Convocation today: Arts takes the stage

Convocation continues today with two ceremonies for the Faculty of Arts. This morning at 10:00 a.m., 760 graduands will cross the stage as degrees are handed out for Accounting and Financial Management, Anthropology, Classical Studies, Drama and Speech Communication, Economics, English Language and Literature, Fine Arts, French, Geography and Environmental Management, Germanic and Slavic Studies, Global Governance, History, Medieval Studies, and Music.

An honorary degree will be given to Roland Lang. Lang is a graduate of the University of Waterloo, where he earned his BA (1968) and MA (1969) in political science. He completed his PhD in economics at the London School of Economics in 1974 and his published thesis on Canadian and British pharmaceutical industries and governments has been much cited. He has devoted much of his professional life to the labour movement and to public service, including his long involvement with the Canadian Labour Congress and on a variety of government advisory councils and commissions.

Two professors will receive the designation Distinguished Professors Emeritus:

Professor Jane Buyers of the Department of Fine Arts: Buyers earned her Honours BA in visual art from York University in 1973. She joined the Department of Fine Arts at the University of Waterloo in 1988, and completed her Masters of Education at the University of Toronto in 1990. She is the recipient of numerous awards and grants from major arts organizations, including the Canada Council and the Ontario Arts Council. She has been ‘visiting artist’ at venues across Canada and she has been invited to participate on numerous juries. In 2002 she was elected to the Royal Canadian Academy.

Professor David John of the Department of Germanic and Slavic Studies: John spent 38 years as a professor at the University of Waterloo. He earned his doctorate from the University of Toronto and also held a Visiting Associate Professor appointment at McGill University. As a scholar of 18th-century German literature, his most profound contributions have been his research into Johann Wolfgang Goethe’s literary works and intercultural stage adaptations. He has served as department chair, as associate dean, and as acting dean of the Faculty of Arts. He was the recipient of the Boeschenstein Medal, the highest honour of the Canadian Association of University Teachers of German, and he was named honorary founding director of the Waterloo Centre for German Studies at the University of Waterloo for his efforts in establishing that centre.

Amanda Cloutier will deliver the valedictory address.

Receiving Distinguished Teacher Awards will be Anindya Sen and Christina Vester.

Akash Kapoor will be given the Governor General’s Silver Medal.

This afternoon's ceremony, which begins at 2:30 p.m., will see 745 degrees conferred upon grads from St. Jerome's University, Conrad Grebel University College, Renison University College and School of Social Work and the University in Independent Studies, Italian Studies, Liberal Studies, Peace and Conflict Studies, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Public Service, Religious Studies, Sexuality, Marriage, and Family Studies, Social Development Studies, Sociology and Legal Studies, Spanish and Latin American Studies, and Women’s Studies.

Sharon Adams and Ken Lavigne will receive the titles of Honorary Member of the University.

Professor C. Edward (Ted) McGee of the Department of English Language and Literature, St. Jerome’s University will be named Distinguished Professor Emeritus. McGee arrived at St. Jerome’s University (then College) in 1978 as a specialist in Shakespeare and Early English Drama, and retired in December 2011. Over this time, he became known for the energy and dedication which he brought to his scholarship, teaching, and academic service, both at St. Jerome’s and the University of Waterloo. He has also been a considerable force at the Stratford Festival as a board member, lecturer and educational consultant.

Michael Higgins will receive an Honorary Doctor of Laws. Higgins is vice-president for mission and Catholic identity at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. From 1999 to 2006, he served as president of St. Jerome’s University at the University of Waterloo and from 2006-2009, he was president of St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Embodying the spirit of the public intellectual, Professor Higgins is a columnist, radio documentarian, and popular television commentator on Vatican affairs. He is a frequent contributor to The Globe and Mail, Commonweal magazine in the United States, and The Tablet in the United Kingdom. He has published fourteen books and some 60 academic articles and interviews. Professor Higgins will address Convocation.

Gwyneth MacNeil will deliver the valedictory address.

Benjamin Ries will receive the Arts Young Alumni Gold Medal.

Stephanie Wing-Man Chu will receive the Alumni Gold Medal.

Jennifer Peters will receive the Reginald Haney Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement in the Legal Studies Program.

