After nearly five decades, McMaster graduate from class of 1965 reunited with lost graduation ring just in time for 83rd birthday
McMaster alum Morgan Perigo lost his graduation ring in 1977 during a family vacation in Barbados when it slipped off into the ocean. Nearly five decades later, he was reunited with it thanks to professional freediver Alex Davis and McMaster Alumni officer Laura Escalante.
Davis discovered the McMaster ring using an underwater metal detector and contacted McMaster University to track down its owner.
Davis discovered the McMaster ring using an underwater metal detector and contacted McMaster University to track down its owner.
Davis's email to McMaster reached Laura Escalante, a
McMaster alumni officer, who took on the task of identifying the ring’s owner. Escalante identified the owner, Frederick Morgan Perigo, by cross-referencing the engraved graduation year, 1965, and the initials "FMP" with alumni records.
Escalante shared insights about the collaborative effort that ultimately reunited the ring with Perigo.
“It went directly to my director at the time and then my director forwarded it to me to follow up on because I work with reunions . . . So, I have some familiarity with the audience,” said Escalante.
Escalante searched through the alumni records and narrowed the search down to Perigo by looking for his graduation year and the engraved initials. She noted that identifying the owner would have been more challenging had the ring not included his middle initial.
“It was just a matter of matching up. There was, luckily, one record that had those initials,” said Escalante.
It was just a matter of matching up. There was, luckily, one record that had those initials.
Laura Escalante, Alumni Officer
McMaster University
While it’s not uncommon for people to contact the McMaster Alumni Office to reconnect with old friends or classmates, Escalante had never encountered a case like this one in her career.
Escalante managed to have the ring returned to Perigo just in time for his 83rd birthday, 47 years after he lost it. The story of the McMaster alum's reunion with his graduation ring has made global headlines, being covered by The Washington Post and The New York Times.
Marking a decade of service, Mac's Money Centre continues to support students in navigating the complexities of financial literacy and education costs
Mac’s Money Centre is marking 10 years of service to McMaster University students, providing tailored financial literacy programs and support. From tax support and online learning tools to credit management and debt reduction strategies, the centre has evolved into a vital resource hub addressing the unique financial challenges students face.
The centre's early efforts focused on assisting international students through small-scale tax workshops and individual support. Terry Bennett, one of Mac’s Money Centre's coaches, spoke of how the initiative grew in response to a pressing need identified by the McMaster Students Union and the university community. “This program started from a need that the MSU and students articulated,” said Bennett.
Gina Robinson, CPA, Financial Educator and Money Coach, spoke about how the centre has since evolved to assist students in more broadly navigating financial matters. “Students really wanted everything in one place—how to pay tuition, access scholarships and budget effectively,” said Robinson.
Today, the centre serves as a centralized hub for financial literacy resources, helping students navigate the complexities of budgeting, OSAP loans, investing and more. “Managing money isn’t just about spreadsheets . . . It’s about understanding your goals and values. If budgets aren’t tied to what matters to you, they’re hard to stick to,” said Bennett.
She added that financial pressures remain one of the top stressors for students, alongside academic and career concerns. Rising tuition, housing costs and inflation have left many students struggling. “We’re seeing more students saying, "I don’t think I can finish my degree because I can’t afford it",” said Bennett.
Matthew Olejarz, a third-year health sciences student, spoke about why they think the services provided by the centre are important for students. “Financial literacy is a skill that most people are semi-aware of, but they don’t fully understand . . . It’s not something taught in school, so being able to guide students is important,” said Olejarz.
Financial literacy is a skill that most people are semi-aware of, but they don’t fully understand . . . It’s not something taught in school, so being able to guide students is important.
Matthew Olejarz, third-year health sciences student
McMaster University
One of the centre’s most impactful initiatives is its involvement in the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program, a partnership with the Canada Revenue Agency. The program trains McMaster students to assist low-income residents in Hamilton with tax preparation.
Andrijana Olaizola, director of finance and administration for student affairs, spoke about how the program trains McMaster students to assist low-income residents in Hamilton with tax preparation. “We’ve grown from 10 volunteers to over 125, completing more than 2,000 tax returns annually,” said Olaizola.
