Hugh Mackenzie, Principal, Hugh Mackenzie & Associates, Economic Consultants.
Topic: Roots of the Crisis: How growing inequality sowed the seeds for an economic meltdown
When: Thursday, March 12, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
Where: University of Toronto Multi-Faith Centre, Room 108, 569 Spadina Avenue (formerly the Koffler Pharmacy Building)

Free Admission - all are welcome. A reception follow the lecture

For further information call 416-978-5301 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Background information on the Sefton Memorial Lecture

Dedicated to the memory of Larry Sefton (1917-1973), the Sefton Memorial Lecture series presents topics of interest to scholars and practitioners of labour-management relations.

Larry Sefton’s career in the labour movement began on the picket line in Kirkland Lake in the gold miners’ strike during World War II. He subsequently led the 1946 Stelco strike and later held office in the United Steelworkers of America, eventually becoming the Director of District 6. He earned the respect and admiration of those who worked with him, and Woodsworth College and the Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources are proud to host a lecture series in his memory.

Each year the Sefton Award for Contributions to Labour Relations is also presented. The award honours individuals who have made a significant contribution to the field of labour relations and human rights. Both practitioners in labour relations as well as academics have received this award.

Sefton Lecturers

1982-83 Mr. Lynn Williams
1983-84 Mr. Bob White
1984-85 Prof. John Dunlop
1985-86 Mr. Jeffrey Sack & Mr. John Murray
1986-87 Prof. Melvyn Dubofsky
1987-88 Judge Rosalie Abella
1988-89 Prof. Paul Weiler
1989-90 Prof. Seymour M. Lipset
1990-91 Prof. George Adams
1991-92 Prof. Laurel Sefton MacDowell
1992-93 The Honourable Bob Rae
1993-94 Mr. L. Victor Pathe
1994-95 Mr. Leo Gerard
1995-96 Prof. Graham S. Lowe
1996-97 Mr. Alexander (Sandy) Adam
1997-98 Mr. Kevin Burkett
1998-99 Ms. Julie White
1999-2000 Prof.. Richard Freeman
2000-01 Prof. Peter Warrian
2001-02 Judy Darcy
2002-03 Tim Armstrong
2003-04 Gordon Bethcherman
2004-05 Harry Arthurs
2005-06 Kate Bronfenbrenner
2006-07 Stephen Lewis
2007-08 Charlotte Yates and Jim Stanford

Sefton Award Winners

1997 Ralph Barford
1998 Lynn Williams
1999 Bob White
2000 Noah Meltz
2001 Shirley Goldenberg
2002 Rick MacDowell
2003 Des Morton
2004 Pradeep Kumar
2005 Frances Bairstow
2006 Alan Borovoy
2007 Leah Casselman
2008 Warren Edmondson

Posted on March 19, 2009 | Filed under: ›Employment Relations

Dr. Rafael Gomez will teach in the Employment Relations Program.

Dr. Gomez was welcomed by the Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources on January 1, 2009. He is the past chair of the Department of Economics at Glendon College, York University but is no stranger to the University of Toronto as he completed his masters and PhD degrees at CIRHR and has been a teaching assistant in the undergraduate ER program. His research is in the areas of labour market analysis, employment relations theory and HR management.

Posted on March 19, 2009 | Filed under:

Great event sponsored by the Alumni Association

Over 40 Woodsworth Alumni, came to hear Adeodata’ Czink’s interesting and entertaining presentation on International Etiquette. She took the participants around the world and gave them useful tips on how to fit in when travelling in different countries. The crowd was enthusiastic and had great questions for her as well.

Sponsored by the Alumni Association of Woodsworth College

Posted on March 19, 2009 | Filed under:

Woodsworth alumni, and practicing lawyers, spoke to students interested in a career in law.

At this very successful event, four Woodsworth College alumni, three who are practicing lawyers and one law school student, spoke about their experiences in the field, observations about their careers, and their experience with law school. There are plans to repeat the event in the next school year.

This event is part of the Woodsworth College Mentorship Program and is sponsored by the Alumni Association of Woodsworth College.

Posted on March 27, 2009 | Filed under:

New Executive Confirmed for 2009-10 year

Please visit the new WCSA Websiteshowing you everything you need to know and want to know about your student association. The new executive is looking forward to taking office and ensuring that all students have a wonderful experience during their time at the College.

Posted on May 14, 2009 | Filed under:

Levi honoured with student teaching award.

Ron Levi, an assistant professor in the Centre of Criminology has recently been awarded one of the U.T.S.U./APUS Undergraduate Teaching Awards for 2008/09. Undergraduate students nominate instructors whom they feel have demonstrated teaching excellence. Levi is receiving his award for his course WDW 220 “Introduction to Criminal Law and Procedure.” Levi has recently received tenure. Please visit this website to review his accomplishments including his recent publications.

Posted on August 12, 2009 | Filed under:

What every parent whose son or daughter will attend UofT in the fall should know.

Parents of students who will be away from home for the first time or whose child will be attending as a commuter student may find this life transition a bit daunting. The university has launched a new web site which offers advice and tips for families. To learn about the campus, the many resources and what to expect this coming school year, click here.

Posted on September 08, 2009 | Filed under:

Action packed day marked successful residence move in.

On Wednesday, September 2nd, 233 students moved into our Residence. Family members along with 56 upper-year volunteers plus a team of nine dons and residence staff members helped make the move-in a success. The Alumni Association provided the refreshments table in the morning and a BBQ was held in the Alex Waugh Courtyard at noon.

The Residence houses 360 residents. Of those, 102 are upper year and 258 are first year students.

Posted on October 27, 2009 | Filed under:

Toronto's Economic Fortunes: What Might the Future Bring

Speaker: Professor Meric Gertler, dean, Faculty of Arts & Science, Professor of Geography & Planning and Goldring Chair in Canadian Studies

Topic: Toronto’s Economic Fortunes: What might the future bring

When: Wednesday, October 28, 2009, 5:00 p.m.

Where: William Waters Lounge, Woodsworth College Residence, 321 Bloor St. W.

Cost: Free - registration required

To Register: by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or call 416-978-5301
For more information about the speaker please click here.

Posted on October 28, 2009 | Filed under:

Check out this great new student space!

Woodsworth College and Rotman Commerce are proud to announce that the renovation of Kruger Hall is completed. Kruger Hall Commons is now open and available for students to use. This renewal of the hall was the result of many months of planning and construction. This new student space is a multi-use facility that can accommodate many student activities ranging from social interaction, group studying, and events. The new hall will create a vibrant and dynamic space which we hope will provide a renewed sense of belonging and community for all Woodsworth students.

