Convocation 2016 / en #UofTGrad16: Disabilities advocate, jazz musicians and global affairs enthusiast join U of T’s Class of 2016 /news/uoftgrad16-disabilities-advocate-jazz-musicians-and-global-affairs-enthusiast <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">#UofTGrad16: Disabilities advocate, jazz musicians and global affairs enthusiast join U of T’s Class of 2016</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2016-11-04-convocation-lead.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=wBwPIe8Y 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2016-11-04-convocation-lead.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=YwobL4b7 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2016-11-04-convocation-lead.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=4pMP94Fj 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2016-11-04-convocation-lead.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=wBwPIe8Y" alt="photo of graduating student"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>ullahnor</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2016-11-03T18:22:34-04:00" title="Thursday, November 3, 2016 - 18:22" class="datetime">Thu, 11/03/2016 - 18:22</time> </span> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/jennifer-robinson" hreflang="en">Jennifer Robinson</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Jennifer Robinson</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation-2016" hreflang="en">Convocation 2016</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/students" hreflang="en">Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/university-toronto" hreflang="en">Ƶ</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>When a person starts to profoundly lose their vision, there are a number of resources available to help them physically adapt – like how to navigate the city using a cane or a guide dog. But what about their mental well-being?</p> <p><strong>Kathleen Forestell</strong> from the Ƶ’s Class of 2016 wants to ensure those resources are there.</p> <p>The 29-year-old from Ottawa, who is receiving her MEd in counselling psychology from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) on Tuesday, says she believes the mental health of people undergoing dramatic life changes needs to be addressed.</p> <p>Forestell wants to be an advocate for Canadians with disabilities. She&nbsp;is one of more than 4,600 students graduating this fall from U of T. From Nov. 7 to Nov. 9, the university will award undergrad and graduate degrees to students from all three campuses. When combined with spring convocation, U of T’s Class of 2016 is more than 18,000 strong.</p> <p>Helping Forestell take her final steps as a U of T student across the stage at Convocation Hall will be her guide dog, Tiffany, a two-year-old black Labrador retriever.</p> <p>“I’m going to very proud to walk across the stage with her,” she says. “I want people to see, ‘Yes, we’re here, and yes, you can do this, too!’”</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><iframe allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JifJAffU08M" width="560"></iframe></p> <p>Read about more of our amazingly inspiring graduates below:</p> <hr> <p><strong>The Advocate</strong></p> <p>Being a mental health advocate for people learning to live with disabilities is not an academic discussion for Forestell, it’s a lived experience. Two years ago, after moving to Toronto to pursue her postgraduate studies, her vision dramatically worsened.</p> <p>“It was just like ‘great timing,’” Forestell explains.</p> <p>Legally blind since birth, the former Canadian Para Alpine Ski Team World Cup racer has fearlessly zoomed down the slopes of the Matterhorn and was once clocked at 100 kilometres an hour as she crossed the finish line — relying solely on her skills, confidence and a ski guide.</p> <p>With just 20 degrees of peripheral vision, she excelled as a top athlete. Losing more of that field of vision has been a staggering loss — especially as she adjusted to life in a new city and university life.&nbsp;</p> <p>What that experience is like is complicated, she says. There’s the physical change but “you’re also dealing with loss and grief. What you’re used to experiencing is not your experience anymore. For me, there was a lot of anxiety. When I was outside, I would feel things sneaking up on me [like quiet bicycles] ... I was constantly being surprised.”</p> <p>Her mother, who often came to visit,&nbsp;was a great emotional support&nbsp;and her professors at OISE found ways to accommodate her that didn’t involve vision fatigue. Recorded materials or talking books from the library helped her do research, but “the best thing ever” was the decision by one prof to allow her to give oral presentations rather than write papers.</p> <p>“I had to learn how to learn again,” she says simply. “It was really challenging. I’m just glad I made it through!”</p> <p>Her vision has now stabilized, and she’s moved from using a white cane to working with Tiffany as she gets out and about in the city.</p> <p>She’s now job searching and looking for the right job to be an advocate for people with disabilities.</p> <hr> <p><strong>The Smooth Jazz Hands</strong></p> <p>The looseness of jazz improvisation is “like talking and having a conversation... just with instruments. It offers a lot of creativity and freedom,” says alto saxophonist <strong>Anthony Argatoff</strong>.</p> <p>Graduation is fast approaching but he and fellow graduands <strong>Victor Vrankulj</strong> (jazz bass) and <strong>Andrew Miller</strong> (jazz drums) are looking towards the future and the CD release party for their avant-garde/improvised music ensemble <a href="http://www.bellwether4.com/">Bellwether4</a> in December in Hamilton, Guelph and Toronto.</p> <p>Why the Hammer and Guelph? Well, it turns out they have humming improv jazz scenes, says Argatoff. Much like where he hails from in Kelowna, B.C.</p> <p>On November 7, his family will be in the office to cheer him on as he officially receives his Bachelor of Music in Performance. He’s enjoyed the four-year jazz program so much his own brother (tenor sax) is now taking it, too, as well as a growing number of fellow Kelownians.</p> <p>“It’s a really special place. I’m just really grateful I came here,” says Argatoff. There is always a community of musicians at U of T ready to hang out and play “all the time” and the professors, who are professional musicians themselves, are always available to talk anytime and offer advice.</p> <p>“The faculty was outstanding with lots of one-on-one opportunities,” agrees fellow fall graduand and jazz guitarist <strong>Christopher Platt</strong>, who switched to U of T after studying jazz performance at Mohawk College with Vrankulj.</p> <p>For Platt (below), the path to jazz started when he first picked up a guitar at the age of 12. At first the blues had him in their grip with Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan among his favourites.</p> <p><img alt class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__2405 img__view_mode__media_large attr__format__media_large" height="453" src="/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/Chris-Platt-promo-pic.jpg?itok=NJOoDDzu" typeof="foaf:Image" width="680" loading="lazy"></p> <p>“But I just wanted to consume more and more music and jazz was the next obvious step for me. I just kept going deeper down the rabbit hole,” he says, naming American jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery as a strong influence on his playing.</p> <p>Now, he lists Brazilian jazz as his latest musical obsession. “So much of it is so sad and some is quite joyous. I like the sad stuff,” says Platt.</p> <p>Like Argatoff, he’s focused on finding gigs through his <a href="http://www.chrisplattmusic.ca/">website</a> and has several side projects on the go with various musicians around the city.</p> <p>“Toronto is the place to be in Canada [for jazz]. In the states, it would be New York... but New York just seems to be so... like Toronto on steroids,” he says with a laugh, noting a lot of people he knows have gone down to the Big Apple to test their chops. He may do it at some point, but he’s in no rush to leave the community network of musicians he’s built up here.</p> <p>As for his time at U of T, “I don’t get tied to nostalgia. When it’s over, I kind of leave it in its place.”</p> <p>The he adds: “I’ll miss this. You’re just consumed by music all the time. You’re constantly rehearsing and having jam sessions late into the night... You can only really get that by going to school.”</p> <hr> <p><strong>The Global Thinker</strong></p> <p><strong>Wenjie (Shirley) Wu</strong> has got her eye on the world.</p> <p>Originally from China, she’s a true citizen of the world after spending her teenage years in Japan and later moving to Canada at the age of 17.</p> <p>“After living in different countries, I’m interested in how different people and countries see and interact with each other,” says the trilingual Wu who speaks Mandarin, Japanese and English.</p> <p>It was that interest that drew her like a magnet to U of T’s Munk School of Global Affairs two years ago. And on Monday, she officially graduates with her Master of Global Affairs, which she completed alongside the Collaborative Master’s Program in Asia-Pacific Studies.</p> <p>“I really liked being here. I’ll miss our Munk school, which has such a nice environment,” says Wu, noting the impressive number of events Munk hosts where a roster of internationally respected thought leaders speak on pressing global issues.</p> <p>Her time at U of T has also been filled with hanging out with fellow classmates who are passionate and engaged in their studies, as well as a dream internship at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) where she worked on the Canada desk in Washington, DC.</p> <p>Although Asia has been her main area of focus in studies, her classes at Munk broadened her country interests with projects on Brazil, Bangladesh, Hungary, Mexico, Uruguay, Syria and others. At the IMF, she also had the chance to do work on Canada and Caribbean countries too.