Black Grad / en In photos: Student-run Black Grad event celebrates community, culture and excellence /news/photos-student-run-black-grad-event-celebrates-community-culture-and-excellence <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">In photos: Student-run Black Grad event celebrates community, culture and excellence </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/2024-06/2024-06-01-Black-Grad_Polina-Teif-16-crop.jpg?h=74895109&amp;itok=V70JkJzB 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2024-06/2024-06-01-Black-Grad_Polina-Teif-16-crop.jpg?h=74895109&amp;itok=dnJIQRWX 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2024-06/2024-06-01-Black-Grad_Polina-Teif-16-crop.jpg?h=74895109&amp;itok=lRxipAmj 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/2024-06/2024-06-01-Black-Grad_Polina-Teif-16-crop.jpg?h=74895109&amp;itok=V70JkJzB" alt="A full house at Hart House during the Black Grad ceremony"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>davidlee</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-06-24T12:47:24-04:00" title="Monday, June 24, 2024 - 12:47" class="datetime">Mon, 06/24/2024 - 12:47</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"><p><em>Graduating students and recent graduates from across the three campuses sit in Hart House’s Great Hall during the student-run Black Grad celebration, organized annually by U of T's Black Student Association (all photos by Polina Teif)</em></p> </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/adina-bresge" hreflang="en">Adina Bresge</a></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-2024" hreflang="en">Convocation 2024</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/black-grad" hreflang="en">Black Grad</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/hart-house" hreflang="en">Hart House</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/st-george" hreflang="en">St. George</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">U of T Mississauga</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-scarborough" hreflang="en">U of T Scarborough</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">"Your success is not just personal, but a beacon of hope and inspiration for future generations"</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Peals of applause reverberated through Hart House’s Great Hall as dozens of graduates and graduating students at the Ƶ took to the stage at the Black Student Association’s annual Black Grad celebration, which brings together U of T community members from across the three campuses.</p> <p>Taking a page from their U.S. peers, students at U of T began organizing Black Grad celebrations in 2017 as a way to honour students’ resilience, diversity and academic accomplishments.</p> <p><em>U of T News</em> writer <strong>Adina Bresge</strong> and interactive digital producer <strong>Polina Teif</strong> captured the celebration earlier this month:</p> <hr> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-06/2024-06-01-Black-Grad_Polina-Teif-8-crop.jpg?itok=VfWTt2k4" width="750" height="500" alt="students are seen waiting anxiously and excitedly during the Black grad ceremony" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>(photo by Polina Teif)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>Rows of graduates and graduating students waited to be called to the stage, where each was congratulated by ambassadors from across U of T’s three campuses.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-06/2024-06-01-Black-Grad_Polina-Teif-9-crop.jpg?itok=XfbrpTCE" width="750" height="500" alt="Doyin Adeyemi speaks at the podium during the ceremony" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>(photo by Polina Teif)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Doyin Adeyemi</strong>, president of U of T's Black Students' Association and head of the 2024 Black Grad Planning Committee, said she was honoured to be in a room filled with such Black excellence, acknowledging the challenges her fellow graduates had faced to reach this milestone.</p> <p>“Your success is not just personal, but a beacon of hope and inspiration for future generations,” Adeyemi said.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-06/2024-06-01-Black-Grad_Polina-Teif-3-crop.jpg?itok=6LpSFLuB" width="750" height="500" alt="Meshach Homer poses with his mother in the Hart House quad" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>(photo by Polina Teif)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Meshach Homer </strong>said the significance of the occasion hit him as soon as he donned his kente stole.</p> <p>“When I got here and I saw so many Black people like me, it just feels like we've achieved something so great,” says Homer, who was graduating with an honours bachelor of arts degree from the Institute of Communication, Culture, Information and Technology at U of T Mississauga.</p> <p>He says the milestone was all the more special because he was sharing it with his mother, who flew in from Trinidad to see the son she’d raised as a single parent graduate from one of the world’s top universities.</p> <p>“It’s a big thing to see me happy for all that I have achieved and all that she has achieved raising me the way I am.”</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-06/2024-06-01-Black-Grad_Polina-Teif-29-crop.jpg?itok=anerZpP8" width="750" height="500" alt="Graduands embrace in the Hart House quad following the ceremony" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>(photo by Polina Teif)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>After the proceedings, graduates reunited with friends and family at a reception for hugs, photos and food.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-06/2024-06-01-Black-Grad_Polina-Teif-21-crop.jpg?itok=-0-jUl2P" width="750" height="500" alt="Hannah Flores performs during the Black Grad ceremony" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>(photo by Polina Teif)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Hannah Flores</strong>, a spoken word poet, scientist and life sciences student at New College in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science, performed a piece dedicated to “the only Black student in the room.”&nbsp;</p> <p>In keeping with the 2024 theme, “Legacy in Motion: Passing the Baton of Excellence,” the student-run event’s speakers and performers recognized the rich tradition of Black community, culture, and excellence and reminded graduates of their role in carrying forward that mission of empowerment.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-06/2024-06-01-Black-Grad_Polina-Teif-26-crop.jpg?itok=jlrEJ1DF" width="750" height="500" alt="A group photo of the class of 2'24" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>(photo by Polina Teif)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>Dozens of graduates gathered in the Hart House courtyard for a Class of 2024 portrait.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-center"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_750_width_/public/2024-06/2024-06-01-Black-Grad_Polina-Teif-34-crop.jpg?itok=lZxKggKu" width="750" height="500" alt="Naomi Tekle Kiros poses for a photo in the Hart House quad following the Black Grad ceremony" class="image-style-scale-image-750-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>(photo by Polina Teif)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p><strong>Naomi Tekle Kiros</strong> said attending Black Grad felt like the culmination of a dream she’s been working toward since Grade 8.&nbsp;</p> <p>“I felt that I was truly honoured and rewarded for what I've accomplished at this campus,” said Kiros, who is graduating with an honours bachelor of arts degree with a double major in sociology and critical studies in equity and solidarity.&nbsp;</p> <p>Wearing the stole provided by the organizers, a traditional Ethiopian kemis and gold headpiece, Kiros said she was overwhelmed by the sense of fellowship and community permeating the hall and wanted her outfit to highlight how her heritage has shaped her vision for the future and plans to go to law school.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</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> Mon, 24 Jun 2024 16:47:24 +0000 davidlee 308255 at With smiles and stoles, student-run event celebrates U of T's Black graduates /news/smiles-and-stoles-student-run-event-celebrates-u-t-s-black-graduates <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">With smiles and stoles, student-run event celebrates U of T's Black graduates</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/DSC02962-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=WHx7O-Oq 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/DSC02962-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=VICWI9ZN 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/DSC02962-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=mQvPemsD 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/DSC02962-crop.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=WHx7O-Oq" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>geoff.vendeville</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2022-07-04T10:15:29-04:00" title="Monday, July 4, 2022 - 10:15" class="datetime">Mon, 07/04/2022 - 10:15</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">Black graduates recognized one another's achievements at a student-led event held at Hart House following U of T's spring convocation ceremonies (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)</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/geoffrey-vendeville" hreflang="en">Geoffrey Vendeville</a></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/black-grad" hreflang="en">Black Grad</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/graduate-stories" hreflang="en">Graduate Stories</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/alumni" hreflang="en">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/black-students" hreflang="en">Black 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/hart-house" hreflang="en">Hart House</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/st-george" hreflang="en">St. George</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/st-michael-s-college" hreflang="en">St. Michael's College</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">U of T Mississauga</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-scarborough" hreflang="en">U of T Scarborough</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/undergraduate-students" hreflang="en">Undergraduate Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/victoria-university" hreflang="en">Victoria University</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/women-and-gender-studies" hreflang="en">Women and Gender Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>“Understand that your presence here, and what you achieved here, is monumental and that cannot be denied.”</p> <p>The words of&nbsp;<strong>Adriana Williams</strong>, president of the Ƶ's Black Students' Association (BSA), echoed&nbsp;through Hart House’s Great Hall, where dozens of Black U of T students who graduated earlier this spring gathered recently&nbsp;to celebrate their achievements.</p> <p>Students at U of T began <a href="/news/uoftgrad17-u-t-s-black-graduation-first-its-kind-canada">organizing Black Grad celebrations in 2017</a>&nbsp;and over the years the events have been held on the St. George and U of T Mississauga&nbsp;campuses, as well as <a href="/news/triumph-and-resilience-u-t-s-black-graduates-celebrated-virtual-black-grad-event">virtually&nbsp;during the pandemic</a>.</p> <p>The theme of this year's student-run celebration was&nbsp;“trials and tribulations.” It was meant to underscore&nbsp;challenges each student overcame to earn their degree – both as Black students and as students navigating university during a pandemic.</p> <p>The event itself marked a triumph over difficulties since it was the first in-person celebration in two years due to COVID-19.&nbsp;“I feel the biggest thing about this entire ceremony is it's a really good example of overcoming adversity, which is something our community does all the time,” Williams told <em>U of T News</em>.</p> <p>“Post-secondary was never created with people of colour – let alone Black people – at all,” said Williams, who graduated this spring with a degree in linguistics, history and African studies as a member of St. Michael's College.&nbsp;“I feel like the Black student experience in general is just very unique, so I think it's imperative that we highlight what we've done here.”</p> <p><em>U of T News</em> senior reporter and associate editor <strong>Geoffrey Vendeville</strong> captured the following images of this year’s event:</p> <hr> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img alt="&quot;&quot;" src="/sites/default/files/DSC02579-crop.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px;"></p> <p><em>(Photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)</em></p> <p>Students greet each other and chat in a room at Hart House before entering the Great Hall.&nbsp;</p> <p><img alt="&quot;&quot;" src="/sites/default/files/DSC02633-crop.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px;"></p> <p><em>(Photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)</em></p> <p><strong>Ranie Ahmed</strong>, <strong>Marwa Al Waeal </strong>and&nbsp;<strong>D'Onna Alexander&nbsp;</strong>wait to enter the student-run celebration of Black graduates.</p> <p>Asked how she coped with difficulties over the past two years,<strong>&nbsp;</strong>Alexander (right), a psychology, sociology and women and gender studies student at U of T Scarborough, answered with a single word: “Community.”&nbsp;&nbsp;She added: “I feel like I wouldn't have been able to do it alone.”</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img alt="&quot;&quot;" src="/sites/default/files/DSC02837-crop.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px;"></p> <p><em>(Photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)</em></p> <p>Graduate <strong>Isaiah Kidane</strong> walks off stage after being called&nbsp;for a moment of recognition.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img alt="&quot;&quot;" src="/sites/default/files/rhonda-mcewan-crop.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px;"></p> <p><em>(Photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)</em></p> <p>Professor<strong> Rhonda McEwen</strong>, who recently began her term as president and vice-chancellor of Victoria University in the Ƶ, has attended every Black Grad since <a href="http://www.thestar.com/yourtoronto/education/2017/06/19/university-of-toronto-gets-ready-for-first-ever-black-graduation-ceremony.html">the event's inception at U of T in 2017</a>.&nbsp;“There’s something about seeing each other in person and being surrounded by others who maybe had a similar experience to you,” she said.