Wishing all my readers a very happy holiday season!

Upon arriving at King’s on Tuesday, November 1st, I was immediately invited by the King’s Centre for Molecular Structure to participate in some IR testing and demonstrations being held for students during Globe Aware week. I eagerly jumped at the chance and really enjoyed the afternoon with that team.

The following morning on the way to Globe Aware I met a friend at the Level coffee shop on the King’s campus and we quickly formed a great friendship. My new friend, named Bonnie, took me to many different Globe Aware Events.

Wednesday afternoon I spent time with Student Life learning about the Restorative Justice program and how King’s is making strides in that area.

On Thursday, I attended sessions entitled Globalization Opportunity and Issues and Flirting (and Culture Too), and I really enjoyed the Global Aware dinner hosted by the sociology department.

Friday was a very busy day for this energetic bear. I attended the Internationalizing the Curriculum presentation, discussing the European history study tour which took place in May 2011. Students visited Auschwitz, Budapest, Krakow, and Prague. Very impressive!

After that event I learned of a board meeting being held at King’s. I only meant to play a little prank, but I must have really scared them. In the aftermath, apologies were both given and received between me and King’s President, and we even collaborated on a funny media release to mark the occasion (see below).

Monday prior to my departure, I gave away two pairs of Edmonton Oilers’ tickets to students and faculty who had participated in Globe Aware Week.

Thank you King’s for making this week a memorable one!

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News Release

 “Chair Bear” frightens King’s Board Executive

During a recent stop on her cross-Canada tour, Ursula, the mascot of the Association of University and Colleges of Canada (AUCC), staged a stunning coup at a meeting of the Board of Governors of The King’s University College in Edmonton, Alberta. Ursula unexpectedly stormed into a meeting of the Board’s Executive Committee and seized the gavel from Board Chair Bill Diepeveen.

“She just attacked me,” Diepeveen said later, “and I knew that when a bear attacks you, avoid eye contact and show submission. It’s the only reason I survived – I am grateful to be alive!”

As Diepeveen cowered in fear, Ursula took charge of the meeting, demanding the immediate dismissal of King’s President, Dr Harry Fernhout. Ursula cited the complete absence of polar bears among King’s senior management as evidence of Fernhout’s “anti-ursus maritimus syndrome.” In his defence, Fernhout stated that there had been a notable dearth of qualified polar bear applicants for recent management vacancies.

After a growly discussion, Board members proposed a compromise: Fernhout would be allowed to keep his job on the condition that all polar bears in Alberta would be offered free tuition at King’s in perpetuity. This proposal appeared to mollify Ursula; she exited the meeting as abruptly as she had entered. Board Chair Diepeveen gingerly took up the gavel and continued with the next order of business: a motion banning ursine intrusions at all future Board meetings.

“We’re just happy nobody was injured seriously,” Diepeveen concluded.

McGill recommends that all visitors and new students start their on-campus experience with a trip to the Welcome Centre, just off the pedestrian-only McTavish Street. This place is great! The friendly staff helped me set up a tour of campus and showed me how to find building descriptions on Google Maps. If you can’t visit in person, take a virtual tour of both the downtown campus and the Macdonald campus in Ste. Anne de Bellevue, home to the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. I was also introduced to the new Service Point, where dozens of the university’s admin services are now housed under one roof to make students’ lives easier.

McGill, like many of the schools I’ve visited, is home to a lot of very talented professors. But there was one in particular who is quite a hero to me, personally. And guess what… I got to meet him! Bruno Tremblay, of the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, is an Arctic researcher with a keen interest in the problem of melting sea ice, which of course threatens polar bears like me. It was an honour to shake paws with a man who’s doing so much great work for my species and the entire Arctic ecosystem.

Speaking of ice, I’m known as a pretty graceful skater, so you can imagine my skepticism when I was told I’d be meeting the McGill Martlets women’s ice hockey team. I mean, have you ever seen a martlet? Sure, they look great on a coat of arms, but they’re not exactly a cold-weather bird (like the NHL’s Penguins, for instance.) I should have known better, though. This team has won three of the last four CIS national championships, including last year’s – capping a 33-0 season. And these women are tough! Can’t you tell by their menacing picture? Grr… 

Growing up in Canada’s North, I fancied myself quite the musician. So, after a quick visit with Queen Victoria (who was guarding the Strathcona Music Building and doing her best impression of my North Pole buddy Santa Claus) I made my way to the Tanna Schulich Hall in the New Music Building to put my talents to the test with one of McGill’s jazz ensembles. The band didn’t need a vocalist (their loss) but I was able to show them a thing or two on the drum kit. Not that they need much help, because these guys and girls are lights out! They get to tour, record albums, and play concerts with some of the leading names in jazz. It’s no wonder McGill’s music grads are some of the most highly sought-after musicians on the planet.