</p> <p>Munk also taught her analytical methods and practical management skills with an immersion in the latest thinking on global issues, which will be crucial in launching and sustaining her career as an international policy researcher. This adds to her practical work experience in the non-profit and higher education sectors and her BA in international relations and economics earned at the University of British Columbia.</p> <p>“My dream job is kind of hard to say,” she says, “but anything that involves policy research maybe in a think-tank, government organization or international organization would be great.”</p> <p><strong><em>For the full schedule of #UofTGrad16 convocation ceremonies, visit </em></strong><a href="http://www.convocation.utoronto.ca/events"><strong><em>http://www.convocation.utoronto.ca/events</em></strong></a><strong><em>.</em></strong></p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Thu, 03 Nov 2016 22:22:34 +0000 ullahnor 102226 at #UofTGrad16: this transgender artist partially funded his degree through his own company /news/uoftgrad16-transgender-artist-partially-funded-his-degree-through-his-own-company <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">#UofTGrad16: this transgender artist partially funded his degree through his own company</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2016-06-16-grad-farber-high.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=MNMla9zi 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2016-06-16-grad-farber-high.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=NIdyY066 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2016-06-16-grad-farber-high.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=pmCLe8pk 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2016-06-16-grad-farber-high.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=MNMla9zi" alt> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>lanthierj</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2016-06-16T12:10:51-04:00" title="Thursday, June 16, 2016 - 12:10" class="datetime">Thu, 06/16/2016 - 12:10</time> </span> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/christine-elias" hreflang="en">Christine Elias</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Christine Elias</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/city-culture" hreflang="en">City &amp; Culture</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/pride" hreflang="en">Pride</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation" hreflang="en">Convocation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation-2016" hreflang="en">Convocation 2016</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/students" hreflang="en">Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/trinity-college" hreflang="en">Trinity College</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Bright blue. That’s the colour of <strong>Nicolai Farber</strong>’s hair, his eyes and his “creative mascot” Yozhik, the chubby cartoon hedgehog.</p> <p>Farber, who graduates from the Ƶ this June with a double major inpsychology and Russian language &amp; literature, is an illustrator and graphic designer who partially funded his education through his company,<a href="https://www.facebook.com/yozhikisblue/">Yozhik is Blue</a>.</p> <p>“The idea came from one of my favourite childhood cartoons —&nbsp;<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073099/"><em>Hedgehog in the Fog</em></a>.”</p> <p>The internationally acclaimed animated film, directed by Russian children’s writer Yuriy Norshteyn, tells the story of a little hedgehog on his way to meet his friend the bear for a cup of tea. But along the way he gets lost in a mysteriously thick fog — filled with scary things both real and imagined. Hedgehog is eventually reunited with the bear, a little shaken, but also stronger and wiser.<br> <br> It’s a parable about choosing your own path and overcoming adversity that resonates with many.<br> &nbsp;<br> Yozhik is featured in a series of buttons Farber has created.</p> <p><img alt="photo of buttons" class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__1265 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" src="/sites/default/files/2016-06-16-buttons-sized.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 498px; margin: 10px;" typeof="foaf:Image"></p> <p>“Some people say they have spirit animals,” said Farber. “I feel a kinship with hedgehogs — they are kind of like me.”</p> <p>Faber, who was assigned female at birth, is a transgender person who began his transition midway through his university career.</p> <p>“Being transgender and bisexual distanced me from my family, so I was afraid of losing the bond to my Jewish-Ukrainian background,” said Farber.</p> <p>Fortunately his connection to the <a href="http://sites.utoronto.ca/slavic/">department of Slavic languages and literatures</a> helped keep him in contact with his native language and the culture in which he was raised.</p> <p>“I studied the Soviet cartoons and films I grew up with, as well as history, literature and poetry,” said Farber. “It really helped to keep my culture alive in me.”</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2><span style="line-height: 20.8px;">“I did not need to provide reasons — they believed I am who I am.”</span></h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The university made it easy for Farber to change his name and gender on his official academic record and to get a new student card reflecting that change.<br> <br> “My college registrar’s office was very supportive. I met with the assistant registrar who helped me with the process, put me in touch with other resources and helped me craft a plan to move forward,” said Farber. “I did not need to provide reasons — they believed I am who I am.”</p> <p>“U of T has had a policy in place since 2009 allowing students to change their name and gender on their official academic record without requiring legal documentation,” says <strong>Allison Burgess</strong>, U of T’s <a href="http://sgdo.utoronto.ca/contact-us/">Sexual &amp; Gender Diversity Officer</a>.</p> <p>“This policy ─ which is recognized as a best practice by the Ontario Human Rights Commission — is one way of acknowledging students’ right to self-identify and to have their correct name on class lists, emails or student identification cards. And this is so important in terms of fostering an inclusive environment for trans students on our campuses.”</p> <p><span style="line-height: 20.8px;">(</span><em style="line-height: 20.8px;">Below: social media banners designed by Farber for Gender Talk, a monthly conversation café for transgender students at U of T</em><span style="line-height: 20.8px;">)</span></p> <p><img alt="photo of a social media banner designed by Farber" class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__1270 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" src="/sites/default/files/2016-06-16-farber-poster-sized_0.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 807px; margin: 10px;" typeof="foaf:Image"></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Farber’s advice to incoming students —whether they are members of the LGBTQ community or not — is the same:</p> <p>“Find a circle of people with shared interests and values — that’s the strongest basis for long-lasting friendships.”</p> <p>As a student, Farber followed his own advice. He was the creative director of <a href="http://designuoft.tk/">Design and Design</a>, a career development club for students interested in pursuing graphic design and was also involved in set design for student productions at Trinity College’s George Igniateff Theatre.</p> <p><span style="line-height: 20.8px;">And he tries to draw something new every day, including work on his comic sketches.</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img alt="image of graphic novel panel" class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__1267 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" src="/sites/default/files/2016-06-16-comic-panel-sized_0.jpg" style="width: 663px; height: 1024px; margin: 10px 50px;" typeof="foaf:Image"></p> <h2>&nbsp;</h2> <h2>A creative future in a new city</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>As for his future, Farber plans to continue his creative work.</p> <p>“I do illustrations, animation, infographics and other forms of visual storytelling for my clients as well as my own short comics, but I want to get my work to a higher level before I pursue my own graphic novel.”</p> <p>Farber and his partner — a fellow U of T student who will graduate in November — recently moved to Barrie.</p> <p>“There are many artists and a great sense of community; it really feels like home.”</p> <p><img alt="photo of two buttons created by Farber" class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__1269 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" src="/sites/default/files/2016-06-16-more-buttons-sized.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 450px; margin: 10px;" typeof="foaf:Image"></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Thu, 16 Jun 2016 16:10:51 +0000 lanthierj 14272 at #UofTGrad16: Highlights of Convocation 2016 /news/uoftgrad16-highlights-convocation-2016 <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">#UofTGrad16: Highlights of Convocation 2016</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>lavende4</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2016-06-15T16:51:07-04:00" title="Wednesday, June 15, 2016 - 16:51" class="datetime">Wed, 06/15/2016 - 16:51</time> </span> <div class="field field--name-field-youtube field--type-youtube field--label-hidden field__item"><figure class="youtube-container"> <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ryVT-xzysi0?wmode=opaque" width="450" height="315" id="youtube-field-player" class="youtube-field-player" title="Embedded video for #UofTGrad16: Highlights of Convocation 2016" aria-label="Embedded video for #UofTGrad16: Highlights of Convocation 2016: https://www.youtube.com/embed/ryVT-xzysi0?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> </figure> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">(photos and video by Johnny Guatto)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/arthur-kaptainis" hreflang="en">Arthur Kaptainis</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Arthur Kaptainis</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation" hreflang="en">Convocation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation-2016" hreflang="en">Convocation 2016</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Sunny and 23. During the Ƶ's three weeks of&nbsp;convocation this spring, that was the typical forecast.