Alchemy winter 2016

From the Dean’s Office Alchemy Sheridan’s Faculty of Humanities and Winter was full of Social Sciences Newsletter creativity and winter 2016 productivity in the

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. Welcome to the Winter 2016 issue of Alchemy. As Our faculty always, it’s a wonderfully busy, exciting, and continue to engage sometimes chaotic semester in and around FHASS. students in We hope you take a minute to catch up with all the innovative learning goings on of your colleagues in these pages, and Photo: Yael Katz and to participate in that our collective engagement and achievement scholarly, research and creative activities. In recharges your batteries as we barrel towards addition to continuing our tradition of celebrating spring. Black History Month and hosting cultural community events such as the Film for Thought Please consult the ‘Submissions’ tab on our initiative, we have established a new relationship webpage for specific details and dates around with the Festival of Literary Diversity (FOLD) in submitting to all of our sections. Keep your news, Brampton and, with much anticipation, look ideas, and articles coming, and check out the online forward to participating in the inaugural version of Alchemy at http://fhass.wordpress.com/. installment of the festival this spring.

— Owen Percy, Jennifer Phenix, and In the area of curriculum development and Glenn Clifton quality assurance, we have been busy completing thorough program reviews of the ESL Program and the General Arts and Science Program, and our Table of Contents: winter 2016 faculty continue to refresh and develop curriculum for cross-college electives. From the Dean’s Office ….1 Features ….2 Planning ahead, preparations are under (articles by Alchemy, Sarah Cumming and Terry way to expand our presence at the Hazel Kostiw; research by Nathaniel Barr) McCallion Campus; the launch of a new building Intersections ….5 (articles by Mike Baker and Myles Bartlett and later this year promises to deliver a series of Robyn Read) creative spaces, a unique creativity classroom, and Milestones .…8 new office space for a number of Faculties Student Spotlight …10 including the Faculty of Humanities and Social (featuring mythical illustrations) Sciences. Faculty & Staff Spotlight …11 (featuring Danielle Freitas, Heather Asling, As Alchemy continues to attest, there is Monique Patrick, Matthew Sheridan, and Kathleen Oakey) much to celebrate, be proud of, and accomplish in Cool Stuff …16 FHASS! The Hub …18 (featuring poetry by Akil McKenzie) Yael Katz, Acting Dean, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

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Alchemy winter 2016

Features Kamau, Noreen Ahmed-Ullah, and chaired by John Lorinc, this panel brings together “[f]our FHASS and FOLD: compelling city builders [to] propose solutions for fully inclusive communities that respond to the Global Perspectives on Diversity, complexities of a truly global city. Presenting from Literature, and City Building their writing in the anthology Subdivided, [panelists will] discuss how regions would function if decision-makers genuinely accounted for race, ethnicity, and class when confronting issues such as transit, arts funding, and public space.” This event is scheduled for Friday, May 6, 2016, from 8:00-

9:30pm at Brampton City Hall.

Image: The FOLD

FHASS is pleased to announce an exciting new community partnership that promises to bring more of Sheridan into the Brampton community, and more of the Brampton community to the institution. Sheridan has become a sponsor of The FOLD (Festival of Literary Diversity), which will run from May 6-8, 2016, in and around Brampton. Image: The FOLD

The FOLD is the brainchild of Brampton You can read more about this exciting new writer Jael Richardson, and it aims to “create a festival — whose motto is “Engaging Readers. vibrant community of readers and writers by Inspiring Writers. Empowering Educators.” — celebrating diverse authors and literature in here, or by following the Festival on Twitter Brampton…one of Canada’s most culturally (@TheFOLD_ ) and entering the conversation with diverse cities.” In this, its inaugural year, the the hashtag #DiverseCanLit. Festival will bring an impressive list of literary stars to the Flower City, including FHASS’s own *

Jennifer Chambers, 2015 Sheridan Reads author , CanLit stalwarts Helen Humphreys, Reflections and Thanks: Leon Rooke, Heather O’Neill, and Karen FHASS, Home Suite Hope, Connelly, as well as exciting new talents and and the Holidays industry notables like Zarqa Nawaz, , By Sara Cumming , , and Samuel Now that we are well into the Winter semester, I Archibald. You can peruse the full schedule of wanted to take a moment to thank FHASS for your events here, and can register for the festival by generous gifts/time/cash donations to Home Suite visiting www.thefoldcanada.org. Hope over the holidays in December. (See my

initial call for donations here.) For those of you Sheridan’s role in this year’s festival is as who don't really know me that well, this particular the exclusive sponsor of the opening night’s Feature endeavour is one that is very close to my heart. Event, a panel entitled Subdivided: City Building Like the children we were able to help this year, I with a Global Perspective (read more about also grew up in extreme poverty in a lone-parent it here). Featuring Jay Pitter, Eric Mann, Ian household. And like the parents of those children, 2

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I myself was also a lone-parent student through all and children's gifts three of my degrees. All of these years later, the throughout the holidays still induce anxiety and panic despite year instead of just extreme differences in my socioeconomic status. before the What we in FHASS were able to do for Home holidays. So, if Suite Hope around the holidays didn't just help anyone picks up the families on the receiving end of our generosity, any great it also helped me. I find that nothing makes me feel bargains/bonuses better than being able to help those less fortunate on this kind of than my family. This, for me, is what Christmas is stuff while now all about. I look forward to it all year. shopping over the course of the I am especially grateful this year, as I know schoolyear, or if that all of these struggling families were joyously My cubicle, overflowing with their children get surprised on the day they opened the gifts we donations! Photo: Sara Cumming duplicate birthday collected. Every time that I have been able to be a gifts, etc., they can be left on my desk at Trafalgar part of an event like this I have had the opportunity (C204) and I will be happy to store them until the to see first-hand the response of some of the parents next holiday season. — I am always overwhelmed and there are always tons of tears! This year was no different. *

