Two programs that send the educators of the future abroad on international missions ultimately make them greater teachers, far better suited for instructing in the diverse, multicultural classrooms of Canada.

“We’re going to have students from all around the world in our classrooms and we’re going to need to be able to relate to them,” said Nicci Ilceski, a Faculty of Education graduate who travelled earlier this year to a remote village in Tanzania through the Global Education and Research for Development Initiative (GERDI). “You need to understand the lifestyle they’ve lived in order to be able to teach them.”

Over the last several years, teacher candidates have travelled on several occasions to spend several weeks sprucing up an orphanage in a small village called Singida. Besides the obvious altruistic benefits and getting the experience teaching children from another country, the trip provides research opportunities for educators to gather important information on how living conditions influence learning outcomes.

The Tanzania project was one of two international engagement programs that have been funded over the last two years through the University of Windsor’s Strategic Priority Fund. The other is called Broaden the Horizons, an exchange program with South West University in Beijing, China. Teacher candidates travel there to learn first-hand about how students are educated in China, while Chinese candidates come to Windsor to learn about best educational practices in Canada.

Both programs demonstrate the university’s commitment to promoting international engagement as a way to help make the world a better place, according to president Alan Wildeman.

“We have students from around the world from close to a hundred countries,” he said. “We have to be engaged in bringing people here, sending people abroad and giving them an experience that lets them appreciate what this great big world is about.”

Watch a video about both programs, produced by Peter Freele in the Centre for Teaching and Learning:

If the foundations of courage, love and hope are compromised, an education will fall short on its promise, UWindsor President Alan Wildeman said in a public address Thursday on campus.

“I believe it is the University’s duty to provide a supportive environment and spaces within which every person, regardless of who they are, can feel that those foundations are enabled so that their own human spirit can thrive,” he said to a crowd of hundreds of faculty, students, staff and members of the broader community.

In his address, entitled “Building on the Common Ground,” he looked ahead to 2013, the 50th anniversary of the University’s founding, and laid out a master plan for the campus that includes centralization of student services and a Welcome Centre to greet visitors and campus newcomers.

“We cannot have a University where students have to go to multiple buildings to get the basic services they need,” Dr. Wildeman said. “So we have spent the past two years developing the vision that will see us embark upon the next 50 years with a fully revitalized campus.”

That revitalization also includes the construction of an Innovation Centre and parking structure slated for the southeast intersection of Wyandotte and Sunset streets, completion of the Centre for Engineering Innovation, the renovation of Essex Hall, and the creation of a downtown campus for music, visual arts, film production, social work and professional education programs.

He stressed that capital projects will be funded in ways that do not strain the University’s operating budget: “We are not doing realignment to free up money to build a building.”

In addition to introducing the Service Excellence Program (see related story), Wildeman played a video about internationalization efforts in the Faculty of Education (see related story), and encouraged individuals to share stories through the Are You Proud? campaign.

The Centre for Teaching and Learning recorded Thursday’s event and is preparing it for webcast. Watch for a link in DailyNews next week.

Consistently offering friendly, helpful service strengthens the University of Windsor’s reputation as a welcoming campus, says President Alan Wildeman.

A new initiative launched this week by the Department of Human Resources will promote responsive, reliable and courteous service to students, faculty, staff and visitors.

“When a commitment to service excellence is extended to the entire campus, we not only strengthen one of our fundamental values but we more easily enable our community to benefit from the value we create,” Dr. Wildeman said.

The Service Excellence initiative encompasses educational materials, training opportunities, and a new recognition program for employees who provide an exceptional experience.

The education campaign centres on a series of standards developed in consultation with staff and clients, says Marcela Ciampa, manager of employee engagement and development. She has produced posters and desktop calendars listing the standards as well as a guidebook to putting them into practice.

“The standards provide a good framework and from there we can build the exceptional experience,” says Ciampa. “When we follow them, we provide the best possible service to our students, faculty, staff and other service users.”

Find more information, including the full list of standards, the Service Excellence Guide and feedback forms to share positive experiences or offer suggestions to improve, on the program’s Web site.

Watch a video about the program by producer Chris Kolonelos of the Centre for Teaching and Learning.

Education student Kerry Bryan won yesterday’s DailyNews contest and two tickets to the Ianni Performance Scholarship Competition, Sunday, January 15, in Assumption University Chapel at 2:30 p.m.

The concert features student musicians competing for a $500 scholarships named in honour of the late University of Windsor president.

Bryan’s name was drawn from all respondents who correctly translated Meine Ruh’ ist hin as “My peace is gone,” identified “presto” as a very fast tempo, and set Bizet’s opera Carmen in Spain.

Tickets to Sunday’s concert are $10 general admission and $5 for students, available at the door or in advance by phone at 519-253-3000, ext. 4212, or online at www.uwindsor.ca/music.

Campus Community Police is offering a free self-defence course to female students and employees at the University of Windsor on Saturday and Sunday, January 21 and 22.

The Rape Aggression Defence System is a program of realistic self-defence tactics and techniques for women. The RAD System is a comprehensive, women-only course that begins with awareness, prevention, risk reduction and risk avoidance, while progressing on to the basics of hands-on defence training.

The 12-hour course runs noon to 6 p.m. both days. Register online on the Campus Community Police RAD Web site.

How would you like to ring in the new year by saving some lives?

The Canadian Blood Service will hold a full blood donor clinic on Monday, January 16, in the CAW Student Centre's Ambassador Auditorium from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For this clinic, the Canadian Blood Service will use its appointment system. It encourages donors to book appointments by calling 1-888-2DONATE (1-888-236-6283). Walk-in donors are still welcome but appointments will better accommodate donors' working schedules.

As with previous clinics, the Department of Human Resources encourages all eligible employees to participate in this worthwhile process and asks any employees who wish to donate to make the necessary arrangements with their supervisors regarding the possibility of extended lunch or break periods. Canadian Blood Services thanks the university community for its continued support.