In 2018, the Academic Dean launched an initiative to rethink learning spaces and improve the learning environment in the college’s general-purpose classrooms. Teachers and students were surveyed about how these classrooms should be equipped and configured to facilitate student engagement. The findings were analyzed by Melanie Doyle (Psychology) and Leigh Shapiro (Interior Design), who presented…
Do not miss Richard Dugas at Earth Week on April 27 at 12 p.m. for a Bike Tune Up Workshop. You will learn about bike inspection, cleaning, lubrication and inflating tires.
That afternoon Richard will also be on campus (outside the Security entrance) between 3 -4 p.m. for a Bike Café Meetup. He will be offering spring riding tips and personalized troubleshooting. RSVP to bring your bike.
Come say hi and join the bike gang!
This year, we have added an s to Earth Weeks and scheduled two weeks of events.
Here are some highlights:
Sustainability Programs Open House Wednesday, April 21 at 10 a.m.
Come meet representatives from colleges and universities that offer Sustainability degrees and/or certificates, including Dawson’s Environmental & Sustainability Certificate.
Beehive Opening Wednesday, April 21 at 12 p.m.
Take a peek inside Dawson’s 4H rooftop hive – and experience honey bees remotely!
Zoom link: https://dawsoncollege.zoom.us/j/95885539661
Keynote Speaker Dr. Ingrid Waldron Thursday, April 22 at 1 p.m.
Author of There’s Something in the Water: Environmental Racism in Indigenous and Black Communities, which was turned into a 2020 Netflix documentary, Dr. Waldron recently co-founded the Anti-Environmental Racism Coalition. Organizations in the environmental and climate change sector are collaborating on projects and sharing expertise and resources to address environmental racism in Indigenous, Black and other racialized communities across Canada.
For more info, click Read More to go to the full schedule. To get zoom links and reserve your class, contact sustainability@dawsoncollege.qc.ca
The Campus Life and Leadership (CLL) team is looking for 2-3 judges to choose the winners of a singing competition, co-hosted by the Dawson Student Union. In addition to prizes, the winners will be entered as Dawson's representatives in the annual intercollegiate Unplugged singing competition. The judges are provided with a criteria sheet, along with the rules and guidelines that the students receive. They will have at least five days to review all the submissions in the comfort of their own home. Winners will be announced April 19.
Contact Michelle Lee or Billi-Jo Poirier to volunteer as a judge.
The Beading Together project offered 40 students the opportunity to connect to Indigenous cultures and ways of learning through guided beading workshops with artist Cory Hunlin on March 15 and March 17.
Dawson students enrolled in the Decolonization and Indigenization Studies Certificate and those who participate in the First Peoples' Centre activities were invited. The funding was provided by SSAP and the Certificate. Students received beading kits in the mail from Nicia's Accessories in Kahnawake.
Jennifer Smith (Faculty, Anthropology and Coordinator of the Decolonization and Indigenization Certificate) reported that the students loved the workshop. "While frustrating at first (about three meters of thread are used for one earring) as knots are commonplace, students reported feeling relaxed and peaceful afterwards," she said.
Workshop leader Cory Hunlin is a Tsilhqot'in artist originally from B.C. who is now based in Tio'tia:ke (Montreal). He taught the students to make a beaded pair of earrings. Beading as a group is a common practice for many Indigenous peoples and is central to relationship and skill building. These workshops opened up a collaborative space for students, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, to work together and learn about beading, Jennifer said.
Student Mia Kennedy shared her experience: "This workshop showed me how accessible beading is. Anyone can bead. Also, it felt really special to explore and participate in an artform that is so fundamental to Indigenous communities. I felt like I was able to further appreciate the work of Indigenous artists by seeing how long it takes to complete a piece of beadwork. It took me three hours to complete a single earring. ... It takes a lot of skill to make beadwork as clean and beautiful as Cory can. I admire their skills and their patience. All in all, this was a wonderfully positive experience for me."
Dawson's Earth Week is fast approaching. We are reaching out to any staff, faculty or student who would like to contribute a piece of art: canvas painting, digital painting prints, photographs, sculptures, etc. to this year's Earth Week fundraiser. The theme for the pieces is anything nature, animals, sustainability, Earth. They will all be put up for sale online between April 19 and April 30. Your name and/or social media accounts will be mentioned, and all the money raised will help fund Dawson's beautiful Peace Garden.
No pieces will be turned away. Thank you in advance for caring for our garden!
