Katrina Camince (centre) is congratulated by her parents Willy and MariaKatrina Camince (centre) is congratulated by her parents Willy and Maria on qualifying for the dean’s honour roll during the Nursing Scholars Celebration, Tuesday in the Alumni Auditorium.

Nursing celebrates top-achieving students

Financial support helps any student find success, but just as important can be the feeling that someone cares, says two-time UWindsor nursing grad Arbena Alushi (BScN 2011, MN 2018). A recipient of awards and scholarships during both her undergraduate and graduate careers, she credits them with helping her excel in her studies.

“I worked hard, and having someone believe in me gave me more motivation,” she said Tuesday at a reception for top-achieving students in nursing. “I see the accomplishment of students in this room, knowing that it’s not a solo event.”

Hosted by dean Linda Patrick, the Nursing Scholars Celebration recognized award-winning students, those who qualified for the dean’s honour roll with a grade point average of at least 80 per cent, and those on the President’s Honour Roll with a cumulative average of 90 per cent or higher.

“It is wonderful for us to be able to take time to acknowledge the achievements of our students, who will go on to contribute to our profession,” Dr. Patrick said. “Whatever path they choose, their care will benefit patients and society.”

The gesture was appreciated, said third-year honour student Miriam Guiliana.

“It’s nice for us students to be recognized for our academic work,” she said. “Plus it gave me a chance to network with my fellow students.”

Donor Al Cameron said his contributions to endow the Dr. Sheila Cameron Scholarship Fund just completed the work started by his late wife, who died in January 2016 after a UWindsor career that included appointments as a University Professor in nursing, director of the School of Nursing, and dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research.

He said he was proud to be able to attend the event and witness the impact of giving on award recipients.

“I know my late wife would be thrilled to see what happened here today,” Cameron said.

New fans of the Lancer women’s volleyball team made a banner to cheer players on duing their visit to the Costa Rican city of San Ramón.New fans of the Lancer women’s volleyball team made a banner to cheer players on duing their visit to the Costa Rican city of San Ramón.

Trip to Costa Rica builds women’s volleyball team spirit

A trip to Costa Rica during fall reading week proved an amazing team-building opportunity for the Lancer women’s volleyball squad, says head coach Lucas Hodgson.

“The goal of this adventure was to come together as a team and work with the local community schools to learn about the culture in the region,” he says. “This trip was an growth opportunity for our athletes.”

The team stayed at the Soltis Center, a research facility run by Texas A&M University which backs onto a nature reserve of more than 50,000 acres of rainforest in San Ramón, Costa Rica, with what Hodgson calls “surreal views and sounds all around.”

The team enjoyed a zip lining excursion, a river rafting trip, and a guided hike through the rainforest, but also made time to engage with the community.

“We took some equipment down to the school’s field and with every passing minute a few more children and their families showed up,” Hodgson recalls. “Everyone had a tremendous time playing frisbee, volleyball, and soccer all morning. Despite the language barrier, everyone would agree that ‘fun’ was the common language.”

The student-athletes also competed against the Asovol women’s team based in San Carlos. About 100 children from local volleyball clubs took in the matches and participated in mini-clinics run by the Lancers.

“The looks on the faces of these children provided the team with a priceless and lasting memory to take home and cherish,” says Hodgson.

He credits dean of science Chris Houser with making the adventure possible, lending his expertise in the country to the squad’s preparations for the trip.

Read a full account of this experience on the women’s volleyball website.

Alix ReiterForward Alix Reiter will hit the ice with Lancer women’s hockey teammates for the squad’s home opener Friday.

Winter sports gearing up as field games wind down

The home opener for women’s hockey and the season finale for football are highlights of the Lancer varsity schedule this weekend.

The Capri Pizzeria Recreation Complex is the site of a face-off between the Lancers and the Ridgebacks of UOIT to open home play in women’s hockey on Friday, October 19. Game time is 7:30 p.m. Windsor will follow up with a contest against the Queen’s Gaels at 4 p.m. Saturday.

It’s the last weekend of the regular season in soccer, with the York Lions in town for games on Alumni Field Friday — the women kick off at 6 p.m. and the men at 8:15 p.m. On Sunday, it’s the Guelph Gryphons; the women play at 1 p.m. and the men at 3 p.m.

Lancer football will play its last game of 2108 at home Saturday to the McMaster Marauders. The game starts at 1 p.m.

Men’s hockey will travel to Trois Rivières to face off against the Patriots in games Friday and Saturday.

Basketball season will open Saturday with a pair of games against the Warriors in Waterloo. The women will tip off at 6 p.m. and the men at 8 p.m.

Volleyball will play final pre-season matches — the men at Ryerson on Friday afternoon, and the women hosting the York Lions in the Dennis Fairall Fieldhouse at 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday.

OUA.tv will live stream all this weekend’s action in Lancer football, hockey, and basketball.

futuristic-looking digital handSCAN Health predicts its new online forum for the sharing of best practices in supply chain processes will lead to safer and sustainable healthcare.

Platform to advance innovation in healthcare supply chains

An online forum for the sharing of best practices in supply chain processes will lead to safer and sustainable healthcare, say advocates with the Supply Chain Advancement Network in Health (SCAN Health).

Hosted at the University of Windsor’s Odette School of Business, SCAN Health works to advance global capacity to adopt and scale supply chain innovations from bench to bedside to patient outcomes.

The network has launched a knowledge mobilization (KM) platform for collaborators around the world, including industry experts, clinicians, health system leaders, citizens, academics and policy makers.

“There is much we can learn from one another across our various disciplines and global jurisdictions,” says SCAN Health CEO Anne Snowdon. “It is critical we share new findings, innovative breakthroughs, successes and also our failures. The KM platform enables us to capitalize on our learnings by sharing successes to achieve value-based outcomes in the health sector and for our citizens.”

The public can share expertise and insights on key challenges and priorities by accessing the KM platform at km.scanhealth.ca.

soap box, formerly used as a speaker's platformA draft policy on free speech is ready for comment from the University community.

Feedback sought on draft free speech policy

In August 2018, the Ontario government mandated that every publicly-assisted university and college develop its own policy on free speech on campus by January 1, 2019.

The University of Windsor struck a consultative task force with the following membership:

  • Richard Moon, chair, Distinguished University Professor in the Faculty of Law and national and international scholar on free speech and freedom of expression;
  • Sheila Boamah, Faculty of Nursing (deans’ representative);
  • Cheryl Collier, acting associate vice-president, academic;
  • Bruce Durfy, Canadian Union of Public Employees;
  • Ryan Flannagan, associate vice-president, student experience;
  • Admira Konjic (undergraduate student);
  • Marilee Marcotte (community member);
  • Lisa Milne, Unifor;
  • Sathish Pichika (graduate student); and
  • Peter Zimmerman, Windsor University Faculty Association.

The task force has prepared a draft policy and is welcoming comments from the University community. Send feedback to Renee Wintermute (reneew@uwindsor.ca) no later than October 25.

The Draft Free Speech Policy is available for review online at https://www.uwindsor.ca/secretariat/free-speech.