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    AMS exec plans next chapter

    Thursday April 2, 2015
    By Andrew Stokes, Communications Officer

    When they officially assume their roles on May 1st, the incoming Alma Mater Society (AMS) executive team want to focus on modest, incremental changes rather than big-ticket items. The team, comprised of Kanivanan Chinniah (Artsci’15) as President, Catherine Wright (Artsci’15) as Vice-President (University Affairs) and Kyle Beaudry (Com’15) as Vice-President (Operations), want to refine the services the AMS already offers, rather than overhauling or creating any new ones.

    The incoming AMS executive team is (l-r) Kanivanan Chinniah, Catherine Wright and Kyle Beaudry. (Photo supplied)

    “The AMS is in a place now where we’ve benefitted from wells that we didn’t dig ourselves. Our predecessors have done a lot of work and we want to build on that work with small, practical changes,” says Mr. Chinniah. “Our term is 366 days, but it’s only one chapter in a broader book.”

    Mr. Beaudry, who oversees AMS corporate services like the Publishing and Copy Centre and Queen’s Pub, outlined some of the changes the team hopes to bring into effect. Along with a customer satisfaction audit to improve service at all AMS outlets, they also have specific changes in mind for the campus café, Common Ground.

    “We want to address the lack of seating at CoGro. We’ve heard from students that the lines are long and that they can’t find seats,” he says. “We want to restructure the seating to allow for more people, so that students can more easily find space to have a coffee and a snack.”

    Speaking to some of the broader plans they want to work with the university to implement, Ms. Wright says the executive team plans to advocate for the creation of a student health and wellness centre in the Physical Education Centre and wants to see an experiential learning credit created for students.

    “The credit would allow students to take courses outside of their faculty or program, but wouldn’t affect their grade point average. A credit like that would encourage students to diversify the learning experience they have here at Queen’s,” Ms. Wright says.

    Before elaborating on their plans, however, the team wants to make sure they’ve allowed the student body to have their say.

    “We’re committed to the consultative process and want to make sure we’re engaged in informed advocacy. We want to do that by meeting with students in focus groups, using surveys and by holding town halls,” says Ms. Wright. “When we’re at the decision-making table, we want to make sure the opinions we’re bringing are what students want.” 

    Tags: Campus Community

    Current issue of For the Record

    Thursday April 2, 2015
    By Communications Staff

    Appointments

    Faculty of Health Sciences

    Matthew T. Simpson, Assistant Professor, Family Medicine – March 1, 2015

    Human Resources

    Successful candidates

    Job Title: Project Coordinator, Competency-Based Medical Education (USW Local 2010) 
    Department: Postgraduate Medical Education, Faculty of Health Sciences 
    Competition: 2015-023 
    Successful Candidate: Jennifer Railer (QEDC General Admin)

    Job Title: Research Accounting Administrator (USW Local 2010) 
    Department: Financial Services 
    Competition: 2015-034 
    Successful Candidate: WITHDRAWN

    Job Title: Research Coordinator 
    Department: Medicine 
    Competition: 2015-R007 
    Successful Candidate: Cathy Ferri

    Job Title: Research Associate 
    Department: Medicine 
    Competition: 2015-R002 
    Successful Candidate: Kristin MacLeod

    Job Title: Program Associate (USW Local 2010) 
    Department: Chemical Engineering 
    Competition: 2015-026 
    Successful Candidate: Ethan Katz

    Job Title: Research Technician 
    Department: Cancer Biology & Genetics 
    Competition: 2015-R006 
    Successful Candidate: Ashley Huck

    Notices

    Nominations invited for grad student supervision award

    The School of Graduate Studies invites nominations of faculty members for consideration for the 2015 Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Supervision. 

    The purpose of this award is to recognize those outstanding supervisors who demonstrate excellence in advising, monitoring and mentoring their graduate students. Two awards will be presented at the fall 2015 convocation: one in the social sciences and humanities, and one in life sciences, natural sciences and engineering.

    Award nomination forms and guidelines are available from the Office of the Dean, School of Graduate Studies (deansgsr@queensu.ca) or at www.queensu.ca/sgs. Nomination packages should be submitted to the Dean, School of Graduate Studies, Queen’s University, Gordon Hall 425, 74 Union Street, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6 by 4 pm on Thursday, May 28.

