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The 15th annual Waterloo Staff Conference starts today
A message from Organizational and Human Development (OHD).
Today marks the opening of the 15th annual Waterloo Staff Conference (April 11-12), and we are proud to announce that over 1,500 employees have registered for this celebratory event! If you haven’t had a chance to register, there is still time to join your colleagues.
“We are absolutely delighted to welcome so many colleagues to the 15th annual Waterloo Staff Conference,” says Melanie Will, Director of Organizational and Human Development. “It is wonderful to see so many folks joining us in person, as well as virtually. We hope everyone finds time to reconnect with colleagues and leaves feeling inspired by the keynote speakers and workshops.”
The event kicks off this morning at Hagey Hall with our opening keynote Neil Pasricha (8:45 a.m.), followed by an interactive session with Juice Inc. (10:30 a.m.). In the afternoon, President Vivek Goel takes the stage for the “President’s Forum: Waterloo at 100” (1:15 p.m.), where you’ll learn more about this remarkable project and long-term vision for our university. The final session of the day is hosted by Organizational and Human Development (2:45 p.m.) exploring the how employees can lead the vision of Waterloo at 100 at an individual level, contribute to the vision at a department level, and inform the vision at an institutional level.
On Wednesday, April 12, we will continue virtually on MS Teams for day two of the conference, which will feature a variety of concurrent workshop sessions still open for registration, such as:
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The Power of Volunteerism at Waterloo: Get Involved!
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Do you write ANY academic papers? Zotero is our friend and can be your friend too!
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Am I copying right? How copyright comes into play as a staff member?
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You May Ask Yourself… (Re-introduction to Policy 55 Non-Academic Surveys)
Our closing keynote Cassie Holmes, will share how to immediately improve your life by changing how you perceive and invest your time.
Follow @OHDuwaterloo on Twitter for live updates. For more information, check out the agenda and our know before you go page. We hope you’ll take this opportunity to make new connections, learn and engage with your colleagues.
See you there!
Join the conversation at the President's Forum today
The University is pleased to share its vision for Waterloo at 100.
Everyone in the UWaterloo community is encouraged to read the vision to navigate the ideas and guiding principles that will lead this institution to a brighter future by 2057.
To learn more about what’s next for Waterloo at 100, and how you can play a part in it, all faculty and staff are invited to the Humanities Theatre on April 11 at 1:15 p.m. for the President’s Forum: Waterloo at 100 Vision. You will have the opportunity to ask President Vivek Goel questions and offer comments during the forum’s Q&A session hosted by Sandra Banks, Vice-President, University Relations.
This vision is the result of what was truly a community effort. Thank you to everyone who took part in the extensive consultations and who submitted ideas and feedback. This is something we all share, and while the vision document and website might be complete, our work to bring about the transformative change called for within this vision is just beginning.
This is a free event, followed by refreshments in Hagey Hall. For those who cannot attend in person, the event will be livestreamed via Microsoft Teams.
Watch the livestream beginning at 1:15 p.m.
Note: This Forum will be hosted as part of the Waterloo Staff Conference. For more information on the Conference please visit their website.
Introducing 'Needles Wall' in Needles Hall
The UWaterloolife team poses for a group photograph in front of the new mural outside the Board and Senate chamber. Come visit the mural and take your own selfie!
A new mural recently installed in Ira Needles Hall outside the Senate and Board of Governor Chamber serves as a visible representation of the Waterloo at 100 visioning exercise.
Designed by the team at Creative Studio (formerly Creative Services), the mural draws upon the unconventional spirit of the University’s founding while hinting at what lies ahead.
Driven by a goal of establishing a long-term vision, Waterloo at 100 drew feedback from its community to develop ideas to reinvent the culture of the institution.
The mural’s installation this month coincides with the Senate and Board of Governor approval of the Waterloo at 100 vision paper and the President’s Town Hall on April 11.
Come on up to the third floor of Needles Hall and take a selfie with the new corridor artwork. Use the hashtags #NeedlesWall and #PictureMeAtUWaterloo and you might just get featured on the University's main Instagram account.
Connecting with her Indigenous ancestry
Blair McCullough on Moose Factory Island.
This article was originally published on the School of Pharmacy website.
Blair McCullough (Rx2024) was attracted to the Waterloo School of Pharmacy program because of its innovative co-op program and in particular the opportunity to work with Indigenous Peoples.
Blair’s father is Algonquin First Nations and by accepting a co-op work term at Moose Factory Island, Blair learned more about her Indigenous background and heritage while working with an underserved population.
“Everyone deserves affordable, readily accessible healthcare and continuity of care. In the future, I want to work in the North as a pharmacist to help those most in need,” Blair says.
Journey to Moose Factory Island
Travelling to Moose Factory was a long trip for Blair, involving many different modes of transportation because no roads are connected to the island from the Ontario highway system. Blair travelled via bus to Cochrane, Ontario, on a train to the mainland of Moosonee, and on a boat to get to the island for a total of two days of travel.
“Experiencing this journey made me realize how difficult it is for the community to receive medical care, food and the things we take for granted in urban areas,” Blair says.
Resources for the Moose Cree First Nation community arrive by drop shipments from helicopters or by train.
Blair stayed in hospital housing where all healthcare staff reside. Blair mentions that while her living conditions were great the same cannot be said for the living conditions for community residents. These conditions contribute to poor health outcomes among residents.
Immersing into the culture
“I always knew I wanted to work in Northern Ontario but I had so many questions,” Blair says. “My father’s stories about his experiences with the Algonquin culture in Mattawa were not as complex but they did give me a sense of familiarity.”
Moose Factory Ministik School.
Before deciding to complete her co-op work term at Moose Factory Island, Blair spoke to past students who previously worked there to get a sense of the working conditions.
During her spare time on the island, Blair watched documentaries with other residents and students at the hospital to learn about the community and its history.
“This was an incredible way for me to learn about my roots and the history of my ancestors,” Blair says. “I experienced what it means to be a part of a community and the importance of care.”
Blair also attended a social program and sewing classes twice a week that are led by an Indigenous elder and a community member.
A pair of gloves sewn by Blair.
“Engaging in sewing classes was the best experience I’ve ever had. It was a great way to talk to the locals and learn about their culture,” Blair says. “I learned words from the Cree language, their favourite recipes, the history of the residential schools and the current school system today in Moose Factory. It was important for me to see how the community is teaching their children to be in contact with their culture.”
Working in the community
“During my time at Moose Factory I worked at the hospital and completed home visits alongside a physician, personal support worker or nurse to help people who are unable to come to the clinic – those with mobility issues, cognitive disabilities and the elderly,” Blair says.
Weeneebayko General Hospital on Moose Factory Island.
“It really put into perspective how a person’s living condition plays a big role in their ability to access healthcare.”
Blair also spent four weeks travelling by boat to Moosonee to work at the community pharmacy.
She wanted to experience how a community pharmacy operated in Northern Ontario compared to an urban area pharmacy.
Extending experiences to the future
At the beginning, I didn’t know if I’d last the four months, Blair reflects. She learned a lot about herself and about the kind of pharmacist she wants to be.
“This was a big step outside my comfort zone but as individual practitioners we need to be able to put ourselves in uncomfortable positions because our patients are in those positions,” Blair says.