Volume 9 | Issue 35 | May 30, 2022

King's Strengthens Gender-based Sexual Violence Policy

King’s has updated its gender-based sexual violence policy with a number of strategies to address issues of gender-based sexual violence in our community and on campus.

Read more about the strategies.

Faculty Updates

Dr. Gillian Balfour, Vice-President and Academic Dean, has accepted the position of Provost at Thompson Rivers University (TRU) effective July 1, 2022. “I am grateful for the opportunity to be at King’s. Alongside my senior administration colleagues, faculty and staff, we have accomplished a great deal together for our students," says Dr. Balfour.

Dr. Robert Ventresca has been appointed the interim Academic Dean for a two-year term effective May 1, 2022. Dr. Ventresca started his post-secondary career right here at King’s as an undergraduate student in 1989. Since then he has achieved teaching and research excellence, with numerous publications. As well, Dr. Ventresca is a Member of the College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists at the Royal Society of Canada.

Follow Dr. Ventresca on Instagram @kucacademicdean and Twitter @KUCAcademicDean.

Dr. Matthew G. Yeager, Full Professor of Sociology, is retiring effective July 4, 2022. Professor Yeager has been an active member of our community since 2007, serving on and participating in many committees within the Department of Sociology and throughout King’s.

As a member of the Criminology program he was a very popular professor amongst his students and well known for his ability to engage his students with the study of crime and in particular in the areas in which he researched and published, organized crime, state crime, corporate crime, corrections, and sentencing and parole.

King's Graduates, A Reminder to Order Your Regalia

King's graduates! This is your friendly reminder to order your convocation gown before June 4. Congratulations and we can't wait to see you next month.

Order your graduation gown on the convocation page.

Celebrate Our Graduates

Help us celebrate the accomplishments of the Class of 2022! King's is excited to celebrate Spring 2022 Convocation in person. Convocation will take place on June 22 and 24 and you can find the schedule of events on the Convocation page.

Graduates! Tell us about your King’s experience and your future plans in the Graduation Survey. You could win a degree frame!

King's Players Theatre Company Announce Call for Directors

The Kings Players are in search of 2022/2023 directors for their fall play and spring musical. The directors are the creative leads for our mainstage productions. Those selected will be able to choose a show that they would like to direct and have it produced by King’s Players.  Submissions are due on June 15 at 11:59 p.m. Email kingsplayers@kucsc.com with any questions.

Apply for the director position. 

Student Affairs Hours Change 

The Student Affairs Team will be away on May 31 for professional development. They can still be reached by email and will respond by the next day. Emergency issues can be directed to the after-hour and/or community resources.

You Still Have Time to Register for Summer Courses!

Summer courses are in full swing, but you can still register for courses with start dates in June and July. There are Economics, Philosophy, Sociology, and Social Justice and Peace Studies classes with space left, but hurry, as space is limited.

Learn more about summer courses.

Islamophobia: Recognize, Resist, Respond

On June 7, come out to the Civic Gardens to join the Muslim Resource Centre, Islamic Social Services Association, and King’s School of Social Work, in tackling anti-Muslim hate. This free, in-person event will have a host of knowledgeable and engaging presenters holding workshops about Islam and Muslim culture. The event is an opportunity for open discussions with the goal of learning how to recognize, resist, and respond to Islamophobia and discrimination within our London community. Everyone is welcome to join in this community conversation. Discussion topics include understanding Islam and culture, women in Islam, Islamophobia in Canada, and concrete steps to become an effective ally.

Free parking, halal lunch, and refreshments are included. Participants will receive a certificate of participation. Co-hosted by the School of Social Work.

June 7 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Civic Garden Complex

625 Springbank Drive. London, ON

Register for this event.

Earn a Certificate in Spiritual Direction

Are you interested in exploring your faith at a deeper level and offering this ministry? You have the chance to help the growing number of people seeking accompaniment on their spiritual journeys. The ten-month Spiritual Direction program involves concentrated classroom sessions, assigned readings and brief written essays to provide preparation for spiritual directors in our Diocese and formation for those called to offer this ministry. Topics covered include the history of Catholic spirituality, prayer and discernment, covenants, transference, and Ignatian Spiritual Exercises. You must apply by June 3. Candidates who successfully complete all the requirements of this program receive a Certificate in Spiritual Direction from St. Peter’s Seminary and the Diocese of London. If you know someone who might be interested, please share this with them. 

Learn more about this certificate.

King's Faculty Lend Their Expertise to Ontario Election Coverage

Election day is fast approaching for Ontario on June 2. Get informed for the vote by learning more about the election from experts here at King's. Members of the King's faculty are lending their expertise to local and area media coverage of the Ontario election. 

Read the full story.

Dr. Geen on Misunderstanding of Religious Symbols with Hate Language

Dr. Jonathan Geen, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, lent his expertise to a CBC article on how the banning of the swastika might affect those who use the Hindu swastik symbol for religious expression.

Read more on these religious symbols.

Devant Offers International Students New Career Resources

If you are an international student, you can benefit from King's partnership with Devant, which offers resources and new career development opportunities in Canada for you. To learn more about the partnership between King’s and Devant, please visit our Career Resources for International Students page.

Sign up for Devant.

Upcoming Devant Events

Expert Panel: Career in Management and Technology Consulting

June 1 at 6 p.m.

Are you interested in a career in management and technical consulting? Ask the expert panel how they did it! Learn from professionals who will share their personal career journeys, provide context through their lived experiences, and answer your questions live. 

Register for this free expert panel. 

Live Workshop: Finding a Job in Canada

June 8 at 6 p.m.

Where are all the jobs? Attend this live workshop to discuss strategies for finding the perfect career opportunities for you. We'll be sharing a step-by-step breakdown of the hiring process in Canada, what tools and websites you can use to search for available jobs, tips for keeping your job search organized and less overwhelming, and more.

Register for this free workshop.

Togetherall

Connect with others experiencing similar feelings via Togetherall's peer-to-peer platform. This safe place also has trained professionals on hand, 24/7. They ensure all members are anonymous to each other within the community.

Register for a King's Togetherall account.

COVID-19 Screening

In keeping with changing regulations and recommendations from the province, Western requires everyone who comes to campus, including affiliate campuses to complete the province's COVID-19 self-assessment. You do not need to complete the self-assessment on days when you don't come to campus.

Visit our COVID-19 FAQ page if you have any questions or are looking for the most up-to-date information.

Be Featured in Things@King's!

Hi! We are Communications and Media Relations at King's. If you have made it down this far, thank you for reading! We work hard to bring you event information each week and we would love to hear from you. Please email Communications to be featured in Things@King's, with a 50-word description of your event or news. Deadline for submission is Wednesday, June 8 at 4:30 p.m. for the June 13 newsletter. Thank you for continuing to send in your content.

See archived issues Things@King's.

Hosting an Event at King's?

Let the Communications department know by submitting your event via the posting request form. This lets the entire communications team know about your event in advance and what you need in terms of promotions and/or event coverage. We are always happy to help, and this tells us how we can best support your event.

Parents/Supporters

You can receive the weekly Things@King's newsletter and keep up to date with everything going on at King's. Send an email to communications@kings.uwo.ca and include your name and email.

Hours of Operation and Contacts



Many of King's administrative offices have adjusted their hours for the summer. Please refer to the Hours of Operation page for the most up-to-date information.

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