Originally I had 'adopted' eight families A Question about SWFs through Home Suite Hope. Three local businesses from Terry Kostiw: stepped in and sponsored one family each, leaving Electronic or Paper Copies? us five lone mothers and 12 children between the ages of 3-13. Together, we were able to provide My Dear Colleagues, each mom with a laundry basket full of all kinds of household and personal supplies, and every child We need your input on this one. I admit, was provided with a full stocking (overflowing I’m a traditionalist — I still distribute paper copies actually!). On top of that, each child received a of assignments and class material, use the minimum of three gifts (approximately $150-200 telephone book and, at times, struggle to operate was spent per child) and we were able to provide our TV remote. But I understand most are each mom with the items on their wish lists less reluctant to embrace modernity, and many (approximately $200 per mom). Each child also faculty and your managers have expressed an received movie passes. interest in an electronic version of the SWF as

opposed to a paper copy. While our CBA is not In fact, FHASS, as a group we donated so particularly helpful vis-à-vis the digital age, I would much that I was able to take on one more family very much appreciate your input on this topic. Do — another student at Sheridan and the head of a you prefer electronic or paper SWFs? Or both? lone-parent family (12 year old girl, 8 year old There are some procedural issues that would need boy). This family also received a laundry basket, to be worked out (i.e. WMG sign-off), but the first two stockings and three small gifts each. On behalf step is to assess whether there’s an appetite for of me, and those whose holidays we were able to change. As such, I’d love to hear your thoughts. brighten a bit this year, THANK YOU! You can e-mail any of my accounts (Sheridan, G-

mail, Local244 address), or send a message P.S. Our efforts were so successful that I've had through SLATE, on paper or via carrier pigeon several inquiries about collecting toiletries, supplies, (just don’t bill the Union!). Better still, let’s go for 3

Alchemy winter 2016 coffee and embrace the dying art of in-person understanding creative analogies when able to communication — even if it’s to discuss its think analytically than when they were only able to depreciation. answer via intuition. Importantly, their ability to

comprehend equally complex but non-creative Kindest regards, and best wishes for the analogies was preserved, suggesting that analytic remainder of the semester! thinking was uniquely associated with creativity. In

another study, relatively more analytic thinkers

Terry, were better able to understand creative analogies,

Chair, Workload Monitoring Group (Union) make remote associations, and generate original x. 2426. e. terry.kostiw[at]sheridancollege.ca uses for an object than their more intuitive counterparts. These results support the view that analytic thinking is central to certain types of * creativity. Given that the collective creative output of humans is unique in the animal kingdom, it Spotlight on Research: seems to make sense that our uniquely human Nathaniel Barr on capacity to override our intuitions via analytic thought is implicated in creative thought. Some of Creativity and Cognition this research was published in an article entitled Nathaniel Barr Reasoned connections: A dual-process perspective joined The Faculty on creative thought in a Special Issue on Creativity of Humanities & and Insight Problem Solving in the journal Thinking Social Sciences as a and Reasoning. Professor of Much of Nathaniel’s other research has also Creativity and focused on how individual differences in the way Creative Thinking in we think relate to consequential aspects of human September 2015. experience. Nathaniel drew on the reasoning and Trained as a decision-making literature to conduct novel cognitive experiments and develop theories about how psychologist, his people detect counterfeit currency for the Bank of Photo: Nathaniel Barr interests include perception, attention, memory, Canada. He has also collaborated on papers that motivation, belief, reasoning, creativity, and the consider how individual differences in analytic thinking relate to differences in religiosity and way that thinking interacts with technology. Nathaniel’s research is framed in the moral judgments. Recently he co-authored a paper context of dual-process theories of cognition. Dual- that was published in the Journal of Judgment and process theories conceptualize thinking as arising Decision Making entitled On the reception and from the interaction between two types of detection of pseudo-profound bullshit (also see processing. Type 1 (intuitive) processing is a commentary on the article and the authors’ automatic, effortless, and always ongoing. Type 2 reply). This work garnered extensive international (analytic) processing is controlled, requires working media coverage (e.g., Forbes) and Nathaniel wrote memory resources, and is used relatively a popular press piece on the role of the internet in the spread of bullshit. sparingly. Contradictory evidence exists as to Connecting his interests in cognition to his whether engaging analytic thought is beneficial or fascination with the internet and the implications detrimental to creativity. For his PhD research, this technology has for the future of thinking, Nathaniel conducted a series of experiments aimed Nathaniel published a paper in the journal at addressing this issue. In one study, people Computers and Behavior entitled, The brain in your were found to be significantly better at pocket: Evidence that Smartphones are used to 4

Alchemy winter 2016 supplant thinking. This work showed that weaker analytic thinkers were more likely to rely on search engines in their daily lives. This work garnered extensive media attention and was covered in print, radio, and television in over 700 media outlets in over 40 countries (e.g., Washington Post).

Nathaniel has many ongoing research projects. Here at Sheridan, he will be collaborating on a SRCA grant aimed at assessing the effectiveness of our creativity courses (see Milestones). He is also collaborating on a research project at the University of Waterloo examining Image: Creative Commons whether the ability to focus attention in short intervals relates to grit and perseverance over the Teaching Film Studies in 2016 is a very course of the lifespan (so far, it seems it does). He different creature than it was in 2006 at the height is also currently writing several theoretical papers of the DVD boom, which was an entirely different on the cognitive underpinnings of creativity, creature than it was in 1996 when I was attending including one on how the internet and instantly film school at York University where 35mm prints accessible knowledge influences creativity and were more likely to be screened than a innovation in society. He encourages you to videocassette or laserdisc. Over the last twenty connect with him at nathaniel.barr[at] years, every tectonic shift in audiovisual technology sheridancollege.ca if you’re interested in arising from the rapid proliferation of digital media collaboration or conversation pertaining how the has impacted the design and delivery of the film nature of the mind connects to human experience. studies curriculum. In terms of access to audiovisual material, there has never been a better * * * time to be a cinephile, a film professor, or a film student. Film history as we understand it and teach Intersections (teaching + learning) it reflects a diversity that was often beyond our reach twenty-five years ago. Classics of Thoughts on Teaching Film Studies contemporary global cinema are available for classroom use often in the same calendar year as in the Age of Screen Culture their domestic release, archival versions of by Prof. Mike Baker (Film Studies) canonical works and material once thought lost forever are now restored and released on Blu-ray, By nature, Film Studies is a discipline invested in and major works of less commercial international visual literacy and critical thinking. Well-designed cinemas that were never known to exist before their Film Studies curriculum does not concern itself discovery and dissemination via grey-market with trivia and simple historical facts (nor does it channels, such as bit torrent and boutique use feature-length screenings to knock a couple of distribution companies, are now only a ‘click’ hours off the clock). Instead, it uses film and the away. But this bounty also presents challenges. history of its development, as both an art and industry, to encourage students to reflect and engage with culture, society, and the world at large.