&nbsp;“For students who have been in the minority to feel a majority – and to feel surrounded by people who went through the same thing as you –&nbsp;is special.”</p> <p>At the event, McEwen draped stoles around students’ necks along with&nbsp;<strong>Betty Walters</strong>, a program adviser in the department of management at U of T Scarborough, and&nbsp;<strong>Marieme Lo</strong>, an associate professor of women and gender studies and African studies in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img alt="&quot;&quot;" src="/sites/default/files/DSC02894-crop.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px;"></p> <p><em>(Photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)</em></p> <p>The event, which students watched in person and online, featured a keynote speech by <strong>Francis Atta</strong>, a social worker, motivational speaker and U of T alumnus,&nbsp;and performances by singers and U of T students <strong>Bijoux Mulali</strong>, <strong>Precious Umogbai</strong> and <strong>Petra Alfred</strong>.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><span id="cke_bm_18886S" style="display: none;">&nbsp;</span><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/musa.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>(Photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)</em></p> <p>Musa Hersi, nephew of graduate Ranie Ahmed, plays on a ramp outside Hart House.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img alt="&quot;&quot;" src="/sites/default/files/DSC02908-crop.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px;"></p> <p><em>(Photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)</em></p> <p><strong>Elvin Kaunda</strong>, who graduated with a bachelor's degree in architecture, and <strong>Massoma Kisob</strong>, who majored in global health, chat in the Hart House quad.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img alt="&quot;&quot;" src="/sites/default/files/DSC02915-crop.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px;"></p> <p><em>(Photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)</em></p> <p>This was the sixth year in a row that&nbsp;Black students across the university's three campuses hosted Black Graduation, <a href="https://reporter.mcgill.ca/black-grad-celebrates-accomplishment-and-resilience/">a tradition that got its start in the U.S. and&nbsp;appears to have caught on at other Canadian universities</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img alt="&quot;&quot;" src="/sites/default/files/DSC03145-crpo.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px;"></p> <p><em>(Photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)</em></p> <p><strong>Carae Henry </strong>(second from left) graduated from U of T Mississauga with a degree in criminology, sociology and gender studies.</p> <p>Her family – brother Daniel, mom Carol and dad Peter – celebrated two other graduations this summer. Daniel finished high school and her mom, <strong>Carol Henry</strong>, earned her PhD after earning an undergraduate degree at U of T in 1995.&nbsp;“It was wonderful to see,” Carol said of the event, “because certainly when I came here, I felt a little out of place. It's great to see that Carae has taken her place and the university is celebrating Black students.”</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> Mon, 04 Jul 2022 14:15:29 +0000 geoff.vendeville 175420 at In a challenging year, U of T students inspire hope for the future /news/challenging-year-u-t-students-inspire-hope-future <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">In a challenging year, U of T students inspire hope for the future</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/2023-04/students-who-inspire-composite.jpeg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=QKzOuOUz 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2023-04/students-who-inspire-composite.jpeg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=_K4Y4qtJ 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2023-04/students-who-inspire-composite.jpeg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=FP-O-3qs 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/2023-04/students-who-inspire-composite.jpeg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=QKzOuOUz" alt="A composite image of several U of T students."> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>geoff.vendeville</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2021-12-20T15:54:50-05:00" title="Monday, December 20, 2021 - 15:54" class="datetime">Mon, 12/20/2021 - 15:54</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/geoffrey-vendeville" hreflang="en">Geoffrey Vendeville</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/mariam-matti" hreflang="en">Mariam Matti</a></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/temerty-faculty-medicine" hreflang="en">Temerty Faculty of Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/black-grad" hreflang="en">Black Grad</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/alumni" hreflang="en">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/black" hreflang="en">Black</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-applied-science-engineering" hreflang="en">Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering</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/faculty-kinesiology-physical-education" hreflang="en">Faculty of Kinesiology &amp; Physical Education</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/graduate-students" hreflang="en">Graduate Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/indigenous" hreflang="en">Indigenous</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/leslie-dan-faculty-pharmacy" hreflang="en">Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/new-college" hreflang="en">New College</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/st-george" hreflang="en">St. George</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">U of T Mississauga</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-scarborough" hreflang="en">U of T Scarborough</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/undergraduate-students" hreflang="en">Undergraduate Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/victoria-college" hreflang="en">Victoria College</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/woodsworth-college" hreflang="en">Woodsworth College</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>For the second year in a row, Ƶ students met unforeseen challenges as the world continued to grapple with the ups and downs of the&nbsp;pandemic.</p> <p>More than 21,000 students earned their degrees and many more marked significant academic and personal milestones. Still others played a part in helping Canada respond to the pandemic and work toward a brighter future.</p> <p>Among the many accomplisments: scaling Olympic heights in Japan, volunteering at vaccination clinics, advocating for reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and taking steps to address climate change.</p> <p><em>U of T News</em> took a look back at the many students left us feeling inspired this year.&nbsp;</p> <hr> <h3><a href="/news/your-marks-get-set-students-staff-and-alumni-head-tokyo-olympics">The students who competed on world athletics’ highest stage</a></h3> <div class="image-with-caption left"> <div><img alt src="/sites/default/files/2023-04/UofT17695_jill_26032019_presidentsreception-5419-crop.jpeg" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><img alt src="/sites/default/files/2023-04/2021-07-09-Olympic-Students-%2814%29-crop.jpeg" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><em>Kylie Masse and Lucia Stafford</em></div> </div> <p><strong>Kylie Masse</strong>, who graduated from the Faculty of Kinesiology &amp; Physical Education this year, ascended the Olympic podium three times this summer, capturing <a href="/news/nail-biting-final-kylie-masse-takes-silver-100-metre-backstroke-tokyo-games">silver in the 100-m</a> and 200-m backstroke, and bronze in the 4x100-m team relay.&nbsp;</p> <p><a href="https://news.engineering.utoronto.ca/friends-and-family-u-of-ts-lucia-stafford-to-share-track-with-big-sister-in-olympic-debut/"><strong>Lucia Stafford</strong></a>, who also reached the academic finish line this year by graduating with a degree in civil engineering, joined her sister and fellow U of T alumna <strong>Gabriela DeBues-Stafford</strong> at the Olympics in the 1,500-metre race. In her Olympic debut, Lucia recorded a personal best of 4:02.12, a fraction off the time needed to join her sister in the final (Gabriela finished fifth with a time of 3:58.93.)&nbsp;</p> <p>The Stafford sisters were among <a href="/news/your-marks-get-set-students-staff-and-alumni-head-tokyo-olympics">more than a dozen U of T students, staff and alumni</a>&nbsp;who represented Canada at the Summer Games.&nbsp;</p> <h3><a href="/news/don-t-be-shy-ask-lots-questions-gloria-williams-returned-u-t-after-40-years-earn-degree">The student whose lifelong passion for learning led her back to U of T four decades later</a></h3> <div class="image-with-caption left"> <div><img alt src="/sites/default/files/2023-04/IMG_0042-square.jpeg" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><em>Gloria Williams (photo<br> courtesy of Williams)</em></div> </div> <p><strong>Gloria Williams</strong> is living proof it’s never too late to pursue one’s ambitions.&nbsp;</p> <p>After a 40-year hiatus from U of T and a career as a nurse, she returned to the university to earn a bachelor’s in sociology, with minors in Caribbean studies and political science.&nbsp;</p> <p>“It was not the path most people take,” said Williams, a member of Woodsworth College. “But I am over the moon to be graduating.”</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3><a href="/news/u-t-medical-student-nicole-mfoafo-m-carthy-named-rhodes-scholar">The Oxford-bound medical student researching improvements to long-term care</a></h3> <div class="image-with-caption left"> <div><img alt src="/sites/default/files/2023-04/Nicole-Mfoafo-M%27Carthy_story-crop.jpeg" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><em>Nicole Mfoafo M'Carthy&nbsp;<br> (photo courtesy of M'Carthy)</em></div> </div> <p><strong>Nicole Mfoafo-M’Carthy</strong>, in her second year of medical school, was named one of 11 Canadian Rhodes Scholars this year.&nbsp;</p> <p>At U of T, she worked on a qualitative assessment of moral injury – the cognitive and emotional response after events that go against a person’s own moral code – in long-term care workers. One aspect of the project is looking at how people working in long-term care experienced the pandemic, and what could have been done to better support them.</p> <p>At the University of Oxford, she plans to pursue her interest in the intersection of health and policy.</p> <h3><a href="/news/only-16-u-t-grad-vivian-xie-big-fan-learning-long-it-s-fun">U of T’s youngest graduate in decades</a></h3> <div class="image-with-caption left"> <div><img alt src="/sites/default/files/2023-04/vivian-crop.jpeg" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><em>Vivian Xie (photo<br> courtesy of Xie)</em></div> </div> <p>At 16, <strong>Vivian (Qiao) Xie</strong> is the youngest to graduate from U of T’s Faculty of Arts &amp; Science, U of T Scarborough or U of T Mississauga since at least 1979.&nbsp;</p> <p>She’s already doing her master’s degree in applied immunology and hopes to finish her PhD by the time she’s 22. Xie credits her grandmother – a retired teacher – for inspiring her love of learning and curiosity when she was a young child in Shanghai.&nbsp;</p> <p>Her goals for the future include working in academia or in the biotech industry.&nbsp;</p> <h3><a href="/news/we-back-poet-and-u-t-student-hannah-flores-welcomes-fans-raptors-season-opener">The student who stole the show at the Raptors’ season opener&nbsp;</a></h3> <div class="image-with-caption left"> <div><img alt src="/sites/default/files/2023-04/hannah-flores-crop-small.jpeg" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><em>Hannah Flores (photo<br> courtesy of Flores)</em></div> </div> <p>As a lifelong Toronto Raptors fan, is there anything more exciting than your poem being&nbsp;selected for the team’s season-opener ceremony?&nbsp;</p> <p>It was a dream come true for <strong>Hannah Flores</strong>. The spoken-word poet and life sciences and New College student in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science starred in a video made for the Raptors pre-game ceremony, welcoming fans back to Scotiabank Arena for the first time in 600 days.&nbsp;</p> <p>Flores said her poem, “We Back,” is about how the Raptors unite people across the country.&nbsp;</p> <h3><a href="/news/pharmacy-students-u-t-play-key-role-covid-19-vaccine-rollout">The students who played a key role in Ontario’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout&nbsp;</a></h3> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-left"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/2023-04/Untitled-1-crop.jpeg" width="306" height="150" alt="Kari Griffore, Hazra Chowdhury and Katarina Pessina"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Kari Griffore, Hazra Chowdhury and Katarina Pessina (photos courtesy of students)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>U of T’s Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy students played a critical role in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout this year, taking on preparation and injection roles in hospitals and pop-up clinics.&nbsp;</p> <p>Beyond administrating vaccines, students <strong>Kari Griffore</strong>, <strong>Hazra Chowdhury</strong> and <strong>Katarina Pessina</strong>, provided support by answering patient questions, offering evidence-based advice and congratulating people on receiving a dose.</p> <p>Over the past year, U of T students alongside faculty and staff helped run pop-up vaccination clinics in Toronto’s COVID-19 hot spots.&nbsp;</p> <h3><a href="/news/toronto-s-first-student-run-black-hackathon-goes-global">The&nbsp;Black student-run hackathon that went global</a></h3> <div class="image-with-caption left"> <div><img alt src="/sites/default/files/2023-04/Alana-Bailey_crop_0.jpeg" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><em>Alana Bailey&nbsp;(photo<br> courtesy of Bailey)</em></div> </div> <p>From its humble beginnings within the Greater Toronto Area to having participants join from across North America, the Caribbean and Asia, a Black student-run hackathon made big strides this year.&nbsp;</p> <p>In February, the National Society of Black Engineers’ (NSBE) U of T chapter hosted a global and virtual hackathon that attracted as many as 300 high school and university students. The participants had 24 hours to code, design, build, network and learn from mentors at the event.&nbsp;</p> <p>Founded three years ago by U of T computer science alumni <strong>Kyra Stephen</strong> and <strong>Temisan Iwere</strong>, as well as Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering alumna <strong>Ayan Gedleh</strong>, the yearly event aims to equalize the footing of Black and other racialized students in STEM subjects.