Photos of the newly renovated Kruger Hall Commons

Posted on October 30, 2009 | Filed under:

Two more great events being held in February and March.

The alumni association is proud to present a four-part series of expert-led discussions in the areas of health, the arts, politics and finance. For details on the entire series click here. The third event will take place on Tuesday, February 23 rd at 6:30 p.m.. The topic for the this cafe is Foreign Adventures: the delicated busioness of international interventions. Speakers are Ronald Poulton and Larry Krotz. The fourth event, Investing in a Post-Modern World will be led by Miriam Varadi. Please plan to attend. The schedule for the evening will be:

6:30 - 7:00 Light refreshments and conversation
7:00 - 7:30 Speaker
7:30 - 8:30 Round table discussions lead by speaker. Everyone is encouraged to participate.

Cost: Alumni: $10 per session or $35 for the complete series. Guests: $12 per session or $40 for the complete series.
Location: William Waters Lounge, Woodsworth College Residence, 321 Bloor Street West.

To register online (credit cards only): Click here. Or, call 416-978-5301 or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Posted on December 01, 2009 | Filed under:

Woodsworth College is proud to present the first volume of the undergraduate academic journal.

The inaugural edition of VOX, the academic Undergraduate Journal for, and by, the students of Woodsworth College has been launched. Many Woodsworth students are enthusiastic writers, who spend many hours writing, revising and editing their work. This journal is a forum for these writings - essays which cover a wide range of topics from Anthropology to Zoology. The journal is spearheaded by J. Barbara Rose, Senior Lecturer at Woodsworth College. An organizing committee and editorial board worked hard to produce this great showcase of Woodsworth talent. Congratulations to all!

Posted on January 01, 2010 | Filed under:

Excellent opportunity to work with students at Woodsworth Residence.

If you are interested in using your leadership and mentorship skills in an excellent environment, you should consider taking on the important role of a don at the Woodsworth College Residence. Please visit the website for complete information.

Posted on January 07, 2010 | Filed under:

Registration is now open for Summer Abroad courses. Check out the great destinations for your 2010 summer adventure!

The Summer Abroad programs are designed to enrich students’ academic lives by providing an exciting and educational international experience. Students complete full-year University of Toronto undergraduate degree credit courses from the Faculty of Arts & Science that are relevant to each location. Relatively small classes (about 25 students on average) are taught by University of Toronto professors or faculty from the host university. All classes, with the exception of language courses, are taught in English.

One of the most important and engaging aspects of these programs is that the learning is not limited to the classroom. The locations themselves become your “living textbook.” You will observe and experience many of the things you study, including the language, history, culture, art, religion, business, and politics of the host country.

You can check out the details of the program at the Summer Abroad web site where online registrations are now being accepted.

Posted on January 07, 2010 | Filed under:

Edition is now available online.

Check out all the news at the College and review our upcoming alumni events. Click here to view.

Posted on January 07, 2010 | Filed under:

Summer timetable is now available.

The tentative 2010 summer timetable has been posted on the Arts & Science web site.

Posted on March 23, 2010 | Filed under:

Prof. Natalie Zemon Davis wins prestigious Holberg International Memorial Prize

Last year Natalie Zemon Davis, emeritus professor from Princeton University and a history scholar at U of T, was invited to present the 2010 John LI. J. Edwards Lecture. This event was sponsored by the Centre of Criminology, Faculty of Law, and Woodsworth College. More information is available in this Bulletin article.

Posted on March 23, 2010 | Filed under:

Don Drummond, Chief Economist at TD Bank will deliver this year's Sefton Lecture.

Woodsworth College and the Centre for Industrial Relations & Human Resources are proud to present the 2010 Sefton Lecturer.

Speaker: Don Drummond, Senior Vice President and Chief Economist TD Bank Financial Group
Lecture Title: The Changing Canadian Workplace
When: Thursday, March 25, 2010, 7:00 p.m.
Where: Kruger Hall, Woodsworth College, 119 St. George St.

The Sefton Award for contributions to Labour Relations will be presented to Mr. Bob Baldwin, pension specialist and former Research Director of the Canadian Labour Congress
The Morley Gunderson Prize in Industrial Relations will be presented to David Doorey, Professor of Employment and Labour Law, School of Human Resource Managementl, York University

All are welcome. Reception follows Lecture.

Mr. Drummond joined the TD Bank in June 2000 as Senior Vice President and Chief Economist. Mr. Drummond leads TD Economics’ work in analyzing and forecasting economic performance in Canada and abroad. For Canada, this work is conducted at the city, provincial, industrial and national levels. TD Economics also analyzes the key policies which influence economic performance, including monetary and fiscal policies.

For further information about the Sefton Lecture click here

Posted on April 07, 2010 | Filed under:

Great honour for work outside the classroom.

Leslie Busby, Greta Chiu, Stefanie Freel, Julie He and Vanessa Panes will be honoured at the Cressy Awards on Thursday, April 15th.

The Gordon Cressy Student Leadership Awards were established in 1994 by the University of Toronto Alumni Association (UTAA) and the Division of University Advancement in order to recognize students who have made outstanding extra-curricular contributions to their college, faculty or school, or to the university as a whole.

The College is very proud of these students who have also excelled in their academic pursuits.

Posted on April 27, 2010 | Filed under:

Riznek wins award for teaching excellence in 2009/10

Dr. Lori Riznek, Senior Lecturer, has been awarded the U. T. S. U./APUS Undergraduate Teaching Award for Teaching Excellence in 2009/10. Each year undergraduate students have an opportunity to nominate instructors whom they feel have demonstrated teaching excellence. Riznek, one of the five individuals honoured this year, is being recongnized for her course WDW 260 “Organizational Behaviour”.

In 2007, after having taught for many years as a sessional lecturer, Dr. Riznek became a full-time member of the faculty of Woodsworth College and the Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources, bringing with her considerable industry experience that informs her teaching and research. Dr. Riznek is particularly curious about developing tools to enhance adult learning, and is currently collaborating on three research and writing projects related to trust in the classroom setting, building concept mapping tools to support andragogy and a book on the relationship between strategy implementation and leadership.

The recipients will be honoured at a reception at the University of Toronto Art Centre on May 6th.

Posted on May 31, 2010 | Filed under:

Over 600 Woodsworth students convocated on June 14th.