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“Screen culture” is a popular term: it classroom with “assistive” technology like laptops acknowledges both the ubiquity of screen and tablets perform measurably worse and retain technologies like television and personal significantly less information while also failing to computers, and the paradigm-shifting impact of interact with classmates and instructors in a cinema, arguably the preeminent art form of the meaningful way. This problem of ‘divided 20th century. But from a teaching point-of-view it attention’ is especially complicated in a Film speaks to myriad complications that must be Studies course where viewing conditions might be addressed in the design, implementation, and less than ideal, and screening material might not revision of Film Studies curriculum. (For example, meet the student’s expectations of a quality in some institutions, the acquisition, presentation. Yet, the fact is that a screen is administration, and management of licenses for intended to demand their undivided attention. audiovisual materials used in the classroom is a (Would you ever go to the multiplex and then full-time position within a film studies unit.) One of watch a different film on your laptop or tablet in these complications is that students take for granted the darkened space of the auditorium?) It might be the material selected for study will be available said today’s students are not masters of dividing to them outside of the classroom — we live in an their attention but are instead highly skilled in a age of bountiful media, after all — and this form of ‘distracted viewing’ that complicates their compromises their investment in the experience of ability to assess their own shortcomings in the areas in-class screenings. However, for very basic reasons of visual and media literacy. the curation of screening material for a course cannot In the face of these be bound by what is freely and other challenges, it is available students outside the responsibility of the the postsecondary instructor at the front of the institution. Yet room to carve out a space simultaneously, student for students to interact with attendance is not these works and dialogue mandatory. As a result, it is with others in the necessary to include in classroom. For this reason, Film Studies curriculum an I tend not to deliver an Image: Creative Commons explanation about the role impassioned plea about the film screenings will play in courses and an importance of Film Studies education to their argument must be made — implicitly or future success as athletic therapists, network explicitly — about the value this screening analysts, and early childhood educators. Instead, I experience will add to their studies. embed and articulate the value of visual literacy

and critical thinking in everything I do. And it Unfortunately, managing the classroom might surprise you to know that, ultimately, I don’t during these screenings highlights a second rely on the films to do this work. I put my faith in dilemma. Students assume far too much of their the students. ability to multitask, particularly where screens are involved. Numerous studies and articles in both the Over the last number of years, many of my academy and popular press de-bunk the myth that in-class exercises and assignments have been technological advances and “media literacy” have revised to take the shape of small-group created a new generation of students able to discussions. In these exercises, the first objective is multitask in the classroom as a consequence of the to create an opportunity for students to interact ubiquity of a technology in their lives. Students with one another and discuss the screening who try to accomplish multiple tasks in the material. Ultimately, they are tasked with preparing

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Alchemy winter 2016 a short report. In a documentary course it might be Program in Design a response to the question “How is the filmmaker taking Professional representing the world? Through observation? Aspects of Design Participation? Poetry?” The report is ultimately a (YSDN4104). In reflection of their conversation, a window into their the Fall 2015 semester, experience of the film as it was contextualized by we piloted a two- the course materials and my in-class remarks. And hour workshop, “Alice: it is this ‘making sense of’ the film, the lecture, the Make Stories reading materials, and the opinions of their Everyday,” led by classmates that provides the student with Robyn and facilitated by opportunities to think critically in ways that Myles, during one Photo: Prof. Myles Bartlett ultimately go beyond the study of film and reflect afternoon class of the curriculum’s investment in designing a space Professional Aspects of Design. The workshop where students are subtly tasked with broadening introduced students to the fundamentals of a their view of the world around them. narrative arc and the memorability of what we

write (and read). The workshop included If there is an antidote to screen culture for storytelling exemplars, writing prompts, and in- film studies instructors, it is almost certainly the class exercises and activities. students in the room.

Before and after the workshop, the students * responded to surveys through MasteryConnect Socrative that provided us with immediate How to Care When You feedback. The entry survey asked about their writing confidence, while the exit survey inquired Write Every Day by Profs. Myles Bartlett (Design) and whether they felt the workshop had been useful in Robyn Read (Writing & Publishing) preparation for an upcoming assignment that asked them to produce a Personal Narrative and Our students are novice writers even though they Approach to Design using tools from the are writing all the time. They post on social media, workshop. they email and text — even when we want them to look up from their screens and communicate in Based on the findings, we realized the person, in class. But while they correspond students required more narrative from us, constantly, the quality of their writing does not communicating the immediate connection to them; necessarily evolve or improve; they fail to realize despite a consistent, recurring theme in the that if they do not refine their communication presentation of the workshop, not all students skills, when they write longer pieces — beyond 140 seemed to absorb that storytelling had a long-term characters — their stories, pitches, and job relevance to their future careers. In addition, applications will not stand out, be seen, and several students expressed a desire for more examples and exercises — which Introduction to advance their careers. Creative Writing provides, and which Myles could

