Alumna inspired to bring farmers' market to campus
Written by Kyle Henry
For close to a year, Caillie Mutterback, a recent graduate of the Bachelor of Science program, has been planning a concept for a farmers market on campus. While working as a co-op student in the Office of Sustainability, she saw a need to make fresh, locally-produced produce available on campus, and was determined to see her plan through to fruition.
Mutterback connected with Jill Blackie, associate director of Food and Conference Services, and Dexter Lam, manager at the Office of Sustainability, who were both inspired by Mutterback and committed to supporting her vision. “It takes a lot of people all working together for an event like this, but you need someone to bring it all together and that’s Caillie,” says Lam.
“Whenever she gets passionate about something, she explores the idea and shares it with her community. Once our office and Food and Conference Services heard the idea of a farmers market, everyone was on board and extremely supportive.”
The farmers market will be on campus Friday, Sept. 26 from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the TFDL Quad. Everyone on campus is invited to attend and explore the world of high-quality, organic, sustainable and fresh food from local vendors.
“I just really want to create a conversation,” says Mutterback. “I want to get people talking and asking more questions about where their food comes from. About getting people to question the way they’ve been eating, or explore alternative ways of eating that might be more sustainable. Really, it’s about creating awareness.”
Vendors will be on campus selling produce and talking about sustainable food practices. A number of Students’ Union clubs will be in attendance, including the university’s Community Garden Club and SU Campus Food Bank, helping to promote thoughtful discussion on sustainable foods.
While the farmers market will focus on raw, ready-to-take-home fare, those looking for a hearty lunch will be able to purchase a meal from the YYCFoodTrucks nearby in the Rozsa Centre loop. Local musician Joe Vickers will be on hand to entertain the crowds with his fast folk-inspired acoustics.
While Mutterback hopes to see the pilot project as a regular event on campus in the future, she says the most important part is the dialogue about sustainable food. “My biggest takeaway is not just about choosing organic or buying local, but about thinking and making choices; decisions have consequences.”
http://www.ucalgary.ca/utoday/issue/2014-09-22/alumna-inspired-bring-farmers-market-campus
For close to a year, Caillie Mutterback, a recent graduate of the Bachelor of Science program, has been planning a concept for a farmers market on campus. While working as a co-op student in the Office of Sustainability, she saw a need to make fresh, locally-produced produce available on campus, and was determined to see her plan through to fruition.
Mutterback connected with Jill Blackie, associate director of Food and Conference Services, and Dexter Lam, manager at the Office of Sustainability, who were both inspired by Mutterback and committed to supporting her vision. “It takes a lot of people all working together for an event like this, but you need someone to bring it all together and that’s Caillie,” says Lam.
“Whenever she gets passionate about something, she explores the idea and shares it with her community. Once our office and Food and Conference Services heard the idea of a farmers market, everyone was on board and extremely supportive.”
The farmers market will be on campus Friday, Sept. 26 from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the TFDL Quad. Everyone on campus is invited to attend and explore the world of high-quality, organic, sustainable and fresh food from local vendors.
“I just really want to create a conversation,” says Mutterback. “I want to get people talking and asking more questions about where their food comes from. About getting people to question the way they’ve been eating, or explore alternative ways of eating that might be more sustainable. Really, it’s about creating awareness.”
Vendors will be on campus selling produce and talking about sustainable food practices. A number of Students’ Union clubs will be in attendance, including the university’s Community Garden Club and SU Campus Food Bank, helping to promote thoughtful discussion on sustainable foods.
While the farmers market will focus on raw, ready-to-take-home fare, those looking for a hearty lunch will be able to purchase a meal from the YYCFoodTrucks nearby in the Rozsa Centre loop. Local musician Joe Vickers will be on hand to entertain the crowds with his fast folk-inspired acoustics.
While Mutterback hopes to see the pilot project as a regular event on campus in the future, she says the most important part is the dialogue about sustainable food. “My biggest takeaway is not just about choosing organic or buying local, but about thinking and making choices; decisions have consequences.”
http://www.ucalgary.ca/utoday/issue/2014-09-22/alumna-inspired-bring-farmers-market-campus
New science mentorship program helps first-year students settle in
Written by Marie-Hélène Thibeault
When recent high school graduate and Vancouver native Shining Chang was admitted to the University of Calgary, she was eager to leave the comfort of her hometown to expand her personal and academic horizons and increase her sense of autonomy. What she didn’t anticipate were the many stressors that would arise from making Calgary her new home, adapting to university life, and working towards uncovering her passion in the Faculty of Science.
Fortunately, a new Science Mentorship Program developed and launched in the Fall 2014 term by Science Students’ Union representatives Taylor Woo and Amy Li has helped to transform the early experiences of first-year science students just like Chang.
“I felt really lost and stressed in my first week on campus,” recalls Chang. “Not only was I trying to get acquainted with my new environment but I was also trying to adjust to the high demands of being a university student. It was a lot to take at once — I thought I was ready but not at all,” she says.
Chang’s commitment to making the most out of her university experience prompted her to join the newly established Science Mentorship Program in the fall term. It was through the novel program that she was paired with fifth-year biological science and psychology student and mentor, Madalene Khalil.
A listening ear and a guiding hand
“As a mentor, my role has been to be a listening ear and to point her in the right direction,” says Khalil who decided to volunteer in the program to boost her mentorship experience and prepare for a career in health care as a doctor.
