National Co-op Week begins

with material from Co-operative Education and Career Action

Co-operative Education & Career Action (CECA) is celebrating this year’s National Co-op Week, which runs from today until March 23 with the annual Co-op Student of the Year Awards presentation and a few new activities.

Today marks the start of the National Co-op Week social media contest, organized by the Canadian Association for Co-operative Education (CAFCE). CAFCE is inviting co-op students from coast to coast to join a nationwide conversation about co-op for a chance to win the grand prize of a $200 Future Shop gift card. Waterloo is offering a daily prize of $25 to encourage participation.

Waterloo students Gabe Shaughnessy, Lindsay Kroes, Caleb Polley, Grace Wong, and Monica Lee (pictured above), on work terms with CECA, will be promoting the social media contest around campus this week.

Students can visit the Co-op Week site and follow the daily challenge instructions. Each time a student completes a challenge, they will be entered in the prize draw. The previous day's winners will be announced each day on the contest website by 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time. The conversation can be joined on several social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Also happening today is a Strategic Review and input session to be held at 2:00 p.m. at the Tannery. Employers of Waterloo co-op students as well as students, university administrators, staff, and alumni will share their insights about Waterloo's approach to co-operative education. The large and diverse dialogue session is part of the strategic co-op department review that will shape the future direction of co-operative education at the university. Since the fall, CECA has held several small-group dialogue sessions to gain stakeholder input.

Waterloo co-op employers often praise our students. For example, Susan Marzolini, of the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute says that “Waterloo co-op students have developed relevant solutions to difficult problems at Toronto Rehab. It is a pleasure to hire these smart, motivated, and hard-working students.” Lisa Bate and Christopher McCormack at DesignArc Architects add that Waterloo co-ops “bring a fresh perspective to our projects ... which results in renewed, inspired commitments from our project teams.” “Waterloo students are brilliant, extraordinary individuals,” says Larry Toste of KPMG. “Year over year, they are the most sought after students.”

At 5:00 p.m. today, CECA will honour some of our top co-op employers at a reception, also at the Tannery. President Feridun Hamdullahpur will give an opening address to the guests followed by an award presentation to selected employers of Waterloo students.

“We are very grateful for all of the diverse employers across Canada and around the world that hire our students," says Peggy Jarvie, CECA's executive director. "This reception is just one way we are celebrating their tremendous contribution to co-operative education at the University of Waterloo."

Finally, on Thursday, March 22, at 11:00 a.m. in room 2218 of the Tatham Centre, President Hamdullahpur and CECA Executive Director Jarvie will present the Co-op Student of the Year Award to six deserving co-op students. More than 140 outstanding students were in the running this year. The winners (one from each faculty) were chosen based on their contributions to their employer, academic marks, contributing to co-operative education, and community and school involvement.

Photograph by Kate Surtees.

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Award will recognize student leadership

By Christine Bezruki, reprinted from the March 2012 issue of the @uwaterloo e-newsletter

When Alyson Woloshyn (BA' 00, Recreation & Leisure Studies) began getting headaches in the winter of 2008, she thought at worst they were migraines, perhaps a consequence of neglecting her diet and not getting enough exercise. She never expected to be diagnosed with glioblastoma; brain cancer.

But on April 23, after her partner insisted she visit the emergency room clinic to rule out anything serious, doctors discovered a 7-centimetre tumor on her right frontal lobe. Woloshyn was immediately scheduled for surgery to biopsy the growth. Exactly two weeks later she learned that she had an incurable form of cancer. She was only 32 years old.

Following her diagnosis, Woloshyn underwent an aggressive round of chemotherapy, knowing that with her particular type of cancer, "recurrence wasn't only possible, it was probable." And in July 2010, after only 11 weeks back at work, the moment she had been dreading arrived - her cancer had not only recurred, but spread to a new area of her brain.

Despite this newest diagnosis and living in a constant state of uncertainty, Woloshyn exudes calmness and optimism. In many ways her illness has prompted her to set new goals and pushed her to use talents in different ways. Upon learning of her condition in 2009, Woloshyn harnessed her leadership skills and set a goal to raise $50,000 for the Alberta Cancer Society, the average cost of treatment for her condition. Today she has raised over $47,500.

When asked about how she maintains such a positive state of mind she said, "I've always been a positive person. I try not to dwell on impossibility, I try and live in possibility and stay focused on things I can do rather than the things I can't perfect." And, as Woloshyn is quick to point out, there have been some positive aspects to her struggle. "I have been overwhelmed by the amount of support I have received," she said.

And the most recent show of support has come from 12 of her closest friends, a group who call themselves The Baker's Dozen. Since meeting 16 years ago at the University of Waterloo, this group of thirteen women have not only stayed in regular contact, but have celebrated all of life's major occasions together: graduations, weddings, and the birth of their children, known collectively as "the Timbits."

When Woloshyn was first diagnosed, the Baker's Dozen planned a retreat in Peterborough, Ontario to offer support and provide Woloshyn with much needed respite from her appointment-filled schedule at home in Calgary.