Professor Miroslav Lovric, who teaches mathematics and statistics in the Faculty of Science, described how he has collaborated with the centre in its efforts to bring financial literacy into the classroom. “Gina and Terry started appearing as guest instructors in my course, where they would talk about practicalities like taxes,” said Lovric.
Lovric noted that many of his students later became volunteers for the centre’s program.
As the centre enters its second decade and economic pressures mount, its leaders aim to increase awareness through events and expanded services. Robinson emphasized that sustaining and expanding the centre’s services will require ongoing funding and institutional commitment. “Even though we’re busy, many students still don’t know about us," said Robinson.
Reflecting on the past decade, the staff expressed pride in the centre’s accomplishments. “We call this milestone a decade of progress, partnerships. and prosperity,” said Robinson.
Bennett echoed that students increasingly recognize the value of the centre’s programming. “They realize the value of what they’re learning and that’s incredibly gratifying,” said Bennett.
They realize the value of what they're learning and that's incredibly gratifying.
Terry Bennett
Mac's Money Centre, Coach
For more information about Mac’s Money Centre or to access its services, students can visit their website.
McMaster's second annual Cultural Fest held in the MUSC atrium celebrates McMaster's diverse student groups
Cultural Fest took place on Oct. 30, 2024 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. as part of the programming for International Education Week. Seventeen different clubs had tables set up in the atrium of the McMaster University Student Centre. This event was organized by the McMaster International and Exchange Students Club in partnership with the Student Success Centre.
Each club showcased their culture and club events with poster boards, flags, books and slideshows. Some clubs also offered cultural foods to students.
Attendees were given a bingo card with all the clubs’ logos to encourage interaction. To complete the card, attendees had to participate in the activity offered by each club. These activities included trivia, drawing and trying on traditional clothing. MIX, the McMaster International and Exchange Students Club, provided treat bags or cupcakes as prizes for completing at least eight activities.
Humphrey Erizo, the co-president of MIX, explained that the idea for the event was modelled after Clubs Fest, which is held by the MSU during the first week of school.
“A lot of cultural clubs get to hold their booths [at Clubs Fest] but we have to kind of divide the attention of the people. Usually people who come to our booths or the booths of specific [cultural clubs], they come there because they are from that specific culture and so we don’t necessarily get that kind of a broader audience,” said Erizo.
Cultural Fest offers an opportunity for clubs to engage with students in a more focused setting. This event also emphasizes education about the cultures represented in addition to promoting club activities and events.
“Having culture fest concentrates it a little bit. When people who are not necessarily from any of the cultures that we have present in the event, when they see the crowd . . . they become interested . . . they get to learn about all of the clubs that are there,” said Erizo.
When people who are not necessarily from any of the cultures that we have present in the event, when they see the crowd . . . they become interested . . . they get to learn about all of the clubs that are there.
Humphrey Erizo, co-president
McMaster International and Exchange Students Club
Matt Min, one of MIX’s events coordinators, said that his favourite part of the event was meeting people from the various clubs. “I really enjoyed the fact that I got to like just talk with a lot of other clubs that I didn't know even existed. It’s really cool seeing how much I’m missing out on . . . I think talking to people with different cultures is a really cool thing. It helps me educate myself,” said Min.
Erizo shared that the Student Success Centre provided financial support and managed registration for the event. “Because it was so successful last year … the Student Success Centre caught wind of it and a sub-department of SSC which is McMaster’s international and exchange office. They coordinated a lot with us this year,” Erizo.
Min said that the number of clubs involved increased from 12 to 17 since last year. “Maybe it’ll just keep increasing. Maybe we’ll eventually have not enough space to help everybody. Seeing that diversity was really really cool,” said Min.
Maybe it’ll just keep increasing. Maybe we’ll eventually have not enough space to help everybody. Seeing that diversity was really really cool.
Matt Min, events coordinator
McMaster International and Exchange Students Club
Erizo further commented on Cultural Fest’s success and shared that roughly 450 people attended the event. “We hope to keep holding it. Even though it’s only been held two times, it’s quickly become a staple for our club,” said Erizo.
Although MIX is targeted towards international and exchange students, Erizo said they encourage domestic students to attend their events as well, especially if you are interested in going on exchange. MIX holds a variety of events throughout the year, including an upcoming pub night which will be held on Nov. 7, 2024 from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the Phoenix.