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Alana Bailey</strong>, a student in U of T’s Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering who is president of the NSBE and one of the hackathon’s lead organizers, said Black-facilitated events are important because of the limited opportunities afforded to Black students in STEM.&nbsp;</p> <h3><a href="/news/u-t-student-team-among-23-winners-elon-musk-s-xprize-carbon-removal-competition">The engineering team that won $250,000 in an Elon Musk competition&nbsp;</a></h3> <div> <div class="image-with0caption left"> <div class="image-with-caption left"><img alt src="/sites/default/files/2023-04/XPRIZE-Team-Photo-crop-small.jpeg" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><em>Shijie Liu, Yi<br> (Sheldon) Xu and Celine Xiao&nbsp;(photo by Yong Zhao)</em></div> </div> </div> <p>A U of T engineering team was among the winners in Elon Musk’s student XPRIZE carbon removal competition this year.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Celine Xiao</strong> and <strong>Shijie Liu</strong> are members of team E-quester, which secured $250,000 in seed funding for developing a strategy to capture and store carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere.&nbsp;</p> <p>The team is now preparing for the next phase of the competition that could see up to 15 teams secure $1 million each. They’ll also have a shot at the $50 million grand prize.&nbsp;</p> <h3><a href="/news/focus-indigenous-issues-riley-yesno-makes-impact-u-t-and-beyond">The Indigenous student who spoke out for Canada’s ‘reconciliation generation’&nbsp;</a></h3> <div class="image-with-caption left"> <div><img alt src="/sites/default/files/2023-04/IMG_8932-v3-crop.jpeg" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><em>Riley Yesno (photo courtesy of<br> esno)</em></div> </div> <p><strong>Riley Yesno</strong> graduated with a long list of accomplishments that went well beyond the classroom.&nbsp;</p> <p>As a U of T student, she delivered a speech in the House of Commons about&nbsp;missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, participated in 100 panels, workshops and conferences, and began writing a book titled <em>The Reconciliation Generation</em>.&nbsp;</p> <p>She became&nbsp;the first Indigenous member of her family to graduate from university in the spring, receiving a bachelor’s degree in Indigenous studies and political science.&nbsp;</p> <p>Yesno continues to be politically active and there are no signs of her slowing down. She’s now a PhD student in the department of political science.</p> <h3><a href="/news/triumph-and-resilience-u-t-s-black-graduates-celebrated-virtual-black-grad-event">The students behind this year’s Black Grad ceremony&nbsp;</a></h3> <div class="image-with-caption left"> <div><img alt src="/sites/default/files/2023-04/IMG_4616-squarep.jpeg" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><em>Cindy Njoki Kamau and<br> Debora Oresajo (photo by<br> Folasade Debora Oresajo)</em></div> </div> <p>In the spring, packages that included a kente cloth adorned with the words “Black Grad” and “Class of 2021”&nbsp;were sent to students in Toronto and beyond.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>The delivery was part of the festivities related to this year’s Black Grad ceremony, which was held online in June and celebrated the accomplishments of more than 60 graduates&nbsp;in subjects ranging from human biology to law.</p> <p>“The 2021 Black graduating class has overcome racialized adversity in the classroom and more broadly on campus,” said <strong>Cindy Njoki Kamau</strong>, lead organizer of the event and then-president of the Black Students’ Association, at the ceremony.</p> <p>“What is even more astonishing is that, despite these barriers, this set of graduates has also managed to reach an important milestone while navigating the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, a challenge that cannot be understated.”</p> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <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> Mon, 20 Dec 2021 20:54:50 +0000 geoff.vendeville 301221 at Triumph and resilience: U of T’s Black graduates celebrated at virtual Black Grad event /news/triumph-and-resilience-u-t-s-black-graduates-celebrated-virtual-black-grad-event <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Triumph and resilience: U of T’s Black graduates celebrated at virtual Black Grad event</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/2023-04/black-grad.jpeg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=grVV5KDH 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2023-04/black-grad.jpeg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=ywgoV-vD 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2023-04/black-grad.jpeg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=Hcr1S80b 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/2023-04/black-grad.jpeg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=grVV5KDH" alt="Black grads"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2021-06-30T12:51:52-04:00" title="Wednesday, June 30, 2021 - 12:51" class="datetime">Wed, 06/30/2021 - 12:51</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"><p>More than 60 Black grads were celebrated at this year’s student-run Black Graduation event, which was held virtually due to the pandemic (photo courtesy of Cindy Njoki Kamau)</p> </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/geoffrey-vendeville" hreflang="en">Geoffrey Vendeville</a></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/black-grad" hreflang="en">Black Grad</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/black-graduation" hreflang="en">Black Graduation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/african-studies" hreflang="en">African Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-law" hreflang="en">Faculty of Law</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-music" hreflang="en">Faculty of Music</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/st-george" hreflang="en">St. George</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">U of T Mississauga</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-scarborough" hreflang="en">U of T Scarborough</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/women-and-gender-studies" hreflang="en">Women and Gender Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Wearing a stole that read “Black Grad Class of 2021” around his neck, <b>Stephane Martin Demers</b> took a deep breath and put his fingers to the piano keys.</p> <p>The recent graduate of the Ƶ’s Faculty of Music opened the fifth annual Black Graduation event this week with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dRAYQOD-TQ"><i>Sonata in E Minor</i></a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dRAYQOD-TQ"> by Florence Price</a>, the first African American female composer whose work was performed by a major symphony.</p> <p>Martin Demers says he chose to play the sonata at the student-run celebration, which took place virtually June 26, because it’s reminiscent of African American spirituals, with emotional peaks and valleys.</p> <p>“I think the form that it takes is crucial to the message that the ceremony is trying to convey or deliver,” Martin Demers said after the event. “The ceremony is about triumph, overcoming struggles, hardship and resilience in the Black community – all the difficulties that have come our way that we’ve had to surmount.”</p> <p>Martin Demers, who will be attending law school at York University in the fall, was one of the more than 60 Black undergraduate students in programs ranging from human biology to law whose accomplishments were celebrated at this year’s Black Grad. &nbsp;</p> <p>Counting friends, family and Black faculty and staff, the online event attracted more than 150 people. Appearing in front of a background of white and gold balloons and streamers, organizer <b>Cindy Njoki Kamau</b> said resilience was an obvious theme for this year’s ceremony.</p> <p>“The 2021 Black graduating class has overcome racialized adversity in the classroom and more broadly on campus,” she said.</p> <p>“What is even more astonishing is that, despite these barriers, this set of graduates has also managed to reach an important milestone while navigating the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, a challenge that cannot be understated.”</p> <p>In Kamau’s case, the closure of international borders due to the pandemic made it impossible to see her family in Kenya. Her mom Muthoni, who tuned into the ceremony from a time zone seven hours ahead, texted her daughter during the event – but Kamau tried not to read her messages to avoid becoming too emotional.</p> <p>Kamau took the opportunity to thank Black faculty and staff for their advice, mentorship and help with networking.</p> <p>“Thank you for being a positive representation of Black bodies belonging in academia along with being mentors, friends and, to some, parental figures to our students graduating today,” she said.</p> <p><b>Marieme Lo</b>, an associate professor of women and gender studies and the director of the African studies program, congratulated students and led a rollcall of graduates from each of U of T’s three campuses.</p> <p>Keynote speaker Randell Adjei, Ontario’s first poet laureate, picked up on the theme of resilience in his address. He encouraged graduates to look for the “seed of opportunity” in adversity. “A seed has the potential to turn into just about anything,” he said.</p> <p>He closed with a reading of his piece, “The Dash,” which focuses on living life to the fullest in the space between the dates on one’s gravestone. “When your time comes and your soul is sent, what will the dash on your tombstone represent?” he said.</p> <p><b>Rebecca Barclay Nguinambaye</b>, a graduate of the Faculty of Law who will be articling at a firm in Vancouver, watched the ceremony from B.C. with her parents. Barclay Nguinambaye, the only Black law student in this year’s graduating class, was one of the co-founders of <a href="https://bfl.law.utoronto.ca/">Black Future Lawyers</a>, a collaboration between the Faculty of Law, Black Law Students Association, Black alumni and the broader legal profession that aims to support Black undergraduates aspiring to go to law school. “The administration has been good to work with, and they have really been working on it,” Barclay Nguinambaye said.</p> <p>Although representation of Black students is improving in key fields through initiatives like Black Future Lawyers and similar programs at other faculties, Barclay Nguinambaye says it was sometimes easy to forget there were other Black students on U of T’s vast campus.</p> <p>“Sometimes you feel like you’re carrying the torch for everyone,” she said. “It’s just really affirming to see there are Black students in so many faculties and areas of study – even in artificial intelligence.</p> <p>“We’re making our way all over the place and lifting each other up.”</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</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, 30 Jun 2021 16:51:52 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 301284 at Reflection and celebration: June events mark Pride, Indigenous history and convocation /news/reflection-and-celebration-june-events-mark-pride-indigenous-history-and-convocation <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Reflection and celebration: June events mark Pride, Indigenous history and convocation</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/2023-04/june-events-v2.jpeg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=G2d-EZRY 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2023-04/june-events-v2.jpeg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=UCdeWnzr 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2023-04/june-events-v2.jpeg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=3GL1WZYU 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/2023-04/june-events-v2.jpeg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=G2d-EZRY" alt="Canadian and pride flags"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>rahul.kalvapalle</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2021-06-01T13:10:32-04:00" title="Tuesday, June 1, 2021 - 13:10" class="datetime">Tue, 06/01/2021 - 13:10</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"><p>Flags fly at half-mast in remembrance of the 215 children who died at a former B.C. residential school; dancing is on the agenda at a June 19 virtual pow wow; U of T's virtual convocation airs on June 23 (photos by Makeda Marc-Ali, Hannah James &amp; UTSC)</p> </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/rahul-kalvapalle" hreflang="en">Rahul Kalvapalle</a></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-2021" hreflang="en">Convocation 2021</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/icube" hreflang="en">ICUBE</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/black-grad" hreflang="en">Black Grad</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/accessibility" hreflang="en">Accessibility</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/entrepreneneurship" hreflang="en">Entrepreneneurship</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/indigenous" hreflang="en">Indigenous</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/lgbtq" hreflang="en">LGBTQ</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/pride" hreflang="en">Pride</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/sexual-gender-diversity-office" hreflang="en">Sexual &amp; Gender Diversity Office</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">U of T Mississauga</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-scarborough" hreflang="en">U of T Scarborough</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>June is among the most eventful months at the Ƶ,&nbsp;with&nbsp;myriad opportunities for students, faculty and staff to express solidarity, build awareness and celebrate life-changing educational milestones.</p> <p>U of T's virtual spring convocation takes place on June 23 this year. It&nbsp;will be book-ended by events that promote inclusion of people with disabilities and celebrate and advocate for LGBTQ+ communities. The month is also a time when the history, heritage and contributions of Indigenous Peoples are commemorated through National Indigenous History Month as well as National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21.</p> <p>This year, with events being reinvented and moved to virtual spaces, there are more opportunities than ever to participate in some of the most important and highly anticipated&nbsp;events of the year.