Alumni

24th annual African Diaspora Youth Conference draws hundreds of future Lancers from Windsor, Georgian Bay and the GTA

Group of students outside Dillon Hall with banner for African Diaspora Youth ConferenceHundreds of future Lancers gathered at the University of Windsor for the African Diaspora Youth Conference May 7 and 8 (DAVE GAUTHIER/University of Windsor)

By Kate Hargreaves 

Hundreds of future Lancers gathered at the University of Windsor May 7 and 8 for the 24th annual African Diaspora Youth Conference. 

Secondary students of African descent from Windsor, Toronto, the Greater Toronto Area, Guelph and Georgian Bay got to experience the UWindsor campus first-hand, participating in a variety of activities, workshops and keynotes across two days.

Canada’s first cohort of RNs with prescribing authority graduates from UWindsor

Dr. Sherry Morrell pictured with RN Prescribing studentsProfessor Sherry Morrell, one of the faculty leaders behind the creation and development of UWindsor’s RN Prescribing program, leads nursing students through an experiential learning exercise. Canada’s first cohort of registered nurses with prescribing authority will graduate this spring. (MICHAEL WILKINS/University of Windsor)

By Sara Meikle

As Canada continues to confront longer wait times and growing pressure across a strained health-care system, the University of Windsor is preparing to mark a national milestone that reflects both urgency and innovation in care delivery.

New national nursing text led by UWindsor dean champions Indigenous and equity content for first time

Dean Sheppard-LeMoine stands outside on campus holding the new textbook she co-editedDean Debbie Sheppard-LeMoine co-edited Giddens’s Concepts for Canadian Nursing Practice, a new national textbook featuring contributions from experts across the country, including several UWindsor nursing faculty. (RONAK DOOWD/University of Windsor)

By Sara Meikle

At the University of Windsor Faculty of Nursing, classroom concepts have moved into print.

A new national publication featuring several faculty contributors is doing more than filling a gap in academic literature — it’s helping define how future nurses across Canada will learn, think and practise.

Paying it forward: Associate teacher Sherri-Lynn Soumis mentors the next generation

Sherri-Lynn Soumis in her classroomAssociate teacher Sherri-Lynn Soumis cites her mentors as inspiration in becoming an associate teacher herself (PROVIDED BY SHERRI-LYNN SOUMIS/University of Windsor)

By Kate Hargreaves 

Sherri-Lynn Soumis’s mentor used to tell her to “pay it forward” whenever she could. 

As a high school English teacher, Soumis is doing just that as an associate teacher, mentoring University of Windsor teacher candidates through their practice teaching placements. 

Soumis explains that she takes inspiration from her own associate teachers who left a lasting impression on her. 

From the football field to the classroom, BEd alum supports student success

Randy Beardy on the football fieldUWindsor alum, Indigenous graduation coach and Lancer football offensive line coach Randy Beardy (KYLE ARCHIBALD/University of Windsor)

By Kate Hargreaves 

Randy Beardy never imagined himself becoming a teacher.  

“I’m kind of a rebel at heart,” he laughs. “If you tell me to do something, I have a hard time doing it.”   

Rather than following in his mother's footsteps — also a University of Windsor BEd alum, Beardy (BA Psychology ’17, BEd ’24) says he wanted to become a football coach. 

Students, staff and alumni gear up for home-track return of Windsor Roller Derby

A wall of blockers in a roller derby game tries to stop their opponentUWindsor alumnae Veronica Van Winckle aka Big V, Adele Dollar aka Delirious and Sandra Caradonna aka Diana Boss block an opposing skater in a 2025 roller derby game in Guelph, On. (SKYLAR SAWYER/University of Windsor)

By Kate Hargreaves

For the first time since 2019, residents of Windsor-Essex will have a chance to see Windsor Roller Derby (WRD) play locally. 

Founded in 2010 as Border City Brawlers, the league has been playing exclusively on the road for the last few years.  

June 6 marks their return to home track with UWindsor staff, students and alumni among those gearing up for a game at Tecumseh Arena. 

University student initiative turns awareness into action with close to $25K donation to homelessness hub

photo of members of City Hall, Odette School of Business and the Farrow Family Foundation holding the donated chequeLeft to right: City of Windsor chief administrative officer Ray Mensour, president of the Odette Commerce Society Makennah Murphy, director of the Farrow Family Foundation Jeff Farrow, City of Windsor mayor Drew Dilkens, board chair of the Farrow Family Foundation Pat Soulliere and City of Windsor Commissioner Dana Paladino. (RONAK DOOWD/University of Windsor)

By Victor Romao 

Why great art teachers still get their hands dirty

Sanja Srdanov in front of a wall of student artSanja Srdanov is a secondary art teacher and associate teacher mentoring teacher candidates from the Faculty of Education (S. SRDANOV/University of Windsor)

By Kate Hargreaves 

No matter where secondary visual arts teacher Sanja Srdanov (BFA ’01, BEd ’02) is teaching, her focus is both student-centred and grounded in craft. 

A Bachelor of Fine Arts graduate from the University of Windsor, Srdanov emphasizes the importance of being a practicing artist as a visual arts educator. 

High school students earn hands-on certifications at UWindsor's Faculty of Human Kinetics

Three high school girls using a blood pressure cuffHigh school students from three local school boards learned hands-on skills at the inaugural SHSM conferences this April (ADRIANA DUQUETTE/University of Windsor)

By Kate Hargreaves 

High school students had the chance to level up their skills this April as the University of Windsor's Faculty of Human Kinetics hosted three inaugural conferences for the Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) program. 

SHSM is an Ontario-wide program that allows students to graduate with skills, knowledge and certifications relevant to one of 19 industry sectors. 

Your teachers are on their own when it comes to AI — one UWindsor researcher wants to change that

Samita Sarkar in front of a grey background wearing heart shaped glassesPhD student and secondary English teacher Samita Sarkar is researching high school teachers' navigation of a changing AI landscape (PROVIDED BY S. SARKAR/University of Windsor)

By Kate Hargreaves 

When Samita Sarkar was a new teacher, a lot was happening in the world. ChatGPT was going viral online — and so was a global pandemic. 

As a secondary school English teacher, she found herself confronted with issues around artificial intelligence (AI) and student writing assessment with little to no policy guidance. 

“We had to make high-stakes decisions around academic integrity, assessment and what counts as ‘student writing’ with no institutional guidance or administrative support,” she says.