The Woodsworth College Spring Convocation took place on June 14th at Convocation Hall. After the ceremony a reception was hosted by Principal Joe Desloges for all graduands, their families and friends in the Peter F. Bronfman Courtyard at Woodsworth College. It was a lively and joyous occasion for all who attended.

The staff and faculty of the College congratulate the class of 2010 and wish everyone all the best for continued success.

All those who graduated will automatically become members of the Alumni Association. For information about alumni priviledges and how to stay connected, please visit our alumni pages.

Posted on June 11, 2010 | Filed under:

Class of 2010 student Dora Kimberley featured in the University of Toronto Bulletin

Read the story here.

Posted on June 17, 2010 | Filed under:

Woodsworth College Student is a 2010 recipient of the Silver Medal

Karl Nilsen, who graduated on June 14th, is one of three undergraduate students at the University to be awarded the Governor General’s Silver Medal. The medal is awarded to three students who have the highest GPA upon graduation of all graduating students. Karl majored in English and has been accepted into a Master’s program at the Univeristy of Toronto’s Faculty of Information. Woodsworth College is very proud of Karl’s achievement and wishes him all the best in his further studies.

Posted on July 12, 2010 | Filed under:

Information for Newly Admitted Students

No registration is required to attend an Academic Orientation Session. The 90-minute session will provide you with useful information to plan your first year. The presenters are members from the Registrar’ Office who will offer academic advising at the session. It is an opportunity to meet with staff available in the future to help you achieve academic success. Visit the Registars’ Office web site for dates and locations.

Posted on July 20, 2010 | Filed under:

Sandra Bucerius wins International Award

Assistant Professor Sandra Bucerius placed second in the German, “best social science dissertation” competition this year in Cologne, Germany. Out of a field of 1000 applicants, Bucerius was one of eight to be shortlisted and then invited to make oral presentations. These awards are given out by the Koerbert Stiftung through the president of the German Parliament for the best Ph.D. dissertations in Germany. Sandra teaches in the undergraduate Criminology program at Woodsworth.

Posted on August 17, 2010 | Filed under:

Professor Ron Levi appointed as the new George Ignatieff Chair in Peace and Conflict Studies

It is with great pleasure that we announce the appointment of Professor Ron Levi as the new George Ignatieff Chair in Peace and Conflict Studies, effective August 1, 2010 to July 31, 2015.

The George Ignatieff Chair at the University of Toronto was established to honour one of this country’s most distinguished diplomats and proponents of peaceful resolution of conflicts. Professor Levi is a faculty member of the Centre of Criminology, and holds cross-appointments in the Departments of Political Science and Sociology. He is an expert in global justice, crime and politics, and legal and institutional responses to mass atrocities. Professor Levi is an award-winning teacher, a Fellow of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research in its Successful Societies Program, and Canada’s Priority Leader for Justice, Policing and Security with the Metropolis Project.

Prof. Levi teaches in the Woodsworth College Undergraduate Program in Criminology.

Posted on August 17, 2010 | Filed under:

New and returning mature students can participate in events specially designed for them!

If you are a mature student and do not want to participate in orientations designed for younger students, then the events planned by the Mature Students Association are for you. Please check out their web site for all the information you need to register and participate.

Posted on August 23, 2010 | Filed under:

The top ten things every parent of a first-year student should know.

The Faculty of Arts & Science has an excellent resource for parents. Please follow this link.

Posted on September 02, 2010 | Filed under:

Honorary degree recipient reflects on the legacy of J.S. Woodsworth

Professor Ian Hacking was the honorary degree recipient at the College’s spring convocation. For the record, we are pleased to post his address to the convocating class, family, friends and university officials.
Convocation Address

Posted on September 02, 2010 | Filed under:

Second Year Human Biology Student runs her own business and has published a book on nutrition and health

Melissa Putt is the founder of Healthy Habits Nutrition and Fitness Consulting Inc. She is a registered nutritionist and certified personal trainer with advanced certification in Medical Exercise and Spinal Stabilization. Melissa is majoring in Human Biology and Physiology and hopes that earning her degree will help her to move into the area of food policy and dietary recommendations. Melissa also has an interest in urban health issues, the sociological issues of malnutrition and the accessibility of health care. Her new book focuses on the “merits” of saturated fats. More information about her consulting business and book can be found at www.healthyhabits.ca

Posted on September 03, 2010 | Filed under:

The College extends a warm welcome to all students

Woodsworth welcomes its incoming class of 1200 students as well as all returning students, both full and part-time. As well, we want to extend a special welcome to the first official cohort of students from Seneca College who are part of the Facilitated Transfer Program. Staff, students and alumni are ready to help and support all our students and we hope that the new academic year will be an interesting, exciting and rewarding one. Orientation programs being offered by WCSA and by MATSA. Please check their web sites for information.

Posted on September 14, 2010 | Filed under:

Article in The Varsity features the new Summer Abroad Program in Southeastern Europe

A student who participated in the program this past summer wrote about her experiences in the September 13th issue of The Varsity. To read the full article please click here.

Posted on October 01, 2010 | Filed under:

Students in the Millie Rotman Shime Academic Bridging Program to benefit

A gift worth $750,000, will be used to establish the BMO Financial Group Access to Higher Education Awards. This needs-based program will fund new scholarships for students who successfully complete one of U of T’s two flagship access programs - the Transitional Year Program or the Millie Rotman Shime Academic Bridging Program at Woodsworth College - and get accepted into undergraduate studies in Arts and Science at U of T.

To read more about this gift click here.

Posted on December 02, 2010 | Filed under:

The alumni association continues its series with a talk on film and an author book signing event!

Alumni Cafe #4
Topic: The King Has Returned: Religion and Violence in Mainstream Films. An examination of biblical symbolism
You may never look at movies the same way again!
Speaker: Ken Derry, Assistant Professor, Department of Historical Studies, University of Toronto at Mississauga
When: Tuesday, February 15, 2011 6:30 p.m.
Where: William Waters Lounge, Woodsworth College Residence, 321 Bloor Street West
Cost: $10 (Registration Required)
Online registration here.
For more information call 416-978-5301 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

The evenings’ schedule will be:
6:30-7:00 p.m. Light refreshments
7:00-7:40 p.m. Speaker
7:40-8:00 p.m. Q&A

ADDITIONAL Alumni Cafe Event
Special Author Reading and Book Signing
Christie Blatchford, Reporter & Columnist, The Globe & Mail
Christie Blatchford will read from her new book Helpless: Caledonia’s Nightmare of Fear and Anarchy, and How the Law Failed All of Us.
The author will be available for book signing.
When: Monday, March 14, 2011, 6:00 p.m.
Where: Kruger Hall Commons, Woodsworth College, 119 St. George Street
Cost: $10 (Registration Required)

Online registration here.
For more information call 416-978-5301 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Series sponsored by:

Posted on January 26, 2011 | Filed under:

Science research courses in India, South Africa, Switzerland and Taiwan. Generous Financial Assistance Available.