</p> <p>It could also describe many&nbsp;of the 18,000-strong Class of 2016, including the&nbsp;13,500 students who crossed the stage&nbsp;of Convocation Hall as friends and family applauded their years of&nbsp;curiosity, study, creativity and perseverance.&nbsp;</p> <p>“Sometimes we get these lucky breaks with the weather,” said <strong>Silvia Rosatone</strong>, director of Convocation. “It was not like this <em>last</em> year.&nbsp;But the climate inside Convocation Hall is always good.</p> <p>“That forecast never fails.”</p> <p>Among those graduating:&nbsp;<strong>Clive Davies</strong>, 79, who received his BA as a history specialist in Woodsworth College, where he started his undergraduate journey in 1977.</p> <p><img alt class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__1259 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" src="/sites/default/files/2016-06-15-clive-embed.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px; margin: 10px;" typeof="foaf:Image"></p> <p>Davies' charm and wisdom so captivated media that the retired police officer and busy dog breeder graciously made time during convocation for&nbsp;<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/programs/metromorning/toronto-police-retiree-graduate-1.3623949">interviews with&nbsp;CBC</a>, the <em>Toronto Sun</em>, <em>Metro</em> and more.</p> <p>“I have an enormous sense of pride that I am graduating with honours from one of the great universities of the world,” Davies&nbsp;said before the big day on June 10. “That is an great satisfaction to me.</p> <p>“It is a destination worth all of the effort and the trials and tribulations. That will be my moment.”</p> <h2><a href="/news/uoftgrad16-39-year-academic-journey-clive-davies">Read more about Clive Davies</a><br> &nbsp;</h2> <p>Preparations for spring convocation&nbsp;began long before the first ceremony on May 31. It took 12 weeks to ready the 13,500 parchments (diplomas) for the Class of 2016, from labelling and stuffing envelope to triple-checking that names and degrees were correct.</p> <p>And for those same 12 weeks nobody was allowed to walk across the Convocation Plaza lawn, as it was&nbsp;readied for its time in the spotlight.</p> <p>Then this happened:</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><iframe allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/k5ZgX7w-X0o" width="560"></iframe></p> <p>But Convocation Plaza wasn't the only hot spot to see grads&nbsp;this year. &nbsp;</p> <p>On&nbsp;June 8&nbsp;the TORONTO sign in front of City Hall in Nathan Phillips Square was lit&nbsp;in U of T blue and white.</p> <p>And&nbsp;student volunteers from the Blue &amp; Gold Committee of the <a href="/news/uoftgrad16-meet-16-newest-global-engineering-leaders-u-t">Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering</a> knew just what to do to make the iconic tourist attraction perfect.</p> <p><img alt class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__1248 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" height="500" src="/sites/default/files/2016-06-09-Toronto-Sign-first-embed_0.jpg" typeof="foaf:Image" width="750" loading="lazy"></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>“As engineering students, we aren’t strangers to hard work and short timelines, and the desire to help our community is much stronger than our worries about the difficulties of finishing a task,” said&nbsp;<strong>Joshua Calafato</strong>, co-chair with&nbsp;<strong>Ozan Coskun</strong>&nbsp;of the&nbsp;committee.&nbsp;</p> <p>Coskun, a mechanical engineering student, agreed to&nbsp;design&nbsp;the extra letters. While&nbsp;visiting family in Istanbul. Once he had the appropriate dimensions and font, Coskun&nbsp;sent&nbsp;the plans across the Atlantic, where Calafato, an engineerinng science student with a&nbsp;major in electrical engineering, had assembled a team of eight volunteers who were good with their hands.</p> <p>“We were able to finish construction in about four hours, and painted them in an hour,” Calafato said. “All in all, we finished working just before midnight Tuesday night.”</p> <h2><a href="/news/uoftgrad16-engineering-students-put-u-toronto">Read more about how the engineering students put the U in U of Toronto</a><br> &nbsp;</h2> <p>The storied Convocation Hall held&nbsp;25 individual ceremonies over three weeks&nbsp;and included the awarding of:</p> <ul> <li>340 doctoral degrees&nbsp;</li> <li>1,086 professional degrees (such as pharmacists, medical doctors and lawyers)</li> <li>2,539 &nbsp;master’s degrees&nbsp;</li> <li>9,804 bachelor degrees</li> </ul> <p>To make sure each grad was given due recognition, 40 volunteer readers&nbsp;practised saying the names in a bootcamp organized by&nbsp;linguistic experts and U of T's opera stage director .</p> <h2><a href="/news/uoftgrad16-convocation-boot-camp">Read more about the bootcamp</a></h2> <p><img alt class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__1258 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" src="/sites/default/files/2016-06-15-Victoria-College-embed.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px; margin: 10px;" typeof="foaf:Image"></p> <p>Many of U of T's newest alumni, their families, friends and profs&nbsp;shared their experiences on social media:</p> <h2><a href="/news/uoftgrad16-moments-captured-social-media">See highlights from week one</a></h2> <h2><a href="/news/uoftgrad16-social-media-moments-week-two-convocation">See highlights from week two</a></h2> <h2><a href="/news/uoftgrad16-convocation-moments-social-media-week-three">See highlights from week three</a></h2> <p><img alt class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__1255 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" src="/sites/default/files/2016-06-15-medicine-embed.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px; margin: 10px;" typeof="foaf:Image"></p> <p>And while some grads have already been snapped up by employers (the prestigious architecture firm of Janet Rosenberg, for example, <a href="https://daniels.utoronto.ca/news/2016-06-14/spotlight-convocation-qa-nicholas-gosselin-jordan-duke-dayne-roy-caldwell-and-janet">just hired these three landscape architects</a>) others are continuing on with their studies.</p> <p>Faculty of Arts &amp; Science grads&nbsp;<a href="/news/uoftgrad16-rhodes-scholar-james-flynn"><strong>James Flynn</strong></a>, <a href="/news/uoftgrad16-rhodes-scholar-kaleem-hawa"><strong>Kaleem Hawa</strong></a> and <strong><a href="/news/uoftgrad16-rhodes-scholar-jessica-phillips">Jessica Phillips</a>&nbsp;</strong>are headed to&nbsp;the University of Oxford as Rhodes Scholars.&nbsp;</p> <p>“I feel I’ve learned a lot from really, really good professors,” said Hawa, a double major from Trinity College in international relations and global health. “And it’s a beautiful campus in a big metropolitan centre. You get the best of both worlds.”</p> <h2><a href="/news/uoftgrad16-six-ways-thrive-u-t">Read more&nbsp;about the Rhodes Scholars</a></h2> <p>U of T's top grad, <strong>Mihil Patel</strong>, is off to medical school. The&nbsp;recipient of the John Black Aird award, Patel&nbsp;worked academic wonders at the Ƶ Scarborough as a neuroscience specialist but also found time to volunteer as a caregiver to patients with Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases at Rouge Valley Centenary Hospital.</p> <p><span style="line-height: 20.8px;">“Compassion can go a long way, so I tried to make sure they were as comfortable as possible, to gain their trust but also know when to pull back and let them do certain things on their own,” Patel said. “I feel that people need to feel that element of dignity, no matter how sick they are.”</span></p> <p><img alt class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__1249 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" height="1063" src="/sites/default/files/2016-06-06-patel-medal-embed_1.jpg" typeof="foaf:Image" width="750" loading="lazy"></p> <h2><a href="/news/uoftgrad16-mihil-patel-university-toronto%E2%80%99s-top-student"><strong>Read more about Mihil Patel</strong></a><br> &nbsp;</h2> <p>Every valedictorian had a story to tell.&nbsp;<strong>Krishna Ruthnum</strong>, from the full-time MBA class of 2016, had an especially challenging year. He was diagnosed with a brain tumour in December, which, happily, after surgery in March, was discovered to be benign. (<a href="/news/uoftgrad16-rotman-valedictorians-reflect">Read more about Rotman grads</a>.)</p> <p><span style="line-height: 20.8px;">“One of the outcomes was a sharper clarity about myself,” Ruthnum said of the procedure, which delayed but did not stop his studies. He turned out to be a rare case of a spring valedictorian who graduates in the fall.</span></p> <p><span style="line-height: 20.8px;"><img alt="photo of grads at University College" class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__1256 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" src="/sites/default/files/2016-06-15-grads-embed.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px; margin: 10px;" typeof="foaf:Image"></span></p> <p>This spring also saw 10 extraordinary leaders recognized with&nbsp;honorary degrees:&nbsp;<a href="/news/uoftgrad16-anti-doping-crusader-dick-pound"><strong>Dick Pound&nbsp;</strong></a>(June 2);&nbsp;<a href="/news/uoftgrad16-business-legend-gerry-schwartz"><strong>Gerry Schwartz</strong></a>&nbsp;(June 3); Professor&nbsp;<a href="/news/uoftgrad16-presidential-adviser-professor-robert-putnam"><strong>Robert Putnam</strong></a>&nbsp;(June 7);&nbsp;<a href="/news/uoftgrad16-global-health-pioneer-mg-venkatesh-mannar">M.G. <strong>Venkatesh Mannar</strong></a>&nbsp;and Professor&nbsp;<a href="/news/uoftgrad16-engineering-leader-cynthia-barnhart"><strong>Cynthia Barnhart</strong></a>&nbsp;(June 8); Professor <a href="/news/uoftgrad16-magical-mathematician-manjul-bhargava"><strong>Manjul Bhargava</strong></a>&nbsp;(June 9); the Hon.