We realized that developing pedagogical facilitate with subsequent storytelling seminars. approaches to improving the comprehension and Currently, we’re in the subsequent stage of appreciation of the benefits of storytelling was developing how we communicate the immediate relevant to two different cohorts of Sheridan and long-term relevance of strong storytelling skills students: degree students taking Introduction to to students. Myles will gain further insight into the Creative Writing (CWRT15389GD) as a breadth results of the workshop when evaluating his course; and students in the York/Sheridan 7

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students’ proposed project entitled “Does Creativity assignments on Training Make A Difference? An Analysis of Personal Narrative Creative Thinking Scores amongst College and Approach to Students taking part in a Creative Problem- Design this Solving Course at Sheridan College.” In this semester project, the research team proposes to assess the (Professional impact of Sheridan’s Creative Problem-Solving Aspects is a year- training on students’ creative capacities. Findings long course), and from the research will provide an evidenced-based by conducting a foundation from which we may validate, promote, follow-up and/or improve Sheridan’s high-profile Creative narrative seminar Problem-Solving training curriculum. Additionally, on March 22nd; the research yields an important opportunity for the and Robyn has Sheridan team to make a meaningful contribution been incorporating to the knowledge surrounding a contentious exemplars and question in the field of creativity — namely, do exercises piloted creativity enhancement programs make a difference or practiced in the for one’s creativity? workshop into Robyn, mid-workshop. Introduction to * Photo: Myles Bartlett Creative Writing this winter. Don’t stop clapping yet: FHASS is proud to announce that Prof. Brandon McFarlane has also We’re going forward with encouraging been awarded one of Sheridan’s new SRCA grants feedback from our initial surveys: Students state for a project entitled “Integrating Adult Colouring that they gain an appreciation for personal into Post-Secondary Curriculum to Enhance narratives from our workshop exercises, and we’re Mindfulness and Creativity” (though we at learning how to fine-tune the specific form of Alchemy prefer “The Creative Colouring feedback we solicit from our students on an Project”!). The project explores the pedagogic ongoing basis. Our challenge going forward is to potential of adult colouring by assessing its impact balance the clarity of the information transfer of the on mindfulness and creativity. It involves two relevance of storytelling with the amount of time studies. The first uses standard divergent thinking students have in class for practicing and getting tests to determine if colouring has any noticeable feedback on their writing skills. impact on creativity. The second uses a modified version of In-and-Out note taking that includes a We welcome feedback, input, or questions! colouring component; the pedagogic effectiveness Please feel free to get in touch with us through of the teaching tool will be measured through a

Robyn: robyn.read[at]sheridancollege.ca. Likert-type scale. Beyond pondering how colouring exercises might be productively integrated into the * * * classroom, the project seeks to provide a public Milestones good by establishing if adult colouring indeed provides the much-trumpeted benefits attributed to FHASS is proud to announce that Profs. Michael colouring by authors and publishers.

McNamara, Patrice Esson, and Nathaniel * Barr have been awarded one of Sheridan’s new SRCA (Scholarship, Research & Creative Activities) grant at the $10,000 level for their 8

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Congratulations to Prof. Alia Somani, whose article “What is Remembered and What is Ian also appeared on CBC TV's weekend Forgotten? South Asian Diasporic Histories and the program, Our Ottawa, on February 27, 2016, to Shifting National Imaginary” was published in continue the conversation about poetry, race, Studies in , (vol. 40, issue 1). This libraries, the state of literature, and his novel in article traces Canada’s collective imaginings by progress. You can watch Adrian Harewood’s examining a selection of canonical history interview with Ian here; it kicks off the program! textbooks from the 1940s to the present day for the way they document (or deliberately erase) histories * that symbolize racial exclusion in Canada. What these textbooks reveal is that that there has been a Prof. Owen Percy will have a chapter included in gradual, yet reluctant, remembering of diasporic an upcoming academic anthology about celebrity histories. Her argument is that this remembering and the arts in Canada, published by Wilfrid might be linked to the efforts of writers and artists Laurier University Press. The anthology, Celebrity who have inscribed forgotten traumas in the public Cultures in Canada, will include essays from scholars record, and in so doing, fought to redefine the working in various disciplines about the Canadian nation itself. She focuses particular phenomenon of celebrity in sports, politics, and the attention on Bharati Mukherjee, whose short story arts within the unique and often state-sponsored “The Management of Grief” records Canada’s national Canadian imaginary. You can read more response to the 1985 Air India bombing, and Ajmer about the anthology, which is currently in press, Rode and Jarnail Singh, whose museum exhibit here. Owen’s chapter, an essay entitled “Re: “The Komagata Maru Stories” pays tribute to the Focusing (on) Celebrity: Canada’s Major Poetry passengers aboard the Komagata Maru who were Prizes,” explores the role that literary awards play turned away from Canada’s border in 1914. Check in fostering and perpetuating notions of celebrity in out the abstract and link to article here. the small, notably un-celebrated and un- glamourous world of Canadian poetry. * *

Alchemy congratulates Prof. Glenn Clifton on the upcoming publication of his article, “Aging and Periodicity in The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Ambassadors: An Aesthetic Adulthood.” The article will be set to print this winter in the journal English Literature in Transition. The article argues that Henry James’s novel The Ambassadors reworks tropes from Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray to manufacture a new and emblematically Ian and Adrian Harewood at CBC Ottawa. Image: Ian Williams modernist understanding of the relationship Congratulations to Prof. Ian Williams for his between aging and aesthetic experience. participation on the panel, "Black Words Matter: Celebrating Black Literary Achievement" during * Black History Month in Ottawa. The evening of readings and discussion was held the National As mentioned in the “Spotlight on Research” Gallery and organized by the National Reading section of Alchemy, Professor of Creativity and Campaign in partnership with TD Bank. You can Creative Thinking Nathaniel Barr co-authored read about the event here. a research article in the Journal of Judgement and

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Decision Making entitled “On the reception and the Bachelor of Animation program. For Lydia, the detection of pseudo-profound Faun was so fascinating, in his appearance and his bullshit.” Although ‘bullshit’ is a ubiquitous aspect controversial guidance, that she felt inspired to of human experience, and has been discussed by create a digital painting of him. When Lydia philosophers, this paper was the first to showed me her work, my first thoughts were how systematically approach the topic from a her Faun painting captured the mystery and magic psychological perspective. The work garnered of Ofelia’s helper and at the same time seemed to extensive international media attention and reflect the awe that was inspired in the artist was covered in prominent publications such herself. as Forbes and the Washington Post, and even appeared on the front page of the Star. Nathaniel also wrote a popular press article for Quartz that connected this work on bullshit to his previous research on the relation between thinking style and internet use. You can read that article here.