Complete a U of T course overseas this summer!
Earn a full-year UofT credit for most programs in 3-6 weeks.
Observe and experience in real life what you learn about in class.
Immerse yourself in the cultures of Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia, or the Middle East.

Many new financial aid awards are available for this year’s programs, most valued at several thousand dollars. The deadline to apply for financial assistance is February 4.
Program applications are due by March 1; however spaces are limited. Apply early!

See the Summer Abroad website for more details.

Posted on February 15, 2011 | Filed under:

Wolpack defeats Rotman Management team!

After remaining unbeaten in their last six games, the College inter-mural cricket team defeated the Rotman School of Management team in the final championship game. Congratulations to all the players on the Wolfpack team!

Posted on February 15, 2011 | Filed under:

Woodsworth students honoured at annual awards dinner

Over one hundred Woodsworth College students were honoured at the annual Woodsworth College Awards Dinner held in the Great Hall at Hart House on February 3rd. Many of the donors who have made it possible for the College to award these scholarships were also present at the event. Special presentations were made to this year’s Bronfman Scholarship winners. The Bronfman Gold and Leadership scholarships are awarded each year to outstanding Woodsworth students in their final year based on their superior academic performance as well as their contributions to the university and external communities. This year Bronfman Gold Scholarships were presented to Adam McCauley and Madiha Naseem. Bronfman Leadership Scholarship winners were Andrew Do, Carol Rodrigues, Trudy Ledsham and Emily Wright.

We congratulate all the scholarship winners and salute their hard work and dedication.

Posted on February 17, 2011 | Filed under:

Special author reading and book signing event - part of Alumni Cafe series.

Alumni Cafe - Special Author Reading and book signing event

Featuring Christie Blatchford

Join noted Globe & Mail columnist and reporter for a reading and discussion of her new book Helpless: Caledonia’s Nightmare of Fear and Anarchy and How the Law Failed All of Us

When: Monday, March 14, 2011, 6:00 p.m.

Where: Kruger Hall Commons, Woodsworth College, 119 St. George Street

Cost: $10 alumni/$12 guests (Registration required)

Light refreshments will be served
Books will be available for sale

Online registration.

Or call 416-978-5301 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

”>

Posted on February 24, 2011 | Filed under:

Three Woodsworth alumni return to the College to speak to students about their careers.

Students in the the Criminology Program as well as those studying in other social sciences will be interested in these upcoming events. For more information click here.

Posted on June 30, 2011 | Filed under:

Over 700 Woodsworth students graduated on June13th.

It was a beautiful sunny day and the carrilon bells were ringing out from Soldier's Tower, as 400 Woodsworth students walked across the King's College Circle lawn and entered into Convocation Hall to recieve their degrees.

Many of these newly minted alumni will be pursuing post-graduate degrees while others are starting their careers. Here is a sampling of a few students who have advised us of their future plans: Adam, a Peter F. Bronfman Gold Scholarship recipient, will be attending Columbia University to pursue a Masters degree in Journalism; Trudy will be starting her Masters in English at U of T; Madiha, the second Bronfman Gold recipient this past year, will be entering U of T Medical School; Amanda, WCSA Vice-President publicity, will be starting a job in a marketing agency in the fall; and Carol will be joining TD Securities as a Wholesale Banking Services Associate.

We congratulate all those who convocated and wish them every success for their future.

Posted on June 30, 2011 | Filed under:

Read Prof. Nick Mount's inspiring speech

Students, faculty, alumni and staff in attendance at the Woodsworth College convocation were entertained and inspired by Prof. Mount's address. The University Bulletin published the entire speech and you can read it here.

Posted on August 11, 2011 | Filed under: ›199Y1 First Year Seminars

Seminar courses offer opportunities to work closely with faculty members

The 199Y seminars are full-credit courses that focus on a discussion of issues, questions and controversies surrounding a particular discipline (or several disciplines) in a small-group setting that encourages the development of oral presentation skills, critical thinking, writing skills, and research methods.With a maximum enrolment of 24 students each, they are an ideal way to have an enjoyable and challenging small-class experience in your first year.

Woodsworth offers the following courses:

CCR199Y1S Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice in Her Time and Ours (L0331 T 1-3); 0.5 credit offered in the Winter 2016 Session (January - April)
CCR199Y1Y Fatal Attraction: The Lure of Villains (and now Vampires!) in Literature (L0331 Th 3-5); full year credit offered over the Fall 2015 to Winter 2016 sessions (September - April)
SII199H1S Why We Work: Understanding Work Through the Prism of Art and Culture (L0441 Thursday 10-12); offered in the Winter 2016 Session (January - April)
XBC199Y1Y Roll Over, Beethoven: Music, Media and the Marketplace (L0331 Monday 1-3); full year credit offered over the Fall 2015 to Winter 2016 sessions (September - April)

Here is a complete list of First Year Seminar courses offered at the Faculty of Arts & Science.

Posted on August 22, 2011 | Filed under:

Useful information for parents of students coming to UofT this fall.

Learn about programs for newly admitted students, and other practical and helpful advice and suggestions at the U of T Family website.

Posted on August 26, 2011 | Filed under: ›General News

Mature student has plenty of time now to pursue his interests

Read the article about this Woodsworth College student which was featured in the Universit of Toronto Bulletin.

Posted on August 31, 2011 | Filed under:

Two new academics have joined the Woodsworth family

Professor Linda White has joined the College as Vice-Principal, Academic. She is responsible for managing the Woodsworth College undergraduate programs affiliated with the Centre for Criminology and Sociolegal Studies and The Centre of Industrial Relations and Human Resources, as well as our First Year Seminar courses. Linda White is Associate Professor of Political Science, and Affiliate with the Centre for the Study of the United States. Her areas of research include comparative social and family policy, particularly child care and maternity and parental leave, comparative welfare states, as well as Canadian politics, particularly federalism, law and public policy, representation, and ethnicity and diversity. Among her current research projects is a SSHRC funded project analyzing the adoption of universal early childhood education policies in liberal welfare states. She has published extensively on comparative social policy. We welcome Linda to the Woodsworth family.

