Student enrollees in the West Windsor poverty reduction program On Track to SuccessStudent enrollees in the West Windsor poverty reduction program On Track to Success pose during an event to announce its launch, Wednesday in the Odette Building.

Professor to gauge success of student support strategy

As the United Way launches a program to ensure students from West Windsor have the support they need to succeed in school, a professor from the University of Windsor’s Odette School of Business will be measuring its progress.

Finance professor Rajeeva Sinha heads an interdisciplinary research team that will evaluate the effectiveness of On Track to Success, which will provide participating youths chosen from vulnerable populations access to tutoring and other opportunities: recreational activities, volunteering, career building, mentorship, individualized support, and up to $4,000 in scholarships for post-secondary education.

“Obviously there will be benefits,” says Dr. Sinha. “We will gather the evidence and provide the measurable impact of donors’ dollars.”

He says that charities are often challenged to point to the concrete difference they make in communities, and his team—which includes researchers from the fields of sociology and education—has received government funding to determine whether the program can be scaled across the province.

A pilot program in Leamington last year generated support that has enabled the United Way to expand the program into Windsor’s west end in time for the September start to the 2016 school year.

“We know that education is one of the clearest pathways out of poverty,” says Alicea Fleming, a mentor for the West Windsor group. “Our community won’t thrive unless all residents have opportunities for the future.”

Participants in the Changing the Odds youth programParticipants in the Changing the Odds youth program perform during a public presentation Thursday in the Jackman Dramatic Art Centre.

Youth program gets extended support from Windsor Endowment for the Arts

A donation of more than $175,000 from the Windsor Endowment for the Arts will secure the future of a program that helps youth engage with the arts, the community and each other.

The pledge of support will extend Changing the Odds: Community Transformation through the Arts for a further three years of helping local youth experience discovery, risk, play, friendship, community and above all great fun. The program features a six-week summer arts experience and a new year-round mentorship component for participants, aged 12 to 18.

logo, Windsor Endowment for the Arts“We are thrilled to be able to continue the important work of this program, encouraging self-discovery and promoting self-development by young people who can most benefit from healthy relationships with peers, leaders and artists,” said Carolyne Rourke, president of Windsor Endowment for the Arts. “It would not be possible without the generosity of our funders, who are committed to this exceptional partnership developing the artistic and creative skill sets of local youth.”

One of those participants, 16-year-old Justus Elliot, said her experience has opened her eyes to new possibilities.

“Changing the Odds has changed my life,” said the Kennedy Collegiate student. “Sometimes it feels like young people don’t have a voice, but this program teaches you skills that let you be heard.”

Tina Pugliese is director of the UWindsor School of Dramatic Art, which partnered with WEA to develop and administer the program.

“Changing the Odds has involved our faculty and students in an invigorating interaction with a community made up of youth, leaders, artists and volunteers,” she said. “It has been an exciting three years and I look forward to its continued growth, thanks to the support of these generous donors.”

Nancy Gobatto remembered as talented lecturer committed to feminist education

Students at all levels describe women’s and gender studies professor Nancy Gobatto, who died August 13, as funny, enthusiastic, compassionate and caring, says her colleague Anne Forrest.

For many students, Nancy was the face of women’s and gender studies,” Dr. Forrest said. “For 10 years, she taught our large introductory course. She touched the lives of all majors and hundreds of others.”

Known as a talented lecturer, Gobatto delighted students with her unique blend of academic explication and personal anecdote, said Forrest: “She made students laugh as she guided their learning.”

Gobatto earned degrees in English and creative writing at the University of Windsor (BA 1998, MA 2000) before pursuing doctoral studies at York University. She joined the UWindsor faculty in May 2006 as a sessional instructor and became a sessional lecturer in September 2014.

Campus flags will be lowered in her memory on Friday, August 19. Funeral services are scheduled for Saturday; find details in her obituary online.

an “Ask Me” buttonWearing an “Ask Me” button identifies UWindsor faculty and staff as people with answers for newcomers to campus.

Buttons to help newcomers find needed guidance

The Student Success Centre invites all UWindsor staff and faculty to wear “Ask Me” buttons during its August Orientation on Friday, August 26, making it easier for campus visitors to identify people who can provide them with a welcoming smile, directions or basic information.

The event is designed to welcome incoming students who missed Head Start, as well as those not coming directly from secondary school:  mature, part-time, and transfer students. The full-day itinerary opens with check-in at the Centre for Engineering Innovation and includes presentations on campus services, academic expectations, career possibilities and other aspects of the university experience. Details are available on the August Orientation website.

“Ask Me” buttons are white and sport the university’s official logo. To get yours, contact Shelby Marchand in the Student Success Centre at shelby@uwindsor.ca. She asks that wherever possible, departments coordinate their requests so that all of the buttons can be sent to one contact person for distribution.

Facility Services offers thanks to survey respondents

A survey measuring the impact of two campus-wide shutdowns in service in June will help Facility Services improve its operations, says executive director Susan Mark.

The survey asked campus clients about planned disruptions of electrical and steam services late in June—whether they received enough notice, were involved in preparations, and were affected afterwards.

“We really appreciate the information provided by those who took time to participate in our survey,” Mark says. “Your responses are vital to help us meet the highest standards of service excellence.”