Thursday, June 9, 2016

HeForShe anniversary marked by special address

United Nations Under-Secretary-General Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Director of UN Women and the HeForShe Campaign, spoke at the University of Waterloo on Wednesday.

The first anniversary of the University of Waterloo's participation in the HeForShe IMPACT 10x10x10 initiative was a cause for celebration, said UN Under-Secretary-General Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.

"So let's relax," said Mlambo-Ngcuka. "Most of the time we talk about pain and steps taken to fix it, but when we hit a milestone we should celebrate, and show how this is about concrete changes that your team is making to bring about gender equality."

The University of Waterloo is a pioneer for its work as a HeForShe IMPACT 10x10x10 champion, said Mlambo-Ngcuka, noting that the institution stands in good company with nine other post-secondary institutions, 10 global corporations, and 10 heads of state as part of the initiative, which launched in 2014.

Mlambo-Ngcuka noted that the UN Women's HeForShe campaign arose in a somewhat counterintuitive manner: "we were women looking for men in order to enlist men in the work to be done."

The focus on boys and young men was essential, Mlambo-Ngcuka explained, to ensure that a generation of men would grown up with a new, positive experience of masculinity.

“We are targeting men and boys to ensure that the next generation of men and boys grow up to be activists, to be equality-oriented, to make sure that when they have authority and responsibility, when they are parents and part of institutions, they will not be threatened by women, but are actively making sure they equalize the space,” Mlambo-Ngcuka said.

In her address, Mlambo-Ngcuka linked the HeForShe initiative with the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, calling it the most comprehensive agenda adopted since the UN Charter itself in the wake of the Second World War. She said the agenda addresses issues like violence against women, reproductive and sexual rights and unpaid care work, and emphasizes the need to bring about comprehensive change in areas that will affect women and girls.

Critical to the exercise is removing all forms of discrimination against women, and increasing the effective leadership of women in politics and the economy. Mlambo-Ngcuka said it could take 50 years to achieve equal participation of women in politics and more than 100 years to reach wage equity.

“Programs such as HeForShe are helping us shorten the time for us to address these issues,” she said, noting that if the campaign succeeds, substantial strides towards equality will be achieved instead by 2030. "We want to make sure that those who are in leadership are those who have the ability to open the doors that women are banging at, and remove the glass ceilings."

The Under-Secretary-General also took questions from the audience, with Special Advisor to the President on Women’s and Gender Issues Diana Parry acting as moderator.

In his introductory remarks, President Hamdullahpur revealed that nearly one-third of the incoming students in the Faculty of Engineering this fall are women, the highest number in the university's history.

“These are strong, early steps on a long, important journey," he said. “Until girls and women see the fullness of their reflection in the University of Waterloo, in our student body, and in our faculties, there is more work to do.”

Vancouver flocks to Waterloo to recruit top tech talent

by Laura Jane Watkins and Amy Woroch

The Vancouver Economic Commission (VEC) seeks to position Vancouver as a globally recognized city for innovative, creative and sustainable business - and they want Waterloo’s top tech talent to help.

On May 30, the VEC made headlines when they visited Waterloo to host two unique employer information sessions. A panel of seven companies presented their “elevator pitch” to entice students for employment opportunities in western Canada. Each company that joined the VEC information sessions has posted jobs for fall co-op work terms.

With a focus on living and working in Vancouver, over 170 students were able to engage with the companies. Afterwards, VEC promoted their evening meetup to students outside the Student Life Centre by playing Frisbee.

In the evening, the “#YVRTech Meetup” at the Bombshelter was co-hosted by VEC and business software company, SAP Vancouver. The meetup was set up with booths by each of the seven companies that VEC represents. Students mingled and chatted with each prospective company. 

The Events Facilitator, who attended from CECA, collected feedback from the VEC after their session. She said VEC indicated that they were “very happy” with the students that they talked to.

Valuation workshop and other notes

"Do you know how to value a company? Did you know finance employers explicitly look for this skill on your resume?" If you didn't, or even if you did, the University of Waterloo Finance Association (UWFA) is hosting a two-part valuation tutorial designed to prepare students for finance interviews, stock pitch competitions, and the workplace. 

Part One of the valuation seminar consists of a basic overview of the three valuation techniques: discounted cash-flow, precedent transactions, and comparable companies analyses. The event takes place on Thursday, June 9 at 6:00 p.m. in 4021.

Part Two of the seminar includes an in-depth tutorial of a discounted cash-flow model led by CIBC investment banker Richard Ma. Students will be guided to complete their very own valuation model on Excel. This event takes place on Saturday, June 11 at 1:00 p.m. in M3 2103. There are only 30 spots available.

The workshops are open to UWFA members, and non-members can sign up to become an association member to be eligible to attend the workshop and future events.

The University of Waterloo Staff Association (UWSA) is hosting its third annual Golf Tournament on Thursday, July 7, and is looking for golfers who want to enjoy some fresh air, fun, food or to just catch up with friends.

"All Waterloo staff and retirees are welcome to join us at 4:00 p.m. at Foxwood Country Club, near Baden," says the note from the UWSA. "The deadline to register is June 23. A $10,000 Hole-in-One is being sponsored by Johnson Insurance, and prize sponsors include GoodLife Fitness, Canada’s Wonderland, Coldwell Banker, Bingeman’s, UW Food Services, Sue Fraser Crafts, Country Gardens, African Lions Safari and the Education Credit Union."

Anyone wanting to sponsor prizes or needing more information should contact Catherine Bolger in the UWSA office at ext. 33566.