</p> <p>Here’s a snapshot of&nbsp;the notable events taking place virtually across U of T in June:</p> <hr> <h3>May 31 – June 4</h3> <p><strong>National AccessAbility Week: Reframing Disability, Embracing Difference</strong></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="vertical-align:baseline"><a href="https://hrandequity.utoronto.ca/news/national-accessability-week-reframing-disability-embracing-difference/">Each day from May 31 to June 4</a>, the AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians With Disabilities) Office in U of T’s Division of Human Resources &amp; Equity, as well as its partners, will host events and discussions aimed at commemorating the contributions of Canadians with disabilities, celebrating those working to foster greater inclusion&nbsp;and inspiring action on accessibility.</span></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="vertical-align:baseline">From inclusive curriculum design to accessibility in health-care settings and peer support networks for university employees with disabilities, the National AccessAbility Week sessions will explore a number of ways to eliminate barriers to accessibility, reframe disability and elevate intentional inclusivity.</span></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="vertical-align:baseline">All events will feature American Sign Language and live captions.</span></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> <h3 class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom: 11px;"><span style="vertical-align:baseline">June 1</span></h3> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px"><strong>Pride and Trans Flag Raising</strong></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="vertical-align:baseline">The first day of June sees U of T kick off Pride month with the official raising of the Pride and Trans Flag at virtual events hosted by all three campuses – the first of a <a href="https://sgdo.utoronto.ca/events/pride/">broad range of virtual events</a> celebrating diverse LGBTQ+ communities.</span></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="vertical-align:baseline">By raising these flags, the U of T community signals its commitment to representation and inclusion of LGBTQ+ across the university. </span></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="vertical-align:baseline"><a href="https://utoronto.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIvdeCgrTgrG9N0oD0Fp3KcshmbUopgQMAc">U of T Mississauga’s virtual flag raising ceremony</a> will include remarks from Vice-President and Principal <strong>Alexandra Gillespie</strong> and a talk by Professor&nbsp;<strong>Elspeth Brown</strong> on the history of LGBTQ+ communities in Mississauga. <a href="https://utsc.utoronto.ca/news-events/our-community/u-t-scarborough-celebrates-pride-month">U of T Scarborough’s flag-raising</a> will kick off a month of Pride events around the theme of “Love is Here,” which seeks to embrace a diversity of sexualities and ethnicities while&nbsp;celebrating our differences.</span></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> <h3 class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom: 11px;"><span style="vertical-align:baseline">June 3</span></h3> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="vertical-align:baseline"><b>Annual Rainbow Tie Celebration: Moving Forward Together&nbsp;</b>&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="vertical-align:baseline">U of T Scarborough’s Positive Space Committee invites you to connect with the campus’s vibrant LGBTQ+ community at the <a href="https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_yuaFBsboTHuhPDwYNqCUjw">Annual Rainbow Tie Celebration: Moving Forward Together</a>. </span></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="vertical-align:baseline">The virtual celebration will include a number of special guests including <em>Canada’s Drag Race</em> winner Priyanka, musician, writer and artist Vivek Shraya, comedian Monica Garrido and writer/performer Heath Salazar. </span></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> <h3 class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom: 11px;"><span style="vertical-align:baseline">June 16&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></h3> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px"><strong>U of T Pride Pitch<span style="vertical-align:baseline">&nbsp;</span></strong></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="vertical-align:baseline">LGBTQ+ students and entrepreneurs can showcase their innovative business ideas and potentially share in&nbsp;$5,000 in prizes at the <a href="https://icubeutm.ca/pridepitch/">second annual U of T Pride Pitch</a>.</span></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="vertical-align:baseline">Organized by U of T Mississauga’s Positive Space Committee in partnership with the ICUBE accelerator program, U of T Pride Pitch will also feature a keynote from Martha Chaves, a Nicaraguan-Canadian and LGBTQ comedian, actor, activist and playwright.</span></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> <h3 style="margin-bottom: 11px;">June 17</h3> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><b>Display Your Pride</b></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Use colours, creativity and your personal flair to <a href="https://positivespace.utoronto.ca/event/display-your-pride/">showcase what your Pride looks like at the annual “Display Your Pride” event</a> organized by U of T’s Positive Space Campaign.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Whether it’s decorating your room, office or student space, creating a piece of art or designing a virtual background, this is your chance to visually celebrate Pride and support LGBTQ-affirming spaces on all three campuses – and share your creation with the world using the #DisplayYourPride hashtag.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">If you’re looking for inspiration, ideas and tips on how to create physical or virtual crafts, you can take part in a trio of sessions ahead of the event:</p> <ul> <li style="margin-bottom: 11px;">Zoom Pride Backgrounds – June 8, 3 p.m.</li> <li style="margin-bottom: 11px;">Hand crafts – June 11, 11 a.m.</li> <li style="margin-bottom: 11px;">Macrame – June 14, 2 p.m.</li> </ul> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">This is the seventh consecutive year that U of T’s Positive Space Campaign will participate in “Display Your Pride” alongside Ryerson University, York University, Humber College and OCAD University.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> <h3 class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom: 11px;"><span style="vertical-align:baseline">June 19-27</span></h3> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px"><strong>Virtual Pride &amp; Remembrance Run<span style="vertical-align:baseline">&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></strong></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="vertical-align:baseline">For the past 25 years, the Pride &amp; Remembrance Run has raised funds for organizations providing cultural programming and health and wellness support for the LGBTQ+ community. </span></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="vertical-align:baseline"><a href="https://www.priderun.org/">This year’s Virtual Pride &amp; Remembrance Run</a> will be held virtually from June 19 to June 27, with U of T staff able to register to take part in the interactive virtual run as part of a university team led by the Sexual &amp; Gender Diversity Office and team captain <b>Mark Seymour</b>. </span></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> <h3 class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom: 11px;"><span style="vertical-align:baseline">June 19</span></h3> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px"><strong>Honouring our Students Pow Wow</strong></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px"><a href="https://issupowwow.wixsite.com/my-site">The Indigenous Studies Students' Union will be hosting this virtual pow wow</a> on June 19, an event that will include&nbsp;dancing, drumming, teachings, contests, giveaways and more.&nbsp;</p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px">Held on the YouTube Premieres platform, the fifth annual Honouring Our Students Pow Wow will feature head dancers John Hupfield and Cedar Smoke, special guests and Elders.&nbsp;</p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> <h3 class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom: 11px;">June 21</h3> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px"><strong>National Indigenous Peoples Day</strong></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px">The city of Toronto is planning a <a href="https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/accessibility-human-rights/indigenous-affairs-office/indigenous-events-awards/">virtual celebration of National Indigenous Peoples Day</a>, which recognizes the cultural significance of&nbsp;First Nations, Inuit and Métis.&nbsp;Details to come.</p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> <h3 style="margin-bottom: 11px;">June 22</h3> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><b>U of T Pride Concert featuring Jeremy Dutcher</b></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">Take in a special live-streamed concert by Juno Award-winning singer-songwriter Jeremy Dutcher, a classically trained operatic tenor and composer whose music is deeply influenced by his roots in the Wolastoq&nbsp;First Nation. His debut album “Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa” involved rearranging wax cylinder field recordings from his community dating back to the early 1900s.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">In addition to showcasing his distinct musical style, Dutcher will also engage with the audience through a live Q&amp;A.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">The concert will be preceded by an opening performance by Nenookasi, an afro-Indigenous two-spirit queer wife, mother of three and artist-activist who draws on music and mixed media for the causes of Black, Indigenous, and 2SLGBTQI+ rights.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><a href="http://public.eve.utoronto.ca/events/1651">The event&nbsp;–&nbsp;hosted by U of T’s Sexual &amp; Gender Diversity Office, Hart House, First Nations House, Office of Indigenous Initiatives and the U of T Mississauga Indigenous Centre&nbsp;–&nbsp;takes place from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on June 22.</a> Registration is free.</p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">&nbsp;</p> <h3>June 23</h3> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="vertical-align:baseline"><b>Convocation</b></span></p> <p>Celebrate the hard work and accomplishments of U of T’s Class of 2021! This year’s virtual&nbsp;<a href="/convocation">spring convocation ceremony will air&nbsp;on June 23 at 12 p.m.</a>&nbsp;<a href="/news/mixing-novelty-and-tradition-u-t-gears-virtual-convocation-spring">More than 15,500 students from 105 different countries</a> will have their degrees conferred <em>in absentia</em>, with parchments mailed out around the world.&nbsp;</p> <p>Graduating students can showcase their pride by renting optional gowns and hoods, while friends and family can purchase grad gifts at the <a href="https://uoftbookstore.com/shop_main.asp?catalog_group_id=MTU5&amp;catalog_group_name=R3JhZHVhdGlvbg">U of T Bookstore</a>. Customized Zoom backgrounds, GIPHY stickers and Instagram activities are also available to use for everyone tuning into the celebrations. Use the hashtag&nbsp;<strong>#UofTGrad21</strong> to share your moments on social media.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>June 24</h3> <p><strong>Indigenous Toronto: Stories that Carry this Place</strong></p> <p>A <a href="https://communityevents.td.com/en/event/852">panel discussion hosted by the Toronto Public Library</a> will bring together contributors to the newly released book, <em>Indigenous Toronto: Stories that Carry this Place</em>, an anthology that explores the impact of Indigenous cultural continuity and settler colonialism on Toronto.</p> <p>Panelists, who will include Chef Johl Whiteduck, visual artist Philip Cote, author and playwright Drew Hayden Taylor and creative director Denise Bolduc, will share their perspectives on how&nbsp;12,000 years of continued Indigenous presence and nationhood.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>June 26</h3> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="vertical-align:baseline"><b>Black Grad celebration</b></span></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="vertical-align:baseline">U of T’s Black graduating students will be honoured and recognized&nbsp;at the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/blackgraduoft">fifth annual tri-campus Black Graduation</a>&nbsp;event. The student-run celebration is hosted by the U of T Black Students’ Association and takes place at 12 p.m. on June 26. </span></p> <p class="paragraph" style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="vertical-align:baseline">Due to overwhelming interest, two extra rounds of registration were added for students keen to take part in Black Grad 2021, with the final round ending on June 10.&nbsp;Students who register by the deadline will receive a Kente stole to showcase pride in their identities&nbsp;and academic accomplishments.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px">&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> Tue, 01 Jun 2021 17:10:32 +0000 rahul.kalvapalle 301377 at Seven transformational things that happened at U of T over the past decade /news/seven-transformational-things-happened-u-t-over-past-decade <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Seven transformational things that happened at U of T over the past decade</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/GettyImages-545132770.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=VuBJYASQ 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/GettyImages-545132770.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=K_Pzf3X9 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/GettyImages-545132770.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=jywI7TA2 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/GettyImages-545132770.