&nbsp;<a href="/news/uoftgrad16-diplomat-and-literacy-leader-hon-james-bartleman"><strong>James Bartleman</strong></a>&nbsp;(June 10);&nbsp;<a href="/news/uoftgrad16-film-festival-ceo-piers-handling"><strong>Piers Handling</strong></a>&nbsp;(June 13);&nbsp;<a href="/news/uoftgrad16-degrassi-co-creator-linda-schuyler"><strong>Linda Schuyler</strong></a>&nbsp;(June 14); and Professor&nbsp;<a href="/news/uoftgrad16-fresh-water-saviour-david-schindler"><strong>David Schindler</strong></a>&nbsp;(June 16)</p> <p><strong>Dick Pound</strong>, former president of the Montreal-based World Anti-Doping Agency,&nbsp;gave his address with the Rio Olympics on the horizon and the Russian drug scandal in recent memory. Pound led the commission and investigation that led to the Russian allegations.</p> <p>“You can’t build&nbsp;a reputation on what you’re preparing to do,” he offered in a good-natured address.&nbsp; And: “The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.”</p> <p><strong>Linda Schuyler</strong>, a founding producer of the successful<em> Degrassi</em> series of television programs, recalled her beginnings as a schoolgirl with an English accent in small-town Ontario and her recovery from a serious auto accident. The secret to success is to be open to possibilities.</p> <p>&nbsp;“You might not end up where you thought you will be,” she told the Con Hall crowd on June 14. “But you will end up where you were meant to be.”</p> <p>Many students also had the opportunity to interact with&nbsp;honorary graduates outside&nbsp;Convocation Hall.</p> <p><strong>Manjul Bhargava</strong>, the Hamilton-born professor of mathematics at Princeton University, was the pivotal figure at a panel discussion in the Great Hall of Hart House on June 10 titled “<em>It’s All About Math</em>.”</p> <p>All too often, being good in math is seen as “social suicide,” this winner of the 2014 Fields Medal told a sympathetic crowd. “When you meet someone and tell them what you do, they always say, ‘I was never good at math,’” he said.</p> <p>The proper response to such benighted attitudes, he said, is to foster in children an appreciation of the beauty found in math. Teachers need to discard their reliance on rote learning and embrace the creativity inherent in their pupils when it comes to solving problems.</p> <p><img alt="photo of Bhargava at convocation" class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__1257 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" src="/sites/default/files/2016-06-15-bhargava.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px; margin: 10px;" typeof="foaf:Image"></p> <h2><a href="/news/uoftgrad16-magical-mathematician-manjul-bhargava">Read more about Manjul Bhargava</a><br> &nbsp;</h2> <p>Also on the panel were Neil Turok, director of the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics;&nbsp; <strong>Irene Sterian</strong>, a director at Celestica (and U of T engineering alumna); and Professor <strong>Luis Seco</strong>, director of U of T’s RiskLab. Professor <strong>V. Kumar Murty</strong>, chair of U of T’s department of mathematics, announced the creation of a new Centre for Applied Mathematics at the university.</p> <p>“Math is already inside of us,” said Seco, who is also the president and CEO of Sigma Analysis &amp; Management. “You just need to bring it out. When people say they’re not good at math, I say ‘How do you know?’”</p> <h2><a href="https://utoronto.ca/news/uoftgrad16-love-math">Read more about the math panel</a><br> &nbsp;</h2> <p>Honorary degree recipient&nbsp;<strong>Piers Handling&nbsp;–</strong>&nbsp;director and CEO of the Toronto International Film Festival&nbsp;–&nbsp;set aside&nbsp;time on Tuesday to meet&nbsp;students in the Cinema&nbsp; Studies program at Innis College.</p> <p>“Piers Handling is a figure who has done so much to shape film culture, not just locally but globally,” said film studies professor <strong>Charlie Keil</strong>, principal of Innis College.&nbsp;“All the students recognize the centrality of TIFF to the appreciation and study of film in this city and beyond.</p> <p>“For&nbsp; them to be able to ask Mr. Handling about the role of film festivals, his ideas about programming&nbsp;–&nbsp;and where he sees TIFF heading as the media landscape keeps shifting, was&nbsp;a true gift.”</p> <p>Speakers from various faculties and colleges delivered inspirational thoughts and observations. Trinity College Provost&nbsp;<strong>Mayo Moran</strong> pointed out to graduands that “convocation” is the collective noun for eagles.</p> <p>“Eagles are proud and independent,” she said. “They are often chosen as symbols of leadership. The idea of a convocation of eagles seems very apt.”</p> <p>U of T President <strong>Meric Gertler</strong> pointed out that there are more than 18,000 graduates in the class of 2016 from 161 countries and countless communities across Ontario and Canada. “They are ready to take on the world’s biggest challenges,” he said, adding thanks to the families and friends of graduates who supported them in many ways during their studies.</p> <p><img alt class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__1250 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" src="/sites/default/files/2016-06-15-meric.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px; margin: 10px;" typeof="foaf:Image"></p> <p>“We’d also like to recognize and thank the communities of the GTA for embracing our graduates while providing them with a dynamic, diverse and friendly home during their studies at U of T,” Gertler said.&nbsp;</p> <p>“You’ve helped build their experiences and shape their world view. Now, they’ll have the opportunity to build up our communities and cities around the world with what they’ve learned here.”</p> <p>And although today marks the final day of spring convocation, the world is already&nbsp;taking&nbsp;notice of U of T's&nbsp;newest grads:</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><iframe allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RvmnHn8RAqM" width="560"></iframe></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Wed, 15 Jun 2016 20:51:07 +0000 lavende4 14258 at #UofTGrad16: convocation moments from social media (week three) /news/uoftgrad16-convocation-moments-social-media-week-three <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">#UofTGrad16: convocation moments from social media (week three)</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2016-06-15-socialmedia-highlights.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=GzpHkepk 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2016-06-15-socialmedia-highlights.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=CnJiSK7A 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2016-06-15-socialmedia-highlights.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=a1O7Wgpr 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2016-06-15-socialmedia-highlights.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=GzpHkepk" alt="photo of families outside Convocation Hall"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>lanthierj</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2016-06-15T16:11:28-04:00" title="Wednesday, June 15, 2016 - 16:11" class="datetime">Wed, 06/15/2016 - 16:11</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">(photo by Johnny Guatto)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/kristina-doyle" hreflang="en">Kristina Doyle</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Kristina Doyle</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/city-culture" hreflang="en">City &amp; Culture</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation" hreflang="en">Convocation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation-2016" hreflang="en">Convocation 2016</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>June 16 marks the final&nbsp;day of spring convocation at U of T&nbsp;– three weeks of celebrations across three campuses bringing together&nbsp;family, friends, faculty, staff and 13,500 graduating students from around the world.</p> <p>At <em>U&nbsp;of T News</em>, we've shared social media highlights from <a href="/news/uoftgrad16-moments-captured-social-media">week one</a> and also from <a href="/news/uoftgrad16-social-media-moments-week-two-convocation">week two</a>.</p> <p>Below, see some of the most recent highlights from Facebook, Twitter and Instagram of the third and final week of convocation:</p> <hr> <div class="storify"><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="no" height="750" src="//storify.com/UofT/uoftgrad16-social-media-highlights-from-spring-con-5761769fd2e967ed470a4f98/embed?border=false" width="100%"></iframe><script src="//storify.com/UofT/uoftgrad16-social-media-highlights-from-spring-con-5761769fd2e967ed470a4f98.js?border=false"></script><noscript>[<a href="https://storify.com/UofT/uoftgrad16-social-media-highlights-from-spring-con-5761769fd2e967ed470a4f98" target="_blank">View the story "#UofTGrad16: Social Media Highlights from Spring Convocation Week 3" on Storify</a>]</noscript></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Wed, 15 Jun 2016 20:11:28 +0000 lanthierj 14269 at #UofTGrad16: Fresh water saviour David Schindler /news/uoftgrad16-fresh-water-saviour-david-schindler <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">#UofTGrad16: Fresh water saviour David Schindler</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>lavende4</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2016-06-15T15:56:48-04:00" title="Wednesday, June 15, 2016 - 15:56" class="datetime">Wed, 06/15/2016 - 15:56</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">(photo by Lisa Sakulensky)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/jennifer-robinson" hreflang="en">Jennifer Robinson</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Jennifer Robinson</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation" hreflang="en">Convocation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation-2016" hreflang="en">Convocation 2016</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>They say a photo is worth a thousand words. <a href="http://www.convocation.utoronto.ca/david-w-schindler-oc-aoe-dphil-frs-frsc"><strong>David Schindler</strong></a> can point to one that&nbsp;has likely saved a thousand lakes.