Equity and Inclusion

From pediatric patient to professor: Rebecca Balasa on nursing, research and why Windsor felt like home

Rebecca Balasa stands outside in a green spaceThe Faculty of Nursing welcomes Professor Rebecca Balasa to the University of Windsor. Her experience in nursing and public health, along with her research on child health equity, brings valuable insight to our community. (SUBMITTED BY REBECCA BALASA/University of Windsor)

By Sara Meikle

For Dr. Rebecca Balasa, the path to nursing didn't start in a classroom.

Her own experiences as a pediatric patient introduced her to the role nurses play, not only in delivering treatment, but in providing comfort and connection.

“I was really inspired by my own healthcare team,” she said. “It was through my relationships with nurses and seeing everything they do that I decided to go into the profession.”

That sense of purpose continues to guide her as she joins the University of Windsor’s Faculty of Nursing.

The unwritten rules about what to wear at work — an Odette researcher is studying who they actually serve

photo of Dr. Yanhong Li seated in her officeOdette School of Business professor Dr. Yanhong Li is leading a SSHRC funded study examining how workplace dress norms and office design shape self expression and feelings of belonging. (VICTOR ROMAO/University of Windsor)

By Victor Romao

What do you wear to work?

Is what you wear truly your choice?

Or is it a reflection of how your workplace signals you are expected to look?

What employees wear is often assumed to be a personal decision, but in reality, those choices are often shaped by workplace norms, informal cues and broader power structures.

Clothing can affect how professionalism is judged, how credibility and organizational fit are assigned and how comfortable someone feels simply existing at work.

Jane’s Walk Festival invites community exploration

group of people on a tour outdoors in front of a flowering treeSarah Morris (back row, third from left) leads a Jane’s Walk in Windsor (PROVIDED BY S. MORRIS/University of Windsor)

By Kate Hargreaves

Ever wanted to learn about historical burial practices, the Underground Railroad, heritage architecture, labour history, local ecosystems and more, all for free? 

These are only a handful of topics covered by the Windsor-Essex Jane’s Walk Festival, taking place across three weekends: April 23 to 26, April 30 to May 3 and May 9, 2026. 

Shark Tank-style ImpactPreneurs summer camp to give kids a taste of business

Two boys stand with a box of lunches in front of a sign that says Make Poverty HistoryRegistration is now open for the ImpactPreneurs Shark Tank Summer Camp (J. BUSHI/University of Windsor)

By Kate Hargreaves 

For kids with entrepreneurial aspirations outside of the lemonade stands of yore, a new summer camp at the University of Windsor offers a unique opportunity for learning and fun. 

Modelled on the popular Shark Tank television show, in which entrepreneurs pitch business ideas to a panel of investors, the ImpactPreneurs Shark Tank Summer Camp invites kids six to 13 years old to learn about business and teamwork while having fun.  

Between languages, cultures and school systems — UWindsor research finds a gap no one was filling

Image of desks in a classroom with overlaid headshots of Anne Rovers and Andrew AllenAnne Rovers is conducting research under the supervision of Dr. Andrew Allen on Othermothering practices in Francophone high schools (A. ROVERS/FILE/CANVA STOCK/University of Windsor)

By Kate Hargreaves 

Throughout their high school years, students look for academic and social support from teachers, peers and others in the school community. 

For Black and Afro-descendant students in Francophone high schools — especially recent immigrants to Canada — this support can be all the more critical as they try to navigate a new and unfamiliar social and linguistic environment. 

Windsor Law Class Action Clinic granted intervener status in high-profile Birth Alerts appeal

Andrew Eckart picturedAndrew Eckart, staff lawyer at the Windsor Law Class Action Clinic, is part of the team advancing legal perspectives in the Birth Alerts case as an intervenor. (SUBMITTED BY ANDREW ECKART/University of Windsor)

By Sara Meikle

When newborn babies were taken from their parents under Ontario’s controversial Birth Alerts policy, the removals left lasting trauma for families and highlighted systemic discrimination.

The Windsor Law Class Action Clinic has been granted intervener status before the Court of Appeal for Ontario in a landmark class action that seeks compensation for families harmed as a result of that policy.

Service-Learning Fair showcases community service and experiential learning

Students standing behind a poster board and laptop at the Service Learning FairYear-two teacher candidates shared their service-learning projects with first-year education students at the Service-Learning Fair (SHIJING XU/University of Windsor)

By Kate Hargreaves

While experiential learning has always been central to teacher education — in the form of teaching placements in elementary and secondary schools — University of Windsor teacher candidates have the unique opportunity to participate in service-learning programs to broaden their horizons, expand their skills and give back to the community.

New pre-service course centres sustainability in education

A group of people standing next to a poster board about sustainability in educationDr. Chenkai Chi (far left) is the instructor for the service-learning course Interdisciplinary Education for Sustainability, designed by Dr. Shijing Xu (second from left) (ANGELA KHARBOUTLI/University of Windsor)

By Kate Hargreaves

Elementary and secondary teachers play a critical role in building student skills in responsible environmental citizenship. 

That’s why, when the Faculty of Education recently revised its B.Ed. course offerings, it was only logical that one of the new electives focus on environmental sustainability. 

From Haiti to Windsor, researcher examines migration through art and sociology

Dr. Carlo Charles, professor in the University of Windsor’s Department of Sociology and Criminology, will host two upcoming events exploring migration, race, sexuality and the experiences of queer and trans migrants in Windsor.Dr. Carlo Charles, professor in the University of Windsor’s Department of Sociology and Criminology, will host two upcoming events exploring migration, race, sexuality and the experiences of queer and trans migrants in Windsor. (MIKE WILKINS/ The University of Windsor)

By Lindsay Charlton 

From a young age, Dr. Carlo Charles has been interested in the human experience, first exploring that curiosity through art and storytelling. 

As a boy growing up in Haiti, the sociology professor wrote songs, poetry and plays. By age 14, he had formed a theatre troupe of about 25 friends and staged plays at local churches for the community. 

Third JCRID issue centres decolonization, global voices

Journal of Critical Race, Indigeneity, and Decolonization cover pageThe Journal of Critical Race, Indigeneity, and Decolonization (JCRID) has published another issue, this one highlighting decolonization and marginalized voices. (JCRID/ The University of Windsor)

By Lindsay Charlton

Which perspectives in academic publishing are amplified — and which are overlooked?

In its latest issue, the Journal of Critical Race, Indigeneity, and Decolonization (JCRID) highlights decolonization and marginalized voices while advancing what the editors call “knowledge globalization.”

“We tried to spread the geographic tentacles of this edition,” said chief editor Dr. Festus Moasun, a professor in the School of Social Work. “We included articles from Africa, South Asia, as well as North America.”