Please contact campuslife@dawsoncollege.qc.ca if you would like to be part of this wonderful cause.
Monday, March 29:
10 a.m.: Traditional Opening with elder Otsi'tsaken:ra Patton
various time slots available for reservation: Storytelling with Sam Ojeda, Honouring the Red Road. Sam is Yoreme from the North West of Mexico. Sam is a multi-talented artist, a storyteller, a traditional dancer, a ceremonialist, a social worker, a painter, and a musician.
1 - 2:30 p.m. Indigenous Fashion and Arts, a roundtable with Ceder Eve Peters and Louisa B. Saganash. Moderated by Dayna Danger.
2:30 to 4 p.m.: Indigenous Voices in Academic Writing with Charlie O'Connor.
3 p.m.: Paint Night hosted by Carmen Joseph, a Cree artist from Big River Saskatchewan. Supplies will be provided to student participants.
March 29 (4-6 p.m.)-30 (3-5 p.m.)-31 (10 a.m. to 12 p.m.): From Trees to Weaves. "As a 19-year-old Mi’kmaq student, I am proud and thrilled to share my culture with others. I will present a 30-minute video tutorial demonstrating how to craft traditional Mi’kmaq black ash baskets, with a focus on the historical significance and the importance for young Indigenous peoples to continue their cultural practices."
Tuesday, March 30:
11:30 am to 1 p.m.: Pow Wow Dance workshop with Barbara Diabo
1 to 2:30 p.m.: Daphne Art Centre presentation featuring Lori Beavis. Daphne is the first Indigenous run art centre in Tiohtiá:ke (Montreal), it is named after the late artist Daphne Odjig.
2:30 to 4 p.m.: Immigrant Settler Responsibilities to Indigenous Peoples in the time of Reconciliation hosted by the Dawson Peace Centre.
Wednesday, March 31:
10 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Introduction to Kanien'kehá:ka ceremonies and worldview with Aronhiaes Herne.
2:30 p.m.: Screening of Rustic Oracle in the presence of Kanienkehaka Director Sonia Bonspille Boileau and actor and Cinema | Communications student McKenzie Deer Robinson. Set in the late 90s, Rustic Oracle is a dramatic feature about Ivy, an 8-year-old girl trying to understand what happened to her big sister who has vanished from their small Mohawk community. With minimal clues, Ivy and her mother Susan embark on an unwelcome journey to find Heather which ultimately brings the pair closer together despite challenging circumstances. Behind the story of desperation, told through the eyes of a child, lies one of hope, growth, awakening and love. The film was shot in Rustic Oracle was filmed in Kanesatake.
6 - 7 p.m.: Prairie Fire is a Métis Cultural Family dance group performance. Learn the Métis jig with the dance group who shows audiences how to dance through live teaching during their performances. All of the dancers, Hunter, Riley, and Jacob are siblings, and their mother is Jaime Morse who helped them get started in the performing arts.
Thursday, April 1:
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: First Peoples' Post-Secondary Storytelling Exchange (FPPSE) presentation featuring Pasha Partridge, Alexandrea Matthews, and Kahawishon Horne.
2:30 to 4 p.m.: Traditional closing with Otsi'tsaken:ra Patton
4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.: Virtual Comedy Show featuring Tai Leclaire (Dawson's Class of 2009, Professional Photography), a Kanienkehaka and Mi'kmaq actor, writer, comedian from Kahnawà:ke, Quebec. He is a writer for the upcoming NBC Peacock sitcom Rutherford Falls.
Click Read More to register for the events.
We will celebrate the 2021 International Day of Mathematics this Friday, March 12 from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. Everyone is welcome to join!
Schedule:
On A Mathematical Game and Randomness - Professor Shahab Shahabi
The Mystery of Who Invented Calculus - Professor Andreea Panait
3.14 Concepts in AI Algorithms - Professor Garry Chu
Zoom link: https://dawsoncollege.zoom.us/j/98129041419
The Campus Life and Leadership team of Gianna Di Giacomo-Smith, Michelle Lee and Billi-Jo Poirier and their Blue Ring student volunteers have redefined success this semester.
Click Read More for the news story and find out what students enjoy, how the CLL team has adapted and see what's coming up.
Join the conversation on Jan. 28 and show your support for mental health by getting involved in Bell Let's Talk Day. This is largely a social media campaign. Check out and share the content on the official Dawson College social media channels as well as on the Dawson Blues, CLL and Student Health social media channels.
Last Modified: May 19, 2021
