The scholarly and leadership accomplishments of Samantha Blackwell during her undergraduate career have earned her the President’s Medal, awarded to a graduating student who has made an outstanding contribution to campus activities while maintaining a superior academic record.

Blackwell earned a cumulative average of 95 per cent and a major average of 98 per cent in her studies toward an honours baccalaureate in biological sciences, while helping her peers and the community through these additional activities:

• holding three Outstanding Scholars research positions in two different labs in the Department of Integrative Biology, paving the way for other students to get involved through her mentorship with the program;
• working as a teaching assistant for the first-year biology class;
• serving as the president of the Ornithology Club, actively leading peers and professors through a series of bird-related activities on- and off-campus;
• participating in two semesters abroad, first in France and then in Wales, later volunteering with the exchange office to help orient new students joining study abroad programs;
• publishing a first-authored paper on the topic of male forcep size in European earwigs in the journal PCI Zoology;
• conducting field research as part of a collaborative team studying sparrows in the Bay of Fundy, and writing her honours thesis on the topic of acoustic variation in the songs of savannah sparrows.

Professor Dan Mennill, who nominated Blackwell for the award, credits her as “a student leader, a role model, and an inspirational peer.”

She will be honoured during the third session of Convocation, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 4.

In September, Blackwell will join the University of British Columbia to begin graduate studies with the support of a postgraduate scholarship from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

The University will celebrate the graduations of more than 5,000 students in 11 sessions of its 121st Convocation this week.

The ceremonies will run June 4 to 7 at the Toldo Lancer Centre. Find a full schedule and other details on the Convocation website.

This year’s Convocation holds special significance, as it honours graduates who missed their high school graduations due to the pandemic, says registrar Ray Darling: “Their journey, defined by dedication, growth, and resilience, is a testament to their remarkable perseverance and our unwavering commitment to academic excellence.”

The team in Public Affairs and Communications will stream every session live on the University’s YouTube channel.

Cláudio Verani, professor of chemistry and associate dean in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Wayne State University, has accepted a five-year appointment as dean of the UWindsor Faculty of Science starting July 15, provost Robert Aguirre has announced.

“We are very pleased to have attracted a scholar of Dr. Verani’s experience and stature to this role following a highly competitive search,” Dr. Aguirre says. “He will provide crucial leadership in our teaching and research missions, advancing faculty, staff, and student excellence.”

Conducting research in bio-inorganic and in physical-inorganic chemistry, Verani has developed comprehensive externally funded programs relevant to electron transport in molecular electronics, and to the mechanistic understanding of fuel production from water. He is also interested in environmentally benign metal recovery and corrosion mitigation and in the past, has worked on metal-containing drugs that inhibit tumour cell growth.

His teaching has spanned a broad range of courses, from introductory courses in chemistry to intermediate bioinorganic chemistry, to advanced symmetry and group theory, adding when appropriate the concepts of flipped classes, primary literature search, and the development of projects and public presentations.

During Verani’s seven-year tenure as associate dean, he oversaw the research activity of 20 departments across the humanities, life, physical, and social sciences, and led the restructuring of the research support team and the proposal submission process and established grant writing workshops for the faculty. He contributed vitally to the management of physical space, research labs and instrument cores, IT infrastructure, aspects of faculty affairs, community engagement, and special projects serving the needs of faculty, staff, and students and bridging Wayne State’s largest college to the broader university community.

Verani notes he has followed the University of Windsor with interest, collaborating and co-authoring papers with its faculty.

“I am humbled by the opportunity to serve the institution at a moment where there is tangible ambition to lead in education and become an even stronger research and scholarship powerhouse, well beyond Ontario and Canada,” Verani says.

Aguirre extended a note of appreciation to Dora Cavallo-Medved, who has been serving as acting dean since September 2022: “We owe a debt of gratitude to Dr. Cavallo-Medved for her leadership in the Faculty of Science during our search for a successor.”

The committee organizing UWindsor Welcome Week requires anyone planning to host a social activity during the orientation period to submit an event information form no later than July 3 to have it included in schedule and promotional materials.

Megan Elliott, student development specialist in the Student Success and Leadership Centre, says the focus is to foster connection among newcomers and upper-year students. Student clubs, societies, faculty, and partnering offices all have a role to play.

“We are so excited to collaborate with event planners from across campus to give our new Lancers a warm UWindsor welcome,” Elliott says. “Our work now to facilitate the transition of first-year undergraduates to campus life will allow them to form connections, find community, and learn about resources and supports available to them.”

