This week, to commemorate Orange Shirt Day, Turtle Island Walk will display orange lights in a spirit of hope and reconciliation to honour residential school survivors, their families, and communities, bringing light to the impacts of the policies and actions of the Government of Canada and the churches that operated residential schools.

The campus community is encouraged to partner in the work of reconciliation by listening, learning, and sharing on Orange Shirt Day – Sept 30.

To learn more, visit uwindsor.ca/orangeshirtday.

A display in the Campus Bookstore highlights the work of Indigenous writers and artists as a gesture in advance of Orange Shirt Day.

“It’s our small way of acknowledging the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation,” says staffer Jackie Imeson.

A table greets patrons with books on a variety of related subjects, from The North-West Is Our Mother, a history of the Metis Nation by Jean Teillet, to Ojibway Tales, a collection of stories by Basil Johnston.

Additionally, a shelf nearby stocks products based on works by Indigenous artists: a “Medicine Turtle” jigsaw puzzle designed by Odawa-Pottawatomi artist James Jacko, a porcelain mug featuring the “Strong Earth Woman” painting by Métis artist Leah Dorion, and socks with Ojibwa artist Norval Morrisseau’s floral patterns.

“These wonderful products can introduce people to the beauty and diversity of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit cultures,” Imeson says.

Check out the full collection in the store, located on the lower level of the student centre.

Orange Shirt Day is a national movement to bring together Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in the spirit of hope and reconciliation to honour former residential school students, their families and communities. Find information about additional ways to participate on the uwindsor.ca/orangeshirtday website.

One morning, Deming Guo’s mother goes to her job at the nail salon and never comes home. Left with no one to care for him, the 11-year-old is adopted by two white professors who move him from the Bronx to a small town upstate. Far away from all he’s ever known, he struggles to reconcile his new life with his mother’s disappearance and the memories of the family and community he left behind.

A vivid and moving examination of borders and belonging, The Leavers was a finalist for the 2017 National Book Award for Fiction and the winner of the 2016 PEN/Bellwether Award for Socially Engaged Fiction.

Join the Alumni Book Club for a talk with author Lisa Ko on Thursday, Sept. 30, at 1 p.m. Register here. Sign up here to join the Alumni Book Club.

The event is part of Alumni Week activities celebrating all things UWindsor through Oct. 3. Find a full schedule of events on the Alumni Association website.

There are many people who play an integral role in the journey of students towards their degrees.

To celebrate the occasion, faculty and staff are invited to submit a note of congratulations which will be displayed at convocation.uwindsor.ca.

The 2021 Virtual Fall Convocation will be held across two sessions on Nov. 5.

If you would like your message to appear during a specific faculty or session, please specify while filling out the form. The deadline to submit a message is Oct. 11.

An online workshop about UWindsor’s largest social network, LinkedIn, will provide opportunities for faculty, staff, and students to learn why LinkedIn is the place to be for career development, connecting with colleagues, and following organizational networks.

The event is set for 2 to 3:15 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 13, over Microsoft Teams.

Participants will hear from UWindsor’s social media co-ordinator and sessional instructor Tim Brunet and Stephanie Dupley, career advisor with Career Development and Experiential Learning.

Topics in the workshop include:

• Building LinkedIn networks
• Career development opportunities on LinkedIn
• Staying in touch with alumni and UWindsor colleagues

“With over 96,000 LinkedIn followers on UWindsor’s channel we know that this platform is important to our overall communication strategy,” says Brunet. “LinkedIn is an excellent opportunity to engage with industrial networks, colleagues, and fellow members of the UWindsor community.”

Dupley says this is a great chance for people to gain a better understanding of why LinkedIn is valuable for both students and professionals.

“LinkedIn provides students with the opportunity to network and learn from professionals in their fields, allowing them to better connect their academics with the labour market, and allows professionals and researchers to meet and learn from one another,” she says.

Registration is free but required.

The Lancer women’s basketball team is offering a chance for some of the University’s employees to play for free in its Oct. 2 golf tournament.

It’s a networking opportunity as well as a chance to play — or learn to play — golf, says head coach Chantal Vallée.

“Community is one of our deeply held team values. We have been away from each other for so long and the players cannot wait to be back connecting with University faculty and staff. Our players chose to come to Windsor in great part because of this special support we have from our University towards athletics,” she says.

“This is going to be a great way to reconnect with UW faculty and staff and we hope to see you out there.”

The Women’s Basketball Alumni & Friends Golf Tournament is aimed at raising funds for scholarship and mentorship programs for members of the varsity squad. It begins with a shotgun start at 9 a.m. Saturday at Ambassador Golf Club and includes breakfast and lunch.

“We’re playing best ball, so there’s no pressure to be a skilled golfer,” Vallée notes.

Organizers are opening up to 12 free spaces — three foursomes — to administrators, faculty, or staff. First come, first served. Individuals who wish to play do not need to find a foursome; they will be matched with other singles.

To express an interest, email cvallee@uwindsor.ca. For more information, visit uwindsor.ca/kinesiology/WBB-Golf-Classic.

Two Food Services outlets are welcoming early risers a little earlier.

The Bru in Alumni Hall and the Club in Vanier Hall now open for breakfast Monday to Friday at 8 a.m. They retain their weekend opening time of 10 a.m. Find details on the Food Services website.

Being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can make winners of Windsor-Essex residents.

The WEVaxToWin contest is offering more than $200,000 in prizes, including Chrysler Pacifica minivans, staycation packages, and breaks on rent, property taxes, and tuition fees.

All fully vaccinated Windsor and Essex County residents are eligible to enter; winners must provide proof of full vaccination and residency to claim a prize.

Draws begin Friday, Oct. 1. Find details and an entry form at WEVaxTo Win.ca.

Many people don’t start thinking about brain health until they notice some cognitive changes and memory loss.

In a message sent Monday to UWindsor faculty and staff, Human Resources shares suggestions for things to do throughout a lifetime to help improve mental performance and keep sharp and healthy:

• Learn something new. Taking an online course, learning a new language, or taking up chess causes the brain’s neurons to form new connections while making existing pathways stronger or weaker.
• Start a jigsaw puzzle. The act of finishing a puzzle helps connect brain cells, enhances short-term memory, and increases your brain’s speed.
• Cook complicated dishes. Consider picking up a recipe that requires more detailed measurements and more complicated steps. This can help improve your memory over time.
• Read more books. Reading helps activate the parietal lobe, which is responsible for turning letters into words and making sense of those words. It can also enhance your writing skills and help develop the occipital lobe, which processes visual information.
• Take up a musical instrument. Learning how to play a musical instrument can help change the brain function and structure for the better, and help you to be more mentally alert.

Read the entire Wellness Tip of the Week.