Skip to search
Menu
Banner

Thursday, May. 1, 2025

#DawsonProud, Homepage news, Inspired Teaching

Exploring Quebecois literature in French and English at Dawson

The diverse, multicultural and unique community of Dawson College is a place where barriers come down, where students from different backgrounds sit next to each other and where the value of well-being for all is promoted. Even teachers of French and English are coming together at Dawson!

Dawson teachers Carmen-Silvia Cristea (Faculty, French) and Jeff Gandell (Faculty, English) met through Writing in the Disciplines (WID), a Dawson community of practice focused on pedagogy and curriculum development related to writing, critical thinking and active learning.

“We really connected on teaching literature in a creative way,” Jeff said in an interview with Dawson’s Communications Office.

As a response to Law 14 (also known as Bill 96), Carmen and Jeff co-created a learning community and piloted their project in the Winter 2024 semester. “There was a lot of fear and anxiety, and I thought, how can we take this and turn it into something positive?” Jeff recalled. It seemed natural to work with Carmen since they had already worked together on a project for WID.

Visit the link for the homepage news story.

Read More - Exploring Quebecois literature in French and English at Dawson

Office of Academic Development

Teaching in French Workshop and Event Series

This May, after the end of classes, the Teaching in French Task Force will host a series of workshops, guest speakers, presentations and events to support teachers preparing specific ed., Humanities and complementary courses in French. Visit the link to see the program of events, get more details and register for one or more sessions.

Read More - Teaching in French Workshop and Event Series

#DawsonProud, Academic News, Events

Almost time for Vernissage Season

Vernissage Season 2025 begins on May 21 with an exhibit by graduating students in the Illustration program and concludes on May 29 with the vernissage of graduating students in Interior Design.

Visit the link for all the dates and times for the Creative and Applied Arts programs' year-end shows.

Artwork by Illustration student Nicolas Gagnon-Fee.

Read More - Almost time for Vernissage Season

Learning opportunities, Professional Development

You’re Invited! The SALTISE Conference is Coming to Dawson – June 4 & 5

Looking for fresh ideas and inspiration to enhance your teaching? Join us at Dawson College on June 4 and 5 for the SALTISE Conference 2025 – a free, two-day event that brings together educators, researchers, students and pedagogical innovators from across the province and beyond.

This year’s theme, Connecting Communities Over a Decade: Reflections on past, purpose, and path ahead, celebrates over 10 years of sharing ideas and building communities around active learning and evidence-based teaching.

Expect an engaging program with talks, workshops, panels, and poster sessions—all designed to spark new thinking and conversations. The conference will also feature a keynote from Dr. Marcela Borge, an expert in collaborative learning and educational technology from Penn State University.

Last year, 19 Dawson teachers presented at the conference, sharing the great work happening right here at our college. We’d love to see even more of our community attend this year—whether you're presenting, attending sessions, or just curious to see what SALTISE is all about.

To register or learn more, visit the link.

Read More - You’re Invited! The SALTISE Conference is Coming to Dawson – June 4 & 5

Learning opportunities, Office of Academic Development, Professional Development, Well-being for all

Drop by for coffee/tea on May 7 and learn about retreat

Join us for a coffee & tea break!​
Wednesday May 7
12 PM-2 PM in the CoLab (3F.36)​​

Inclusion & Wellness Retreat Q & A drop-in ​
Hosted by: Cathy Roy, Caroline Haddad & Julia​ Lijeron

Office of Academic Development, Professional Development

Classroom Management Workshop: Proactive Strategies for a Positive Learning Environment

Monday, May 26, 2025 - 9:30-12:30pm

Presented by Tannia Ditchburn, Pedagogical Counsellor, OAD and Aurelie Leblanc-Florent, Student Services

Join us to refresh and strengthen your classroom management toolkit. Whether you’re a seasoned educator looking to refine your approach or a new teacher seeking practical guidance, this interactive workshop will equip you with tools to prevent disruptions, foster positive relationships, establish a structured learning environment, and apply appropriate interventions when necessary.

Through hands-on activities and real-world case scenarios, you’ll explore:

  • Proactive strategies to set the tone from day one
  • Strategies to build positive relationships with students and create an inclusive and respectful classroom
  • Techniques to maximize instructional time, improve engagement, and minimize disruptions
  • Approaches for clear expectations, smooth transitions, and student accountability
  • Effective interventions for handling disruptive or challenging behaviours
  • When and how to apply the Code of Conduct appropriately

Visit the link to register.

Read More - Classroom Management Workshop: Proactive Strategies for a Positive Learning Environment

Academic News, Events

ALC Festival on now through May 15

The ALC Festival ALC "Multitudfes: A Celebration of Diversity, Creativity, and Possibility began April 24 and is on until May 15. Join us as we showcase and celebrate our student learning and work at our various events and vernissages.

Visit the link for more info.

