The Keynote: November 2022

• Did you know that SGPS now offers Grad Pro Skills self-directed e-learning? Develop knowledge mobilization skills, enhance your teaching with modern pedagogy and technology, and ready yourself for an inclusive 21st century workplace. With self-directed e-modules and e-courses, you can learn at your own pace, at any time, from any where. Register today!
  
  
• Our Winter 2023 Grad Pro Skill Workshop schedule will be posted in the coming weeks on our Upcoming workshops page. Winter workshops will begin in January, with registration opening mid-December.

• SGPS hosted the Celebration of Excellence virtual event on October 27, 2022. The event was held to honour the 2022 Graduate Excellence Awards. To view the full list of winners and nominees, please visit the SGPS website.
  
  
• Are you defending your thesis in the Fall 2022 term?
  • Once you have successfully defended your thesis, you must formally submit an approved thesis package to SGPS. Thesis formatting, submission procedures, helpful resources, deadlines and conditions can be found on the SGPS website, including the thesis package checklist.
  • The post-defence thesis package deadline for Fall 2022 is December 16, 2022.
  • Thesis packages submitted after this deadline will result in fees being added to the next term.
    
    
• Reminder: effective for Fall 2022, all oral examinations will resume in person and the examination attendance policy will be enforced (See Section 10 of the Thesis Oral Examination policy).
  

• The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign is running November 25 to December 10. To start the campaign, join us for a panel discussion about gender-based violence and the cultural experience and what institutions can do to create informed, safe(r) spaces to support individuals on our campus. Register to attend. Follow @otstudentlife to learn more and be a part of the discussion.
  
  
• In collaboration with the university's Career Centre, Indigenous Education and Cultural Services is inviting you to participate in our Ambe Wii Nookiiwin Career Development Program. There are four sessions in the series. Each session welcomes an Ontario Tech Indigenous alumni student, who will be sharing their journeys through university and into their current careers. Check your .net email for information on how to register.
• The Bannock and Books October book club featured author is Jesse Wendt. We will be reading Unreconciled: Family, Truth, and Indigenous Resistance. Join us for the Sharing Circle on Monday, December 5 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the First Peoples Indigenous Centre at Durham College. We will be serving Bannock! Register to receive your copy of the book and to attend the Sharing Circle.
• The Career Centre has a variety of workshops that are designed to help students who are job searching, going to work for the first time, or entering a new workplace. Learn more and register for a fall workshop today!
  
  
• Join our STRIDE and Health Promotions teams for our Healthy Study Strategies: Taking Care of Body and Mind While Studying workshop series, where you will learn strategies to prioritize your wellness while studying for exams. Learn more and register.
  
  
• The Career Centre and Devant have joined together to provide career supports for international students. Check out, and register for all the great workshops that are happening in November!
  
  
• Join Siobhan O’Connor—Registered Yoga Therapist—to practice mindful movement as part of our fall Health Promotions programming! Wednesdays from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. until November 30. Wear comfortable clothing and bring a reusable water bottle. Yoga mats will be provided. Register for Mindful Movement. Please note: Each session has a maximum capacity of 10 spots.
  
  
• Conversation Cafe runs on Thursdays from 3 to 4:30 p.m. This is an opportunity to meet international students and learn about other cultures as well as a chance to practice English speaking and listening skills. Visit the Student Life Portal to view the schedule and register.
  
  
• Join the Student Engagement and Equity team on Friday, November 18 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. for Trans and Non-Binary Student Centred Space. Students will have the opportunity to connect with other students, ask questions and listen to Ontario Tech Alumni guest speaker, Serena. The session will be hosted in Shawenjigewining Hall, room 038. Learn about equity topics and discuss your experiences with those who may share them in a closed Student Centred Space. View the available groups and register for sessions.
• Join the Anti-Ableism Equity Advocate team on Tuesday, November 29 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. for a hybrid workshop! Learn and discuss invisible disabilities, lived student experiences on how ableism affects those with invisible disabilities and Spoon Theory. All participants will be entered into a raffle for a chance to win a Tim Hortons gift card! Join us in-person in UB 2080 or through Google Meets! Students can register on the Student Life Portal. Staff and faculty members interested in attending can visit the Human Resource Learning and Development webpage.
• Student Mental Health Services continues to offer a range of groups, workshops and events to support your mental health. If you would like to participate in one or more groups you can register now.
• Recovery College is a collaboration between Ontario Tech University and Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences. Three courses will be held over the Winter semester and will provide education about mental health and wellness, and help people to discover or rediscover passion, hope and meaning. To view the course descriptions and register, visit the mental health groups web page.
  
  
• #Let's Talk Sex Workshop Series. In response to student feedback provided to the Student Sexual Violence Prevention and Support Committee, Student Life has invited the AIDS Committee of Durham Region to deliver some workshops to provide education and destigmatization around topics of sex and sexuality. Part of building a culture of consent and respect on campus is providing space for conversations like these.
  
  
• RISE (Respecting Individuals, Supporting Equity) sessions are scheduled throughout the Winter semester. The RISE Program is a suite of workshops that provide training and education on what participants can do on an individual level to foster a safer and more inclusive community at Ontario Tech. Learn more and register.
  
  
• Wellness Walks is a free and fun opportunity that promotes physical and mental health by getting mindful walking breaks during the busy school and workday. Come out for a walk to restore your concentration, uplift your mood, decrease your stress and be a part of your campus community. All students, staff and faculty are invited to participate. Please dress for the weather, wear appropriate shoes for walking and bring a water bottle! View the schedule of walks on the Wellness Walks website. 
  
  
• Afternoons with SEE run weekly on Tuesdays from 2 to 4 p.m. in SHA 210 - all students are welcome to drop in and join the Student Engagement & Equity team to hang out, play games, meet others and enjoy refreshments.
  

• The Office of the Vice-President Research and Innovation invites you to participate in a Research Data Management Survey. The survey results will help prioritize planning, resourcing and implementation of research data management practices at Ontario Tech. This voluntary survey will be open until November 23.

Are you an international student? We welcome you to the Holiday Host Program.

• Designed for you to visit the home of an Ontario Tech staff or faculty during the holidays.
• Have an opportunity to engage in cross-cultural sharing through the celebration of holiday traditions.

• Always apply for OSAP. Many variables when assessing your OSAP and eligibility to receive funding could change every year. Also, make sure your Winter semester course load matches what's in your OSAP application—if not, this will delay the release of your second semester funding. Make updates with SAFA.