Dear members of the University of Windsor community,

In one of our residences this week, on April 6, a young man suddenly and tragically passed away. I know I share with all of you our deepest sympathies for his family and friends, and our deepest sorrows at this loss. It is at times like this that we are reminded of the importance of community and the importance of being there for each other. I encourage those who seek support during this difficult time to contact one of the available services listed below.

Alan Wildeman
President and Vice-Chancellor

Support Services for Students

On Campus:

• Student Counselling Centre – 519-253-3000, ext. 4616; room 293, CAW Student Centre
  8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday - Friday
• Student Health Services – 519-253-3000, ext. 7002; room 242, CAW Student Centre
  9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday - Friday
• Peer Support Centre – room 208, CAW Student Centre, 12 to 8 p.m., Monday-Friday

After Hours Resources:

• Good2Talk – 1-866-925-5454 (Post-Secondary Student Helpline): 24-hour-crisis line, staffed by trained mental health professionals.
• Community Crisis Centre – 519-973-4435: 24-hour crisis line
• 24-hour Walk-in Service at Windsor Regional Hospital - Ouellette Campus Emergency Department, 1030 Ouellette Avenue

Support Services for Faculty and Staff

Employee Assistance Program – through Shepell.fgi at 1-800-387-4765 or go to www.uwindsor.ca/hr/wellness.

Students who are gearing up for exams, stressed at the end of this semester, or just missing home, were able to unwind Wednesday with  the well-trained, friendly dogs of the Therapeutic Paws of Canada.

Dakota Guindon, a social work student, said: “I have dogs at home, and I really miss them. So it’s great to spend time here today.”

Ilias and Alex, biology students, found that this event “puts our mind off the exams for a while.”

Maya and Prince are two stars of the show, both seven years old, well-trained service dogs. They provide their therapy services at nursing homes and to brain-damaged patients as well.

“They bring joy and brighten up spirits,” said John Good, a volunteer at Therapeutic Paws of Canada.

This successful event took place on April 8, and in case you have missed it, it will take place today, April 9 in Ambassador Auditorium’s Salon A, CAW Student Centre, from noon to 1:30 p.m.

This event is organized by Senate Student Caucus, along with Therapeutic Paws of Canada, supported by the office of the Dean of students and campus parking services.

The 15th Annual Faculty of Science Celebration of Success, April 1 in the CAW Student Centre, recognized the extraordinary achievements of its educators and researchers, says dean Marlys Koschinsky.

“Whether it be a high impact publication, a prestigious grant or award, demonstrated teaching effectiveness, or superlative efforts on a special project,” she said, “I want to recognize and celebrate the impact of what we do in science, and to share our accomplishments with the University of Windsor community and beyond.”

This year’s event featured donations to support science and technology programs in local youth organizations. A gift to Scouts Canada will see it purchase a space exploration kit, and one to Girl Guides of Canada will allow local troops to share a robotics kit.

Koschinsky conferred a lifetime achievement award on biology professor Daniel Heath, director of the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, citing his stellar record as a researcher, teacher and mentor.

“What excites me most is what is yet to come,” she said. “He shows no sign of slowing down and I know that we’ll be adding more great things to this list of accomplishments as years go by.”

The reception featured more than 100 awards; find a full list on the faculty website.

Visiting the set of the television show Beauty and the Beast provided Jorinde Weinmann with one of the best days of her life, the communications student says in an article detailing the experience.

Published in the April 2 edition of Shoreline Week, her piece recounts the opportunity to see firsthand how the entertainment industry works. Her professor, Mike Stasko, knows a stand-in on the show, who extended the invitation for Weinmann to visit the Cinespace film studio in Toronto.

“I felt like I fell into a ‘behind the scenes’ video,” she says. “I felt like a kid in a candy store, walking from one set into the next one.”

Weinmann met members of the crew and cast—including stars Kristin Kreuk and Jay Ryan, operated a camera, and “even got to slate one of the takes.”

Read her article, “My day on the set of Beauty and the Beast.”