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=VuBJYASQ" alt="Aerial view of U of T downtown campus bathed in a rosy glow from the sun rising"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>rahul.kalvapalle</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2019-12-20T16:19:44-05:00" title="Friday, December 20, 2019 - 16:19" class="datetime">Fri, 12/20/2019 - 16:19</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 Wei Fang via Getty Images)</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/rahul-kalvapalle" hreflang="en">Rahul Kalvapalle</a></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/indigenous-initiatives" hreflang="en">Indigenous Initiatives</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/schwartz-reisman-innovation-centre" hreflang="en">Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/schwartz-reisman-institute-technology-and-society" hreflang="en">Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/myhal-centre-engineering-innovation-entrepreneurship" hreflang="en">Myhal Centre for Engineering Innovation &amp; Entrepreneurship</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/black-grad" hreflang="en">Black Grad</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/school-cities" hreflang="en">School of Cities</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/artificial-intelligence" hreflang="en">Artificial Intelligence</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/boundless" hreflang="en">Boundless</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/creative-destruction-lab" hreflang="en">Creative Destruction Lab</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/department-computer-science-innovation-lab" hreflang="en">Department of Computer Science Innovation Lab</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/entrepreneurship" hreflang="en">Entrepreneurship</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/entrepreneurship-hatchery" hreflang="en">Entrepreneurship Hatchery</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/factor-inwentash-faculty-social-work" hreflang="en">Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-applied-science-engineering" hreflang="en">Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering</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/health-innovation-hub" hreflang="en">Health Innovation Hub</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/impact-centre" hreflang="en">Impact Centre</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/indigenous" hreflang="en">Indigenous</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/landmark" hreflang="en">Landmark</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/lester-b-pearson-international-scholarship" hreflang="en">Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/meric-gertler" hreflang="en">Meric Gertler</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/onramp" hreflang="en">ONRamp</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/research-innovation" hreflang="en">Research &amp; Innovation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/research-and-innovation" hreflang="en">Research and Innovation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/rotman-school-management" hreflang="en">Rotman School of Management</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/sustainability" hreflang="en">Sustainability</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/toronto-pan-am-sports-centre" hreflang="en">Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/truth-and-reconciliation" hreflang="en">Truth and Reconciliation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">U of T Mississauga</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-scarborough" hreflang="en">U of T Scarborough</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/utest" hreflang="en">UTEST</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/vector-institute" hreflang="en">Vector Institute</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>As we prepare to usher in a new decade, <em>U of T News</em> is looking back at some of the defining and impactful things that happened at the Ƶ over the past 10 years.</p> <p>The U of T community has left an indelible mark on the 2010s by making groundbreaking achievements in artificial intelligence, taking strides toward Indigenous reconciliation and promoting sustainability throughout its operations – to name just a few. Many of these initiatives have set in motion ideas and actions that will pave the way for the university’s success for decades to come.</p> <p>Here’s a list&nbsp;– admittedly a non-exhaustive one&nbsp;–&nbsp;of transformational things that happened at U of T over the past 10 years:</p> <hr> <h3>Campus Transformation</h3> <p><strong>​<img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/2018-04-27-CIE_0_0.jpg" alt></strong></p> <p><em>The Myhal Centre for Innovation &amp; Entrepreneurship on the St. George campus&nbsp;(photo by Lisa Sakulensky)</em></p> <p>The past decade has seen U of T complete numerous construction and renovation projects as it continues to grow its campuses, expand the facilities available to students, faculty and staff,&nbsp;and lay the groundwork for more ambitious campus-building projects to come.</p> <p>To take one, high profile example: The Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering last year opened the <a href="/news/u-t-engineering-opens-myhal-centre-engineering-innovation-entrepreneurship">Myhal Centre for Innovation &amp; Entrepreneurship</a>, a building designed to foster multi-disciplinary partnerships, experiential learning and entrepreneurship opportunities. Named after alumnus&nbsp;<strong>George Myhal&nbsp;</strong>and his wife Rayla, the building features technology-enhanced active learning rooms, dedicated space for student clubs and state-of-the-art fabrication facilities for design projects.</p> <p>U of T also laid the groundwork for the Landmark Project, <a href="/news/u-t-landmark-project-make-st-george-campus-s-historic-core-greener-more-walkable-and-accessible">a major initiative to revitalize the historic core of the St. George campus</a> and enhance sustainability and accessibility.&nbsp;The project will feature the expansion of pedestrian-friendly areas around King’s College Circle, Hart House Circle and Tower Road, and will replace parking spots for cars with green spaces, granite paths&nbsp;and an underground parking garage.&nbsp;</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/UofT11508_20160412_Landmark_MedSciPlaza_001.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>The Landmark Project will make the historic centre of St. George campus more pedestrian-friendly and add new green space (rendering courtesy of Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates Inc.)</em></p> <p>The St. George campus is also the proposed site of <a href="/news/u-t-build-academic-wood-tower-downtown-toronto-campus">a 14-storey building&nbsp;constructed from engineered wood</a>, which is prized as an innovative building material due its low carbon footprint, structural integrity, fire-resistant properties and aesthetic appeal. <a href="/news/new-u-t-building-create-cultural-and-intellectual-gateway-between-university-and-city">Another landmark building is proposed for 90 Queen's Park Crescent</a>, providing a home to U of T's School of Cities as well as numerous departments from the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science.</p> <p>At U of T Mississauga, it’s been a similarly eventful decade for campus-building.&nbsp;In 2011, the campus unveiled the&nbsp;<a href="/news/new-health-sciences-complex-opens-u-t-mississauga">Terrence Donnelly Health Sciences Complex</a>.&nbsp;In August, U of T Mississauga&nbsp;acknowledged the Indigenous history of the land, the future of the campus and the university’s commitment to reconciliation by&nbsp;<a href="/news/maanjiwe-nendamowinan-u-t-mississauga-s-newest-building-honours-past-looks-future">revealing&nbsp;the name of its newest building</a>: Maanjiwe nendamowinan. Sitting on the site the former North Building, Maanjiwe nendamowinan&nbsp;is home to humanities and social sciences&nbsp;and features a six-storey atrium and event space, as well as 40,000 square feet of new classroom space that’s outfitted with cutting-edge technology and hundreds of new study spaces.&nbsp;</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/UofT19612_UTM-Maanjiwe-nendamowinan-13.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>Maanjiwe nendamowinan&nbsp;at U of T Mississauga boasts&nbsp;40,000 square feet of new classroom space that’s outfitted with cutting-edge technology&nbsp;(photo by&nbsp;Drew Lesiuczok)</em></p> <p>At U of T Scarborough, national-level athletes, Varsity competitors and intramural sports participants alike can all take advantage of the state-of-the-art facilities on offer at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre.&nbsp;<a href="/news/welcome-toronto-pan-am-sports-centre">After opening to the public in 2014</a>, the facility hosted several competitions during the 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games. It is now home to numerous national sport organizations and high-performance centres, while also offering&nbsp;U of T Scarborough students top-notch fitness and wellness facilities.</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/GettyImages-454961636.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>Wheelchair basketball players practise inside the Toronto PanAm Sports Centre (photo by Bernard Weil/Toronto Star via Getty Images)</em></p> <p>U of T Scarborough <a href="https://utsc.utoronto.ca/news-events/our-community/five-things-you-need-know-about-utscs-newest-building">also opened the new Highland Hall building</a>, creating a striking new gateway to the campus in addition to doubling the amount of space dedicated to students and adding faculty and administration space. And it&nbsp;<a href="/news/wisdom-tettey-walks-ctv-news-through-valley-land-trail-u-t-scarborough">unveiled the 500-metre Valley Land Trail</a>, which was designed to offer accessibility and year-long enjoyment of the ravine abutting the campus.</p> <p>Finally, the university recently&nbsp;completed comprehensive&nbsp;<a href="/news/wow-factor-nearly-half-u-t-research-space-revitalized-sweeping-project">renovations of research labs</a>&nbsp;across its three campuses. Driven by nearly $190 million in funding from the university, province and federal government, the upgrades&nbsp;increased the amount of space available for research activities, improved electrical and internet connectivity and will create utility savings and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.</p> <hr> <h3>Sustainability and climate action</h3> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/UofT15285_1026_UTSC009_0.jpg" alt><span style="color: rgb(72, 86, 103); font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic;"></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(72, 86, 103); font-family: &quot;Open Sans&quot;, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic;">The rooftop garden at U of T Scarborough (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</span></p> <p>Sustainability has been a central theme of U of T’s efforts to revitalize and expand its three campuses.</p> <p>One of the most ambitious initiatives is the&nbsp;planned installation of a massive geo-exchange field beneath Front Campus. The&nbsp;project, <a href="/news/u-t-accelerates-emissions-reduction-efforts-new-low-carbon-action-plan">part of&nbsp;U of T’s Low Carbon Action Plan</a>, will see boreholes drilled deep into the ground to allow for storage of surplus heat. It is projected to yield annual greenhouse gas reductions of 15,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2024.</p> <p>Sustainable design is also a hallmark of U of T Mississauga’s Maanjiwe nendamowinan, which has a&nbsp;20,000-gallon rainwater re-use system, energy-efficient mechanical systems, green roof spaces and a green-cleaning initiative, and&nbsp;U of T Scarborough’s Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre, which boasts&nbsp;eco-friendly features including 1,854 rooftop solar panels and underground cisterns to collect rainwater.</p> <p>Physical projects aside, the university has also taken steps to <a href="/news/agent-change-u-t-moves-forward-plan-be-sustainability-leader">incorporate sustainability into all levels of academia</a> including working on developing curriculum&nbsp;pathways&nbsp;for sustainability-minded undergraduate students across the university.</p> <p>At an institutional level, U of T has played a leadership role by engaging with the challenges posed by climate change on the world stage. In 2018, U of T joined 12 other leading research universities in North America to form the University Climate Change Coalition, which aims to mobilize resources, expand research partnerships and leverage expertise to help businesses, cities and regions implement research-driven climate solutions.</p> <p>This year,&nbsp;President&nbsp;<strong>Meric Gertler </strong>attended the inaugural U7+ Alliance in Paris, <a href="/news/obligation-fill-vacuum-u-t-president-meric-gertler-leads-climate-change-discussion-paris-summit">where he briefed French President Emmanuel Macron on the alliance's commitment to sustainability</a>. U of T has also hosted numerous speeches, conferences and symposia to further dialogue on climate change.</p> <hr> <h3>Artificial intelligence</h3> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/UofT14364_20170706_GeoffreyHinton_001-crop.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>U of T University Professor Emeritus Ƶ has been described as the “godfather of deep learning”&nbsp;(photo by Johnny Guatto)</em></p> <p>Many predict that artificial intelligence is poised to revolutionize everything from transportation to medicine&nbsp;– and some of the most exciting work is taking place at&nbsp;U of T thanks to pioneers like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.provost.utoronto.ca/awards-funding/university-professors/">University Professor</a>&nbsp;Emeritus&nbsp;<strong>Ƶ</strong>, a Turing Award-winner&nbsp;who is known as the&nbsp;“godfather of deep learning.”</p> <p>In bid to build upon its early lead in the field, U of T partnered with government and industry to&nbsp;launch the Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence in 2017 and is now attracting several&nbsp;of the most promising AI researchers from around&nbsp;world.&nbsp;Toronto, in turn, is benefiting from the arrival of global tech companies keen to establish an AI footprint in the city. For example,&nbsp;Google, Uber, Samsung and NVIDIA have all established or expanded&nbsp;AI labs in Toronto that are headed by U of T researchers.</p> <p>U of T is also addressing AI through a multi-disciplinary lens following the launch of the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society. Set to be housed in the new Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre, the institute&nbsp;<a href="/news/gillian-hadfield-appointed-inaugural-director-u-t-s-schwartz-reisman-institute-technology">leverages U of T's unique strengths across a wide range of fields</a>&nbsp;to explore&nbsp;the role of humanities, social sciences, public policy and law in a rapidly changing technology landscape.&nbsp;</p> <hr> <hr> <h3>A global, inclusive student experience</h3> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/UofT13319_20170622_UofTFirstBlackGraduation_002-crop.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>Students at U of T were the first in Canada to organize a Black Grad event in 2017 (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)</em></p> <p>By embracing diversity and expanding its international presence, U of T over the past decade has continued to further its reputation as an inclusive institution with a truly global outlook.