Near the end of my tour, I was told I should check out McGill’s very own statue of the Three Bears, nestled in a hollow between the Arts Building and the stellar Redpath Museum. I was very excited, since the famous Papa Bear is actually a distant ancestor of mine. Upon arriving at the statue, though, I was a bit taken aback. Aghast, even! Standing before me were not the three bears I know and love, but three naked human males! Consulting my itinerary, I took note of the statue’s name: “The Three Bares”. How silly of me; I thought that was just poor spelling, but it was indeed an apt description for this statue, which has been a much loved landmark on the McGill campus for over 80 years. Well, isn’t that “cheeky”?

I was lucky to be at McGill during their annual Open House, but I think this place would be welcoming and fun any day of the year.  With all their illustrious history, beautiful green spaces and heritage buildings, McGill’s greatest asset is still its awesome people. Here’s to another 190 years, McGill!

Évidemment, en seulement trois jours, il était difficile de visiter le laboratoire de biomatériaux à La Sarre, le laboratoire d’hydrogéologie à Amos, le laboratoire de télécommunications souterraines à Val-d’Or, la Station de recherche agroalimentaire à Notre-Dame-du-Nord et j’en passe. C’est pourquoi j’ai concentré mon séjour au campus principal qui se situe à Rouyn-Noranda, cité étudiante.

En arrivant, j’ai été hébergée dans les nouvelles résidences de l’UQAT qui ont été construites il y a un peu plus d’un an. J’ai logé dans l’appartement de Catherine, une étudiante de première année en psychoéducation. Elle m’a raconté comment elle adorait son expérience à l’UQAT et à quel point les professeurs sont disponibles pour leurs étudiants et que le milieu est accueillant et chaleureux. Plus elle me parlait, plus j’étais impatiente de visiter cette université à échelle humaine.

Le lendemain, j’ai été accueillie par un étudiant au baccalauréat avec majeure de création numérique, Jean-François. Il m’a fait visiter les installations de l’UQAT pour les étudiants du département de Création et nouveaux médias. Il y a tout ce qu’il faut pour réaliser des projets de cinéma, d’intégration Web, d’animation 2D et 3D et bien plus. Lors de ma visite dans le studio de son, on m’a fait interpréter une chanson composer par le personnel de l’UQAT lors de la rentrée! J’y ai découvert des talents de chanteur! Voyez le résultat!

Par la suite, je suis allée faire un tour sur le chantier de construction du nouveau pavillon de l’UQAT. C’était impressionnant! L’agrandissement représente 50 % de la superficie actuelle du campus de Rouyn-Noranda. Ce nouveau bâtiment sera constitué de locaux pour les étudiants chercheurs, de salles de classe, d’un nouveau bistro, d’une clinique psychosociale et d’un studio de capture de mouvement, une technologie très avancée pour les étudiants en 3D. Le nouveau pavillon sera assurément prêt pour accueillir les étudiants à l’automne 2012.

On m’a ensuite amenée sur un lit d’hôpital… mais non, il ne m’est rien arrivé sur le chantier, j’avais mon casque! En fait, on s’est rendu dans les laboratoires de sciences infirmières pour me présenter les nouveaux programmes de 2e cycle en santé, dont le tout nouveau microprogramme de 2e cycle en approche clinique en santé mondiale. Saviez-vous que l’UQAT est la seule université au Québec à offrir des certificats en santé à distance?

Pour terminer cette première journée, j’ai participé à un match d’impro! Les étudiants de la ligue l’I-site ont bien voulu m’accueillir le temps de quelques matchs! Ce fut une soirée mémorable!

Ma deuxième journée à l’UQAT a été empreinte de découvertes! J’ai d’abord assisté à un cours d’efficience cognitive sur la plateforme VIA. Cette technologie permet de communiquer et d’interagir avec son professeur et ses collègues de classe, en direct, de la maison, du bureau ou sur la route. C’est une classe virtuelle par visioconférence qui permet, peu importe où l’on se situe, de suivre des cours, de réaliser des travaux d’équipe, de communiquer avec un tuteur ou un superviseur, et ce, sans même avoir à se déplacer. Pour moi qui voyage beaucoup, j’ai trouvé cette formule extraordinaire! Je songe peut-être à suivre quelques cours avec l’UQAT…