Organized by the Spiritual Care and Learning Centre, the harvest dinner stems from a long-standing tradition of welcoming international students
This year's harvest dinner on campus was held during reading week on Oct. 17, 2024 from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. at The Buttery in Alumni Hall. Students who attended the dinner enjoyed an evening of food, conversation, and friendship.
This dinner was primarily organized by the Spiritual Care and Learning Centre, one of the services of the Student Success Center, along with the McMaster Chaplaincy Centre. It was supported by the International and Exchange Student Experience office. The SCLC was founded in 2021 to provide accessible and comprehensive spiritual care.
Andy Crowell, the SCLC director, explained that the harvest dinner evolved from an annual thanksgiving dinner that the ecumenical chaplaincy held for nearly thirty years. “The heart behind it is to provide hospitality for any students, but particularly identifying international students. The heart behind it was to provide a little hospitality at a time when Canadians are celebrating in a traditional way,” said Crowell.
The heart behind it is to provide hospitality for any students, but particularly identifying international students. The heart behind it was to provide a little hospitality at a time when Canadians are celebrating in a traditional way.
Andy Crowell, Director
Spiritual Care and Learning Centre
The ecumenical chaplaincy falls under the umbrella of groups supported by the SCLC. Crowell noted that he advocated for the SCLC to help host the dinner to sustain the tradition without relying on volunteer support. “The original dinner through the ecumenical chaplaincy would involve at least 50 volunteers … That kind of organization, you can imagine, was wide and arduous,” said Crowell.
The dinner is held during reading week to provide a social opportunity for international students. “A lot of students go to their homes … [but] many are still on campus, most of whom are international students,” added Crowell.
Crowell also spoke to the decision to rename the event. “Thanksgiving is a perfectly appropriate word for a human expression of something, but it has a connotation at that time of year,” said Crowell.
Elder Katherine Knott, who works with the SCLC, was invited to speak at the dinner to honor the significance of this change. The harvest dinner included traditional thanksgiving and Indigenous dishes. “The repositioning is sought to try and decolonize a little bit out of the Canadian, sort of Euro-thanksgiving concept to one that is no less grateful,” said Crowell.
The evening began with opening remarks from Crowell, Knott, ecumenical chaplain Marlice Simon and dean of students Sean Van Koughnett. Each table had a host who facilitated icebreakers and friendship bracelet making. Door prizes were given out throughout the event and winners were encouraged to introduce themselves.
Crowell shared that the event was at full capacity, with over 100 students attending. Many students stayed and continued their conversations after the event officially ended.
Speaking about what he hoped students would take away from the event, Crowell said, “If they’ve not had many points of contact with other students to help build a small sense of community, they could and did find it that night."
If they’ve not had many points of contact with other students to help build a small sense of community, they could and did find it that night.
Andy Crowell, Director
Spiritual Care and Learning Centre
The harvest dinner provided an opportunity for students to find community and express gratitude. To connect with the SCLC and their programs and services, you can visit their website or drop in to their office, located in room 212 of MUSC.
This article was not produced by the Silhouette.
Presented by McMaster Student Success Centre
By: Karen Rosenberg, PhD, Academic Skills Program Coordinator (Graduate Writing Specialist)
The start of a new term is a great time to reset and reflect on your learning strategies. Ask yourself, how effective are they, and what impact do they have on your overall well-being?
When I was an undergrad and I got stressed out by my workload, I’d retreat. I’d study by myself until I felt caught up or ran out of steam. I got the job done, but my isolation strategy was more painful (and lonely!) than it needed to be. When I was in graduate school and studied about how people learn, I realized that I had missed out on one of the great opportunities of university life: learning alongside others.
When I was in graduate school and studied about how people learn, I realized that I had missed out on one of the great opportunities of university life: learning alongside others.
Karen Rosenberg, Academic Skills Program Coordinator (Graduate Writing Specialist), McMaster Student Success Centre
Research shows that participating in communities of learning can enhance student learning and help students overcome challenges (Matthews et al., 2012). As a university student, you’re already part of communities of learning, whether you realize it or not. Classes, study groups, workshops and clubs are all environments where you get to learn alongside others and support one another’s success.
Here are some ways that you can make the most of communities of learning this term.
Take an inventory. What communities are you already in?