    Nominations now accepted for Distinguished Service Award

    Queen’s faculty, staff and retirees are invited to nominate candidates for a Queen’s Distinguished Service Award. Inaugurated by the University Council in 1974, this award recognizes individuals who have made the university a better place through their extraordinary contributions. Recipients become honorary life members of the council.

    Recent changes to the University Council bylaws now allow Queen’s employees and retirees to nominate recipients, who will be recognized at the University Council annual dinner on Saturday, Nov. 7.   

    The guidelines, the nomination form and additional information are available online.

    Please submit nominations to the University Council executive committee, care of the University Secretariat, by Thursday, April 30, 2015 at 4 pm. 

    Please contact the University Secretariat at ucouncil@queensu.ca or 613-533-6095 if you have questions about the Distinguished Service Award or the nomination process. 

    Tags: Campus Community

    New tool deepens pledge to equity, diversity

    Monday April 6, 2015
    By Mark Kerr, Senior Communications Officer

    A new online interactive tool is available to assist deans and department heads as they assess equity and diversity in their areas and set targets for improvement.

    “Queen’s is committed to providing students with a high-quality education that prepares them for an increasingly diverse society and globally integrated world,” says Michael Blennerhassett, chair of the Senate Educational Equity Committee (SEEC). “Fulfilling that commitment to our students requires equity and diversity in our workplaces and classrooms.

    “The Diversity and Equity Assessment and Planning Tool (DEAP) provides a practical, entirely online resource for evaluating, on a cyclical basis, our progress in this area,” he adds.

    Queen’s is committed to providing students with a high-quality education that prepares them for an increasingly diverse society and globally integrated world. Fulfilling that commitment to our students requires equity and diversity in our workplaces and classrooms.

    Michael Blennerhassett, Chair, Senate Educational Equity Committee

    The Equity Office developed DEAP in collaboration with SEEC and in consultation with a variety of campus stakeholders. The Equity Office is already supporting the implementation of the tool in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science and the School of Medicine.

    “Within the faculty our aim is to have a workforce that reflects the diversity of the Canadian population,” says Dayna Smith, Manager, Human Resources, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. “The DEAP is a well-designed and practical tool that will help focus our efforts.”

    The self-audit tool allows faculties and their departments or divisions to:

    • Understand the demographic profile of their staff, faculty and students.
    • Assess progress on promoting equity and diversity.
    • Reflect on areas that require improvement.
    • Develop an action plan and timeline for improvements.

    The DEAP tool involves three main steps. First, participants complete the self-assessment survey that includes a series of questions related to 12 indicators of inclusion. Those questions evaluate the ways in which diversity and equity are present across the organization, and suggest potential goals to increase this further.

    The tool generates a report card summarizing the results of the survey. Participants then set goals based on their areas of priority. Finally, participants complete a summary report highlighting key equity objectives and areas of focus as well as an implementation plan. Over time, this will indicate both current status and document progress towards high standards of equity and inclusivity.

    Equity Office advisors are available for guidance and support throughout the process. Contact equity@queensu.ca  

    Tags: Campus Community

    FIT TIPS: Simple ways to 'Get Your 150'

    Thursday April 2, 2015
    By Communications Staff

    With the aim of helping faculty, staff and students "Get Your 150" (minutes of recommended exercise a week) to improve health and wellness, the Gazette and Athletics and Recreation will be offering Fit Tips each week.

    Here are 10 quick ways you can work toward getting "Get Your 150":

    1. Every time you check Facebook do arm stretches

    2. Take advantage of the free exercise classes at the ARC - look for the RED classes on the Fitness Plus Schedule here

    3. When waiting in line anywhere, do calf raises

    4. When bending down to get something, hold the squat for 30 seconds before grabbing it

    5. Download a meditation app on your phone and spend 10 minutes a day de-stressing

    6. Do 10 lunges with your backpack before you leave the house

    7. Research healthy options before going out to eat at a restaurant

    8. Go to the open swim in the ARC before class, and reward yourself with a warm shower after

    9. Go for a hike with friends, or find a local bike trail to enjoy on a nice day

    10. Find physically active alternatives to typical hangout sessions with friends

    Tags: Campus Community

    Bringing in the bystanders

    Wednesday April 1, 2015
    By Rosie Hales, Communications Officer

    Queen’s is launching two new initiatives to help tackle sexual assault on campus.

    Bringing in the Bystander, a new pilot program at Queen’s, is aiming to empower the community to stop sexual assault before it happens.