</p> <p>Four decades ago, <a href="http://evidenceanderror.blogspot.ca/2012/05/phosphorous-detergent-and-canadas.html">an aerial photo of a remote Ontario lake known only as 226</a> showed the evidence in stark contrast: on one side, pristine water, on the other a green algal soup nourished by phosphates found in common household products like detergents.</p> <p>It was a photo that couldn’t be ignored. And it pushed policymakers in Canada and several American states to finally get tough and force companies to reformulate their products.</p> <p>The person heading up the experiment was&nbsp;Schindler, the first director of the Experimental Lakes Area (ELA) where the famous divided lake experiment took place.</p> <p>It was just the first success in a remarkable career that U of T will celebrate on June 16&nbsp;by awarding him with a Doctor of Science, <em>honoris causa.</em></p> <p>“When I turned 18, I knew I wanted to be an ecologist. I knew someone had to do something and I knew I had to do it,” says the famed limnologist who grew up in northwestern Minnesota, became a Rhodes scholar and is a professor of ecology (emeritus) at the University of Alberta</p> <p>He empathizes with the young graduates he’s standing with today. With a world facing climate change and other massive environmental issues the future looks bleak.</p> <p>“I remember when I graduated the world looked pretty hopeless,” he says. “There were a lot of huge problems at that point that looked unsolvable.”</p> <p>One of those problems was the aforementioned eutrophication, which causes plant growth to explode and oxygen levels to drop in fresh water, essentially choking the life out of fish and other organisms. In the 1960s, the situation in the Great Lakes was so bad experts thought Lake Erie was dying.</p> <p>But no one could agree on the cause. Schindler recalls attending a symposium after graduating with his PhD with all the preeminent minds in the field in attendance.</p> <p>“There was no consensus. Pick any element on the periodic table and people would have a theory,” he says.</p> <p>But instead of getting discouraged, the meeting turned into a positive. While there, Schindler met Swiss eutrophication expert Richard Vollenweider, as well as prominent ecologist Jack Vallentyne, of the newly opened Freshwater Institute in Winnipeg. Both of them would eventually work with Vallentyne in Canada.</p> <p>The work they accomplished was tremendous and had a huge impact not only on science but on ground breaking legislation and agreements to protect fresh water resources and habitats.</p> <p>Following the success of the lake phosphate tests, Schindler decided to tackle acid rain and was able to demonstrate how water acidity levels have a profound impact on the ability of aquatic species to reproduce and survive. His work once again pushed governments to take the problem seriously.</p> <p>The <em>cri de coeur</em> of the 1980s environmental movement, acid rain now seems like a rare triumph, one we no longer need to worry or talk about. Industries cut their emissions in the 1970s and ‘80s and installed scrubbers to reduce sulphur dioxide emissions. Case closed, right?</p> <p>Not at all, Schindler warns. The problem hasn’t gone away. Emissions remain a concern and there is also a legacy of calcium depletion in soil that has a profound impact on healthy forests.</p> <p>“The clues that helped me understand weren’t out of textbooks,” he says. “They were things I learned directly from nature.”</p> <p><img alt="photo of Schindler outside Con Hall" class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__1275 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" src="/sites/default/files/2016-06-16-schindler-embed.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 451px; float: right; margin: 10px;" typeof="foaf:Image">Like nature, things in science also go in cycles, he says. In Canada, the leadership role of scientists seems to have diminished when it comes to helping shape public policy. But he’s hopeful, there’s positive change coming.</p> <p>“Maybe we’ve lost touch with the outdoors,” he muses. “Certainly, scientists today don’t spend as much time outdoors. Ecology was a blue collar job with mosquito bites and dirt under the nails. They rarely go out into the field anymore — they send their grad students.”</p> <p>But we also need leadership “someone who understands scientists — who can speak to them directly. I think that used to happen in the 1970s. We used to have politicians visit and discuss our experiments. That era is long over.”</p> <p>Most of all, Schindler says, he wants Canada — and U of T’s new graduates — to push hard again to be a leader on the world stage when it comes to global environmental issues like it was when he was starting his career. Stop thinking small. Stop being small. Act big. Think big.</p> <p>“We have to redevelop that confidence,” he says. “Back in those days, Canada felt confident that it was a leader… We didn’t sit around and say ‘when will other countries make the move?’ And we didn’t talk about how it would impact the great god economy.</p> <p>“If I can reach a half-dozen minds in that audience [today] to turn back the clock and redevelop that confidence then I’ll feel like I’ve accomplished something.”</p> <p><em>Professor David Schindler will speak today at the 2:30 p.m. ceremony for graduands from the School of Graduate Studies, Faculty of Information and the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design.</em></p> <p><em>A video of his speech will be available on U of T’s </em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/universitytoronto"><em>YouTube channel</em></a><em> following the event.</em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Wed, 15 Jun 2016 19:56:48 +0000 lavende4 14248 at #UofTGrad16: A love-in for math /news/uoftgrad16-love-math <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">#UofTGrad16: A love-in for math</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>lavende4</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2016-06-14T14:46:02-04:00" title="Tuesday, June 14, 2016 - 14:46" class="datetime">Tue, 06/14/2016 - 14:46</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Panelists Irene Sterian, Neil Turock and Luis Seco exchange ideas (Jackie Shapiro photo)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/jennifer-robinson" hreflang="en">Jennifer Robinson</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Jennifer Robinson</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation" hreflang="en">Convocation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation-2016" hreflang="en">Convocation 2016</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/mathematics" hreflang="en">Mathematics</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Fresh off receiving his honorary doctorate from U of T, <a href="/news/uoftgrad16-magical-mathematician-manjul-bhargava"><strong>Manjul Bhargava</strong></a> was the guest of honour at a special panel discussing <em>It’s All About Math</em>!</p> <p>In a room filled with people who love math, he received a rock star welcome as he extolled the importance of fostering in children an appreciation of the creativity and beauty found in math.</p> <p>All too often, being good in math is seen as “social suicide” in North America — especially for women — and that needs to change, said Bhargava, the leading expert in Number Theory and winner of the 2014 Fields Medal, the highest honour a mathematician can receive.</p> <p>“When you meet someone and tell them what you do, they always say, ‘I was never good at math,’” he told the audience, which nodded and laughed in shared sympathy.</p> <p>“The conversation almost always stops there... They’re almost proud of it. It’s a cultural thing in North America but it’s not universal. Here, it’s a badge of honour. It shows you’re socially forward.”</p> <p>The panel, which was brought together on June 10 at Hart House, also featured Neil Turok, director of the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics;&nbsp; <strong>Irene Sterian</strong>, a director at Celestica (and U of T engineering alumna); and Professor<strong> Luis Seco</strong>, director of U of T’s RiskLab.</p> <p>At the event, Professor<strong> Kumar Murty</strong>, chair of U of T’s mathematics department, also announced the creation of a new Centre for Applied Mathematics at the university. Currently, the math department is ranked #1 in Canada and 14<sup>th</sup> in the world.</p> <p>Education is always the key when it comes to boosting math participation, the panellists agreed. Teachers need to discard their reliance on rote learning in math class and embrace the creativity inherent in their pupils when it comes to solving problems.</p> <p>“Math is already inside of us. You just need to bring it out,” explained Seco, who is also the president and CEO of Sigma Analysis &amp; Management. “When they say they’re not good at math, I say ‘How do you know?’”</p> <p>Doing 500 examples of the same problem was pointless to me, said Turok, who learned how to figure out problems on his own when his teacher in Tanzania encouraged him to make a map of his school. The same goes for the old train travelling puzzlers — a favourite on high school math exams everywhere.</p> <p>“Why would I care when two trains are going to meet?” Bhargava asked jokingly.</p> <p>When Sterian moved to Canada from Eastern Europe at the age of 12, she couldn’t speak English but “I could speak math,” she said proudly, adding perhaps the problem “of today’s society of instant gratification” is that people aren’t spending enough time on math to become good at it.</p> <p>For Turok, who is also the founder of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, math tells us something about who we are. It’s our language to explain the universe and our place in it and it makes him incredibly optimistic about our future.</p> <p>“It’s incredibly precious,” he said. “The thing I love most is it’s simultaneously our most precious knowledge and it’s infinitely fruitful and it’s completely free to share. Math genius can occur anywhere. Sharing mathematical knowledge is the key to humankind’s future.”