The UWindsor Alumni Association will present Odyssey Awards to four notable UWindsor grads who have distinguished themselves through successes in career endeavours, notable achievements in their local community or the University, or through a significant or innovative achievement in their professional or personal life during its annual general meeting Thursday, November 20.
Chris Gelinas (BComm 2007) is a fashion designer who finished his education at the Parsons School of Design. He refined his technical skills at such fashion houses as Marc Jacobs; Proenza Schouler; Balenciaga and most recently as first assistant to Olivier Theyskens at Theyskens’ Theory. Following the debut of his first collection for spring 2014, Gelinas won the Made for Peroni Young Designer Award, which included a $40,000 prize and secured him a spot at Made Fashion Week to present his Fall 2014 collection.
Vincent Georgie (MBA 2004) is an assistant professor of marketing at UWindsor’s Odette School of Business and marketing director of the Windsor International Film Festival. He was named University-wide Teacher of the Year in 2010 and has held the title of Marketing Professor of the Year each year since 2008. His areas of academic interest include the marketing of arts and culture; implications of decision-making for voting and consumer purchases; consumerism and materialism; social marketing and business education.
Navin Ramaswaran (BA 2003) is an independent filmmaker who began his career at Windsor’s Media Street Productions Inc. He is currently a director and editor with Toronto’s Studio M Digital Productions Inc. in Toronto. Ramaswaran has been the creative lead on various TV commercials, corporate videos and music videos and received the Antistatic Film Festival’s Best Fictional Narrative Award for his first short film, My Performance Art. Since then he has written, directed and/or edited several more films including 2014’s Chasing Valentine and Late Night Double Feature.
Vanessa Shields (BA 2002) is a Windsor author and poet. Her first book, Laughing Through A Second Pregnancy – A Memoir, was published by Black Moss Press in 2011 to rave reviews. In April 2013, Shields edited a poetry anthology entitled, Whisky Sour City (Black Moss Press). I Am That Woman, her first book of poetry, was published in January 2014, also by Black Moss Press. Her poetry, short stories and photography have been published in various literary magazines. She offers mentorship, guest speaks and teaches creative writing. She also does Poetry On Demand, on-the-spot poetry that helps make poetry fun and accessible for all.