Alumni

How the UWindsor Faculty of Nursing is transforming its approach to Indigenous health education

Sara Williams stands with students in an an Indigenous simulation clinicProfessor Sara Williams and nursing students participate in an Indigenous-focused clinical simulation. Indigenous health content is integrated throughout the Faculty of Nursing curriculum as part of its ongoing commitment to Truth and Reconciliation. (SUBMITTED BY SARA WILLIAMS/University of Windsor)

By Sara Meikle

As Canada marks National Indigenous History Month and prepares to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21, the University of Windsor is reflecting on the ongoing work of reconciliation taking place on campus.

Within the Faculty of Nursing, that commitment is being translated into meaningful action through curriculum transformation, community engagement and efforts to create a more equitable health-care system for Indigenous Peoples.

Making friends, having fun and getting moving: Inclusive exercise program expands to more local high schools

A teacher helps a student play baseball with other students in backgroundSTEPS teacher Joey Filipic coaches a student through some batting practice during the APEX wrap-up event at Westview Freedom Academy (KYLE ARCHIBALD/University of Windsor)

By Kate Hargreaves 

With baseballs and frisbees flying, music pumping and students dancing, the Adapted Physical Exercise (APEX) program wrapped up for the summer at Windsor’s Westview Freedom Academy.   

APEX — started 15 years ago in the University of Windsor’s Faculty of Human Kinetics — provides exercise programming for community members with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD).  

Watch parties, recruitment and walking soccer: How grassroots clubs are turning World Cup buzz into lasting change

Kristen Morrison holding a soccer ball next to a soccer netDr. Kristen Morrison is studying the way community soccer organizations are leveraging World Cup buzz (PETER MARVAL/University of Windsor)

By Kate Hargreaves 

Soccer fans are gearing up to watch Canada take on the best teams from around the globe in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 

Some supporters will even have the chance to support their team in person in Toronto and Vancouver, as Canada hosts the tournament for the first time alongside Mexico and the United States. 

Among those cheering on Team Canada will be community soccer organizations, who plan to leverage the World Cup excitement to support the goals of their clubs. 

From fish byproducts to invasive plants: UWindsor’s Enactus team earns national recognition for two sustainability projects

photo of entire Enactus Windsor team members holding their awardsMembers of Enactus Windsor celebrate their national achievements at the Enactus Canada National Exposition in Montreal, where the team earned multiple honours and a place among the country’s top programs. (ANITA JAFARI/University of Windsor)

 

By Victor Romao

The moment the Enactus Windsor team heard their name echo across the competition hall at regionals, something shifted.

Months of work, late nights, early mornings and relentless iteration had finally produced results.

What began as a set of student-driven ideas was gaining national traction, and the team knew the journey was far from over.

Continuing teacher education course grounds inclusive futures in queer history

Walter Cassidy in the Leddy archivesWalter Cassidy is a local high school teacher and instructor of the Teaching LGTBQ Students additional qualification course for teachers (PETER MARVAL/University of Windsor)

By Kate Hargreaves 

History tells us that the bigots never win. 

That’s what gives Windsor high school teacher and Faculty of Education alumnus Walter Cassidy (BEd ’00) hope in the face of what seems like an uptick in anti-2SLGBTQIA+ sentiment. 

“As long as we know our history and we know that we’ve been through this before, we’ll get through it,” Cassidy says. “We always do.” 

Leading the way: Nursing students earn LEAD Medallions before convocation

Kelsey Schumacher stands in front of a UWindsor backdrop in her grad gown holding her LEAD medalKelsey Schumacher, recipient of a Gold LEAD Medallion, celebrates her achievement ahead of convocation. The recognition honours students who demonstrate leadership, engagement, application, and discovery beyond the classroom. (KYLE ARCHIBALD/University of Windsor)

By Sara Meikle

Graduation is a milestone full of reflection and possibility, marking growth, accomplishment and everything still ahead. 

From mentoring classmates and leading community initiatives to pursuing critical care certifications and life-changing leadership opportunities, this year’s nursing LEAD Medallion Scholars are celebrated for the many ways they enriched the nursing community during their time at the University of Windsor. 

Billboards, backflips and big goals: UWindsor nursing grad Ethan Vinagre is ready for what’s next

Ethan jumps for joy in his graduation gownEthan Vinagre celebrates his upcoming graduation from the Faculty of Nursing. The Class of 2026 graduate will begin working in the surgical ICU at Henry Ford Health this fall. (PETER MARVAL/University of Windsor)

By Sara Meikle

As he prepares to cross the stage at the University of Windsor’s Spring Convocation, the next chapter of Ethan Vinagre’s life is already taking shape.

A career in critical care nursing, a new home of his own and even his face on a UWindsor billboard celebrating the Class of 2026 are all part of what comes next for the BScN graduate, who will begin working in the surgical intensive care unit (ICU) at Henry Ford Health this fall.

Shedding light on new possibilities in Parkinson’s research

photo portrait of Brooke ShepleyBrooke Shepley, a PhD candidate in kinesiology at the University of Windsor, is studying the effects of near-infrared light therapy on Parkinson’s disease. (PETER MARVAL/University of Windsor)

 

By Victor Romao

By studying how near‑infrared light affects the brain, a University of Windsor PhD candidate is exploring a potential new approach to managing symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. 

Brooke Shepley (MHK ’21, BHK ’19), a kinesiology researcher specializing in cerebrovascular physiology and vascular biology, is studying an approach known as photobiomodulation (PBM).

In it for the long run: Windsor Law grad Celina Seguin reflects on her journey

Celina Seguin running with mountains in the backgroundWindsor Law graduate Celina Seguin completed her first marathon in Lucerne, Switzerland, during her exchange semester abroad. (SUBMITTED BY CELINA SEGUIN/University of Windsor)

By Sara Meikle

From negotiation competitions to marathon finish lines, Celina Seguin’s time at Windsor Law has been defined by momentum — both academic and personal.

Now preparing to cross the convocation stage next week, Seguin is reflecting on what she describes as a fast-paced but deeply rewarding three years at Windsor Law, marked by academic excellence, international experiences, community involvement and more than a few kilometres logged on running trails around the world.

Try a little bit of everything: LEAD medallion recipient gets the full HK experience

Sophia Boucas outside the sign for the Faculty of Human Kinetics wearing a graduation gownSophia Boucas will graduate in June with a gold LEAD medallion (PETER MARVAL/University of Windsor)

By Kate Hargreaves 

Throughout her UWindsor experience, Sophia Boucas says she tried a little bit of everything, from student clubs to research, co-op and internships. 

Now preparing to graduate with her BSc in Kinesiology, Boucas will receive a gold LEAD medallion for her efforts, recognizing her involvement across activities related to Leadership, Engagement, Application and Discovery.