Consider the benefits and limitations of each one. In a large lecture class, for example, you may find that you’re learning a lot of new material, but you may not feel comfortable getting answers to all of your questions.
Reflect. How can you get the most out of your communities of learning?
One of the major shifts from secondary to post-secondary education is that you have a lot more control over (and responsibility for!) your learning. Ask yourself what you can do to get the most out of each community of learning. Keep in mind that one of the best ways to engage is to support the other learners in your communities.
Check out some new learning opportunities beyond the classroom.
As you figure out what January Reset means for you, consider joining some new communities of learning. Take some risks and try new things!
Talk to your friends and classmates. Attend workshops based on your goals for the term. Make connections at on-campus events that could lead to new study groups and other activities outside the classroom.
Check out the January Reset page on the Student Success Centre website for more ways to get involved: bit.ly/january-reset
Matthews, R. S., Smith, B. L., & MacGregor, J. (2012). The evolution of learning communities: A retrospective. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 2012(132), 99–111.
C/O Travis Nguyen, Photo Editor
Second-years were able to experience their own Welcome Week after a year of online class
Often, when students think about the beginning of their university experience, they think about Welcome Week, a week dedicated to welcoming first-year students to campus. Welcome Week provides first-year students with the opportunity to meet new people and orient themselves around campus.
However, students who entered university in the year of 2020 faced a new reality to this monumental event. For the majority of those students, classmates were met virtually, through platforms such as Zoom. Though this had its own benefits, these students were not able to experience Welcome Week.
The missed occasion was not unnoticed by those who planned Welcome Week as McMaster University announced that these students who missed out would be able to join their classmates on Sept. 11, 2021.
Second-year undergraduate students were offered a Second-Year Welcome, where they can register for and attend a variety of events meant to capture community-building aspects of an in-person Welcome Week.
In the morning, students can discover the student services provided by McMaster, then have a few hours to meet peers within their faculty and make friends at different MSU events. These events seem to very simply condense what would have happened over a week into a day.
“We want to give you the in-person welcome we couldn’t give you at Welcome Week 2020,” the Student Success Centre said in their announcement.
Jacquie Hampshire and Rachel Nelson were two of the staff members of the SSC who helped ensure that Second-Year Welcome unfolds accordingly. They stated that given how last year's welcome week had panned out, this year's welcome was in the making for over a year.
“When we had learned that last year was going to be a virtual welcome week, at that time the welcome week advisory committee alongside all of our partners on campus had committed to hosting an in-person event when it was safe to do so. So this has been, I would now say, well over a year in terms of thinking about this welcome, and waiting until we were safely able to welcome students to McMaster campus,” said Hampshire.
"When we had learned that last year was going to be a virtual welcome week, at that time the welcome week advisory committee alongside all of our partners on campus had committed to hosting an in-person event when it was safe to do so. So this has been, I would now say, well over a year in terms of thinking about this welcome, and waiting until we were safely able to welcome students to McMaster campus."
Jacquie Hampshire, staff member of the SSC
While discussing the meticulous planning that went into this event, Hampshire and Nelson explained the question that was on many second-year students’ minds: Why was a traditionally week-long event limited to a single day? When asked this question it was all down to one word: accessibility.
“We had considered all options when we were looking at the planning of this event to figure out what was going to be the best. We had landed on offering a one day event for a number of reasons. One is just logistically, for students that are living out of town to provide them the opportunity to be able to come to campus. Offering the event on multiple days doesn’t afford the quite same accessibility for students that may not be in close proximity to the campus. Looking at a one day format has allowed us to maximize the event and also be able to provide this event to all students,” said Hampshire.
They were also asked how exactly the entirety of the second-year population would be on campus while maintaining social distancing guidelines. Hampshire and Nelson quickly reassured that when sign-ups for events had 100 person limits on each and all events were guaranteed to be outside.
Alongside this, students were also required to use MacCheck to ensure they were allowed on campus. MacCheck is an app where McMaster students have to upload proof of vaccination and daily check-ins to ensure that no one is entering campus with COVID-19. With all these precautions put in place, it would maintain the guidelines that were instructed by the city of Hamilton.
As Vice-President of Student Affairs for the McMaster Science Society, Isabelle Son was in charge of ensuring that second-year science students would be able to socialize with their faculty peers during the event.
She was asked to summarize what she wanted Second-Year Welcome to achieve.
