News

What happens when the structures that we come to depend upon in society begin to collapse? What does it mean to turn the focus inward on your profession in a time of political crisis? These are the challenging questions that motivate the contributors to the edited book Abolish Social Work (As We Know It), published by Between the Lines.  Co-Edited by Dr. Craig Fortier, Associate Professor in Social Development Studies at Renison University College, Dr. Edward Hon-Sing Wong, Research Associate at SEIU Healthcare, and Dr. MJ Rwigema, Assistant Professor in Applied Health Sciences at Concordia University, the book emerges out of decades long experiences, relationships and collaborations between the editors and frontline social workers, social work educators, sex workers and sex work advocates, Indigenous knowledge keepers, harm reduction workers, community organizers, and those for whom social work has been an impediment to their lives.

Renison alum Doug Austrom teaches MBA classes on leadership at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business in Bloomington, Indiana. His class syllabus for Winter 2014 term was titled “Positive People Practices for the Global New Normal” and included classroom topics such as “applying humanity-centered first principles, humanocracy and positive people practices” and “building organizations as great as the people inside them.” Doug sees the good in people and wants you to see it too.

Renison faculty member Dr. Vinh Nguyen has worked for years in the area of critical refugee studies. Throughout his academic career, he’s asked the question, “what is refuge?” and his award-winning 2023 book Lived Refuge, examined the lived dimensions of refuge via gratitude, resentment, and resilience. That work allowed Nguyen to turn his focus inward and examine his own experiences as a refugee in his memoir, The Migrant Rain Falls in Reverse. Nguyen, his mother, and his siblings were among the millions of asylum seekers who fled Vietnam after the end of the war in 1975.

The 2025 edition of Renison Reports is now available! 

This year, the theme is 'Together in Hope and Possibility' and features stories from our Renison community that show some of the ways we're moving forward together. 

Highlights:

• Alumni who make an impact
• International programming that responds to the ever-changing needs of students
• Student leaders who are making the most of their Renison experience 
• Faculty research and projects
• Strategic Planning next steps

And more!

Renison's Dr. Crystena Parker-Shandal has been announced as winner of an Excellence in Teaching Award from the Faculty of Arts.

This award recognizes exemplary teaching over a variety of course levels, approaches to course development, structure, and delivery, and/or mentoring colleagues and graduate students to promote better teaching.

Renison is saddened to share the news of the sudden passing of Robert (Bob) Truman. 

Bob was a valued member of the Renison community, and was made a Renison Senior Fellow in 1988. He had a long history of contributing to student-focused initiatives and his donation history with Renison spanned more than 30 years. His generosity will have a long-lasting impact. 

Bob was also well-known figure on the University of Waterloo campus, and was the Director of Institutional Analysis and Planning from 1984 until his retirement in 2010. 

A celebration of life is scheduled for May 15, 2025 at Erb & Good Family Funeral Home.

The 24^th Chinese Bridge - Chinese Proficiency Preliminary Competition for University Students in Ontario and Manitoba was held successfully at Renison University College on Sunday April 27.

The event was sponsored by the Center For Language Education and Cooperation and the Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in Toronto and hosted by China Studies Center at Renison University College.

Dr. Marc Jerry, President of Renison University College welcomed the candidates from different universities and their family members and friends, and the judges. He hoped to promote the diversity of language and culture education by hosting such events.

Renison Alum Ajirioghene Evi (currently CEO of the Ontario Association of Social Workers) was one of two recipients of the King Charles III Coronation Medal last week at the Region of Waterloo. 

Renison faculty member Dr. Vinh Nguyen has worked for years in the area of critical refugee studies. Throughout his academic career, he’s asked the question, “what is refuge?” and his award-winning 2023 book Lived Refuge, examined the lived dimensions of refuge via gratitude, resentment, and resilience. That work allowed Nguyen to turn his focus inward and examine his own experiences as a refugee in his memoir, The Migrant Rain Falls in Reverse. Nguyen, his mother, and his siblings were among the millions of asylum seekers who fled Vietnam after the end of the war in 1975.

In honour of March being Social Work Month, we wanted to share the amazing and diverse placement experiences of some of our Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) students, in order to highlight the fact that social work is an incredibly wide-ranging field that extends into all areas of the community.

Meet Laura, an MSW student currently completing her placement at Shkaabe Makwa at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).

Here's what she had to say about her experience at her placement, studying at Renison's School of Social Work, and the broader field of social work.