Pour clore ce magnifique voyage et prendre un temps de repos pour réfléchir à mes différents voyages, la professeure retraitée, Mme Jocelyne Labrèche, m’a fait expérimenter l’art-thérapie. Je ne connaissais pas cette forme de psychothérapie et ont m’a expliqué qu’il s’agit d’une démarche d’accompagnement psychologique de personnes en difficulté ou en croissance, centrée sur l’expression de soi, de ses pensées, de ses émotions et de ses conflits dans un processus de création d’images. Ce qui distingue l’art-thérapie, c’est l’utilisation de médias plastiques comme le dessin, la peinture, la sculpture, le collage, le jeu de sable et plus encore. L’UQAT est d’ailleurs la seule université canadienne à offrir des programmes d’art-thérapie en français.

Après avoir rencontré autant de gens dynamiques et innovateurs et avoir découvert une multitude de projets uniques, je peux affirmer que la réputation de l’UQAT d’être humaine, créative et audacieuse est bel et bien fondée!

The original building was designed by John Andrews and opened in 1965. It stretches a kilometre along the edge of a ravine and features big slabs of unadorned poured concrete. For the design-savvy, you can tell it’s a prime example of a style known as “Brutalism.” Traveling architects often pop by to have a look for this very reason. And Hollywood has often used UTSC as a setting for futuristic dystopia films – parts of Resident Evil were shot here, as well as the upcoming Total Recall, starring Collin Farrell and Kate Beckinsale. Too bad I wasn’t around when they were filming!

Scarborough is also known for its beautiful ravines and there’s one that borders the campus grounds. I made my way down all the steps (it’s hard when you’re only a foot tall and your joints don’t bend, but I managed), and enjoyed a short walk to the banks of the Highland Creek.

A bit thirsty after the walk, my new UTSC friends took me to Rex’s Den for some nice, cold water. Rex’s Den is a restaurant and bar on campus with lots of tables, good food and drink, and space for performances and fundraisers. (Rex is UTSC’s racoon mascot. He’s adorable, and we hit it off right away).

UTSC is one of three campuses that make up the University of Toronto. With 15,000 undergraduate and graduate students, it’s a mid-sized university all by itself! With the only co-op programs in the U of T system, UTSC places an emphasis on learning by experience (which as AUCC’s intern, is something I’m getting very good at!). At the same time, UTSC is rapidly expanding its research and graduate studies programs.

I could tell right away, it’s a rapidly growing campus – just this year UTSC increased its classroom space by 25 percent when it opened a new building called the Instructional Centre. And I saw some ongoing construction while touring campus.

Unfortunately, I just missed ArtsideOut, UTSC’s student-run arts festival. They transform the entire campus into a venue for music and art for an entire day. But my guides let me take a picture with the big pink cube. If you want to see it, and other pictures from UTSC, check out my Facebook page.

My taste for culture piqued, I wanted to see the campus art gallery. UTSC’s gallery is named after famous Canadian painter and UTSC alumnae – Doris McCarthy. As luck would have it, there was an artwork made up of lots of found materials, and when I posed for a picture I think I fit right in. Who would’ve thought? Me, a work of art!

As we came out of the gallery, my nose caught a whiff of something delicious. I had heard about these hot dogs from UTSC students who said I had to try them. I think, after all the day’s activities, a tasty hot dog is just what I needed. I also really like this picture because it gives you an idea of just how much I stand out, as a polar bear on campus.

Y’know, sometimes, it’s not always easy being a polar bear at university. But my UTSC guides told me at this campus, it is not what you look like that makes you what you are; it is how you fit in with the rest of the community and the role you play. UTSC students are culturally diverse and this adds to the campus vibrancy.

I’ll always remember how my friends at UTSC made me feel at home. The people at this campus have shown me the future – a future where polar bears and students from all over the world can learn together and have a few laughs. Thanks, UTSC. Hope to be back soon!

Le campus de l’UQAC comporte 19 pavillons pour l’enseignement et la recherche de même que des installations sportives de haut niveau. Dans cette belle région qui regorge de ressources naturelles, plusieurs des pavillons mettent le bois et l’aluminium à l’avant-plan, symboles incontestables de ce coin de pays.

Saviez-vous qu’au Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, on dénombre environ 400 bleuetières qui couvrent une superficie de 27 000 hectares. On se croirait au pays des bluets! Rien que d’y penser, j’en ai l’eau à la bouche! Miam!

Mais revenant aux choses sérieuses… Plus de 9 500 étudiants étaient attendus pour la Rentrée 2011 et de ce nombre on y recense 58 nationalités.