“It’s an opportunity for second years to meet each other, because they didn’t get the opportunity to have on-res experience or the in-person welcome experience last year. I know that’s where I met a lot of my friends, and how I met lots of people so this would be an opportunity for them to socialize with their peers and get a glimpse of what welcome week in-person would look like for them,” said Son.
With the large variety and possible popularity among some events, Son’s team had to plan how to ensure science events were all within guidelines.
“Our capacity for outside is 100 people. But we are splitting it up into three different stations and all three stations are in different areas on the Burke Science Building field. So each station can have 100 people. We will have 20 executives and/or representatives at each station so that means only 80 students can sign up for each station. Masks will be encouraged, all the executives and representatives will be wearing them. Within events, each person will be spaced out and put into smaller groups at each station. This is to encourage interacting with less people,” Son explained.
McMaster’s second-years have waited diligently for the idea of a proper welcome to the campus where they will be spending their years as a young adult. The Second-Year Welcome has given them the opportunity they had been waiting for.
This is an article done by Student Success Centre. It was not produced by The Silhouette
A letter from the Student Success Centre in response to the Fall Experience Survey
Let's start 2021 with some positivity and productivity.
If anything about the saying, "practice makes perfect," is true, then we can hope for improved online learning and working environments in 2021. (Maybe not perfect, but improved.)
The MacPherson Institute's McMaster Fall Experience Survey Report combines 2,796 student and 384 instructor responses to reveal common challenges associated with online learning in Fall 2020. Students also reflected on ways they could improve their learning experience in 2021.
We love the goal-setting, and we’re here to remind you that we’re committed to your success.
Based on some common responses to the Fall Survey Report, here are our top tips to help you get started, courtesy of the SSC academic skills team’s experience and expertise. We recommend you bookmark this article for reference as you develop your academic skills throughout the semester.
"I'm not sure what I can do to improve."
The SSC website is a great place to start discovering support. We recommend you explore and favourite the following academic pages (find the heart icon at the top of each page):
"I want to try new time-management strategies."
Depending on where you are in the world, you may be studying in a different time zone.
LibGuides: Managing Time
"I want to change my study habits."
When it comes to staying focused and motivated, we recommend you:
LibGuides: Learning Online, Reading and Note-Taking, Studying and Taking Exams, Writing
"I want to access additional support."
Remember, everyone can benefit from additional help and skills development — it's not just for "struggling" students!
"I want to socialize more and feel more sense of community."
Do you have questions? Try the live chat feature on the SSC website, available Monday–Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Or, send the academic skills team an email at [email protected]. We're here to support you, and we're happy to help.
This is a sponsored post brought to you by the Student Success Centre. The Silhouette is not responsible for anything written in the article.
By Jeff Low (Student Success Centre)
The world of investing can be complicated and full of unfamiliar terms and concepts.
Additionally, as a student, you may think that it’s too early to start thinking about investing — that investing is only for people who are already wealthy and “successful.” This is one of many common misconceptions students and other younger people have about investing, according to Michelle Hung, AKA the Sassy Investor. The fact is, students can enter the world of investing now through gathering information, exploring their options and planning.
But who is the Sassy Investor?
Michelle Hung is a chartered financial analyst (CFA) and investing expert who’s worked for seven years in investment banking and venture capital. She’s also an author and content creator, having contributed to Canadian Money Saver Magazine, hosted webinars for Questrade and developed TikToks for the budgeting app Cleo. To date, she’s taught people how to invest (over $2 million total!) and save on average over $9,000 per year.
We had a chance to chat with Michelle Hung and ask her some common investing questions. Here’s what she shared.
Question: How much should I have in my savings before I start investing?
Answer (Michelle Hung, the Sassy Investor): You should have at least three to six months’ worth of expenses in your savings account, but you can start investing when you feel comfortable at the level of savings you’re at. For example, if you have two months worth of expenses in your savings account (e.g. $6,000, if each month you spend $3,000 on living expenses), and you’re comfortable with that, you can start your investing process while continuing to build up your savings fund.
Q: How do I start investing? What’s the difference between using my bank’s investment team and an independent broker?
