A UWindsor professor is looking to give children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder the greater self-control through meditation.

Psychology professor Carlin Miller is hosting the Mindful Living for Kids meditation program this fall and is seeking 24 to 30 children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in grades 4 and 5 to participate.

“School changes a lot for children in grades 3 and 4 and there are more expectations of independence,” said Dr. Miller.

“Children with ADHD often struggle with having to sit down and focus on an assignment, but through meditation, they can learn to pay attention, sit still and control themselves.”

Carlin said that ADHD is a common neurobiological disorder that affects up to  10 per cent of the school-aged population. It can be noticed in preschool or early grades of elementary school. Children with ADHD can exhibit developmentally inappropriate symptoms like hyperactivity and inattentiveness.

It’s a program Miller has hosted in the past, but this session will work more closely with the parents to ensure the child has full support at home.

“Parents would say, ‘my child says their mind is running and I can’t make it stop,’” Miller explained.

“Instead of telling them to stop doing it, we need to say ‘that’s what minds do.’ We need to work with them and tell the child to watch the activity of the mind and ask it to come back gently.”

The workshop will start on Sept. 25 and consist of seven sessions at Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare.

There is no fee to participate and classes will be held twice a week.

Miller said the sessions start slowly and eventually build to 20 minutes of meditation.

“The thing that is critically important with any kind of meditation practice is a little dose of it every single day,” Miller said.

“We start off with shorter practices, focus on movement based practice and we don’t build up to 10 minutes until almost the end.”

She said each session contains a craft activity that the child can use for their meditation practice.

While her sample size is still small, Miller said her numbers do show that meditation can have a positive impact on children with ADHD.

“When I look at the numbers I do have, it very much looks like the kids who are meditating every single day have much bigger benefits by the end,” she said.

Those interested in participating can contact Miller at cjmiller@uwindsor.ca or 519-253-3000 ext. 2226.

The faculty of science has created three new undergraduate courses that allow students to earn academic credit while gaining real-world experience in the community and on campus.

“Experiential learning is the best way for students to gain the career-relevant soft skills sought by employers after they graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree from UWindsor,” says Chris Houser, dean of science.

The three courses, Undergraduate Research Experience, Service Learning and Internship, are offered to all undergraduate students. Service Learning gives students the opportunity to participate directly with community partners by analyzing, addressing and possibly solving real problems related to social issues and community needs.

Similar to a longer co-op placement, students who take the Internship course will get on-the-job training, further develop analytical and interpersonal skills, practice business writing and build their professional network.

“Science at UWindsor has a 1:15 student to faculty ratio and we are taking advantage of this by offering unique skill building opportunities that students won’t be able to get at larger universities,” says Dr. Houser.

Through the Undergraduate Research Experience, students are able to gain experience in methods, techniques and ethical conduct of research with a science faculty member.

“They would be getting credit for the undergraduate research work many of them are doing already, on a volunteer basis,” says Houser.

“We understand that the work force demands a certain skill set and we are offering undergraduates the opportunity to graduate with myriad skills, including critical thinking, community engagement, and leadership, which are needed to succeed and compete in life after university.”

For more information contact instructor Michelle Bondy at mbondy@uwindsor.ca.

A fun new competition is at the heart of this year’s UWindsor Welcome Week orientation program, says organizer Amber Norman.

A student development specialist in the Student Success Centre, she is encouraging participants to register for teams based in their academic faculties. They will earn points by engaging in the week’s activities, with the highest-finishing team receiving a prize.

“It’s a way for us to help new students meet friends, join in, and get involved,” says Norman. “We’re trying a different approach this year and hoping to get more of our local students to attend campus before the start of classes.”

Highlights of the week’s activities include:

• Sunday, September 3. Residence move-in day will see volunteers help students get settled in their new homes away from home. Sex and emotional literacy educator Karen B. K. Chan will discuss “Consent for Real People” in the residence quad.
• Monday, September 4. The River Games will pit teams in a Canada150-themed competition in Assumption Park, at Huron Church Road south of Riverside Drive.
• Tuesday, September 5. The Involvement Fair, in the David A. Wilson Campus Commons along Turtle Island Walk, will introduce new students to opportunities to get active in student life, in the community, in making the University a better place. Lancer women’s volleyball will take on Michigan-Dearborn in a pre-season exhibition contest dubbed the Canada 150 Volleyball Game in the Dennis Fairall Fieldhouse. The games continue with Game On, a board game social in Katzman Lounge, and Trivia Tuesday in the CAW Student Centre Commons.
• Wednesday, September 6. Program orientation sessions are mandatory for first-year students in all academic disciplines. Welcoming Celebration in the fieldhouse is a must for new students and promises presentations and a draw for prizes — including a semester’s tuition, courtesy of the Alumni Association.
• Thursday, September 7. The first day of classes offers a Shinerama barbecue to benefit the fight against cystic fibrosis, the Get Crafty at Leddy session, and an outdoor film screening, Movie Under the Stars.
• Saturday, September 9. Shine Day will see UWindsor students join Canada’s largest post-secondary charity fundraiser, taking their shoe-shining skills to the streets of Windsor.

Find a full list of events, locations, and times in the Guidebook app: download it now.

University of Windsor students will soon have a news source of their own again. The Lance newspaper will resume publication, but this time around without the paper, says editor Rick Santarossa.

“We’re going all-digital, with no print run,” says Santarossa, who also serves as director of communications for the University of Windsor Students’ Alliance. “Our online publication will primarily focus on campus issues and student life.”

He says the revived Lance will be fully operational in September, but not from its former offices on the lower level of the CAW Student Centre.

“We’ll have a new logo, a new brand, and an all-new Lance,” Santarossa says. “Keep an eye out for our return-to-campus campaign.”

Read the most current content at uwindsorlance.com; to contact the newstaff, e-mail editorthelance@gmail.com or phone 519-253-3000, ext. 4505.

The Office of the Registrar will host a retirement celebration for Dave Wilbur on Thursday, August 31, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in Library 4108. Dave, who is the manager of Student Information Systems in the Registrar’s Office, will be retiring after more than 37 years with the University.

A sweatshirt for sale in the Campus Bookstore has an “old-timey” feel to the design that will appeal to anyone looking for a quality garment, says marketing co-ordinator Martin Deck.

“Whether you’re looking to say University of Windsor or proud Lancer, this item has you covered,” Deck says.

He particularly likes that the design is stitched rather than printed on the material.

Available in navy blue or athletic grey in sizes ranging from extra-small to double-extra-large, the hooded sweatshirts bear a kangaroo pocket and sell for $39.95. Check them out in the store, located on the lower level of the CAW Student Centre.