In light of Woloshyn's most recent health developments the group has decided to honour their friend in a more fitting way. The Baker's Dozen have founded the Alyson Woloshyn Leadership Award at Waterloo to reflect one of her greatest talents and passions - leadership.

Since signing up to be an orientation leader at Waterloo in 1996, Woloshyn has demonstrated extraordinary leadership qualities. Whether she was founding the "Superfans" club to support some of the less popular sports teams at Waterloo or coaching first year students through dorm life struggles as a don, Woloshyn's charisma and enthusiasm have always inspired those around her. "Alyson always had so much energy, she's so vivacious... I remember the first time I met her at an orientation meeting I thought 'I want to be her friend'" said Melanie Will, one of the Baker's Dozen, "and she continues to be such an inspiration."

Starting in September 2012, the award will support an undergraduate student who embodies Woloshyn's outstanding capacity for leadership and initiative. In order to raise funds for the new scholarship a cocktail reception and silent auction is being held March 31, and donations are being accepted online.

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Monday's notes

As a result of the recent media attention regarding governance agreements between the University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University and the Balsillie School of International Affairs (BSIA), BSIA Director David Welch provided the comments below on behalf of the university:

"At the outset, it is important to note that neither the University of Waterloo nor the Balsillie School of International Affairs has anything to do with the recent announcement of an international law school at York University, which is an entirely separate matter. This announcement, however, has occasioned a degree of confusion about the Balsillie School’s own governance arrangements.

"The Balsillie School of International Affairs is a collaboration between the University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University, and the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI). This collaboration adds significant value to uW’s academic programs, and enhances the quality of BSIA’s research environment, while reserving to uW alone any and all decision making with respect to its programs, including curriculum, student admission, student evaluation, and the hiring, evaluation, and promotion of faculty. The Balsillie School’s Governance Document provides ironclad protections for academic freedom no less stringent than those enshrined in uW’s Memorandum of Agreement, which applies without qualification or derogation to the uW faculty who are affiliated with BSIA.

"Unfortunately, we have recently heard insinuations to the effect that CIGI, as a non-academic partner in the BSIA enterprise, is less committed than the universities to free enquiry, or that it has the capacity or desire to impede the free and frank exploration of evidence and ideas. This is false. As a non-partisan, charitable organization, CIGI’s mandate is simply to help connect the best research about global governance challenges to the policy communities that are so sorely in need of it. CIGI’s contribution to BSIA is, in fact, what makes the BSIA a particularly attractive place for students and scholars alike. The fact that BSIA’s Governance Document was endorse at all stage’s of uW’s approvals process without a single negative vote testifies not only to its integrity, but also to the enthusiasm with which the broader uW community has embraced the Balsillie School project."

"The registration deadline for the Fifth Annual Staff Conference is almost here!" writes Mark Lisetto-Smith of Organization and Human Development (OHD). The last day to register is on Thursday, March 26, 2012. "Be prepared to experience a wide range of captivating keynote speakers as well as an exploration of personal and professional development through multiple interactive workshops," Lisetto-Smith writes. "To all the staff members who have registered, please remember to print out the most recent copy of your registration as your personalized schedule will NOT be available once registration closes."

This year’s conference will take place on Tuesday, April 3 and Wednesday, April 4.

This Wednesday's Noon Hour Concert at Conrad Grebel celebrates the release of "Paraguay Primeval" by music professor Carol Ann Weaver.

"This music is based on texts by Rudy Wiebe (Blue Mountains of China), Dora Dueck (Under the Still Standing Sun), and translated works of Henry and Esther Regehr (Schoenbrunn Chronicles), telling stories about the experiences of people in the Paraguayan Chaco Mennonite colonies," writes Weaver. "Paraguay Primeval stems from my trek to these Paraguayan colonies in 2009. I was touched, mesmerized, and compelled by these Mennonite settlers' stories—how they survived, thrived, and became such strong contributors to the Paraguayan world, drawing many indigenous peoples back to the Chaco."

The event features Rebecca Campbell (vocals), Katie Honek and Meaghan McCracken (flute), Ben Bolt-Martin (cello), Carol Ann Weaver (piano and backing vocals) and Kyle Skillman (drums), with a multimedia soundscape that includes visuals from Paraguay.

The concert takes place at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 21 at the Conrad Grebel Chapel.

Here's the latest Nutrition Month "myth vs. truth" nutrition tip provided by Health Services dietician Sandra Ace.

"Myth": Certain foods, like grapefruit, cabbage soup or celery, can burn fat and make you lose weight quickly.
"Truth": Sorry, but there is no food that burns fat or makes you lose weight more quickly! Fad diets that focus on single foods, including those above, are restrictive and lack nutrients needed for good health. It’s true that when you eat only one type of food, like cabbage soup, you might eat less and take in fewer calories than you need and lose weight at first. But in the end, these diets are boring, don’t create healthy habits you can stick with, and don’t help with long-term weight loss. The best way to lose weight is to eat healthy foods in the right portions and be active.

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