A new partnership with the University of Dallas will provide MBA and Master of Management graduates of UWindsor’s Odette School Business (OSB) an opportunity to gain internationally recognized cybersecurity skills and certification entirely online. 

The Odette School of Business is the first Canadian university to partner with the University of Dallas’s Satish & Yasmin Gupta College of Business, designated in the U.S. as a national center of academic excellence in cyber defense education by the National Security Agency (NSA), and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). 

Students will develop specialized skills in areas of data protection, compliance and legal issues, and operational cybersecurity management, or network security. 

“We see this as a tremendous value-added opportunity for our MBA and Master of Management grads,” said Odette School of Business Dean Mitch Fields. “Because of our partnership with the University of Dallas, the program offers an exceptional discount, in which our students will have the opportunity to enhance their degree and skill set with U.S. credentials that are both relevant and marketable in today’s world."

UD Gupta College of Business Dean Brett J.L. Landry said the partnership is a win-win for both schools. 

“OSB can offer cutting-edge cybersecurity concentration courses, while we can reach and expand UDs offerings to the Canadian market through such a well-respected and well-known business school.” 

Kent Walker, OSB’s MBA program director, added that the key benefit for Canadian students is that there are very few similar programs offered in Canada, none of which can be completed entirely online. 

“This education gap exists despite the fact that the area of cybersecurity has grown tremendously, with the trend drastically accelerated because of changes related to COVID. Our students will have an opportunity to acquire a piece of their education that is very much in demand, but not available to many other Canadians, so we’re really excited about the possibilities this offers.” 

Associate Dean of UD’s Gupta College of Business, Sri Beldona, noted how the partnership will pave a seamless path for OSB students and alumni to obtain a cybersecurity certificate. 

“Through a short web application, alumni and current students of OSB gain expedited admission to the cybersecurity program at UD. Upon successful completion of the courses, students not only achieve certification, but also a micro-credential digital badge to share on leading professional networking platforms.” 

For more information on the graduate program, click here.

While public spaces have the power to foster understanding and inspire meaningful community participation, our cities are instead becoming increasingly divided, says urban planner Jay Pitter.

She will explore Canada’s history of anti-Black racism, discuss the current moment of reckoning, and outline courageous collective action in a free public lecture entitled "The City's Broken Promise: Confronting Anti-Black Racism Across Canadian Urban Landscapes" on Tuesday, Sept. 22.

Pitter works at the intersection of urban design and social equity to translate community aspirations into the built environment. She holds a Master’s degree in environmental studies from York University and is the co-editor of the 2016 book Subdivided: City-Building in an Age of Hyper-Diversity, which aimed to provoke the conversations required to build a truly connected city.

The event — sponsored by the Windsor Law Centre for Cities, the University of Windsor Humanities Research Group, and the student group Making It Awkward: Challenging Anti-Black Racism — will begin at 7 p.m. through the Zoom web conferencing service. Registration in advance is required; find details on the centre’s website.

Pitter will lead a follow-up workshop for those interested in learning principles of equity-based placemaking and strategies for engaging with the municipality at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30. Details and registration are available on the event website.

“English majors usually hear that becoming an author or teaching are our only career options, but that’s not true,” says alumna Ayesha Mumal. “There are a whole bunch of other things you can do with your degree.”

Mumal, who graduated in 2018 with an Honours BA double majoring in English Language and Literature and French Studies, was one of those English majors who was drawn to the world of publishing, but not necessarily as an author.

“This was one of the reasons I took Marty Gervais’ Editing and Publishing Practicum course,” says Mumal. “That course really solidified what kind of industry I wanted to work in — the publishing industry.

“In Marty’s practicum, I was mostly a presenter. Before this class, I was the shy bookworm,” Mumal laughs. “I was too shy to speak up and say what role I wanted, so Marty chose for me. I learned public speaking skills. Presentation skills. These are really necessary in the business world. Even if I hadn’t decided to go into publishing, I learned many transferable skills including managing deadlines, coordinating with an author, a bit of public relations, event planning, and budgeting. These skills have helped me in my jobs so far.”

After graduation, Mumal taught English in South Korea, which provided more experience presenting to groups. She is currently completing the publishing certificate program at Ryerson University online.

Mumal landed an assistant position doing event co-ordination early this summer with “The Word on the Street” Toronto book and magazine festival, a non-profit organization that celebrates Canadian reading, writing, and champions literacy, primarily through a free, annual outdoor festival. Now in its 31st year, the festival has moved online to a virtual platform, with its team creating an online marketplace in four months.

Working remotely from home in Windsor, Mumal has been busy moving this 200-vendor festival online.

“We’ve created a vendor store online, a ‘marketplace’ with virtual storefronts for vendors,” she says. “I host our events on Instagram live, introducing speakers and moderating the chat. Once it is up and running, I will probably be introducing speakers and moderating panels during the festival.”

These experiences have sparked Mumal’s interest in pursuing marketing and public relations in the publishing industry.

The Word on the Street festival opens Sept. 21, with its main speakers scheduled for Sept. 26 and 27. Find more details on its website.

—Susan McKee

Applications are now live for undergraduate scholarships, bursaries, and awards for the 2020-21 academic year — including law and education.

The Office of Student Awards and Financial Aid has created a “how-to” document guiding students through the profile process. It is also offering drop-in sessions on Zoom to answer any questions:

• Monday, Sept. 21, 2 to 3:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2:30 to 4 p.m.
• Wednesday, Sept. 23, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Find links and login details on the awards website.

Note: Many of these awards are also open to graduate students, who are encouraged to apply as well. Further information on a separate competition for graduate-specific awards will be sent out later in the fall term.

Engineering student Md Bablu received an especially warm welcome to the 2020 school year from the Organization of Part-time University Students, winning a tuition bursary worth up to $1,850, sponsored by the University of Windsor Alumni Association.

His entry was drawn at random from about 300 at a virtual event that replaced the organization’s annual barbecue. Watch a video from OPUS welcoming its new and returning members.