    The University of New Hampshire developed and trademarked Bringing in the Bystander. The program encourages bystanders to intervene safely and effectively in cases where sexual assault may be occurring or where there may be a risk of sexual violence.

    Universities across Canada have since been implementing the program on their campuses and Queen’s has begun training the first people who will, in turn, train others on campus.

    “We’re very excited to launch this evidence-based awareness-raising and skill-building program alongside other important strategies to help prevent incidents of sexual assaults on campus,” says Arig al Shaibah, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs (Student Life and Learning) and Chair of SAPRWG.

    Members of SAPRWG have been trained to deliver the Bringing in the Bystander program. As this is a train-the-trainer model, a team of students will be selected to receive the trainer and deliver the program to peers across campus.

    Bringing in the Bystander helps community members:

    • Identify behaviours in a continuum of violence.
    • Develop empathy for those who have experienced violence.
    • Learn safe and appropriate intervention skills.
    • Commit to intervene before, during and after an incident of sexual abuse, relationship violence or stalking.

    “This training is highly interactive and, instead of focusing strictly on the roles of perpetrator and victim, Bringing in the Bystander uses a community of responsibility approach,” says Dr. al Shaibah. “It teaches bystanders how to safely intervene in instances where an incident may be occurring or where there may be risk.”

    "This training is highly interactive and, instead of focusing strictly on the roles of perpetrator and victim, Bringing in the Bystander uses a community of responsibility approach."

    - Dr. Arig al Shaibah

    This isn’t the first or only initiative Queen’s has or will run to target sexual violence on campus. For example, the Red Flag Campaign is run annually to help students identify “red flags” for violence in their friends’ relationships and encourage them to intervene. The 2015 Red Flag Campaign ran from March 23-27 in a series of posters in the Student Lounge in the Athletics and Recreation Centre, along with a number of miniature red flags on fitness equipment. Follow this link for more information on the Red Flag Campaign.

    In addition to campus campaigns, the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Working Group (SAPRWG) has distributed online surveys to solicit feedback from members of the Queen’s community on the campus environment as it relates to sexual violence.

    Results of the campus climate survey will inform the design and enhancement of new and existing sexual assault prevention resources at Queen’s.

    Follow these links for more information on SAPRWG and Bringing in the Bystander. To take the campus climate survey, please follow this link. 

    Tags: Campus Community|Student Learning Experience

    Queen's hosts Lieutenant Governor

    Wednesday April 1, 2015
    By Andrew Stokes, Communications Officer

    • Lieutenant Governor Visit 2015
      Ontario’s Lieutenant Governor, the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell visited Queen’s University on April 1 and gave a lecture as part of the Principal’s Forum.
    • Lieutenant Governor Visit 2015
      Ontario’s Lieutenant Governor, the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell visited Queen’s University on April 1 and gave a lecture as part of the Principal’s Forum.
    • Lieutenant Governor Visit 2015
      Ontario’s Lieutenant Governor, the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell visited Queen’s University on April 1 and gave a lecture as part of the Principal’s Forum.
    • Lieutenant Governor Visit 2015
      Ontario’s Lieutenant Governor, the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell visited Queen’s University on April 1 and gave a lecture as part of the Principal’s Forum.
    • Lieutenant Governor Visit 2015
      Principal Daniel Woolf introduces Ontario’s Lieutenant Governor, the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell to Queen’s University.

    Campus played host to Ontario’s Lieutenant Governor, the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, on April 1 when she visited the university to deliver a public lecture and take part in a roundtable discussion.  

    Her Honour’s lecture, titled “Ideas that Matter: Conversations with Ontarians,” reflected her desire to meet and speak with the province’s citizens about what goals and themes she should prioritize for her tenure.

    “I want to learn about what issues concern Ontarians, what they’re interested in, what they’re doing and what stories they want me to tell,” she says. “If we’re going to promote Ontario in the world, I need to know what people are already doing and a university setting is a great place to have that conversation.”

    At her lecture she recounted the responsibilities of the Lieutenant Governor and spoke about some of the experiences she’s had with the Queen’s community. After telling of her meeting with the Queen’s Model Parliament in Ottawa, she praised the work that Dr. John Smol (Biology) has done to articulate the effects of climate change and shared the story of her investing Professor Emeritus Dr. James Low (Obstetrics and Gynaecology) to the Order of Canada. When Dr. Low was too sick to attend the Order’s official ceremony in Ottawa, Her Honour visited his house in Kingston to present him with his medal, skyping in friends and family for the impromptu event. 