Read More - ALC Festival on now through May 15

Academic News, Events

Science Fest is May 5-9

ScienceFest is our annual celebration of all things science-y! This year's festival will take place May 5-9 in room 3C.1. The festival is a gallery-style event where visitors browse at their own pace and learn about research, projects, and competitions performed by Dawson Science students. The content includes posters, devices, demonstrations, and interactive activities.

Academic News, Events

Electronics Engineering Project Fair is May 12

The Electronics Engineering Technology Department will be having its annual project exhibition which showcases the electronic projects designed and built by our graduating students.

Mark your calendar and drop by Conrod's (2F.4 in the Upper Atrium) at any time between 11:30 AM and 1:30 PM on Monday May 12 to see their projects.

Everyone is invited!

Academic News, Dawson Foundation, Dawson Gives

Over 200 attendees at the Fiesta Solidaria

Over 200 people joined for the Fiesta Solidaria on April 24, an annual community gathering and fundraiser organized by students and teachers in the Social Change & Solidarity profile. Student families, community partners, and alumni packed the room to hear student speeches, to see student-produced films and art, and to support the profile’s new and old community partnerships.

Students shared about their three-week solidarity delegation to Cuba which took place in January, and showed a film documenting their experience. “For me,” explained Maira Jade Paynot, a second-year student who participated in the delegation, “the trip to Cuba was an opportunity to stand as learners and allies, and to witness a people who have been living under the weight of a decades-long blockade with extraordinary dignity and creativity.”

Students also spoke about the profile’s first-ever “local stream,” a new experiential course designed in collaboration with local organizations working towards migrant justice and Indigenous rights in Montreal. Mariam Yande Diouf, a second year SCS student who participated in the local stream and produced a short film about the experience, said: “This intensive made me reflect on this thing we call community. I saw how interconnected the social issues in our city are… I realized that this thing we call community is not something that just happens to you. It’s something you nurture.”

Visit the link for the report by Sara Louise Kendall, SCS Profile Coordinator.

Read More - Over 200 attendees at the Fiesta Solidaria

#DawsonProud, Student Services

Prestigious Awards for Dawson Students at University of Toronto’s North American Model UN

Fifty-four Dawson College students travelled to Toronto in mid-February to participate in the University of Toronto’s annual North American Model United Nations (NAMUN) conference. The conference stands as one of Canada’s oldest and most esteemed annual university-level conferences, attracting hundreds of university students from North America.

Dawson College students Thomas Avilla Real and Bassma Al Atrache were two delegates from DCMUN’s outstanding delegation, with Thomas participating in the North American Treaty Specialized Agency and Bassma in the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees General Assembly, one of the many committees offered by NAMUN. A few weeks after the conference, they shared their experience of the event, from seeing Dawson’s delegation succeed and win prestigious awards to their biggest takeaways.

Visit the link to read the full report.

Read More - Prestigious Awards for Dawson Students at University of Toronto’s North American Model UN

Academic News

Computer Science Technology students at Women Techmakers Montreal Conference

The Dawson Ada Society sponsored tickets for 14 students and two teachers to attend Women Techmakers Montreal Conference on Saturday, April 5. The conference featured talks and workshops on current topics in the field of Computer Science, highlighting the perspectives and experiences of women professionals. Students also had the opportunity to network with peers and industry colleagues, gaining valuable connections and insights.

-Submitted by Swetha Rajagopal (Faculty, Computer Science)

#DawsonProud, Sustainability, Well-being for all

1,000 species project, carbon neutrality, and Sustainable Happiness program make Dawson a global leader in sustainability

The Dawson College community came together on Earth Day to dedicate two new pollinator wildflower gardens on their “Living Campus” on April 22 in celebration of achieving a platinum rating in sustainability.

After years of work and great effort by hundreds of students and employees from the Dawson College community, the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) confirmed Dawson’s platinum rating as a global leader in sustainability. Dawson had previously achieved the Cégep vert Excellence Level with special mention.

Dawson College is the first “Associate” level institution to achieve a platinum rating. There are only 13 other higher education institutions who have reached it. Over 1,000 institutions participate in the program located in nine Canadian provinces, 47 U.S. states and territories and more than 20 countries.

Visit the link for the news release.

Read More - 1,000 species project, carbon neutrality, and Sustainable Happiness program make Dawson a global leader in sustainability

Warren G. Flowers Art Gallery

Q&A with artist Sarah-Mecca Abdourahman

Sarah-Mecca Abdourahman is a young Ottawa-based artist. Her work is deeply personal, exploring themes of childhood, nostalgia, and the diasporic experience. She explores these themes in her current exhibition, Memories We Carry, Stories We Heal at the Warren G. Flowers Art Gallery from March 27 to May 3, 2025. Two second-year Visual Arts students, Tristan Boisvert-Larouche and Olivia MacIntosh had the opportunity to ask the artist a few questions.

Visit the link to read their interview with artist Sarah-Mecca Abdourahman.

Photo by Sylvia Trotter Ewens. 