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Student Spotlight

Lydia Ramm (3rd year, Animation) and Nikki Stinchcombe (B.A.A, Image: Lydia Ramm Illustration, 2014) Students in the Bachelor of Illustration program are By Prof. Jennifer Phenix required to complete a thesis project in the fourth

and final year of the program. Back in 2014, Nikki In the degree breadth course, Heroes in Classical Stinchcombe was in her final year of the and Contemporary Myth (LITT27028GD), Illustration program and came to me with an idea students are invited to reflect on contemporary to do her thesis project on the dangerous women of receptions of classical heroes, motifs of hero myth, myth. Nikki was very intrigued by and drawn to and Joseph Campbell’s monomyth pattern. This the femme fatales of myth, having studied various term, students were asked to watch Guillermo del mythic women, both mortal and divine, in Mikal Toro’s 2006 film Pan’s Labyrinth and to read an Radford’s Goddess: Images of the Feminine Divine article by John Perlich titled “Rethinking the (RELG23672GD) course and my Heroes in Monomyth: Pan’s Labyrinth and the Face of the Classical and Contemporary Myth New Hero(ine).” As part of their Critical Response (LITT27028GD) and Mythology in Literature, Art, to the film and article, students were to reflect on and Film (HUMN21518GD) courses. Nikki how the article impacted and influenced their turned her thesis into a book, which you can perception of Ofelia as a heroine experiencing the preview (and purchase, if you are so inspired) hero’s journey according to Campbell’s monomyth here. I asked if she would share with Alchemy her pattern. One feature of the hero’s journey is the Medusa painting (which she includes as a postcard importance of the helper or helpers along the way, in her book) along with a glimpse of the artwork in and this is where the figure of the Faun, a satyr-like the book, and she replied with an enthusiastic creature in the film, captured the attention both “Yes!” What is fortunate about this is that you get of Perlich and many of the students. One such to enjoy Medusa’s stare without fear of being student was Lydia Ramm, a third year student in petrified! 10

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qualifications from the University of Cambridge, including CELTA and DELTA. She is completing her second Master’s degree, an MA in Teaching to Speakers of Other Languages from IOE, University College of London, and also her PhD in Language and Literacies Education and in Comparative International Development Education from OISE, University of Toronto. Danielle’s main research interest and expertise lie in the area of language teacher education. She is a TESL Canada, a TESL Ontario, and a CELTA trainer and has been involved academically and professionally in English language teaching for over 10 years. She has taught ESL and trained English teachers in Brazil, England and Canada and also worked as the Academic Program Director in a private career college in Toronto. Danielle is also an IELTS Examiner and a Cambridge Main Suite Speaking Examiner and is passionate about language learning and assessment.

Image: Nicole Stinchcombe She has published papers and presented at local and international conferences on the topics of teacher training, teacher learning and development, and * * * assessment.

Faculty & Staff Spotlight Danielle Freitas answers Alchemy’s Proust Questionnaire:

Professor Danielle Freitas Favourite virtue: Determination. (ESL)

My favourite qualities in a teacher: Openness, Danielle has and willingness to be a lifelong learner. a Bachelor of

Laws from In my opinion the secret to success is: To be Brazil, an MA passionate about what you do and never give up! in Second

Language My favourite word: You-can! Education and

in Comparative My least favourite word: You-can’t… International

Development The talent or skill I wish I had: Singing, but I’m Education from terrible at it! OISE,

University of Language I’d love to be able to speak: French. Toronto, and And I do intend to start learning it next year… several teaching Photo: Danielle Freitas

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My favourite food/meal: Sushi and sashimi. Heather Asling answers Alchemy’s

Proust Questionnaire:

My guilty TV/film/gaming pleasure: Eating popcorn while watching Suits with my hubby! Favourite virtue: Diligence.

* Most overrated virtue: Temperance.

Heather Asling Most important lesson I learned in kindergarten: Be kind to others. (Academic Portfolio Administrator)

Most important lesson I’ve learned this year: DIY Heather joined projects don’t work within my timelines. the Faculty of

Humanities My favourite qualities in a student: and Social Professionalism and proper manners. Sciences in

December My favourite qualities in a teacher: Patience and 2015 as the excitement. Academic Portfolio Administrator Moment in my life I’d like to re-live: Being lost in for Janet Shuh the highlands of Scotland. and has been working for My idea of perfect happiness: Sun, sand, the ocean Photo: Heather Asling Sheridan as a and a palm tree umbrella. part-time Professor in the Faculty of Business, teaching in the Executive Office Administration My idea of complete misery: Living in a tiny stream for the past year. Her undergraduate degree house. is from the University of Toronto, in English Literature and IT communications. She has also In my opinion the secret to success is: Being attended Sheridan as a student completing the appreciative of the opportunities you are given. CCIT program as well as two levels of the CGA program. Heather has spent time working in My favourite word: Sparkle. various levels of government and the healthcare field in Ontario and British Columbia, all the My least favourite word: Cancer. while continuously being drawn back to academia. A life-long student, Heather is currently pursuing a My favourite quotation, motto, or phrase: “No Masters of Public Policy (Administration and beauty shines brighter than that of a good heart.” Law) as well as a concurrent Diploma in Justice Administration. Heather is also a Royal The phrase/expression I overuse in the Conservatory of Music teacher who enjoys classroom: You will learn and you will not disrupt traveling, living in the country, family and life’s anyone else’s learning. many simple pleasures. If I weren’t a teacher/administrator I’d be: An attorney.

