On May 25 and 26, Massey College participated in its first Doors Open Toronto. A special thanks to Matt Glandfield, our Director of Facilities and Operations, for his coordination efforts alongside our staff and many volunteers who were friends and family. Over 1800 people of all ages visited the college, and enjoyed the architecture, learning about the community and history via guided and self-guided tours. This felt like a great step in our goal of making the college more outward-looking.
I’d like to also take this opportunity to note that Massey is more open than many of members realize, anyone can come for breakfast and lunch – so bring your friends and tell them they can come by themselves once they fall in love with the dining hall! Lunch continues for the summer until August 2, breakfast until August 18 and then restarts in September.
Also, it is a little late in this academic year to mention this, but many of the events in our calendar are available to the public, where they can register as guests.
I want to mention it is a special month in which we the recognize both Pride and Indigenous Peoples Month. We honour and celebrate the heritage and diversity of the First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.
On Thursday, June 6 at 12:00pm, I invite you to join me in the Quadrangle for our annual Pride Flag Raising Ceremony, and perhaps stay for lunch!
ACCESSIBILITY UPDATE
Our elevator is back in service. Thank you for your patience.
SAVE THE DATE
- July 27 – Massey College Alumni Association AGM and BBQ. All Massey members and their families are welcome. RSVP.
- Interested to run for the MCAA Council? Submit a nomination form. They are soliciting project proposals for the MCAA Fund.
- September 6 – Welcome BBQ
- September 16 – The Second Annual Irving Abella Lecture with Adam Gopnik on Confronting Hate
- September 16 – First Formal Dinner in Ondaatje Hall.
- (Please note: formal dinners are Mondays and Wednesdays throughout the term. They are an excellent way to get to know Junior Fellows and other members of the community over an outstanding meal. Be sure to make it part of your regular routine at the College.)
- September 19 – Meet the William Southam Journalism Fellows reception
- September 26 – Book Launch – Journalism for the Public Good: The Michener Awards at Fifty by Senior Fellow Kim Kierans
- September 20 – Community Photo and Welcome High Table
- November 30 – Kids and Family Holiday Party
- December 14 – Winter Gaudy
High Tables – Each event is an opportunity to celebrate the Massey Community and people from outside of the community. Please consider coming to any and all of these events – they are intended to be a celebration for the whole community, not only for the specific community that is named.
- September 20 – Welcome High Table (community photo in advance)
- October 18 – Indigenous Heritage High Table
- November 1 – Muslim High Table
- November 22 – Pride High Table (with networking mixer in advance)
- December 6 – Junior Fellow High Table (Junior Fellows and residents only)
- January 10 – Multiculturalism High Table
- January 24 – Clarkson Laureateship High Table celebrating Public Service
- February 7 – Black History High Table
- March 7 – International Women’s Day High Table
- March 28 – Convocation High Table
Senior Fellow Lunches – The lunches are open to all members of the community and feature Senior Fellows and other inspiring speakers.
- September 24
- October 22
- November 12
- December 12
- January 15
- February 25
- March 25
- April 8
Ethics Series – This series brings together a brilliant panel to engage in why moral leadership matters from a range of topics.
- September 17
- November 19
- January 21
- March 18
Book Club – The Massey College Book Club is an opportunity for members to discuss six books determined from community input. The group meets in the Upper Library following formal dinner in Ondaatje Hal on the first Monday of the month. Book titles will be shared soon for your summer reading list.
- October 7
- November 4
- December 2
- February 3
- March 3
- April 7
Music Salon – These unique events bring in musicians to discuss their work, sharing clips and/or live performances in conversation with members of the committee.
- October 9
- November 6
- February 5
- March 5
Press Club – Our William Southam Journalism Fellows will organize special events on subjects that are of importance to journalism and journalists in Canada and abroad.
- October 23
- March 12
Conferences and Symposia
- September 27 – Public Policy Conference on Crime and Policing organized by Massey’s Public Policy Chair Tom Axworthy and Changemaker-in-Residence Peter Sloly.