Welcome Week runs Sept. 1 to 7. Find more information about its goals on the orientation program website.

The Bystander Initiative is inviting faculty and staff to participate in a free online workshop. Scheduled for 11 a.m. on Monday, June 10, the two-and-one-half-hour interactive session is a part of the University’s ongoing efforts to foster respectful, inclusive, and safe environments across campus.

Bystander intervention is a valuable tool in preventing campus sexual assault. Faculty and staff are encouraged to sign up and collaborate with colleagues to strengthen the campus community’s capacity to prevent sexual violence.

Participants will:

• Gain valuable skills to recognize, prevent, and interrupt harmful behaviours.
• Learn effective strategies to support survivors of sexual assault.
• Earn a Certificate of Completion that can be added to a curriculum vitae, professional portfolio, or LinkedIn profile.

“We aim to engage campus community members as key stakeholders in prevention by equipping them with the skills to identify and safely intervene against harmful behaviour,” says Frankie Cachon, co-ordinator of the University of Windsor’s Bystander Initiative.

The Bystander Initiative utilizes a community responsibility approach to create a safer campus for

all. During the June 10 workshop, participants will develop intervention skills that will help them feel empowered to speak up and act against sexual violence. There are limited spots available; register via Qualtrics today.

To learn more about UWindsor’s Bystander Initiative, visit Prevent.Resist.Support.

Funding applications for the fall 2024 and winter 2025 Ignite work-study program are open to UWindsor faculty and staff. Its administrators encourage supervisors motivated to help students acquire career-ready skills through experiential learning and on-campus employment to apply.

Funding details:

• Supervisors approved for funding will be reimbursed up to $1,000 for a single-term position. Fall-winter positions will be reimbursed for up to $2,000.
• Students currently working in the summer 2024 semester may remain in the same role if they continue to meet eligibility requirements.
• Employers must submit a job proposal and be approved if they intend to extend a student’s position into the fall and winter term. If approved, a new authorization must be submitted.

Job proposals can be submitted through Qualtrics with an application deadline of July 8. Late applications will not be accepted. Note: there will not be an additional winter call for proposals. Employers interested in hiring students exclusively for the winter 2025 semester must apply by the July deadline.

For more information, visit the Ignite website. Direct questions to ignite@uwindsor.ca.

The Ignite work-study program is co-ordinated by Career Development and Experiential Learning, a unit of the Office of Experiential Learning.

On May 29, Master of Business Administration students attended the Elevate Odette leadership retreat, a networking and informational session hosted by the Odette School of Business.

The day portion of the event included a panel discussion of advice and experiences with inspirational leaders Dayna Eagen, director of clinical quality and safety at Windsor Regional Hospital; Vincent Georgie, executive director and chief programmer at the Windsor International Film Festival; and Matthew Johnson, executive director of economic development and climate change for the City of Windsor.

In the evening, the event moved to Ambassador Golf Club for a keynote speech by Anna Markett, senior vice-president, supply chain, at Stellantis North America, followed by networking with corporate partners of the MBA program.

“The Elevate Odette leadership retreat was a fantastic opportunity for our MBA students to connect with corporate partners and business leaders, to learn from them, and explore career and experiential learning opportunities,” says Clementa Stan, Odette career advisor and an organizer of the event.

Odette School of Business interim dean Ashish Mahajan says the event was a first of its kind for the program, and a resounding success.

After 18 years of service to Canterbury College, residence co-ordinator Brenda Smith will retire at the end of June.

Smith has been an integral part of the Canterbury team, and one students and staff can always rely on, says executive director Shelley Bolger.

“Whether a student has been here for a few weeks or for several years, it is easy to recognize the vital role Brenda has played and the commitment and care she shows to everyone living in residence at the college,” Bolger says. “As the main point of contact from the time a student shows interest in residing at Canterbury, to arrival and throughout their stay, her bright smile, helpful demeanour, sound advice, and ongoing assistance have continued to create a warm and welcoming environment for students from across the globe.”

Babak Hajimohammadi, deputy head of college, says its residents are sad to see Smith go, but happy to wish her well in retirement.

“Brenda has been the cornerstone of Canterbury College, always going above and beyond her role as the residence co-ordinator,” he says. “Her kindness and dedication have made her a beloved figure among students, and her support has helped our community profoundly.”

The college invites students and members of the UWindsor community to help celebrate this milestone for Smith at an open house reception from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday, June 6, in its administrative building at 2500 University Ave. West.