The talent or skill I wish I had: To be able to sing

like Mariah Carey. 12

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Since earning Language I’d love to be able to speak: Punjabi additional certification

— and I am learning it. in Digital Media

skills (and currently

A country/place I’d like to visit: Italy. pursuing certification

in Business Analysis), On my bucket list: To see polar bears in their Monique has been an natural habitat. avid believer in

constant personal and My favourite literary or cinematic character: Elle professional

Woods (from Legally Blonde). development. When

she is not supporting My least favourite literary or cinematic character: the faculty and students here at Hannibal Lecter. Photo: Monique Patrick Sheridan, she is My favourite food/meal and drink: Caribbean- coaching a soccer program for toddlers and pre- themed buffet. school children with Little Kickers Toronto and enjoying life with her daughter.

My favourite painter/artist: Emily Carr. In her spare time you may find Monique on

an outdoor track (weather permitting), doing yoga, My favourite singer/musician: Eric Clapton. reading, wine tasting, stargazing, bachata dancing,

The most embarrassing song/album in my iTunes cooking, or on the hunt for great live band or music collection: Chuck Norris — Walker, Texas performances.

Ranger theme song. Monique Patrick answers Alchemy’s

My guilty TV/film/gaming pleasure: Criminal Proust Questionnaire: Minds. Favourite virtue: Authenticity — being true to

* yourself.

Monique Patrick Most important lesson I’ve learned this year: There is beauty in the struggle. (Program Support Specialist)

My idea of complete misery: Doing the same Monique Patrick was thrilled to join Sheridan repetitive, mundane tasks over and over to no avail. College in June 2015 as a Program Support Like a hamster stuck in a wheel going nowhere Specialist. After obtaining a BA (Hons) in fast. Communications from the University of

Windsor, Monique hit the ground running My favourite word: Giggle. I don’t think I have and aimed at using her skills to break into the ever said this word without smiling. corporate world and make an impact. She gained a great deal of corporate communications and My least favourite word: Girth. marketing experience while employed at the

Hospital for Sick Children and Trillium College. My favourite quotation, motto, or phrase: Live She also devoted her time as a volunteer Web without pretending, love without depending, listen Content Writer for Lymphoma Canada. without defending, speak without offending.

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Master of Science in Philosophy of the Social Language I’d love to be able to speak: I would Sciences from the London School of Economics & love to speak fluent Spanish. According Political Science in to Duolingo I am 39% there! London, UK. Specialties

include Science and A country/place I’d like to visit: Tahiti, more Technology Studies at specifically Bora Bora. It has always been my intersections of dream destination. philosophy and social

sciences, Philosophy of My favourite literary character: Santiago from The Social Sciences, History

Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. of Science, Educational

Technology and My favourite food/meal and drink: I LOVE food Computer so there is absolutely no way I can choose one. It’s Communications. definitely a five way tie: bacon, chicken wings, In addition to activities tacos, spaghetti and ackee and saltfish with fried that combine creativity, Photo: Matthew Sheridan dumplings. As for drinks, wine is always a winner. technology and

knowledge, Matthew is an avid runner, hiker, and My favourite painter/artist: Vakseen, he places a gardener. He has also been a member of the modern twist on pop art referred to as “vanity Ontario Wine Industry since 2008. After obtaining pop.” His paintings literally bring the idolization of a degree in Viticulture, Matthew progressed to female beauty to life in a vivid way. I am always in become Assistant Manager for a prominent Ontario awe of his work. winery.

My favourite singer/musician and song: Mary J. Matthew Sheridan answers Alchemy’s Blige... “Real Love” stands out to me. Sure wish Proust Questionnaire: she would come to Toronto and perform everything pre-2000… Most important lesson I learned in kindergarten:

To use your imagination. * Moment in my life I’d like to re-live: Journey across France in a Fiat. Professor Matthew Sheridan

(Critical Media Theory and Computers) My idea of perfect happiness: Joy during hard

work. Matthew Sheridan is a Professor of Critical Media

Theory and Computers in the Faculty of My favourite quotation, motto, or phrase: Humanities and Social Sciences at Sheridan. Since Kitchen-table accountability. joining Sheridan in 2014, Matthew has had the privilege of teaching courses in Technology and The talent or skill I wish I had: The ability to Society and Computer Communications. Matthew whistle. finds the teaching experience at Sheridan highly rewarding and is thrilled to continue to work with Language I’d love to be able to speak: SQL faculty and staff to help students succeed and take (Structured Query Language). an active role in their learning process.

Matthew has an Honours Bachelor of Arts On my bucket list: The North Face Endurance in Philosophy from Queen’s University and a Challenge. 14

Alchemy winter 2016

Over the past 5 years at Sheridan, My favourite historical character(s): Copernicus, Kathleen has played an integral role in developing Galileo, Newton, Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, the library’s Information Literacy Program and

Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, and Elon Musk. database collection, hosting events such as Science

Literacy Week and Digital Discovery Day, and My favourite food/meal and drink: Meals made leading the library’s Social Media team. In 2015, from the farmer’s stand. Kathleen joined the International Services team in

India for their regular Predeparture Orientations. My favourite painter/artist: Tom Thomson, Steve This year, she will be coordinating the development McCurry, Paul Smith, Edward Burtynsky, Hans of a new English Language Corner for ESL Wegner, Chris Johanson, Piet Hein Eek, Corita students!

Kent, Michel Gondry, and Viviane Sassen.

