Jaydee Tarpeh jogging with dog on leashUWindsor alumnus Jaydee Tarpeh has begun a campaign to raise $100,000 to benefit children affected by war. He is running 48 miles in 48 hours one weekend each month, here with his canine companion Huey.

Alum’s charity run to benefit children affected by war

Children shouldn’t have to grow up hearing gunfire every day, says UWindsor alumnus Jaydee Tarpeh (BSc 2016). That’s why he has begun a campaign to raise $100,000 for children affected by war.

“One out of every six children lives in a country affected by war — that’s 420 million children at risk,” he says. “They’re living under constant threat.”

It’s a threat Tarpeh understands. He grew up in Liberia during its first civil war, which killed some 250,000 people in the West African nation.

“There’s nothing normal about a kid’s life when every day they’re hearing gunfire,” he says. “I know how much that can impact a kid. Not too long ago, I was one of those kids.”

He has launched Jaydee Runs for War Child Canada, which will see him run 77 km (48 miles) over 48 hours, one weekend each month for a year. He is seeking sponsorships to support War Child, a humanitarian organization dedicated to helping children and their families overcome the brutal impact of violence. The charity’s founder, Samantha Nutt, received an honorary doctorate from the University of Windsor in 2016.

“They do important work and they need the money,” Tarpeh says. “Actually, the cause needs a lot more money, but this is a first step.”

He takes his runs on the selected weekends as four miles every four hours, even overnight.

“This challenge mimics some aspects of living through war, such as waking up and running in the middle of the night, not sleeping fully, or walking for days on end,” he says.

Now CEO of Xenia Education, which provides tools to ease the transition to Canadian universities for international students, Tarpeh served as president of the University of Windsor Students’ Alliance during his undergraduate career.

To make a donation to his War Child Canada fundraiser, visit the campaign website.

drawing of student in lab reading book of MCAT prepSt. Thomas of Villanova student Natasha Nakhle drew this earnest picture as part of a Science Meets Art exercise.

Youths gain virtual introduction to Faculty of Science

Budding young scientists spent a virtual week at UWindsor learning about the programs and activities offered by the Faculty of Science during the 8th annual Science Academy, July 5 to 9.

A record number of 60 top-achieving Grade 11 students from Essex County and across Ontario attended.

Dora Cavallo-Medved, biomedical sciences professor and Science Academy faculty leader, says they spent a great week engaging with peers as well as UWindsor faculty, staff, and students.

“Science Academy allows students to virtually explore our research labs, chat with our undergraduate students, participate in science challenges, and hear directly from our alumni about science and math related career paths,” says Dr. Cavallo-Medved.

“Attendees really appreciated the opportunity to catch a glimpse into their futures as a Faculty of Science student.”

The students attended departmental sessions and learned about the latest in cutting-edge research. They also competed in the Science Meets Art (SMArt) and Science Academy challenges, attended an alumni career panel, and met with current undergraduate science students.

Natasha Nakhle is heading to grade 12 at St. Thomas of Villanova Secondary School in the fall. She says before participating in the academy, she found it overwhelming trying to choose a post-secondary program and institution.

“Now, after having participated in the Science Academy, I am much more assured as to the direction of my future: the Science Academy allowed me to explore different aspects of the University of Windsor science departments, such as their undergraduate research programs and unique extracurricular opportunities, such as the SMArt program,” says Nakhle.

“Any questions I had about post-secondary education and career prospects were answered by the students and professors, whose enthusiasm and passion made them super approachable. I would definitely recommend it to any Grade 11 student who is thinking of pursuing sciences, as this experience has been pivotal in my decision to pursue biomedical sciences at the University of Windsor next year.”

Anne Semaan (BSc 2019), an alumna of the health and biomedical sciences stream in biology and biochemistry, is currently a medical student at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry. She attended the Science Academy as a high schooler and shared her perspective with this year’s participants.

“It was great to have the opportunity to participate in the alumni career panel, especially after going through Science Academy myself,” says Semaan. “My biggest piece of advice to students is to get involved with research, volunteering, and extracurriculars that interest you because the experiences you’ll gain and the friends you’ll meet by getting involved will be some of the highlights of your undergraduate education.”

This was the second Science Academy conducted online. Every student who participated and submitted a reflection of their experience is eligible to receive a $1,000 scholarship to any program in the Faculty of Science.

Two students will be selected to attend the Ontario Nature Youth Summit in the fall, sponsored by the Friends of Ojibway Prairie.

Scott Thorpe wearing Lancer sweatshirtScott Thorpe of the University Print Shop wears his pride. Organizers of a faculty and staff spirit campaign are looking for feedback to guide its programming.

Staff and faculty invited to provide feedback on spirit programming

The UWin Proud Committee is preparing for the 2021-22 academic year and is asking for feedback to help structure programming for staff and faculty.

UWindsor staff and faculty can participate in the UWin Proud Program survey for a chance to win a Cliff Top 500ml water bottle emblazoned with the UWindsor logo.

The survey is open until July 22, and the winner will be contacted via email July 23.

Questions about or suggestions for the UWin Proud campaign can also be directed to studentexperience@uwindsor.ca.

CJAM T-shirtCJAMfm is hiring a BIPOC engagement co-ordinator.

Campus radio hiring to engage Black, Indigenous, and people of colour communities

A one-year contract position at radio station CJAM will make connections with the campus and broader community while creating a culture of inclusivity.

The station has received a grant from the Community Radio Fund of Canada to hire a BIPOC engagement co-ordinator to reach out to Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour communities.

The application deadline is Aug. 6; find details of the position, including job duties and qualifications, on the CJAM website.