UTM's Association of Graduate Students

Positive Parenting Workshop – U of T Mississauga
Date: Wednesday, February 26
Time: 12:00 to 1:00 p.m.
Location: Davis Building, Room 3138
Register at www.familycare.utoronto.ca

Guiding a child’s behaviour is an art. Come discuss some key techniques that can help you understand and guide your child effectively. Participants will learn about the importance of setting limits, implementing appropriate consequences and offering choices to children. Refresh your parenting skills, learn new information and make connections with other parents in your community.

Facilitator: Brian Russell is a Parent Educator with the LAMP Community Health Centre. He and his wife have raised three daughters into the teen years (and so far, so good!)

Please register early, space is limited! All University of Toronto students, staff, faculty and postdoctoral fellows are welcome. Please let us know if you have any mobility challenges so we can accommodate your needs.

UTMAGS is organizing a Trampoline Dodgeball tournament for Tuesday, Feb. 25th, 6pm at Sky Zone Mississauga!

Sign up as a team ($20/team, 5 person maximum) or individually ($5) for a
chance to win bragging rights and some awesome prizes!

For more details please see the attached poster.

If you or any other grad students you know are looking for off-campus housing
please see the link below for a great deal. Please note that this housing is
available to UTM grad students only.

http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/mss/roo/4323828318.html

“Thirsty Thursdays” are going campus-wide!

Have you ever thought that it would be great to get together with colleagues from across campus for a relaxed chat? If so, then we have exactly the event for you.

UTM faculty, grad students and postdocs are invited to the first campus-wide Thirsty Thursday – UTM’s monthly Research and Networking Social. It will take place on Thursday (of course), Feb. 13, 16:00 – 18:30 in the Faculty Club.

There will be soft drinks, snacks, a cash bar, and if you all drop by, great company and good conversation. Until then, keep in mind that “In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria” (B. Franklin)*.

Please contact Christoph Richter in Biology (christoph.richter@utoronto.ca) if you have any questions.

*Quotes are for entertainment purposes only, and may not reflect actual biological, chemical, physical, historical or social facts!

IMI will be hosting its second seminar of the new year on February 4th (tomorrow) at 6:30pm in IB120.

The speaker is Pierre Meulien Ph.D., President & CEO, Genome Canada. Please see attached poster for more details.

Hope to see you all there!

Are you thinking of job hunting? Do you feel that your CV/resume does not accurately describe your accomplishments and skills? Do you want to learn tricks to make you noticed by an employer? If the answer is yes to any of these questions, then Venture’s CV & Cover Letter Workshop is for you!

The workshop will be lead by Dr. Nick Toltl, a seasoned healthcare industry professional, currently Vice-President of R&D at Concept 2 Clinic Inc, with over 10 years of experience at Eli Lilly in R&D. Dr. Toltl is a mentor in our Graduate Mentorship Program whom you also might have met at our annual Networking Night this past fall, who has been very willing to help many of our members. Join us at the workshop to learn tips and tricks how to make your CV stand out and potentially land a job! Please register by emailing info@venture-connections.ca.

Date: Thursday, February 13th at 3pm
Location: DV3130
Fee: Free for Venture members. If you are not a member, a one-time fee of $10
grants you full membership to Venture and all events. Please go to
http://www.venture-connections.ca/membership/  for more information

Refreshments will be served!

We’ve tabulated the results from the survey you filled out regarding the Grad Lounge renovations! Please see the link below to read them!

UTMAGS Survey Results – Renovation of Graduate Lounge

Are you interested in meeting professionals with advanced degrees? This is your chance to find a mentor that will guide you through your academic career and help you prepare for a successful career outside of academia. The GMP has over 60 professionals with various advanced degree backgrounds who are willing to mentor graduate students. This is a great chance to increase your professional network and gain insightful advice from people who have been through grad school. Most of these mentors are also willing to provide you with informational interviews and are happy to connect you to other companies and inform you of possible internship positions.

A recent UTM alumni, Michael Preston (PhD, geography) was a member of
Venture and the GMP and had this to say about our programs:

Thanks to Venture’s coordinated networking events with current professionals
holding post-graduate degrees, I was able to identify a whole range of careers
that require the transferable skills of graduate students, which I had no idea
they even existed. Venture also offered a fantastic Graduate Mentorship
Program, where I was able to get one on one advice on how I should specifically
prepare for the business world. Being proactive in my career search and the
advice I gained through networking was key to my success in being offered a
new career in consulting, so soon after completing my PhD. I thank the team at
Venture for this opportunity and opening a whole new world of possibilities.

If you are interested in joining the GMP and learning more about alternative
careers and meeting professionals in your field of interest, please register by
sending Venture an email! You can also learn more about the GMP by viewing
the attached poster or visiting our website at www.venture-connections.ca

The Family Care Office will be hosting a UTM Parenting Discussion Group facilitated by their MSW practicum student starting January 29th. Details are outlined below:

Dates: Wednesdays Jan. 29, Feb. 26, March 12 & 26
Time: 12:00 to 1:00 p.m.
Location: Davis Building, Room 3138

Share your successes and frustrations of raising children with other parents in a safe and supportive environment. We will discuss parenting strategies, tips and resources to help you meet your parenting goals. Please feel free to send us your specific topics of interest via email.

Facilitator: Lina Zahreddine, Master of Social Work Candidate

All University of Toronto students, staff, faculty and postdoctoral fellows are welcome. Register at http://www.familycare.utoronto.ca/events/discussiongroups.html#Anchor