Kathleen received her Master of Library & My favourite singer/musician and song: Brian Information Science from the University of

Eno and David Bowie – “Heroes.” Western Ontario in 2009, after completing a

Bachelor of Education (Intermediate/Senior) in My guilty TV/film/gaming pleasure: David Rees 2005, and Bachelor of Arts (English Literature) in on the National Geographic Channel. 2003.

* Before beginning as a professional librarian, Kathleen held a wide variety of positions, including: ESL instructor in Changwon, Korea; Kathleen Oakey English Literature Teacher (Gr. 9/10) in Nanjing, (FHASS Librarian) China; and Assistant Cook and Wrangler in Black

Diamond, Alberta.

Outside of work, Kathleen volunteers for the Cambridge Public Library and her local church. She loves horseback riding, back-country camping, and Instagramming. These activities, along with her 5 year-old Eskipoo and 15 year-old Quarter

Horse, keep her plenty busy!

Kathleen Oakey answers Alchemy’s

Proust Questionnaire:

Favourite virtue: Kindness. Photo: Kathleen Oakey

Kathleen Oakey is the Humanities and Social Most overrated virtue: Perfection. Sciences Librarian for FHASS. She started at Sheridan in a contract position, quickly moving to Most important lesson I learned in kindergarten: an E-resources and FAST Liaison Librarian Be aware of wonder. position in 2011. In 2015, Kathleen took over as the Humanities and Social Sciences Librarian and is Most important lesson I’ve learned this year: loving this new role and getting to know the Perseverance pays off!

FHASS faculty.

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Alchemy winter 2016

Moment in my life I’d like to re-live: Watching Black History Month and the falling stars with friends on Mackinac Island. Politics of Food By Prof. Jessica Carey

The word I overuse in life: Eh? Food movements and foodways embody — A country/place I’d like to visit: The Yukon. literally! — multiple strains of culture: ethics, politics, affects, pleasures, and identities. In My favourite food/meal and drink: Sushi! belated honour of Black History Month, here are links to the work of two authors that I have My guilty TV pleasure: Psych (the TV series). followed for the past few years and taught in food Those guys crack me up! politics courses. This is clearly not a complete resource list: These are just two of the many writers and activists doing invaluable work with black * * * histories (and presents) of food — let me know, for

instance, if you come across such resources that Cool Stuff work from a Canadian point of view. (Sometimes I fall into being quite the Americanist.) A reminder from Prof. Kirsten Madsen: jessica.carey[at]sheridancollege.ca

-Michael W. Twitty is a culinary historian who works to unravel and bring to light the complex threads of African America’s history and cultural politics of food. His blog is here:

http://afroculinaria.com/.

-A. Breeze Harper navigates and theorizes the sometimes-fraught intersection of vegan ethics, feminism, and anti-racism. Her anthology on these issues is Sistah Vegan, and her website is here:

http://www.sistahvegan.com/.

* Humanities Insanities Football Pool Results!

Play brings a joy that is vital for imagination, creativity, social relationships, and job satisfaction. In the spirit of play, I write, cap-in-hand and with a slightly reddened backside, to apprise you of the results of the inaugural Humanities Insanities football pool.

As the 2015 NFL regular season fades from

memory, a lone victor stands immortalized by one

of the finest regular seasons ever witnessed. Nay,

the King is not dead — he inhabits a desk at

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Trafalgar and goes by the handle: Jacky “The launch of the next annual Spring & Summer Series: Shark” Leung. But football is a fickle game and a a series of workshops developed and delivered for pauper can depose a king on any given Sunday. faculty, by faculty. This is a call for proposals. If And so it was that A-Rock “the King-Slayer” you are interested in presenting a workshop, please Hollenberg deposed “The Shark”along with Jackie consider applying today! The deadline for “McShifty” Ansara, Marcel “The Admiral” Proposals is 4:30pm on Friday, March 18th. Nelson, and the field during the Insanities’ playoff pool. A-Rock takes to his desk the highly coveted * “Cup of the Four Horsemen.” And so we bid A reminder from Prof. Jennifer Phenix: farewell to an exciting flagship season of the Humanities Insanities office pool. But we need not suffer the tyranny of our newly crowned King of the Office much longer. March is upon us and with it comes a chance for liberation and redemption. Get your loonies and brackets ready! Our NCAA March Madness pool begins now! All are welcome and encouraged to enter this melee. If you are interested in joining or you are just looking for a snappy new office handle, look for the big board or ask around the office.

Yours, in solidarity and eternal hope, Michael “The Dance” McNamara.

*

"The Dance," belaureling "The Shark," before the fall... Call for Proposals from CALL Photo: Mike McNamara The 25th anniversary College Association for Language & Literacy (CALL) conference explores * how to foster an entrepreneurial way of thinking in our students to help them become excellent CTL Spring & Summer Series: Call For Proposals communicators and critical thinkers, resourceful leaders, innovative creators of employment The Faculty Development Team in the Centre for opportunities, and strong contributors to our Teaching & Learning is excited to announce the communities. 17

Alchemy winter 2016

-Support for faculty and staff in development of Our goal as faculty is to help students develop and entrepreneurial initiatives practice the multiple literacies and language skills required by the 21st century economy. To this end, We welcome a variety of interactive presentation we CALL to our fellowship for ideas, approaches, types, including workshops, panels, roundtables, and activities that build the entrepreneurial outlook and demonstrations. in our students. For descriptions of presentations that have already CALL invites you to propose a presentation on the been accepted for this year's CALL Conference, theme of entrepreneurializing the classroom. click here.