</p> <p>U of T’s student body has played a proactive role in this regard. For example, in 2017, U of T students organized Black Grad, <a href="/news/uoftgrad17-u-t-s-black-graduation-first-its-kind-canada">Canada’s first ever graduation celebration for Black students</a>. Black Grad has since gone on to become one of the most highly anticipated convocation-related events on the calendar. After two years of being held at Hart House on the St. George campus, Black Grad 2019 was hosted at U of T Mississauga in June and&nbsp;organizers say the first Black Grad of the new decade could be held at U of T Scarborough.</p> <p>The year 2017 also saw the launch of the Lester B. Pearson International Student Scholarship, which brings some of the most talented and driven students from around the world to U of T. The <a href="/news/world-comes-u-t-meet-year-s-pearson-scholars">2019 cohort</a> comprised 36 students drawn from 27 countries.</p> <p>U of T has also continued to expand its international footprint by way of research agreements with academic and industry partners around the world. Meanwhile, the university’s&nbsp;commitment to equity and diversity has also been formalized in the&nbsp;<a href="/news/u-t-releases-new-strategic-research-plan">Institutional Strategic Research Plan</a>, which aims to ensure an inclusive environment and increase the presence of marginalized groups such as Indigenous Peoples, racialized persons, LGBTQ individuals and persons with disabilities.</p> <hr> <h3>Truth and Reconciliation</h3> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/UofT70411_087A4788.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>Skahendowaneh Swamp, a chair of Indigenous knowledge at the Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies at Trent University, is flanked by U of T President Meric Gertler (right) and Kelly Hannah-Moffat, vice-president of human resources and equity&nbsp;(photo by Lisa Lightbourn)</em></p> <p>In early 2016, U of T President&nbsp;<strong>Gertler</strong>&nbsp;and Vice-President and Provost&nbsp;<strong>Cheryl Regehr</strong>&nbsp;<a href="/news/u-t-take-action-truth-and-reconciliation-commission">established U of T’s Truth and Reconciliation Steering Committee</a>&nbsp;in response to the federal Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s call to Canadians to engage in ongoing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.</p> <p>The report produced 34 calls to action focusing on the following areas: Indigenous spaces; curriculum; students and co-curricular education; faculty and staff; research ethics and community relationships; and institutional leadership and implementation.</p> <p>Since then, U of T has moved forward with a range of initiatives including the creation of the Master in Social Work, Indigenous Trauma and Resiliency program at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work; organizing an Indigenous Mentoring Day to match Indigenous job-seekers with employers at the university; and the appointment of academic advisers for Indigenous research and Indigenous curriculum and education.</p> <p>The university is also launching an Indigenous Landscape project, to be installed on 4,500 square metres of Hart House Green, in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Committee's call for a&nbsp;“prominent, visible space at the very centre of the St. George campus&nbsp;be dedicated as an Indigenous space.”</p> <p>“Indigenous students will be able to walk through campus and see an outdoor space and know it was created for them, with them and with their needs in mind,” said&nbsp;<strong>Shannon Simpson</strong>, U of T’s new director of Indigenous initiatives and&nbsp;co-chair of the Indigenous Landscape project.</p> <p>The project is being planned on the basis of in-depth consultations with Indigenous groups at U of T and First Nations communities with historic ties to the area.</p> <hr> <h3>Innovation and&nbsp;entrepreneurship</h3> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/UofT16178_20170920-0W7A4518-crop.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>U of T’s ONRamp co-working and collaboration space opened to entrepreneurs in 2017 (photo by Kenneth Cheung)</em></p> <p>Over the past decade, U of T entrepreneurs have created more than 500 startup companies that have secured over $1.5 billion in investment and helped establish the university as an engine of Toronto’s thriving innovation scene.</p> <p>U of T alone is home to more than 10 campus-linked accelerators that cater to startups at various stages of development. They include the Creative Destruction Lab, which was founded at the Rotman School of Management and has since expanded to seven other locations in Canada, the U.S. and the U.K.; the Entrepreneurship Hatchery, which serves entrepreneurs in the Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering; ICUBE, based in the Institute for Management and Innovation at U of T Mississauga; and U of T Scarborough’s The Hub. Others include: UTEST, DCSIL (Department of Computer Science Innovation Lab), H2i (Health Innovation Hub), Impact Centre and&nbsp;InnovED.&nbsp;</p> <p>Many entrepreneurs from U of T and partner universities work out of U of T’s ONRamp,&nbsp;<a href="/news/space-startups-u-t-s-onramp-connect-ontario-entrepreneurs">a 15,000-square-foot space that opened in 2017&nbsp;</a>and offers co-working and collaboration spaces – not to mention ready access to downtown Toronto’s vibrant business community.</p> <hr> <h3>Unprecedented community support</h3> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/UofT17626_c03.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>The soon-to-be-built Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre will accelerate innovation in Toronto and Canada by creating the country’s largest university-based innovation node (rendering by WEISS/MANFREDI)</em></p> <p>In March, U of T received $100 million from&nbsp;<strong>Gerald Schwartz</strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>Heather Reisman&nbsp;</strong>–<a href="/news/landmark-100-million-gift-university-toronto-gerald-schwartz-and-heather-reisman-will-power">&nbsp;the largest single donation in its history</a>.&nbsp;The funds are being used to support construction of the new Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre that&nbsp;will anchor U of T's growing cluster of AI scientists, biomedical experts and entrepreneurs.&nbsp;</p> <p>But that was only the tip of the iceberg when it came to supporting the university over the past decade.</p> <p>Spanning a period of seven years, U of T’s Boundless campaign raised $2.6-billion from more than 104,000 donors in nearly 100 countries. The generous contributions from individuals, families, corporations and charitable organizations will go towards an array of initiatives aimed at accelerating research and educational opportunities, enriching the student experience and transforming the university’s three campuses to leave a lasting legacy for generations to come.</p> <p>What's more, the campaign saw endowments for student aid and student support cross the $1-billion mark for the first time in the university's history.</p> <p>In an&nbsp;<a href="/news/david-palmer-vice-president-advancement-how-u-t-harnessed-generosity-donors-raise-26-billion">interview with&nbsp;<em>U of T News</em></a>&nbsp;this past summer,&nbsp;<strong>David Palmer</strong>, U of T's vice-president, advancement, said the Boundless campaign’s success suggests the best is yet to come.</p> <p>"People ask me all the time: 'Have we exhausted the capacity of our donors and the time and efforts of our volunteers?' And I have to say we all feel we’ve barely begun to scratch the surface of what we are capable of together, and what our donors and volunteers are so generously willing to do for us," Palmer said.</p> <p>"We think there’s a very, very exciting future ahead of us right now."</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> Fri, 20 Dec 2019 21:19:44 +0000 rahul.kalvapalle 161271 at U of T in focus: Our favourite photos of 2019 /news/u-t-focus-our-favourite-photos-2019 <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">U of T in focus: Our favourite photos of 2019</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/UofT18685_0603Convocation006_0.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=PeeAcxAw 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/UofT18685_0603Convocation006_0.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=tXIVHm3a 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/UofT18685_0603Convocation006_0.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=TRIrzhem 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/UofT18685_0603Convocation006_0.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=PeeAcxAw" alt="A female graduate takes a selfie outside of convocation hall"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>davidlee1</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2019-12-18T14:34:08-05:00" title="Wednesday, December 18, 2019 - 14:34" class="datetime">Wed, 12/18/2019 - 14:34</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 Nick Iwanyshyn)</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/geoffrey-vendeville" hreflang="en">Geoffrey Vendeville</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/nick-iwanyshyn" hreflang="en">Nick Iwanyshyn</a></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/anti-racism-cultural-diversity-office" hreflang="en">Anti-Racism &amp; Cultural Diversity Office</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/wisdom-tettey" hreflang="en">Wisdom Tettey</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/rose-patten" hreflang="en">Rose Patten</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/black-grad" hreflang="en">Black Grad</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation" hreflang="en">Convocation</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/dalla-lana-school-public-health" hreflang="en">Dalla Lana School of Public Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-applied-science-engineering" hreflang="en">Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering</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/hart-house" hreflang="en">Hart House</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/honorary-degree" hreflang="en">Honorary Degree</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/indigenous" hreflang="en">Indigenous</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/john-h-daniels-faculty-architecture" hreflang="en">John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/ontario-institute-studies-education" hreflang="en">Ontario Institute for Studies in Education</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">U of T Mississauga</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-scarborough" hreflang="en">U of T Scarborough</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/undergraduate-students" hreflang="en">Undergraduate Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/varsity-blues" hreflang="en">Varsity Blues</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This year has gone by in a flash, but luckily <em>U of T News</em> photographers have been present to capture life on campus&nbsp;– from the orientation week crowds to convocation smiles, and many other moments in between.&nbsp;</p> <p>Here are 20 of our favourites:</p> <hr> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/0904CheerOff013_0.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</em></p> <p>In a colourful start to the school year, students do the wave during orientation festivities.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/dog.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</em></p> <p>Loki, the golden retriever, poses below his chalkboard portrait <a href="/news/photos-u-t-s-canine-cognition-lab-where-dogs-play-and-humans-learn">in U of T's canine cognition lab, where researchers study how dogs think</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/food-truck.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>(photo by Johnny by Guatto)</em></p> <p>Speaking to <em>U of T News</em>, food blogger and influencer <strong>Joanna Luo</strong>, an alumna of U of T Mississauga, dished out advice <a href="/news/food-blogger-s-guide-toronto-s-best-and-campus-eats">about where to eat around campus</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/UofT17379_Installation_Top_6.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>(photo by Alexa Battler)</em></p> <p><strong>Wisdom Tettey</strong>, the vice-president and principal of Ƶ Scarborough, shares a laugh with&nbsp;U of T Chancellor <strong>Rose Patten.</strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/0212_Snow001.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)&nbsp;</em></p> <p>A woman stops to take a snowy selfie in February on the St. George campus.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/UofT83938_DSC_1925.jpg" alt="the land valley trail snakes through the forest behind UTSC at dusk in fall"></p> <p><em>(photo by Don Campbell)&nbsp;</em></p> <p>U of T Scarborough's Valley Land Trail is aglow as the sun sets in October.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/UofT18985_UkraineReform065.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)&nbsp;</em></p> <p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signs a guest book while&nbsp;Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U of T President <strong>Meric Gertler </strong>look on during <a href="/news/u-t-hosts-trudeau-ukrainian-president-international-conference-ukraine-s-future">the Ukraine Reform Conference, which was hosted by U of T in July</a>.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/0823BasketballTwins001_0.jpg" alt="Mikhaela and Nakeisha Ekwandja pose on a rainy downtown basketball court"></p> <p><em>(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</em></p> <p>Twin sisters <strong>Mikhaela </strong>and <strong>Nakeisha Ekwandja</strong> show their game faces&nbsp;<a href="/news/keep-improving-my-game-twin-sisters-set-soar-u-t-varsity-blues-basketball-squad">before the start of their first season with&nbsp;the Varsity Blues&nbsp;basketball team</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/daniels_1.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>(photo by&nbsp;Yasmin Al-Samarrai)</em></p> <p>A young visitor interacts with <a href="https://www.daniels.utoronto.ca/news/2019/02/21/cavalcade-draws-visitors-beach-part-winter-stations-exhibition-toronto">a temporary art installation at Toronto's Woodbine Beach&nbsp;by U of T Assistant Professor <strong>Victor Perez-Amado</strong></a> and master of architecture students.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/UofT18685_0603Convocation006.jpg" alt="A woman in her graduation gown take a selfie just outside of convocation hall"></p> <p><em>(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</em></p> <p>When the hard work is over, it's time for celebratory snaps at convocation.