</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Tue, 14 Jun 2016 18:46:02 +0000 lavende4 14265 at #UofTGrad16: Film festival CEO Piers Handling /news/uoftgrad16-film-festival-ceo-piers-handling <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">#UofTGrad16: Film festival CEO Piers Handling</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>lavende4</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2016-06-14T10:24:36-04:00" title="Tuesday, June 14, 2016 - 10:24" class="datetime">Tue, 06/14/2016 - 10:24</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Piers Handling (centre, facing camera) at Convocation (Lisa Sakulensky photo)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/jennifer-robinson" hreflang="en">Jennifer Robinson</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Jennifer Robinson</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/city-culture" hreflang="en">City &amp; Culture</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation" hreflang="en">Convocation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation-2016" hreflang="en">Convocation 2016</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/tiff" hreflang="en">TIFF</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/toronto-international-film-festival" hreflang="en">Toronto International Film Festival</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The man in charge of one of the world’s most important film festivals is thrilled to receive an honorary degree from the Ƶ, which he says played a pivotal role in helping launch the filmmaking industry in English Canada.</p> <p><strong>Norman Jewison</strong>. <strong>David Cronenberg</strong>. <strong>Atom Egoyan</strong>. <strong>Don Owen</strong>. All huge names in Canadian cinema and all were shaped by their experiences as students at U of T, <a href="http://www.convocation.utoronto.ca/piers-handling">Piers Handling</a> told fellow graduates in a rousing speech today.</p> <p>The connection even extends to the brutalist architecture of the Ƶ Scarborough having its close up in two Cronenberg features: 1969’s <em>Stereo </em>and 1970’s <em>Crimes of the Future</em>. He really started something since the location continues to draw TV and film crews to this day.</p> <p>It’s an honour to be celebrated in my home city and “to feel I am a part of this illustrious cinematic history” at U of T, said Handling, who described himself as a self-educated cinephile who craves intelligent, kinetic films.</p> <p>The director and chief executive officer of TIFF, the Toronto International Film Festival, since 1994 was recognized with a Doctor of Laws, <em>honoris causa</em> for his work transforming the way people see the world through film and in placing Hollywood North on the map as <em>the</em> place to premiere the biggest and best new films from just down the street and around the world.</p> <p>In his convocation address, Handling said he’s also been honoured with the <em>Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres</em>, France’s highest cultural insignia. “Don’t you love the French?” he joked with the audience of new graduates and proud parents, adding he was sure to ask them if any rights or privileges came with the honour.</p> <p>“They said I can ride a horse into any church in France. I haven’t actually done it yet... but I look forward to the rights and privileges that come from today’s honour.”</p> <p>Later in the day at an intimate Q&amp;A with a group of 20 film studies students at Innis College, Handling explained the true purpose of the festival, which now has a $44-million annual operating budget and employs 200 full-time staff in its 40<sup>th</sup> year. “We’re trying to create a more informed citizenry and ultimately a more curious one.”</p> <p>When asked how he selects films for the film festival, he said he can tell “in the first five minutes the first three shots” if the filmmaker has hit the mark.</p> <p>“You can feel the authority of the filmmaker also immediately,” he said, adding that commitment, passion, imagination and creativity are key.The festival is put together in three months but first he and other selection committee members must plow through an estimated 5,000 films before determining their roster. Many of those films are unsolicited, just like Michael Moore’s seminal film Roger &amp; Me was back in 1989.</p> <p>“He made it clear. He had a movie,” Handling recalled. “He was a brilliant marketer. He’s a talker, he’s a charmer and he clearly has a point of view.”</p> <p>That movie made it into the festival because of a call he made to a 21-year-old student on contract for the summer in their office. That call led to a word of mouth campaign that made everyone want to see it, Handling said.</p> <p>Squeezed in between film screenings and attending other film festivals around the globe, Handling told his fellow graduates that he and his partner, Federica, recently travelled to Europe to help as unattached volunteers in Syrian refugee camps along the Greek-Macedonian border.</p> <p>“We were in two camps and the experience was in a word: humbling,” he said. More than 250,000 people have been killed in the Syrian conflict and five million more have fled “travelling towards the beacon of Europe.</p> <p>“We’ve both been processing our experience since our return. They were living in appalling conditions... but their spirit and resilience were truly uplifting.”</p> <p>Many of their fellow volunteers were “people of your age, people like you.” And although the problems of the world seem insurmountable, like the current refugee crisis, “collectively, the volunteers were making a difference. The camps couldn’t survive with them.”</p> <p>The world in 2016 is an unsettled place that’s under extreme pressure and it’s easy to be overwhelmed and want to block everything out. But that uncertainty shouldn’t be something that frightens you, you should embrace it, he said.</p> <p>“You do not know your own power. Start believing in it... We need the best parts of you,” Handling said. “You have received a privileged education. What you make of that experience will mark this country and quite possibly the planet.”</p> <p><em>Piers Handling spoke at the 10 a.m. ceremony for graduands from the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management and School of Graduate Studies. A video of his speech is available on U of T’s </em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/universitytoronto"><em>YouTube channel</em></a><em>.</em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><iframe allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bBSYjnrEswA" width="560"></iframe></p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Tue, 14 Jun 2016 14:24:36 +0000 lavende4 14244 at #UofTGrad16: Degrassi co-creator Linda Schuyler /news/uoftgrad16-degrassi-co-creator-linda-schuyler <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">#UofTGrad16: Degrassi co-creator Linda Schuyler</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>lavende4</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2016-06-14T10:12:03-04:00" title="Tuesday, June 14, 2016 - 10:12" class="datetime">Tue, 06/14/2016 - 10:12</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Degrassi producer Linda Schuyler received an honourary degree June 14</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/jennifer-robinson" hreflang="en">Jennifer Robinson</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Jennifer Robinson</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/city-culture" hreflang="en">City &amp; Culture</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation" hreflang="en">Convocation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation-2016" hreflang="en">Convocation 2016</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Acclaimed Canadian TV producer <a href="http://www.convocation.utoronto.ca/linda-schuyler">Linda Schuyler</a> could slow down, if she wanted to.</p> <p>There are literally thousands of hours of the teenage touchstone <em>Degrassi</em> in the can, prestigious awards line her office (a Peabody, multiple Emmys and Geminis and so on) and now the franchise — in its fifth iteration — has made the jump from traditional TV to the binge-watching mecca of Netflix.</p> <p>But no, the woman who gave superstar Drake his first big break has decided to take up music herself.</p> <p>“I’m loving it,” says the former school teacher, who says her piano teacher –&nbsp;U of T music grad <strong>Charleen Beard&nbsp;–</strong> is planning to do a PhD in music focused on adult learners and “I’m her star pupil!”&nbsp;she says with tongue firmly planted in cheek.</p> <p>Today, the Ƶ is recognizing Schuyler with a Doctor of Laws, <em>honoris causa </em>at the convocation ceremony for her <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-Ku48ujjJQ">alma mater</a> Innis College, where she graduated with a BA more than four decades ago.</p> <p>“You think I had the option to say no?” she says with a laugh when asked why she decided to accept the degree. “Obviously, just getting the honorary doctorate itself is definitely very exciting” but the fact it’s with fellow Innis students makes it super special, she added.</p> <p>It was Innis that drew her to U of T in the 1970s because it was one of the few places that offered students the chance to take classes in film studies.</p> <p>“It was very of its time. It was a very alternative college,” where students would relax on the carpeted floor covered in throw cushions and watch films on a 16mm projector. “There were great discussions.”</p> <p>Her time at Innis, fused with her time in the classroom, ultimately led to <em>Degrassi</em>, which is an unusual success story — and not just for Canadian television.</p> <p>It’s 36-years-old this year but somehow still passes convincingly as 14 as it explores the trials and tribulations of teenagers that continue to resound with generations of young people around the world.</p> <p>Perhaps, it could only have started here. It’s very Canadianess — the fact it isn’t glossy and Hollywood, that it uses real kids playing their real ages and controversial issues aren’t shied away from or tidily dealt with — could be the key. It’s the anti-<em>Saved by the Bell</em>.</p> <p>“It’s absolutely a mystery, eh?” Schuyler jokes when asked for the secret to the <em>Degrassi </em>longevity. “I think when you say frank storytelling; it’s not just frank it’s also as authentic as possible to the teenage experience.”