    Though she spoke about many of the accomplishments that Ontarians have to be proud of, she also devoted attention to the challenges that are facing the province. She says that among the hurdles facing the province are the task of managing the fragility of the environment, ensuring economic prosperity and fostering a fair, inclusive and cohesive civil society.

    “We’re living in an interconnected and interdependent world now and if we don’t know how to live in, work in and trade in that world, we’re going to get left behind,” she says.

    To better hear what’s on the minds of Ontario citizens, Her Honour also took part in a roundtable discussion with a group of administrators, academics, students and alumni. The group shared with her the work being done on campus to foster innovation and interdisciplinary problem-solving.

    Though Her Honour has only been in her position for six months, she said she’s seeing clear lines between the matter that the people of Ontario care most about and that she wants to use her position to affect positive change.

    “As Lieutenant Governor, I have a platform that allows me to shine a light on the big issues that our society has, things that require bringing people together for conversations on issues that transcend politics,” she says. “My position is a totally apolitical one, so I make sure to ask every group I meet with, ‘what do you think I should be working on?’“ 

    Her Honour’s lecture was the most recent installment of the Principal’s Forum, a public lecture series sponsored by Principal Daniel Woolf. Previous speakers in the Principal’s Forum have included the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, the Rt. Hon. Tricia Marwick and His Excellency the Governor General, the Rt. Hon. David Johnston.

    “We were honoured to host Lieutenant Governor Dowdeswell and to hear her address,” says Principal Daniel Woolf. “I look forward to working with her during her time in office.” 

    Tags: Campus Community|Internationalization|Research Prominence

    Queen's remembers Carley Allison

    Wednesday April 1, 2015
    By Communications Staff

    Members of the Queen’s community are remembering first-year student Carley Allison, whose brave fight against throat cancer ended on March 31. She lived in Watts Hall on campus.

    [Carley Allison]
    Carley Allison

    Ms. Allison captured the public’s attention in March 2013 after she posted a video to YouTube of her singing a One Direction song while breathing through a breathing tube. She went to sing the national anthem twice at Toronto Maple Leaf hockey games and appear at several cancer fundraising events in Toronto.

    Through her blog and music, Ms. Allison was able to share her journey and raise awareness and money for the Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto where she received treatment.

    Ms. Allison was diagnosed with a cancerous tumour outside her trachea in February 2013. She underwent tracheal surgery and chemotherapy treatments that helped push the cancer into remission.

    In August 2014, a few days before she arrived on Queen’s campus, she was diagnosed with clear cell sarcoma in her lungs. She continued to take courses online after she returned to Toronto for treatments.

    Flags on campus are lowered in memory of Ms. Allison.

    Anyone in need of support is encouraged to contact Health, Counselling and Disability Services at 613-533-6000 ext.78264 and/or University Chaplain Kate Johnson at 613-533-2186. After hours, students are encouraged to contact Campus Security at 613-533-6080 or the Good2Talk post-secondary student helpline at 866-925-5454.

    Tags: Arts and Science|Campus Community

    The gift is in the giving back

    Tuesday March 31, 2015
    By Nancy Dorrance, Senior Development Writer, Office of Advancement
    [Campaign Co-Chairs]
    Donald and Joan McGeachy Chair in Biomedical Engineering Professor Tim Bryant, Executive Director Undergraduate Admission and Recruitment Stuart Pinchin and Emeritus Professor Carlos Prado (Philosophy) are three of the five co-chairs for the Campus Community Appeal.

    Each co-chair of Queen’s Campus Community Appeal has a distinctive reason for helping lead the university’s annual fundraising campaign. What unites all five volunteers is a common desire to “give back” to the university.

    Previously, we asked Terrie Easter Sheen (Gender Studies) and Martha Whitehead (University Librarian) to share what motivates them as volunteers, as well as their personal reasons for giving. Today the remaining three co-chairs – Donald and Joan McGeachy Chair in Biomedical Engineering Professor Tim Bryant, Executive Director Undergraduate Admission and Recruitment Stuart Pinchin and Emeritus Professor Carlos Prado (Philosophy) – respond to the same questions.

    What drew you to this volunteer position as Co-Chair for the Campus Community Appeal?

    Tim Bryant:  Ever since being a student here in the 1970s, I’ve wanted to give back. Now that I’m better able to help financially, that’s one way I can contribute – and giving my time is another. I think both are important to do.