Read More - Q&A with artist Sarah-Mecca Abdourahman

Academic News, Well-being for all

Meditation master came to Dawson

On April 24, Orgyen Chowang Rinpoche, a meditation master in the Dzogchen Buddhist tradition, gave a presentation attended by nearly 200 students.

“He spoke about how many sources of dissatisfaction in the modern world stem from neglecting humanity’s inner dimension,” said Humanities teacher Daniel Goldsmith, who invited him to Dawson.

Visit the link for more about the experience.

Read More - Meditation master came to Dawson

#DawsonProud, Dawson Foundation, Dawson Gives

Artists in Bloom raised just shy of $12,000

The 27th annual Artists in Bloom was a successful evening with more than 100 guests and a grand total of $11,817 raised for the Dawson College Mental Health Fund and the vernissages of two of our programs, Illustration and Visual Arts.

Thirty student artists from Illustration and Visual Arts painted for two hours while those in attendance enjoyed seeing art being created, listening to live music, and visiting with guests and colleagues. All attendees were amazed by the talent of the student artists and what they were able to do in a mere two hours.

The auction, guided by The Beat’s Donna Saker and Dawson’s Geoff Kloos, featured some great back-and-forth bidding wars. All in attendance contributed to a great atmosphere.

This would not be possible without the support of our sponsors, student and staff volunteers and especially our incredibly talented student artists and supportive attendees. A special thank you to the organizing committee: Neal Armstrong, Amanda Beattie, Kiana Kisiel, Michelle Lee and Carey-Ann Pawsey.

#DawsonProud, Academic News

DawsCon showcased work of Computer Science students

Dawson College held its annual free one-day software conference, DawsCon, in Montreal on March 4. It was a showcase for the work of third-year Computer Science students. The event provided a valuable platform for more than 70 students to share their work both within and beyond the scope of their program, while engaging with peers, professionals, and software enthusiasts. Attendees had the opportunity to attend a variety of student presentations and participate in meaningful discussions on diverse topics in software development. A key feature of the conference was a career panel with four guest speakers who shared insights into their professional journeys and experiences in the tech industry. Overall, the conference offered a day of inspiration, learning, and networking for all who attended.
-Submitted by Mahsa Sadeghi (Faculty, Computer Science) 
#DawsonProud

Timothy Slonosky launching his book May 8 at Dawson

Timothy Slonosky (Faculty, Humanities) will be hosting a Book Launch party for his new book, Civic Reformations, in Dawson's Library on Thursday, May 8 at 6:30 PM. All are welcome.

#DawsonProud, In the news/in social media, Off campus events

Jackie’s Drawing is Andrew Katz’s latest children’s book

Andrew Katz (Faculty, English) is launching his latest children’s book May 10 at 10 AM at Le Renard Perché. Jackie’s Drawing is the English title, and the French version is called Le dessin de Charlie.

Andrew will be accompanied by the translator, Juliana Léveillé-Trudel, and will read the book in English and in French. Snacks and activities for kids will be on the menu!

Here is a description of the story, suitable for young readers aged 5-7 years old: When a rusty haze falls over a city, a young girl named Jackie keeps up her spirits by drawing whatever nature she can see from her window, including the mountain where she used to bring her sketchbook and draw all day. As the days wear on into weeks and months, Jackie eventually loses the heart to do anything, even to draw. But one day, in the canal below her window, a dolphin leaps into the air. Soon, a moose, an eagle and other animals begin to wander into the city—a sight that inspires Jackie to pick up her pencils again and create a drawing unlike any she has ever made. Poignantly illustrated in a bright painterly style, this ecological fable celebrates the resilience of both the natural world and human creativity, and will have young readers eager to head outdoors and do some drawing of their own.

#DawsonProud, Communications Office, In the news/in social media, Living Campus, Sustainability, Well-being for all

Dawson in the news

Dawson was in the news on Earth Day for achieving a platinum rating in sustainability from AASHE.

CTV News Montreal (April 22, 2025): https://www.ctvnews.ca/montreal/article/dawson-college-students-mark-earth-day-with-seed-planting-to-boost-biodiversity-on-campus/

City News (April 22, 2025): https://montreal.citynews.ca/2025/04/22/earth-day-dawson-college-sustainability/

Global News (April 22, 2025) https://globalnews.ca/video/11144364/dawson-college-celebrates-earth-day

The Gazette (April 22, 2025): https://www.montrealgazette.com/news/article890132.html

DawsonITE

DawsonITE Newsletter # 668

DawsonITE is your curated news related to IST and Education prepared by Dawson's Rafael Scapin.

In this issue:

  • Being Human in 2035 How Are We Changing in the Age of AI?
  • How AI Can Change Online Learning—And How EdTech Leaders And Educators Should Prepare
  • The Secret to AI In Education: We Should All Be Frustrated Pragmatists

Read More - DawsonITE Newsletter # 668

Submit News

Dawson Events

Submit Events

Last Modified: May 1, 2025

 

Back to Top