Le recteur de l’UQAC, monsieur Michel Belley qui est également notre président à l’Association des universités et collèges du Canada, était très fier de m’accueillir chez lui. Un traitement de faveur m’a été offert pour l’occasion alors que toutes sortes d’activités spéciales ont été préparées pour moi dont la visite des pavillons du campus et du bureau de monsieur Belley. J’ai également assisté à une partie de soccer avec de jeunes joueurs sur le magnifique terrain synthétique adjacent au Pavillon sportif et situé tout près du pavillon Alphonse-Desjardins.

Lors d’une cérémonie officielle, on m’a remis une carte « VIP » pour la nouvelle année universitaire. Je pourrai ainsi retourner voir le fjord, les Saguenéens et les Jeannois quand bon me plaira et déguster leurs excellents bleuets encore une fois!

Pour voir toutes mes photos de l’UQAC, visitez mon site Facebook. À la prochaine!

What are you studying?

I am a fourth year student doing a Bachelor in Public Affairs and Policy Management (BPAPM) with a concentration in International Studies and a Minor in History. I chose the BPAPM program because it was the perfect blend of politics along with other topics such as political economy and globalization.

What made you choose a program that offered co-operative education?

One of the main reasons why I chose Public Affairs at Carleton was the availability of a co-operative education program. I knew that a combination of a degree with relative work experience provides a far better chance for successful employment than just a degree.

How has co-operative education enhanced the value of your education and/or degree?

The Carleton University co-op education program has provided me with the opportunity to experience different jobs and has further expanded my interest in the field of international affairs. I found that having previous co-op experience has greatly increased my chances for employment. I noticed this when I was going through the interview process for my third co-op placement. Many recruiters seem to give preference to students with co-op experience.

Beyond the more obvious benefits of improving my employment opportunities, I also enjoy how the program enables students to test their skills and ensure that they enjoy what they’re doing. As a co-operative student, you can evaluate and possibly take steps to change your career path. On the other end you can also discover what you truly enjoy, and build on those skill sets while you’re still in university.

How has co-operative education altered your career path?

Rather than altering my career path, the program has enhanced it. Co-operative education offered me the opportunity to work with the Canadian Federal Government, an opportunity I did not think I could reach until I had finished my Bachelor’s degree. The experience had opened my eyes to new possibilities and new work options. I had a general idea of my future career path once I chose my major at Carleton University, but I was never certain of the exact position that I would strive for until I had the chance to experience working on a co-op term with the Government of Canada.

My Carleton co-operative experience includes two positions: an administrative assistant for the Information/Knowledge Branch of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and a junior analyst at the Department of Citizenship and Immigration. The co-op placements helped me discover the type of position I would be interested in pursuing after the completion of my degree.

Did the option of co-operative education influence your choice on where you studied?

One of the main reasons that I chose Carleton University and the Public Affairs and Policy Management major was because I knew the program included co-operative education. I chose Carleton University because it was clear to me that this university offered many great opportunities that I would enjoy participating in. Thanks to my co-op experience, I realized that I need a Master’s degree for a successful career in the field of my choice. Upon completion of my Bachelor degree I plan to apply for admission to the Norman Patterson School of International Affairs.

Would you recommend co-operative education to other students?

Absolutely – in fact I wish it was offered in all departments!
I found the co-operative education experience to be very rewarding and enriching. I would definitely recommend the co-operative education program to any student who wants to gain valuable work experience and a competitive advantage when it comes to employment. It is an experience that a lot of students could (and do) benefit from.

What have been some of the greatest challenges and the greatest successes of your co-operative education experience?

One of the challenges was to quickly educate myself about information technology to be able to better understand and contribute to the work of the Information/Knowledge Branch of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. I learned to conduct extensive research, improved my knowledge of MS Office and had numerous opportunities to practice speaking both French and Russian.

Photo: James Park

What sort(s) of jobs were you working for prior to your involvement with the co-operative education program?

I worked as a representative at the Carleton University Campus Card Office for two years. Prior to that, I had a summer job as a desk clerk at the Carleton University Department of Conference Services. My work experience also included a volunteer internship for a Member of Parliament and four years as a retail associate at Smart Set.

Do you have any final words of advice to current or future co-op students?

Take the time to look into what Carleton has to offer. It’s easy to do on Carleton’s website. There are tons of great departments, and numerous places to go for advice and guidance. I am sure that if students took the time, they would find all these hidden resources that they didn’t know existed here.