</p> <p>In 2011, when <em>Degrassi</em> won the prestigious Peabody Award, Schuyler and her team were lauded for an episode arc about a transgender teen that “neither trivializes nor over dramatizes its subject.”</p> <p>“I was really touched by that,” she says, adding the stories and issues they explore are never “a ratings grab” or talk down to young people as “you’re just going through a phase.”</p> <p>And how they approach an issue has changed over time to reflect societal changes. “Our stories should reflect the times,” she says. An example is how the <em>Degrassi</em> universe has evolved when it comes to LGBTQ characters.</p> <p>In 1986, Snake’s older brother confides in him that he’s gay and Snake doesn’t know how to deal with it, explains Schuyler. The parents even reject their son. Fast forward to 2003, this time viewers watched as a main character named Marco learns to accept, embrace and explore his sexuality over time. “It was a process for him.” But in 2015, three or four main characters start their first day in Grade 9 on the show “totally out and totally cool” about it.</p> <p>But along with the heavier issues was a lot of fun. <em>Clerks</em> director Kevin Smith is a self-confessed super fan of the shows, as is <em>Girls</em> creator and star Lena Dunham and celebrity gossip maven Perez Hilton. <em>Degrassi</em> is so well-known, it even gets name-dropped on <em>The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon</em>.</p> <p>And when Drake drops in an interview with <em>W </em>that he was “kicked off” <em>Degrassi</em> because of his music, well, people sit up and take notice.</p> <p>“He graduated. His character graduated!” says Schuyler when teasingly asked about it. “I don’t know how that story started.”</p> <p>But things are cool with Drake — he’ll always be Aubrey Graham to me, she says, adding the last time she saw him he gave her a big bear hug.</p> <p>Schuyler certainly knows how to spot talent.</p> <p>When they first auditioned Drake... er, Aubrey... for the role of <em>Degrassi </em>basketball player Jimmy Brooks, his charisma was just overwhelming. His acting chops, well not so much because he didn’t really have any at the time, she says.</p> <p>“But the camera loved him. He was just so charismatic.”</p> <p>And mention the name Joey Jeremiah, Snake or Wheels and women (and men) of a certain age will still swoon to this day even though <em>Degrassi High</em> ended its run in 1991.</p> <p>“We auditioned so many kids for that role,” says Schuyler about the fedora-wearing jokester and wannabe musician Joey. “Pat Mastroianni was the first one — and we just looked at each other and knew.”</p> <p><em>Linda Schuyler addressed&nbsp;the 10 a.m. ceremony for graduands from Innis College and Trinity College. A video of Schuyler's&nbsp;speech will be available on U of T’s </em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/universitytoronto"><em>YouTube channel</em></a><em> following the event.</em></p> <p><img alt="photo of Professor Janet Paterson, Linda Schuyler and Judy Goldring" class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__1239 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" src="/sites/default/files/2016-06-14-schulyer-paterson-goldring.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 501px; margin: 10px;" typeof="foaf:Image"></p> <p><em style="line-height: 20.8px;">(Above: Professor&nbsp;<strong>Janet Paterson</strong>,&nbsp;Schuyler and Governing Council Chair&nbsp;<strong>Judy Goldring</strong>/&nbsp;photo by Steve Frost)&nbsp;</em></p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Tue, 14 Jun 2016 14:12:03 +0000 lavende4 14238 at #UofTGrad16: Engineering students put the "U" in U of Toronto /news/uoftgrad16-engineering-students-put-u-toronto <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">#UofTGrad16: Engineering students put the "U" in U of Toronto</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>lavende4</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2016-06-14T09:05:23-04:00" title="Tuesday, June 14, 2016 - 09:05" class="datetime">Tue, 06/14/2016 - 09:05</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">U-Haul: Members of U of T Engineering’s Blue &amp; Gold Committee and Outreach Office on their way to Nathan Phillips Square (Kyle Coulter, U of T Engineering photo)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/arthur-kaptainis" hreflang="en">Arthur Kaptainis</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Arthur Kaptainis</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/city-culture" hreflang="en">City &amp; Culture</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation" hreflang="en">Convocation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation-2016" hreflang="en">Convocation 2016</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/engineering" hreflang="en">Engineering</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The order came in on June 3. The photo shoot of the TORONTO sign in Nathan Phillips Square was scheduled for June 8.</p> <p>No problem for the Blue &amp; Gold Committee.</p> <p>“I don’t think that either of us were every really concerned about being able to complete the project on time, or even had thoughts about not taking it on,” <strong>Joshua Calafato</strong>, co-chair with <strong>Ozan Coskun</strong> of a volunteer organization of&nbsp; Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering students who make it their business to make things – and make things happen.</p> <p>“As engineering students, we aren’t strangers to hard work and short timelines, and the desire to help our community is much stronger than our worries about the difficulties of finishing a task.”</p> <p>The task in this case was to construct a big “U” and lower-case “of” to stand to the left of the TORONTO sign, which was illuminated partly in U of T blue for a day as the City of Toronto recognized&nbsp;the university and its 2016 graduates.</p> <h2><a href="/news/uoftgrad16-six-reasons-why-grads-love-toronto">Why U of T grads love Toronto</a><br> &nbsp;</h2> <p>There were some complications. Coskun, a mechanical engineering student who was in charge of design, was visiting family in Istanbul. Not that the distance posed much of a problem in the Internet age. The main issue was coordinating working with waking hours.</p> <p>Using Solidworks software, he was able to design letters of appropriate dimensions and font and sent the plans across the Atlantic, where Calafato, an engineering science student with a major in electrical engineering, had assembled a team of eight volunteers who were good with their hands.</p> <p>“We were able to finish construction in about four hours, and painted them in an hour,” Calafato said. “All in all, we finished working just before midnight Tuesday night.”</p> <p>The plywood and other materials came from Home Depot but the work was done in the Blue &amp; Gold Room. True to engineering ideals, this space adjacent to the “pit” in the Sanford Fleming Building is outfitted as a woodworking shop rather than a conventional meeting space.</p> <p>“We don’t get paid, and our involvement is totally driven by passion,” Coskun said. “We signed up for this role knowing that such tight timelines can occur.”</p> <p>According to Calafato&nbsp;(who, like Coskun, has just finished his third year) the volunteer workers did not hesitate. Who could refuse an offer to give senior classmates and other graduates a fitting send-off?</p> <p>“The best part about this build was seeing our peers come together,” Calafato added.</p> <p>And what now happens to the Big U? It is an impressive letter, six feet high and four-and-a-half feet wide. The handsome font is Azo Sans Bold.</p> <p>“The fate of the U is unfortunately the same as all of our builds, mostly recycling,” Coskun&nbsp;said. “We usually salvage any useful materials, like metals or big chunks of wood. However, we keep tons of photos which let us remember what we have accomplished.”</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Tue, 14 Jun 2016 13:05:23 +0000 lavende4 14249 at #UofTGrad16: Rotman valedictorians reflect /news/uoftgrad16-rotman-valedictorians-reflect <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">#UofTGrad16: Rotman valedictorians reflect</span> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>lavende4</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2016-06-13T14:24:03-04:00" title="Monday, June 13, 2016 - 14:24" class="datetime">Mon, 06/13/2016 - 14:24</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Rotman graduands at Convocation Hall: “There are so many possibilities out there” (Johnny Guatto photo. Other photos by Stephen Watt)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/stephen-watt" hreflang="en">Stephen Watt</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Stephen Watt</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation" hreflang="en">Convocation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation-2016" hreflang="en">Convocation 2016</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/rotman-school-management" hreflang="en">Rotman School of Management</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>On Monday, June 13, graduates of the Rotman School of Management Master of Finance, PhD, Full-Time MBA, EMBAs and Morning/Evening MBA programs took the stage at Convocation Hall to receive their degrees. Rotman’s <strong>Stephen Watt</strong> asked the MBA and MFA class valedictorians about this special day.</p> <h1><a href="http://www.rotman.utoronto.ca/Connect/AlumniNetwork/Convocation2016/ValedictorianProfiles">Read more about the Rotman valedictorians</a></h1> <hr> <h2><strong>Krishna Ruthnum: Valedictorian to the full-time MBA Class of 2016</strong></h2> <p><img alt class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__1231 img__view_mode__media_large attr__format__media_large" height="453" src="/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/krishna%20ruthnum.jpg?itok=qiazPukr" typeof="foaf:Image" width="680" loading="lazy"></p> <p><strong>Q: What does it mean to be chosen as the valedictorian of the graduating class of the Rotman Full-Time MBA?</strong></p> <p>A: It’s quite an honour. It’s a reflection of the relationships I’ve been able to develop as a student in the program. I consider it the greatest achievement I could walk away with after my two years here at Rotman.