Amanda Shantz will be joining Woodsworth during Lori Riznek’s academic leave. She will be teaching courses in the College’s undergraduate program in Employment Relations. Amanda graduated in 2008 with a PhD in Employment Relations and Human Resource Management from the Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources, University of Toronto. She also holds an MSc in Human Resource Management from the London School of Economics and a BA Honours in Sociology from McGill University. Since 2008, she has been teaching in London, England at the Kingston Business School and has also taught courses at Rotman School of Management, U of T. Dr. Shantz has a reputation for her excellence in teaching. We are pleased that she has joined Woodsworth.

Posted on September 02, 2011 | Filed under: ›Alumni & Friends

Fascinating speakers and topics plus new afternoon sessions!

Join fellow alumni and friends for these informal sessions. This year's offering features topics ranging from the world of particle physics to aging and creativity. We have expanded the series this year by offering two afternoon sessions to the line-up.

As always we will be offering light refreshments, so come out and enjoy the company and stimulating conversations.

More information on all of the sessions is available in our calendar section.

Posted on September 15, 2011 | Filed under:

Course in Mumbai, India offered percpectives on energy systems

Read full article here.

Posted on September 16, 2011 | Filed under: ›Employment Relations

Human Resources Professionals Association is Canada’s HR thought leader and the largest HR association in the country.

The Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA) is Canada’s HR thought leader and the largest HR association in the country. In Ontario, HRPA regulates the HR profession and issues the Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation, the national standard for excellence in human resources management. HRPA has more than 19,000 members in 28 chapters and hosts the largest annual HR conference in Canada.

We have arranged for Caullyn Godfrey, HRPA’s representative, to provide an information session about HRPA and the certification process. Membership application forms will be made available at the event.

September 26, 2011 5:10–6pm - WW119

Posted on September 20, 2011 | Filed under:

The university does well in the Newsweek Collge Rankings Report

Read the full article.

Posted on September 20, 2011 | Filed under: ›Alumni & Friends

Graduate of Woodsworth's TESOL program established an award for students in Academic Bridging

Read her story here.

Posted on September 21, 2011 | Filed under: ›Criminology

Information Session

Rejeanne Puran, from the Faculty of Law Admissions Office, will present an information session about what students need to consider when applying to the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law.

When: September 27 @ Noon
Location: Woodsworth College – Room 121

This event is organized by the Woodsworth College Criminology Program Office and sponsored by the Criminology Students’ Association (CRIMSA).

All Welcome.

Posted on September 22, 2011 | Filed under: ›General News

Wilkerson DeSouza named Ontario University Athletics defensive football player of the week

Read the full article here where you can also find out about other Varsity Blues athletic events.

Posted on September 27, 2011 | Filed under: ›Criminology ›General News

MA & PhD Programs

Professors Mariana Valverde and Matthew Light will host an informal conversation with students who are considering applying for graduate programs in the area of sociologal and criminology studies. Topics to be covered inlude the application process, selecting a program, and international programs.

Mariana Valverde is Professor of Criminology and teaches Legal Regulation of Morality in the undergraduate Criminology program. She is the Director of the Centre for Criminology and Sociolegal Studies.

Matthew Light is Assistant Professor of Criminology at the Centre for Criminology and Sociolegal Studies and teaches Theories of Criminal Justice and Organized Crime and Corruption in the undergraduate Criminology program.

Event will take place on Tuesday, October 4th at 1pm. See calendar section for more info.

Posted on October 04, 2011 | Filed under: ›Summer Abroad ›Current Students

If Teeth Could Talk: Science Abroad Students Research Pre-Historic Ontario in South Africa

By Sarah Witol

This past summer, Professor Susan Pfeiffer of the Department of Anthropology, travelled to South Africa with six undergraduate students as part of Woodsworth College’s new Science Abroad program. Their aim was to research archaeologically derived human tissue samples in the Stable Light Isotope Laboratory at the University of Cape Town.

The tissue samples were teeth; each student was responsible for some of the fifty teeth in the collection, representing various Ontario populations, which they analyzed at University of Cape Town using stable isotope technology. “We were examining Canadian aboriginal teeth in order to reconstruct the population's diet as well as make predictions about their environment,” said Magdalena Sobol of Victoria College, one of the six students who participated.

After a week spent in Toronto learning how to measure, take moulds of, and prepare the teeth for the trip, the group journeyed to South Africa at the end of May. Upon arrival in Cape Town the students took part in a one-week course on Stable Isotope Analysis where they learned alongside other students from throughout Africa. They then spent the month of June applying what they had learned to the materials brought from Ontario archaeological sites.

“The program really emphasized to our students what an international endeavor research is” said Pfeiffer. “They also benefitted from seeing the challenges that some students in Africa face who don’t have as strong an educational background, who haven’t had the same kind of educational opportunities.”

The experiential learning process of Science Abroad, in which students earn course credit through their work in real-world lab situations, provided the students with a unique opportunity to apply the theory they had learned. For Heather Kristjanson, the hands-on training in the preparation of samples was the highlight of the program, “If in the future we want to do this, we will know how; that’s something that not a lot of students will get. Although mass spectrometers are available in Ontario, it’s expensive to run these tests so as an undergraduate student you wouldn’t have this kind of access to the equipment.”

For Sobol, who has now decided to pursue a major in biological anthropology, the location of the program added to the learning experience, “At the University of Cape Town I was able to work and interact with some of the top researchers in the field. More importantly, South Africa contains some of the oldest archaeological and human fossil sites in the world, some of which I was able to visit. The realization that I was walking on the same ground as our ancestors did over a hundred thousand years ago was awe-inspiring.”

Sarah Witol is the Summer Abroad Programs Manager

Posted on October 04, 2011 | Filed under: ›Summer Abroad ›General News

Students participate in Science Abroad summer course.

By Sarah Witol

Not many undergraduate students can say that they spent their summer performing brain surgery on rats. But that’s exactly what Sarah Lam, a fourth year student, did in July and August this year as part of Woodsworth College’s new Science Abroad program, which enables students to earn a full-year credit while completing a research course overseas.

Lam was one of six Human Biology students who participated in the program, which matched the students with researchers at the National Chiao Tung University (NCTU) in Hsinchu, Taiwan. “Our partnership with NCTU gives students access to projects run by over a dozen researchers in a wide variety of disciplines, from systems biology to bio-nanotechnology, said Yvette Ali, program director. “Students are matched with the researchers based on their interests and expertise so they really get to explore if this is the discipline for them.”