Khalil can still remember her own apprehensions as a first-year student, and she says Chang was certainly anxious when they first met. “Throughout the fall, we had multiple meetings to identify and tackle the various stressors she was experiencing as a first-year student," Khalil says. "She’s now gained the tools she needs to grow into a solid and confident University of Calgary student. The best past is that working with Shining has been enriching for both of us."
As part of their periodic meetings, Chang and Khalil tackled a variety of questions such as how to make smart course selections. In addition to the program’s academic focus, the meetings were helpful to address other topics ranging from where to find the doctor’s office on campus to identifying strategies for managing the stresses of university life.
“I can’t say enough good things about how my mentorship relationship with Madalene has enhanced my first-year experience,” says Chang. “Thanks to her help, I feel much more confident and eager to push forward with my new-found passion for chemistry,” she adds.
In its inaugural term, the program has facilitated 60 science undergraduate mentorship pairs, each consisting of a third-year or later mentor and a first-year mentee.
Mentors can provide both oversight and insight
“The purpose of the program is to provide academic oversight to incoming first year students while also offering them insight on how to make the most of their student experience,” says Woo, who co-founded the program
“It’s been extremely rewarding to see the program take off and produce so many positive outcomes already,” he adds. “So far, the feedback has been highly positive and we hope to grow our offering of mentorship opportunities in the future,” he says.
According to the National Mentoring Partnership, students who meet regularly with their mentors are 52 per cent less likely than their peers to skip a day of school and 37 per cent less likely to skip a class (Public/Private Ventures study of Big Brothers Big Sisters). Furthermore, it is believed that first-year students who take part in mentorship programs experience higher retention rates and grade point averages.
The new program has been supported by Jessica Cohen and Caillie Mutterback from the Scholars Academy. Their support has ensured that Science Mentorship Program mentors receive formal training to effectively support their mentees and point them to the right direction when they need additional support.
To get involved in the Science Mentorship Program or learn more about the program, contact smpucalgary@gmail.com.
http://ucalgary.ca/utoday/issue/2015-02-24/new-science-mentorship-program-helps-first-year-students-settle
When recent high school graduate and Vancouver native Shining Chang was admitted to the University of Calgary, she was eager to leave the comfort of her hometown to expand her personal and academic horizons and increase her sense of autonomy. What she didn’t anticipate were the many stressors that would arise from making Calgary her new home, adapting to university life, and working towards uncovering her passion in the Faculty of Science.
Fortunately, a new Science Mentorship Program developed and launched in the Fall 2014 term by Science Students’ Union representatives Taylor Woo and Amy Li has helped to transform the early experiences of first-year science students just like Chang.
“I felt really lost and stressed in my first week on campus,” recalls Chang. “Not only was I trying to get acquainted with my new environment but I was also trying to adjust to the high demands of being a university student. It was a lot to take at once — I thought I was ready but not at all,” she says.
Chang’s commitment to making the most out of her university experience prompted her to join the newly established Science Mentorship Program in the fall term. It was through the novel program that she was paired with fifth-year biological science and psychology student and mentor, Madalene Khalil.
A listening ear and a guiding hand
“As a mentor, my role has been to be a listening ear and to point her in the right direction,” says Khalil who decided to volunteer in the program to boost her mentorship experience and prepare for a career in health care as a doctor.
Khalil can still remember her own apprehensions as a first-year student, and she says Chang was certainly anxious when they first met. “Throughout the fall, we had multiple meetings to identify and tackle the various stressors she was experiencing as a first-year student," Khalil says. "She’s now gained the tools she needs to grow into a solid and confident University of Calgary student. The best past is that working with Shining has been enriching for both of us."
As part of their periodic meetings, Chang and Khalil tackled a variety of questions such as how to make smart course selections. In addition to the program’s academic focus, the meetings were helpful to address other topics ranging from where to find the doctor’s office on campus to identifying strategies for managing the stresses of university life.
“I can’t say enough good things about how my mentorship relationship with Madalene has enhanced my first-year experience,” says Chang. “Thanks to her help, I feel much more confident and eager to push forward with my new-found passion for chemistry,” she adds.
In its inaugural term, the program has facilitated 60 science undergraduate mentorship pairs, each consisting of a third-year or later mentor and a first-year mentee.
Mentors can provide both oversight and insight
“The purpose of the program is to provide academic oversight to incoming first year students while also offering them insight on how to make the most of their student experience,” says Woo, who co-founded the program
“It’s been extremely rewarding to see the program take off and produce so many positive outcomes already,” he adds. “So far, the feedback has been highly positive and we hope to grow our offering of mentorship opportunities in the future,” he says.
According to the National Mentoring Partnership, students who meet regularly with their mentors are 52 per cent less likely than their peers to skip a day of school and 37 per cent less likely to skip a class (Public/Private Ventures study of Big Brothers Big Sisters). Furthermore, it is believed that first-year students who take part in mentorship programs experience higher retention rates and grade point averages.
The new program has been supported by Jessica Cohen and Caillie Mutterback from the Scholars Academy. Their support has ensured that Science Mentorship Program mentors receive formal training to effectively support their mentees and point them to the right direction when they need additional support.
To get involved in the Science Mentorship Program or learn more about the program, contact smpucalgary@gmail.com.
http://ucalgary.ca/utoday/issue/2015-02-24/new-science-mentorship-program-helps-first-year-students-settle