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/UofT16514_UOFT-6688.jpg" alt="two female dancers in traditional dress perform during UTSC's Tamil Heritage Week"></p> <p><em>(photo by Joseph Burrell)</em></p> <p>Dancers from the Scarborough-based studio&nbsp;Niro Dance Creations&nbsp;<a href="/news/u-t-event-celebrates-tamil-community-raises-money-research-chair">kicked off the Tamil Heritage Month celebration at U of T Scarborough</a><i>.</i></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/00123.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</em></p> <p><a href="/news/light-and-flowers-u-t-remembers-women-killed-30-years-ago-cole-polytechnique-de-montr-al">U of T joined 13 other engineering schools across Canada to mark the 30th anniversary of the&nbsp;École Polytechnique massacre</a>&nbsp;by shining a spotlight into the night sky on Dec. 6, the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/UofT84372_UTM-Madeleine-Mant-09.jpg" alt="Madeleine Mant in costume as a plague doctor. The leather mask resembles the face of a black bird"></p> <p><em>(photo by Drew&nbsp;Lesiuczok)</em></p> <p><strong>Madeleine Mant </strong>doesn't dress to impress.&nbsp;She dresses to educate. <a href="/news/wearing-period-costumes-u-t-s-madeleine-mant-brings-history-life-undergraduate-students">The U of T Mississauga anthropologist teaches her students about disease by donning period garb</a> like the 17th-century plague mask above.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/hazel.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>(photo by Lisa Sakulensky)&nbsp;</em></p> <p>“Hurricane” Hazel McCallion, the 98-year-old former mayor of Mississauga, laughs with the platform party <a href="/news/honorary-degree-recipient-carlo-fidani-made-lasting-impact-local-health-care">at Carlo Fidani's honorary degree ceremony</a> in June.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/0430LandLearning015_0.jpg" alt="a woman walks past a teepee on a grey fall afternoon"></p> <p><em>(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</em></p> <p>Students at U of T's Dalla Lana School of Public Health and the&nbsp;Ontario Institute for Studies in Education <a href="/news/healing-begins-land-how-u-t-s-dalla-lana-school-public-health-indigenizing-teaching-public">spent five days learning about Indigenous health</a>&nbsp;in one of Canada’s first land-based learning courses.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/jodie-glean.jpg" alt="Jodie Glean"></p> <p><em>(photo by Lisa Lightbourn)</em></p> <p><strong>Jodie Glean</strong> <a href="/bulletin/diversity-excellence-new-director-anti-racism-cultural-diversity-office-shares-vision-u-t">became the director of U of T's Anti-Racism and&nbsp;Cultural Diversity Office this year.</a>&nbsp;“Compassion allows me to work,” she says. “It’s important to be able to hear everyone in their truths and my role is to be the bridge if there are opposing views.”&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/UofT19005_085A5587.jpg" alt="Sarah Edo wears a ceremonial scarf and poses for a photo after the 2019 black graduation ceremony"></p> <p><em>(photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)&nbsp;</em></p> <p><strong>Sarah Edo</strong> poses for the cameras&nbsp;<a href="/news/do-not-let-anyone-take-moment-away-you-u-t-mississauga-hosts-third-annual-black-grad">during Black Grad, an annual&nbsp;student-run event hosted this year at U of T Mississauga</a>.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/veteran.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</em></p> <p><a href="/news/photos-u-t-pays-tribute-fallen-during-snowy-remembrance-day-ceremonies">An early sprinkling of snow blanketed the annual Remembrance Day ceremony</a> outside Hart House on the St. George campus this year.<br> &nbsp;</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/miyopin_0.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</em></p> <p><strong>Miyopin Cheechoo</strong>, then a first-year student, <a href="/news/first-year-student-takes-big-step-head-female-dancer-u-t-powwow">was the head dancer at U of T's powwow</a>.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/UofT18695_0603Convocation009.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</em></p> <p>In school and after graduation, friends will always be there to support you.<br> <br> &nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</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, 18 Dec 2019 19:34:08 +0000 davidlee1 161275 at ‘Do not let anyone take this moment away from you’: U of T Mississauga hosts third annual Black Grad celebration /news/do-not-let-anyone-take-moment-away-you-u-t-mississauga-hosts-third-annual-black-grad <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">‘Do not let anyone take this moment away from you’: U of T Mississauga hosts third annual Black Grad celebration</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/087A3240.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=lALU0HWC 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/087A3240.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=eTdhHCI9 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/087A3240.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=IXwfdk-B 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/087A3240.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=lALU0HWC" alt> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>perry.king</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2019-07-03T16:10:40-04:00" title="Wednesday, July 3, 2019 - 16:10" class="datetime">Wed, 07/03/2019 - 16:10</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">Recent graduates line up outside of the student-run Black Graduation event held at U of T Mississauga on June 28 (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)</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/perry-king" hreflang="en">Perry King</a></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-2019" hreflang="en">Convocation 2019</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/black-grad" hreflang="en">Black Grad</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/graduate-stories" hreflang="en">Graduate Stories</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/alumni" hreflang="en">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/entrepreneurship" hreflang="en">Entrepreneurship</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-applied-science-engineering" hreflang="en">Faculty of Applied Science &amp; Engineering</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/humanities" hreflang="en">Humanities</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/political-science" hreflang="en">Political Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/rotman-school-management" hreflang="en">Rotman School of Management</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/sociology" hreflang="en">Sociology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/startups" hreflang="en">Startups</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">U of T Mississauga</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-scarborough" hreflang="en">U of T Scarborough</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/varsity-blues" hreflang="en">Varsity Blues</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Under the soaring ceilings of Ƶ Mississauga’s Innovation Complex, the third annual Black Graduation celebration wrapped up by calling out the names of U of T students who had graduated this year.</p> <p>Amid applause and laughter from family and friends, the graduates – about 50 of whom were in attendance – walked to the front of the room and were presented with Black Grad scarves to recognize their achievements.</p> <p><strong>Njeri Fraser</strong>, who completed a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, was among those who had their name called. Wearing her engineering jacket and colourful Africa earrings, Fraser said seeing other Black students honoured and recognized at the student-run Black Grad event was something to celebrate.</p> <p>“It’s showing that we’ve come this far, that whatever obstacles we were facing we were able to overcome it,” Fraser said.</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/085A5183.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>Left to right: Barakat Omotosho, Kalkidan Alemayehu, Henry Ssali and Ayaan Abdulle (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)</em></p> <p>U of T students held their first Black Grad event back in 2017 – a time when Black graduations and commencements were far less common at Canadian universities than at U.S. ones. This was the first year the event, which took place on June 28,&nbsp;was held at U of T Mississauga.</p> <p>Fraser said she found her undergraduate experience “challenging” – at least at first. But she said she worked hard and established a support system the help of the local chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers.</p> <p>“It was good to have a family to support you – on your personal life, your academic life – it definitely helped to get me through.”</p> <p>Six students who won student awards at the event shared similar stories of achievement.</p> <p><strong>Olugbenga Olubanjo</strong>, who completed a master’s in applied science in civil engineering, took home the Wesley J. Hall Award for Excellence in Entrepreneurship. His startup, Reeddi, <a href="/news/u-t-entrepreneur-s-startup-put-reliable-power-hands-nigeria-s-people">seeks to provide affordable, clean energy solutions</a> to individuals and businesses operating in energy-poor regions of the world, including parts of Africa.</p> <p>“Olu constantly seeks to make social, environmental, and economic impact with technological and market-creating innovations,” said <strong>Laura Mae Lindo</strong>, the Ontario opposition critic for citizenship and immigration services and the critic for anti-racism, as she presented the award.</p> <p>“People think if we do environmental work, that we can’t have a return on investment, build businesses, be job-ready and innovative. And yet, look at you.”</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/085A5540.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>Suleyman Demi walks before the audience at the third annual Black Grad celebration (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)</em></p> <p>Other guests in attendance included&nbsp;<strong>Kofi Hope</strong>, a U of T strategic consultant and visiting scholar;&nbsp;<strong>Sandy Hudson</strong>, vice-chair of the Black Legal Action Centre;&nbsp;<strong>Zanana Akande</strong>, the first Black woman elected to Ontario’s legislature and the first Black woman to serve as a cabinet minister in Canada; and <strong>M.</strong>&nbsp;<strong>NourbeSe Philip</strong>, an award-winning author.&nbsp;</p> <p>The keynote speaker was <strong>Celina Caesar-Chavannes,&nbsp;</strong>a member of Parliament for Whitby, Ont.</p> <p>Passionate about innovation and helping others, Olubanjo said he was thrilled to be recognized, adding the award left him motivated to take his startup further by&nbsp;working with more regional and, potentially, global partners.</p> <p>“You don’t get happy by making money, you get happy by changing lives. I’m excited by the impact that the product has had on many people.”</p> <p>Other award winners included: <strong>Aisha Mohammed,</strong>&nbsp;who won the Patrice Smith Award for Excellence in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math education); U of T track and field star&nbsp;<strong>Laura-Jeanne Amoi</strong>, who won the Angela James Award for Excellence in Athletic Achievement; outgoing Black Students’ Association President&nbsp;<strong>Anyika Mark</strong>, who&nbsp;was presented with the Kofi Hope Award for Excellence in Community Services; <strong>Suleyman Demi</strong>, who was presented the Lisa Robinson Award for Excellence in Research; and&nbsp;<strong>Leroy Baker</strong>, who won the Dionne Brand Award for Excellence in Liberal Arts.&nbsp;</p> <p>In her keynote,&nbsp;Caesar-Chavannes&nbsp;talked about her struggles as a U of T student and noted the lack of events like Black Grad during her time on campus.</p> <p>“I tell you this so you can appreciate this moment, you deserve it,” said Caesar-Chavannes, who earned an MBA from the Rotman School of Management. “Not only because you paid your tuition but because you earned it. It is yours, and do not let anyone take this moment away from you.”</p> <p>She urged graduates to take stock of their time at U of T: “Appreciate the significance of what you are doing here, what you accomplished to get here, and what you need to do to move forward.”</p> <p><strong>Katherina Boyd</strong>, who finished a bachelor’s degree in political science and sociology at U of T Scarborough, recalled her undergraduate experience at U of T fondly, noting that it, “really helped me grow as a person, to help me come out of my shell.”</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/composite-black-grad.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>Njeri Fraser, left, completed a bachelor's in chemical engineering; Katherina Boyd finished a bachelor's in political science and sociology (photos by Geoffrey Vendeville)</em></p> <p>Boyd said she was deeply shaped by her volunteer work as a mentor in Scarborough-area elementary and high schools through a program funded by the department of student life at U of T Scarborough.</p> <p>The experience reinforced the need to “be an inspiration” and to be inclusive, according to Boyd.</p> <p>“If you can see someone doing something you want to do, who looks like you, you immediately put yourself in that situation,” she said.</p> <p>“Taking up space and being a part of the community and the world, as a Black woman, is important.”</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/085A5482.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>Wisdom Tettey, the vice-president and principal at U of T Scarborough, with&nbsp;Kalkidan Alemayehu (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)</em></p> <p>U of T Scarborough Vice-President and Principal <strong>Wisdom Tettey</strong> closed out the celebration by discussing the importance of leadership – and the role of inclusion in leadership excellence.</p> <p>“You have the opportunity to powerfully transform the status quo with the education that you have,” Tettey said.</p> <p>&nbsp;“It is through inclusive and shared leadership that we are able to recognize and appreciate the value and strength of what different experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and identities bring to the table.”</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, 03 Jul 2019 20:10:40 +0000 perry.king 157163 at So, you're graduating? Here are five things you should know about U of T’s convocation traditions /news/so-you-re-graduating-here-are-five-things-you-should-know-about-u-t-s-convocation-traditions <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">So, you're graduating? Here are five things you should know about U of T’s convocation traditions</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/convocation-lead.