    Stuart Pinchin:  When I was working in the corporate world, I always had a strong desire to be involved in the community and give back. The same is true now that I’m at Queen’s.

    Carlos Prado:  I wanted to do more than simply donate funds. This seemed a good way to contribute a little more.

    What project(s) do you support with your gifts to Queen’s?  

    TB:  As a bursary recipient myself, I know the difference student assistance can make; so that’s one of my support areas. The other is very close to my heart: new facilities for Mechanical and Materials Engineering that will help launch our department into the future.

    SP:  Our class gift many years ago established the Arts ’78 Bursary, after a classmate lost everything in an apartment fire. That’s what I continue to support.

    CP:  I support the Prado Thesis Prize in Philosophy, and my wife and I support the Prado Chamber Music Prize in the School of Music.

    What would you say to someone who was considering a gift to Queen’s?

    TB:  I would encourage them to reflect on the impact of their support 40 or 50 years down the road. Helping to provide a nurturing, stimulating environment for today’s exceptional students has the potential to make a real difference to Canada and the world. Everything we can do to support the Queen’s community is an investment in the future.

    SP: Looking around our campus, you can see so many people giving back – beyond their day-to-day work – in so many ways. Whether a financial gift, or by volunteering their time and energy and knowledge, it has such positive reverberations for both Queen’s and the broader community.

    CP:  First I would tell them that every dollar counts, and not to be shy, as some are, of making small donations. Second – and this is my special preference – I would recommend that they donate in ways that help students directly, as with achievement prizes. Lastly I would mention that donating time and/or money produces a good feeling of participation: one which is hugely bolstered when a student calls to thank you for your donation!

    Every year, in November and March, current and retired staff and faculty members volunteer their time and leadership to encourage their colleagues’ participation in the Campus Community Appeal. The appeal has a direct impact across campus, supporting programs and initiatives that enrich the teaching and learning environment. Gifts may be designated to almost any area of need: from student assistance to mental health and wellness, faculty programs, the library, archives, community outreach and more.

    Tags: Campus Community

    Ready for the next stage

    Tuesday March 31, 2015
    By Andrew Carroll, Gazette Editor
    [SharpScholar Jawwad Sidiqqi]
     Upon graduation, Jawwad Siddiqui (Com’15), is looking forward to putting his full efforts behind his start-up SharpScholar along with partners Amin Nikdel (Sc’14) and Tejas Mehta, a graduate of the University of Toronto. Below are screengrabs of the app for teachers, top, and for students. (University Communications)

    An app, developed by a pair of Queen’s University students, is helping connect students and professors to improve the learning experience in real-time.

    Two years ago, Jawwad Siddiqui (Com’15) and Amin Nikdel (Sc’14), came up with the idea of using mobile technology to increase interaction between students and teachers through feedback on what parts of the lesson were working for whom, and which ones weren’t. And all of this is done in real-time.

    The duo brought on board another student from the University of Toronto, Tejas Mehta, to help with growing SharpScholar, which is now being used in seven universities across North America, including Queen’s.

    A key step in the development of the program, Mr. Siddiqui says, was identifying professors as the “core value proposition.” This changed everything.

    Still, they had to connect with their target audience and they quickly realized it wouldn’t be easy. Professors often receive calls and offers for new programs to help in the classroom, so the team knew they had to design the app for the teachers first.

    Simplicity was key.

    “Once we took the modern approach to helping teachers, then they realized ‘Wow, this is so easy. I can do it in three steps and I’m done.’ In other words, taking a design approach to helping teachers’ lives,” he says. “We realized there’s a big opportunity to help these professors who were kind of not being served.”

    The response to date has been very positive.

    “It began with a very grassroots approach. We work with different teachers, from math to physics to computer science to business and we’ve just had tremendous success focusing on teachers,” Mr. Siddiqui says. “Teachers feel truly empowered when you value their time and initiative too.”

    However, as is often the case when introducing a new, unproven product, created by a group of university students no less, getting their foot in the door would prove to be a big first step. They were entering the education realm and dealing with professional educators after all.

    “It has been a very uphill battle in terms of building credibility, not just from a research perspective, because we did do research to back our software, but from a purely human relationships perspective, ‘Hey, these students they are not just out there to get our money or build their business,’” he explains. “Professors are just so tired of so many people emailing or cold calling them about this software or that software. So the personal journey of connecting with people, not necessarily for sales but for the betterment of society, in other words their teaching of students, has been a great experience to know how you really bring about change if you want to.”