A: The first thing you need to do is educate yourself so you know exactly what to invest in and what the risks are. Managing your risk and expectations is critical. Bank-owned brokerages are generally more expensive when it comes to fees, like trading commissions, and they may even charge a quarterly maintenance fee if your balance does not exceed a certain amount (e.g. If you don’t have at least $15,000 in your investment account, you’ll be charged $25 per quarter). Independent brokers like Questrade or Wealthsimple Trade are cheaper. They offer commission-free purchases on ETFs, and they don’t charge maintenance fees (a fee if your account balance falls below a certain amount).
Q: Is there a good website or app I should use to help me invest?
A: Check out Wealthsimple or Questwealth Portfolios if you decide to use a robo-advisor to help you manage/build your own investment portfolio.
Q: What are the requirements, pros and cons of using a platform and trading on my own?
A: Trading on your own is the cheapest option — which means you’re not paying a management fee for someone to manage your investment portfolio. This gives you the most freedom in terms of what you want to put in your portfolio. However, you have to do this work on your own, including the management of it.
If you decide to go with a robo-advisor, which means having your portfolio managed for a fee, you don’t have to worry about how to build and manage your portfolio — they do it for you. Wealthsimple charges an annual fee anywhere between 0.4% to 0.5%, plus the cost of the ETFs. Questwealth Portfolios charges anywhere from 0.2% to 0.25%, plus the cost of the ETFs.
Q: What are ETFs? What are mutual funds? Do you recommend one over the other?
A: “ETF” is an acronym for “exchange-traded funds,” which means these funds can be purchased on the stock exchange like any other stock. Mutual funds have to be purchased through a financial institution and usually carry some restrictions like a minimum initial investment. Mutual funds are also generally expensive, as they carry annual fees of, on average, 2.3% per year (Canadian average). ETFs are cheaper and can start as low as 0.05% per year.
I recommend ETFs mainly because they are lower in cost — these fees can add up to thousands of dollars over a lifetime!
Q: What is a good fee percentage?
A: The lower, the better. There are ETFs that start at 0.05%, and then there are ETFs where they are diverse enough to own just one in your portfolio, which can cost 0.25% per year. These are all reasonably priced, especially compared to the average mutual fund fee of 2.3%.
Q: If I have debt, should I take out any money I have invested to pay off the debt?
A: That depends on your financial situation, the level of debt and the cost of debt (e.g. the interest rate you’re paying). Mathematically, it makes sense if you’re paying 20% in interest costs vs. earning 8% per year, for example, to pay off your debt first. If your investments are held in an RRSP, you shouldn’t sell your investments to pay it off because you’ll be on the hook for taxes.
If, however, you’re thinking about taking money out of your TFSAs to pay off credit card debt, it makes sense. Some people are comfortable carrying some debt for a short period of time, and some just want to get rid of it ASAP — so it all depends on your personal circumstances and what you’re comfortable with.
Q: Should I be thinking about investing if I don’t have a job right now?
A: You can certainly think about it, but I wouldn’t advise on acting on it! I would suggest using this time to educate yourself so you can get started when you’re ready to go — that is, after securing a job/income stream and building some sufficient savings first.
Q: I have reservations about what’s happening in the economy right now. Should I wait to invest? Or is this a good time?
A: When you’re investing, you should avoid: 1) news and current events, and 2) trying to time the markets. The proven and best strategy is to continue investing every month, no matter what is happening in the economy right now or any short-term volatility driven by events, such as the U.S. election. Staying invested, but also continuing to invest through the ups and downs of the stock markets, is the best way to avoid losing money!
Q: I have extra funds that I have saved from OSAP. Should I invest this money in the market, or are there other options to consider?
A: Eventually, you’ll have to pay that money back when you graduate, which means interest will start. Put that money in a high-interest savings account in the meantime (e.g. EQ Bank), so when you graduate, you can reduce your student loan balance immediately, avoiding unnecessary interest costs.
Learn more about the Sassy Investor on her website. Connect with her on social media: Instagram (@TheSassyInvestor), Facebook (@TheSassyInvestor), Twitter (@Sassy_Investor) and YouTube.
The Investing with Michelle Hung series was part of Financial Literacy Month, hosted by Mac’s Money Centre and the Student Success Centre. Information about the series, including webinar recordings, can be found on the Financial Literacy Month web page. Check out the Mac’s Money Centre’s website for more information on managing your money.