At NCTU, Lam joined a cognitive neuroscience lab where she studied the effects of drugs believed to induce irreversible hearing loss and the response in brain activity from the auditory processing centre of the rat brain.

“In order to record the brain activity we used the technique called electrocorticography (ECoG),” said Lam, “where holes are drilled on the skull to expose the brain underneath. Then the recording electrodes (that pick up brain signals) are placed underneath the skull and directly on top of the brain region of interest.”

“I had worked with post-mortem brain samples before but this was the first time I actually had to perform brain surgery on a living animal, which was both a frightening and interesting experience. I doubt that an undergraduate would have the same opportunity in Toronto.”

For fourth-year student Evelyn Smith Romero, whose research project looked at the effects of a nutritional compound on a neuron's morphogenesis, participation in the program made her more confident in her research skills.

“I had to practice cell culturing techniques, learn how to properly differentiate the stem cells into neuronal cell fate, use immunofluorescent stains to label regions of interest in the cell, and finally learn how to use a high powered microscope and software that would quantify my images for statistical analysis.”

Participating in the Science Abroad program awakened Smith Romero’s interest in Human Biology research. “It inspired me to sign up for a 494-research course” she said “and has made me consider applying to graduate school.”

Lam agrees: “I made many mistakes in the surgery and recording, and my experiment failed more than once, but I did get the satisfaction from every little improvements I made in the surgery, and from obtaining results from the recordings. Despite the long hours and the extra amount of work I have to put in, I still plan to pursue a career in cognitive neuroscience.”

Sarah Witol is the Summer Abroad Programs Manager

Posted on October 13, 2011 | Filed under: ›Alumni & Friends

Career readiness workshops and seminars for recent grads and upper year students

A new series of events focusing on careers, life after graduation and job readiness will be offered by the College. The first event of the series is scheduled for Monday, November 7th with guest speaker Denyse Burns, co-founder, The Madison Consulting Group, a communications training and consulting company. Her workshop, Communicating with Impact., will focus on the critical communication skills required to be successful in navigating the workplace. You will examine skills and behaviours necessary to develop a strong and confident corporate presence and will learn that creating a positive impression is as critical a skill as any.

More information and how to register.

Posted on October 24, 2011 | Filed under: ›General News

U of T is pleased to provide information for parents and families of students in its latest enewsletter

Please click here to read the October Family and Friends e-newsletter.

Posted on October 28, 2011 | Filed under: ›Summer Abroad ›General News

Science Abroad Student Researches at CERN

By Sarah Witol

Aysha Abdel-Aziz, an undergraduate Physics student, spent this past summer near Geneva contributing to our understanding of the origins of the universe while simultaneously earning a third-year research credit.

Abdel-Aziz worked with Professors Pekka Sinervo and William Trischuk, at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research. Her placement at CERN was through Woodsworth College’s Science Abroad program which enables students to complete a full-year course while obtaining real-world lab experience overseas.

“I learned to work in a group on a project with various inter-related aspects,” said Abdel-Aziz of her research for the RD42 collaboration, a group that is investigating and developing diamond detectors as a replacement for the silicon detectors currently used for particle tracking at the Large Hadron Collider.

“While diamond strip detectors are more radiation resilient than silicon, the signal is much lower,” explained Abdel-Aziz. “It is very important to reduce the noise and interference that can obscure the signal. I worked on identifying and correcting for common mode interference. This improved our ability to see which strip the particle travelled through, which is less obvious in diamond than in silicon due to the low signal.”

Aside from working with the analytical code, Abdel-Aziz also took part in conducting "test beam experiments" using the SPS (super proton synchrotron) at CERN; setting up the experiment, collecting the data, monitoring the real-time plots in the control room as data was collected, and analyzing the data afterwards.

“There’s nothing like the excitement of being there when the accelerators are running,” said Trischuk. “You need to run the analysis program within 12 to 16 hours of the data being collected; there’s nothing like that pressure to get you motivated.”

For Abdel-Aziz, the most rewarding part of the experience was making a contribution to the research being done. “I felt that the work I was doing not only helped me learn and develop problem-solving skills but also contributed to a real physics project,” she said.

Sinervo affirmed that Abdel-Aziz had made a unique contribution to the project. “A project like this is successful if the student becomes an expert, even if on a small component,” he said. “It provides the background from which to tackle the next question. This is how we build up expertise.”

Of her future studies, Abdel-Aziz is now unsure, “I used to be quite certain that I wanted to pursue theoretical physics,” she said. My experience at CERN made me consider experimental physics, at CERN in particular, very seriously.”

Science Abroad has received funding assistance from the Arts &Science Curriculum Renewal Initiatives Fund.

Sarah Witol is the Summer Abroad Programs manager at Woodsworth College

Posted on November 03, 2011 | Filed under: ›Alumni & Friends

Join Woodsworth Senior Lecturer, Theresa Moritz, who will speak on this interesting topic

Dr. Theresa Moritz is an expert in Jane Austen. She has been teaching literature as well as critical reading and writing skills at UofT since the 1990’s. Dr. Moritz has also published stories, poems and essays which have appeared in Queen’s Quarterly, Event, Dalhousie Review, Cistercian Studies¸ and many other journals. Books written in collaborations with A.F. Moritz include The World’s Most Dangerous Woman: A New Biography of Emma Goldman, which was awarded the Joseph and Faye Tanenbaum Prize in Canadian Jewish History in 2003. Dr. Moritz teaches in the Academic Bridging Program at Woodsworth College as well as teaching a first year seminar course for the Faculty of Arts & Science.

Event Details:

Topic: Pride & Prejudice and Popularity: The impact on literature studies of Jane Austen's cult status

Date: Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Time: 2 pm - 4pm

Place: William Waters Lounge, Woodsworth College Residence, 321 Bloor St. West.

To register:

Email: alumni office
Or phone: 416-978-5301

Light refreshments will be served

Posted on November 04, 2011 | Filed under: ›General News

New Woodsworth College Program, Woodsworth One, is hiring a program coordinator

Woodsworth College invites applications for a two-year teaching stream position at the rank of Lecturer and Program Coordinator for the College’s new first-year program. The appointment will begin May 1, 2012 and end April 30^th, 2014.

Click the link to view the job posting.