    The first professors they connected with were at Queen’s and U of T, who saw the potential in the technology. He says they “partnered” with these innovative educators for their mutual benefit. Once they had the validation, they could move forward and expand.

    “That was essentially how we grew. Once we got it into the hands of the educators who were always testing new things, they were like ‘Oh wow this really works. This is unique and this is phenomenal,’” Mr. Siddiqui says. “They helped us build it. We gave them the ownership of it because, to be honest, we are not practicing professors, we can only hear and observe them.”

    Expand they have, to where SharpScholar is already being used at seven universities.

    With Mr. Siddiqui graduating this year, the team will be completely focused on getting the app into more classrooms.

    It’s something that he is looking forward to.

    “Fortunately we have an amazing team and an amazing group of people together, amazing community support from Queen’s professors and even professors worldwide, that it almost feels like an honour to graduate and work in it instead of more of a labour experience,” he says. “So in that regard it is absolutely fascinating but we do know we are stepping into a very risky landscape because currently we are in the stage of raising capital. And that would essentially give us the runway to get this going.”

    Already, the journey has been a fruitful one for the team, one that Mr. Siddiqui describes as “liberating.” It has been a juggling act, of course, trying to balance studies with starting up a new company. Mr. Siddiqui says that he has found that balance, with personal development, school and his company “all falling together.”

    For more information on SharpScholar visit sharpscholar.com.

     

    Tags: Business|Campus Community|Student Learning Experience

    'Making a real difference'

    Monday March 30, 2015
    By Communications Staff
    [Student Volunteer Awards]
    Kaylee Clark, left, is one of two recipients of the Peer Leadership Award, while Katie Ahlin and Katie Deakon received the Brian Yealland Community Leadership Award. (University Communications)

    Four Queen’s University students are being recognized for their outstanding leadership on campus and in the Kingston community.

    The 2015 Brian Yealland Community Leadership Award and the Peer Leadership Award were presented on Thursday at a reception to recognize student contributions to their peers and members of the community.

    “Students volunteer and work in many capacities across campus and beyond,” says Ann Tierney, Vice-Provost and Dean of Student Affairs. “They are engaged in their faculties, schools and departments; they work in student services, in student governments, with clubs and teams, and with community groups and organizations. Their contributions, on campus and off, make a real difference in the lives of other students and members of the Kingston community.”

    Katie Ahlin and Katie Deakon received the Brian Yealland Community Leadership Award, named in honour of former Queen’s Chaplain, Rev. Brian Yealland.

    Ms. Ahlin (ConEd’16) has volunteered as a math tutor for the last three years with Kingston Community Health Centres’ Pathways to Education program and also tutors a student through the Wasa-Nabin program at the Metis Nation of Ontario. She is also a director of Camp Outlook, a charity started by a Queen’s student, that takes youth-at-risk on camping trips in Algonquin Park.

    For the past four years, Ms. Deakon (Artsci’13, Law’16) has volunteered as a Rebound coach with the Kingston Youth Diversion’s Rebound program, teaching life-skills to at-risk teens. In 2014 she received Kingston Youth Diversion’s ‘volunteer of the year’ award.

    Representatives of Pathways and Youth Diversion spoke at the presentation about the value that Queen’s students bring to their organizations.

    The Peer Leadership Award, which recognizes excellence in peer-to-peer assistance, education and outreach through involvement in university programs and services, was presented to Emma Dargie and Kaylee Clark.

    Ms. Dargie (Artsci’09, MA’11) is a PhD candidate in the Department of Psychology and for the past seven years has volunteered with the Peer Mentor program in Health, Counselling and Disability Services. The program matches trained mentors with students to help them develop effective time management, study and coping skills as well as strategies to promote academic and personal success. Ms. Dargie also worked with program director Liz Racine to develop a Peer Helpers program at the Four Directions Aboriginal Student Centre.

    Ms. Clark (ConEd’16) has held multiple leadership positions in several programs on campus during her time at Queen’s. She is currently a residence don in Harkness Hall, and she guides 35 student volunteers who run the Campus Observation Room, the university’s harm-reduction detox centre in Victoria Hall. She is also been mentoring first-year students in the Bounce Back program this term. In past years, she has been involved in leading Queen’s Reads, and Summer Orientation to Academics and Resources (SOAR).

    To learn more about these and other awards, visit the Student Affairs website.

    Tags: Campus Community

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