Potential Topics The deadline for submitting a proposal is Tuesday,

th -Entrepreneurial “literacies” (supporting entrepreneurial April 5 , 2016. skills or mindsets, innovative idea generation, persuasive messages, business launch) Please note that all presenters are required to -Social entrepreneurism (work for social good, change- register for the conference. maker thinking, taking a stand, advocacy) -Language and literacy skills (writing practicum, critical If you have questions, please contact Conference reading and comprehension, listening, presenting and Co-chair Judy Mussio at: non-verbal communication, information literacy, media judy.mussio[at]georgiancollege.ca. literacy) -Foundational learning and skill development for For more information about CALL, please visit underprepared students (academic upgrading, remedial our website. pedagogy) -Team-learning opportunities (team projects, partnerships across sectors, community partnership * * * initiatives, bridging activities between communities and students) The Hub (work + play) -Student-supported college initiatives (sustainability programs, college radio or newspaper/zine projects, awareness campaigns) 2nd year Bachelor of Film and Television student -Technology and e-learning opportunities (using Akil McKenzie organized the SSU “Making Noise technology to enhance communication, virtual social initiatives, distance collaboration) with No Voice” poetry event held on Feb. 23, 2016. -Community Service Learning; curricular or He reflects on the event below, and includes a extracurricular volunteer activities poem he presented at the event, along with posters -International travel and education opportunities developed for the event in classes by Profs. (international service learning, global innovation Christian Knudsen and Anna Boshnakova. opportunities) -ESL/EAP integrated skills, connections with post- The point of the poetry night was to bring an secondary courses, connections with local community acknowledgement to Black History Month and the -ELL strategies to provide additional language support appreciation of culture, diversity, history, and the future in post-secondary programs of Black culture. There was not much (event wise) -Course development happening within the school that was giving the same -Writing Centre and library initiatives (support of message other than the How She Moves film screening. research for initiatives, team collaborations, availability So, I organized this event to bring awareness toward the of entrepreneurial tools) month and tried to do something in which Black History -Stress management and self-care (coping with change and new/added expectations, workload) Month could be appreciated. In order to involve students, I opened a submission for all students to submit posters

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Alchemy winter 2016 about Black History Month to be displayed around the The following spoken-word poem contains strong school. The main idea was to post as many posters as language. possible around the school so that it could become one large art exhibit for Black History Month. During the IDK YET event these same art pieces were displayed around the By Akil McKenzie room to give the vibe of a poetry slam around the theme of freedom and equality. I was very pleased with the night. Ok so um....originally....I was going to write something else to It went extremely well and there were a lot of people who present. Because as it being the first performance....I thought it'd be important to open it up with a poem about black history. showed up as well. I hope for next year to be as successful And I was working on it for weeks....but then I gave up. So as this one. now I don't give a f**k.

I...I know. I'm being a dick right? No I'm actually being the same. The typical negroes saying they want change, Trying to throw blame, Angry as Django Unchained, But ain't willing to do a goddamn thing. I realize that we idealized, Criticize and analyze, But to my surprise, we sit back on our fat ass thighs, Let our minds compartmentalized, And then tell ourselves the lies that we actually tried. It's like going to war with ten men, While the other 500 cheer you on from the background. Yeah that's gonna work. Stop picking the white people to hate on, Cause it's not their fault...it's OUR fault we lost Trayvon. When I raise my fist, I want you to say I'm sorry. To the life of Trayvon Martin. *fist* (Put two more people) See, we were all just talking and what did that really do? Are they here right now? Did they spirits come back to life? Are they all holding hands dancing around us singing Kumbayah around a fire as we connect with our African roots like that scene out of Star Wars when the spirits of Obi-Wan, Yoda, and Mace Windu are all just there chillin by the ewok cause we're connected by the force. No. Image courtesy of Akil McKenzie Nothing happened. Cause as nice as words are,

They don't mean a thing without actions. * We may have said sorry, but we still on our lazy asses. Maybe if we had more black cops,

Oscar Grant would have less bullet shots. Maybe if we tried to start our own television channel for the nation, The Oprah Winfrey Network wouldn't be the only black owned television station. I don't understand, how we can go from persevering, To doing it all wrong. We are the same race of people, 19

Alchemy winter 2016

That have endured more whips than ghetto dancing to a trap We lay down our own milestones over the lava which came song. fresh out of our pocket, We invented the street light, But once we have a path across it there ain't nobody with the Potato chips, the toaster, the automatic gear shift, the pencil balls to walk it. sharpener, the dust pan, the automatic elevator, the fountain Where the hell is that logic? pen. Lately I've been calling myself apparel cause... Throughout the years, we have done a lot. Ima make like a hat and snapback, And let me tell you... Cause I'm under attack, Martin Luther King didn't get shot, Not by white, but by my own Black! So 50 years later we'd twerking out to Fetty Wap. As this smart girl actually told me... But I get it. It's not about the leader that decided to stand up, It's hard. But the amount of people that decided to stand behind them. Listening to the feeling that a stereotype makes, So this is my last cry to all these Black women and guys. I wear this coffee stained mask that society calls race. I'm on the T standing right here for all of you to see. This almost biblical knowledge of understanding that the first I decided to stand up. thing people see... So who's standing behind me? Is the colour emanating from my skin, Like a walking LED. I've been looking forward to the future so much my eyes have began aging. I've spent so much time praying for equality that my knees began biodegrading. I've worn racist eyes upon the back of my neck while they look at me as more alien than a flying saucer. I've had the blood of my ancestors transcend as tears as I've had parents say because I'm Black I have to stay away from their daughter. I get it...it's hard. When the ones that take action also take bullets. I get it...it's hard. That growing up you’re told it takes 200% to be half the man that any white man could be. But we're not fighting alone anymore. Look around you...we don't have to fight this by ourselves. We have Black, Caucasian, Brown, Asian... All in this little fight for what I like to call equality. I need all of you to help me! Because... I am sick and tired of having to hear the statement... Black lives matter, For that shouldn't matter, Cause all lives matter, So Black should already be a factor. Excuse my language and pardon the heritage,

But look where we started. Image courtesy of Akil McKenzie From Africa departed, But our ancestors were stone hearted. They fought for our freedom, * * * We fight for what colour our new car is. Everybody tryna be in basketball and nobody aiming for Congress. As a people...all we do is talk shit. 20