Posted on November 14, 2011 | Filed under: ›Summer Abroad ›Alumni & Friends ›General News

Students speak out about their fantastic experiences with the program

Watch these videos to find out more about the program

Posted on November 22, 2011 | Filed under: ›Summer Abroad ›Alumni & Friends ›Current Students

Putting theory into practice with the Science Abroad Program

By Sarah Witol

This summer five undergraduate students had the opportunity to put theory into practice, when they spent two months north of Pune, India living at the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) facility, the world’s largest array of radio telescopes at metre wavelengths.

The students were participants in Science Abroad, a program run through Woodsworth College that enables students to earn a full-year credit while getting hands-on research experience overseas.

While at GMRT the students learned to operate the telescope and to detect, seek out and eliminate sources of interference. “This hands-on learning in a real, front-line scientific environment couldn't be done in Toronto,” said Professor Ue-Li Pen of the Astronomy and Astrophysics department, who travelled with the group to GMRT. “Here, the labs are necessarily set up in a controlled environment, where the answer is always known in advance.”

Their research at GMRT consisted of two parts, making observations and analyzing data related to an experiment already underway and eliminating radio frequency interference (RFI), which affects data collection, from the environment.

“We would use the telescope to take a near-field image of GMRT,” explained Connie Lien, a fourth year physics and philosophy student. “Potential RFI would appear as bright spots on the map; if there was a particularly bright spot we would access a jeep and driver and go with an antenna and a radio to look for the RFI.”

Mitigating the RFI was a challenge, said Josh Albert, a fourth year physics student. “There is RFI everywhere in India. People have wires crisscrossing all over the place. These would generate sparks, which create high broadband radiation. That is, they muck up radio astronomers' observations. This job required ingenious thinking and technical abilities, which we developed while we were at GMRT.”

In addition to being able to experience the research process first-hand, one of the most rewarding aspects of the program was “being in another country, removed from comforts,” said Lien. “It makes you reflect on how to react to things.”

Professor Pen agreed that through their experience of living on the GMRT campus, where many of the other researchers and staff did not speak English, students developed some essential skills: “I think the adjustment to a very foreign culture was a good learning experience for them,” he said. “They learned to communicate across cultural and language differences.”

Science Abroad has received funding assistance from the Arts &Science Curriculum Renewal Initiatives Fund.

Sarah Witol is the Summer Abroad Programs manager at Woodsworth College

Posted on December 02, 2011 | Filed under: ›Academic Bridging Program ›General News ›Prospective Students

Students & graduates talk about their experience with the Academic Bridging Program.

Videos

Learn from students & graduates why the Academic Bridging Program is the right choice for you!

Before Bridging, Alex thought university was beyond his reach because he did not finish high school and now he's a university grad!

Bridging graduate, Lori utilised the Academic Writing Centre to further develop her essay skills after the long gap from high school.

Hear how Bridging changed Dennis' life and how he credits his instructor and the Contemporary Canada course for the foundation of his success.

Click to learn more about the program.

Posted on December 06, 2011 | Filed under: ›General News

Be one of the first to participate in Woodworth's newest program.

Starting in the fall of 2012, Woodsworth One will offer students a fully integrated First Year experience, combining two half-credit interdisciplinary seminars and a wide range of co-curricular activities, including guest lectures, academic skills support, student leadership events, and field trips, all designed to complement students’ other courses. In 2012-13, the program’s major theme will be “Order and Disorder,” bringing together studies in Criminology, Sociology, Political Science, Philosophy, and History. This program builds on the tradition of first year programs available at the other Colleges on the St. George Campus. The Woodsworth program will also offer the possibility of unifying students' first year experience as students will be enrolled in special Woodsworth One Tutorial sections in their other Arts & Science courses.

Details of the program:

Number of credits: one

Program Structure: Two half-credit seminars limited to 25 students, plus time-tabled co-curricular activities

Eligibility: Faculty of Arts & Science (U of T St. George) applicants

Application Procedure: Online application including a brief personal statement

Further Information: http://www.artsci.utoronto.ca/futurestudents/academics/college-one-programs

Posted on January 06, 2012 | Filed under: ›Summer Abroad ›General News

Artworks produced by students in the Hong Kong Summer Abroad Program

Artworks produced in Hong Kong from June-July 2011 by the students of VIS327Y Urban Studio Hong Kong

Minhee Bae, Kevin Chan Kei Yan, Lawrence Chow, Nikki Gelmanovski, Han Yating, Michael Huang, Hanieh Khosroshahi, Lily Kuo Chih Shan, Kimberly Kwan, Robin Li Ruo Bing, Oli Li Xiangkun, Nicholas Liang Jianhong, Alan Peng, Paul Tsang Tak-Shen, Betsy Wang Bingye, Wang Yi Xi, Kevin Yu, Zhang Ling Yu. Instructor: Will Kwan

Art Lounge
University of Toronto Art Centre
12 January - 3 February 2012
Opening reception: 12 January, 6-8pm
Refreshments will be served.

View Poster

Posted on January 11, 2012 | Filed under:

Participate in a free conference on January 28th to learn more about your leadership style

Are you interested in leadership? Do you want to find out what kind of a leader you are and how you can further develop your skills and gain new ones?

Then the Leadership Conference "Are You Woodsworthy?" is for you!

This conference, brought to you by the Woodsworth Leadership Committee in collaboration with the Dean of Students Office, is organized for Woodsworth College students who are looking to identify their own leadership style, goals, and identity, and who are looking to embark on their own leadership journey.

The conference takes place on Saturday January 28th from 10am-5pm and is absolutely free.

Registration takes place at Woodsworth College January 16-26.

For more information please go to: www.tinyurl.com/wdwleadership2012

Hope to see you there,
Woodsworth Leadership Committee

Posted on January 19, 2012 | Filed under: ›Alumni & Friends ›Current Students

Part of the Woodsworth Plus Seminar Series

Attend a FREE seminar on business etiquette with guest speaker Colleen Clarke. Colleen is a well-recognized career specialist, corporate trainer and public speaker in the areas of career management and transition, communication and networking.

When: Tuesday, January 24, 2012 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Where: Kruger Hall, Woodsworth College

or email: events.woodsworth@utoronto.ca

or call: 416-978-5301

Light refreshments will be served

For more info on upcoming Woodsworth Plus events, join http://www.facebook.com/alumni.woodsworth

Posted on January 25, 2012 | Filed under: ›Alumni & Friends ›Current Students

Discover the art of resumes, cover letters as well as interview tips and tricks. Learn from industry professionals!

Graduated? Graduating? If you are going to be entering the job market soon, this workshop is for you.

When: Tuesday, January 31, 2012, 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Where: Waters Lounge, Woodsworth College Residence, 321 Bloor St. West

Regsiter: Online

More info: 416-98-5301

This is a FREE event.