</p> <p><strong>Q: And yet you won’t actually be convocating until the Fall, later this year. Tell us why.</strong></p> <p>A: Earlier this year, I faced a medical challenge that required me to take a temporary step back from my studies. Around December, I started getting headaches and I went to the hospital and I was diagnosed with a brain tumour. The tumour was at the base of my skull, which is a challenging area to access.</p> <p>Fortunately, Toronto is a world leader in brain surgery. I underwent surgery on March 1 and the growth was benign. Needless to say, I was not able to maintain a full course load in the winter, and I’m finishing my semester right now. That means I won’t be graduating with the rest of the class. Which is funny, because I'm still the valedictorian.</p> <p><strong>Q: What did the experience teach you?</strong></p> <p>A: One of the outcomes was a sharper clarity about myself. I realized that, before this experience, I was a very driven and motivated person, focused on success in everything I did. For example, I graduated Summa Cum Laude in my undergraduate. I wrote and passed all three CFA exams while working. I had a good job with Export Development Canada.</p> <p>What I’ve learned over the past few months is that I didn’t always place as much value as I should on relationships that I had with people, with friends and family. Coming out of surgery, I realized that those relationships were most important to me. They’re one of the things that helped carry me through a difficult period in my life.</p> <p>In my valedictorian speech at Convocation. I talk about community, and how important it is to surround yourself with good people who care about your well-being. And trust that they’ll take care of you.&nbsp;Back when I was working, when I was Mr. Ambition, I often found myself battling with anxiety and stress. While I still have the same goals and drive, I don’t allow myself to worry as much.</p> <p>The approach I took to dealing with my tumour is how I intend to approach the rest of my life. Not worrying about things that are out of my control. It’s a message I’d like to share. Surround yourself with the best people, and trust that things will work out for the best.</p> <hr> <h2><strong>William Scott – Valedictorian to the morning MBA Class of 2016</strong></h2> <h2><img alt class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__1230 img__view_mode__media_large attr__format__media_large" height="453" src="/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/william%20scott.JPG?itok=l6kaYSE2" typeof="foaf:Image" width="680" loading="lazy"></h2> <p><strong>Q: What does it mean to be chosen as the valedictorian of the graduating class of the Morning MBA?</strong></p> <p>A: It’s an elected position, which means it’s entirely determined by students. That’s what makes it so meaningful. To be chosen by my peers to represent the class is a real honour, and I’m grateful for it.</p> <p><strong>Q: Why do you think you were chosen?</strong></p> <p>A: Because it’s a three-year program, you have plenty of opportunities to really get to know your class, and build close relationships. There's a bonding experience when timelines are tight and the pressure is on and everyone wants to do well. We’re all going through the same thing in terms of balancing school, work and our personal lives, and we have to rely on each other to succeed. Certainly that’s been my experience. Being chosen valedictorian was in some sense a testament of all the terrific friendships I’ve made along the way.</p> <p><strong>Q: What is driving you when you're going through the program?</strong></p> <p>A: What motivated me, personally, was looking around at my workplace and seeing that many of my colleagues had advanced degrees. It was about being able to compete and be considered a valued team member. I was competing against my industry, rather than my classmates.</p> <p><strong>Q: Work-life balance comes up a lot when we talk about MBA programs for working professionals. What did you learn in terms of time management?</strong></p> <p>A: Time management skills are essentially prioritization skills. You have to know what to pursue and what to ignore, and be disciplined about it. You have to learn to become effective and efficient: you can't be pulling all-nighters when you have to go to work the next day. You need to learn when to walk away from things, and be effective and efficient with both your professional life and your MBA life.</p> <p>You have to learn to become effective and efficient: you can't be pulling all-nighters when you have to go to work the next day.</p> <p>There are other advantages that you can only get from a comprehensive MBA program. I learned how to work with teams, and how to build trust. These are soft skills but they’re also leadership skills, and they’re essential to succeed in business.</p> <hr> <h2><strong>Jingqi Guo – Valedictorian to the evening MBA Class of 2016</strong></h2> <p><img alt class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__1232 img__view_mode__media_large attr__format__media_large" height="453" src="/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/jingqi%20guo.jpg?itok=-MYRRE3T" typeof="foaf:Image" width="680" loading="lazy"></p> <p><strong>Q: Is there anything you’ll miss about the program?</strong></p> <p>A: I'm going to miss my class. We are a very experienced group of people, from a range of industries and backgrounds. Because the class was so diverse, I gained a lot of mentors along the way.</p> <p>Our class was all about solving problems. Typically the professors would teach a concept or theory, and someone would raise their hand and say, “I understand that, but this is what happens at my firm.” The other people in class would jump in and share their insights. It’s a very unique, live-case approach to understanding business.</p> <p><strong>Q: How was the diversity of the class helpful to you?</strong></p> <p>A: Many problems are universal. But because of the nature of their particular job or industry, people solve problems in a very particular way. Through the MBA program, you learn to take on more perspectives when facing a challenge, and combining those yields better results.</p> <p>The curriculum is designed to be very well-rounded. It was never an accounting problem, a finance problem or a marketing problem. It was always a business problem. The faculty was really helpful in leading you through the different perspectives.</p> <p><strong>Q: Did you experience any breakthroughs at work, based on what you learned in class?</strong></p> <p>A: Definitely. There was a time when one of my fellow students came to the class with an IT challenge that had him stumped, even though he was quite experienced and had analyzed the issue from every angle. We started asking him questions. “How do you select your team? What’s your process?” We figured out there was a key step where he chose people at a different time he chose his approach and they weren’t aligned.</p> <p>The world is so big, and there were so many possibilities out there, I wanted to learn more and see more.</p> <p>I came to Rotman for a sample lecture and looked at the diversity of the class and how people were learning, and really liked it. I wanted the broader perspective. To learn a new way to think.</p> <p><strong>Q: How has it paid off for you?</strong></p> <p>A: I came out of the program very different from how I started. I have a better idea of what I want to do in life. I’ve gained new perspectives on myself and on how to think about the world around me. I've grown and my world is bigger.</p> <hr> <h2><strong>Morgan Pampe – Valedictorian to the MFin Class of 2016</strong></h2> <p><img alt class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__1233 img__view_mode__media_large attr__format__media_large" height="453" src="/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/Morgan%20Pampe.Jpeg?itok=n6kCSoDO" typeof="foaf:Image" width="680" loading="lazy"></p> <p><strong>Q: How does it feel to be finally done?</strong></p> <p>A: I miss coming back to Rotman because I made so many great friends here.</p> <p>Something people don’t appreciate or understand about the Master of Finance is the closeness of the friendships you form here. Because the program is so intensive, you end up spending a lot of your free time at the School, working on challenges together. It’s like when you’re younger and you're doing everything together at the cabin, or going on a canoe trip. I really enjoyed that aspect, because I was a camper and I like that idea of closely bonding with people.</p> <p><strong>Q: Aside from the friendships you made, what's the biggest take away from your experience?</strong></p> <p>A: I couldn’t imagine how smart the professors would be. I'd learn something in, let's say, <strong>John Hull</strong>'s or <strong>Peter Christoffersen</strong>'s class, and the next day I would be doing it at work and showing people. They'd be, like, “That's good. We've never done that before. Keep doing that.” So I got to see in real time how worthwhile the program is.</p> <p>Coming out as a graduate, you feel confident in talking to anybody about their job or their line of business. And if you don’t understand it, you know how to find out.</p> <p><strong>Q: Any MFin experience that stands out in your mind?</strong></p> <p>A: Right at the beginning of the program, me and three guys from my class entered into a case competition in Vancouver. We put a lot of work into it, which is great, because that’s how you get to know people. Those three guys are still very good friends of mine.</p> <p><strong>Q: What comes next in your career?</strong></p> <p>A: For most people in the program, the question is whether to go on the institutional or the asset management side. Right now, I work for an asset manager. Before that, I worked on the trading side of the market. But what I love about the MFin program is it shows how you can work with both sides. It moves you to a place where you can solve problems, and look for win-win situations. It’s about improving outcomes for the end consumer, for the general public. And making business work better for everyone.</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Mon, 13 Jun 2016 18:24:03 +0000 lavende4 14243 at