Receiving departmental awards for distinguished academic achievement are:

• Accounting and Financial Management Studies – Bei Bei Zhang
• Anthropology – Amanda Conlon
• Classical Studies – Andrew St. Thomas
• Drama – James Miniou
• Economics – Fulei Liu
• English Language and Literature – Natalie Dewan
• Fine Arts – Audrey D’Astous
• French Studies – James Lang
• History – Beier Lin
• Independent Studies – Virginia Pella
• Legal Studies – Rebecca Sim
• Medieval Studies – Darren Feenstra
• Music – Jane Honek
• Peace and Conflict Studies – Emily Mininger
• Philosophy – Douglas R. Guilbeault
• Political Science – Flora Yu
• Psychology – Stephanie Wing-Man Chu
• Religious Studies – Sara Brubacher
• Sexuality, Marriage, and Family Studies – Derek Straatsma
• Social Development Studies – Charlene Ewing
• Sociology – Sabrina Mysicka
• Speech Communication – Skaidra Puodziunas

Donald Craig Love will receive an award for Outstanding Achievement in Graduate Studies.

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How CECA workshops get you career-ready

by Kaitlyn Holbein.

Two workshops now offered by Co-operative Education & Career Action (CECA) address a common issue on student résumés.

Volunteerism provides a way for students light on work experiences to break into their desired industries, develop valuable skills, and build their résumés. The workshops aim to teach students how to make use of volunteer experiences to improve their career preparedness.

“We were finding that in our regular résumé appointments, and even in mock interviews, students weren’t necessarily promoting or flaunting their volunteer work,” explains Rachel Jenson, career advisor at first workshop, Kickstart Your Career: Volunteer!, shows participants how to enhance their skills through volunteer work. It walks them through how to find suitable volunteer opportunities and explains why these unpaid positions matter to potential employers. Students are often surprised to learn just how much weight such experiences can carry.

“Find out the particular skill that you are passionate about and want to develop; then seek out roles that make use of that skill,” is a key take-away that Rachel wants students to glean from this workshop. “Volunteering doesn’t necessarily have to mean stuffing envelopes for a non-profit organization; it can include a leadership role or a committee membership that has real decision-making impact.”

Volunteering helps students prepare for their co-op and long-term careers, and gives them the opportunity to test out different cultures and work environments without having to commit to a full semester with an organization.

The second workshop, Marketing Volunteer Experiences, is intended for students who already spent time in one or more volunteer positions. It will cover how best to promote one’s experiences to prospective employers.

“A lot of the time a small section on page two of the résumé is volunteer experience,” says Rachel. “The goal of this workshop is to help students showcase all opportunities, both paid and unpaid, in an ‘experience section,’ as opposed to relegating unpaid work to the end of the résumé.”

Waterloo students can benefit immensely from their time working without pay. For instance, Ambreen Misbah, a recent history graduate, spent a significant amount of time during her undergraduate years volunteering. After finishing her degree, she volunteered briefly for an organization that ultimately created a full-time (paid) position for her. Ambreen’s time as a volunteer allowed her to showcase her productivity and the quality of work she was capable of producing. 

Volunteering can offer a crucial advantage to students hoping to secure their dream co-op or post-grad gig. Be sure to encourage students you’re in contact with to attend both the workshops this fall and the Volunteer and Internship Fair in September, which attracts over 50 employers.

 

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Looking ahead to tomorrow: Science

The Faculty of Science is on deck for convocation, with ceremonies set for tomorrow morning and afternoon. Here's a preview of some of the awards that will be handed out alongside the degrees:

Dean of Science Award (M.Sc.)

• Daiana R. Duca, Biology
  
• Pierre-Etienne Cabelguen, Chemistry
  
• Joel Angen, Earth and Environmental Sciences
  
• Stacey Chong, Optometry and Vision Science
  
• Chi Hong Sum, Pharmacy
  
• Michael Mazurek, Physics and Astronomy
  

W.B. Pearson Medal (Ph.D.)

• Lital Sever, Biology
  
• Samy Mohamady, Chemistry
  
• Madeline S. Rosamond, Earth and Environmental Sciences
  
• Nafiseh Nafissi, Pharmacy
  
• Jonathan Lavoie, Physics and Astronomy

 

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Wednesday's notes

The spring 2014 Final Examination Schedule has been posted. This online version will be updated if changes should occur to the schedule.

On-campus examinations will being on Tuesday, August 5, with on-line class examinations taking place on Friday, August 8 and Saturday, August 9.

The examination period ends on Saturday, August 16.

The date for the next Strategic Plan Mini Town Hall has been set for Wednesday, June 18 at 2:00 p.m. in EV3 3142. This town hall will deal with the "Robust Staff-Employer Relationship" theme and feature remarks from theme leads and team members Marilyn Thompson, associate provost, human resources, Dan Andersen, director, UW Police Service, Carlos Mendes, president, University of Waterloo Staff Association (UWSA) and others.

 

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