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=cTG34KVH 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/convocation-lead.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=fiso1yh9 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/convocation-lead.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=1JzoLjFf 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/convocation-lead.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=cTG34KVH" alt="Photos of students in gowns walking to convocation ceremony"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>geoff.vendeville</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2019-05-28T14:09:09-04:00" title="Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - 14:09" class="datetime">Tue, 05/28/2019 - 14:09</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">A Rotman student convocation procession in June 2014 (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/geoffrey-vendeville" hreflang="en">Geoffrey Vendeville</a></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-2019" hreflang="en">Convocation 2019</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation-hall" hreflang="en">Convocation Hall</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/black-grad" hreflang="en">Black Grad</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/first-nations-house" hreflang="en">First Nations House</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/honorary-degree" hreflang="en">Honorary Degree</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/indigenous" hreflang="en">Indigenous</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">U of T Mississauga</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>When Ƶ students conferred their degrees under Convocation Hall’s domed roof, they become part of a tradition spanning over a century.</p> <p>The hall, built in 1907 thanks to fundraising by alumni and government support, will be the venue for 32 ceremonies this spring, connecting graduates&nbsp;past and present. As graduation day nears for the Class of 2019,&nbsp;<em>U of T News</em>&nbsp;takes a look at a few things that make U of T’s convocation unique.</p> <div align="center"> <hr align="center" noshade="noshade" size="2" width="100%"></div> <h4>The tradition:&nbsp;</h4> <p>When “Con Hall” first opened, the 1,700-seat building must have seemed spacious. But expanding enrolment led the university in 2018 to explore moving the ceremonies to a larger venue, such as Varsity Stadium or the Rogers Centre. This spring alone, over 12,400 graduates and more than 34,000 guests are expected to come through Con Hall’s doors.</p> <p>After hearing from students, alumni, faculty and staff, however,&nbsp;<a href="/news/after-careful-review-convocation-hall-will-continue-venue-graduation-ceremonies">a committee recommended in March to continue&nbsp;using&nbsp;the hall for all ceremonies</a>&nbsp;because there was a strong sense of pride associated with the traditional venue.</p> <h4>Celebratory&nbsp;events:</h4> <p>Convocation Hall isn’t the only place on campus where new graduates are celebrated each spring.&nbsp;<a href="/news/first-nations-house-celebrates-indigenous-graduates">U of T’s First Nations House recognizes Indigenous students who reach a milestone</a>&nbsp;in their studies – whether they’re about to graduate with an undergraduate or graduate degree, or if they’ve completed a bridging program to begin university.</p> <p>And, for the third year running, U of T’s Black Students' Association is planning to host <a href="/news/young-gifted-and-black-u-t-students-celebrate-second-annual-black-graduation">a tri-campus graduation event for Black students</a>. In a first for the association, the awards ceremony will be held at U of T Mississauga.&nbsp;</p> <h4>The architecture:&nbsp;</h4> <p>Darling and Pearson, the preeminent Toronto architecture firm of its time, chose the elements of the design for Convocation Hall carefully, modeling it after the Sorbonne amphitheatre in Paris. Frank Darling, who had studied and trained in England, “was fluent in many architectural styles,” writes Professor Emeritus of architecture&nbsp;<strong>Larry Richards</strong>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://search.library.utoronto.ca/details?6824422&amp;uuid=39acfa58-49a0-45e7-bc76-9632ab52d992"><em>Ƶ: The Campus Guide</em></a>. Con Hall was designed in the beaux arts style and features a magnificent glass dome,&nbsp;<a href="/news/convocation-hall-renovation-without-disruption">currently under renovation</a>. “Considering its size, the hall has a remarkably intimate feel,” Richards says.</p> <h4>The speakers:&nbsp;</h4> <p>Before graduates flip the page to a new chapter of their lives, many will receive parting advice from either a special convocation speaker – including former Ontario cabinet minister <strong>Zanana Akande</strong>&nbsp;and businessman and philanthropist&nbsp;<strong>Leslie Dan</strong>, both alumni – or an honorary degree recipient. Among the people who will receive honorary degrees from U of T this spring: <strong>Mark Tewksbury</strong>, the Olympic swimmer and gold medallist;&nbsp;<strong>Buffy Sainte-Marie,</strong>&nbsp;the Cree singer-songwriter and activist;&nbsp;and alumna&nbsp;<strong><a href="/news/anti-nuclear-activist-and-hiroshima-survivor-setsuko-thurlow-gives-chilling-account-1945-attack?_ga=2.258887945.22524703.1558445209-533310810.1487950774">Setsuko Thurlow</a>,</strong>&nbsp;a Hiroshima survivor and advocate for nuclear disarmament.&nbsp;</p> <h4>The symbolism:&nbsp;</h4> <p>The traditions behind graduation regalia go back to the medieval ages. At U of T, there are at least 91 different hoods, which indicate the degree granted and field of study. One of the weightiest symbols at convocation, however,&nbsp;<a href="https://magazine.utoronto.ca/campus/history/u-of-t-mace/">is the mace</a>. The bedel (official mace holder) carries the gold-plated silver mace into the hall to begin the ceremony.</p> <p>A gift from Lt.-Col.&nbsp;<strong>William Eric Phillips</strong>, chair of the then Board of Governors from 1945 to 1964, the mace was unveiled at the June 1951 convocation. Its ornaments speak to the university’s traditions and history. Each strap is decorated with the maple leaf and the trillium, while the mace’s four panels bear the following designs: the cypher used by George IV (who granted the university its original charter in 1827), the arms of the university, the arms of the province of Ontario and the arms of Canada.</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, 28 May 2019 18:09:09 +0000 geoff.vendeville 156736 at U of T students to host second Black graduation ceremony /news/u-t-students-host-second-black-graduation-ceremony <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">U of T students to host second Black graduation ceremony</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/Award-of-black-excellence.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=wD0h-cDZ 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/Award-of-black-excellence.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=fm2CC6_4 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/Award-of-black-excellence.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=28Jj3qMY 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/Award-of-black-excellence.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=wD0h-cDZ" alt="Photo of Black grad"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>geoff.vendeville</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2018-06-04T14:05:39-04:00" title="Monday, June 4, 2018 - 14:05" class="datetime">Mon, 06/04/2018 - 14:05</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">Black graduation is organized by students in parallel with convocation. Awards are given out to Black students who excel in STEM, liberal arts and other fields (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)</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/geoffrey-vendeville" hreflang="en">Geoffrey Vendeville</a></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/black-grad" hreflang="en">Black Grad</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation-2018" hreflang="en">Convocation 2018</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/graduate-stories" hreflang="en">Graduate Stories</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/convocation" hreflang="en">Convocation</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">Last year's Black graduation was first in Canada</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>There's a treasure hunt going on in the home of&nbsp;<strong>Matthew Campbell-Williams</strong>.</p> <p>Competition is so fierce for his guest tickets to Black graduation at the Ƶ that the fourth-year commerce and criminology student has hidden a pair of tickets for his&nbsp;parents, cousins or nephews to find. He says the excitement surrounding the event&nbsp;–&nbsp;a ceremony and party organized by Black students around convocation&nbsp;–&nbsp;shows it isn't just for graduates.&nbsp;</p> <p>“It's for our families and community as well,” he says.</p> <p>Organizers are expecting more than 400 people to attend&nbsp;<a href="http://www.eventbrite.ca/e/uofts-black-graduation-celebration-class-of-2018-tickets-45217425537">this year's event at Hart House on June 26</a>, including students, faculty, staff, family and friends.&nbsp;</p> <p>Campbell-Williams gets emotional – his eyes welling up – as he remembers his 11-year-old nephew&nbsp;seeing&nbsp;pictures of the first-ever Black graduation at U of T.</p> <p>“The first thing he sees of university is that if he goes to university, he will feel worth on this campus," he says. “There will be a whole community out there who acknowleges his accomplishments.”</p> <p>Campbell-Williams has been working with <strong>Ayaan Abdulle</strong>&nbsp;and <strong>Anyika Mark</strong> to build on the success of the first-ever Black graduation at U of T last year. Although Black graduations and commencements have been held in the U.S., notably at Harvard and Columbia universities, they have yet to catch on in Canada.&nbsp;</p> <h3><a href="/convocation">Read more about Convocation 2018</a></h3> <p>Abdulle, who is the first in her family to go to university and is studying psychology and health policy at U of T Scarborough, says she'd like to see Black graduation become a tradition on more Canadian university campuses.&nbsp;</p> <p>“Folks tend to neglect or forget about Canada's rich history with racism,” she says.&nbsp;“It's not something that just plagues the U.S.</p> <p>“Hopefully&nbsp;in the future, Black grads won't be an anomaly.”</p> <h3><a href="https://www.thestar.com/yourtoronto/education/2017/06/19/university-of-toronto-gets-ready-for-first-ever-black-graduation-ceremony.html">Read more about last year's event in the<em> Toronto Star</em></a></h3> <p><img alt class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__8472 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" height="500" src="/sites/default/files/organizers-embed.jpg" typeof="foaf:Image" width="750" loading="lazy"><br> <em>Ayaan Abdulle, Matthew Campbell-Williams and Anyika Mark are the main organizers of Black graduation 2018 (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)</em></p> <p>Black graduation helps counter the isolation that many Black students feel on campus, says Mark, a fourth-year student in political science, Caribbean studies, and diaspora and transnational studies. She is&nbsp;president of the Black Students' Association.&nbsp;</p> <p>“A lot of times Black students come to the school and feel like they're doing it alone,” she says.&nbsp;“You go to your class of 1,500 students at Convocation Hall, and you're like,&nbsp;‘Why are there no people who look like me?’”</p> <p>Being among Black students, faculty, staff and guests at last year's event was a reminder that there is a supportive community on campus.&nbsp;</p> <p>Mark and Campbell-Williams, both executives in the BSA, have made the event part of the group's constitution so future generations of students carry on the tradition.&nbsp;</p> <p>This time, organizers are inviting high school students to volunteer at the event.&nbsp;“We want to show them that U of T is a place you can come to, and succeed in,” Mark says.</p> <p><img alt class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__8474 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" height="500" src="/sites/default/files/graduating-class-embed.jpg" typeof="foaf:Image" width="750" loading="lazy"><br> <em>The class of graduating Black students makes an&nbsp;entrance at Hart House at the first-ever Black graduation at U of T (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)</em></p> <p><strong>Dionne Brand</strong>, a writer, filmmaker, educator and activist who served as Toronto's third poet laureate, is the keynote speaker. She was born in&nbsp;Guayaguayare, Trinidad and Tobago, and studied English and philosophy at U of T before getting a master's in philosophy of education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. She's published several books of poetry including <em>Land to Light On</em>, which won the Governor General's Literary Award, and she will be receiving an honorary degree this year during U of T's spring convocation.</p> <p>Many Black faculty members and staff are also expected to attend. Student-organizers say they have&nbsp;received support from Black faculty, including Associate Professor<strong>&nbsp;Alissa Trotz&nbsp;</strong>in women and gender studies and Assistant Professor&nbsp;<strong>R. Cassandra Lord&nbsp;</strong>in women and gender studies at U of T Mississauga.</p> <p>Lord describes Black graduation as a step in the right direction for U of T.</p> <p>“A common narrative among many Black students is the challenge of having to navigate the university on their own –&nbsp;from the classes they attend&nbsp;to accessing services&nbsp;– and being able to find community,” she says.&nbsp;“The systemic barriers they face are real and are embedded within the university.</p> <p>“As a junior faculty member, I am truly in awe of the Black grad organizing committee, as they have worked seamlessly to make this event happen –&nbsp;their imagination stretches towards the future, while laying down the foundation to dream for what is possible in the present.”</p> <p>Organizers also thanked volunteers,&nbsp;<strong>Sandra Carnegie-Douglas</strong>, U of T's anti-racism and cultural diversity officer, and staff at&nbsp;Hart House for their support.</p> <p>The event will feature an awards presentation for students who excel in STEM, the liberal arts, athletics, entrepreneurship and research.&nbsp;</p> <p>The only detail the organizers haven't worked out yet, it seems, are&nbsp;their outfits.</p> <p>“We're going to be hosting it so we have to be fire,”&nbsp;Mark says.</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, 04 Jun 2018 18:05:39 +0000 geoff.vendeville 136345 at