Earth surrounded by musical notesMembers of Uni-Com are praising their experiences in a course on space travel that included a concert featuring astronaut Chris Hadfield.

Space course for retirees slips surly bonds of Earth

A successful trip to space has members of Uni-Com contemplating a return visit.

The Retirement Learning Centre offered a course by physics professor emeritus Bill Baylis on “Space and Space Travel” that included a field trip to hear astronaut Chris Hadfield perform with the Windsor Symphony Orchestra.

It was a great success, says Uni-Com coordinator Bill McRae.

“Dr. Baylis taught his course at Canada South Science City,” he says. “He shared the 1700s music of astronomer and composer William Herschel’s Symphony 12 in D Major and demonstrated how it could be related to the studies of physics, space and space travel.”

McRae says the centre is considering follow-up courses for its study groups in February.

Toy elvesJoin the crowd! Santa is looking for some elves on campus to help with the Adopt-a-Family program.

Get on Santa’s “nice” list: helpers needed for campus adopt-a-family effort

You may hear it said that the holidays are for children. The Adopt-a-Family program of the Windsor-Essex Children's Aid Foundation works to make that ideal a reality, and is looking for sponsors across the university community.

Mary Anne Beaudoin in the office of Public Affairs and Communications coordinates the campus Adopt-a-Family effort. The foundation requests that sponsors focus on food and clothing as well as toys. These items are often financially difficult for the families to obtain. Sponsors may also include a gift for the parent or the home as well.

Sponsors may choose a small, medium or large-sized family or a youth on extended care. Small families consist of a single parent and child; a large family may have two parents and four children. A youth on extended care is an individual over the age of 16 years old, living independently, attending school and trying to manage on a very limited budget.

To adopt a family, contact Beaudoin at 519-253-3000, ext. 3240 or e-mail mbeaud@uwindsor.ca.

You will receive a profile of family members and their wishes, with a list of things to keep in mind when delivering your gifts. All gifts are due by Wednesday, December 10, in front of Essex Hall—a truck will take delivery of donations from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Hat bearing Lancer logoThis weekend, all Lancer teams are on the road, but a lot is on the line.

Lancers all on the road this weekend

Fans of Lancer teams won’t be able to see much of the action in person this weekend without a trip—all the competition is on the road, but a lot is on the line.

The Lancer football team will look to clinch a home playoff game when they play the Western Mustangs in London on Saturday. Both teams boast 5-2 records heading into the final contest of the regular season. Kick-off is at 1 p.m.; the game will be webcast live at www.oua.tv.

Windsor quarterback Austin Kennedy needs four passing touchdowns to set an Ontario University Athletics record for most in a career.

Cross country runners will compete in the OUA championship meet Saturday in Kingston. The men’s team hopes to medal, with only two schools ranked higher.

Men’s hockey will look to extend its winning streak, currently at five, during a two-game trip to Lakehead. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; both contests may be seen live at www.ssncanada.ca.

The women’s hockey squad is also up north to play the Laurentian Voyageurs on Saturday and the Nipissing Lakers on Sunday.

Both Lancer volleyball teams travel to Kingston to face the Queen’s Gaels on Friday and the Paladins of Royal Military College on Saturday. They will play their first home games of the season Friday, October 31, when they host the Guelph Gryphons at the St. Denis Centre.

Basketball is engaged in pre-season competition: the men in St. Catharines for the Brock Classic and the women in Quebec City for the Laval Tournament.

Fastpitch team captures provincial bronze

The Lancer team capped off its season with a bronze medal at the Ontario Intercollegiate Women’s Fastpitch Association championships held in London, October 17 to 19.

The association named Brianna Balzer and Kim Moroun to its all-star team. Moroun finished the regular season with a .389 batting average and led Windsor with 28 hits and 11 stolen bases. Balzer had a .362 batting average and led the Lancers with 11 extra-base hits and 20 RBIs.

Read the full story at goLancers.ca.

Conference organizers hoping to spark campus creativity

Human advancement has been led by brilliant innovations, says WinShi Wong. One of the organizers of a TEDx conference, “The Creative Spark,” planned for the UWindsor campus on November 8, she hopes the event will inspire delegates.

A creative spark need not change society or humanity as a whole,” says Wong. “It could simply change the course of one persons’ life. We hope to highlight what the next creative spark could be.”

The conference is independent but based on the TED Talks which explore Technology, Entertainment and Design. The program features 10 speakers, including UWindsor faculty members Simon Du Toit, Siyaram Pandey and Edwin Tam, as well as Christine Quaglia, a disability advisor in the Student Success Centre.

The event has a limited capacity, so organizers are inviting applications from individuals interested in attending. The deadline to apply is Friday, October 24. Find details on the conference website, www.tedxuniversityofwindsor.com.

Gala to support student overseas project

A gala at Caesars Windsor on November 28 will raise funds for the Windsor chapter of Students Offering Support, which offers a tutoring service on campus and helps to build schools in Latin America.

The third annual Raising Roofs Gala will feature food, fun and the announcement of destination chosen for the outreach trip in summer 2015. Attendees will see a short film produced by student Sameer Jafar, documenting the overseas experience, says Marco Lot, vice-president of charity development.

“The evening will be a night to remember, with dinner, volunteer awards, raffles, music and dancing,” he says. “Your ticket includes access to the exclusive all-ages after party complete with late-night appetizers and a DJ.”

Tickets are $55 per person, available through the event Facebook page. Watch the promotional video, produced by the organization’s volunteers:

Spiritual perspectives on violence and non-violence subject of symposium

Speakers from First Nations, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh traditions will discuss their varying perspectives on violence and non-violence in a free public symposium Sunday, October 26.

Presented by Assumption University’s Centre for Religion and Culture and the Inter-Faith Group of Windsor and Essex County, the event runs 2 to 5 p.m. in the Freed-Orman Centre, Assumption Hall.