Ligh refreshments will be served.

This event is sponosored by the Office of the Dean of Students

Posted on January 31, 2012 | Filed under:

Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities was key note speaker

Glen Murray (back row, third from right) Ontario Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, visited Woodsworth College last weekend to deliver the keynote speech at the college's student leadership conference, Are You Woodsworthy? He is pictured here making a "W" sign with student leaders, Woodsworth principal Joe Desloges (back row, right) and U of T president David Naylor (back row, second from right). (Photo by Dave Kim)

Story curtesy of The Bulletin

Posted on February 03, 2012 | Filed under: ›Criminology ›Current Students ›General News ›Graduate Students

Study published by UofT PhD candidate discusses importance of collecting race statistics in policing.

A study on race and policing by Akwasi Owusu-Bempah, a PhD candidate at the University of Toronto’s Centre for Criminology draws attention to the absence of data on race in police-reported crimes. The study, published in the Canadian Journal of Law and Society, discusses the impact missing data has on reducing racism in the law.

We asked former Bronfman Award Recipients what they've been doing since graduation from Woodsworth College.

Find out where they are now!

Posted on February 27, 2012 | Filed under: ›Criminology ›Alumni & Friends ›Current Students ›General News

Alumni return to speak to students about their careers in probation/parole and policing

The following events will be held at Woodsworth:

Probation and Parole:

Join Michele Ferguson (WDW ’83) and Mark Stehlin, Probation and Parole Officers with the Ministry of Community and Correctional Services, for an informative session about career and volunteer opportunities.

When: Thursday, March 8^th, 12 noon to 1:30 p.m.

Where: Principals' Seminar Room (Room 123) at Woodsworth College, 119 St. George Street

Information and Registration:

Email: alumni office or call 416-978-5301

Lunch will be served. Registration required.

Policing:

Join Staff Sergeant Nick Lisi (WDW ’01), member of the Durham Regional Police Service, to explore career options in policing

When: Thursday, March 15th, 12 noon to 1:30 p.m.

Where: Principals' Seminar Room (Room 123) at Woodsworth College, 119 St. George Street

Information and Registration:

Email: alumni office or call 416-978-5301

Lunch will be served. Registration required.

Posted on March 09, 2012 | Filed under: ›Alumni & Friends

Find out about programs for adult learners

The Academy of Lifelong Learning invites you to join one of the their small daytime workshops for self-directed learning.

Further information available here.

Or Email, phone: 416-946-5185

› Full Archives

Posted April 12, 2018

Woodsworth College

Joe Desloges welcomes students and alumni back to Woodsworth College for the 2012-13 academic year

Summer Abroad in Kenya! “Conflict and Community Development”

New program! The University of Toronto will be offering a full-year course in Peace & Conflict Studies

Mentorship Luncheon for Criminology Students

Woodsworth College alumnus Nick Lisi is our speaker at a Mentorship Luncheon on Tuesday, January 15

New Union Strategies for Tough Times: The CAW -Magna Deal, and Other Responses

The 2008 Sefton Memorial Lecture promises to be an interesting debate.

Dress for Success

A workshop with Sarah Collins for Women & Men

Woodsworth Representation on Governing Council

Woodsworth College has two representatives recently elected to the University's Governing Council.

First Year Learning Community (FLC) at Woodsworth College

Excellent student peer program has another wonderful year.

WCSA’s website ready for business

WCSA invites all students to visit the site for most up-to-date happenings.

Woodsworth Students Honoured with Cressy Awards

Outstanding contributions to the community set these students apart.

Avi Bennett Admission Awards

For those excelling in the arts and athletics, this is a must read.

Woodsworth Courtyard to be SMOKE FREE

Please make note of this important change.

Woodsworth Student Takes Top Honours

Timothy Harrison, WDW '08, wins two prestigious awards

Incoming students learn about life at Woodsworth

College welcomes new students

Millie Rotman Shime Academic Bridging Program Celebrates Anniversary

Reception to take place in the Woodsworth College Courtyard

Woodsworth Student off to the Beijing Olympics!

Alexandra Orlando will compete in the Beijing Olympics this summer.

Orientation Week at Woodsworth

Here's all the information you need for Orientation Week at Woodsworth College.....

Woodsworth College home to new pilot progam

Opportunity for students to benefit from new pilot program

Welcome to a new year at Woodsworth College!

The 2008/2009 academic year has started. The college is proud to welcome many new and returning students.

Woodsworth/Rotman Commerce Lounge open in Kruger Hall

New student space now available

Woodsworth’s New Principal

Our new Principal, Joe Desloges, was installed at a ceremony at Hart House on October 15th.

New Math Lab Opens at Woodsworth

Great support for students

Woodsworth grad proud to rise to the challenge

Kelly Ann Downs graduated this November. Her story is featured in the Universtiy of Toronto Bulletin

Annual Sefton Memorial Lecture

Presented by Woodsworth College and the Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources

Mentorship Events at Woodsworth College

A number of Woodsworth alumni are returning to the college to speak to current students about their careers.

Woodsworth welcomes new cross-appointed faculty member

Matthew Light, faculty member of the Centre of Criminology, teaches Woodsworth College undergraduate course.

University Hiring Students for Call Centre

Get a flexible U of T job!

Woodsworth welcomes new Criminology faculty member

Sandra Bucerius has joined the faculty of the Centre of Criminology and will teach in the undergraduate program.

Annual Sefton Memorial Lecture

This year's lecture will address the roots of the current economic crisis.

Woodsworth welcomes new cross-appointed faculty member

Dr. Rafael Gomez will teach in the Employment Relations Program.

International Etiquette Seminar

Great event sponsored by the Alumni Association

Mentorship Event - Panel of Lawyers

Woodsworth alumni, and practicing lawyers, spoke to students interested in a career in law.

New WCSA Executive

New Executive Confirmed for 2009-10 year

Ron Levi receives award

Levi honoured with student teaching award.

New UofT Family Web Site Launched

What every parent whose son or daughter will attend UofT in the fall should know.

Residence Move In a Success

Action packed day marked successful residence move in.

Saul Goldstein Memorial Lecture

Toronto's Economic Fortunes: What Might the Future Bring

Kruger Hall Commons Now Open

Check out this great new student space!

Alumni Cafes in the new year

Two more great events being held in February and March.

VOX is launched!

Woodsworth College is proud to present the first volume of the undergraduate academic journal.

Donship Positions Available for Fall 2010!