Immediately upon entering Western’s gates off of Richmond Street, I was invited by some friendly co-eds who reside in Elgin Hall to join in a game of beach volleyball. Though I wasn’t dressed to participate in sporting events, it was a chilly fall day and I figured my coat of fur would give me an advantage over my opponents. I was right, because we won. Well, that is, I think we won.

Reaching sky high for a kong block, I took a ball to the head and things got a little hazy after that. Thank goodness Western is home to some of the world’s leading medical experts. Immediately after my accident, I was whisked away to the Robarts Research Institute at Western’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry where a team of professionals would examine my head injuries.

Admittedly, the ride on the stretcher wasn’t all that bad. In fact, it was kind of fun. And what a view. As I was rolled up University Hill, I saw University College and Western’s iconic tower in all its glory. It actually gave me goose bumps as I imagined Bishop Hellmuth and his fellow Western founders laying the groundwork for this magnificent place.

Once at Robarts, Joe Gati, the Facility Manager for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, told me that I would undergo a brain scan in the 7 Tesla (7T) functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) system, which is the only one of its kind in Canada. I thought it was the impact to the head that had me hearing gibberish, but Joe explained that functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging is technical jargon for describing a scanner that is especially useful when visually examining the brain, muscles and the heart as opposed to other medical imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT) or X-rays.

It turned out that my head was just fine and that the ache I was experiencing was from a chipped tooth. Okay, so maybe I overreacted. That said, I couldn’t continue on my campus tour with an imperfect smile so I headed next door to the Dental Sciences building where third-year Schulich Dentistry student Maxwell Abraham worked on my tooth. I was skeptical at first, because he told me it was the first time he was visited by a non-human patient. Lucky for me, Maxwell was able to repair my incisor, which he described as “very long and aggressively sharp.”

I’m a sensitive lady bear, so naturally I took this comment, some would say, extremely to heart and decided to sue Western and make a little coin for my troubles. Cha-ching!

I continued my trek across campus to the Moot Court Room at Western’s Faculty of Law, to speak to someone about initiating a lawsuit. On my way there, I stopped in at D.B. Weldon Library where I checked out some textbooks and brushed up on my legal language as I would defend myself – although I found later Western students offer an amazing program called Community Legal Services, which sounds awesome.

Anyhoo, upon entering the moot court, I came face-to-face with Michael Lerner, a Western alumnus and one of southwestern Ontario’s most renowned lawyers. “Judge” Lerner told me that Maxwell was probably only referring to the nature of bears’ teeth in general, and that I didn’t really have a case. In my embarrassment, he proceeded to comfort me. It was then that I realized that although my day at Western had been eventful to say the least, each member of Western community had treated me with nothing less than kindness.

I will remember my time at Western with fondness and admiration. And it turns out the ball I took in the face was not only a successful block, but the winning point. Huzzah! Maybe Coach Edwards can find a spot for me on the women’s volleyball team?

Speaking of the Bruce Trail, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the trail runs directly behind Brock, which sits atop the Niagara Escarpment. That was the first place I checked out.

To brush up on all things Brock, I thought my next bet would be to read up a bit more about what makes this university unique. I had heard and seen quite a bit of buzz about this “Both Sides of the Brain” thing at Brock. There was no better place to look than Brock’s brand new viewbook, hot off the press.

I was told that the Faculty of Education’s Instructional Resource Centre had recently undergone some renovations. I decided to head up there and check it out. And you know what, I actually ran into some of my distant relatives!

Next, I went to meet with Brock’s new Vice-President Research, Gary Libben. He was excited to show me construction progress on the new $111.5-million
 
Cairns Family Health and Bioscience Research Complex. During our meeting, I strongly encouraged him to consider setting up a new research stream on the lifespan and health improvement of polar bears. We’ll see if he bites.

I also heard Brock has an impressive rowing team. Not a huge surprise, since Brock is so close to Lake Ontario.
 
So I really wanted to take a look at the Leo Leblanc Rowing Centre in the Athletics Department to see where all the magic happens! Luckily, some of Brock’s world-class rowers were around to take the simulator for a spin. And, these guys are in shape! Did you know Brock men’s rower Travis King is representing Canada at this year’s Pan Am Games in Mexico? Go Travis go!

After such a vigorous workout, I decided to wind down my Brock visit with a trip to the Canadian Wine Library housed in the Cool Climate Oenolgy and Viticulture Institute. Talk about cool! Brock plays a big part in supporting and researching the vibrant wine industry in Niagara (and around the world).

Overall, a fantastic trip! Thanks to the Marketing Communications team and students who gave me such a warm Brock welcome. And don’t forget to visit my Facebook page for more tales and tidbits!