Organizers of the Involvement Fair and scavenger hunt planned for UWindsor Welcome Week have extended a deadline for partnership applications until Friday, July 27.

Amber Norman, student development specialist in the Student Success and Leadership Centre, says the events, set for Tuesday, September 4, are great opportunities for offices and student organizations to raise their profiles.

“We are hoping to reach students before they even begin classes, showing them all the great things the University of Windsor has in store for them,” she says.

The scavenger hunt will help to familiarize new students with University facilities by sending participants on a chase through campus. Partners will staff stations and inform competitors about services available to UWindsor students. Find more information and a sign-up form online.

Departments offering opportunities for students to get involved in campus life are better suited to the Involvement Fair, Norman says. Offices and organizations may register for a booth during the event, which will occupy the River Commons and the David A. Wilson Commons on either side of Turtle Island Walk.

Sign up for an Involvement Fair display through the online form.

For further information, contact Norman at anorman@uwindsor.ca or 519-253-3000, ext. 3462.

Nature lovers will have the opportunity to leave their mark on the official species list at Point Pelee National Park this weekend.

The national park is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year and is looking for volunteers and participants for its BioBlitz.

Starting at 12 p.m. on July 21, the park’s resource conservation staff will be joined by nature experts and naturalists to conduct an all-park search for different varieties of species.

The Bioblitz continues into Sunday where volunteers can capture a detailed snapshot of the park’s diversity using the mobile application iNaturalist. For more information or to get involved, visit www.pc.gc.ca.

The English Language Improvement Program has proven more valuable than she bargained for, says Minh Trang Tang.

She came to the University of Windsor from her home in Haiphong, Vietnam, on the recommendation of an aunt already living in Canada, who praised the country’s education system.

“Before I came here I thought just to improve my English, but I have found more than that,” Tang says. “I have found a wonderful welcome.”

She plans to pursue an MBA in human resources at the Odette School of Business in the fall, and says she has benefited from Windsor’s cultural mix.

“I have met people from many countries here,” she says. “Windsor has fewer Vietnamese people, so it forces me out of my comfort zone.”

The city is smaller than she is used to, but she notes that has an upside, too: “It’s quiet and so I have a chance to study.”

The Centre for English Language Development will celebrate international language students and their contributions to campus and community on World Student Day, Friday, July 20. UWindsor faculty, staff, and students are invited to join in free activities, entertainment, and a lunch on Turtle Island Walk from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The RBC Summer Founders Program is a great introduction to the world of entrepreneurship, say two second-year engineering students seeking to make people’s lives easier.

Nigel Christian and Zain Shaikh have created a company, Eunoia, to make improvements in the lawn care, electronics, and energy industries. They hope to build a prototype over the summer of their first product, innovating the way lawn care products work.

Working with the Entrepreneurship Practice and Innovation Centre (EPICentre) promises to be extremely beneficial, says Christian.

“They have an endless amount of resources, including industry connections and being able to have extremely talented mentors,” he says.

Shaikh notes he has experience with startups and expresses hope that a launch at the end of this process will establish a presence in the market.

“I have always been the type of person to work for myself and this was the perfect opportunity to do so,” he says.

This is the sixth in a series of articles introducing participants in the RBC Summer Founders Program, leading up to a showcase of their prototypes on August 1 at EPICentre. Learn more on the centre’s website.

This week is the last chance for UWindsor faculty, staff, and retirees to enter a draw for a $50 Amazon gift card by completing a survey about the University’s Annual Giving Campaign.

The survey was sent to UWin email accounts on Wednesday, July 11, with the subject line “Please complete the Annual Giving survey for a chance to WIN....” It will help fundraising efforts to respond to the interests and concerns of donors and non-donors, says co-ordinator Nicole Broderick.

“We are hoping to look at what motivates our faculty, staff, and retirees to make the decision to give,” she says, “and make them aware of how simple it is to make a financial contribution in support of our students and campus priorities.”

The survey takes less than five minutes; all those who complete it by Friday, July 20, will be entered into the gift card prize draw.

A checklist developed by the Accessible Customer Service Committee and the Office of Human Rights, Equity and Accessibility will help event organizers ensure their meetings or activities are as inclusive as possible.

“The idea is that this checklist can be used when people plan an event, to provide them with ideas on making it accessible to everyone,” says Denice Shuker, accessibility and human rights manager. “We are hoping this will help to support decision-making and raise awareness on how to ensure everyone is included and can fully participate.”

The “Planning Accessible Events Checklist” is available on the OHREA website.

More than 50 members of seniors’ groups — the Windsor University Retirees’ Association and Uni-Com Lifelong Learning — toured the Armouries home of the School of Creative Arts on Tuesday, July 17.

“The number of people participating far exceeded our expectations,” said Uni-Com president George Plantus. “The group was amazed with the outstanding architecture, the excellent facilities, and the very impressive range of interesting programs.”

Professor emerita Veronika Mogyorody led the tour through the site, which she helped to shape I her role as architectural academic advisor.

“Dr. Mogyorody was able to provide the group with so much information about what went into the planning of this project and how so many instructors, students, designers, builders, administrators and others played a major role,” Plantus said. “Her past experience enabled her to share an exceptional understanding of what contributed to this wonderful new facility.”