- November 21 – Ursula Franklin Forum: an afternoon focusing on the intersection of Science, Engineering, Public Policy and Society organized by Chair of Science@Massey Barbara Sherwood Lollar
- November – Global Conference on International Climate Justice organized by Massey’s Chair in Human Rights Payam Akhavan
Stay tuned for more events as they are added to the calendar over the summer including Massey Dialogues and Junior Fellow Lecture Series.
COMMUNITY NEWS
AWARDS
- Angela Colantonio (alum), Pamela Klassen (Senior Fellow) and Cillian O’Hogan (alum) received School of Graduate Studies Supervision Awards. Read more here.
- Junior Fellow Leighton Schreyer received the Ontario Medical Student Association (OMSA) President’s Award for their dedication and achievements in the pursuit of creating a compassionate and empowered Ontario medical student body.
- Alum Alice Zhu was awarded a 2023-2024 Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship to continue her research on the transport and fate of plastic pollution in the global ocean at Memorial University starting in the fall.
- Recently in Winnipeg, I was awarded the 2024 Gold Medal from Engineers Canada.
Congratulations Angela, Pamela, Cillian, Leighton and Alice!
NEWS
- Massey College’s Chair in Human Rights Payam Akhavan was interviewed on CBC for a precedent setting climate change decision. He was also interviewed on The Current with Quadrangler Matt Galloway.
- Senior Fellow Dimitry Anastakis discussed the progression of Canada’s automotive industry. CityNews radio | Read here
- Senior Fellow Ron Deibert argues a proposed cybersecurity bill threatens online security in The Globe OpEd.
- Junior Fellow Adhithya Krishnan authored Copper at a Crossroads: The Role of Risk in the Financial Challenges Faced by the Copper Mining Industry which he completed as part of the Lupina-Innovation Policy Lab Fellowship.
- Senior Fellow Nurjehan Mawani offered to facilitate invites for Junior Fellows and Alum who may be interested to learn and exchange at Advancing Excellence and Equity in Eye Health at Aga Khan University on June 1 at The Ismaili Centre. You can reach out via email.
- Senior Fellow and Nobel Prize Winner John Polayni’s work was celebrated in U of T exhibit.
- Alum and playwright Zahida Rahemtulla’s play The Wrong Bashiris playing at the Crow’s Theatre until June 9. Read the review in The Star.
- Use code BASHIR25 and get a special 25% discount on General Admission Adult and Seniors. Valid until June 2. Group bookings of 8+ receive a 20% discount. Contact the box office at (647) 341-7390 to book. Buy tickets here.
- Senior Fellow Samir Sinha will be on a panel June 13: Creating an anti-ageist society at the Toronto Reference Library. RSVP.
- Junior Fellow Riley Yesno shares the importance of Indigenous inclusion. Radio-Canada online.
- Alum Alice (Xia) Zhu of measures plastic waste in Toronto in a new study. Read about it in The Star.
- The Aga Khan Museum is hosting a live podcast taping of This Being Human with Deeyah Khan on June 4.
A reminder as you plan your summer:
- Our summer residence program is pleased to welcome all members of the Massey community, their colleagues, and loved ones to come stay at the college. We understand travel is increasingly challenging at this time and to make it a little easier we’re offering 15% off our usual accommodation rates with the discount code: ALUM/SF2024.
If you have questions or are curious to learn more you can contact our Summer Residence Manager, Sam Little, by email or by phone at (416) 946-7843; or check out our website. - Please ensure you put The JCR by our Junior Fellows high on your list of podcast listening list! It is exceptional and interdisciplinary just like our fellowship. Listen here.
- Ondaatje Hall continues to be open until mid-August for breakfast and lunch. Keep checking the menu and bring guests to enjoy the space.
See you soon!
Jonathan
P.S. In case you missed it, you can watch the final Massey Dialogues of the year – Forging a Way Forward: Navigating China-Canada Relations Amidst 2024’s Uncertainties with the Canada China Forum here.