This sponsored article is brought to you by the Student Success Centre. The Silhouette newsroom was not involved in the creation of this content.
Are you planning for grad school, medical school, law school or another further education program type? If so, you might be wondering how schools and programs are adapting to provide quality learning opportunities during COVID-19.
Will everything be online? Will I still be able to complete a work placement? Is the application process different now?
The answers to these questions are likely different for each school and program. That’s why the Student Success Centre’s hosting the Online Further Education Fair on October 21 and 22, 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. More than 70 schools and programs are attending this year’s fair, so you can drop in and connect directly with representatives who can answer your questions and offer guidance related to a specific program or field. There will be representatives from graduate programs, professional schools, graduate certificate programs and further education programs abroad.
Get registration details and explore all the participating schools and programs on the SSC website.
Additionally, with COVID-19 impacting the current job market, SSC career counsellors note that many students are choosing to pursue further education as a way to be more thoughtful about their career path. This could mean that programs are even more competitive than usual.
So how do you set yourself apart in your application?
This is another question for the program representatives at the Further Education Fair. These representatives are eager to meet McMaster students and offer insight and tips on preparing a successful application.
Here’s what some of this year’s representatives have to say.
Choose an opportunity that works for you.
The advice from recruiters, “choose the graduate program you love!” And search for a program that offers work-integrated learning (co-op, placements, practicums) if it fits with your further education plan.
Do your research.
Gathering as much information as you can will help with your application. When attending the fair, the representatives encourage you to “have great questions ready!”
Include references who will back you up.
“Solid academic references are key to any grad school application.” Choose people who believe in you!
Make it personal.
Recruiters want to know what makes you different. “Be yourself! Don’t try to tell programs what you think they want to hear, be honest and authentic about who you are and your personal story.”
Apply early.
Some programs are extremely competitive, but “applying early will give you a head start.” Applying early also gives you the most scholarship options.
Get more application tips and resources on the SSC website.
By: Elizabeth DiEmanuele
The Student Success Centre is pleased to launch the Undergrad Peer Tutoring Network (UPTN), a new network for students to access affordable, quality student tutors, both in-person and online. The platform is powered by TutorOcean, a relatively new start-up company that was selected in partnership with the McMaster Engineering Society. Differing from other academic services available, this network is a chance to connect with another student who successfully completed the course; tutors must have received an A- to provide services.
“Through the Student Life Enhancement Fund, all McMaster undergraduate students who access the network receive a subsidy for the first seven sessions, meaning they only pay $9 per hour,” says Jenna Storey, Academic Skills Program Coordinator for the Student Success Centre. “Tutors are available from all Faculties and an important part of this service.”
Gina Robinson, Director of the Student Success Centre, adds, “Providing quality and affordable tutoring is an important objective of this initiative. Finding sustainable funding for subsidy will need to be part the plan moving forward.”
Understanding that there are a number of gatekeeping courses (mandatory courses for students to complete their degree), the Student Success Centre continues to work with Faculties to ensure that these courses are available on the network. The Student Success Centre has also incorporated measures to ensure that tutors are well-prepared, offering a number of different sessions for tutors to become “McMaster Certified.”
As Jenna shares, “Students are encouraged to find a tutor who has a ‘McMaster Certified’ badge on their profile, indicating they have completed the tutor training session in accordance with best practices. This training focuses on running an effective session, ethical standards, and communication skills.”
The Undergrad Writing Centre continues to be another support available for students, and can be used at any stage of the writing process. All Writing Tutors have undergone training through the Student Success Centre, which has been externally recognized by the College Reading and Learning Association (CLRA).
Students can book up to ten appointments per semester for free. This semester, new drop-in writing support is also available Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The Undergrad Writing Centre is located in the Learning Commons on the second floor of Mills Library.
Jill McMillan, Academic Skills Program Coordinator of the Student Success Centre, shares, “Writing remains is a key academic and life skill requirement. We are thrilled to have received certification recognition that demonstrates the quality of this peer based service. Students are supported in meeting their writing potential.”
Students looking for quick study tips and other academic support can connect with Academic Coaches, located in the SSC Lounge as well as in the Learning Commons on the second floor of Mills Library every Monday-Friday from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Learn more about the Undergrad Peer Tutoring Network here.
Learn more about the Undergrad Writing Centre here.
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